5/31/13 - Lisbon Slough

As I have told you guys, my desire is not only to learn to catch all types of fish, but to teach others to do the same! Take my buddy Luis. Luis loves to play video games, watch movies and anything else indoors. He isn't much into anything outdoors but I want to get him into fishing. We have been trout fishing before and he hooked into his first fish ever with me, but he still wasn't excited about the "waiting" part of fishing. That's why i decided to take him fishing for panfish; i figured having him focus on a bobber was better than staring at a rod tip. 


Anyway, We arrived at Lisbon Slough in Woodland at 6pm fishing for panfish. I decided to do some recon and search for a spot I had seen from the other side of my usual spot. 
A few weeks ago I saw a guy fishing that spot and so we set off on a mission to find it. Sure enough i found it and let me tell you, it as better than I thought it would be. As it turns out, beyond what my eye could see, there was a small creek feeding into the slough right at that spot. along with some nice vegetation, this spot was pretty much perfect! 

I set Luis' line up first and within the first five minutes he had his first take down. Unfortunately he missed it but I told him to toss it back in the same area and sure enough about a minute later and after a nice little fight (on light gear) he caught his first ever Largemouth Bass! He was super excited about catching the second fish of his life.

A bit later I started off with a Slip Bobber rig, A rig that some random guy at Black Butte Lake taught me to use. I wasn't sure if I was using it correctly but soon enough I learned. I tossed my line into the small feeder creek and let it drift into the main slough. This tactic proved to be a good one! A few minutes after using this tactic I hooked into a 13 in. Channel Cat. It swallowed up my bait and it took me a while to get the hook out so I didn't get a picture with it. A while later I hooked into my first crappie of the year and I put him on the stringer. I figured if I caught more I would take them home. 

I didn't end up catching anymore slabs but my next fish was a huge surprise! This small striper gobbled up my nightcrawler! I think i mentioned this in another post but even if many people have told me that a fish is in specific waters, I tend not to ignore them until I catch it myself. You guys wouldn't believe me... there are stripers in Lisbon Slough! haha

My Last fish was another Channel Cat. It was a bit smaller than the first one but it was still a nice little catch. 

We took off around 8:30. Even though the fish weren't too big, It was a good time fishing and my buddy had a good time. My buddy finished up the day wishing he had caught another fish and wanting to set plans to fish this week! Aside from that, we were successful because we caught 4 different types of fish at the same fishing hole! Well anyways, Thanks for reading and fish on folks!

Fly Fishing with Mark!

Last week I wrote a blog post talking about my expectations for my fly fishing trip with Mark Kautz over at Northern California Trout. The trip not only met these expectations, it exceeded them!

I left my home in Woodland at about 540am. I took the long windy road out to Marks house and arrived at around 7:30. We then took off and started up the day with a cup o’ joe from The famous Cook’s Station which had a very nice staff. 

As I sipped my cup of coffee Professor Mark shared an impressive amount of information with me about everything from knots to fly fishing waters. I was there to learn and I knew I had come to the right place and the right person. 

After a short drive we arrived at the Middle fork of the Cosumnes River, a beautiful small stream with large boulders and tall trees nestled in a valley that looks like heaven on earth. Mark immediately pulled out the fly rod and showed me what he was talking about. Within minutes I was casting a fly rod for the first time in my life. 


We walked to the first hole. When mark took his first couple of swings I saw an unmistakable sight, a fish striking after the fly! 

I took a shot at the fly rod and within minutes I landed my first fish on the fly rod! If that had been the only fish I caught the entire time, the trip would have still been a success. But that wasn’t it, in fact, I ended up catching four that day! 

I must confess that fly fishing is more difficult than I originally thought. It certainly is more demanding than spin fishing or bait casting. I had problems with casting as I was instinctively trying my hardest to fling the line out into the middle of the river. Mark continuously reminded me to allow the weight of the line do the job.

While I was there we trekked through many yards of gorgeous untamed forest along the riverside. At one point mark fished a hole with the Tenkara Rod and I kept walking.  Each few yards were more beautiful than the next. The crisp cool air along the meandering riverside accompanied by a soft breeze hooked me just as much as the actual act of fishing. 

