As of last month, the California Department of Fish and Game has released 1.1 million juvenile fall run Chinook salmon into the Klamath River. The goal is to release 2 million fish. These fish were hatched at the Iron Gate Hatchery on the Klamath River and were originally scheduled to be released last spring. However, due to drought conditions and a disease outbreak, the fish were relocated to three other locations over the summer. This is good news for a river that has seen its once-storied Chinook salmon runs decimated for a variety of reasons—including low flows and dams. The other positive news is the planned removal of four dams on the Klamath that will allow fish more access to spawning waters.
We are on schedule to meet our membership dues budget and are hoping for additional donations in order to offset the loss from our annual fundraiser dinner. At the end of December 150 members have renewed their 2022 dues membership. In addition donations of $2,000 have exceeded the prior year by 50% and continues to grow with members support.
In February, we will have final 2021 revenue and expense figures and update our 2022 Budget. We still have 25 members who have not renewed and we will accept renewals at the January BBQ and for the balance of January. Email reminders will be sent in early January.
For those that have already renewed and donated online, THANK YOU
The club has had a great variety of Fishouts over the years. It’s planning time for 2022 and I’m encouraging you to think about planning one. It can be very simple or involved. And as fishmaster chairman, I’m here to help you with the decision to do one, choosing a plan, and guide you on how to organize the outing.
If you are hesitant, I would encourage something very simple. For example: making an announcement in the newsletter that includes, place, date and time, your name and contact info as fishmaster, type of fishing and equipment needed. Make it so sign ups are not needed, everyone is on their own for food and any fees required.
There is no need for you to be an expert in fishing that area and it is understood that you are not guaranteeing how good the fishing will be. It’s important to acquire basic information ahead of time, such as, how to get there, approximate driving time, any entrance fees, equipment inspections, PDF requirements, etc.
Please consider stepping up this year and help provide the opportunity for us to get together, have fun, find out about a new place to fish and the fishery, and learn from others. I’m waiting for your phone call. Please do call. John Cook — fishmaster chairman. (831)688-1561. (831)234-6515
Beer Can Beach Surf Fishing – CO Fishout with The San Jose Fly Fishing Club
Sep 06
Mammoth Fishout -Sept. 20-Oct. 4th
Sep 20 - Oct 04
Trout
John Cook fishmaster-- (831)688-1561 or (831)234-6515
Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout – CO Fishout with The Delta Fly Fishers
Oct 04
O’Neill Forebay ‘Stosh’ Memorial Fishout October 17-20th
Oct 16 - Oct 19
Trinity River Fishout
Oct 31 - Nov 02
Jun 20 : Burney and Around – UPDATED –
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Date and description subject to change due to seasonal conditions Please Stay Tuned
Fishmaster:
Alex Ferber
Location:
Lakes, rivers and streams of the Burney area
Species:
Trout
Duration:
3 Days
Cost:
No Cost
Meet Up:
Date of Fishout TBD and subject to change due seasonal conditions
Hat Creek Park off Hy 299 (See the map below). The park is approximately 10 minutes from the highway 299/80 junction. The park is on the left hand side going east on 299. If you google Hat Creek Park, it should show up.
This meet up will be a general discussion with your Fishmaster Alex Ferber. Here he will be discussing the local fishery, access points, general information and answering any questions you might have about making this a successful outing.
Meeting time to be updated as we get closer
Equipment:
Typical Trout Set Up 9′, 4-6wt Rods w/ Floating Lines Ideal
Euro Nymphing, and Trout Spey conditions available
Nymphs: Pheasant Tail, Hairs Ear, Prince Nymph, Wooly Buggers, Perdigon, Copper Johns, Zebra Midge, Micro May, Golden Stones
Drys: Caddis Patterns 12-16, Upright wing vs. Emerges, Missing Link, Stone Flys, Parachute Adams, Comparaduns (various sizes 16-12)
Misc.: Soft Hackles, Streamers, Leaches
What To Expect:
This Fishout is DIY Fishout with your Fishmaster acting as a resource person helping with any questions regarding where to fish, access, use of personal watercraft, fishery history, etc. Depending on interest there is potential of a pre Fishout presentation (TBD) and or tour of any one of the local areas with the most interest.
More information to be updated as interest develops. Please contact the Fishmaster if you are interested in attending.
Local Waters:
Hat Creek: Spring creek with plenty of easy access, walk and wading. There are 3 distict sections from the Power House Riffle, to The Lower Freestone Section. There are an abundence of hatches year round and daily from mayflies, caddis, and stone flies with the potential of a trico or green drake hatch.
Burney Creek: Spring creek with access around the McArthur Burney Falls State Park. The waterfall is a must see. This is great water for a dry/dropper set up as well as traditional dry and nymph fishing. Above the falls the creek is stocked and below the fish are wild.
Pit River: Classic tailwater freestone fishery. This river is known for its hard fighting wild rainbows. There is great walk and wade access but the terrain is difficult with large snot covered bowling balls covering the river bed. Those with strong wading skills and a stout wading stick only need apply. The river is broken up by multiple power houses each with their own characters. Primary a nymphing river either by indicator or tight line. Rubber legs and dark lords and lots of weight (bring lots of both).
BaumLake: Stocked and great for a small float tube or kayak. Excellent dry fly and streamer fishing.
Lake Britton: Primarily a motorized boat lake. Warm water fishery with small mouth bass, and potential for bull trout.
Ahjumawi / Big Lake Lava Springs State Park: Launch at “Rat Farm”
Fall River: Iconic spring creek with an abundance of large wild rainbows. No shore access. Non motorized boats can be launched at the Cal Trout public access or a kayak/motor boat at the “Rat Farm” (Big Lake/Ahjjumawi launch). Awesome dry fly, streamer and indicator fishing.
Lodging:
Camping – Too many to list, this is an outdoors paridise with options from unimproved to glamping. Plenty of places for RV hookups and KOA camping
Hotels & Motels: Various options available in the Burney area
Burney Sporting Goods – 37427 CA-299, Burney, CA 96013
Jun 22 : Lake Almanor/Hex Hatch – Jun 22th – 28th 2025
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster: Jeff (Yog) Goyert - Fishmaster (831)234-0033
The Lake Almanor Fishout is scheduled for the last week of June, 6/22 thru 28th, 2025. This time period is, hopefully, the peak of the annual Hexagenia hatch that begins generally mid-June and runs through mid-July. The most productive fishing takes place early evenings on into past dark between Lake Almanor West to Canyon Dam on the Southwest side of the lake. Most of the fishing is done from float tubes as well as small boats or even from shore.
In addition to the evening “Hex” hatch, a multitude of opportunities exist for fishing throughout the day to include Little Crater Lake, Manzanita Lake, Baum Lake, Eagle Lake, Butt Valley Reservoir, Deer Creek, Clear Creek, Feather River, Yellow Creek, plus many more.
Lodging will be the responsibility of individual attendees. A popular campground operated by PG&E is the Rocky Point Campground, for reservation information call 916-386-5164. Many USFS campgrounds are in the area. Reservations are available through www.recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Make use of internet resources to acquire the actual campground names. There are also many resorts and rental cabins available in the area. A few examples are Wilson’s Camp/530-259-2267 and Plumas Pines Resort/530-259-4343. Other options are available via online research. Be advised that due to the popularity of fishing at this time of year reservations fill up early.
Sierra Fly and Tackle, stores in Chester and Hamilton Branch, is a great resource for current conditions and reports along with a large inventory flies and equipment. A must stop for all visiting fly fishers if only to get one of their cool tee-shirts. Both first time and veteran “Hex” Anglers could well benefit from the expertise provided by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. Lance Gray (530-517-2204) or Tim Loomis (831-345-8411) both offer instructional packages to help achieve success during the “Hex”.
