Carp on the Fly

A quick trip to Trinity County left us with about an hour to fish in Redding. We went to a little bluegill pond I know of in hopes of catching a couple in the heat. As soon as I walked to the edge, I saw a few gills milling about. I flipped a white simi-seal leech out in front of me and this carp came barreling in from deeper water. It didn't even hesitate, it sucked in my fly and the fight was on. It was quite a battle on my little Eagle Claw Featherlight. The gills didn't want to cooperate much but I managed one bluegill, and Kayla got a sweet bass, her first on a fly! Not too shabby for an hour of fishing.

More Spring bluegills.

I took another trip to Redding recently to do some more bluegill fishing. The weather was pretty crappy again, but this time it really affected the bite. I caught very few fish compared with the last trip, and they were very picky. I needed to let my fly sit a long time to get a strike. I still managed to get a few though.

A little shed hunting

After a couple of years of talking about it, I decided to finally do a little shed hunting. I hiked to a few spots, and found this one in deep. My first shed ever! I was completely stoked.  It was a little mouse chewed but I really didn't care.  

The next day I took the Wife and the Boy up to find some more. It was super cold and windy so we didn't last long. On the way back to the truck the Wife found one. Another three point. Awesome!

We all went out again on Sunday, and after much hiking I almost stepped on a real nice, fresh, brown antler! It's at least twice as big as the rest. What an awesome find! I can see this becoming a real addiction.  I'm going back tomorrow to look for the other side. Wish me luck!

The Wife's

Rollins Lake

I got a rare weekday day off this week so I decided to head up over Donner to Rollins Lake.  I got up at 3:30 am, loaded my kayak, and hit the road. There was a forty five minute delay on the way up due to a semi catching on fire. I got to the lake around 7:00 am, launched the kayak, and went across an inlet to the first sheer bank I saw. I was fishing a Shannon's Streamer, on an intermediate line, on my new Fenwick fiberglass rod.  The rod cast great, and handled the large streamers with ease. I was working my way along the bank, and had my first strike in just a few minutes. It was going to be a great day! Not too long after the first bite, I got my first fish to hand, a nice, hard fighting spotted bass. It was still early and mostly shady so the pictures of the first few fish weren't very good. 

The Shannon's Streamer was sinking a little too slow for my patience level so I switched to a bead head simi-seal bugger. It sank much faster, and I was able to cover water a lot quicker. I caught a few more fish, but the highlight was when I saw a fish rise against the bank. I put a mini hopper on my little yellow Eagle Claw rod, and cast over to the bank. I was expecting a sunfish of some kind, but what I got was a scrappy smallie. It put up a great fight, and I lost it right at the kayak. I also saw a bald eagle grab a fish out of the lake, and an osprey steal the fish from the eagle! Awesome! I even got a crappy photo of them.

I had to be home in time to pick the boy up from school, so I called it a day early. I landed seven fish, lost one, and missed a bite, Not bad for about three hours. I'll definitely be going back to Rollins Lake again.

I'm not really sure if all these bass were spotted, or if some were largemouths. If you know the difference please leave a comment, and let me know.

Osprey above, eagle below.

Gratuitous truck picture.

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.

New truck

Pulled the trigger on a new 2016 Toyota Tacoma. Let the adventures begin!

Sunday at the 'Mid

Headed out to Pyramid last Sunday with my Nephew Jacob, and his friend Zach.  We met up around noon, and started fishing. I was throwing a sinking line with a simi seal bugger, and a popcorn beetle trailer. We fished for several hours without a bite, and only saw a few cruisers. We decided to switch beaches, and I'm glad we did. 

When we got to the second location, we immediately saw a TON of cruisers, and I mean a ton. Schools of 15-20 cruisers in front of, and behind the ladders. Zach and I hooked up almost immediately. I ended up hooking five, and landing two nice healthy fish. Zach hooked a few more, and landed a real nice one, probably eight pounds. The luck wasn't with Jacob today, and he got the skunk. It was a great day, and I'm glad to of gotten out with a couple of young fly fishing studs. They definitely motivated me to get out, and stay out a little longer, I'm looking forward to many trips in the future.

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