Finatical Flyfishing was created for women by women who have traveled and fished in Chile, Alaska, the Bahamas, Mexico, Cuba, the Seychelles, Belize, Christmas Island, Hawaii and throughout the continental United States. Our trips are built around knowledgeable, skilled, high quality guide operations and amazing locations; giving you the best trip for your precious days on the water
Most of us would probably agree that flyfishing adds a great deal to our lives. Travel and the communities flyfishing brings to us, strengthen our flyfishing skills and often other parts of our lives as well. Join us as we talk about the Henry’s Fork, international destinations and the trips offered by Finatical Flyfishing.
Bio
Stephanie Albano spent the bulk of her career at CARQUEST Auto Parts She held positions in national marketing, as Director of Distribution Center Operations and as a Financial Analyst. A mentor in Denver encouraged her to start Hatched Concepts which offers consulting and small business services. She launched Finatical Flyfishing in May of 2021.
Just when we thought things would be back to normal, the Covid crud creeps back into our lives. Kind of like when you spend an inordinate time painstakingly tying up the perfect indicator drift rig with multiple flies, split shot, and tippit only to have the whole mess tangled hopelessly fifteen feet off the ground on your first cast in the only tree within a quarter of you.
Anyway, we have the good news that we will have some great door prizes at the September Zoom meeting, everybody attending will get a free ticket!
We are in the process of revamping our regular monthly raffle to make it bigger and better when we start up our in person meetings. Stay tuned.
Instagram is going well and many thanks to those who have provided photos/videos. It’s been fun connecting in new ways and we have helped sign up 30 new members so far this year. Many of our new members listed “social media” as the way they found us. As you know, healthy membership sign ups bodes well for the club’s success so on behalf of SCFF, THANK YOU!
If you’re new to the club, welcome! You can find us on Instagram at SantaCruzFlyFishing or you can view that same content on our website SantaCruzFlyFishing.org.
With another season coming to an end, I’m asking for your help by sending me some of your favorite fishing photos/videos. For our next meeting on September 1st I’m going to raffle off a waterproof fly-box with a dozen trout flies.
How to get a raffle ticket:
Each fishing photo you e-mail or text me earns you a raffle ticket
Last year was the first time I ever caught a Striper on a fly and the first time I ever fished the O’Neill Forebay. I didn’t know many people in the club, tried fishing the Forebay on my own and wasn’t very successful. One reason I joined the club’s board was to selfishly meet people who would teach me how to fish the Forebay and other places. It worked. Now I would like to help other club members who would like to Striper fish this fall.
Over 30 new members have joined in the past year and if a new member (or old member) wants to try and fish the O’Neill Forebay during October 7-10 or November 4-7 fishout, send an email at scottkitayama@gmail.com. For those busy with family and work, a half-day will still be a good experience. Send me a note even if you don’t have a float tube or heavy rod and I’ll try and help you find equipment and someone experienced to fish with you.
Oh and by the way, you can always learn to fish by calling Tom to join the board, that works too. 😉
As I write this I am listening to the State Water Resources Control Board August meeting. They are discussing the extreme drought we’re in, as well as planning for another year of dry conditions in 2022. The discussion is serious and covers many streams were emergency drought stream flows are either in place or are about to start.
Two of the most impacted streams are the Scott & Shasta Rivers, tributaries to the Klamath River. These streams are main spawning & rearing habitat for Chinook, Coho & steelhead. We have sent 2 letters to the State Board supporting emergency flow recommendations supported by CDFW. The letters can be read here: https://www.nccffi.org/conservation-efforts/. See Item #12 on the list.
Joining us on our advocacy for the Scott & Shasta is the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA). They have been very active and made technical recommendations with the State Water Board and support the implementation of emergency curtailment of diversions of water.
Over many years CSPA and NCCFFI have worked on many issues that negatively impact our fisheries and work together on FERC power dam relicensing to improve flows and habitat, as well as to work for improved flows in the S.F. Bay-Delta and its tributaries. It takes a team effort to be successful in keeping our fisheries healthy and available for sport fishers. https://calsport.org/news/
CSPA and NCCFFI have decided to join together more closely in the future, and to work together and share information with members. Bill Jennings of CSAP and Mark Rockwell of NCCFFI have discussed the relationship and agreed to due several actions: 1) Share information each organization is working on, and report to members; 2) Do monthly reports for our members and place these reports on our websites; 3) work together to create a conservation presentation to use of fly club visits to inform our members about conservation needs and work being done.
