Close encounter on the AR

[ryanv829]

Headed over to the watt Ave access to swing for a bit after dropping my kids off at school this morning. I'm always on high alert these days after having my car broken into recently at Sarah Court, so I parked where I could see my car while I fished the riffle about 100 yards upstream of the bridge. The first thing I noticed was this russian guy walking up and down the access road where my car was parked, over and over. I didn't think anything of it until russian guy #2 decides to stand right next to my car while watching me fish. I started to feel uncomfortable with that so I got out of the water, picked up a rock and started to make my way towards my car. At this point he starts trying to make small talk with me about what im fishing for etc. Not wanting a physical confrontation if it could be avoided, I humor him until he finally leaves. I probably should have left at this point too, but my fishing time is limited these days so I headed back down to the water. Like 10 mins later i notice a car pull up and park right next to mine, but it's turned so that it's facing the exit, presumably for a quick getaway. I exit the water yet again and get close enough to snap a pic of the license plate. After that he drives off and I decide to call it a day. I pack my stuff up and when I finally go to leave I notice the first russian guy still walking up and down the parking lot. I decide to pull up on him and snap a picture. As soon as I do that he gets on his phone and starts texting, doesn't say a word. I head towards the exit, and just as I'm pulling out of the parking lot the car that I noticed parked next to mine earlier pulls back in, and the driver is staring at me hard. Unfortunately the picture I took of the guy walking in the parking lot didn't come out, but I did get a pic of the car and it's license plate. Just a reminder to be careful out there. Probably best to fish with a friend as well. It's too bad we have to deal with this BS. Really takes away from the experience.

On a side note, when i had my car broken into at Sarah Court there was a tweaker looking russian guy trying to make small talk with me while I was gearing up in the parking lot as well. Nothing against Russians, just trying to be descriptive. I remember getting the feeling that he was trying to get a look inside my car to see if there was anything worth taking. Against my better judgment I went and fished anyways and got a broken window as a result. The guys today did not look like tweakers tho, and they were working as a team.

[Smitty Fish]

Watt Avenue access is one of the worst on the A. Sounds like they might have been looking for
Some catalytic converters to steal maybe? Whatever they were doing sounds suspicious.

[Lance Gray]

I stop guiding the American due to the fact me and my guest dealt with this type.of behavior, homeless and the fact that no one in that area wants to make it safe. I am retired law enforcement and there has been many situations on that river that I had my 357 cooked and ready to go inside my wader pouch. Just don't need the aggravation or the hassle. No patrol or prosecution happens.

Be safe! Go fish some place else!!!

[NCFlycaster]

Really sorry to read about this. I would suggest that all of us reach out to the Sacramento County Park Rangers when we encounter this type of behavior. I know the Sergeants and they enjoy getting rid of the crime element along the river. The problem is, they're understaffed, and if they don't know about an issue they can't address the issue. They know there's a crime problem, but if we don't call it in, they have nothing to go on. Just my two cents.

[PV_Premier]

American isn’t really worth fishing for these and other reasons.

[Woodman]

I'm curious how you can identify Russians on sight at a distance...

[Tony Buzolich]

Ryan,

It sounds to me like you're pushing your luck knowing the crime element and still trying to enjoy a few hours on the water.
And what about your kids if there was a real problem to happen?
That photo of the car and licence should be sent in to the Park Rangers and maybe a few other guys will start doing the same putting out a notice of suspicion for the area.

[loose_shoes]

I'm curious how you can identify Russians on sight at a distance...


Yeah, totally! He really should stop 'noticing' things.

[tcorfey]

I'm curious how you can identify Russians on sight at a distance...

In reading the post you will notice that Ryan said he actually talked to one of them.
Then later determined that both men were working together.

"At this point he starts trying to make small talk with me about what im fishing for etc. Not wanting a physical confrontation if it could be avoided, I humor him until he finally leaves."

[ryanv829]

I'm curious how you can identify Russians on sight at a distance...

He looked russian from afar, he looked russian when I pulled up within 5 feet of him, and the guy I talked to had a russian accent. So I drew the conclusion that they were russian...

[ryanv829]

Ryan,

It sounds to me like you're pushing your luck knowing the crime element and still trying to enjoy a few hours on the water.
And what about your kids if there was a real problem to happen?
That photo of the car and licence should be sent in to the Park Rangers and maybe a few other guys will start doing the same putting out a notice of suspicion for the area.

You're right Tony. I'm definitely going to avoid certain accesses from now on at the very least. I've fished the river for years and although I had heard all the stories, it wasn't until recently that I had experienced anything like this myself. guess it was just a matter of time. I will definitely make sure to report the license plate number to the park rangers like u suggested.

[Sonoman]

Sadly, this has become far too common in this state with all the homeless and tweakers. The Russian, Yuba, Feather, American, Sac, Truckee, Klamath, and others...too many low-lifes looking to break into unattended vehicles. I now limit where I fish and only take what I can carry after thieves broke into my truck and took my Abel bag with several boxes containing thousands of flies I had tied or purchased over decades. It took me years to get my fly boxes back in good shape and I don't want to go through that again. I suspect they thought it was a camera bag because they left Sage and Loomis rods and a Galvan reel untouched...and my flies, lines, and reels probably ended up in a dumpster or river bank somewhere.

[Jcolin]

You're right Tony. I'm definitely going to avoid certain accesses from now on at the very least. I've fished the river for years and although I had heard all the stories, it wasn't until recently that I had experienced anything like this myself. guess it was just a matter of time. I will definitely make sure to report the license plate number to the park rangers like u suggested.

If you report license plate to the police, id hope that theyd show up at that lowlife’s house where theres likely stolen goods. Dont know if they can get a search warrant based on your encounter alone however.

[Sonoman]

The challenge is getting the police to care. CA prosecutors are not interested in most low-level property crimes so the police won't investigate them. When my truck was broken into they couldn't be bothered and I had to press them just to get an incident report

If they are stealing catalytic converters, which is very likely, they may stoke some interest but the police will need probable cause to get a warrant. A photo of a license plate is not enough. I had a license plate photo from a hit-and-run on the freeway but the police were not interested, saying they didn't see the accident and they don't know who was driving the vehicle. Frustrating

[Mark Kranhold]

That upper watt access point used to be a hang out for gay men to hook up. It was on Craigslist for a gay hook up spot, so my retired ranger friend told me. The Rangers actually did a sting operation down there and one of the rangers got groped. I’ve witnessed some weird shit going on down in the bushes while fishing, even had a guy come out of the bushes rubbing himself looking at me when I was standing there in long Johns after pulling my waders off, WTF you doing dude!!! Just wish I had some nitrile gloves on to protect my fists if he got any closer. When you drive in there it’s always dudes staring at you when driving by… creepy!

[fivefingers]

I've fished Watt access about 3 times this year, and each has had suspect situations. I think it's telling that the intersection right outside of the entrance has a "Shots Fired" camera that is operative in the evening hours. It's really sad because not too long ago, I used to work for F+G and I worked on the river. There were some homeless, then, but nothing like now. And the parking lots are spawning pools for nefarious activity. I see at least two or three cars parked that are occupied with questionable people doing even more questionable activity. It's basically turned me off of the river, like Lance Gray mentioned.

Not all of the people committing crimes are 'tweakers'. Methamphetamine is a hell of a drug, and it's rampant right now, but a lot of crime comes from people you'd never guess. And there's a lot of organized crime pushing it forward. I think you were wise to be mindful of the guy casing your car. His ethnic background aside, you were smart to trust your instinct and to not give them time to punch out your windows or saw off your catalytic converter. If you were driving a Prius, that thing is like gold to those thieves. They have two!

Hopefully something changes. Thank goodness the American has garbage conditions, otherwise I'd be much more drawn to take chances and to try fishing out there more often.

[Sonoman]

Haha...I had the exact same experience years ago while fishing the Russian above Wohler Bridge. I didn't know at the time the old parking area below Wohler was a gay hook-up spot but I was creeped out by all the men I saw loitering cars. When I told my buddy a few days later, he laughed and told me the background of the spot. The guys kept to themselves and never bothered or approached me, but I heard stories of guys getting hit on and propositioned. I don't know if the stories are true or not. The parking area is now blocked off so the loitering is largely gone now and I haven't seen them in awhile.

[Woodman]

yeah, but first statement was

The first thing I noticed was this russian guy walking up and down the access road where my car was parked, over and over.

Just saying...

[aaron]

One morning Andy G and I founded a 357 revolver somebody had tossed off the bridge and missed the water. It was just laying on the rocks. Kinda when things started going downhill there.

[MThompson]

As bent as the Soviet sickle and hard as the hammer that crosses it. Better steer clear.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

When I was a kid, 1950s, we did not even lock the doors of our homes.

It started going "down hill" ever since.

Illegal drugs are one of the biggest problems in all societies today.

Our judicial system seems to care more about the criminals than they do the victims today?

[ryanv829]

When I was a kid, 1950s, we did not even lock the doors of our homes.

It started going "down hill" ever since.

Illegal drugs are one of the biggest problems in all societies today.

Our judicial system seems to care more about the criminals than they do the victims today?

Agree 100%. I work as an RN at a hospital in the area and many of the older nurses I work with say things are way worse now than they've ever seen before. A large percentage of the patients i care for day to day are there for acute alcohol withdrawl or methamphetamine induced cardiomyopathy. It's not uncommon to be verbally abused, spit on, swung at etc...What gets me is the way homelessness and "the mental health crisis" get put in the spotlight instead of being looked at as symptoms of the real problem which in my opinion is rampant drug use.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Agree 100%. I work as an RN at a hospital in the area and many of the older nurses I work with say things are way worse now than they've ever seen before. A large percentage of the patients i care for day to day are there for acute alcohol withdrawl or methamphetamine induced cardiomyopathy. It's not uncommon to be verbally abused, spit on, swung at etc...What gets me is the way homelessness and "the mental health crisis" get put in the spotlight instead of being looked at as symptoms of the real problem which in my opinion is rampant drug use.

Thanks for the info Ryan.....

My wife and I love our doctors, nurses and support staff members.


These are rough times to be in the medical field, law enforcement or fire fighting.

[Mr T]

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/the-new-meth/620174/


It's an epidemic and its not by mistake.


I live within minutes of the AR, and I don't fish it for these reasons. To say I am unhappy over it is. an understatement.

[Sonoman]

Mr T, thanks for the link. Very interesting article that explained a lot of what we are seeing in CA and elsewhere