Lately on the Lower West Slope

[TaylerW]

Ive been doing some exploration in mid elevation lakes lately, between 3-6000 feet. Almost no snow left except on the mountaintops within the SF American watershed, looking as if those who fish hwy 50 like myself are going to have an early, and hopefully not abrupt season.

Found a few small browns, one with a fellow board member. A few bows here and there, but nothing that could eat the flies ive been wanting to throw. Recently I was fishing a small body of water that is a dammed canyon with very steep walls, not much structure to fish and very clear. After a few fruitless hours i was stripping my streamer in and i saw him. Not sure the exact size, but big, one of the biggest brown trout ive ever seen. He inspected, and rejected my streamer.

Also been able to do some creeking, those who are wondering if it is time yet, it is. Get out. Explore our local watersheds. Stealth and light rods are the name of the game, as well as poison oak, blackberry thorns, and the occasional "surprised couple" enjoying an afternoon in the sun. I love the small wild fish that inhabit these rugged and at times impassible canyons. Every time i visit these places, i leave a part of myself there. Seriously though, i think i could point out the rock that ate my shin, and the tree that is smeared with some of my forearm.

Back to the final projects and homework. Living for sundays and fridays on the water right now. MUST COMPLETE EDUCATION.

Thanks to all who came to my presentation this past weekend at the expo!

Come talk creeking with me on mondays, wednesdays and saturdays at the shop. Its time to pull out the small rods, put a new double taper on your reel and tie some bushy dries.

Get after it!

TW

[Paul B.]

Thank you for the report Tayler, I need to go back up to the hwy 50 area soon.

[Ryan e]

Remember when visiting these areas Pot grows are on the rise . I just spent 2 days watching a helicopter eradicate a small portion of the Eldorado national forest . I spoke with the law. Enforcement and they indicated almost every drainage they flew showed sights of someone starting a grow .I had just spent a few hours a day before picking morels in a certain area they said was literally , covered in grow sights and I saw no signs of any people in the area . Pretty scary thinking these are the streams I , and most of us call, are home waters . Sorry for the drift off subject, but please be careful

[Darian]

Interesting,.... Wonder how much water each of these illegal grows require?? How many illegal diversions are in place?? Should be able to walk stream banks and spot illegal diversions.... Another unnecessary use of scarce water.

[Mike McKenzie]

Interesting,.... Wonder how much water each of these illegal grows require?? How many illegal diversions are in place?? Should be able to walk stream banks and spot illegal diversions.... Another unnecessary use of scarce water.

to not just our fisheries but ALL wildlife.. People that think "recreational" use of "weed" is OK are terribly misguided.. watch this video and see the damage caused by their "recreation".. If you watch this and don't get PO'd somethin' is wrong..

DFW Enforncement cleaning up the mess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDMMeAcHYIc

Mike

[TaylerW]

Just play it smart in the hills. Rule #1, if you don't know where a road goes and your not a local, don't take it. Rule 2, pack. I have stumbled onto many grows myself, and have never had an issue. Just gotta be smart about it.

[Darian]

Since I'm not a smoker, this kind of stuff does tend to upset me (and would whether I smoked or not). I've seen several of these type videos. They always make me wonder what the H__l users/public are thinking. Too bad they're so willing to sacrifice habitat and pollute everyones waterways on public/private lands with this S__t. It's bad enough that we already do that legally in so many other ways. Given the current sentiment of users/public, illegal marajuana grows will continue to proliferate as profits are seen to be massive. I guess it's an example of poor impulse control.

Backing off when stumbling on to one of these grows is good advice. However, that's not enough. Try to locate landmarks or GPS for use by law enforcement (as mentioned in the video) then call it in. if we don't follow thru who will???

[Ben J]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFNe_KZhPZw

There's another video for you guys from the Forest Service. The documented deaths of several fishers (member of the weasel family that i believe is protected in CA) in Six Rivers National Forest blew up in the news last year, which were found to have high levels of illegal rodenticides linked to public land grows. I don't have a problem with the herb, but I do have a problem with all the greedy people out here causing damage.

[Bob Loblaw]

I was up at Avenue of the Giants a few years ago on a camping trip and stopped in at the little winery alongside the river. I was tasting a few different bottles when two young punks pull up in a BMW suv covered in dust. They stroll in, ask what the most expensive wine is, order two cases, pull out a huge roll of $100 bills to pay, and drive off.

The woman serving said that pot growers are among their best customers and they are mostly from Southern California. They invest a few grand in a grow operation, spend a few months up in the woods, and truck a million bucks worth of pot back to LA....leaving a toxic mess behind them.

