Author: Scott Kitayama

Posted on by

Backstory on what inspired this month’s cartoon

by Pat Steele

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.

Pat

Posted on May 25th, 2021

Posted on by

May 2021 Table of Contents

Club Meeting: May 5th at 6:30 pm

Zoom links are on the menu of the website. Just click on the menu item for the general meeting.

General Meeting……………………
 In Remembrance of Jon Baiocchi
Monthly Raffle……………………
 Make May Your Month to Win Prizes!!
President’s Line…………………….
 What’s in a Name?
 A short history of the John Steele Award
Fly Tying……………………
 Stillwater Nymph
 Quigley Cripple PMD
Conservation Concerns……………
 Artificial light and the decline of salmon smolts
 Good Bye Jon Baiocchi
Membership Notes…………………
 Casting practice at Jade Park 2 pm – May 8th
Fishout Schedule…………………
Gearing Up……………………….…
 Surf Fishing time again – Saturday May 8 – 5:50 am
 Loreto Fly Fishing Trip – 2021
 Alaska Trip – 2021 UPDATE
 Mammoth Fishout – 2021
Cartoon…………………………..…

Posted on April 25th, 2021

Posted on by

In Remembrance of Jon Baiocchi

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.   

Even if you don’t stay  – come say hello. 

Posted on April 24th, 2021

Posted on by

Make May Your Month to Win Prizes!!

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:
Need not be present to win, winners will be announced by email. Ticket sale cutoff is noon the day of the Club Zoom meeting (5/5).

Posted on April 26th, 2021

Posted on by

April 2021 Newsletter

General Meeting
 The Rogue River & the Impressions Left Behind
Monthly Raffle……………………
 Let’s put the ‘Fly’ in Fly Fishing
President’s Line…………………….
 One Year Later – Busting Out of Covid
Fly Tying……………………
 Deschutes Caddis
 Yellow Sally- Parachute Style
Conservation Concerns……………
 ‘Conservation Slim’ Report
 Klamath River Restoration
 MBS&T Project April Update
Membership Notes…………………
 Aristotle was an angler
Fishout Schedule…………………
Gearing Up……………………….…
 Surf Fishing time again – Saturday May 8 – 5:50 am
Loreto Fishout Information
 Mammoth Fishout-Sept. 18th-25th and Sept. 25th-Oct. 2nd
Alaska Fishout Information
Cartoon…………………………..…

Posted on March 31st, 2021

Date:  4/7/2021

Time:  6:30 pm

Place:  Zoom

Posted on by

The Rogue River & the Impressions Left Behind

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.

Posted on March 27th, 2021

Posted on by

Let’s put the ‘Fly’ in Fly Fishing

by Raffle coordinator Jeff Goyert

How about a gift card ($100 bucks!) for fly tying stuff from the Fly Shop in Redding? Wow!! They have a huge selection of absolutely everything a fly tyer could dream of. Call them up or go online, it is truly a fly tying paradise.  Just like being a ‘kid in a candy store’.
Ok. Full disclosure.  The gift card is good for anything at the Fly Shop, just wanted to show a little love to the fly tying folks.

Now that you have tied up a bunch of new flies or maybe just did some organization of your old flies it would be great to have some boxes to stash them in.  Take a look at this neat package from Adamsbuilt of Fallon Nv.  Four individual clear lid boxes and a padded heavy duty zippered carry case. Great way to store hundreds of flies at your fingertips.

For those of you who just want to grab a box of flies and hit the road  take a look at this box of custom tied flies by John T. Kraschinsky.  They were donated by club member Matt Maulin and are beyond gorgeous.  There are a little over 2 dozen flies. Dry, nymphs, and a few midges. Beautifully presented in a custom Fly Club box.

YOU CAN’T WIN A PRIZE IF YOU DON’T BUY A TICKET!! DON’T BE A WHINER,  BE A WINNER !
Tickets are a dollar each, $20 bucks gets you 25 chances to win.  Need not be present at the Zoom meeting to win.
Click on this link to purchase tickets.

https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/raffle

Posted on March 27th, 2021

Posted on by

March 2021 Newsletter

Club Meeting: March 3rd at 6:30 pm

Zoom links are on the menu of the website. Just click on the menu item for the general meeting.