Current Joint Efforts – Yuba River: Both CSPA and NCCFFI are working on relicensing on the Yuba system, and focused on Water Quality Certification. Both organizations are working with the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), and focused on funding by Yuba County Water Agency forhabitat improvement on the Lower Yuba & a pilot program to re-introduce salmon to the Upper Yuba. Stanislaus River – CSPA is working to block a proposed water transfer of up to 100,000 acre-feet to Westlands Water District. This transfer would greatly reduce water carry-over in New Melones Reservoir which is needed to protect Delta fish if the 2022 water year is dry.
Santa Clara Valley Watershed – NCCFFI is working with Cal Trout, TU, PCFFA and Flycasters of San Jose to improve salmon & steelhead streams in the Valley. Coyote Creek, Guadalupe River & Stevens Creek are the streams of focus. We are now working on a MOU with Valley Water to ensure future cooperative efforts to complete the Fish & Aquatic Habitat Cooperative Effort (FAHCE) for these streams, signed in 2003. We are also now reviewing the draft EIR for the Guadalupe & Stevens Creek. Work to be done includes: barrier removal, stream enhancements for rearing, improved spawning habitat & improved water flows. This will be a 10 year effort to recover and stabilize salmon & steelhead populations.
Smith River Fishery Monitoring Plan – We have been notified that monitoring will start for both Steelhead and Chinook Salmon in California’s last great anadromous river in the Fall of 2021. The Tribal partner – Tolowa Dee-Ni Nation – will be doing the monitoring and running DIDSON sonar monitoring equipment. This will be the first time we will have an annual monitoring program on this river, and it is hoped that it will take place over at least 3 generations of Chinook (9-12years) and Steelhead. This information will be useful for managing the river fishing regulations to ensure they are consistent with run size and population health.
Summary on Conservation & Fly Fishing
After several discussions with various club Presidents and members, it is clear that fishery conservation is an important benefit NCCFFI brings to clubs & members. It is also noted that conservation is not always a primary focus for some club members. The sport of fly fishing is focused on casting, tying and getting together to fish, and is focused on the social process that clubs provide. However, if we don’t have healthy fisheries and watersheds we have no real way to put our casting and tying skills into action. I think we all recognize that no fish means no sport.
So, my plea to everyone is to continue to support our Council’s conservation efforts, and our ability to join with other partners, like CSPA, Cal Trout & TU to keep our state’s valuable natural resources healthy and available. That takes work, effort and time. In our Council the conservation work never ends because the demands made on our natural resources is great, and all natural resources are in limited supply.
Fishery Conservation is important to all fly fishers. NCCFFI needs our clubs & members to recognize that conservation is one of our primary purposes and we do it to keep our sport alive and fly fishers able to catch fish.
Your support can come by: 1) joining us on our conservation network, 2) financial contributions by clubs to NCCFFI to allow us to do this work, 3) Taking an active part in local watershed conservation efforts and working to include NCCFFI in that effort. Grants are available through this Council.
Contacts for questions or to contribute:
Mark Rockwell, 530-559-5759, mrockwell1945@gmail.com
Send contributions to: NCCFFI c/o Tom Smith, Treasurer, P.O. Box 7231, Reno, NV 89510-7231 (all contributions are tax deductible)
Farmer Tracey Liskey believes his efforts to save the endangered sucker fish will help end a conflict over water on the California-Oregon border.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
BY ANITA CHABRIA, HAILEY BRANSON-POTTS
JULY 22, 2021 5 AM PT
TULELAKE, Calif. — It’s a strange place to find fish, deep in the high desert, where drought-baked earth butts against scrubby mountains.
But water spews from the hot springs on Ron Barnes’ land near the California-Oregon border, pure and perfect for rearing c’waam and koptu, two kinds of endangered suckerfish sacred to Native American tribes.
Barnes, who holds an advanced degree in aquaculture from UC Davis, has dug dozens of ponds on his property and filled them with thousands of young suckerfish. He hopes raising and releasing them into the wild will end the region’s epic water wars — or at least get federal regulators out of the mix before his neighbors descend into violence.
“We have to take a pragmatic view of this thing,” said Barnes, standing near his black-bottomed lagoons under an intense morning sun. “The single most effective way to get the government off our backs is to restore the fish population.”
The suckerfish, which are on the endangered species list, are at the heart of a rancorous water controversy. They typically spawn in nearby Upper Klamath Lake, an agricultural reservoir that is growing increasingly dry and toxic. To ward off their extinction, federal regulators have cut off every drop that normally flows from the lake to the Klamath Reclamation Project, a federally built web of irrigation canals that once held the promise of almost limitless water for nearby farms. …
We had a very successful first class on July 28. Four club members, all experienced casters, attended, and we spent the full two hours working on perfecting the mechanics of the roll cast. The riverside site can comfortably accommodate up to six casters. In order to prevent any chance of overcrowding, I will maintain a sign-up list for future classes. If you would like to participate, send me an email at traugott@ucsc.edu, or call and leave a message at (831) 338-6056. I will send an email message providing all necessary details to those who sign up.
