Andrew Guibord
01-12-2016, 11:39 PM
Had my second best day ever on the American River on the swing. I fished with my friend Blane. 4 fish were hooked with 3 of them landed. The first was a nice chromer that ate my, U-Name- It, streamer and then instantly jumped and rolled, thrashing before freeing herself. A little later Blane said, hay did a dog just jump off the cliff downstream?
Sure enough, I see a dog swimming and a a lady panicking, looking down for her dog. The dog was fine having swam to a small clay bank at the bottom of the bluff. Next thing I know this lady slides down the cliff hanging on trees and bushes to rescue her pet. I do not know how she did it, ( adrenaline ) but she got down safely and hulled her dog onto the bank next to her. Slowly she pushed her dog up the bank. I worked my way across the river to the other side and walked as fast as possible , out of breath, to help them get up the cliff. Somehow thanks to adrenaline , the gal and dog had made like mountain goats and had already made it to the top safely just before I got to them.. She and I were breathing heavily while the dog, now on a leash, looked at me as if it were saying, that was fun, chill out, the two of you.
Well I walked back down to the run on the opposite side that I hooked the last fish and proceeded to swing my fly. At one point I yelled across the stream to Blane and said, I wonder ware all the male fish are? I have hooked maybe two or three males after 20 years of swinging the American. The ratio is a something like the guys to women ration going to Chico State. Unfortunately I with two sacks full of amunition went to a different college. Ten minutes later, bang. I hook and land this big buck that hit a fly that Doug Duncan gave me. It pulled like a salmon, in fact, I thought maybe that it was one. we fished another hour and then hiked to our cars and headed for lunch.
Afterwards Blane and I split up as we drove down river to different locations. Short story.... I swung my U-Name-It and hooked and landed two more very large , bright hens. The first was about a 8 pound wild gal that tore things up. Then I walked up river and hooked a bright chromer that did not fight as well after her hard grab, initial surface explosion and thrashing after feeling the steel. She was almost as large as that buck earlier in the morning, buy far my largest hen ever. Seems like the fish are running bigger than average perhaps due to the fact that last year they refused to run up the American and fed one more year in the ocean before returning this winter? Thank you river gods and thanks Blane for the photo and a most enjoyable day together on the American River!
11572
Sure enough, I see a dog swimming and a a lady panicking, looking down for her dog. The dog was fine having swam to a small clay bank at the bottom of the bluff. Next thing I know this lady slides down the cliff hanging on trees and bushes to rescue her pet. I do not know how she did it, ( adrenaline ) but she got down safely and hulled her dog onto the bank next to her. Slowly she pushed her dog up the bank. I worked my way across the river to the other side and walked as fast as possible , out of breath, to help them get up the cliff. Somehow thanks to adrenaline , the gal and dog had made like mountain goats and had already made it to the top safely just before I got to them.. She and I were breathing heavily while the dog, now on a leash, looked at me as if it were saying, that was fun, chill out, the two of you.
Well I walked back down to the run on the opposite side that I hooked the last fish and proceeded to swing my fly. At one point I yelled across the stream to Blane and said, I wonder ware all the male fish are? I have hooked maybe two or three males after 20 years of swinging the American. The ratio is a something like the guys to women ration going to Chico State. Unfortunately I with two sacks full of amunition went to a different college. Ten minutes later, bang. I hook and land this big buck that hit a fly that Doug Duncan gave me. It pulled like a salmon, in fact, I thought maybe that it was one. we fished another hour and then hiked to our cars and headed for lunch.
Afterwards Blane and I split up as we drove down river to different locations. Short story.... I swung my U-Name-It and hooked and landed two more very large , bright hens. The first was about a 8 pound wild gal that tore things up. Then I walked up river and hooked a bright chromer that did not fight as well after her hard grab, initial surface explosion and thrashing after feeling the steel. She was almost as large as that buck earlier in the morning, buy far my largest hen ever. Seems like the fish are running bigger than average perhaps due to the fact that last year they refused to run up the American and fed one more year in the ocean before returning this winter? Thank you river gods and thanks Blane for the photo and a most enjoyable day together on the American River!
11572