Ed Wahl
05-03-2009, 08:01 PM
I just couldn't wait any longer. A warm rain on my favorite smallie spot just called out to me too loudly to let it go unanswered.
I had two friends who were initially going to come along but had to bow out. That just left me with my other favorite option, fishing alone.
I'd love to say that the fishing was awesome, incredible, epic, not to be believed. But, that just wasn't the case.
While I did do well enough to keep me coming back, it wasn't the hot fishing I thought it would be.
The water was down a bit, apparantly the summer irrigation has started.
When I arrived at the bridge to check out the flows I could see that despite the heavy rainfall the night before the stream was running pretty clear. But not spotting any fish off the bridge was a little worrisome.
So I drove over to one of my accesses and geared up in the rain. On my way out earlier I stopped at Bill's shop and bought a pair of nylon pants, genious on my part, thank you very much. When you've got to cover miles of stream in the rain there's just no way you can wear waders. You'll either die of heat stroke, dehydration, or you'll blow out both feet of your high dollar waders.
The nylon pants, polyester shirt, and cheap k-mart breathable raincoat, and felt Aussie type hat kept me quite comfortable all day. Anyway, back to the "report".
The water, as I mentioned, was clear and not too god awfully cold. I forgot a thermometer, but I could wet wade for as long as I wanted too without feeling cold. The water level had recently dropped, as evidenced by the damp,dark colored algae on the rocks.
My first stop, my never fail hole, failed me. The creek bottom, which is always changing, has filled in this spot. So off I go.
At my first crossing, while wading in a shallow riffle used by the OHV people as a ford I came across one of the real natives to this state. While I see these guys everywhere in this drainage they don't usually hang around for photos. This guy didn't seem too impressed with me.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies058.jpg
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http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies064.jpg
Second spot, the Dam Hole. I was a little concerned because of the low water levels, but as I approaced the Dam Hole I could see that the local water engineers had been busy with another water storage facility and the pool was at it's usual level.
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"
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http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies068.jpg
I managed a couple of smallies of no real size and a few squawfish out of there and then moved on.
Finally scored a nice one at the Bottomless Pool, although it's not bottomless anymore. A tree on the edge fell over and changed this too. But a nice Smallie and a couple squaws still call it home.
The squaws really loved the Blue Leech, they just couldn't stop whacking it.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies073.jpg
Then off I trudge to try out 100 yard pool. While not up to it's usual epic numbers it still gave up a few.
Almost all the smallies took on top, a Hopper Popper I bought. I bought all they had left too.
Here's my best of the day, 16 inches measured on my rod.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies079.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies071.jpg
Not huge by any means but still a very serious pull on the end of a 5wt. You have to take smallies seriously, they're just that kind of fish. Check out the red eyes, he was really mad. After slapping me around a little he told me he better not catch me around here again.
I'm still not sure if he was kidding or not.
Now the dreaded walk out. I'm 3 miles from the truck at this point, and nothing to do but start walking.
Turned out to be one of the nicest walks I've taken, and I've taken a lot of walks.
I jumped up out of the creekbottom onto the edge of the private and posted lands. This is mostly Oak and Savannah. The wildlife that came out right after the rain stopped had me stopping to look almost constantly. I've never seen Western Tanagers on the valley floor but here I saw several, and rather close at that. Hawks all over the place. I saw one with what must have been a meadow vole in it's beak. Bluebirds, 2 types of Finches, Thrushes, Woodpeckers, I was in bird heaven.
I know for some the fishing is everything, but for me it's only a part of a much larger experience.
I would consider this a great day.
Ed
I had two friends who were initially going to come along but had to bow out. That just left me with my other favorite option, fishing alone.
I'd love to say that the fishing was awesome, incredible, epic, not to be believed. But, that just wasn't the case.
While I did do well enough to keep me coming back, it wasn't the hot fishing I thought it would be.
The water was down a bit, apparantly the summer irrigation has started.
When I arrived at the bridge to check out the flows I could see that despite the heavy rainfall the night before the stream was running pretty clear. But not spotting any fish off the bridge was a little worrisome.
So I drove over to one of my accesses and geared up in the rain. On my way out earlier I stopped at Bill's shop and bought a pair of nylon pants, genious on my part, thank you very much. When you've got to cover miles of stream in the rain there's just no way you can wear waders. You'll either die of heat stroke, dehydration, or you'll blow out both feet of your high dollar waders.
The nylon pants, polyester shirt, and cheap k-mart breathable raincoat, and felt Aussie type hat kept me quite comfortable all day. Anyway, back to the "report".
The water, as I mentioned, was clear and not too god awfully cold. I forgot a thermometer, but I could wet wade for as long as I wanted too without feeling cold. The water level had recently dropped, as evidenced by the damp,dark colored algae on the rocks.
My first stop, my never fail hole, failed me. The creek bottom, which is always changing, has filled in this spot. So off I go.
At my first crossing, while wading in a shallow riffle used by the OHV people as a ford I came across one of the real natives to this state. While I see these guys everywhere in this drainage they don't usually hang around for photos. This guy didn't seem too impressed with me.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies058.jpg
"
"
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies064.jpg
Second spot, the Dam Hole. I was a little concerned because of the low water levels, but as I approaced the Dam Hole I could see that the local water engineers had been busy with another water storage facility and the pool was at it's usual level.
"
"
"
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies068.jpg
I managed a couple of smallies of no real size and a few squawfish out of there and then moved on.
Finally scored a nice one at the Bottomless Pool, although it's not bottomless anymore. A tree on the edge fell over and changed this too. But a nice Smallie and a couple squaws still call it home.
The squaws really loved the Blue Leech, they just couldn't stop whacking it.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies073.jpg
Then off I trudge to try out 100 yard pool. While not up to it's usual epic numbers it still gave up a few.
Almost all the smallies took on top, a Hopper Popper I bought. I bought all they had left too.
Here's my best of the day, 16 inches measured on my rod.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies079.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Smallies/Smallies071.jpg
Not huge by any means but still a very serious pull on the end of a 5wt. You have to take smallies seriously, they're just that kind of fish. Check out the red eyes, he was really mad. After slapping me around a little he told me he better not catch me around here again.
I'm still not sure if he was kidding or not.
Now the dreaded walk out. I'm 3 miles from the truck at this point, and nothing to do but start walking.
Turned out to be one of the nicest walks I've taken, and I've taken a lot of walks.
I jumped up out of the creekbottom onto the edge of the private and posted lands. This is mostly Oak and Savannah. The wildlife that came out right after the rain stopped had me stopping to look almost constantly. I've never seen Western Tanagers on the valley floor but here I saw several, and rather close at that. Hawks all over the place. I saw one with what must have been a meadow vole in it's beak. Bluebirds, 2 types of Finches, Thrushes, Woodpeckers, I was in bird heaven.
I know for some the fishing is everything, but for me it's only a part of a much larger experience.
I would consider this a great day.
Ed