The August casting class will focus on the Pick-up and Lay-down (PULD) cast. This is the foundation for all overhead fly casting. This lesson will be geared primarily to beginner and novice fly casters, so no prior casting experience is assumed (though the ability to do a basic roll cast would be helpful.) The class will take place in Boulder Creek at 10 AM on Wednesday, August 25. This month’s general lesson plan is to conduct a very brief review of the roll cast (for those who attended the July class) followed by a systematic examination of the steps involved in a simple PULD cast. Time permitting, we will also cover the off-side PULD and false casting. Participants should plan to bring the rod of their choice, a matching reel, and a floating line (or contact me to see if I can arrange for loaner equipment.)
Sep 22 10:00 AM : ‘Review and Advanced’ Casting
Fishmaster: Mark Trougott – Casting Intructor
Beginning in September, my intention is to continue to devote the first half of the two-hour session to touching up novice casters’ mastery of the roll cast and PULD; and to orient the second hour to more advanced techniques appropriate for SCFF members who are experienced casters. Examples of this last sort of topic might include presentation casts (reach mends and curve casts that present the fly without spooking the fish); slipping line and hauling (single and double); or loop control (how and why to throw wide and narrow loops). If you have a specific topic in mind, please let me know by mid-August so I can incorporate the most frequently requested techniques into a lesson plan for the second hour of the September session.
The riverside site can comfortably accommodate up to six casters. In order to prevent any chance of overcrowding, I will maintain a sign-up list for future classes. If you would like to participate, send me an email at traugott@ucsc.edu, or call and leave a message at (831) 338-6056. I will send an email message providing all necessary details to those who sign up.
John Cook fishmaster– (831)688-1561 or (831)234-6515
O’Neill Forebay – Oct 7 – 10 2021
October 07, 2021 – October 10, 2021
Striped Bass
Steve Rudzinski ssrudzinski@gmail.com
Palm Beach
October 09, 2021
Surf Perch and other species
Sam Bishop (831) 476-6451
O’Neill Forebay – Nov 4 – 7 2021
November 04, 2021 – November 07, 2021
Striped Bass
Steve Rudzinski ssrudzinski@gmail.com
Aug 07 6:00 AM : Rio Del Mar Beach
Rio Del Mar Beach (Click for address and map) Fishmaster: Jeff Gose – (831) 227-0722 jrgose@icloud.com
Back to Rio Del Mar State Beach for the August Surf Fish-Out where we started this year. Meet up at 6 am at “the Platform” at the end of Beach Drive. Parking is outside due to the early hour before the paid parking gate opens. We have an Low to Mid Flood tide.
Take Rio Del Mar Blvd all the way to the flats, do the round-about to the left and go ½ mile down Beach drive.
Everyone is welcome, but I highly encourage you to learn to cast before you come to the beach. Check in with our Castmaster Mark Traugott, or his assistant (me) and work on the haul and the double haul. For surf equipment, clothing and general information, go to our website under EDUCATION and read the section on surf fishing.
Stripping baskets for free loan or purchase $20 to the Club. If you need a stripping basket, please be there early, before we hit the beach to fish. Best to have your rod strung up already and your waders on already doesn’t hurt!
Roy Gunter writes: I am offering to sponsor a fishout to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska leaving on September 4, 2021 and returning on September 12, 2021. Limited to 4 participants including Roy. We will stay in the Riverside Cabin at the Eagle Landing Resort in Cooper Landing, AK (go to eaglelandingresort.com to check out Resort and Cabin). Trip will be fishing the Kenai River, Russian River and nearby creeks, targeting rainbows and dolly varden, but catching many salmon along the way. Trip includes 2 guided trips on the Kenai River, including at least one boat trip down the Kenai River Canyon to the delta of Skilak Lake. You will have to provide your own airfare to Anchorage and return, which can be arrange for virtually no charge if you obtain an Alaska Airlines Credit Card. Alaska Airlines now flies out of Monterey. However, a rental car is included in the trip. Food and beverages are included and obtained from Costco and Carrs Supermarket for preparation at the cabin. Since I am cooking for the most part, meals are gourmet including wine and/or other beverages. Since I am an Alaska Air card holder, over the last 20 years I have never exceeded $2,000 for the entire trip, including the cost of a motel before flying out, and once paid only $770. Couples are welcome, but there is only one queen bed in a separate bedroom. Other Club Members who have accompanied me include: Bob Monaco, Steve Rawson, Milana Rawson, Daneen Gunter, Don Foskett, Gary Hazelton, Harry Petrakis, Mark Traugott and Gil Santos. Requirements: $1,000 deposit subject to forfeit unless you find a substitute fisherman to accept your spot and you must have recieved all of your covid vaccinations at least 14 days prior to departure. Prior participants have priority. If interested please contact Roy Gunter at 831-809-0316 or email at rgunteriii@yahoo.com.
Sam Bishops adds some insight on the Alaska Airlines Credit Card opportunity: “Buy a new Alaska Airline card and get 50,000 miles if you spend $2,000 in 2 or 3 months. $75 for the card, but you get a free bag. Without it the first bag is $40. I just got a new card for about the fourth time. I let the old one expire and get a new one for the mileage. I paid the house insurance on the new one and bingo I am covered.”
Manresa State Beach (Click for address and map) Fishmaster: Mark Traugott, 831-338-6056
The September Surf Fishout will take place at Manresa State Beach, on Saturday, September 4th. The sun will rise at 7:10 a.m., and the tide will be high a Mid Flood. We will meet at 6:30 A.M. at the entrance to the State Park at 1445 San Andreas Road. Park outside and just past the park entrance where there is space for a half dozen cars. There are a couple more spaces on the opposite side of the street. If all the available spaces are full when you arrive, go a quarter mile further along San Andres Rd. and turn right onto Oceanview Drive. Park at the end of that street, along the fence on the right, and take the stairs down to the beach where you can eventually join the rest of the group. For details regarding equipment and technique, check the excellent instructions on surf fishing that Sam Bishop has published on our club website. The basic equipment is a five- to 8-weight rod with an intermediate to full-sinking line or sinking tip. Any type of Clouser pattern or anchovy fly will work for stripers, and small bonefish patterns (for example, Gotchas) will catch perch, especially if they have red or orange highlights. The only surf-specific piece of essential equipment is a stripping basket, which Sam makes and sells for $20 to benefit the club. Make contact with him in advance, or let me know if you would like to borrow or purchase a stripping basic on July 3.
Sep 18 12:00 AM : Mammoth Fishout
Mammoth Lakes (Click for address and map) Fishmaster: John Cook fishmaster– (831)688-1561 or (831)234-6515
Dates: This fishout will take place over two consecutive one-week periods. You may sign up for one or both weeks. Week 1: Sept 18 – 25. Week 2: Sept 26 – Oct 2.
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 king size bed or a pad and sleeping bag to sleep on floor. A private room option is possible at an increased fee.
Cost: Covers 7 night’s lodging and 3 meals per day. $320/week, $640/two weeks. $535/week for a private room. $ is not refundable unless someone takes your place. Any unused funds will be used for prizes at the annual fund raiser.
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.
SignUps: Call John Cook letting him know which week or both or private room. ASAP or up to May 1st. We will be leaving town mid May, so need to put things together and confirm reservation by then. Receiving your $ will reserve your spot. I will maintain a waiting list and, if space becomes available you will be notified by phone, even while we are on summer vacation. Deliver your $ by mail ( PO Box 2822, Aptos, Ca. 95001 ) or deliver in person. (215 Treasure Island Ave., Aptos , Ca. )
Covid Issues: All participants must have completed the vaccine regiment at least one month prior. Must be free of symptoms. If negative public health issues arrive, the fishout will be canceled and $ returned.
Oct 07 12:00 AM : O’Neill Forebay – Oct 7 – 10 2021
AND
Nov 04 12:00 AM : O’Neill Forebay – Nov 4 – 7 2021
Islands Oneill Forebay (Click for address and map) Fishmaster: Steve Rudzinski ssrudzinski@gmail.com
The annual O’Neill ForeBay Striped Bass FishOut has been scheduled for Oct 7-10 and Nov 4-7 (Thurs-Sunday). I made it during the dark phase of the moon this year.
We will camp at the same place again at Medeiros Campground site #23 I will try to get again, there are 4 sites there and more than one car per site is okay. New people should contact me personally for details. Bring everything to camp bare bones style, only a single vault style toilet which is not too bad compared to the other porta potties throughout the campground. Bring water, and food and cooking gear, there will be a camp stove or two to use or cook over the camp fire.
Gear to use: 7 or 8 wt rod, full sinking line like Rio Outbound Short or Tungsten T-11 shooting head with a good running line. 15 lb test fluorocarbon leader (6′ is long enough so the fly gets down deeper). Lee Haskins or Jim Hall has flies for sale. Both are listed in our club roster and you can make an order directly with them. Float tubes of course or small craft like flat bottom dingy’s and some kayaks work okay except when windy. (It can really BLOW you away there and we hope for good conditions but we have had big rainstorms in years past so prepare for the worst).
