Old times on the Feather River

**DAVID95670** · 08-27-2012, 06:48 PM

Awesome photos hopefully will be posting some.soon.from the.American river

**winxp_man** · 08-27-2012, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by DAVID95670

Awesome photos hopefully will be posting some.soon.from the.American river

I have a feeling you will Dave!

**cyama** · 08-27-2012, 08:29 PM

I talked with the DFG and it is illegal to lift a salmon out of the water. You can fish for steelhead in the low flow, but if you are targeting salmon you will get a ticket. Catch and release barbless only!! The DFG patrol the low flow on a regular basis.

**winxp_man** · 08-27-2012, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by cyama

I talked with the DFG and it is illegal to lift a salmon out of the water. You can fish for steelhead in the low flow, but if you are targeting salmon you will get a ticket. Catch and release barbless only!! The DFG patrol the low flow on a regular basis.

I fished the low flow and the ranger was in his truck above me on the ridge and he didn't even get out of his truck or even attempted to talk to me. Also the memories we are talking about is what passed and are not no more. Back in the day Bed Rock area closed to all fishing at the end of August.

Hell I'm 100% there were fish that I released that made it to the cutting board and got there eggs or love juice taken by the hatchery workers. Reason being out of the couple of times that I went to the hatchery during the cutting part there were fish after fish with lures and hooks everywhere. I used to call these fish Generals with lots of medals....

**Darian** · 08-27-2012, 11:08 PM

I recall a trip with a buddy to meet/fish with the late Chuck DeJournette who lived outside of Red Bluff during late September or October(??) in the '70's, I think. We had talked to him at one of the San Mateo ISE show and set up the trip to learn about/fish the Sacramento River below the Red Bluff diversion dam.

Chuck was appointed "river docent" by some un-known/named entity to us. He surely knew his stuff. We exchanged flies and discovered how heavily flies had to be weighted to get down in the current. Chucks favorite pattern for that area was a black boss with brown hackle/tail. Those flies were as heavy as cannon balls.

We launched below the dam and drifted in a 12' rowboat thru Blackberry riffle into some deep runs where Salmon were stacked up. As we drifted along, Chuck explained all of the features along the river and how the modifications channelized everything and altered natural flows. Saw a family of otters on the levee overturning trash cans in peoples backyards early in the AM. Lotsa fun.

Chuck caught the only Salmon on a fly that day and it was the only truly bright fish I ever saw caught in a valley river. In those days it was still reasonable to fish for Salmon in the Sacramento River for almost the entire year and be able to expect to catch one.

Good times, good memories....

**winxp_man** · 08-28-2012, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by Darian

I recall a trip with a buddy to meet/fish with the late Chuck DeJournette who lived outside of Red Bluff during late September or October(??) in the '70's, I think. We had talked to him at one of the San Mateo ISE show and set up the trip to learn about/fish the Sacramento River below the Red Bluff diversion dam.

Chuck was appointed "river docent" by some un-known/named entity to us. He surely knew his stuff. We exchanged flies and discovered how heavily flies had to be weighted to get down in the current. Chucks favorite pattern for that area was a black boss with brown hackle/tail. Those flies were as heavy as cannon balls.

We launched below the dam and drifted in a 12' rowboat thru Blackberry riffle into some deep runs where Salmon were stacked up. As we drifted along, Chuck explained all of the features along the river and how the modifications channelized everything and altered natural flows. Saw a family of otters on the levee overturning trash cans in peoples backyards early in the AM. Lotsa fun.

Chuck caught the only Salmon on a fly that day and it was the only truly bright fish I ever saw caught in a valley river. In those days it was still reasonable to fish for Salmon in the Sacramento River for almost the entire year and be able to expect to catch one.

Good times, good memories....

Darian your 100% right. Today I was using a heavier shrimp pattern and boom had a real nice hit and a hookup of about 1 minute or 2. Like I said it was fun while it lasted

I guess salmon just dont like to come to the surface much. Either way good memories it is!

**burl51** · 08-31-2012, 01:18 PM

I remember back in the late 80's early 90's when the salmon were so thick in aug and sept
that we didn't even fish for steelhead until oct. We would just decorate the salmon with our indicator rigs. Hook salmon with glo bugs trying to get down to the steelhead. So many salmon those were the days

Burl

**NCL** · 09-01-2012, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by Bill Kiene aka "Boca Grande"

"Springers" are very bright....when legal they are nice to eat.

Bill,

You are very correct they were excellant to eat. My Dad and his main fishing partner smoked most of the fish we caught and I can remember the paper sacks being oily from all the fat on those fish. I have to admit that I got to a point that I hated the sight of smoked salmon. Wished I could get it now without paying an arm and a leg.