When I stood on a large rock and focused on my technique i realized how hard i was trying to force the line out into the middle instead of doing what Mark had told me. Instead I made myself swing the line back and forth keeping the line at 10 and 2. Slowly but surely the line made its way to the middle and I watched the fly slowly drift on top of the stream. The next cast i did the same thing. After a while I was flowing through the motions effortlessly. I was pulling line, whipping the line back and forth, stopping, watching the fly drift, watching if it sank, pulling it back in, drying it off and casting it back out. I caught another trout and I looked at mark but he wasn’t watching so I got some water on my hands, unhooked the little guy, placed him back in and continued on with the pattern. 

Although i was still having trouble with my line tangling, it was that moment of complete serenity sitting in a deep valley surrounded by walls of rock and tree that i realized that i had become a fly fisherman and although i loved spin fishing and bait casting, I wouldn’t soon be forgetting fly fishing. It had become a part of my life. Just then I got a nice bite and fought my biggest fish of the day. Although the fish wasn’t huge it still put a smile on my face. 

We drove away, had lunch and talked about fishing, life and fishing as a lifestyle. At one point i realized how much fishing has changed my life. Four years ago I was sitting at a desk and watching countless movies, hanging out with friends in the big city every weekend. Today I still sit at a desk but my weekends are spent on the water, surrounded by beautiful scenery, meeting new people i never would have met, taking trips i never would have thought of taking, learning things that I never had in the past. Oh and I also catch fish, which is a huge plus. 

We finished up the day soaking some power bait out at beautiful Silver Lake. At that point I was tired and dozing off on the drive home. Mark gave me a tour around his beautiful home. Mark is an experienced angler, a gifted teacher and a great person. He would be a great fishing guide to anybody and should probably charge folks to share his expertise. I of course say that after I already got my free lesson! haha I also just wanted to take the time to thank him and promote his outstanding blog “Northern California Trout.” 

My first experience with fly fishing was unforgettable. Now it will only be a short time before i buy a fly rod, learn from experience and research and teach everybody I know or anybody willing to learn about fly fishing, because that’s what I love doing. It was only a matter of time before I picked up fly fishing and now it has become part of my wonderful fishing way of life.

USAL!!!!

The trip of a lifetime, that’s all I can say about our beach trip to Usal. This would be me, my buddies lee, mike, dave, alex, brian, ryan, sam, cole and tyler. I was meeting ryan, brian and tyler for the first time and for me, first impressions are always intimidating. Fortunately all of these guys turned out to be really cool so the trip was a real blast. We drove out at 6pm and after a few windy miles, being lost for a bit, and many hours in a car, we arrived at usal campground. Usal campground is located in sinkyone wilderness state park and is actually right off of the beach. Two small creeks run into the ocean right next to where we were camping, it is quite the campground.

We set up our tents, we ate and drank and it was time to pass out. The next morning we woke up and went fishing. Unfortunately I have no pictures with a rod in my hand but trust me, I did fish. We didn’t do well at all! Haha the waves were way too high and we couldn’t get our lines out far enough.  The waves would pull our sinkers in and out of the water so it looked like we constantly had fish on… but we didn’t lol!

Later on that day we went out shooting. My buddy ryan had a raised up 4x4 jeep Cherokee that he used to take us all across the creeks and onto an area of the beach that was a bit more secluded. There we drank beer and wasted bullets! Nothing quite like shooting, drinking, hangin with buddies on a sunny day on the beach. That evening we witnessed a small herd of elk walking around and two of the males locking horns over the females! It was just about the coolest thing we had ever seen. 

By the time the sun set all of us were super tired and people were going to bed as early as 9pm. By 11, some of the guys who had passed out early sprang back to life and continued to party. I went to bed at around 1030 which was perfect because I woke up around 5. As soon as I woke up I started packing my stuff up which made things easier because I was able to help out the others when it was their time to pack up.

After we loaded up the vehicles, we finished off a few brewskis and just stood around. We took some group pictures as well and I decided that it was a good idea to play Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Tuesdays gone.” The song hit the moment perfectly Everybody stayed quiet and listened to the song. Even though nobody said it, I think we all felt the same thing; we were sad to be leaving and really wanted to stick around as long as possible. We all waited until the last possible minute and then headed out in a caravan. We stopped to take pictures over a cliff with an extraordinary view! We tried to get everybody to go eat together at a restaurant but some guys were just eager to get home. A few of us stuck around and ate some fresh fish and chips together and then finally headed home. After a few hours of windy driving, we finally arrived back at home. 