Fish Master – Tim Loomis
Tim Loomis <bigsurstyles@att.net>
May 7th
Club monthly meeting will have Lance Gray providing a talk about fishing Lake Almanor in preparation for the June Fishout
Jul 05 : Beer Can Beach Surf Fishing
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Location: Beer Can Beach (AKA Summer Beach) – Staircase at 1191 Via Palo Alto, Aptos
Fish Master: Lance Boiling / clboling@gmail.com / 408-728-0548
Species: Surf Perch, Striped Bass
Min./Max Participants: Breakfast RSVP Required 5:00pm July 3.
Gear: 6-8wt. Rods with full sinking lines or shooting heads to match the rod. Polarized glasses (safety),
Mandatory Accessories: Wader Belt & Stripping Basket
(If a basket is needed, some maybe available to borrow or purchase. Please contact the Fishmaster ahead of time. Also there are many DIY Stripping Basket making tutorials online)
Sunrise is at 5:53 and we are fishing a 3-foot tidal crest, high tide being8: 55AM.
Meet at the staircase at 1191 Via Palo Alto, Aptos.
Breakfast at Mike Lovejoy’s house, 115 Driftwood Ct, Aptos. Park on the street. Hot water available for hand wash. Hose available for rinsing equipment.
Coffee at 8:00am and breakfast served 8:30-9:30.
RSVP For Breakfast – 5:00pm July 3.
Cost: Maybe some lost flies…and the fish of a life time
Meeting Location: Staircase at 1191 Via Palo Alto, Aptos
Special Considerations / Links: Tides, Wind, Swell, tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/
Jul 07 : Loreto Fly Fishing Trip
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Loreto Mexico
Details to be finalized and date to be confirmed
The fishing day starts around 6:00 a.m. and we usually get back to the harbor between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. Spend the rest of the afternoon fishing from the beach, having a cool drink in the pool, exploring Loreto, or just sitting around telling some tall fish stories. And, you will have many exciting moments on the Sea of Cortez to talk about.
The approximate cost for everything but meals and airfare is: *$995.00 per person,double occupancy; around $460.00 for a non-fishing guest. –
It does not include meals because there are some nice restaurants (A lot of fresh seafood!) in town or if you prefer, eat at the hotel, where they will also cook your catch to your preference. Interested?
Please contact Rich Hughett, 831-757-5709, for all the details. You will need to book airline flights* as soon as possible.
*No money will be collected in advance. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines from San Jose to Los Angeles and Alaska Airlines to Loreto. Rich will help with your airline reservations.
Gear: The minimum size rod for Dorado is a 10 weight, with a corresponding size reel with plenty of backing. I suggest everyone take floating, intermediate and full sink lines, such as T-14. Most fish down there are not leader shy, so I use about a 5 foot leader with a 20 pound tippet. For Dorado, the main fly is a Sarmulmac. Clousers also work. In fact a variety of flies work for salt water fish, as long as they represent a smaller baitfish.
Notes: Further discussion of dates, gear and preparations to be had as interest develops
Aug 09 : Palm Beach Surf Fishout
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Fishmaster : Scott Kitayama
Contact info: scotttkitayama@gmail.com
Location: Palm Beach State Park
Date
High Tide
Low Tide
Sun
Moon
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
9
Sat
12:06 PM
4.0
10:53
5.5
5:25
-0.7
4:46
2.4
6:19
8:06
Species: Surf Perch, Striped Bass
Min./Max Participants: NO Limit Cali Surf Style
Gear: 6-8wt. Rods with full sinking lines or shooting heads to match the rod. Polarized glasses (safety),
Mandatory Accessories: Wader Belt & Stripping Basket
(If a basket is needed, some maybe available to borrow or purchase. Please contact the Fishmaster ahead of time. Also there are many DIY Stripping Basket making tutorials online)
What to Expect: Tide and weather dependent, but expect good times.
You may want to use a two fly rig, one smaller for perch and a larger one
for Stripers. When I add flies I often need to use lighter weight
ones than I might with one fly. For example, dumbbell eyes are
heavy, so I tie most Clousers and jig flies using bead-chain or even plastic eyes, knowing I will very likely be
using 2 or 3, so need them to be light enough to cast.
A reminder that the surf is not a place to learn to cast, but it will force you to improve your line control!
Cost: Parking? & maybe some lost flies…and the fish of a life time
Meeting Location: Parking Lot / End of W. Beach Rd.
Special Considerations / Links: Tides, Wind, Swell, tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/
Lodging / Food: Coffee and snacks served at 8:30am
Sep 06 : Beer Can Beach Surf Fishing – CO Fishout with The San Jose Fly Fishing Club
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Location: Beer Can Beach (AKA Summer Beach) – Staircase at 1191 Via Palo Alto, Aptos
Fish Master:Michael Lovejoy <mikelovejoy94@gmail.com>
Species: Surf Perch, Striped Bass
Min./Max Participants: RSVP For Breakfast by 5:00pm September 3nd
Gear: 6-8wt. Rods with full sinking lines or shooting heads to match the rod. Polarized glasses (safety),
Mandatory Accessories: Wader Belt & Stripping Basket
(If a basket is needed, some maybe available to borrow or purchase. Please contact the Fishmaster ahead of time. Also there are many DIY Stripping Basket making tutorials online)
Meet at the staircase at 1191 Via Palo Alto, Aptos.
Breakfast at Mike Lovejoy’s house, 115 Driftwood Ct, Aptos. Park on the street. Hot water available for hand wash. Hose available for rinsing equipment.
Coffee and breakfast served 8:30-9:30.
RSVP For Breakfast by 5:00pm September 3nd
Date
High Tide
Low Tide
Sun
Moon
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
6
Sat
10:42
4.3
9:59
5.6
4:11
-0.3
3:51
1.9
6:41
7:29
Cost: Maybe some lost flies…and the fish of a life time
Meeting Location: Staircase at 1191 Via Palo Alto, Aptos
Special Considerations / Links: Tides, Wind, Swell, tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/
Sep 20 : Mammoth Fishout -Sept. 20-Oct. 4th
Mammoth Lakes (Click for address and map) Fishmaster: John Cook fishmaster-- (831)688-1561 or (831)234-6515
Sign Ups: As a reminder, it is important to sign up early as sign ups have started and spaces are filling up fast for this Fishout.
Call John Cook letting him know which week, both or private room. Payment is required to secure our spot we need people to sign up as soon as possible. Should you need to cancel, you can find someone to take your place and get your money back.
Contact Ph # (831) 234-6515
Fishmasters: John & Elaine Cook
Dates: This Fishout will take place over two consecutive one-week periods. You may sign up for one or both weeks. Week 1: Sept 20 – Sept 27 . Week 2: Sept 27 – Oct 4.
Location: The town of Mammoth Lakes is located on the eastern side of the Sierra, 6 or 7 hours drive from Santa Cruz. There are many lakes and streams in the area to fish.
General: We will be staying in condominiums in the town of Mammoth Lakes. Condo has a lovely hot tub, so bring your suit. Two people per bedroom. Most people bring a sleeping bag to share queen size bed or a pad and sleeping bag to sleep on floor. A private room option is possible at an increased fee.
Cost: Shared single: $500/wk, $1000/2 wks. (Pricing Subject To Change)
Food Preparation: Breakfast and lunch items will be purchased by the Fishmaster ahead of time. Each person will be assigned a Kitchen Day. On that day, tasks will include setting out breakfast and lunch items, store unused food, and preparing the evening meal and clean up afterwards. Each person will be assigned a dinner that you will need to purchase and prepare. You will then be reimbursed for the cost for the dinner.
Oct 04 : Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout – CO Fishout with The Delta Fly Fishers
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Location: Manresa State Beach (Ocean View Drive, La Selva Beach Parking Lot)
Meet at 5:45AM
Sunrise is 7:04AM and we will be fishing an incoming tide cresting at 9:28AM.
