S
Spydeyrch
0
So I finally did it. I finally went fly fishing. And man did I feel like I was in heaven!! Maybe it was the location, the company, the activity, or a combination of them but it sure felt great. Perhaps it was the fact that I was finally able to fly fish and I had wanted to for such a long time so it was that sense and feeling of satisfaction........ But whatever the reason, I finally was able to get out on the water and I didn't want to leave!!
Last week I took a much needed vacation with my wife, 2 year old (almost 3), and 4 year old. We drove from Beaverton down to Folsom, CA (just NE of Sacramento) to visit my parents. So we took a road trip to visit them. I had to drive the whole time because my wife is pregnant with our third and so she had to rest in the back of our van. It took about 15 hours to get down there.
Prior to heading out, a friend of my dad, found out that I love to fish and wanted to take me fishing while I was down there. He lives about 30 mins north-west of where my parents live. I was intrigued because well, I didn't know the area, and a fishing trip sounded superb!! So I asked what kind of fishing he does. When I heard that he only does fly fishing, how could I turn down his offer!!! I mean .... would it not have been rude of me to refuse such a generous offer? So I was compelled and almost felt "obligated" (hehehe
) to go.
But I have to tell you, the wait killed me! The drive down was 15 hours. And it wasn't the drive that killed me, no ..... it was when I found out Saturday evening that I wouldn't be going fishing until Thursday!!!! So I had about a little less than a week until I got to go fishing.
So during the long wait, I would occasionally email our mutual friend for info. I knew he had a fly rod but I didn't have one. I just had my spinner setup. I asked him if he knew of any good fly shops around town so that I could buy a fly rod and reel. He told me that I wouldn't have to because he had two and could let me borrow one of them!! I cannot tell you the excitement that I felt. It was like I was a little kid again and it was getting close to Christmas time!
So Thursday finally came. I got my gear together and my dad and I took off to our friend's house. We threw our gear into his rig and took off. It took about 1.5 - 2 hours to get up to where we were going. The drive was beautiful. We drove through some pristine scenic areas and super small town locations. We went up to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A few nights earlier it had rained down in the valley but snowed up in the mountains. Up on the ridge there was quite a bit of snow on the sides of the road but down in the small stream/river valley where we were fishing, there wasn't any snow. It was a nice 55 - 60 degrees the entire time we were there.
During the drive I talked to Mike, our friend, about his setups. The rod that I got to use was a 9' 6w G Loomis rod. He got to use his 8'9" 5w St. Croix (sp?) rod. He only uses dry flies and has never fished nymphs or streamers. He has only done trout fishing in the Sierra Nevada’s; primarily at the same river where he took me and up at Lake Tahoe. Oh, the river we fished was the Rubicon river. Beautiful river, absolutely perfect!
We parked the car off the side of the road and hiked about .5 of a mile down to the side of the river. It was moving a little faster than normal, according to Mike, and appeared to be a little more swollen than normal, due to the recent rains and snow. Although, Mike did state that he typically doesn't fish so late in the season. He usually stops around mid October, even thought in California trout fishing in rivers and streams doesn't close until Nov. 15th. He wasn't even sure if we were going to get into the fish due to being so late in the season.
I threw on my waders, my gear bag, and grabbed the rod. We talked a little about how he wanted to share the river, some small technique tips, and then split off to start fishing!!
Just holding the rod in my hand felt more natural and relaxing then using my spinner setup. It also felt much more balanced.
I waded across some slippery rocks and started casting. Now granted I had never before thrown a fly with a fly rod. I have used flies on my spinner rod but it is nothing similar when compared to a fly rod throwing flies .... as many of you are probably aware.
So like on my 3rd back cast, I got snagged in some little bushes behind me. The trouble was that they over-hung a little bit over a small cascading waterfall. So it was a little difficult to get to the fly and get it free. But I did it eventually.
So I got back to my spot and started casting. Man, getting that loop / U-shape on the back cast as you bring it forward to the forward cast is very difficult. But I am sure that with time and practice I will get it. So I threw a few flies on the water and had a few fish rise! Mike was actually surprised that they were rising and so that raised his hopes of getting into some fish.
So I continued to fish and slowly moved up stream a smidge. Then something cool happened! I went to pull the line and fly from the water and go into a back cast. As soon as I pulled the fly out of the water, BAMM!!! I fish came flying out of the water with the fly!! I hadn't even realized that it had taken the fly nor when it had taken the fly! But it was kind of funny because this small little 4" wild rainbow comes flying out of the water and almost lands on my lap!! And my dad caught it all on tape! hahaha
The fish landed in the water and I thought that it was gone. My line appears to be snagged under some rocks in the faster current at the top of the small cascading waterfall just behind me. So after fidgeting with it for a few moments, I was finally able to get it free. I pulled the fly out of the water to see if it was still attached or if I was going to need to tie on a new one ..... but guess what ..... the fish was still on the fly!!!! hahahaha
So I released the little guy and started to cast again. With in 3 casts, BAM!!! another fish on! This time I didn't come jumping out of the water at me due to me starting a back cast. This time I saw it rise and take the fly so I was able to set the hook and land it. It was a little 5" wild bow. Beautiful little guy!
Unfortunately for me, those would be the only two fish that I would catch during the 4 hours that we were on the river. Mike did much better!!! He landed a total of 6 fish with the largest being about 7 or 8 inches. But he has been fly fishing for 11 years and has fished that river for years. So I think that two fish within the first 45 mins on my first time fly fishing is pretty good ...... at least in my eyes.
