Old Memories :)

[Tony Buzolich]

That post below about Edwolt's got me to thinking about those sardines. I think we all started out fishing bait, probably worms, or sardines, or something like that.

My dad built us a bait box to keep things cold. Sometimes even lunch, sometimes bait too. It was an old wooden box painted green with my name across the front. He called it "Lucky Butch" (my nickname).

We fished a lot around and below Sacramento and Freeport. And when they built the deepwater channel that was always a good spot near Lisbon Slough.

When they built Folsom Lake and dam it was loaded with small black bass near the parking lot. I remember having to watch out for rattlesnakes as we walked the bank there.

Later when they were building Nimbus Dam and the hatchery we'd park the old DeSoto on the cliff at Phoenix Field and watch the construction. There was no Hazel Ave. bridge then.

Dad got me started fly fishing on the American for shad under the old Fair Oaks bridge. Way before there was a Sunrise Blvd. bridge we'd drive down Pennsylvania Ave. and drive right out onto the rocky gravel.

It was about then I got into fly tying with my Heddon Tackle Tyer kit. Any small fly in that same water would always catch small trout or probably smolt. Never called them smolt then, just small trout.

I could go on, but enough for now. Bill can attest growing up around Sacramento back then was great for a kid. Now we just live with our memories about the good old days.
Tony

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Wonderful Tony,

I listened to the old-timers talk who were always around the shop telling stories about their lives in the outdoors.

Most of them were born in the 1920s and lived through the Great Depression and World War II.

They talked about taking 4 days? to drive to the Klamath River in the 1940s when cars, tires and roads were not too good.

There were fewer people back then and more animals and fish to go after.

Pheasants, ducks, geese, doves and quail were in large numbers and farmers would let us hunt their land.

People think that hunting and fishing took down the animal and fish populations but it was the dams, logging, development and

agriculture. I am excited about dam removal and stream restoration today, worldwide. Lots of YouTube videos on this.

We sold lots of "gun racks" for the rear window area of pickups for shotguns, rifles and fishing poles.

Some actually drove to school with their gun rack full.

When in high school during the summer Sam Dasher would ride the Greyhound bus from Sacramento to Salinas with a deer rifle slung over his shoulder and a duffle bag to work at the ranch where his aunt and uncle were managers. 1960s