7/24/08 MJP and I joined Brett Brady of Bare Bones guide service for a
Kokanee adventure on Stampede reservoir. We scored 5 kokes and a small
Mack on a REAL SLOW day. Thanks for the day Brett.
Well they finally did it! They closed the valley to salmon fishing, so I decided to
head for Alaska. MJP and I spent 2 weeks on the Togiak river slamin the most
beautiful chrome salmon you've ever seen. What and experience!
6/13/08 I joined Steve and Patrick Burgess in their new Jetcraft for a day of
river running school on the Feather near the Thermolito outlet. We did wet a
line for a chance at a chrome springer, but we weren't one of the lucky few to
take ONE home. The few fish available are hole'd up at the outlet with
lockjaw, but we did actually see a couple of legally landed fish, that were fooled
into striking a spinner.
3/7/08 Bob G. and MJP took a float down the American with me from Sailors
Bar to Rossmoor Bar, landing 5 out of 8 metalheads to 4 pounds, using night
crawlers, roe and a cocktail of both. Mike even lined a salmon that didn't get
the memo about dieing after spawning. All of the Steelies were natives so they
were released asap.
2/27/08 Well the Auburn Rooster Tails fishing club joined MJP and I on a float
down the American from Rossmorr to the Gristmill. Razz Ortiz scored this nice
fresh run 22 inch native steelie on a nightcrawler behind a jet diver. He also
scored a nice pan sized native as well. Not bad for his first steelhead trip.
2/12/08, 2/14/08 Back to the American from Rossmoor to Grtistmill. Is it really
February? What a beautiful day to be on the river , even if the fishing isn't the
greatest. We had one nice Steelie on for a little bit on Tuesday and a nice
California Golden Bugle Lipped Trout(Sucker fish) on Thursday. Everything
seems to like nightcrawlers over roe.
4/08 MJP and I explored the VERY low water on the Feather today, without a
wiggle. Ya think those wacky fly guys are right about the lack of fish?
1/29/08 Back to the American for more Steelie action, but one grab below the
Arden rapids was all we could muster.
1/18/08 Well we missed opening day on the American by 18 days or so, guess
we haven't missed much!
Last year starts here: Yeah I know the chronology is reversed!!
12/20/06 We are currently fishing the American river for Steelhead and the
Mokolumne for Stripers. We are also still fishing for Sacramento river salmon,
though last Sunday the river was blown out by the last storm. We're hoping the
water will drop and clear in time to get one of this years HOGS before the
season closes on Dec 31.
12/29/06 We fished for Stripers in Montezuma slough today bagging 4 keepers
to 11 lbs. The day started off with a bang as we had a double hook up within 5
minutes of wetting our lines, but could only land one. The action was fairly
slow and consistent for the rest of the day.
1/3/07 We fished Montezuma slough again today drifting minnows. The bite
was light today with lots of action but only bagging one keeper. One big one got
away when I got greedy and snugged the drag down to tight. Patience
grasshopper, patience.
1/8/07 We hit the north and south forks of the Mokolumne today. God it's
cold. The river was the same, down to 41 degrees at Wimpeys' landing. I think
that slowed the bite down a little as well. We did get one keeper trolling a
shallow diving Rapala (Black back/red head). I know your not supposed to troll
below 58 degrees, but what the heck It's working, Go figure?
1/12/07 We drifted the American for Steelies today. Unfortunately with only
one grab on a Blue Pirate Hot Shot. Maybe next week will be better.
1/24/07 We hit Montezuma slough for stripers, the water was 41 degrees and
the bite was slow on minnows. We still managed to boat 2 keepers.
1/26/07 We hit the Sacramento near Verona to see if the stripers where willing.
The water temp was a chilly 44 degrees and foggy so we anchored up and bait
fished with no action.
2/16/07 We drifted the American today from Sailor bar to Rossmoor. Tom
Witham from Fresno scored this nice hatchery buck at 6 lbs. and let me land
this nice wild buck at 7 lbs. Both hit a gold green Hot Shot with a nightcrawler
trailer.
2/19/07 We hit the Rio Vista area for sturgeon but got blown OFF the river
3/6/07 We couldn't get enough of the Steelie action on the American so we
went back to Sailor Bar where Steve Burgess scored a nice 8 lb. hatchery
Down runner, Sweeeet! The fish hit a blue Hot Shot this time, in the same hole
as last weeks first fish. Unfortunately we couldn't talk any others to joining our
party and spent the rest of the day enjoying the scenery.