Fish Master: Lance Boiling / clboling@gmail.com / 408-728-0548
Species: Surf Perch, Striped Bass
Min./Max Participants: The Delta Fly Fishers will be joining us on this outing
Gear: 6-8wt. Rods with full sinking lines or shooting heads to match the rod. Polarized glasses (safety),
Mandatory Accessories: Wader Belt & Stripping Basket
(If a basket is needed, some maybe available to borrow or purchase. Please contact the Fishmaster ahead of time. Also there are many DIY Stripping Basket making tutorials online)
These are primitive campsites so bring your own water. There are tables, sun pavilions, and chemical toilets, or outhouses and fire rings. No open fires are allowed outside of the rings.
Typically we will be camping as close to site 29 as we can get. This is a first come, first serve campground, so no reservations are accepted. Float tubes can be launched near the campsites, but boats must be first inspected, then launched from the
San Luis Creek Boat launch. Boats may not be left on the lake overnight. Boaters would be wise to exit prior to the closing of the entry kiosk. The ranger can place a seal on your trailer, allowing you to bypass the inspection process the next morning.
The rangers at the kiosk by the Medeiros entrance may insist that your float tubes need inspection. make sure they’re clean & dry.
Equipment: 8wt rods with fast sinking lines. Some anglers will occasionally use a floating line with a ‘gurgler’ type fly
Flies: Lee Haskins San Luis smelt, ‘Deceiver’ type patterns in red, white, chartreuse, the aforementioned gurglers and poppers.
Float tubes (may require inspection for quagga mussels)
Fins, sunscreen, polarized glasses, life vest
Links:
https://mengsyn.com/ A fly-fishing addict who fishes San Luis Reservoir and the Forebay.
There will be a signup sheet at our September meeting. We’ll also create a list for those hoping to participate in a pot luck in honor of Steve ‘Stosh’ Rudzinski.
Weather conditions can vary dramatically, so it would behoove members to check prior to departure. You could email me or just get conditions on-line. High winds can cause the lake to be closed to all vessels.
This is one of our nearest Fishouts, with the possible payoff of a double digit fish! Don’t miss out!
Oct 31 : Trinity River Fishout
(Click for address and map) Fishmaster:
Date and description subject to change due to seasonal conditions Please Stay Tuned
NOTE: Contact Alex Ferber if you are interested in going on the trip. After knowing how many people are interested, it will be easier to plan logistics (camping? motel?). You can text Alex at (831) 419-0564 or alex.ferber74@gmail.com. If you want to go on this trip, it is highly recommended to attend the Spey Classes.
The fishery:
Basically, this is a Steelhead Trip. There are some resident trout, including some really nice brown trout. I walk wade or float my raft, depending on the river conditions. I personally use a Spey rod to swing flies. Many people use indicators. There are a lot of walk in spots to explore. The river can be floated with rafts or drift boats. There is a shuttle service available.
Tackle:
Single hand rods, 7-8 wt rods, using floating lines with indicator set up. Typical flies used are Egg patterns, Copper John’s, Stonefly imitations like Rubberlegs, Dark Perdigons. Sizes ranging from Size 8-14.
Spey or Switch rods, usually 5-6 wt in the Fall, I use a 7 wt in the winter. Skagit or Scandi heads, with floating to heavy sink tips, depending on the river conditions and season. Flies that work well include leeches, intruders, HoBo Spey, Traditionals, as well as dry fly patterns ( Skaters) in the early Fall.
The River:
The Trinity River is located approx. 1 hr west of Redding on Hwy 299. Its a beautiful tailwater fishery, with flows controlled from the Lewiston Dam. This is where the hatchery can be found. It has many different faces, including some big water as it runs west. It meets up with the Klamath River on its journey to the ocean. It has an excellent run of both wild and hatchery fish, ranging from 5-7 #, with some larger fish in the +10-12 # range. There are fish in the system year round, but typically a push of fish starts in late September and peaks in late November, with a second run usually in late December- March. The fishing remained really good thru the end of March last season. It is very flow dependent and can run quite low in the Fall, with occasional bumps in flows when there is precipitation. It can blow out on occasion, but clears pretty fast.
Amenities:
Weaverville is the closest town, where there are good restaurants, motels and a really nice Holiday Market. It’s kind of the hub. There is an RV park in Weaverville, but no campsites.
Camping is available in Douglas City area as well as Junction City and further west on 299. The town of Douglas city doesn’t have much, other than a small mini mart. Indian Creek Lodge is a few miles east of Douglas City. The town of Lewiston is just below the Lewiston dam. It offers some camping and motels. There is a really nice motel west of Junction City (I believe it is called Steelhead Lodge?). It’s an excellent place to stay if one wishes to fish below Junction City.
Everyone who attends the December Fly Club zoom meeting get a free ticket to the monthly door prize drawing.
We have some neat stuff, keep it yourself or use it for fly buddy stocking stuffers.
The FirstAid kit is not intended for major surgery but will come in handy for cuts, bruises, and other minor medical mishaps that might be encountered during a fly fishing adventure.
The four function Coghlan’s has a compass, magnifier, thermometer, and whistle. Great on the the back trails or on your float tube on the water.
How about a National Geographic trail topographic map for the Merced and the Tuolumne river? Great for planning and executing a fly fishing back pack trip.
These prizes are all from the new REI store that has opened up in Santa Cruz across from Dominican Hospital. Great place, check it out . Gift receipts are included if you would like to swap out the prize for some other treat.
Happy Holidays everyone. I hope you are all doing well looking forward to time with family and friends this year.
For those of you who made it to April Vokey’s presentation and tutorial on two-handed rods and gear for big rivers, you might be asking Santa for a Skagit head, some Rio MOW tips, and a variety of Hobo-Spey flies in yer stockings!
As April mentioned in her presentation, “spey” casting techniques are not only effective for two-handed rods, but also very effective for single hand fly rods. Most of you know the “roll cast”. Spey casting is associated with the roll-cast, or is in fact a roll-cast (I dare say), but with certain movements with the rod, that put your line and leader in different places on the water in front of you or to the side of you.
I encourage all of you to explore “spey” casting techniques by searching the inter-web, YouTube… You’ll come across some new casting names and begin to understand what they are; single-spey, double-spey, snap-T, Circle-C, and more. All very effective when there is no room to cast behind you, or just another set of great casting techniques to add to your repertoire.
A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel home to Ohio to see my mom and family. I’m always timing these trips as a means to kick off the holiday season, and have a chance to fish for Lake run Steelhead on the Chagrin River, where I grew up fishing as a child. This year I took my 13’ 6”, 8 weight two-handed rod, a box of steelhead flies and my waders. Not much else you need.
When I arrived in Ohio it was a beautiful 70 degrees, but the water was low. But weather changes quickly in these parts of the country and it’s common to get rain that will move the river from 150cfs to 400 or more, overnight. Thursday was that day. It has rained just enough to bring the river up. Puffy clouds brought cover and contrast to the stunning fall colors still hanging on the maple, pin oak, buckeye and more.
It’s not always possible to time trips perfectly, but each time is an opportunity to get on the water with my brother Pat. The river was beautiful and the flows made this place look about as close to a big British Columbia watershed as I could imagine. We were on the water at 7:30 and immediately rolled two fish across the river, getting our hopes up quickly. We fished hard till 10:00 then headed off to the Chagrin River dinner for a couple egg sandwiches and a hot cup of coffee before traveling about 30 seconds to the next place on the river. Almost like it was here on the San Lorenzo in the old days. If you don’t know this already, the San Lorenzo River was once noted as “The Most Famous” steelhead river on the Central Coast. Mostly because guys brought their friends, and wives spent the weekend, went shopping, found easy access along the 11+ miles of fishable water, and found they could pull off the river and grab coffee, food, beer and whiskey in just minutes, no matter where they were on the river. It was fun to do just that with my brother on the Chagrin, still in our waders and no one looking at us as differently.