One thing we never have enough of is firewood for the evening rap sessions, the size of wood that comes in a box at the grocery store is perfect for our portable fire tubs.
The camp is only 70 miles from Santa Cruz and directions can be easily be found on your GPS system. Call or email me @ 831 462 4532 or ssrudzinski@gmail.com to be on the list so I have a good idea of how many will attend. We always have a good time at this event. See you there, Stosh
Oct 09 7:00 AM : Palm Beach
Palm State Beach (Click for address and map) Fishmaster: Sam Bishop (831) 476-6451
Seven of us rose before dawn to celebrate the arrival of the July 4 weekend. We found our way to Manresa State Beach despite the morning mist and heavy overcast. The only fireworks involved were in the fact that everyone caught fish, with honors for the largest going to Tommy Polito, as pictured above. The group included regulars Jeff Gose and Scott Kitayama as well as the club’s newest member, Matt Jockers. Dennis Rosario, James Davis, and myself rounded out the group. No one has been able to figure out where all the stripers have gone this year, but the perch have been very cooperative, and getting pushed round by the waves is a great way to start your day. Come join us for our monthly surf fishouts!
Went to Lake Almanor for the first time to try out the Hex hatch with club members Bob G, Cecilia and Darla. Sharing the ride makes the time go faster and the trip cheaper. Took a lesson from Tim Loomis the first evening who really helped to understand how to fish the lake and where to fish. Others that were up at the lake during the hatch included Kevin M, Yog, and John D. Picture is Bob G with one of two nice trout he caught during the hatch. The others in our group didn’t fare as well.
As of late July, the Dixie fire continues to spread and the west shore of Lake Almanor where we stayed have been evacuated. Let’s hope that the fire gets contained, the people are safe, and we can fish the Hex hatch there for years to come.
The Heat Is On Mother nature is serving up a blow this summer? 2021 is way hotter than average across much of the United States. What does that mean for trout? What does that mean for those of us that fly fish for trout? These questions have been on the minds of many of us this past month as temperatures soared here in California and across the west.
HOW HOT IS TOO HOT FOR TROUT? In the heat of summer, water temperatures increase, which can be troublesome and often fatal for trout, especially during extended periods. If water temps get above 68 degrees Fahrenheit, fish begin to struggle to breathe, get stressed and need a little extra TLC from us. How hot is too hot for trout? Here are a few tips courtesy of Trout Unlimited based on water temperature:
Below 65 °F – Fish are happy, healthy, hungry, and ready for a fight.
65 – 68 °F – Trout are starting to slow down and are feeling the heat. Rope up with heavy tippet and land fish quickly. Skip the picture and give them plenty of time to revive before release.
Over 68 °F – Heads up: Too hot for trout. Trout are feeling stressed and need a break! Mortality rates increase even with proper handling.
PACK A THERMOMETER How do you tell if the water is too warm and causing the fish stress? Pack a fishing thermometer with you and when you get to the stream check the water temperature. If the water is too hot (out of the trout comfort zone), have a beer, take a nap, read a book, chase warm water species, fish a spring creek or a tailwater, or head for the high country and try again when the water temperatures drop. In other words, give the trout a break. We all have a responsibility to protect the trout we love. My Personal Actions for Trout This Summer I will always carry a thermometer and check water temperature every hour. If water temperature goes above 65 degrees I will stop fishing. I will consider not fishing cold water fish if air temps go above 95 degrees and water temps are not below 65.
I will consider fishing only early morning & late evening. Measure water temperature before starting, hourly thereafter, and I will stop if temps go above 65.
Every day will be different. Some days just will not be trout days.
I will consider only fishing warm water fish if the heat prevails, and I will do so into the Fall and until water temps are below 65 throughout the day.
The point here is to protect our cold water fish so they will be with us in the winter and next year. As some of you already know, Oregon has issued a set of regulatory changes to protect its fisheries (see emergency regulations for angling zones: https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/ ).
We’ve not yet heard anything from CDFW but I do expect it. Let’s band together and do our part to care for and protect our fisheries in this, our most severe summer in years, if not ever. I salute all of you who join me in this effort. We’re in this together – we and our fish.
Even though we have no meeting in July, I thought I would give a little tease of things to come in the way of raffle prizes. As you can see in the photo, it looks like I have the makings of small fly shop with all the prizes that I have stashed away; rods, reels, flies, nets, fly boxes and gear bags. On top of that, we’ve got the new John Gierach book, a Simms fish whistle, and a certificate for a Humble Heron guided fishing trip. Wow, lots of cool stuff.
