Lower American Winter Run

[Troutsource]

Any thoughts on whether this storm will pull up any winter run fish? Or is a pulse flow needed as well?

I've always wondered how long the swim takes. E.g., if they decided Sunday to move on up, how long would it take them to get here?

Thanks.

[cmcdhuibh]

Quick as a fish

[Lucas Dement]

Andy said that this weather should bring up some fresh fish. Since theres the possibiliy of Winter fish Im transitioning to my winter gear finally

[Smitty Fish]

If they bump up the flows that should bring in some fresh fish.

[Lucas Dement]

If they bump up the flows that should bring in some fresh fish.

This is California, we dont do that around here :mad:

[Mark Kranhold]

Winter fish are already in there! Only a couple days from the bay.

[Smitty Fish]

They will if we get enough rain and snow.

[Troutsource]

Sounds encouraging. Thinking of fishing next Thursday morning. Forecast looks a bit rough -- 36 degrees, rainy, sustained winds 17 MPH, gusts to 40 MPH, wind chill of 25 degrees.

[Mark Kranhold]

I fished Sunday in the rain with wind gusts, it was beautiful! Had the river to myself with no one around.

[Troutsource]

Awesome. I was tempted but pussed out and fished Saturday instead on another river.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Winter Steelheaders are supposed to be true Commandos.

[Lucas Dement]

I was planning on hitting the AR this week before going down to the Bay to give coastal fishing a shot. This weather is my dream right now

[Troutsource]

Winter Steelheaders are supposed to be true Commandos.

Bill, what's the worst steelhead weather you've fished in?

[Lucas Dement]

Bill, what's the worst steelhead weather you've fished in?

I fished it wednesday night until I couldnt see anymore.. Those wind gusts made it hard but I didnt have to mend since the wind did it for me :cool:

[hwchubb]

I was planning on hitting the AR this week before going down to the Bay to give coastal fishing a shot. This weather is my dream right now

I was over that direction the last couple of days. The Russian is chocolate milk, the Navarro is green mud but still only 6” visibility, and everything else is reportedly the same. This week’s storms are likely to keep it that way into 2022, but January could be good if the weather stays clear.

Honestly, I’d be willing to lose a coast season to high water if it means a break in the drought.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bill, what's the worst steelhead weather you've fished in?

About 30 years ago in February were where on the mouth of the Matole river in the coldest weather I have experienced except goose

hunting in the snow at Tule Lake refuge........18 degrees.

Mel Jeffs and I were in his small Datsun pickup with a canopy/shell on the bed.

Galen Geller and Paul Keel had some kind of car and a couple of big tarps and sleeping bags.

That night we rough camped out there and it was below freezing.

Mel and I were OK inside the back of his pickup in the canopy/shell.

Geller and Keel were sleeping on the ground just outside between two huge canvas flat tarps.

When we got up the ground was covered with frost except for a place in the middle of their tarp where the hot steam from their

breathing made a dark wet spot.


We drove to the mouth of the Matole river that morning and saw 3 guys fishing conventional tackle.

They were wearing war surplus artic jump suits and looked like 3 Sumo wresters.


Commando fly fishing Mike McCune told me that the reason they still fish for winter Steelhead in Oregon and Washington is because it

is one of the last places you can catch big fresh run wild Steelhead.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZJ4GZ1qqs



Personally today I mostly fish the Fall run in Set/Oct/Nov.

[Jcolin]

I was over that direction the last couple of days. The Russian is chocolate milk, the Navarro is green mud but still only 6” visibility, and everything else is reportedly the same. This week’s storms are likely to keep it that way into 2022, but January could be good if the weather stays clear.

Honestly, I’d be willing to lose a coast season to high water if it means a break in the drought.

The mendo coastal rivers south of the navarro actually looked great yesterday. Think they had just come into shape. No signs of adult steelhead for me and everyone i talked to. Hooked a lot of smolt. Today would be a great day to be out there before the rain comes. Couldnt agree more id happily trade a winter fish or two for a huge winter!!!

[Jcolin]

[QUOTE=Bill Kiene semi-retired;206172]About 30 years ago in February were where on the mouth of the Matole river in the coldest weather I have experienced except goose

hunting in the snow at Tule Lake refuge........18 degrees.

Mel Jeffs and I were in his small Datsun pickup with a canopy/shell on the bed.

Galen Geller and Paul Keel had some kind of car and a couple of big tarps and sleeping bags.

That night we rough camped out there and it was below freezing.

Mel and I were OK inside the back of his pickup in the canopy/shell.

Geller and Keel were sleeping on the ground just outside between two huge canvas flat tarps.

When we got up the ground was covered with frost except for a place in the middle of their tarp where the hot steam from their

breathing made a dark wet spot.


