Lower American Winter Run

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

[QUOTE=Jcolin;206174]

About 30 years ago in February were where on the mouth of the Matole river in the coldest weather I have experienced except goose

hunting in the snow at Tule Lake refuge........18 degrees.

Mel Jeffs and I were in his small Datsun pickup with a canopy/shell on the bed.

Galen Geller and Paul Keel had some kind of car and a couple of big tarps and sleeping bags.

That night we rough camped out there and it was below freezing.

Mel and I were OK inside the back of his pickup in the canopy/shell.

Geller and Keel were sleeping on the ground just outside between two huge canvas flat tarps.

When we got up the ground was covered with frost except for a place in the middle of their tarp where the hot steam from their

breathing made a dark wet spot.


We drove to the mouth of the Matole river that morning and saw 3 guys fishing conventional tackle.

They were wearing war surplus artic jump suits and looked like 3 Sumo wresters.


Commando fly fishing Mike McCune told me that the reason they still fish for winter Steelhead in Oregon and Washington is because it

is one of the last places you can catch big fresh run wild Steelhead.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZJ4GZ1qqs



Personally today I mostly fish the Fall run in Set/Oct/Nov.

Great story Bill, i love hearing about the coastal rivers and the folks that fished them back in the day. I may have already asked this on this forum, but wondering if back in the 60s/70s you guys would strip flies moreso than swinging for winter SH?

In the 1960s and 1970s most everyone fished 9' #9 line 2 piece hollow tapered fiberglass fly rods.

They had a selection of shooting heads with many different sink-rates.

They did strip in the slow tide water near the ocean to keep the fly from laying down on the bottom.

Even up river they used heads like on the Eel, Russian, Klamath and Trinity rivers.

Swinging flies for Steelhead got popular in the 1980s?

Dry line or greased Line single hand fly fishing started in the Fall in Washington and Oregon, then to Northerner California.

[hwchubb]

The mendo coastal rivers south of the navarro actually looked great yesterday. Think they had just come into shape. No signs of adult steelhead for me and everyone i talked to. Hooked a lot of smolt. Today would be a great day to be out there before the rain comes. Couldnt agree more id happily trade a winter fish or two for a huge winter!!!

Thanks, that’s good to know. The Navarro at Henry looked like it was 2-4 days away from being really fishable, and hopefully this latest set of storms will ring the bell.

To return to this thread, until the American gets back above 2000 cfs (which isn’t likely anytime soon I don’t think), I’ll probably stay clear of it. My last 2 winter seasons haven’t been all that much fun on our home river.

[yubaman]

One more of fishing weather . . . with the clothing and gear available these days, we are far more fortunate than the Steelheaders of the past. Man, those guys toughed it out like John Wayne out there . . . no puffies, no fleece, no Gortex . . . real men back then.

My worst weather for sure would have been up on the OP one day. It was 40 degrees and raining, roughly 3" during the day. It was like a 5 hour downpour. We bailed out the boat about 6 time if i remember correctly. A couple of times it changed to a really wet snow, so everything would stick to us for a bit. It was cold, wet and miserable. I think the fishing was OK though.

Heading up to fish on the Trinity next Tuesday and Wednesday. Looking at the forecast, it might not be much better. Possibly even compete with the OP. Something about the Trinity, the actual on river temperature always seems about 5-10 degrees colder than what a thermometer says. I think I will be thankful that I have a Grand Cherokee next week.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

[BS]

I think I will be thankful that I have a Grand Cherokee next week.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

Ha !!!!!!!!

I've been slowly replacing worn out things in my Just Empty Every Pocket Grand Cherokee over the last year and a half.
Hopefully I'm done for a little while ................. and can get back to fishing now.

Good luck on your trip and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you !!!!


Bob

[timmosazz]

Hoping we get fish n the AR. Looking forward to it.

[Smitty Fish]

Hoping Santa will raise the flows on the A. These low flows suck. ��

[Fish Guru]

Folsom’s close to 44 percent if not there already, American will be coming up soon. At that level, this time of year I’m shocked it’s not up already.

[BumpBailey]

One more of fishing weather . . . with the clothing and gear available these days, we are far more fortunate than the Steelheaders of the past. Man, those guys toughed it out like John Wayne out there . . . no puffies, no fleece, no Gortex . . . real men back then.

My worst weather for sure would have been up on the OP one day. It was 40 degrees and raining, roughly 3" during the day. It was like a 5 hour downpour. We bailed out the boat about 6 time if i remember correctly. A couple of times it changed to a really wet snow, so everything would stick to us for a bit. It was cold, wet and miserable. I think the fishing was OK though.

Heading up to fish on the Trinity next Tuesday and Wednesday. Looking at the forecast, it might not be much better. Possibly even compete with the OP. Something about the Trinity, the actual on river temperature always seems about 5-10 degrees colder than what a thermometer says. I think I will be thankful that I have a Grand Cherokee next week.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

Yubaman- We did the Canyon Float two weeks ago on the 12th &13th. Monday was miserable, the coldest day I've ever had fishing(Pyramid Lake incl,) temperature never made it into the 40s and it was a constant rain all day! Not OP rain by any means but, a non-stop all day rain. I learned that my Simms Rain Jacket basically sucks! By the end of the day both of my arms were soaked from the shoulders down! Thank god for UA Cold Gear(4.0), a Patagonia Fleece and Patagonia Synthetic Puff Jacket I wasn't as cold as I could've been!

Good luck and have a great trip! There were a good amount of fish in the system then, should only be more now!

It is pouring here in Watsonville right now! These storms should set the coastal rivers up! With the amount of rain we are predicted to get it might be a few weeks to a month before the get in shape!

Happiest of Holidays to you All!

[Terry Thomas]

Forget the Yuba for a while…over 6,000 cfs this morning. Amazing

[Lucas Dement]

Any word on ho0w the American is looking with this weather? Coloured up and high I hope