The raffles will start up again with the September meeting both on-line and in-person at the actual meeting. Remember two things: the club really appreciates your support and to win, all you need to do is buy the lucky ticket.
This fly utilizes automotive window tint film for the body. It is easy to tie and an important fly to have when fishing stillwater.
Note: The class is on July 14, if you contact matt early, he can mail it to you or pick it up at Matt’s house in Scott’s Valley. Matt’s cell phone is 831-419-7333 or send your address for mailing to Twissfile@gmail.com.
Our first two stockings of the 2021 season in Lake Tahoe are complete! This week we stocked 5,083 10 inch Pilot Peak Lahontan Cutthroat Trout on the Nevada side. To monitor and evaluate Pilot Peak LCT growth, survival, and movement around the Lake, 30% of those trout were FLOY tagged with a unique ID and phone number so that anglers can report their catch and help us collect this vital information. Thank you to the Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the U.S. Forest Service-Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit for the ongoing collaboration in providing a native trout for recreational angling opportunities in Lake Tahoe.
Fun Facts:
-Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are the only trout native to Lake
Tahoe.
-Lahontan Cutthroat Trout is the state fish of Nevada.
-Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are the Largest inland cutthroat trout in the world.
The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon & steelhead river in the lower 48, but more than 100 years ago four dams were built on it that blocked 250+ miles of spawning & rearing habitat. The license to operate those dams has now been transferred from PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of Berkshire-Hathaway, to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) and the states of Oregon & California.
The license will transfer solely to KRRC later in 2021, and dam removal work will begin in the summer of 2022. The Kiewit Corporation will start decommissioning in January 2023, with all four dams removed by Fall 2023. Resource Environmental Solutions will implement & monitor restoration work after removal.
The Northern California Council of Fly Fishers International participated in early Klamath discussions in 2003; in 2004 Tribes, State & Federal agencies and other NGO parties joined the formal negotiations that will culminate in new spawning & rearing habitat and a healthy river.
Image from https://riverbum.com/blog/intro-to-fly-fishing-casting-with-the-roll-cast/
Beginner and novice fly casters who are interested in instruction in the roll cast, one of two foundational techniques in fly casting, should plan on attending a lesson that will take place in Boulder Creek at 10 AM on Wednesday, July 28. If you would like to participate, please contact me at 831-338-6056 or via email at traugott@ucsc.edu so that I can sign you up, give you directions, and discuss any equipment issues. The plan for July is for one hour of systematic group instruction followed by an additional hour of general practice and socializing. I am presuming that most participants will have their own rod, reel, and floating line. (A loaner rod or two may be available for those who do not have their own.) If there is sufficient interest, we could follow up in August with a similar session devoted to the “Pick-up and Lay-down” or basic overhead cast. More specialized techniques for experienced casters could become the focus of future sessions. It all depends on the level of member interest, so don’t hesitate to get in touch and let me know if you would like to participate.
The July Surf Fishout will take place at Manresa State Beach, on Saturday, July 3rd. The sun will rise at 5:53 a.m., and the tide will be high at 6:54 A.M. We will meet at 5:45 A.M. at the entrance to the State Park at 1445 San Andreas Road. Park outside and just past the park entrance where there is space for a half dozen cars. There are a couple more spaces on the opposite side of the street. If all the available spaces are full when you arrive, go a quarter mile further along San Andres Rd. and turn right onto Oceanview Drive. Park at the end of that street, along the fence on the right, and take the stairs down to the beach where you can eventually join the rest of the group. For details regarding equipment and technique, check the excellent instructions on surf fishing that Sam Bishop has published on our club website. The basic equipment is a five- to 8-weight rod with an intermediate to full-sinking line or sinking tip. Any type of Clouser pattern or anchovy fly will work for stripers, and small bonefish patterns (for example, Gotchas) will catch perch, especially if they have red or orange highlights. The only surf-specific piece of essential equipment is a stripping basket, which Sam makes and sells for $20 to benefit the club. Make contact with him in advance, or let me know if you would like to borrow or purchase a stripping basic on July 3.
We just finished up a week at Coffee Creek in the Trinity Alps. Mostly rainbow planters in the creeks, unless you hike in deeper. Then it is the occasional 8-inch rainbow or brook. On a 100F day, the family traveled up to Kangaroo Lake (6,000ft) with our float tubes and raft. Again, mostly planters, but about 20 degrees cooler at that elevation. Here is a picture of some of the family heading out into Kangaroo with their gear. Kangaroo is in the middle of nowhere, but it is handicap accessible.
