Wading the Lower Sac on 10/20

[craigfalk]

I waded the Lower Sac on Saturday afternoon with my buddy Mike Mercer. We fished together constantly back in the 70's on Chico Creek and other local waters. He caught more fish than me then and the gap has only grown wider! I landed 4 fat rainbows that averaged 19" - Mike landed many more even though he gave me first shot at all the best water. It was a blast, but I was humbled. It's the first time I've fished the Lower Sac and it was fascinating. I fish the American, Yuba, and Truckee regularly. The flows were 6,500 - low for that river. It's obvious why so many people float the Lower Sac. The fish are amazing, and wade access is difficult. You really need to know where to go and must be careful - the current is strong. The water itself is cold, clear, and quite beautiful. Most of the best water you just can't reach without a boat.

I apologize for poor quality of this photo. I was standing in 3' of water and was afraid to take my phone/camera out of the zip lock baggy. Obviously it's not optimal to take a photo through a sheet of plastic! From the measure net you may be able to notice this fish is almost 19" long. The photo doesn't due it justice. All the fish were pigs.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm210/craigfalk/IMG_0451_zpsa644b899.jpg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

That is pretty cool......

Mike Mercer is one of the top guys in this industry and told me once that his favorite time to fly fish the lower Sac was October because the fish were very strong then.

When Mike was a teenager in Chico he use to drive to my fly shop in Sacramento.

He mostly works in the travel department of The Fly Shop in Redding, CA.

If you stop by there see if you can get a chance to chat with him.

He is a very special guy.............

[joshfish]

Mike mercer is an amazing fly fisher. I have not had a chance to fish with him but a couple friends have. When nymphing they said its crazy the strikes he can detect. When they were watching him fish they couldn't see the indicator slow, twitch or anything and he sets the hook on a fish.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

He is that good......and a great guy too.

They call him "the Hoover" as in vacuum cleaner.

I fished with him up on the Lower Feather River for Steelhead once in the low flow.

He was using a 10' Scott rod.

That day he told me the difference between 2x and 3x tippet was huge as far as landing really big Steelhead goes.

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Al Perryman told me the same thing.........this was pertaining to swinging for Steelhead.No 3x for serious swinging for steelhead.

Jason Hartwick recommends 8# Maxima Ultra Green as the lightest tippet for swinging flies for Steelhead.

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In early November of 1981 Joe Shirshac and I hit the Trinity River really right on after a big storm. The steelhead were so thick and so fresh and so hot they were braking us off on 6# Maxima Ultra Green so we went to 8#. Some of that 8 m/m movie footage Joe took of me on that trip is in the movie, Rivers of a Lost Coast.

Joe Shrishac, Frank Pullen, Mel Jeffs and I were at the Ice Cream Riffle on the Klamath River in October in the 1970s where the larger fresh adult Steelhead were breaking us off on 6# Maxima so went to 8#.

Back in old days, 1970s, Al Perryman told me that he use to buy small bulk spools of Maxima Ultragreen in 6, 8 and 10 pound test. He used 6 and 8 for coastal Steelhead and 8 and 10 for tide water salmon depending on the conditions.

One of my strength is remembering litle details.....

Gordon Langenbeck has tons of info he keep in a big log over the years about lots of fishing reports from friends.

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