The flow of the river enabled me to get a very good grasp on my spey casting techniques, delivery and swing. It was soooooooo much fun. When you can throw 80 feet of line almost effortlessly clear across the water and feel the line tug on your reel because it still wants to go farther – you’ll know what I mean. As the wind picked up in the afternoon, I got to try a few other of the methods necessary- like the Perry Poke (coined after a fella named Carl Perry kept “blowing his anchor” – wait, what?…! – recovering his cast effectively. Something that’s been done for 100 years, but never really called anything until spey casting anglers began naming it after Carl – at least that’s what I researched thus far), and casting with my right hand. Yes – spey casting also teaches you to be ambidextrous.
Part of my timing in the coming years will be that time when the steelhead are in but the leaves have either not fallen off the trees yet, or are already completely fallen off. As the day wore on, the wind gusts befuddled our success choking the water with leaves, and despite nice off-color water, I imagined hundreds of leaves bouncing off the noses of fish, causing them to hunker down no matter how colorful my flies tried to compete with the leaves.
Despite not landing any fish, it was the best day on the water with my brother on a river I never really appreciated as much as a kid. Except, perhaps, on those warm summer days when Mike and I would quit fishing and go swimming!
The Great Lakes rivers are abundant with fish these days. Not just lake run steelhead, but also Chinook, Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye (mostly in the lake), Perch, Catfish, Carp, Pike, and some Brown Trout. None of the fish are small. The Grand, Chagrin, Rocky and even the Cuyahoga, that river that once caught fire in the 60’s when it was so polluted with industrial waste, are all now healthy fisheries year-round. There is a Facebook page for the area called Ohio Steelhead. Look it up.
Well – a lot of fun in store for us in the coming months. December is Gordon Tharrett who is going to present to us on the Green River in Utah – and fly-fishing Utah/Idaho areas. He’s been a guide for a few of our members for years. Don’t miss this one.
January 5th will be a time for us to extend the holidays with a BBQ, Big Raffle, installation of Board and Directors AND our annual Club slide show which will be a collection of all the member photos from all the fishing you did this past year. We will be meeting at the Sherriff’s Posse Hall on Ocean Street Extension. Mark your calendars.
It’s been a great year and its fun seeing all the new members participate in fishing, fly-tying, and jumping on the Board to be a driving force for the future of the club. Super happy to see how this is coming together. If you’re interested, let us know. We still have a couple of positions we would love help with.
Happy Holidays. Jump in – we’ll land a few together. Tom Hogye – 831-214-7578
Instead of featuring a specific fly this month, using the “whip finish” method to tie your favorite fly will be discussed. Having the skill of tying the knot to complete your fly using a “whip finish” is very important for certain flies. Some folks use the method more often, for they just find it easier when they get the hang of it. There are 3 methods to accomplish this:
Whip finish tool that’s referred to as a Matarelli (there are other similar brands but this is the most commonly used)
Standard whipper (a very old style tool and trickier to use)
Hand method (the only method available before there were tools and uses 2 fingers)
Specific flies that require this method are any that must be tied off behind the material on the hook, ie: beaded flies, poppers. You can use this method on the fly being tied at the fly tying class this month but won’t be required. This is a great time to learn how, refresh your skill, or learn a new technique. There are numerous demonstrations on YouTube for all 3 methods. Just ask for “whip finish demonstration for tying flies”.
I found the one done by Copper Landing Fly Fishing was well done for a Matarelli. Check them out and do some practicing on a bare hook.
The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, the City of Santa Cruz, the San Lorenzo Valley Water District and the County of Santa Cruz have partnered to complete an instream improvement project on Zayante Creek. The work took place on a one mile stretch of the upper creek. Large trees were anchored in the creek to improve the natural habitat for steelhead and coho salmon. Historically, some of the higher juvenile steelhead population densities in the San Lorenzo River watershed been found in Zayante Creek. Check out the web link below: https://carcd.org/2021/10/rcd-san-cruz-completes-an-instream-habitat-improvement-project-on-zayante-creek/
Make sure you view this brief Youtube video that describes the project.
90 members have renewed 2021 dues for a total of $4,500 including $1,200 in donations averaging $50/member.
100 membership renewal letters have been mailed out to those members who have not yet responded. Deadline to be included in the 2022 roster is Dec 31st. Member names who have not responded will be deleted from the roster and Googlegroups.
We are on schedule to meet our membership dues budget and are hoping for additional donations in order to offset the $4,500 loss from our annual fundraiser dinner not being held for 2 years. With additional member contributions we could double our High School scholarships from $200 to $400/student, maintain our conservation project funding, and pay to restore the County Steelhead plaque on the San Lorenzo River damaged by vandalism with matching funds.
For those that have already renewed and donated online, THANK YOU
Douglas Severin
November 8, 1927– October 26,2021
Doug joined our club clear back in 1998. He had been a real outdoor person, but all his companions were no longer able to participate with him. So his wife Diane encouraged him to check out the SCFF club. As he put it , after doing just that, “ I’ve found a new home”. He jumped right in joining the fly tying classes and was soon helping beginners , as he was extremely skilled at tying. His specialty was small dry flies which over the years served him well at the Mammoth and Green River fishouts as well as throughout Montana and Wyoming. He was not a fan of flying so trips to the Green River were on Amtrak and to other Rocky Mountain destinations he would accomplish by driving almost non-stop to his destination. He loved the back country in the Sierra and a couple of his favorites were McGee and Convict Canyons. His participation and help with club functions were remarkable. In his quiet gentlemanly manner, you’d find him demonstrating fly tying to the public, donating and preparing, along with Diane, salads for the Club Fund Raiser, and then showing up at functions ahead of time to help set up then stay to pick up at the end. So now we say goodbye to our dear friend Doug. His company will be missed but the fond memories will live on.
Notes of Fish Master, Kevin Murdock (Dock), from mysterious site #29 (O’Neill Forebay):
Fish Master Log Date Nov 3: Our beloved Stosh, bowing to the frailties of mortal life, was unable to host our November fish out to San Lois Reservoir. I agreed to stand in for him, as long as no organizing was to be involved.
When I arrived Wednesday afternoon, Elaine & John Cook had already been camping since Tuesday. They’d had some success amongst the weed patches around the islands. They also had thoughtfully placed a tablecloth and wood box at site 29, assuring it would be available for my arrival. I sat up camp (1) and returned to Aptos to pick up the mighty pokey-mon. (My 12ft. tin boat). (2)
FM Log Date Nov 4: Early Thursday morning Cooper and I launched the boat. Thank goodness I’d had the boat tagged the last time I’d fished on the lake. It had rained Wednesday evening, and my boat was full of water. No way would they have allowed me to launch.
We fished for naught for a couple of hours. That’s when I determined to find Elaine, for she is quite frequently in the close company of fish. I was right. I found her between the first and second Islands, firmly stuck to a Striper. With her in my sight, I quickly hooked and landed a couple of schoolies. I would offer this to all of our newbies on fish outs: keep Elaine in sight and you’ll probably find fish. It’s worked for John for ages. Indeed, he’d caught a couple that morning.
I moored the Pokey-man near our camp and had lunch with Pete, a new returning club member. He towed a gorgeous Air Stream in (3) and asked where to park so as not to impinge on any view-shed. I opined that the air-stream enhanced any view I might have.
After lunch, I motored to the north-west side of the fore bay where I found a dozen tubers and Kayakers from a neighboring fishing club. The name escapes me for the moment. (Don’t be alarmed, that happens on a regular basis). They were scratching out a fish here and there when Cooper decided he could catch a pelican. (4) That was the first of his three jumps into the drink.
