Page 4 of 6 FirstFirst 123456 LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 56

Thread: Half-Pounders on the A

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    I worked in the retail fishing tackle business within a few miles of the lower America river for 50 years so it was our number one

    fishing destination. After a couple of decades we started looking for the Half-ponders around 'late August /early September'.

    We kept our waders and tackle in our cars so we could fish before and after work, during the week, for Half-pounders in the Fall.

    ___________________________________________

    I almost hate to think or talk about how good the lower America river was in the 1970s.


    We had Fall and Spring Half-ponder runs with them feeling on top on big insect hatches.

    December through February we had Winter Run Eel river Steelhead 8# to 20#+.

    We had big runs of Shad in the Spring where people actually came from all over the World to fish.

    Locals used Hair Razor jigs and Rebel plugs to catch lots of Stripers in the American.


    The reality was, you did not have to drive anywhere because "we had the fish" right here in Sacramento.


    Back then there were no indicators but actually they were not needed, yet.

    _______________________________________


    Back in the 1960s and 1970s we used 9'#9 line tubular fiberglass fly rods with braided backing, 100' of 20 to 30# mono shooting line

    and 30' shooting heads in different sink-rates depending on the flows and depth of the Shad, winter Steelhead, Stripers and Salmon.

    For Half-pounders most used 8' to 8'6" tubular fiberglass fly rods in #6 or #7 line size. Most used weight forward floating lines with a

    tapered mono leader and #8 to #12 size wet and dry flies. This was before integrated sink-tip lines were developed.

    _______________________________________

    50 years ago flies were much bigger, on average, I think because there were more fish and less anglers.

    The average dry fly was a #12 and #14 was considered smallish.

    The average fiberglass fly rod was 8' to 8'6" in #6 line size.

    A 7' to 8' #5 line rod was for small streams and small fish.

    __________________________________________________ ____


    I my grandparents generation the roads, car and even tires were no where are good as today.

    There were less roads and less people so the impact on fisheries was far less.



    I use to talk to all these old timers who said before World War II it took 4-6 days to drive to the Klamath river.

    They had to go backwards uphill with their Ford Model A cars, up the steep mountain grades because the gravity feed gas tanks were

    right on top in front of the wind shield. They would take a half-dozen spare tires along because the mountain roads were bad and the

    tires were not very durable. Cars back then had a canvas bag full of water for the radiator.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    The OV
    Posts
    490

    Default

    Hopefully, everyone is carrying a stream thermometer. The water temps were 66 at Sailor Bar at 6:30 this morning, so they are likely lethally warm by the afternoon, especially from Effie Yeaw downstream. Certainly at Watt and below.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    What is the temperature today at Watt Avenue in the evening?

    What temperature is too warm for practical catch-n-release fishing?
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Sacramento, California
    Posts
    60

    Default

    Took out the young and cool owner of the American River Shuttle Co. Drifted rossmore to gristmill. Didnt have any bites until the end of the drift. Luckily we were able to get him his first AR half pounder on the swing. Before leaving our last spot I moved the boat into the same position as last weekend when I landed a bunch of steelhead in one location and ended up getting a decent striper striping back the dark leech I was using all day. Spotted fresh salmon earlier in the day. Beautiful day of fishing.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    23

    Default

    Great reports twowheels, always glad to hear about people catching fish!

    As for the temperature question, from what I have seen and can find, lethal temperatures generally for rainbows are above 72-73ish degrees Fahrenheit for a prolonged period of higher temperatures, and some figures I've seen presented show tolerance times to be from 7 days to merely 24 hours (even shorter for more extreme temps) for those lethal temperatures. Obviously these temps are different than what is generally recommended for fishing because they tend to exhibit stress at or around temperatures 67ish and above, though many of these studies show these fish continue to feed, even in close to or above 70 degree water.