General Meeting……………………
Monthly Raffle……………………
President’s Line…………………….
Fly Tying……………………
Conservation Concerns……………
Membership Notes…………………
Fishout Schedule…………………
Gearing Up……………………….…
Cartoon…………………………..…

Posted on March 22nd, 2021

Posted on by

Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 5-11th 2021

by Fishmaster: Mike White - (831) 706-5556

Fishmaster: Mike White – (831) 706-5556,  lumberguy73@hotmail.com

We are planning on having a Pyramid Lake 2021 fish out. The dates are April 5th through the 11th. We have 4 mobile homes reserved so far, and currently they are all full. If you are interested in attending please contact Mike White immediately and he will help you find accommodations preferably at Pyramid Lake Lodge at (775) 476-0400. This has been an unusual time for all, and trying to arrange a fish out under these conditions has been challenging. However, at this point we have confirmation that everyone on the list of current attendees understand the risk, and are still committed to going on the trip. So, if you are in that camp contact Mike White.

The Pyramid Lake trip is one of the best-attended fishouts the club has, and for a good reason. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout cruise parallel to the shore in easy casting distance from shore. Cost for the week including meals and lodging and is around $300+ per person depending on the number in attendance. You need not fish all six days as there may be openings (usually later in the week.) Contact Mike for more details (831) 706-5556, to check on openings, or be put on a waiting list. First come first served.

You can also make your own arrangements either by bringing your own RV (Pyramid Lake Lodge has hook-ups and sells permits to park on the any of the beaches along the lake) or staying in Reno. Reno is 45 minutes away. Call Pyramid Lake Lodge to inquire about last minute cancellations in their cabins as well (775) 476-0400 and check out their website to see what the cabins look like at www.pyramidlakelodge.com. The General Store in Sutcliff offers meals on selected nights only to those who call in before 2:00 PM. Check at the General Store for details.

Equipment: 6-9 weight rods with hi-speed, hi-D shooting heads or fast sink integrated lines to fish the bottom in 6 to 9 feet of water, and a floating line for indicator fishing. You should bring a stripping basket and a ladder that will accommodate it. A ladder helps to get you up out of the cold water and enable you to cast out to where the fish are. You can still catch fish without one but not with near as much consistency.

Flies: Woolly buggers in black, white, purple, olive, midge, caddis and mayfly nymphs to name a few. If as in years past the Confab in February is offering the opportunity to see how some of the best Pyramid patterns are made plan to attend and bring a vise and tie some yourself. Flies may also available from club member Jim Hall who ties some very good flies specific to Pyramid cutthroat as well as other species at reasonable cost. His number is (831) 713-6835. There is a general store with provisions as well as tackle and an assortment of flies.

How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.

If you have any questions about equipment or how to get there, check the “Gearing up” columns in the March 2007-2009 archives on our great club website, or call Mike White at (831) 706-5556.

If you are considering going to Pyramid again this year with the club and you have not already done so, please contact the person who is booking the trailer you stayed in last year. Trailer-masters, if your trailer has gaps or cancellations, you can call Mike so he can pass the names of members who don’t have lodging to fill the empty spots.

Fishing, Camping, and New Ladder Regulation:

Fishing and camping permits can be purchased online prior to the fish-out. We would highly recommend doing this. Go to www.plpt.nsn.us to obtain your licenses. There is also an RV Park available at (775) 476-1155.

As with any great fishery there are always a long list of rules and regulations. We would recommend you review them on the website above. Suffice to say those of us who have been going to Pyramid Lake for many years are a good source of information as well. We will help inform and guide all newcomers.

15.6 USE OF LADDERS, ETC. Any ladders, milk crates, boxes or other objects used in the water as a fishing aid must be occupied or closely attended (i.e. remain in the area) by fishermen at all times. Any person who leaves such objects unoccupied in the water for more than one hour will be deemed guilty of littering. 15.6.1 Fishing aids described above must have a permanent tag affixed that has the name, address, and phone number of the owner of the fishing aid. If the permitted angler using the fishing aid is not the owner, the owner will be the responsible party for any infractions by the permitted angler.

NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Fly fishermen, so get your membership paid up if you haven’t done so yet.

Posted on January 28th, 2021

Posted on by

Joshua Wilkens fishing the Yuba with his dad

Me and my dad took a guided trip on the Yuba drifting near Timbuctoo. Caught a few trout and a few steelhead. On a size 8 yellowish stimulator, a few on smaller nymphs copper johns and my all time favorite nymph, Hogan’s S & M. We saw March browns hatch and pinkies I learned about I guess there are really salmon pink mayfly looking things. I enjoyed swinging as per always and caught some on a belly ache minnow fly which opposed to a bead head or dumbbell eyes the weight is a scud weight tied to belly.
Our guide was Chuck Ragan who was awesome. Chuck turned out to be best friends with Hogan Brown who is the creator of my ‘go to’ fly, Hogan’s S & M.

Posted on February 24th, 2021

Posted on by

Dan Eaton’s most valuable catch at the Forebay!

On the SCFF annual O’Neil Forebay Striper fishout last October, Jeff Slaboden lost his fly rod and reel that fell off his float tube somewhere out in this body of water. He was bummed out.

While fishing the O’Neil Forebay on February 21at, Dan Eaton hooked and landed a fly rod near the towers. Being a good guy, he posted the news on Google Groups asking if anyone in the club had lost it.

As Jeff says “The odds of getting a lost rod back from the waters of San Luis reservoir are 1 in 100 million. What a great club we have with a very generous group of people.”

Posted on February 24th, 2021

Posted on by

Suggestions and guidelines for submitting SCFF Newsletter

by Scott Kitayama

Thank you for being a volunteer contributor to the award-winning Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Newsletter.  Without effort and content from the membership, there would be no newsletter at all.   Below is information to make it easy to get your article into the newsletter.

Timeline:

3rd Sunday of the month:  Articles need to be submitted.

4th Wednesday of the month:  Newsletter editor has reviewed all articles.

4th Friday of the month:  Online and print newsletter is created.

Newsletter is sent out over the weekend.  

Article Submission:

Articles are submitted online at:  https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/newsletter-submit/

There are specific fields in the form and below are explanations of what they are and what to do.

First & Last Name  (Mandatory fields)

Email (Mandatory)

Indicate which month the article should be published:

You can submit an article ahead of time and we will put it in the correct newsletter.  If you do not indicate the month, we will put it in the next newsletter.

Note for newsletter editor

Please let us know if there is anything, we need to get your article to look correct on the online and print newsletter.  For example, if you could not find a picture, you could describe what kind of picture you think would work best.

Article Category:

Helps us determine where to place the article.  Take your best guess of where if it’s based on the categories below.  (the editors reserve the right to move an article to another category).

Section

Description

Monthly Meeting Program

Speaker info.

Fly Tying Class

Information on the monthly fly-tying class.

Fly of the Month

Instructions on how to tie a fly.

President’s Line

Monthly musings from the club’s president.

Reel News

Newsy items like upcoming fly shows, other organization fund raisers, lost and found, press releases of interest, reminders of getting fishing licenses at beginning of year, etc.

Membership Notes

Information on new members, board update (i.e. treasurer’s update).

Conservation Concerns

Information on conservation issues that affect fly fishing waters and fish stock.

Gearing Up

Full description of the fish out and some information of what you need.

Monthly Raffle

Items that will be raffled off at the next club meeting.

Cartoon

Fishing funnies.

Bait for Thought

Quotes. life lessons, and inspirational stories.

Lifelines

Survival and safety tips.

Recipe of the Month

Cooking recipe of interest to members.

Fishy Tales

Letting the membership know about individual’s fishing trips.

Gone Fishing

Reports from official club “fish out” trips.

Cast of Thousands

 items for sale, looking for items, free giveaways

Article title:  (Mandatory)

Catchy titles are best

Author byline:

Enter your name as you would like it to appear as the author byline in the newsletter. For example,  “Conservation Director Jo Smith.”

Article Text:

This is where you paste in the story as simple text.   Text bolding, underlining, font type and size will not be seen by the editors.  If you want to have specific formatting, please let the editors know in the above field:  “Notes to the editor”.    Finally, please try and paste the article without a paragraph/carriage return at the end of the article.

Article Summary:  (New Field)

We are trying to work around email length limitations imposed by Gmail.  To allow all articles to appear in the email, we are limiting the email text of the article to the first 40 words OR a brief description of the article in less than 200 characters or about 40 words.   This field is where you would put in your description.  (Note:  On Windows, I use a free text editor Notepad++ that counts characters as you type)

Source: (Option, rarely used)

If the article submission is from another website, here is where you would enter the URL address.

Featured Photo

Please try and include a photo/image for every article.   The editors have been spending a lot of time trying to find an appropriate photo for the articles.  I would be best if you could submit the article with an image.  Here are some

  • Please try and provide an image with permission rights for us to use.  
  • The image looks best if square.  
  • The image should be more than 640 by 640 pixels (i.e. more than 100 kb in size).
  • Should be a JPEG, PNG or GIF.
  • IF you cannot find an image, then in the field “Notes to the editor”, let us know what kind of image you would like to see with the article.  This will help us try and source one.

Additional Photos

More photos are great!  May not use them all in the printed newsletter, but all of them in the online version.   If the photo is supposed to be located next to specific paragraph, please let us know that in the field “Notes to the Editor”.

Again, thank you for making the SCFF newsletter a “must read” every month!

Posted on January 25th, 2021

Posted on by

Opportunity for a September Alaska trip for two

Steve Rawson writes:  I have a deposit in on the trip targeting trout to Cooper Landing, Alaska.  Leaving September 4 and returning  September 21, 2021. It is not going to work out for me this year, so there are a couple of spots to fill.

Trip is a shared trip (rental car, guides, cabin and groceries) with three others. Very economical. I did before and highly recommend.

contact:  Steve Rawson 831 917 0551

Posted on January 28th, 2021

Posted on by

Tie one on: The Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai

by Scott Kitayama

Let’s dream about warm Hawaii in chilly January by tying Hula Shrimp flies and drinking Mai Tais. As many of you know, the Mai Tai was created by Victor Bergeron (Trader Vic’s) in Oakland. A decade later, the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach was the first to serve the drink and it quickly became synonymous with Hawaii instead of Oakland.

The Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai*:
Ingredients
1 ounce dark rum
1 ounce light rum
1 ounce orange curacao
2 ounces orange juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
Dash orgeat
Dash simple syrup (bar syrup)

Preparation
Combine all of the ingredients in the order listed in an old fashioned style glass over shaved ice. Stir with a swizzle stick. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cherry.

Note: There are many downsides to virtual fly tying, however staying at home provides a benefit that adult beverages can be consumed during the class.

* From Hawaiimagazine.com July 31, 2017

Posted on December 30th, 2020

Posted on by

Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 5-11th 2021

by Fishmaster: Mike White - (831) 706-5556

Fishmaster: Mike White – (831) 706-5556,  lumberguy73@hotmail.com

We are planning on having a Pyramid Lake 2021 fish out. The dates are April 5th through the 11th. We have 4 mobile homes reserved so far, and currently they are all full. If you are interested in attending please contact Mike White immediately and he will help you find accommodations preferably at Pyramid Lake Lodge at (775) 476-0400. This has been an unusual time for all, and trying to arrange a fish out under these conditions has been challenging. However, at this point we have confirmation that everyone on the list of current attendees understand the risk, and are still committed to going on the trip. So, if you are in that camp contact Mike White.

The Pyramid Lake trip is one of the best-attended fishouts the club has, and for a good reason. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout cruise parallel to the shore in easy casting distance from shore. Cost for the week including meals and lodging and is around $300+ per person depending on the number in attendance. You need not fish all six days as there may be openings (usually later in the week.) Contact Mike for more details (831) 706-5556, to check on openings, or be put on a waiting list. First come first served.

You can also make your own arrangements either by bringing your own RV (Pyramid Lake Lodge has hook-ups and sells permits to park on the any of the beaches along the lake) or staying in Reno. Reno is 45 minutes away. Call Pyramid Lake Lodge to inquire about last minute cancellations in their cabins as well (775) 476-0400 and check out their website to see what the cabins look like at www.pyramidlakelodge.com. The General Store in Sutcliff offers meals on selected nights only to those who call in before 2:00 PM. Check at the General Store for details.

Equipment: 6-9 weight rods with hi-speed, hi-D shooting heads or fast sink integrated lines to fish the bottom in 6 to 9 feet of water, and a floating line for indicator fishing. You should bring a stripping basket and a ladder that will accommodate it. A ladder helps to get you up out of the cold water and enable you to cast out to where the fish are. You can still catch fish without one but not with near as much consistency.

Flies: Woolly buggers in black, white, purple, olive, midge, caddis and mayfly nymphs to name a few. If as in years past the Confab in February is offering the opportunity to see how some of the best Pyramid patterns are made plan to attend and bring a vise and tie some yourself. Flies may also available from club member Jim Hall who ties some very good flies specific to Pyramid cutthroat as well as other species at reasonable cost. His number is (831) 713-6835. There is a general store with provisions as well as tackle and an assortment of flies.

How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.

If you have any questions about equipment or how to get there, check the “Gearing up” columns in the March 2007-2009 archives on our great club website, or call Mike White at (831) 706-5556.

If you are considering going to Pyramid again this year with the club and you have not already done so, please contact the person who is booking the trailer you stayed in last year. Trailer-masters, if your trailer has gaps or cancellations, you can call Mike so he can pass the names of members who don’t have lodging to fill the empty spots.

Fishing, Camping, and New Ladder Regulation:

Fishing and camping permits can be purchased online prior to the fish-out. We would highly recommend doing this. Go to www.plpt.nsn.us to obtain your licenses. There is also an RV Park available at (775) 476-1155.

As with any great fishery there are always a long list of rules and regulations. We would recommend you review them on the website above. Suffice to say those of us who have been going to Pyramid Lake for many years are a good source of information as well. We will help inform and guide all newcomers.

15.6 USE OF LADDERS, ETC. Any ladders, milk crates, boxes or other objects used in the water as a fishing aid must be occupied or closely attended (i.e. remain in the area) by fishermen at all times. Any person who leaves such objects unoccupied in the water for more than one hour will be deemed guilty of littering. 15.6.1 Fishing aids described above must have a permanent tag affixed that has the name, address, and phone number of the owner of the fishing aid. If the permitted angler using the fishing aid is not the owner, the owner will be the responsible party for any infractions by the permitted angler.

NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Fly fishermen, so get your membership paid up if you haven’t done so yet.

Posted on December 30th, 2020

Date:  12/2/2020

Time:  7:00 pm

Posted on by

Bass fishing Clear Lake, using the Float and Fly technique

by Program Coordinator: Jim Black

Ryan Williams is going to join us again.  This time he will be discussing Clear Lake and more about his Float and Fly technique.

After Ryan’s earlier presentation in August about Lake Oroville, Sam Bishop and his friend fished with Ryan after the presentation to the Club. Sam enjoyed fishing with Ryan and suggested we have him do another Zoom Presentation.

Ryan’s expertise covers major Rivers and Lakes, among which are the Lower Sac, Clear Lake, Lake Oroville, and most fish in which we will are interested: Smallmouth and Black Bass, Stripers, Trout, and Steelhead. He will be presenting Bass fishing Clear Lake, using his Float and Fly technique

I’ve included his web address above as before and suggest you visit his website. I did in August and found it informative, interesting and fun, all set to music!  https://flyfishcnv.com/

 

Posted on November 21st, 2020

Posted on by

Send in your pictures!

by Program Coordinator: Jim Black

It’s now time to prepare for our Annual Santa Cruz Slideshow (Zoom Meeting on January 6th, 2021) and look forward to sharing last years Fishing Experiences with our entire club.  As he did last year, Rich Rubin has graciously agreed to be the Master of Ceremonies for Our Slide Show.

Please submit your photos to Rich Rueben to richr@cruzio.com

Pictures should be emailed directly to Rich so he can save them to his iPad.  Please don’t use Dropbox or other cloud based applications.

 

Posted on November 24th, 2020

Posted on by

Annual Salinas River launch-site cleanup

Geoff Malloway from Central Coast Fly Fishing writes on Facebook: “Another successful Salinas River cleanup!  We had an exceptional turnout thanks to the Salinas Valley Flyfishers, the Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen, CDFW , AmeriCorps and Trout Unlimited. Also, special thanks to Jefferson Farms (Jay and Benji) and MPWMD.  A lot was accomplished but there’s always more to do.”

The Salinas Valley Fly Fishing club have been doing this cleanup for years right before the December opening of the Salinas river.  There were about 25 people total who helped on the morning of November 22nd.   SCFF was represented by Jeff Gose, Jeff Slaboden, Sam Bishop and Scott Kitayama. Great to meet people from the other organizations.

