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Thread: Half-Pounders on the A

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Sacramento
    Posts
    23

    Default Half-Pounders on the A

    Hey all, been a while since I've posted. Had some free days this past week and was out on the American in search of some half-pounders, didn't have much success the first day, but saw some real nice fish rolling in the riffles right in front of me in the riffle below the bike-bridge at riverbend park, id guess the biggest was 23-24 inches at least, sadly did not get him to bite despite watching him feed for a solid 15 minutes barely 10-15 feet in front of me.

    Ended up exploring the river in the William B Pond area the past couple days and got into some smaller trout, mostly 6-9 inches or so, most of which were wild fish. This morning I had no luck while using caddis emergers and didn't find any feeding fish until a little later in the morning when some mayflies were coming off the water decently thick, switched to a flashback pheasant tail and that ended up attracting some takes on the swing. I had one better fish on, maybe 13 inches or so, but he popped off right in front of me after swimming upstream into some current. Still in search of those bigger fish! Biggest thing I found was a rattlesnake that startled me when trudging through an overgrown trail, please be careful out there! Thankfully she let me know she was there way before I got too close.

    I was wondering if anyone else is fishing the A and having any success the past couple weeks and would be willing to share what worked and/or didn't work. I might go out the next few mornings in search of different areas depending on the water temperature in the upcoming days of heat.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,836

    Default

    We usually start looking for them late August with September usually being good.

    Early and late in the day is best and at that time we just swing something on a floating line and long tapered leader.

    People fish anything from a #8 classic wing wet steelhead pattern to a size #12/14 caddis emerger.

    Any size #10/12 nymph will work.

    Right now they would be still in schools and have fresh ocean colors.

    By October they will be scatted and look more like a rainbow trout.

    They will also be feeding now on insects and what ever they can find.

    We fish them from below Paradise Beach at the "first riffle from the ocean".

    My favorite is the area above the Watt Ave bridge.


    We just need to get some Forum members out there, morning and evening.


    Larger rods are not fun with Half-pounders because at 16" average they won't bend a #6 weight Spey rod.

    I have a 3 weight Switch rod with a ratchet reel and a Scandi head, and 12' leader.
    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........
    ______________________________________

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tejas !!
    Posts
    792

    Default

    You have me thinking about swinging now....

    I got out earlier this week and fished the lower river area with top water- yes, I'm one of those guys who will throw conventional gear-

    I managed a couple good blowups and two striper, so it was a good night indeed.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
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    Default

    I spent a lot of my early years fishing conventional tackle and worked in sporting goods stores and a bait shop.

    I feel a connection to all who enjoy fishing of all types. I walk right up to them and ask them how it's going.


    In 1975 when I opened 'The Fly Hutch-Sacramento' I sold and gave away tons of conventional gear because if I was going to have a fly

    fishing business I needed to only fly fish. Sold my guns and reloading equipment too. I needed the money to survive at the beginning.


    The Fall Half-pounder run does vary from year to year......



    We used to keep all our gear / tackle in our vehicles and fish before and after work in September/October.

    I had some felt sole boot foot neoprene waders, rolled down to the knees.

    And a #6 line 2 pc fly rod, WF6F line, tapered 9' 2x leader, spool of 2x tippet and one fly box with some caddis imitations, mostly.

    After I parked my car it only took me about 5 minutes to be ready, walking to the riffle.



    Much of the lower America river runs east to west so the sun is almost always on the water.

    Not idea with swing on or near the surface........

    In the Summer and Fall shade is your friend unless you are on or near the bottom.
    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........
    ______________________________________

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Sacramento
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    Made it out again this morning on the water at about 6:30, water was still pretty cold until around 11, then It got too hot for me and and the fish, so I decided to leave. Had some decent grabs, a few fish in the 8-12 inch range with one maybe slightly bigger that I lost pretty quickly and didn't get to even see. No luck for the bigger fish I've been looking for yet! Didn't see too many fish rolling in the riffles in the AM, and only a small mayflay hatch at probably around 8:30 or so.