We drove to the mouth of the Matole river that morning and saw 3 guys fishing conventional tackle.

They were wearing war surplus artic jump suits and looked like 3 Sumo wresters.


Commando fly fishing Mike McCune told me that the reason they still fish for winter Steelhead in Oregon and Washington is because it

is one of the last places you can catch big fresh run wild Steelhead.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZJ4GZ1qqs



Personally today I mostly fish the Fall run in Set/Oct/Nov.

Great story Bill, i love hearing about the coastal rivers and the folks that fished them back in the day. I may have already asked this on this forum, but wondering if back in the 60s/70s you guys would strip flies moreso than swinging for winter SH?

[Troutsource]

Bill, nice story.

I haven't fished steelhead enough to have a great weather story. Just plain cold and bleak on the Klamath, swinging flies endlessly. I turned around to look upstream for my brother that day. With his orange hat he was reduced to a small dot against a grey/black landscape.

For what other reason would anyone stand in the middle of a river mid-winter for hours on end?

I always feel sorry for people golfing or doing literally anything while I'm driving to a fly-fishing destination. I can imagine what they think looking at steelheaders in commando weather.

[Troutsource]

PS Fished from 6:30AM to 12:30 yesterday mid-river. Giant skunk. Nary a hit. Mostly swung, but at the end I nymphed in some perfect nymph water. Fish & Game guys in their kayaks said no one else had reported a catch either, and no one I talked to caught anything. I did see a giant ghost salmon, and more redds than usual mid-river (or maybe they were just more visible due to the lower water). Saw one half-pounder size fish jump. Virtually no hatch activity, either, and no surface risers. It was still great to be out.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

[QUOTE=Bill Kiene semi-retired;206172]About 30 years ago in February were where on the mouth of the Matole river in the coldest weather I have experienced except goose

hunting in the snow at Tule Lake refuge........18 degrees.

Mel Jeffs and I were in his small Datsun pickup with a canopy/shell on the bed.

Galen Geller and Paul Keel had some kind of car and a couple of big tarps and sleeping bags.

That night we rough camped out there and it was below freezing.

Mel and I were OK inside the back of his pickup in the canopy/shell.

Geller and Keel were sleeping on the ground just outside between two huge canvas flat tarps.

When we got up the ground was covered with frost except for a place in the middle of their tarp where the hot steam from their

breathing made a dark wet spot.


We drove to the mouth of the Matole river that morning and saw 3 guys fishing conventional tackle.

They were wearing war surplus artic jump suits and looked like 3 Sumo wresters.


Commando fly fishing Mike McCune told me that the reason they still fish for winter Steelhead in Oregon and Washington is because it

is one of the last places you can catch big fresh run wild Steelhead.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZJ4GZ1qqs



Personally today I mostly fish the Fall run in Set/Oct/Nov.

Great story Bill, i love hearing about the coastal rivers and the folks that fished them back in the day. I may have already asked this on this forum, but wondering if back in the 60s/70s you guys would strip flies moreso than swinging for winter SH?

In the 1960s and 1970s most everyone fished 9' #9 line 2 piece hollow tapered fiberglass fly rods.

They had a selection of shooting heads with many different sink-rates.

They did strip in the slow tide water near the ocean to keep the fly from laying down on the bottom.

Even up river they used heads like on the Eel, Russian, Klamath and Trinity rivers.

Swinging flies for Steelhead got popular in the 1980s?

Dry line or greased Line single hand fly fishing started in the Fall in Washington and Oregon, then to Northerner California.

[hwchubb]

The mendo coastal rivers south of the navarro actually looked great yesterday. Think they had just come into shape. No signs of adult steelhead for me and everyone i talked to. Hooked a lot of smolt. Today would be a great day to be out there before the rain comes. Couldnt agree more id happily trade a winter fish or two for a huge winter!!!

Thanks, that’s good to know. The Navarro at Henry looked like it was 2-4 days away from being really fishable, and hopefully this latest set of storms will ring the bell.

To return to this thread, until the American gets back above 2000 cfs (which isn’t likely anytime soon I don’t think), I’ll probably stay clear of it. My last 2 winter seasons haven’t been all that much fun on our home river.

[yubaman]

One more of fishing weather . . . with the clothing and gear available these days, we are far more fortunate than the Steelheaders of the past. Man, those guys toughed it out like John Wayne out there . . . no puffies, no fleece, no Gortex . . . real men back then.

My worst weather for sure would have been up on the OP one day. It was 40 degrees and raining, roughly 3" during the day. It was like a 5 hour downpour. We bailed out the boat about 6 time if i remember correctly. A couple of times it changed to a really wet snow, so everything would stick to us for a bit. It was cold, wet and miserable. I think the fishing was OK though.

