half pounders on American and brief Yuber report

[CW]

Billy -
Old manager of mine and his buddy (both dedicated fly anglers) came up to fish the American on SUN/MON. While it seems a good two/three weeks early, we thought we would find that "pod" of fish mentioned a few weeks back. We POUNDED the water for two days, and swung the water top to bottom - up @ O dark thirty and finishing after dark - HEAVY heads, medium heads, poly leaders, floating line/long leader, streamers, big flies, small flies, caddis, size, shape, color .... you name it, we swung it. We fished Goethe, Arden, Rossmoor, Nature Center, Watt. Well, we got spanked. One half pounder and one sucker ......

Yesterday was revenge on the Yuba. Got to fish with Ray and Keith "Dr. Yuba" Kaneko. Fished up top almost ALL day while Ray dredged with spey. We switched bugs constantly, it wasn't hoppers all day long. Same bugs, new techniques, we did well. Get our there, even if it is just for an evening, the river is fishing very well.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Chuck.

I am sure we will be hearing about the Halfpounders on the Lower American River soon.

Late August is the time.

They usually are first caught down somewhere from Watt Avenue downstream to Paradise Beach.

[Rlynch]

I've never really fished for steelhead much but will have time to hit the river this year and give it a shot. Any gear recomendations for me?

[Jeff F.]

....smolts around if you know where to look. :wink:

Got this itty-bitty one yesterday afternoon (and lost one even "smaller"!) :-#

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/jefffish/DSC00212.jpg

[Darian]

Hey Robert,..... The same gear you used on the Madison will work on the all of the valley rivers. 8) 8) Maybe not the same flies, tho. :? Call Bill's shop and check with some of his staff for the current hot flies and spots.... 8) 8)

Good luck... :D :D :D

[Adam Grace]

Nice fish!

Half Pounders are fun! \:D/

These new emoticons are great =D>

[Gregg Machel]

CW,

I laughed when I read your post. I've also hear the (Keith "Dr. Yuba" Kaneko) comment earlier too.

I totally agree with that tag, it's a perfect fit.

[CW]

Gregg, everytime I think (that is Korean for "dream") I got the Yuba figured out, I get to drift with Keith and he pulls some new technique out, and says something like - "try this, it worked a few days ago," and BAM! Here comes a fish like they were bribed earlier that morning or something. Fricken conspiracy. How was it getting guided by Bob Jacklin? Was it like Gandalf holding his hand over the water and fish just hooking themselves?

Lets get out to the Yuba - call up some other guys like Ray, maybe Adams (Grace), Greg (snowboard), MSP, Jeff F, because I've talked to you guys, but anyone wanting could come. Mini fishout? Lots of ice cold root beer?

[Gregg Machel]

Bob certainly did show me a few new tricks of the trade. I actually asked him to spend most of the time with my 10 year old son. He's really into the fly fishing, and getting him on fish was more important to me. As Bill put it, it's kind of like going golfing and having Arnold Palmer as your caddy.

I was getting skunked on some of the rivers there and was wondering why Montana was so popular. He showed me a few techniques and I was landing browns in no time at all. The pictures and the memories will be with both my son and I forever.

I worked on getting that trip for about a year or so. I actually bought my son's fly rod in his shop a year ago when I was passing through West Yellowstone.

As far as the fish-out, lets get something planned. I'll start a seperate thread and throw out some tentative dates.