    I ended up hooking a decent little fish when I was walking upstream with my line below me in some slower water, same story with this one though, never got to see it, lost him after having him on maybe 5-8 seconds. A stray shad or a decent pikeminnow would be my guess there, it didn't feel very steelheady. Maybe I need a hook sharpener? Haha, not sure, but I seem to be losing a lot of fish lately, more than usual for me.

    I'll probably seek some colder water this next week while it is super hot, maybe the lower Yuba, that's not too far to drive. I'll be sure to update you guys if I find any success. Tight lines everyone!

  6. #6
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    Jan 2005
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    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
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    What is the water temp?

    If the water is warm they will be in the riffles and faster water for oxygen.



    We had huge caddis emergences years ago in the evenings.

    It varied from night to night how many would come off.

    The lower the river level, the more caddis action.

    They would go in your nose.

    They would be emerging for a while in the PM.

    Then late they would come back to the water, near the willows, and lay their eggs on the surface.

    That was dry fly time....we would see them really feeding on top in one place.

    We drifted the #12 Elk Hair caddis over them, then twitched it some.

    ______________________________________________

    A long time ago, (1970s) above Watt Avenue Bridge, some of us had gathered on both side at the clay banks.

    It was September and in the PM after work and we had a good run of Half-pounders that year.


    I had bought a Cortland LTD split cane fly rod that day from someone?

    It was like new, 8' #7 in 2 piece with a softer action.

    Put an old Pflueger Medalist 1995 reel on it with a WF7F fly line.

    Put on a new Berkeley "Finalist" 9' 4x knotless tapered leader on.


    Bob Giannoni had bought Gary LaFontaine's new book, Caddis, and he tied up some of Garry's different new caddis patterns.

    Bob gave me a few of each stage: Deep emerger, shallow emerger and then one for in the film with a little mini hair wing.

    I think they were size 12 and I put on the one with the little hair wings for in the surface.


    I think Harvey Holcomb and Larry Kenney (of Scott Rod) were below us.

    Al Perryman was with someone else?


    I saw a nice fish rise right in the throat of the clay banks, so I cast and hooked it.

    This good fish, about 5 pounds, ran up stream in the smooth pool above jumping several times.

    Everyone was excited and when I landed it Mike Ziem had come over to observe us after work.

    It was a night to remember.....
    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. #7
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    Jan 2017
    Location
    Sacramento
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    23

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    Hey Bill, the Watt Ave Gauge showed it at 64.5 degrees at around 6 this morning and peaked at about 70.5 in the afternoon. I didn't have a thermometer on me but I could tell the water was heating up by around 9:30-10 AM. The gauge is still at close to 70 degrees currently, seems like evenings are off the table for the next few days until day temps come down a bit.
    Last edited by JD2105; 09-04-2022 at 09:29 PM.

  8. #8
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    Jan 2005
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    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JD2105 View Post
    Hey Bill, the Watt Ave Gauge showed it at 64.5 degrees at around 6 this morning and peaked at about 70.5 in the afternoon. I didn't have a thermometer on me but I could tell the water was heating up by around 9:30-10 AM. The gauge is still at close to 70 degrees currently, seems like evenings are off the table for the next few days until day temps come down a bit.
    JD, you are totally correct. Two hours every morning before work?


    Hell, quit that lousy job, get divorced, sell the kids to the Gypsies, sell every, get a van, get some Top Ramen, canned beans and spam.

    Now you can be a real Steelhead Bum.........................Yahoooooo.
    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........
    ______________________________________

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
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    Default

    At the shop we always had young guys working for us who were addicted to fly fishing.

    Fly fishing for Steelhead is the most powerful addiction there is.


    We would tell them they needed to become a 'Eunuch' so they had no other distraction or responsibilities but fly fishing for Steelhead.


    In China, castration included removal of the penis as well as the testicles (see emasculation). Both organs were cut off with a knife at the same time.[38]

    Eunuchs existed in China from about 4,000 years ago, were imperial servants by 3,000 years ago, and were common as civil servants by the time of the Qin dynasty.

    They actually put their removed 'gear' in some preservative clear liquid in a glass jar and put them on a shelf with others.
    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........
    ______________________________________

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    7,786

    Question Emasculation!?!?!?

    TMI, Bill....
    "America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote."

    Author unknown

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