Bluegills, bluegills, bluegills!!!!!

For the past three years my daughter Kayla and I have planned to take a trip to Redding, California to do some fishing. Life being life we have never actually made it happen. I decided that this year we would do it no matter what. I just got my new truck, so what better time?

The plan was to float one of the many creeks that drain into the Sacramento river, and fish for smallies and pikeminnows. The weather took a turn for the worse so we decided to scratch that idea. We ended up fishing my back up plan...a small creek that is more like a long skinny pond thanks to a strategically placed beaver dam.

This was my daughter's first time fly fishing so we arrived early, had a quick casting lesson, launched the kayaks, and got after it.  The first area to fish is actually the overflow from the beaver dam. It has some running water that leads into a nice little hole. We started with a small leech pattern, but noticed some fish rising to what looked like mosquitoes. I switched to a small ant pattern, and Kayla switched to a mini hopper.  I hooked a few pikeminows and a bluegill right away. It took Kayla a little while longer, but she finally got her first fish on a fly, a small pikeminnow. We headed up the creek in search of bluegills, and it didn't take long. Any break in the weeds pretty much held a nice school of 'gills that couldn't resist a hoppery/poppery type of pattern. We consistently caught them on mini-hoppers, moodah poodahs, and even a size six frog pattern.

I was able to catch five species that day, pikeminnow, bluegill, bass, a crappie on top, and a new species for me, a redear sunfish! I didn't even know they were in this body of water, and I've been fishing here since I was a kid! Kayla ended the day landing eight fish, and three species. Pikeminnow, bluegill, and a redear. She also hooked and lost a pretty nice bass. Not bad for her first time out.

It was a great trip with my daughter that I will never forget. We talked about everything, and even managed to catch a few fish. I can't wait to do it again.

Go ahead and leave a comment of the sound a bluegill makes when taking a dry.

Hitting the road.

New truck, loaded.

Tying knots.

Sacramento Pikeminnow.

The Kid's first fish on a fly rod.

Little bass on a simi seal leech.

Nice one!

Moodah Poodah

A new species for me! Redear Sunfish!
Super Stoked!

Crappie on a dry!

The Kid's Redear!

Gonna need a winch!

Crotch deep mud. That's one sandal and one sock by the way.

Great trip.

Return to Mosquito Pond.

I went back to the pond the other night. This time I brought my kayak, and some bug spray. There were thunder storms all around me though so I didn't really need the latter.

After a hell of a drag and some serious bushwacking I was able to get my kayak into the pond. These tules are thick, and the sides of the pond are almost vertical. I was able to submerge my whole paddle before touching the bottom.

Once I got in and paddled around it was well worth the effort. I hit all the likely spots, and was rewarded with willing green sunfish. They smash a Hopper like nobody's business. I must've caught twenty or more.

This was the best one.

I expected to catch some bass as well, but not this time. I will be surprised if there aren't any in here. I did see about a fifteen pound koi,  so somebody has put fish in here. I hope they also put some bass.
The drag out was a nightmare. Did I mention vertical sides? I had to get the nose of my kayak on the bank,shimmy up to the front, and flop out onto the shore. At least the sunset was worth it.

Mosquito Pond

I've been watching this pond for about three years. I've noticed it from the road several times. Mostly during duck season. There always seems to be ducks on it during the winter. I've thought about sneaking down there and throwing out some decoys, oh wait, it's only a hundred yards from the road and about three hundred yards from some warehouses. Hmmm, maybe on Christmas Day??

It was posted at one time. I can tell from the old plywood squares on the fence posts. There is still a fence in front of it but I doubt it would ever keep anyone out. It is so stretched out I can walk through it standing up.

I decided to see if there were any fish in it the other day.  Me and the Boy stopped to check it out. The tules are very thick. So thick in fact that I couldn't get to the water at all. I had to walk out on the tules above the water and cast from there. It was a pain in the ass. If I wasn't getting snagged on the tules behind me I was getting snagged on the ones in front. I did mange to catch three green sunfish, one was actually pretty nice.

While I was fighting tules the Boy noticed some mosquitoes on his pants. I asked him if I had any on my legs, and I swear there was forty of them. We had to make a quick exit due to some close thunderstorms. On the way home the Boy had two ticks on his pants. I pulled over gave him a quick check, and headed home.

This was the scene the next morning.

I'll definitely be going back. With some bug spray and my kayak.