lower American

[Charlie Gonzales]

No work today so Im off to explore Disco Park. Will report later.

[wasatch]

Charlie, good talking with you yesterday, and good luck on the American today. We are going to the Delta tomorrow, but hopefully I can arrange an american trip soon. thanks, Robert

[Charlie Gonzales]

Ah, what a day. Launched at discovery with a bit of wind, but no rain, and motored up to the trestles. Except for a couple deep holes, fished an I line and airheads primarily (waiting for that big wake to surface behind the fly) all tha way down to Camp Pollock. At 2:18 I decided "one more cast" before I would pick up and move down to the color line, and it happened; that feeling I had been waiting for all day...RAIN! The sky opened up and started dumping on me. Boy was I wishing for no 5mph speed limit at that point. So no fish but I had a great day on the water, some snacks , a barley soda, and lots of ducks. I saw the strangest looking bird today, it looked like a cross between a cormerant and a swan. Dark in color, very long neck, bright orange beek, long skinny body, and a wing span at least 6 feet wide with white on the tips. Any ideas?

[Ed Wahl]

Hi Charlie.

Even though I had to work in it when it started dumping on me I was doing the happy dance.
C'mon, more, more, bring it on!

You're bird description's got me stumped. I know you already know the usual suspects so I won't bore you with stupid guess'.

Would you say it's closer to heron shaped or swan shaped. How about that orange beak, goose like or merganser like? Long legs or duck like? Was it breathing fire?

This is gonna keep me up at night.

Ed

[Hatch]

Hi Charlie,

I am a striper addict, amateur birder, and a regular on the A.R. There is a group of geese, both domestic and non-migratory Canada geese that hang around the mobile home park. One of them appears to me to be a Canada/domestic (either Greylag or Chinese White) cross. I think that is what you saw. Last year on several occations I spotted a duck that looked like a Wood Duck/Mandarian Duck cross in the lower A.R. Thanks for your report.
Maury Hatch

[Darian]

WOW!!!! If that bird is a non-native, it's an invasive species and could possibly contaminate the gene pool of natural breeding geese. That would equate to a hatchery bred fish. Charlie, you should've shot it removed it from the local goose population....

[Charlie Gonzales]

Ed... swan shaped, but without the big boobs, beak was short and blunt like a goose/swan, legs were long and web'd, and I wouldnt be surprised it did breath fire( it was evil looking)

Maury.. I would definately know a goose hybrid, and theres no way it had any honker in it, but thanks.

Darian... Out of season, and no firearms allowed in the parkway.

[David Lee]

Tough conditions .......

Plus - its still pretty early . I used to get the first Stripe of the season around the last week of March (when I still fished for Stripes out there ...) . I think Anthony and Mark (Flygolf) have taken them in Jan/Feb before , but I never quite figured out how to get them to eat in the cold .

BTW , it was nice to see three generations of Gonzales Men together at ISE - I wish we had more time to BS ...

Thanks for the report !

David

[Charlie Gonzales]

So I guess its just a black swan...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bl...and_Cygnet.jpg

After reading more, these things are from Australia?

Dave.. its always a pleasure to chat with you, wish we had more time, I have had some reports of fish at Verona and Knights landing so I was hoping somethin turned our way too. If you want tohead out next week to explore the above mentioned areas give me a call.

[Scott V]

Keep the reports coming Charlie. I have a funny feeling this is my year for stripers, and I plan on hitting the American as much as possible once my shoulder gets better.