Mike O
07-11-2010, 09:51 AM
Just got back last night about 1:30. Had to post.
Fished the Upper Sac Fri Night and Saturday Afternoon and Evening. IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
Friday- Worked half day then drove up to pick up my buddy in Yuba City. Made it to the Castela region by 6:30. Humidity sucked. We rigged up and wadered up (which was a mistake...wet wade---too hot for waders). When we got down to the river, I was having nothing but problems, exacerbated by the heat and humidity. Lost flies, tangled leaders, casting a fly rod which I have come to hate and bushes. Have you ever had a bad day?
Then the witching hour started. The Golden stones descended upon us and the crowd went wild. There were fish rising all around us, and I couldn't buy a strike. Finally got one on the golden stimulator I was using, but that was after countless short strikes and refusals. Over the time we were there until dark, my buddy got about 8 and I got just the one.
Drove up to the McCloud region to camp.
Drove down to Ash Camp the next AM. I was redeemed for the day before. I caught a couple in Hawkins Creek there at the Camp, and we headed downstream on the McCloud. The two of us caught a few more, nothing of any size, but still scrappy little buggers. Met a couple of guys camping who said that the McCloud was crazy the night before with Goldens. When the heat of the day started, we jammed down to McCloud town, and then on down to Dunsmuir.
About 3PM found us back on the same stretch of the USac. We dried and droppered picking up a couple small ones, on the dry mostly. Then the witching hour started again, and again the crowd went wild. In this one little stretch of stream, there musta been about 30 trout rising. There were so many Goldens and caddis on the water it was hard to find a trout who would eat, because he just got done eating. My buddy caught 4 on caddis before the goldens decended on us. I caught and LDRed a couple and brought one to hand with small stimulators, then they stopped giving it a look. I put on my old standby PMX and got a lot more swirls, but couldn't connect, until a scrappy 13incher came in and obligingly swallowed it.
I have never, ever caught a fish that I would consider to be a football. This fish was a football. He faught harder than a fish half again his size, and when he came to the net I was amazed at his girth. I wish I had taken his picture, but there was no way I was getting my camera out with the fish on. Had a few more swirls and a couple of hit-and-offs, then it was over, and it was like nothing had happened. Nothing left but the memories in my mind...and crossing the river in the dark.
Thanks for letting me share. I will post some pics up (no fish, just scenery and a nasty looking huge bug) when I dig my camera out.
MAO
Fished the Upper Sac Fri Night and Saturday Afternoon and Evening. IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
Friday- Worked half day then drove up to pick up my buddy in Yuba City. Made it to the Castela region by 6:30. Humidity sucked. We rigged up and wadered up (which was a mistake...wet wade---too hot for waders). When we got down to the river, I was having nothing but problems, exacerbated by the heat and humidity. Lost flies, tangled leaders, casting a fly rod which I have come to hate and bushes. Have you ever had a bad day?
Then the witching hour started. The Golden stones descended upon us and the crowd went wild. There were fish rising all around us, and I couldn't buy a strike. Finally got one on the golden stimulator I was using, but that was after countless short strikes and refusals. Over the time we were there until dark, my buddy got about 8 and I got just the one.
Drove up to the McCloud region to camp.
Drove down to Ash Camp the next AM. I was redeemed for the day before. I caught a couple in Hawkins Creek there at the Camp, and we headed downstream on the McCloud. The two of us caught a few more, nothing of any size, but still scrappy little buggers. Met a couple of guys camping who said that the McCloud was crazy the night before with Goldens. When the heat of the day started, we jammed down to McCloud town, and then on down to Dunsmuir.
About 3PM found us back on the same stretch of the USac. We dried and droppered picking up a couple small ones, on the dry mostly. Then the witching hour started again, and again the crowd went wild. In this one little stretch of stream, there musta been about 30 trout rising. There were so many Goldens and caddis on the water it was hard to find a trout who would eat, because he just got done eating. My buddy caught 4 on caddis before the goldens decended on us. I caught and LDRed a couple and brought one to hand with small stimulators, then they stopped giving it a look. I put on my old standby PMX and got a lot more swirls, but couldn't connect, until a scrappy 13incher came in and obligingly swallowed it.
I have never, ever caught a fish that I would consider to be a football. This fish was a football. He faught harder than a fish half again his size, and when he came to the net I was amazed at his girth. I wish I had taken his picture, but there was no way I was getting my camera out with the fish on. Had a few more swirls and a couple of hit-and-offs, then it was over, and it was like nothing had happened. Nothing left but the memories in my mind...and crossing the river in the dark.
Thanks for letting me share. I will post some pics up (no fish, just scenery and a nasty looking huge bug) when I dig my camera out.
MAO