Greetings to all and I’m glad to say that we are continuing to see COVID cases diminish in most of our region. I am hearing that many of our clubs are again holding fishing retreats and scheduling in-person club meetings. This is all good!
NCCFFI is working for the future of Fly Fishing
Developing a stronger connection with our clubs to improve relationships, communication & better protect our watersheds through conservation.
Improving and re-modeling our website. Our goal is to have a good looking & informative website that has club activity information, conservation actions, educational opportunities & more. We hope to have the site up by early July.
Strategy group working on goals & objectives for the next 3-5 years. We will be working over the next several weeks to develop a vision and working set of actions to meet the needs of our clubs, members and our fly fishing community. We expect this to take a couple of months, but it will put us on the road to stability and being able to continue to build the fly fishing community we know is important to the future.
Things to look forward to: Better club support for your projects; Enhanced support for fly fishing by the Council by our work at the ISE show & Fly Fishing Show; Continued Council-club communications; enhanced connection with FFI programs and events; Better learning opportunities for all through Council level education programs.
Fly Fishers International (FFI) – Working for our Sport & it’s members
New Website – The website is now easier to navigate, full of helpful and interesting information and much better looking. https://www.flyfishersinternational.org
New – Virtual Expo November 5-7, 2021 – enjoy all FFI has to offer from home on your computer! This appears to be a new & exciting way to enjoy your organization, yet learn and support your sport. https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Virtual-Expo This promises to be a great event that is full of information & opportunity.
NCCFFI & Women Connect: We have a local group of Women Connect, and our Council is proud to say Anne Marie Bakker, ambconsulting@sbcglobal.net, is our Council connection. Contact her to find out more and join.
It’s important to understand that both NCCFFI and FFI are working hard to help our sport on many fronts. FFI is the only organization we have that is only focused on fly fishing and All fish in all waters. Being a member means you support fly fishing and its future. Join today: https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Join-Renew
The Fly Fishing Photography presentation will not get bogged down in technology and fancy camera speak. Instead, I will offer mostly tips and suggestions. I’ll show many ways to get good/better/best photos, and much of my lecture will be through the lens of our smart/iPhones, as well. Besides photography tips: scenery/action/macro/underwater/etc, I’ll talk about handling fish and our responsibility to not over-do it. There are a lot of fun fish and fishing photos that we will discuss and some down right horrible photos that are part of the do’s and don’ts chapter. A lot of my photography tips will apply to your everyday fishing, but will also help with general friends/family/pets/food/Instagram/Facebook photography.
Bio: Brian OKeefe has balanced a lifetime of fly fishing, near and far, with work in almost every niche in the sport: fly shops, trout and steelhead guide, fly tackle rep, writer/photographer, online magazine owner, fly club speaker and currently with www.elevenangling.com, an international fly fishing lodge/mothership outfitter. Lives in Nyssa, Oregon.
BONUS TALK: Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon (in the salt): After a dozen or so trips to British Columbia and Alaska to specifically fly fish for silvers and kings in the salt, I have put together a presentation on the when/where/how, of this endeavor. I’ll show some really nice salmon, and the ways to go about catching them: motherships, DIY, local day guides, etc. Plus tackle, timing and techniques. Great fishing, scenery, wildlife and food.
A little backstory on what inspired this particular cartoon:
* August 2-6 – Missouri River – Pat and John Steele
John and I hadn’t made long range plans for this trip, but fellow SCFF member Bob Peterson raved so much about how well the Missouri was fishing that we jumped on a plane and went. Bob was right, the rainbows were fat, feisty and hungry. We didn’t have any top-water dry fly action, (fishing was all subsurface with a sow bug and some little purple thing called a “two-bit hooker”) but what we did have was epic. There was no trouble catching fish, the problem was in landing them on teeny tiny hooks. I had to learn to keep my paws off the reel and just let them jump, gator-roll, head-shake and do all their shenanigans until they tired out enough for me to land them without breaking them off. We did the first day on the lake at Holter dam, the so-called “Land of the Giants”, and Captain John Hall and his jet-propelled boat put us onto more big fish than we had ever caught in one day.
The second day, we launched from Craig and did a river trip. Along about 11 AM, John had hooked a nice big rainbow, was bringing it up to the surface, when we felt wings flap over our heads, from the stern of the boat, and to our absolute amazement, saw an eagle snatch the hooked fish, line and all, and fly off with it! The eagle broke the fish off, flew with it up onto some old, unused railroad tracks, proceeded to stomp and peck at it to subdue it, then flew up into the cliffs above, to share it with some eaglets that were nested up there. I was too stunned to take photos or video of the event. Later, when we met with our outfitter, Ed Lawrence, he told us that the eagle is a repeat offender, that other people fishing at that very spot, have experienced the same theft. There is even a video on YouTube featuring the thieving eagle. For a short, unplanned trip, this junket proved to be productive, enjoyable, and surprising!