The rest of the time we were there was worth every second of it, even if I didn't catch any more fish. There where numerous times that I saw fish rise to take my fly but at the last second they wouldn't commit. There were even a few times where they did take the fly but I wasn't fast enough on the set and they would spit it out lightning fast. Oh well.
continued below........
Last week I took a much needed vacation with my wife, 2 year old (almost 3), and 4 year old. We drove from Beaverton down to Folsom, CA (just NE of Sacramento) to visit my parents. So we took a road trip to visit them. I had to drive the whole time because my wife is pregnant with our third and so she had to rest in the back of our van. It took about 15 hours to get down there.
Prior to heading out, a friend of my dad, found out that I love to fish and wanted to take me fishing while I was down there. He lives about 30 mins north-west of where my parents live. I was intrigued because well, I didn't know the area, and a fishing trip sounded superb!! So I asked what kind of fishing he does. When I heard that he only does fly fishing, how could I turn down his offer!!! I mean .... would it not have been rude of me to refuse such a generous offer? So I was compelled and almost felt "obligated" (hehehe
) to go.But I have to tell you, the wait killed me! The drive down was 15 hours. And it wasn't the drive that killed me, no ..... it was when I found out Saturday evening that I wouldn't be going fishing until Thursday!!!! So I had about a little less than a week until I got to go fishing.
So during the long wait, I would occasionally email our mutual friend for info. I knew he had a fly rod but I didn't have one. I just had my spinner setup. I asked him if he knew of any good fly shops around town so that I could buy a fly rod and reel. He told me that I wouldn't have to because he had two and could let me borrow one of them!! I cannot tell you the excitement that I felt. It was like I was a little kid again and it was getting close to Christmas time!
So Thursday finally came. I got my gear together and my dad and I took off to our friend's house. We threw our gear into his rig and took off. It took about 1.5 - 2 hours to get up to where we were going. The drive was beautiful. We drove through some pristine scenic areas and super small town locations. We went up to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A few nights earlier it had rained down in the valley but snowed up in the mountains. Up on the ridge there was quite a bit of snow on the sides of the road but down in the small stream/river valley where we were fishing, there wasn't any snow. It was a nice 55 - 60 degrees the entire time we were there.
During the drive I talked to Mike, our friend, about his setups. The rod that I got to use was a 9' 6w G Loomis rod. He got to use his 8'9" 5w St. Croix (sp?) rod. He only uses dry flies and has never fished nymphs or streamers. He has only done trout fishing in the Sierra Nevada’s; primarily at the same river where he took me and up at Lake Tahoe. Oh, the river we fished was the Rubicon river. Beautiful river, absolutely perfect!
We parked the car off the side of the road and hiked about .5 of a mile down to the side of the river. It was moving a little faster than normal, according to Mike, and appeared to be a little more swollen than normal, due to the recent rains and snow. Although, Mike did state that he typically doesn't fish so late in the season. He usually stops around mid October, even thought in California trout fishing in rivers and streams doesn't close until Nov. 15th. He wasn't even sure if we were going to get into the fish due to being so late in the season.
I threw on my waders, my gear bag, and grabbed the rod. We talked a little about how he wanted to share the river, some small technique tips, and then split off to start fishing!!
Just holding the rod in my hand felt more natural and relaxing then using my spinner setup. It also felt much more balanced.
I waded across some slippery rocks and started casting. Now granted I had never before thrown a fly with a fly rod. I have used flies on my spinner rod but it is nothing similar when compared to a fly rod throwing flies .... as many of you are probably aware.
So like on my 3rd back cast, I got snagged in some little bushes behind me. The trouble was that they over-hung a little bit over a small cascading waterfall. So it was a little difficult to get to the fly and get it free. But I did it eventually.
So I got back to my spot and started casting. Man, getting that loop / U-shape on the back cast as you bring it forward to the forward cast is very difficult. But I am sure that with time and practice I will get it. So I threw a few flies on the water and had a few fish rise! Mike was actually surprised that they were rising and so that raised his hopes of getting into some fish.
So I continued to fish and slowly moved up stream a smidge. Then something cool happened! I went to pull the line and fly from the water and go into a back cast. As soon as I pulled the fly out of the water, BAMM!!! I fish came flying out of the water with the fly!! I hadn't even realized that it had taken the fly nor when it had taken the fly! But it was kind of funny because this small little 4" wild rainbow comes flying out of the water and almost lands on my lap!! And my dad caught it all on tape! hahaha
The fish landed in the water and I thought that it was gone. My line appears to be snagged under some rocks in the faster current at the top of the small cascading waterfall just behind me. So after fidgeting with it for a few moments, I was finally able to get it free. I pulled the fly out of the water to see if it was still attached or if I was going to need to tie on a new one ..... but guess what ..... the fish was still on the fly!!!! hahahaha
So I released the little guy and started to cast again. With in 3 casts, BAM!!! another fish on! This time I didn't come jumping out of the water at me due to me starting a back cast. This time I saw it rise and take the fly so I was able to set the hook and land it. It was a little 5" wild bow. Beautiful little guy!
Unfortunately for me, those would be the only two fish that I would catch during the 4 hours that we were on the river. Mike did much better!!! He landed a total of 6 fish with the largest being about 7 or 8 inches. But he has been fly fishing for 11 years and has fished that river for years. So I think that two fish within the first 45 mins on my first time fly fishing is pretty good ...... at least in my eyes.
The rest of the time we were there was worth every second of it, even if I didn't catch any more fish. There where numerous times that I saw fish rise to take my fly but at the last second they wouldn't commit. There were even a few times where they did take the fly but I wasn't fast enough on the set and they would spit it out lightning fast. Oh well.
continued below........
ray:
