Hay guys how about us?

Frankly we have 24/7 trout fishing in alot of milage here on the Kern, but Im sure there are alot of other premium places in the two states to my North. Sense time and date at this point are not issues, and I suspect most members would not want to join me in 36 degree water, outside temps daytime in the 20s etc, Im guessing a spring/summer/fall clave would be more reasonable. That sort of leaves my home waters out unless you want to shoulder in with half a million turist on weekends. Just the way it is here.
Soooooooo saying that leaves about a 1000 miles of prime fishing north of San Francisco. Any ideas? Ive fished alot of my two northern states, both are prime, and to say anything less for Alaska would be a slap in the face. However Alaska could be something that would not create an acceptable Clave, just because of expense. On the other had there is alot of water in those two Northern States, guys hay Im sorry, California is too populated, simple as that, it has prime fishery but the whole damn state has gone turist. Its my personal believe that it shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg to camp out in a public campground or have to make reservations two years in advance. So saying, what else can we members on the west coast offer?
I would love to attend something within a 1000 miles.
Richard

Hi Mike,
Well I really would like to see us schedule something somewhere on the west cost that wouldnt cost members an arm and a leg and yet offer at least by west coast standards some fun fishing. It could be inland, and frankly it could be offshore, the concept of fishing the Pacific with a flyrod is very appealing also. IN any case its gonna take us time on this coast just because of the costs involved, Im sure the others don't understand but those here on this coast do. None resident fishing licenses, sometimes reservations for campgrounds and such, we need to see what at least a half dozen west coast members would really like to do.
We have perhaps more to choice from, sailfish, albacore, you name it offshore, Salmon and every mannor of trout onshore, we just have to figure out what a core group would really like to do at a moderate and acceptable price. Frankly I have booked groups into Catalina at the old Rigley headquarters above Twin Harbors, but those where execitive groups, read expensive, and I know most members are not looking for a white glove hunt and fishing trip. What we need to do is look for something that younger members with the existing problem of just living here can afford. We need to plan it out, make it fun and see if we can start a core group here on the west coast.
Richard

I have to agree, Or and Wa offer some great locations that don't cost and arm and a leg to get too and stay at, one reason I sort of am frowning on California and Alaska, here at least they are sucking the turist dry, literally, the seasonal rates are blood suckers, these guys make so much they alot of them close down and are only open during the summer. Oh well, if you like paying $100 plus for a single motel room with one bed and a three day minimum during the summer, well you get the idea, this is not the place to go in the summer, plus the river is worthless, we have over 100 raft loads of turist river rafting every day during the summer, both up river and down river, can you believe, they are buiding a new small jet maintance hanger at our piss ant airport right now, the turist are having to fly into Bakersfield and they are sending Busses "plural" every day during summer to cart up the river rafters.
Fishing was great here on the river Wensday, and today, no turist, I could buy gas at $3.19 a gallon without standing in line today. Oh well,
Richard

Actually in early summer say June, I used to take the Boy Scouts up river into back packing country for the weekend, we would take rods and by then the Carp would be moving up river, we used to catch (the kids) really big ones, 4 pounds and over, it was quite a thrill for them to catch lots of fish that big on ultra light tackle. I must admit we thought of them as trash fish, throwing them on the bank for the animals to eat at night. But the kids had a ball bringing those big fish in on such light tackle. Again frankly those carp turned those kids into avid backpackers and fishermen. So I am in no way knocking their value to fishing. Those kids are in their mid to late 30s now and still back pack, hunt and fish together, none has ever been arrested, they don't do drugs and have great families. Half are avid flyfishermen, the other half into ultra light spin fishing, all love to hunt, and packpack.
I look forward to when their and my grandchildren are ready to hike up river and catch some of those big Carp and get hooked on fishing and back country fun as well.
Richard

Hi Eagleman,
Well right now Idaho is having the same drought conditions we are in California, I have a friend there that tells me the largest Empoundment in the state is at 1% full and it looks like we will be eating alot more South American potatoes next year. I know, our lake is in the same condition, the owners of the water, are in the central valley and they have just about ordered the lake to be drained due to drought conditions and the loss of Northern California water. Guess we will have to get used to South American Veggies too. So far our Fall sprinkles have been just that, but alot of thunder storms. Last winter we had some bitter cold days but no snow in the high country fact is, it was the worst year sense snowpack was measured (1890) and we ended the year with less than 25% of normal. The Kern River is one of the biggest Wild rivers in the state, a class 5 if your into Kayaking, they hold the International compitions here alot and when the Olympics were in LA they had the Kayaking events here. The owner of our local micro brewery one the silver medal, she and her husband set up shop overlooking the river in Kernville. Right now alot of the river is so low you can walk across it in knee high wadders and not worry about getting water in your boots. Theres just no water left in the high country, almost every spring and creek is dry, alot of the drinking water wells around where I live are dry and shut down, the water table has dropped below pumping levels. Unless Winter brings us all alot of rain and snow Im thinking alot of guide services are gonna be in a big hurt next spring. I know its gonna kill the lakeside businesses here already, it generally takes 3-5 years of abundent rain to fill our lake. Back in 1978-85 we had an extended drought cycle and they pulled the lake down to low levels, we are already many feet below that old record low. After that cycle it took quite a few years to fill the lake and new businesses start up. We are beginning to look like the lakes in Georgia. The super scoopers used to fly low over the lake for water for the fires, but there are so many old trees above water now its unsafe and even the boaters have been told to take extra care. Thats one reason I was thinking of a little offshore saltwater fly fishing.

I am definately in ~~ just give me the when and the where. Our church has a camp near Quaking Aspen ~~ I usually stay there while I am in the area fishing.

I'm hoping still for a clave in the oregon area ... that way it would be a little more central for everyone involved ...

Umpqua, Rogue, and some of those babies down that way ...

I can do Oregon or Idaho depending on the time of year. Any quality water is quite distance for me so either way I'm probably booking with Southwest. Whatever the group wants to do.

As for the Truckee I'm learning it from a coworker in our Reno office. In his opinion either California or Nevada is great fishing. It has to do more with time of year and runoff. April through mid-June is the hardest overall from the snow-melt. The rest of the year has to do with the relationship between altitude and air temp. Nevada has a year-round season on the Truckee. I don't believe California does. Fishing licenses are relatively expensive in Nevada because we don't have a tax.

From a travel standpoint Oregon makes some sense. If people want to meet in Reno at some point this year I'm up for that too. Maybe for Hopper season. (My favorite fly)

K

Me too Randy, that's why I keep suggesting the Oregon waters. That and I have never gone down there to fish and of those river systems and would love to have a chance at them.

I've fished the John Day in the summer around Service Creek and it is hot but so is the fishing if you like small to medium smallmouth.

I've fished the Deschutes and landed steelhead and nice redsides and whitefish.

I've fished the Crooked and landed small rainbows and big whitefish.

I've fished the Metolius and done okay but not great for rainbows and browns. I fished it in the fall but think summer would be better when the big bulls are still around.

I've fished most Washington Rivers and done pretty well. The lower Columbia can be terrific after runoff for smallmouth and monster carp. The Yakima can be great in mid-September and October. The Methow can be good after runoff in July and into the fall as can be tribs like the Twisp. There is another Eastern Washington smaller stream that can be unbeatable at times for small to medium trout but I will not mention it publicly. And even the beaches can be fun when the silvers are running.

June, July, September, and October can be dynamite on the NF Clearwater, Selway, Lochsa, and St Joe in Idaho.

I'd be up for any of them; but I don't want to organize anything.

Randy

Randy