Creek Smallmouth

[John H]

I fished for steelhead last week and it did not go well so this week I decided to try for smallmouth. They run so much irrigation water through the creek in the summer that it is pretty much unfishable. In the winter they let it get so low the bass migrate to an unknown deep spot and lay low until the spring. In the fall and spring there can be a window where flows are fishable, the water is warm and the bass are around and grabbing. Anyhow, no trophy fish but as long as you don't mind poison oak, rattlesnakes and ticks you get the place to yourself.


I have trained my dog to spot fish for me.


My Clouser for the day.


The native pike minnow. Not a bad fish. Grabs a fly and sometimes gets a little size.


Red eyed smallmouth.


A bronze beauty.


Break time in a cool spot for my trusty dog.