Its funny how there are moments for which you have low expectations and others high. Sometimes the ones for which we have low expectations turn out to be the best. Although I was excited to go to Usal, I had low expectations since I didn’t know who would be there. As it turns out, this was one of the best trips I have had with the chico buddies. Its trips like these that slap me upside the head and remind me to enjoy life while I am still young. This trip was only three days out of my entire life but they were three days that will stand out forever.

Life is Lived and Not Lost, Even in Defeat!

Two days of defeat. First there was fishing, then the superbowl. Defeated in both but man, there is nothing else I would rather be doing. I love the two sports so every moment was fantastic!

Saturday I met up with a new buddy that I met on fish sniffer. We went out to fish for striper and sturgeon at the deep water channel. When we got there some drunk guys warned us about a ship having gone through earlier in the day and the tide being low. On a side note, I knew next to nothing about tides before this Saturday. My buddy showed me an app about how the tides work and how they affect fish behavior. Apparently low tide affects fish in a negative way and sure enough we didn’t even get a bite. We threw out eel/sardine, eel, shad combos for sturgeon and sardines and mudsuckers for striper. We went home empty handed but I got to know my buddy a bit more and camaraderie is a big part of fishing.

Then Sunday came. The Superbowl! Even bigger than that is the fact I am a Niner fan and have been forever. And the fact that it had been 18 years since we had made a bowl run and this would have made us 6 for 6! Well for anybody not living under a rock, you know the Niners lost which sucked for lack of a better way of putting it. But I got to watch a Niner superbowl with my gorgeous wife, friends and my nephew sat through his first entire football game and actually enjoyed it! 

So as I said, this weekend was marked by defeat in the two things that I love: Fishing and football. I will take a defeat in both of those areas over not having them in my life at all. You can’t catch fish EVERYTIME you go and You can’t win all the games you play. But as long as you keep enjoying the things that you love, life is good! We’ll get them next time!

Bachelor Party/ Update: Collins Lake - May 19-20

Before I took the big plunge I was able to do one last day of fishing with the guys. My bachelor party was a night at the amazing Collins Lake in Oregon House, CA. If there was any way I was going to spend my last night out with the guys as a free man, it was going to be with a line in the water! 

We arrived at Collins Lake at 5:30 pm. After setting up our tents, we took to the water with our rods, a couple of cold ones and a celebratory cigar. Both of my buddies have only been fishing once and that was also with me. The last time they didn’t enjoy fishing so much as I left them alone and was determined to catch myself some bass. They left with the impression that fishing was somehow boring? So my objectives were two-fold:

1) Catch my First trout

2) Teach my boys how to fish

Fig. A

Little back story, I have never caught a trout before in my life! Shocking, I know. Most of my life I had fished for striper, catfish and bluegill and I never got around to it. Well for those of you who don’t know, my goal is to learn to catch every type of fresh water fish possible (from research and experts) and then to teach you all (newbies) and everybody else how to do the same. So on this trip, my target was a trout. We (I) set up four different poles. I set up one with a slip- sinker rig with rainbow Power bait (Fig. A) and the other with a basic catfish rig with anchovies (Fig B). I set up both of them with a floating worm rig (Fig. C).

Fig. B

Fig. C

As we fished we met some nice old timers who were visiting Collins from Reno. I quickly made friends with them and one of them even ended up blessing us with some hook removers! In return I warned them when they were getting a huge bite on one of their lines (they had stepped away for a while) but unfortunately they missed the fish. One of my buddies ended up getting a huge bite but since he didn’t know how to set a hook, he missed the fish as well. Day one ended with no trout, and no fish for my friends either. 

Day two was our final day. I was determined to catch some fish! I marched right out to the water first thing in the morning but unfortunately caught nothing!  Since I was dead tired, most of that morning was spent sleeping in my chair with a bell on my rod tip.

At around 1 pm we decided to try one last time. We found a nice little spot on the lake and we set up camp. I cast out with a Kastmaster and a roostertail, but no response. Finally I found a good spot, I hooked up a floating worm rig, cast out and waited. Within the next minute I got my first yank!  I set my hook and caught my very first 12 in. rainbow trout, a nice little milestone! 

With my first trout under my belt, I cast out again and started getting a good bite right away! I figured I must have encountered a school. I cast a third time and sure enough they ate up my worm within seconds. I called one of my buddies over and had him cast his line. He had a little trouble learning the art of setting a hook but sure enough he caught his first fish ever! I figured while we were up on our luck that I would call my other buddy over to see if he could catch one as well. Right after casting he got a bite, set his hook and after a short fight also hooked into a trout!