3/7/07 Back to the American for another try at the steelies, but got blanked.
The fishing seems to have slowed a bit, but should pick up a little when the
spring fish start showing. We are going to start looking to the Feather for those
chrome bright springer salmon (Not Jerry Springers) which should start showing
in numbers soon.
3/15/07 Well we decided to check out the Striper action on the Feather at Star
Bend. We drifted minnows down to the mouth of the Bear river, where this
nice 14 lb. male inhaled my minnow. We trolled Rapala's back up stream and
hit another schoolie on a black and chrome/red head just above the mouth of
the Bear. The action wasn't what we were hoping for but should improve if the
flows stabilize and the fish move back up to spawn. The water was 55 degrees
and fairly clear for this area of the river.
4/8/07 We're Back, We took a couple of days off the water to get the race car
ready and attend the first race of the season. (don't ask about the heartbreaking
results, DOH!!). Anyway, the Boss and I took a drift down the American and
enjoyed the scenery without so much as a take down. We pulled the usual
plugs and side drifted the nightcrawlers and pink worms etc. without any
cooperation from the resident Downers or half pounders.
4/9/07 We're looking for the striper action to heat up a little closer to home than
Rio Vista, but we're out of luck. Launching at Elkhorn ramp near the airport,
we drifted minnows down and up to Verona without a nibble, Go figure? It's
been a pretty crazy season with great fishing one day and a skunk the next. Our
fishing buddy Mike Peckham of MJP River Adventures went 3 keepers for 14
fish landed, trolling down at Rio Vista.
4/16/07 We launched at Wimpey's on the Mokelumne to check out a tip that
Stripers we're hot there! Well maybe not on a blustery day with rotten tides!!
4/18/07 Back to Star Bend on the Feather, drifting jumbos scored 2 keeper
males and a nice fat and ready to spawn 10 lb female (released of course) and
guess what? A Beautiful Chrome 20 or so pound, Spring Salmon hooked
incidentally while spooning what appeared to be a school of Stripers. Of course,
the river is closed to salmon fishing here, so you can bet we will be heading a
little further north to intercept this nice school of salmon. A nice Sturgeon
made a flyby as well and caused everybody to comment, What the hell was
that? The water flows were up and clearing, and the temp was 57.9, making for
easy navigation and launching at the shallow star bend ramp.
4/23/07 Check out this beauty. Doug Johnson and Don Quenell of the Jolly
Hookers from Nevada City, joined me for a day of minnow drifting on the
Feather near Shanghai falls. Doug scored this 26 lb. female first, then Don
scored a 6 pounder and another $25 dollar reward tagged male. Doug finished
out the limit with the last keeper. 4 other Jolly hookers spent the day with
Captain Mike Peckham of MJP river adventures, down in Rio Vista, trolling
Yo-zuri's, scoring 8 keepers, to 14lb.s from 10 fish they landed.
4/26/07 Bob Sutherland and Bill Hayes joined me for a trip to Rio Vista to join
the fleet chasing stripers. A stout south west wind had everybody working the
northern end of the west bank to avoid the wind swells further down river. We
started trolling south straight across from Decker to avoid the fleet and
hopefully pick up a couple of fish before the fleet spooked the schools. The bite
started off with a bang at the bottom of the tide with boats all around pulling
out of the conga line to fight their fish. We turned around when the waves
started rolling over the bow, and started up the river and quickly scored the big
fish of the day(10 lbs), followed by the 6 pounder in the group. Then
somebody(boy if I ever find out who that was he's gonna get it) turned the
switch off and the bite died, forcing the fleet to go their separate ways to find
fish.
5/3/07 Stephan Griffin Sr. and Jr. joined me for another day of minnow drifting
on the Feather river. The day started off with a bang as Jr. scored a 6 pounder
right off the bat, at the pool below Shanghai Falls. I thought we were off to a
great start, but that thought soon fizzled when we went fishless for the next
hour. We moved back down river to the Boyds launch ramp, where Dad had
the HOT hand and scored two keepers and an undersized before the bite died.
(Imagine my surprise to see fish and game dumping two tanker trucks full of
Salmon smolts into the river at Boyds. Talk about a feeding frenzy.) We
worked all of the holes and banks down to below the Star Bend ramp without
a nibble. We finally gave up on the lower sections and ran back up to the falls,
where Jr. scored the big fish of the day with this nice 12 male. I first thought it
was a female(notice its belly) until it started "Milting all over the boat. These
fish were all chock full of salmon smolts when I cleaned them(imagine that,
way to go DFG).