The laughter of the other club’s members were still ringing in my ears when I decided to explore the great wall area. Near the south east corner, I finally located some fish on my 30 year old garage sale hummingbird. They were in 25’ water depth, holding at nearly 20’. There was a current pushing my boat from east to west, so I posted up current, about 40’from the wall and cast directly towards the wall. I counted down quite a while as I drifted over the fish, & then began a slow strip. I got a strong grab and had the fish on long enough to try to get it on the reel, with devastating consequences. Over the next hour I repeated this process several times. Eventually, after omitting the part where I tried to put the fish on the reel. I landed two smaller fish. (5)
Thursday evening the wind died enough to have a lovely campfire, and the four of us enjoyed a lively conversation as we took turns fussing over Cooper. Elaine shared her vast San Lois Intel with us. (Greatly appreciated!)
FM Log Date Nov 5: Friday Morning I woke early to find Yogi launching his u-boat. Still dark-thirty. A couple of cups of coffee later I launched and hustled to meet Jerry at the Rock Wall (6) by the old boat launch. I arrived in the vicinity just as the sun rose, and promptly caught a small striper. I found Jerry shortly after he had released one of his own. Jerry caught a couple more over the next hour. Ospreys and bald eagles were my entertainment.
I returned to camp for brunch and was helped to shore by another new club member, Jeff. Pete treated us to a spread of bacon & eggs, whilst I whipped up a batch of Bloody Mary’s. Tim Loomis and a friend I haven’t met yet launched at about that time. Good Luck to ya!
Yogi returned after having caught a few. Probably just getting warmed up for his upcoming tuna trip.
Thought I’d take a quick nap. Two hours later, Elaine & John pulled out of the water. Elaine had landed 8 or 10 fish that morning, & John a few more, including one he described as a nice 20 plus inches, with a huge head. I envisioned Bruce Bocce’s head on a striped bass.
Tim Loomis returned with tales of the biggest striper he had ever landed in this body of water. He estimated 6+ lbs., or about twice the size of the biggest fish I had caught that day. Tim caught his on the Delta smelt pattern. In fact, that’s the only fly I used on the trip, and others echoed that sentiment.
Jeff and Pete had also each caught fish that day.
FM Log Date Nov 6: Saturday found Pete and myself on our own. We fished separately, scratching up a fish here and there. The wind chased me off the water early. Too windy for a fire, Pete and I retired to our respective campers to stay warm. A book for me, a movie for Pete. Early to sleep.
That pretty well sums it up. Fair fishing for many, great for a few. A pretty good fish out.
Enjoy the resource while you can, future dam construction will make this place much more difficult to get to, for quite some time.
Admittedly, I was very skeptical and downright depressed when the middle of October came and went with no rain. For me, rain signifies so much. For a kid who grew up loving the change of seasons in Ohio, all of them, even especially when it snowed, I was desperate for a change from the same old boring sunshine and warm weather. Seriously. Long before I was a steelhead fisherman, I longed for fall and winter, and moving to California, rain was that chance to slow down, get inside, rest, tie some flies, watch some fly-fishing shows.
So, you can imagine my delight when it started to rain, and it kept raining. It was almost like the first snow. And I loved it. The rain came gently, then strong, but never too strong. We got 10” at home and the San Lorenzo came up from 10CFS to 500 at 6 p.m. cresting at 1,500 at 10 p.m. All staying that nice tea brown color, never that dreadful chocolate milk that is a bi-product of scouring. The river mouth opened by itself and rushed out to welcome steelhead and coho – those genetic strains that have known for millennia that the San Lorenzo is home.
Let’s hope the rains continue throughout the winter in the same manner, that flows never get below 40 or 50 CFS at lowest and that the fish will thrive. When they thrive – we thrive.
November Club meeting – Tuesday, November 2nd. While I have your attention – please make note that November’s Meeting is Tuesday November 2nd – and will be via Zoom because April Vokey is going to be joining us to ring in the steelhead season with British Columbia Steelhead with Spey and Single-hand fly-rods.
Submit an Article Also, we want to hear from more of you. Did you know you can submit an article for the newsletter simply by going to the Newsletter-Submit tab on the website, copy and paste something you wrote and submit it to our newsletter editor for publishing? We want to hear from you! And, if it’s not you, have one of your children write an article and submit it on their behalf. You never know – you could have a writer on your hands and this could be there first published piece. Submit a photo too – easy!!
Hey – if you haven’t been around, I want you to know that we miss you. What an incredible year and a half this has been.
You know – it’s no coincidence that in April 2020, we launched our new-website and in May 2020 had our very first Zoom meeting. Before that Zoom was part of a Mazda commercial and our web-site and Facebook page were just, sort of there, doing what it had been doing for the past 29 years.
Do you know even despite our not being able to meet in person, our membership has grown from an average of 150 to now more than 177 members. We’ve had an average of 25 of you on every Zoom meeting and 50 of you attended the August BBQ at the Sherriff’s Posse when we thought the war was over. For the first time in 44 years, we’re renewing most of our memberships “on-line”, and many of you are already renewing your dues that way. Super.
We even have had six new board members who jumped on board during that time, remarkably some of them I’d not had a chance to meet until the August BBQ.
January Club Member Slide Show -Send in Your Photos. In January, we’re going to be back at the Sherriff’s Posse Hall for another BBQ and our annual Club Members Photo Slide Show. Submit your photos today to Tommy Polito Thomaspolito12@gmail.com then come join us the first week of January – in person!!!
While we will be missing our Annual Dinner/Fundraiser which is our primary funding source for our budget, we are working to do a number of other activities to help us with our finances to keep up with our goals in preserving and restoring trout, Steelhead and Coho habits, our high-school scholarships, youth programs/events, facilities rent, and more. Some of that can also come by way of the “Donation” tab on the membership renewal form which many of you have used. I would like to thank each and every one of you for doing this as it has made a significant difference in the importance and growth of our scholarship program for one. So, thank you to all of you who have done this. It is huge.
Well – again, don’t miss the November – Tuesday meeting via Zoom. April is going to be awesome. And I look forward to seeing you soon.
If you desire or must have a steelhead fly for the San Lorenzo, here’s one that comes highly recommended. Of course it will probably work for the mighty fish elsewhere. This is a variation of Cliff Watt’s Kilowatt Fly. The color combinations are limitless but the 2 that seem to work best are: maroon marabou and hackle OR maroon marabou tail with both both blue and black hackles.
Material:
Hook: Gamagatsu 60 degree jig hook size 2
Thread: black 140 denier or 3/0
Eyes: “Lead Eyes” 1/30 oz. ( barbells)
Glue: UV resin, Zap-A-Gap, or Super Glue
Tail:
1. Orvis – New Age Holo Flash- Kaleidoscope color (Can substitute Flashabou or Mega Baitfish Emulator)
2. Spirit River UV2 maroon marabou. (Can substitute maroon marabou)
Forward Body: both UV ice dub- purple color AND Salar Synthetic Mikkeli-blue color
Wing: same Holo Flash
Hackle: maroon marabou
Instructions:
Crimp barb.
Attach thread behind hook eye. Wrap thread base to rear of shank then forward to blend in hook.
Paint eyes with 2 layers red nail polish then one of Sally Hanson’s-Hard As Nails nail polish. Attach at bend of hook with many figure 8 and circular tight wraps. Apply glue. Wrap thread to rear of shank.
Tie in small clump of Holo Flash. Cut to length of hook.
Tie in clump of marabou. Same length as Holo Flash.
Tie in UV Jelly. Make 2-3 touching wraps forward, forcing thread as you turn. Tie off, cut excess.
Blend both forward body materials. Place in dubbing loop. Advance thread to 1/4 back on shank. Twist dubbing loop making a thick chenille. Wrap forward a thick body. Tie off, cut excess. Pick out body with a bodkin.
Turn hook upside down. Tie in small clump Holo Flash on top of shank. Cut to hook length.
Select lg. marabou feather. Strip barbs off one side of feather. Tie in tip. Wrap, preening back barbs as you go. Tie off, cut excess. Whip finish, cut thread, apply glue.