Heading up to fish on the Trinity next Tuesday and Wednesday. Looking at the forecast, it might not be much better. Possibly even compete with the OP. Something about the Trinity, the actual on river temperature always seems about 5-10 degrees colder than what a thermometer says. I think I will be thankful that I have a Grand Cherokee next week.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

[BS]

I think I will be thankful that I have a Grand Cherokee next week.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

Ha !!!!!!!! :p:p

I've been slowly replacing worn out things in my Just Empty Every Pocket Grand Cherokee over the last year and a half.
Hopefully I'm done for a little while ................. and can get back to fishing now. :mad::mad:

Good luck on your trip and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you !!!! :D:D


Bob

[timmosazz]

Hoping we get fish n the AR. Looking forward to it.

[Smitty Fish]

Hoping Santa will raise the flows on the A. These low flows suck. ��

[Fish Guru]

Folsom’s close to 44 percent if not there already, American will be coming up soon. At that level, this time of year I’m shocked it’s not up already.

[BumpBailey]

One more of fishing weather . . . with the clothing and gear available these days, we are far more fortunate than the Steelheaders of the past. Man, those guys toughed it out like John Wayne out there . . . no puffies, no fleece, no Gortex . . . real men back then.

My worst weather for sure would have been up on the OP one day. It was 40 degrees and raining, roughly 3" during the day. It was like a 5 hour downpour. We bailed out the boat about 6 time if i remember correctly. A couple of times it changed to a really wet snow, so everything would stick to us for a bit. It was cold, wet and miserable. I think the fishing was OK though.

Heading up to fish on the Trinity next Tuesday and Wednesday. Looking at the forecast, it might not be much better. Possibly even compete with the OP. Something about the Trinity, the actual on river temperature always seems about 5-10 degrees colder than what a thermometer says. I think I will be thankful that I have a Grand Cherokee next week.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

Yubaman- We did the Canyon Float two weeks ago on the 12th &13th. Monday was miserable, the coldest day I've ever had fishing(Pyramid Lake incl,) temperature never made it into the 40s and it was a constant rain all day! Not OP rain by any means but, a non-stop all day rain. I learned that my Simms Rain Jacket basically sucks! By the end of the day both of my arms were soaked from the shoulders down! Thank god for UA Cold Gear(4.0), a Patagonia Fleece and Patagonia Synthetic Puff Jacket I wasn't as cold as I could've been!

Good luck and have a great trip! There were a good amount of fish in the system then, should only be more now!

It is pouring here in Watsonville right now! These storms should set the coastal rivers up! With the amount of rain we are predicted to get it might be a few weeks to a month before the get in shape!

Happiest of Holidays to you All!

[Terry Thomas]

Forget the Yuba for a while…over 6,000 cfs this morning. Amazing

[Lucas Dement]

Any word on ho0w the American is looking with this weather? Coloured up and high I hope

[Smitty Fish]

Colored up. Not high. Around 700 cfs.Viz is around 2-3 ft

[Lucas Dement]

Now if the rain can just keep the gear chuckers from low holing me constantly

[Smitty Fish]

With these low water conditions on the American, it definitely concentrates us fishermen closer together. Less and less swing water. I’m hoping they release some water soon, increasing the flows giving fishermen more areas to fish and spreading us out. Good luck out there!

[fivefingers]

You can fish the Yuba and you'll have plenty of water to yourself. Lots, and lots of very high and fast water...

[Lucas Dement]

Colored up. Not high. Around 700 cfs.Viz is around 2-3 ft

I fished it yesterday and couldnt see my feet when the water was up to my knees

[hwchubb]

Visibility was maybe 12” this morning. I fished Goethe, and met my expectations. Actually, better - except for one I dropped while tying it on, I didn’t lose any flies despite hanging up on stream side (now in stream) bushes at the the bottom of most swings. Did see a drift guy with a 5-6# fish on a stringer, but that was it.

[Lucas Dement]

Well at least there are fish in the river, we can always have hope

[cmcdhuibh]

Took a walk today(jan16) from sunrise to about San Juan northside. Weird thing besides no one fishing, there are no salmon carcasses anywhere.

[Mark Kranhold]

Took a walk today(jan16) from sunrise to about San Juan northside. Weird thing besides no one fishing, there are no salmon carcasses anywhere.

The high flows swept them away! Amen to no smell of death.

[PV_Premier]

The river definitely smells a little fishy down toward Howe in that slower stretch. They probably piled up down there.

[fivefingers]

The river definitely smells a little fishy down toward Howe in that slower stretch. They probably piled up down there.

Could be the transient feces?