5/10/07 Back to the scene of last weeks success was the right idea, but
somebody forgot to tell the fish. We joined the two other boats working the
falls below Shanghai bend, only to get a big goose egg. It appears the fish took
the day off.
5/12/07 Back to the Rio Vista area. Boy it's windy here. So bad in fact, that we
couldn't fish the west bank as planned due to the 3 foot rollers running right up
the river and over the top of the boat. We ran for the shelter of Three mile
slough where we ran into, believe it or not, the two Whales that where cruising
around the Brannon Island area. We managed to land 5 undersized fish at the
entrance of Three mile slough, but the bigger fish eluded us. Maybe we should
try salmon fishing up river near the Thermolito outlet.
5/18/07 THEIR BAA-AK!!! Thats right, my favorite BARB-BBQ tidbit.
Spring Salmon. We took a late morning scouting trip to the Feather river below
the Thermolito outlet, to see if the water resources guys had left any water for
the fish. I was pleasantly surprised to see we could navigate to all of my
favorite holes without banging the bottom of the boat to badly. We even
managed to hook a nice 20 pound plus fish, which we lost at the boat after 3
strong runs. Man these fish are strong when their fresh. We'll be back!!
5/21/07 Wind, wind, Go away! We spent the morning fighting the wind and
trying to talk one of the many chrome springers giving us "THE FIN", into
joining us for dinner. Unfortunately none of them were interested, and we
decided to come again some other day. The combination of warm, low flows
and the low pressure is the suspected cause. Thats my theory and I'm sticking
to it, so if you have any bright ideas, I'm ALL EARS!
6/28/07 Finally, graduations, races and parties, etc.etc. are over with, and we
can get back to the business of fishing. Now figure this one out, the flows on
the Feather river went from 1900 cfs (cubic feet per second)to 4500 cfs, then
to a whopping 8700 cfs in matter of a week. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?
Whoa! sorry my mistake, this is the government we're talking about, sorry I
thought there might be some logic to the madness. Well, anyway the fish are
liking the cooler water and seem to be more cooperative, as Kyle Sommer
proved, by boondogging this beautiful 22 lb. male into submission. Hopefully
this is a sign of great things to come for the future and we can start to see the
action improve.
7/16/07 Well so much for opening day. We decided to avoid the crowd at
Discovery park and try the Feather at the Star Bend hole. Bad idea!! Not even
a wiggle. Oh well, there's always the next day.
7/18/07 Back to the Sac. We ran a morning trip from Elkhorn to Verona.
Nothing there either. Here fishy fishy, come out come out, wherever you are?
7/20/07 Nothing on the lower Feather today, hope it's not another season like
last year.
7/31/07 Back to the Feather river Thermolito outlet today, where Mike
Peckham saved us from the dreaded skunk by jigging this nice 20 lb. buck. Fish
were jumping all around us, some close enough to net (boy I was sure tempted
to try) one had a Blue Fox in his mouth and another had a Gibbs minnow in his
tail(bet that was fun before it broke off).
8/4/07 God it's windy today, Star Bend feels like Rio Vista. Low pressure and
the full moon? No action today.
8/10/07 We gave up on Star Bend and headed back to Thermolito for a little
combat fishing. As usual a few guys felt they owned the river and anchored up
in the eddy pool, preventing everyone else from fishing the HOT zone. We
decided to take our chances down river and scored a nice Jack and a small
Steelie on roe.
8/12/07 Elkhorn to Discovery park on the Sacramento, no action today. The
fish are rocketing through to the cooler water up stream.
8/16/07 Big Mike and Kevin Pohley joined me back at the Feather outlet area.
Kevin was first to score a nice 17 lb. buck then a small Steelie.I scored a small
Steelie next, then Mike scored big fish of the day with a nice 20 lb. hen. Looks
like the fish are holding in the holes below the outlet now, so fishing should
improve in the future, WOO HOO!
8/24/07 Kevin had so much fun last week, he decided he'd tag along again
today. He scored this beauty on a sardine wrapped Kwickie. She was 24 lbs.
and full of roe, yippie! He lost another nice fish at the end of the day, and I
lost one at first light when my hook broke off of my lure. The only downer of
the day was the Pike minnows stealing our roe as we boondogged, forcing a
return to back trolling Kwickfish or jigging. The river is still high for this time of
year, Go figure? And the fishing is starting to improve, Finally!
