Left Sacramento on 1/1/20 at 0800 for Miranda. Was scoping out green water on the SF Eel by around noon. Despite good color, nothing doing, also hit the main stem briefly near the confluence before dusk.

Overnighted in Fortuna and went to the Van Duzen at 0600. Found something better than chocolate milk and worse than heavily creamed coffee when it came to the color despite half decent flows and a dryish spell leading up to my trip. Had to quickly scramble to find a plan B.

Needed to be in Lewiston by that evening so though my heart pulled me toward Redwood Creek, logic dictated fishing Willow Creek to Del Loma by hopping likely roadside runs. Hit Willow Creek by 0900 and fished upriver as far as Del Loma by dusk. Got a few grabs, hooked two, landed one.

01/03 and 01/04 I fished with Brian Clemens on two different floats. We experienced success, failure, good casts, bad casts, laughs and literal tears. Some fish were caught. Most were not. Whiskey got drank. Sandos got eaten. Swinging and nymphing both worked, the latter a little better.

This was my first real road trip in awhile and it was nice to see some new water, burn up some tires and gas, and find a few players... let’s see what the next big storm tomorrow drums up.