P.S.-On August 5th, the Mann Gulch Fire, which happened in 1949, was commemorated at the lake. Thirteen smokejumpers lost their lives in it, and there is a memorial to them at the lake. The story is told in a book, “Young Men and Fire”, by Norman McClean, who also wrote “A River Runs Through It.” It is a riveting, tragic tale, and anyone who visits this area should read the book.
Our May speaker was again for the third time in more than a few years, going to be Jon Baiocchi, talking to us about the Skwala (stone fly) hatches and fishing on the beautiful Yuba River, Jon’s home river where he has been guiding nearly every day, all day, for years.
If you were Jon’s friend, or new him from Facebook and Instagram, every photo is a smile a mile wide, and not just from Jon’, but the hundreds of men, women and children in his photos.
I knew Jon’s dad, Bob Baiocchi, when I was working so hard to change the regulations for the entire state of California when it came to fishing for Steelhead and Coho. We are responsible for the emergency changes that took place, after three years of work, in 1998, and which are part of every Steelhead and Coho river/creek in California today. Jon was just a few years younger than me. He was a free-spirited guy who started out as an amazing shred expert on a skateboard and snowboard. He was also super proficient on a moto-cross bike. Everyone that knows Jon says the same thing about his energy, friendship, smile, dedication, …
I didn’t meet Jon until I came back to the club in ’17. His dad had passed away and I was sorry I didn’t know that. But we became friends and I got him to the club to speak his second time, and then I found excuses to have him back every year.
Jon and I were communicating on Wednesday night while we were having our board meeting. I was excited to be seeing him for the club meeting and looking forward to fishing with him after he got back home.
Thursday, Jon went to work on his favorite river and had two friends with him. They were on the warm, sunny, rocky bank of the river, starting to fish. It’s reported he mentioned he had a pain in his neck, then his arm hurt, then he fell and was gone.
Selfishly, I am missing a true hero of our rivers and steward of our rivers and those who get to learn from his infectious enthusiasm. I can’t believe I was just talking to him the night before and how excited he was to be with us, and then the chance to fish together. Weather and fishing had been so epic for Jon and his clients during Covid. He had a new truck, new friends, and business was so very good. He was only 56.
This is why I challenged you to join our club- if you’re also reading this and you’re not a member. Life is too short and can be taken from us at any moment.
If you’re reading this, please join us on Wednesday May 6th, at 6:30 p.m. We are going to hang out together, check in with each other, maybe make sure we’re all where we need to be right now, remember Jon, and figure out where to go from there. I will suggest we take Jon’s fee and maybe something more to contribute to a cause in his name.
Five wt rod and reel with floating line and leader.
This Adamsbuilt package includes a 9 foot 4 piece rod with matching reel ready to fish. Perfect for the new trout season. It comes in a cordura nylon covered hard tube case with reel pocket. It is a complete backup rig or is a perfect starter set for the new fly angler.
Custom Shad Flies
Those in the know keep time available for Shad fishing in the month of May.
With that in mind we have two dozen custom Shad flies hand tied by Northern California river guide Bill Adelman.
These proven producers have made there chops on the Sacramento, Yuba, and American River. Should be a good year for Shad, win this box of flies to make it great.
Klamath wet/dry bag by Adamsbuilt
This heavy duty gear bag will hold everything from your wet waders to your dirty socks and everything in between. The heavy cordura nylon exterior and rugged molded bottom are up to the task of those long drives down the dusty bumpy back roads. The waterproof interior pockets keep everything dry when the rain pours down.
Now for the fine print:
Raffle tickets are sold for a dollar each in packs of five. Spend $20 dollars and get 25 tickets. Click on this link to purchase tickets:
Humble Heron Fly Fishing is a fly fishing outfit out of Grants Pass Oregon. Owners James and Kait (Bailey) Sampsel started their operations the fall of 2016 but have guided rivers all over the west and Central America collectively for the better part of 24 years.
Their focus is on the zen of the swung fly to illusive steelhead. They passionately guide guests on many of Southern Oregon’s premier rivers and consider the Rogue River their bread and butter.
The focus of the presentation will be on steelhead using swung fly presentations. Flies, lines, tips, tactics, experiences, and imagery. We will be covering the entire Rogue River from source to mouth including the trout fishery. And finally, images of James’ art from time spent with their guests on the water.
Maya Gipson graduated from San Lorenzo High