This is not an early season fly. It can be swung on a Skaget line in the estuary when big fish are in, or dead drifted on a tight line through a riffle or under a bobber. It also can be jigged like a spoon through a pool or frog water. You may have noticed that there isn’t a lot of room for a back cast on the upper reaches of the San Lorenzo. That’s why most seasoned Steelheaders fish exclusively with mono line much like euronymphers. Strip casting is the common method of presenting a fly on the S.L. It is a similar technique to flipping for bass and allows the angler to pitch a fly into tight pockets in very tight quarters. Not to say that you can’t use a traditional fly line but many times anglers spook fish with a role cast over a run or pool, especially in low clear water.
Before I delve into the subject of this article, I want to thank Steve (Stosh) Rudzinski for encouraging me to get involved in a more active role in SCFF as Conservation Director and to Tom Hogye and the board for welcoming me and their support. If any of you reading this have any input, questions about conservation as it pertains to the club or want to get involved, please contact me.
On the subject of fish handling to help them survive after release, I came across an organization devoted to that endeavor. I never heard of them but some of you members may have. The outfit is called Keep Fish Wet. I found out about them while visiting the FFI website. Reading some of the science-based tips on the website has me realizing I can do much better in the process of landing (or netting), photographing (if desired) and releasing fish under various conditions.
Here is a summary of the Tips found under Best Practices on the Keep Fish Wet website
Follow Local Regulations
Examples are some areas prohibit removing specific species of fish from the water and requirements to use barbless hooks.
Think Twice Before Going After Spawning Fish
One of the reasons given is that targeting and catching fish while spawning can disrupt and impact their lifecycle. This depends on the species of fish and spawning habits.
Be Wary of Warm Water
As water warms, the dissolved oxygen in it decreases. This causes the fish to get stressed quicker and take longer for them to recover. Some species are less resilient than others.
Use Barbless Hooks
Barbless hooks cause less damage to the fish’s mouth and are easier to remove. They are also much easier to remove from your body and clothing.
Use Artificial Baits
We fly fishers by nature adhere to this suggestion. This is the number one cause of fish mortality as they are more likely to swallow bait.
Use Rubber Nets
Rubber nets cause less damager to fish slime, scales, fins and gills. Hooks are less likely to get stuck in the net.
Limit Use of Lip Grippers
Lip grippers should only be used if there are no alternatives to controlling and handling fish (tiger fish, is an example). If it is used, never hold a fish vertically.
Carry Hook Removal Devices
Ideally this tool will help reduce the time it takes to release the fish with less damage. If the fish swallows the fly, cut the line instead of trying to remove the fly.
Limit Fight Time
Try to bring the fish to hand quickly without overplaying it. This will reduce stress on the fish.
Hold Fish In or Over Water
If held over land or a boat and if it slips out of your hand, that is obviously not good for the fish.
Grip Fish Carefully
Try to hold the fish gently without squeezing. Avoid placing you hand over the fish’s mouth and gills. Hold larger fish at the base of the tail and support the body close to the pelvic fins. Consider keeping very large fish in the water.
Photograph Wet Fish
This shows fish in their element which can make cool photos. Try to keep air exposure to ten seconds or less.
Only Revive Fish That Cannot Swim
If a fish can swim away on its own, let it do so. It will recover better. If the fish appears to have lost its equilibrium, submerge it and face it into the current. If you are in still water, move the gently to simulate swimming. See the website for other techniques specific to other fish like tuna.
To date we have 170 members on the roster including 40 new online members since 2021 , which is almost 25% of the membership. For Oct and November we would like to encourage members to renew online at santacruzflyfishing.org/membership which has proven to be more efficient, accurate, and cost effective offsetting postage and printing costs. Members can still renew by check mailed to PO Box 2008, Santa Cruz, Calif 95023. In December, a renewal packet will be sent to those members who have not renewed online…last year over 50% of members renewed online. For those new members after July 1, 2021, will not need to renew for 2022.
Please contact me if you have questions or membership concerns….Robert6367@aol.com
Good old campsite #29 was available again, the palapa posts 10′ apart and the new wind screen tarp cut to 8′ X 10′ was a bear to put up in strong winds and thankfully, our VP Kevin Murdock was already there with a site and his boat and tent trailer and helped lash together enough wind break that everything does not blow off the picnic table and you are chasing it across the field.
Two days of white caps and and flapping plastic day and night, our vehicles rocking through the night was like sleeping in the sailboat. I have to thank the 3 brave fishermen/campers who came on Thursday and sat it out, always ready for the wind to stop howling. Kevin arrived first and Jim Hall and Michael DiCiano in his Airstream land yacht. Jim’s dome tent bent in the wind like those blown air wind sock stick men you see to attract customers. Kevin had an extra bed and his dog ‘Cooper’ had someone new to flop on that night.
Huge thanks to all Lucky 13 of us and especially if you brought some firewood as my portable fire tub kept us all warm as we circled the fire and told stories and laughed through the night. Steven Rawson came to camp only and he brought his Dutch oven and from scratch made a cherry pie cooking with charcoal and timing it perfectly with ice cream to top off his fish taco’s as the main course our last night there.
Fishing was spotty at best Saturday and Sunday’s report just in has Michael landing 8 and Sam 1 fish. Other fishermen (no women this year for the first time). Jeff ‘Yog’ Goyert, Jim Hall, Jeff Zischke. John ‘Davis’, (Cuban cigar guy), Scott Kitayama, Jerry, Phillip, and Mike White who came up Friday night in his motorhome and when he opened the door the smell of good food was strong. He graciously roasted a monster amount of lamb perfectly and with baked potatoes and corn the 7 of us feasted at that windy campsite. Libation and conversations galore. Thank you all for bringing your game to one of the ‘ugliest’ campsites I ever stayed for so long. Too bad the fishing/catching wasn’t on fire in our part of the lake.
Remember that we do this again the first Thursday next month. Let me know your intentions before then. Peace, Stosh
Mark your Calendars!! October, November, December!!! Don’t miss these meetings via Zoom, and hopefully in person – maybe by December if the world starts spinning again.
And some other fun fly-fishing related things we’re doing – outside – for the most part.
Hey – seriously October is going to be that presentation you’d want to hear if you are at all interested in fishing from a float tube. Michael Malekos has been writing for California Fly Fisher magazine the last 25 years. He is a super guy who will have some informative, entertaining stories and tips on Float tubing from the bare basics to that and more. If you don’t subscribe to California Fly Fisher magazine – drop this and sign up for this subscription now!! It’s the very best California (and a bit of the rest of the west) fly fishing rag you’ll ever read.
On TUESDAY November 2nd – yes – Tuesday –via Zoom – since it’s November, it’s what I typically identify as the start of the winter steelhead season AND, this one is going to be a presentation by April Vokey from Anchored Outdoors. April is a world-renowned Steelhead spey fly angler, fly-tier, v-logger, … April has also offered some of her educational memberships as part of our door prize/raffle too. Anchored Outdoors has an extensive library of resources and most especially around some pretty spectacular fly-fishing opportunities. I’m super excited to have her as our November speaker.
December’s meeting is going to feature Gordon Tharrett who runs some fantastic fly-fishing opportunities in Utah and Idaho – most notably the Green River. Get your calendars out for planning your 2022 season and come hear what Gordon will bring to your future fly-fishing options in the West with big rainbow and big browns.
With the year coming to a close, many of you know that for the last forty plus years, we have had an annual dinner and fundraiser event that is the highlight of our year. It is the best time spending a whole day together preparing food, getting the raffle tables ready, hors de overs, setting tables, spending the evening eating, meeting new people, silent auction, installing new board members, some funny awards and some nice awards – like the John Steele/Dame Juliana Award, and the raffle.
While the Annual Dinner/Fundraiser will happen again in our future, we are opting for some smaller and perhaps even more engaging events for the membership as this latest setback from Covid has caused us some pause and is still creating uncertainty around a big 200 person gathering.
Our annual dinner/fundraiser nets the club on average $7,500 every year. Some years more, some less. While our budget is approximately $30,000 a year, these funds all go directly to running the club – facility rent, Conservation budget, High-School Scholarship fund, our speaker programs, raffle prizes for monthly meeting, fly-tying materials and classes, Fish-out needs and more. With so many opportunities to do so many different fundraising activities and with so many fun ideas coming from you and our board, we should be able to continue meeting our goals and creating new opportunities surrounding fly-fishing.
I’m also super excited about so many of you who are coming out of the woodwork with ideas for the club and requests to be more of an active member offering to help. To that I’m excited to say that Tommy Polito is going to be helping us with Programs for 2022. Tommy and his new young family live in Aptos. We met at the BBQ and boom, just like that, I was excited to hear his ideas about programs and the offer to accept this position on the Board. You’ll be hearing more from Tommy and company soon.
And, if that wasn’t surprise enough – Bob Garbarino, who I’ve had the pleasure of fishing with a few times, casting classes and hanging out together came to the board meeting. I thought he was there as a guest which was really nice, but then Steve Rudzinski surprised us by saying that Bob was offering to take on the position of Conservation Chair for 2022, which is going to leave Steve more time to orchestrate Casting clinics, casting practices, outings and even some camping/fishing fun.
I’m really happy with everyone coming forward and please know we need a few more to help us this coming year and into the future. IF you are remotely interested, just come visit a board meeting and you might like it! I do.
Stay tuned. If you haven’t been to a Zoom meeting yet and need help navigating this – PLEASE reach out to me or Scott Kitayama. We’ll set you up – easy!!
Watch your newsletter for some really fun outdoor get togethers over these next several months.
It has been fun meeting all our new members – I’d like to highlight and welcome you so if you come to the meeting, we’d love to hear from you.
See you soon and again on Zoom – we’re going to have fun!!
Instead of a specific fly to tie this month I’m sharing some tips that ought to help you tie more flies in the future.
1. There are various methods to thread a bodkin. My favorite is using a ” floss threaded” which is a dental item that is sold in most pharmacies. I advise never using the wire tool that is designed for that purpose. It will score the inside and in turn cause thread to fray and break.
2. While trying to tie a particular fly, it helps to prevent materials from being lost in the clutter or blow away in the wind you using a clip or cloths pin. For your hooks, glue a magnet to the base of your vise.
3. Bodkins usually get freshly applied glue out of the hook eye but a feather is really effective.
4. Frustrated with the hole in your glue bottle being glued shut? Try this, after each use quickly wipe with a cloth, re-establish hole with a safety pin or bodkin, then cap right away. If that doesn’t work try a flame heated pin. Also cutting off the tip will often get below the hardened glue.
5. Hardened glue on bodkin or safety pin can easily be scraped off with a razor blade.
Board members sometimes get bored with the same job year after year and realize it’s time to change course which is what happened at our board meeting Wednesday night Sept. 15, as is tradition every Sept we look for someone to replace us which does not happen very often but when it does, a new energy brings freshness to the group.
First of all, our official CastMaster Mark Traugott is stepping down as the active club instructor while instead working with 3 or 4 fishermen at a time on the river and not part of any crowd. I will be stepping down as the Conservation Chair and into Marks waders where I feel more comfortable and enjoy offering a regular monthly or bi monthly casting clinic at Jade St Park for the time being. Sam Bishop who has been the leader of the ‘before meetings’ casting clinic (Now Covid Closed). Between Sam and I, we can help a larger group and with such an experienced membership, we have specialists who can do presentations on spey or switch rods and advanced techniques I have yet to learn.
I want to welcome Bob Garbarino as our new Conservation Chairman, who I first met on a volunteer mission to save fingerling steelhead trout from a rapidly drying up local stream (over 100 fish that day). I asked Bob to help me out sometimes and submit articles for the newsletter which he did and now after a few fishing trips together, I asked him if he could help us/me out. Hooray! This is my last post as California Slim. My last duty I performed was to slash our annual contributions to charitable organizations we all agreed could survive without our $100-$300 donation. (Savings $1900.) Local organizations were funded as usual or cut in half. Thank you all and watch your GoogleGroup email for the next casting clinic and reminders for the fish outs at the ForeBay. Oct 7-9 and Nov 4-7 2021.
CalTrout—one of the organizations that our club supports—reported that the California Legislature has released the final budget language. CalTrout has been actively engaged in the budget process to advocate for the many factors that influence healthy wild fish. In the budget is funding for addressing conservation issues such as:
$105 million to support fish passage and wildlife corridor projects.
$33 million for fisheries and wildlife support.
$323 million to fund water and drought programs.
And notably, $12.5 million for the removal of dams to preserve the federally endangered southern steelhead trout.
Thank you club members for your support that is used to fund groups like CalTrout. For more details, click on the web link.
Here are my notes with some of the fishing photography tips that pro photographer Brian O’Keefe shared at our June 2, 2021 SCFF meeting
He recommends the iPhone 11 or 12 to meet all of our fish pic needs. Specific notes regarding the use of those cameras are at the end of this piece.
For a “Magazine Cover” format, keep the LENS AT FISH EYE LEVEL by the water surface, with the FISH HEAD ANGLED SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE CAMERA .
With TOOTHY FISH, pics especially good with its head angled well toward the camera.
Nice to show the ROD/TACKLE HELD NATURALLY, NOT over your shoulder, in your mouth, etc.
Pics of FLIES are fun.
Try getting UP HIGH. Stop the car for a good shot! Pics from a LOW DOWN angle are also especially good.
Look for pics of CURVES IN THE RIVER, with the FOREGROUND IN FOCUS.
CUT OFF THE PEOPLE, HONOR THE FISH!
To take a pic of your buddy DON’T SAY “WAIT”, SAY “KEEP FISHING!”
BACKLIT SHOTS ARE GREAT, lighting up the net, the fish’s tail, etc.
Avoid the “BORING BULLSEYE” with your subject centered in the photo.
”30 SECOND RULE”: Take a bit of time to move to the spot with the best composition, background, light, etc.
FISHERMAN LOOKING AT THE FISH (rather than at the camera) respects the fish.
Showing MOVING WATER AROUND THE FISH is good.
Showing JUST THE HEAD OF THE FISH is good.
With SUPER SHINY FISH, FIND SHADE to show the scale detail.
EARLY AND LATE LIGHT yield MORE COLOR and beautiful SILHOUETTES.
With RIVER PICS show a VISIBLE ANGLER.
Find INTERESTING COMPOSITION. DON’T CENTER EVERYTHING.
With SILVERY FISH try bending fish at different angles to decrease reflection.
Showing DRIPPING is good!
”THE HONORABLE BLUR” shows a moving fish.
OK to hold BASS a bit out of the water, best just out at the surface, but KEEP YOUR ARM BEHIND.
!! AGAIN !! : TAKE PICS AT LOW, EYE LEVEL TO THE FISH!! WITH ITS HEAD TOWARD THE CAMERA!!
BTW: SHOTS LOOKING DOWN AT THE FISH BY SHORE SHOW all the MUD aroused in the water.
On BRIGHT SUNNY DAY with the fisher’s face in shadow use FILL FLASH.
Tell people to LOOK HAPPY! SHOW THE MOMENT!
THROW IN SOME COLOR: shore foliage, etc.
Show what fish eat!
JUMPING FISH SHOTS: He gets LOW IN THE BOAT.
For SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD (flower shots, bugs, etc) use PORTRAIT MODE.
BIG COLOR is great to capture when present.
CAMERA TIPS
He recommends the iPhone 11 or 12.
Also good is Olympus T6-4 MP Olympus Tough, waterproof with 3” LCD, about $575. Both this and the above iPhones have excellent Macro ability.
Good distance shots however require a pro camera with telephoto lens.
REGARDING iPHONES:
He DOES NOT USE “LIVE” mode, but DOES USE TELEPHOTO AND OTHER function MODES.
The VOLUME button can operate the SHUTTER.
In PANO mode he seldom uses the whole range, often just 1/2 or 2/3 of the range.
3 colored dots in the upper right corner indicate FILTERS. These can be used before or after a shot. Be sure to SAVE THE ORIGINAL before trying various filters.
PORTRAIT MODE blurs out all but the subject. He especially likes STAGE LIGHT MONO setting.
iPHONES DON’T DO CLOSEUPS WELL. He makes a COPY, SAVES, THEN EDITS, usually brightening up BRIGHTNESS & SHARPNESS, then CROPS.
The Forebay fish-out Stosh organized is the second weekend of October, so I have moved our surf fish-out to the first Saturday in October (2nd) so everyone can participate in both.
Sunrise is at 07:04 and we will meet at 0640. High tide (+4.2’) is at 09:17, so we will fish a flood tide. Some people believe this is the best tide as the fish will be coming in to feed on critters untouched in the sand for several hours. I can’t personally say one way or the other, as I have caught fish in the surf at all stages of tide. It seems to be more a case of whether or not they see what I am offering and are they biting it?
I will have flies (free), stripping baskets ($20 to the Club) and brand new wading belts ($10 to repay my cost) available.
Getting there: Take West Beach out of Watsonville all the way towards the ocean until you are mired in the sand. You went just a bit too far, so back up your 4WD about 100 feet and park on the right under the Eucalyptus trees that drip and stain your vehicle when they are wet. (Hint: Wash it off right away when you get home.)
BTW, I like the State Beaches, because when you are done, there is a shower nearby to wash the sand off your waders and salt off your gear before heading home.
This is our last “organized” surf fish-out for 2021. Last month most everyone caught fish or had hook-ups. Let’s do it again!
Last reminder for our annual FishOut at Medeiros Campground, O’Neill ForeBay. (we camp just west of the power lines in a group site with 4 or 5 separate campsites near each other. Look for our club banner and lots of float tubes on the shore or out fishing. Bring all float tube stuff, #7 or #8 wt rods with fast sinking line. Tie a short 6′ leader of 14-17 lb. test fluorocarbon which sinks better than Monofilament lines and has no stretch which makes better hook sets. We hope to have more flies for sale or bring your own clauser minnows with hook sizes #1, 1-0 and 2-0 and pinch the barbs for safety.
This is a remote style camping spot, we have 1 vault style toilet that is kept clean and there is no water available. Campers be sure to bring all the gear you need. There is a store about a mile away to get ice, beer etc. If this is your first time and need more info, call me at 831 462 4532 or email me at ssrudzinski@gmail.com. Anyone wanting to order flies, do this ASAP so I can get an order in, they will be $5. each.
Hope to see you there and lets hope for good weather and especially, good fishing.
Well before the hordes of surfers, dog walkers, runners and “sit on the beachers” arrived, there were 14 members and guests of Santa Cruz Fly Fishers hitting the beach with their fly rods. Turns out the fish were simply not ready to resist this massive, unexpected attack. They gave up quickly to Elaine Cook, with four catches right away, then there was Amy Terra with her band of sisters and brothers from Lodi. She is President of the Delta Fly Fishers and immediately had at least three perch and more later. I think everyone had hook-ups and fish in hand, but with that many folks fishing, they were spread out half a mile, so I couldn’t check everyone.
Here are those who signed in (Note the various towns) : Tommy Polito, Adam Altoff (Castro Valley), Elaine Cook, Jeff Zischke, Amy Terra (plus 3 from Lodi), Randy Saar (Pacific Grove), Dena Mason, Justin Ice, Matt Jockers, Cecilia Stipes, Scott Kitayama, Gene Boylin, Dominic Martinez (Los Banos), and Sam Bishop. For the names that are missing, it is your fault for not signing the attendance sheet:.
I hope we see even more of you next month. See “Gearing Up” for details.
Mona and I have been going to Kennedy Meadow’s fishing the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus for 30 years now. How I remember the old days! The Stan is where I saw my very first fly fishermen. Yep a couple of ole timers who were fishing the pocket water (I didn’t’ know it was called that back then) with some really tiny PT and Zug Bug nymphs. Mona and I were just kids, 27 and 25! We marveled at the peace these two fly anglers carried, casual, fulfilled. We wanted that.
As Mona and I started our annual trips there, it wasn’t just for the fishing. We met family there. We slowed down, and stopped all together. There was no such thing as a cell phone and we didn’t know words like – Wi-Fi, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or what an App was.
This last trip was our best fly-fishing experience in those thirty years. I suppose it’s because our 23- and 25-year-old children, who were practically born at Kennedy Meadows, are healthy, and because for the first time, Tommy hooked and landed at least 15 fish on dry flies and another 15 or more on nymph’s. And we were practically the only people on the water. Laughing. Taking it all in. Slowing down, stopping. Enjoying.
It isn’t and wasn’t always that way.
I remember the fires that nearly choked us out of our five days stay and the fire we missed altogether – thank God. I remember the thunderstorm that rolled in, flooded our tent and campsite in a matter of minutes, all while we ducked for cover from lighting that had shattered trees next to us. Or the seemingly perfect week, except for an ice dam break and filled the river with chalky white silt for that entire week. No fishing, no fish, not a one.
While we distinctly remember these days, we lose site of the many years where the fishing was good, or okay, but the trip itself with family and friends, the hiking and the beauty of the Sierra, left us with something far more beautiful to remember.
I’m remembering these days because I need to realize that even the worst days fishing, aren’t really that bad when we put things into perspective. When Covid disrupts our plans for a year, or maybe another 6 months, again, compared to thirty, ten or even five, it’s not that bad.
I was so looking forward to kicking off our September return to meeting together – like we’ve done for the last 43 plus years, without any consideration, except perhaps when the ’89 earth quake occurred. But Covid has dealt us another setback; so we won’t be meeting in person in September. At this point, I’m not even sure of October, but we will keep moving that direction and keep you informed.
We are going to have a super Zoom presentation, and I have some awesome speakers lined up for October, November and December– Spey Casting for Steelhead and a review of the Green River – for those of you planning 2022 outings. September is “fanatical fly-fishing” who is an adventure outdoors team specializing in some pretty fun fly-fishing destinations, techniques, tackle, and flies.
Thank you for all your help this year. Thank you for persevering with us throughout so much. Our mission and goals have remained – To Promote, Educate and Enjoy the Sport of Fly Fishing. And, as hard as it is to believe at this juncture, I’m optimistic about a good wet year ahead, the disappearance of Covid and a lot of fun to be had together, as we work hard return to normal!
It’s Striper time! This clouser pattern was supper productive at the O’Niel Forbay last fall. The club fishouts to the Forbay will start next month but don’t wait till then to give this one a try. This is a large fly so will be easy via Zoom as well as for beginners. Sign up by calling me at (831)688-1561 at least a couple days ahead to allow time for packets of materials to be assembled and you to pick up at my door. Thread will be flat wax nylon white, Monocord, or other very strong equivalent. You can borrow some. Beginners can also borrow vise and tools. To join in, go to the bar at the top of our newsletter and tap Zoom, then fly tying class.
1. There are various methods to thread a bodkin. My favorite is using a ” floss threaded” which is a dental item that is sold in most pharmacies. I advise never using the wire tool that is designed for that purpose. It will score the inside and in turn cause thread to fray and break.
2. While trying to tie a particular fly, it helps to prevent materials from being lost in the clutter or blow away in the wind you using a clip or cloths pin. For your hooks, glue a magnet to the base of your vise.
3. Bodkins usually get freshly applied glue out of the hook eye but a feather is really effective.
4. Frustrated with the hole in your glue bottle being glued shut? Try this, after each use quickly wipe with a cloth, re-establish hole with a safety pin or bodkin, then cap right away. If that doesn’t work try a flame heated pin. Also cutting off the tip will often get below the hardened glue.
5. Hardened glue on bodkin or safety pin can easily be scraped off with a razor blade.