    I personally don't like fishing above 67-68 degrees or so, but I personally have not really seen or found anything on the impact of catching and releasing these fish within these "stressed" zones of temperature, and am curious if any of you have more knowledge on the rates of successful releases within those higher "tolerable" zones for trout which many believe and do not fish in. I do know that general fish release success depends on a number of factors, but not limited to water temperature, such as the type of water, the oxygenation of said water, and the different depths that may be nearby for the fish to be able to recover in after being released, and more that I've not included here. Even with pristine conditions, I've seen claims that catch and release can have a failure rate up to and beyond 3%, though how many of these fatalities are from poor fish handling are hard to tell. Are there any studies that show the specific correlation between these "fishable" temperatures (in which the fish are stressed but still feeding) and how much the successful C&R rates differ between these temperatures, like the 67 degrees that many quote, to 69 degrees or even 70 degrees? I do know that different locations who have slightly different variations of Mykiss sometimes tend to exhibit stressors at differing temperatures. One example of this would be the strain of southern run steelhead, though not many, they still exist and reproduce and survive much higher temperatures than many would expect them to.

    I ask these not because I wish to necessarily fish higher these temperatures, but because I am self-admittedly a fish (more specifically, trout) nut, haha. I imagine there are some much more knowledgeable individuals on this forum who would know some of the answers to these questions.
    Last edited by JD2105; 09-26-2022 at 04:40 PM.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    We had a nice guy who worked at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery for decades.

    He told me about a resident disease or virus dormant in our American river Half-pounders that was activated by a higher temperature.

    I think it was around 68 degrees? He said when the virus was activated the symptoms were that the fish became lethargic.


    I will have to check with DF&W Senior Biologist retired Dennis Lee and see if he remembers his name and the virus?
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    orangevale ca.
    Posts
    319

    Default

    Flows on the American will be dropping down to 2000 cfs this Thursday 29th. Hopefully the temperature outside
    does the same.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Sacramento, California
    Posts
    60

    Default

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	PXL_20221002_201537747.jpg 
Views:	115 
Size:	2.61 MB 
ID:	18375Click image for larger version. 

Name:	PXL_20221002_220136241.jpg 
Views:	107 
Size:	2.66 MB 
ID:	18376Click image for larger version. 

Name:	PXL_20221002_221716107.jpg 
Views:	101 
Size:	1.91 MB 
ID:	18377
    Flows certainly dropped hard over the last week. Spotted salmon pushing up the gravel mound riffles. Took home a hatchery steelhead who took a rubber legs nymph under an indicator. Far less fish bit action than last weekend, no doubt due to the change in the river conditions.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Granite Bay, CA
    Posts
    505

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Twowheelsonecamera View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	PXL_20221002_201537747.jpg 
Views:	115 
Size:	2.61 MB 
ID:	18375Click image for larger version. 

Name:	PXL_20221002_220136241.jpg 
Views:	107 
Size:	2.66 MB 
ID:	18376Click image for larger version. 

Name:	PXL_20221002_221716107.jpg 
Views:	101 
Size:	1.91 MB 
ID:	18377Took home a hatchery steelhead.
    Nice fish? What did it have in its stomach? The few times I've kept a hatchery fish they had tons of caddis (pupae and larvae -- along with green algae), and one time in August a fish had nothing but mosquitoes!

    For some reason I've never tried a rubberlegs on the A.
    TroutSource.com
    we deliver the river

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Sacramento, California
    Posts
    60

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Troutsource View Post
    Nice fish? What did it have in its stomach? The few times I've kept a hatchery fish they had tons of caddis (pupae and larvae -- along with green algae), and one time in August a fish had nothing but mosquitoes!

    For some reason I've never tried a rubberlegs on the A.
    I didnt spend to much time checking the stomach, for the most part just dark blackish blobs were coming out of the intestines. Im not really that good at identifying the stomach yet lol.

    I typically throw rubber leg nymphs on when I need a nice anchor fly. its typically on the very bottom of a tandem rig, with the second fly just a foot or two above on a short tag. This way under the indicator it is essentially suspended between the indicator and the heavy fly.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •