Ten Fly Fishing Guide Tips for Springtime Success on Northern California Freestones: Fly Fishing in Northern California: The McCloud River, The Upper Sacramento River, The Pit River(click on any pic for more photos of local streams) Fly Fishing in springtime is often when the bounty of freestone rivers can be most apparent. The weather is [...]
Last season, for California Fly Fisher, I queried a number of local upper Sac guides on their expectations for the first-ever winter season, opened under special regulations by the Fish and Game Commission on November 16, 2004. Then, the locals’ theories on winter fishing the upper Sac were pure speculation. We now have a year’s experience behind us. While one winter of fishing doesn’t bring certainty, the locals did come to understand a bit about the winter fishery, while managing to get in some quality fishing.
First Published in California Fly Fisher Magazine, April 2008. I believe in magic. Deceiving a fish with an artificial fly is all the evidence required and I consider fly rods the wands that allow anglers to perform this bit of magic. Some rods are best suited for performing particular magical acts. Rods with smooth classic [...]
First published in California Fly Fisher, February 2007 “Boys and their toys,” Jerri said as I hung up the phone. “How many Spey rods do you own?” Uh oh, I hadn’t realized my wife was listening. “Five,” I offered weakly, “but one is for sale and two are actually switch rods.” “Switch rods?” she asked. [...]
On June 25, 2004, the California Fish and Game Commission adopted a City of Dunsmuir proposal to revise regulations on the upper Sacramento River to allow year-round angling. Beginning November 16, anglers will have their first opportunity to pursue wild trout on the upper Sac during the winter season. In anticipation of this event, a group of prominent local guides, Ron Hart, Alan Blankenship, Wayne Eng, Rick Cox, Stephen Bertrand, and Charlie Costner, gathered this fall in a roundtable format to share their views regarding the angling opportunities this new fishery will offer, including their views on the potential effects on the fishery and the local economy.
First Published in California Fly Fisher Magazine, August 2006 For as long as I can remember, my favorite time of year has been summer. When I was a kid in Northern California, summers meant long and lazy adventures in canyons, playing in the cool streams to beat the heat. I would toss on a T-shirt, [...]