9/10 to 9/14/07 Woodson still sucks. We fished Monday through Wednesday
on the Sac and finally gave up. Some guys are getting one or two a day, but
most are getting skunked, and there's A LOT of talent working there. I heard
that Kevin Brock boated a 50 pounder but I don't if that's a FACT! Good job
Kevin.
I went over to the Feather on Thursday and Friday, where my buddy Bill
Spaeth, of Auburn, scored a 39 1/2 pound male and lost a smaller male on
Thursday. Friday we lost one salmon on a plug but scored two nice Steelies. All
of our keepers hit roe, either back bounced (salmon)or behind a diver(steelies).
Back bouncing seems to be the ticket as I have yet to score Boondogging roe. I
think the water is so clear and the fish so spooky that a boondooging boat
floating over puts them off. Just my theory though, for what its worth!
9/19/07 Back to the Feather, without any big fish(last week was a tough act to
follow) but the Steelies seem willing, guess thats why they call it FISHING and
not Catching.
9/26/07 Well nothing is going on downtown, yet.
10/5 to 10/7 Well Woodson bridge on the Sac is still slow, but my daughter
Sheila and her boyfriend Justin joined me for a day of frustration. I thought it
was going to be a better day when Justin hooked up right off the bat, but lost a
nice fish when the main line broke. First time I've ever broken braided line, go
figure? We worked all of the holes down to the patio without so much as a
wiggle, when we should have stayed between the bridge and Deer creek. We
decided to give the Palm tree hole just above the bridge one last chance before
giving up, when Sheila's rod went down with this 20 lb. hen attached. It's been
years since she caught a fish, but she fought it like an old hand. Nice one honey!
It'll smoke!
10/11/07 Star Bend on the Feather saw no action today, one other boat
working the area had two hook ups but lost them at the boat. Bring a buddy to
net for ya next time dude!
10/12/07 Downtown trolling today produced a big goosegg, even the sealion
was going hungry.
10/15/07 to 10/19/07 Feather river, Marysville to Live Oak, Kevin O'connor
joined me on Friday and had a nice fish on until the leader knot broke at the
lure. It was nice to see a chrome bright fish come up the Feather this late in the
year. Believe it or not my Kick fish came floating by 45 minutes later after the
fish shook it loose. How far did that fish go in those 45 minutes, he was haulin
A--!
10/22/07 Big Fish Bill Spaeth joined me for a trip to the Marysville area again,
but his luck wasn't with him as we got skunked without even a wiggle.
10/26,28,30/07 Fished Elkhorn to Verona without so much as a grab.
Downtown was pretty miserable as well.
11/03/07 Discovery to Garcia bend, not even a sea lion, JEEEZ!
11/05, 07/07 I gave up on salmon so I could at least get a fish in the boat. Will
Sakata joined me after work for some Striper action on the Mokelumne river.
Will Scored these nice keepers drifting minnows and I scored this nice 9
pounder on a trolled Yo-zuri crystal minnow. The Black bass where a hoot as
well but we were looking for bigger fish, so we moved to keep them from
stealing the $2.00/ea. minnows. Wednesday I tried the same spots but could
only find schoolies, so we jetted out to the main Sacramento channel to troll.
Looks like we missed the action on the changing tide and came home empty
handed.
11/11/07-11/16/07 Looks like the American river run finally arrived on
Saturday the 10th. I went scouting with ANNA from Belarus on the American
and found fish rolling above the business 80 bridge. Unfortunatley they still
have lockjaw. Went back on wednesday and saw two hook ups with one
getting away, but still nothing for me, Whats a guy gotta do to get a fish!!!
11/21/07 Tom and Bill Collopy joined me for a striper trip on the Mokelumne.
We jetted down to the smelly pump hole above the mouth, but the pumps
weren't running. We still managed a couple of undersized fish and one small
keeper that was released, (in hindsight we should have kept it). We drifted on
the incoming tide and picked up a nice black bass, but still no keepers. We
worked all of the hot spots on the south fork all the way to wimpy's without a
wiggle. We gave up on the south fork and trolled down the north fork without
any action until we passed below the hyw 12 bridge where we scored another
keeper and an undersized on trolled yo-zuri's and black back rapala's. Rough
day.
11/30/07 We fished Verona to Knights Landing for stripers, drifting minnows.
No action today.
12/07/07 The south fork of the Mokelumne was windy today making it hard to
drift a minnow. Saw some action at the mouth of Sycamore slough but a slow
day following the storm.
12/11/07 We drifted the American from Gristmill to Discovery park. Roe and
plugs only scored one half pounder but it's promising. We'll try again soon.
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