Both of the goals I was out to set were accomplished. On the same day I caught my first trout and taught both of my friends how to fish/ helped them catch their first fish. It was in fact a great day of fishing!

Washington State Fishing!

The one thing that I love about Washington State (besides my Fiancé) is the amount of lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks and streams within a small radius. While driving in Washington State I was overwhelmed by all the potential fishing spots you see driving down pretty much any road. I have wanted to fish this area since the first time I went out there and this past weekend I was able to do just that!

My Brother in law took me fishing this past Sunday at a small marshy lake/pond/ body of water he simply referred to as “JT’s.”  My Brother-in-law Coco, doesn’t fish by bank so I didn’t stay true to this blog on this fishing trip… I fished by boat. Dissapointing, I know but its how Coco fishes so when in Rome… 

We had 2 hours to fish before we had to go home and enjoy a dinner with the in-laws. In the boat was Coco (using a popper), his buddy Brandon (used a popper and powerbait) and myself (popper and crankbait). We launched the boat and the first half hour was spent finding a good spot. I really wanted to show off my fishing skills which luckily I was able to do by making the first catch!

A small bluegill but a milestone nonetheless.  This fish was the first fish I have ever caught in Washington State! And it certainly wouldn’t be my last. Even though we were fishing for Largemouths, the second half hour was full of bluegill. I caught the first two but Coco quickly caught up and the race was on! 

Brandon only caught one fish but coco and I had a friendly competition going on to see who would catch the most fish! By the end of the first full hour we had only caught bluegill and then I had a bit of a surprise.

I know most of you might see this as an everyday thing, but I had never caught a crappie in my life, and this is the first time I did that. 

After the crappie we knew it was time to kick some bass! We were catching everything but bass until all of a sudden I had a harder tug than usual on the other end of the line. Sure enough I caught the first bass of the evening (about 11 in.)  and I was proud of it. In fact, I ended up catching the second bass (12 in.) of the evening as well! 

I seemed to be winning the competition, I was two fish ahead of Coco and it was almost time to leave and then it happened! Coco got a heavy tug on his line and it even moved the boat a bit. It didn’t put up a huge fight but he could tell it was pretty big. Next thing I know the guy pulls up this huge hog, probably a 10 lber (we didn’t have a scale) which was his last fish of the night!

I pulled him into the boat and we all celebrated his catch. Although I would go on to catch one more bluegill, making a total of seven fish of three different kinds, none of them bigger than the lunker coco caught!

 

Between me, coco and Brandon we caught a total of 13 fish. I caught the most but Coco Certainly caught the best. In all it was a good day of fishing and some great bonding with my future brother-in-law.

Never Forget…

The bait! And while that is true, it’s not the most important part of fishing! While the mere title implies that you are there to catch or at least attempt to catch fish, That’s not all it is about. Given that sometimes you might go fishing alone with the pure intent of catching fish, There is so much more to enjoy!

The View!- You have to understand, we’re talking about some of the most beautiful places on earth here. We’re talking about water cutting a path through otherwise plain looking terrain. And sometimes the landscape matches the water, creating a masterpiece that only God could create!

Relaxation - If you’re like me, you need a break from the real world. A time away from the daily grind, the noisy city and the stress. Sometimes you just need to set up your rig, cast, listen to the water and chill… and then you get a bite…!

Company – Not many places for male camaraderie anymore. There are not many pool halls around, barber shops are nearly extinct and some of us have manlier things to do than play video games! But a bunch of buddies trash-talking each other, hanging out with the possibility of catching and cooking your own dinner… There’s nothing better!

Learning/teaching – …Teach a man to fish… and you will have a damn good time! If you’re anything like me, you not only want to learn how to catch every fish, you not only want to break the bank… but you also want to teach others how to do the same thing! Remember, when all these electronics crumble, and we have to live off the fat of the land again, Outdoorsmen (and women) will be kings (and queens)!

The drinks! – (optional) not sure which way your reed sways, but I like to have a cold beverage sometimes when I go fishing, especially on a hot day! Just thinking about a cold brew on a hot day makes me wish for summer to come quickly!

This weekend will be a cool one. It’s supposed to be 72 degrees during the day and 40 at night. I’ll be on the banks of black butte lake fishing for trout and large catfish with my buddies! I’ll let you know if we catch any fish. My hope is that I catch a huge one... after all, it IS the most important part of fishing! ;)