Fishing the Apocalypse

[John H]

It is getting weird out there. We had the big high pressure cooker over the weekend, then the big wind to blow it out of here, then this morning an ash fall, a red dawn and now a smoke haze you cant see through. The fish did not seem to care much. I got some nice top water fish and lost a hard pulling mystery fish at the end. Those mystery fish are the ones that stay in your mind and bring you back. Grab-dive-off. You go from hero to zero in about one second and then you have a nearly unlimited amount of time to think about it. The cure is to get back out there and land one.


I got the boat in but it was still too dark to do much so I took some red dawn shots. My boat flag is sticking up. It may save me from getting run over by a boat someday.


The sun is up but it is still pretty dark.


This one was right up against those tules.


That rock is a good tide height indicator and a nice ambush point for fish to hang out and wait for my bug.

[OceanSunfish]

Beautiful pictures and great work. I'm wondering what it will take to clear the air OR are we subject to these conditions for the next 2-3 months?

BTW, the grey sky background looks so odd...... in fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you shaded over your background as not to allow anyone to figure out your location

[PV_Premier]

Beautiful pictures and great work. I'm wondering what it will take to clear the air OR are we subject to these conditions for the next 2-3 months?

It will be this way until we get a major shift in the weather pattern unfortunately. Seems like this is happening every year now. Some days will be better than others, but the AQI won't go back to "normal" levels for awhile.

There is a huge bank of smoke out over the ocean, even with an onshore flow, it will just bring in "different" smoke. We need a good storm to stir up the atmosphere top to bottom. Don't count on it anytime soon.

[John H]

I have had my fill of smoke, Covid and 2020 in general but it sounds like all three of them will be around a while. I guess you just have to suck it up, tough it out and do the best you can.

Ocean - I remember people posting blacked out background photos. I don’t hide my location often but I usually don’t say exactly where I am. Nobody really needs to know that. I figure if they recognize a spot in a photo they already know the spot so I did not give much away. Only two people have ever asked me where I was - Bill was one of them. I usually don’t make over the top reports that would make people want to go where I was anyway. In the rare case where the fishing was really good I downplay the report a little so there won’t be a stampede of dudes heading out with unrealistic expectations. I would be interested to know if anyone went to a place because I reported on it. I have held back photos that would reveal a location I did not want to share. Not often but I have.
All the best to you.

[OceanSunfish]

Hi John. I was being completely humorous when I suspected the "blacked out" background. I surmise my sense of humor is not easily construed in writing, etc. I need to get better at the use of emoji..... Anyway, you're the last person I would expect to denigrate a photo as trying to hide something. Your pictures are such a highlight to this forum. I enjoy them and look forward to seeing future pictures of your adventures.

As for impact your pictures create, I hope very very little.

Honestly, (and no disrespect intended) I never really gave much thought as to where you were/are fishing as the pictures/content are so compelling in their own right.

Keep on contributing. It is much appreciated.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

What I try to relate to people, especially the new ones to fly fishing, is what time of year, general location (Delta), time of day, tackle

and techniques so they will have a chance to get something on their fly and stay at this wonderful sport.

I also highly recommend going with a top recommended fly fishing guide to learn good technique.

October is very near so get something on the calendar.....



Us Baby Boomers, our children and grand children, for the most, part have had it pretty easy.

My parents went through the Great Depression, and World War II so we think COVID and smoke is our biggest deal.

I guess we wear a mask when we are near anyone we don't live with and wash our hands a lot.

Not sure if we want to stay in Nor Cal if we are going to have fires every summer?

No escaping COVID as it is World wide.