Ben & Brian Ben has been fishing with me for years and this season brought his good friend Brian to sample the steelheading on the Klamath. It did not disappoint. Water temps dropped a couple degrees and we had to work for our fish but these guys are a couple of sticks and made the [...]
Phil, Mike, Pat & Bill Phil was the winning bidder again this season for the Cal Trout Trip we donate each year. He invited some friends to join John and I for some winter steelheading on the Klamath. Mornings were cold but afternoons were hot with action, at one point we lost count of the [...]
Glen Glen leaves the surf of So Cal each winter for a little steelheading in the Shadow of Shasta. We had some cool days but hot fishing. We normally have a friend or two join us but this year it was just Glen and I. He is a warm hearted adventurous soul so we explored [...]
Ed & Ned John and I spent three cold but productive days fishing with Ed and Ned, a father and son on their annual Klamath trip. Mornings found ice in our guides and a slow bite but warm afternoons more than made up for it. Most of our fish came on eggs but we had [...]
Matt & Joe Spent a couple glorious days with Matt and Joe on the Klamath. The weather was unbelievable and the fish cooperative. These guys are real sticks and missed very few opportunities. We soon lost count and escaped into the magic of each fish. An epic way to end the year.
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 [...]