[Moose]

Not to completely derail the subject, but...

I don't smoke it either, but...

Ya know, if they just made it legal for people to grow their own, for their own personal use, then there wouldn't be a high dollar market for it and these dangerous growing farms wouldn't exist.


Back to fishing, I'd really like to know how the forks of the American and their trib streams are looking. I have a little 4 weight I haven't even cast yet. Some trout fishing up in the trees is sounding pretty right about now.

[TyV]

Legalize completely and tax! Then you don't have any of these disgusting practices going on. Much of this is driven by Mexican cartels...the insanity has to gone on long enough.

Now can we give this thread back to the original topic please! Nice post btw. Thanks.

[Ryan e]

Sorry for the derail!

[jbird]

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLets get ready to rumbllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllleeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[Mike O]

No selling statute...next proposal is for no selling to minors...LOLOLOLOL

[TaylerW]

please talk about weed somewhere else, if you want to talk about the south fork, this is the place. keep this political debate off the board please.

[Ryan e]

South fork has been fishing amazing. I would suggest the silver fork and some small black stones and have it.

[TaylerW]

Good call! There are quite a few stones sz6-8 crawling around right now. Should see some terranarcys soon!!

[Scott V]

The woman serving said that pot growers are among their best customers and they are mostly from Southern California. They invest a few grand in a grow operation, spend a few months up in the woods, and truck a million bucks worth of pot back to LA....leaving a toxic mess behind them.

There is more to it than that. She makes it sound so simple and easy. And they are not trucking a million bucks worth of marijuana back to LA. I know this for a fact. It takes a lot more than a couple grand and a few months to make a million bucks on marijuana. But like most things in life that people have no clue about, they are usually wrong and in this case, way wrong.

[tascaso]

Tayler,

Thanks for the heads up on getting out there into the little rivers and streams! I am ready with a skinny GLoomis Streamdance and my Tenkara Rods!

What days are you at the shop now?

Regards.

-Tony

[TaylerW]

Mondays, Wednesdays and most Saturdays. I'll be in the hills this weekend though.

[JoeFin]

...Ya know, if they just made it legal for people to grow their own, for their own personal use, then there wouldn't be a high dollar market for it and these dangerous growing farms wouldn't exist.

Some times the answer is just too simple

I used to live up in Clipper Mills for a short while some years ago and the mountains were littered with grow sites. You would be shocked to know what the local Sheriffs claimed was suicide. They have all but given up policing the locals killing each other over their gardens and when 1 of them turns up dead for raiding some one else's garden they just call it suicide.

[TaylerW]

PLEASE stop talking about weed here .

[JasonB]

PLEASE stop talking about weed here .

Tayler,
Perhaps if you wish to discuss such "off topics" as small streams and trout fishing you might need to start your own thread. Ooops, wait you already did that... err, wait... uhhhh.... what was that about weed? Never mind

JB

P.S. NOT to derail this thread any further, but nice report that hits home about what it's all about. Now back to the topic at hand...

[TaylerW]

Headed out into the hills later this morning after an interview at a state gig. Big brown hunting up in the 50/80 gap!

[SHigSpeed]

Headed out into the hills later this morning after an interview at a state gig. Big brown hunting up in the 50/80 gap!
Got this beaut today in the "gap" at ~1500'.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2906/13904492996_1a7148c383_b_d.jpg

_SHig

[Ryan e]

Hell hole is a pretty cool unhidden gap with a tendency to produce amazing Fish .

[SHigSpeed]

Hell hole is a pretty cool unhidden gap with a tendency to produce amazing Fish .
You've had good luck at Hell Hole fly fishing? Kokes and macs?

_SHig

[Ryan e]

Hell hole has some hidden gems . Spend the time and you will be rewarded with surprises. And yes I fly fish only.I have caught macs on Caples lake on dry flys believe it or not. Most of theses lakes take many years of intense or some would say obsessive fishing to find the secretes out.Im sorry I can't be more specific , but some of my favorites I spent many years dialing in I have arrived to worm containers and trash everywhere, so best to keep it off the inner web . And I'm very aware you are not that type off person.

[TaylerW]

Landed some nice bows and browns over the past two days. Lost a few fish I never saw, that put me into my backing in seconds. Streamer bite was tough, a lot of nippers. Indo rod was the hot ticket. My legs and body are torn up. Time for a shower and cold one!

[DAVID95670]

What is the gap 50/80?

[Ryan e]

Yes. 50/80