 

If you are fishing any of the coastal rivers this winter, Tim Frahm from Trout Unlimited asks that you fill out the “Central Coast Striped Bass Catch Reporting Survey” which shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds to fill out and will help better understand our local waters.  The survey can be found at https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/wge1mabO    

Posted on November 24th, 2020

Posted on by

New SCCF Hoodie available for order

by SCFF Board Member: Michael McGannon

Just made available.   SCFF Trout Logo on cotton hoodie with a full zipper.   Small logo on front pocket only in sizes Small, Medium Large and Extra Large.  Price is $59 which includes shipping.    We are only going to inventory a few per size, so please buy and we will get it to you as soon as we can.

 

 

Posted on November 24th, 2020

Posted on by

lactococcus garvieae

The first-time introduction of a bacteria into California caused a culling of many fish at hatcheries.   Member, Tom Deetz, let us know about this and below is an article from CalTrout about it.   If others find new information about this, please share on Google Groups or submit to the newsletter.  –  Scott Kitayama

CDFW Euthanizes 3.2 Million Trout to Halt Bacteria Outbreak 
July 22, 2020 (article from CalTrout)

On July 20, 2020, three California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) hatcheries in Southern California and the eastern Sierra euthanized 3.2 million hatchery trout to stop the outbreak of a bacterial infection. Fish at the hatcheries have been infected with Lactococcus garvieae, which is similar to streptococcus, wildlife officials said.

The disease was previously unknown in California, and CDFW staff have been trying multiple treatments and strategies to try to resolve the outbreak over the last three months. Efforts have been unsuccessful. Consequently and as a last resort, CDFW pathologists have recommended that the fish be euthanized and the facilities disinfected before repopulating the hatcheries with L. garvieae-free fish.

The trout, which are used to stock waterways for recreational fishing, are at Mojave River Hatchery, Black Rock Hatchery and Fish Springs Hatchery.

Where have scheduled fish plants been canceled, due to this outbreak?

The counties affected include:

– Los Angeles
– San Bernardino
– Riverside
– San Diego
– Orange
– Ventura
– Santa Barbara Inyo
– Mono

Can CDFW make up for the canceled plants with fish from non-infected hatcheries?

Currently, three of CDFW’s largest trout production hatcheries in the state are shut down, and two others are coming back online after significant infrastructure problems and not yet at full production. In addition, a catchable size fish takes around two years to get to size. There is no way for the remaining trout hatcheries to make up that level of fish production. CDFW is evaluating the possibility of re-allocating fish destined to be stocked in northern California waters to a small group of high use, easily accessible Eastern Sierra and Southern California waters, but there are still significant logistical details to be worked out including safety of staff and travel under current COVID-19 restrictions.

Can humans get sick from this bacteria? Should people take extra precaution if eating fish they catch?

There is limited evidence L. garvieae bacteria has been passed to humans, but fish-to-human transmission is extremely rare. As always, anglers should follow USDA recommendations on cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

More information can be found on the CDFW FAQ list. “FAQ for Lactococcus garvieae outbreak in Southern California fish hatcheries“

Posted on October 24th, 2020

Posted on by

Volunteer for Salinas River Cleanup, Sunday November 21st.

by Scott Kitayama, SCFF Member

Join the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers for the annual clean up of the Salinas River fishing access. The event will be on Sunday November 21st starting at 9:00 am.  Greg Smith is the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers representative for this event.  Wear clothing for the weather of that day and if you can, bring gloves and a three prong hoe, as it’s the best tool.

Directions:

  • Go South on Highway 1 towards Monterey
  • Follow CA-1 S to Molera Rd. Take exit 414 from CA-1 S and take Nashua Rd over the highway
  • Take the first right on Monte Road 1.6 miles to your destination.   This is a dirt parking lot on the left side of the road before the twin bridges.

Posted on October 21st, 2021

Posted on by

Volunteer for Salinas River Cleanup, Sunday November 22nd.

by Scott Kitayama, SCFF Member

Join the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers for the annual clean up of the Salinas River fishing access. The event will be on Sunday November 22nd starting at 9:00 am.  Jay Jefferson is the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers representative for this event.  Wear clothing for the weather of that day and if you can, bring gloves and a three prong hoe, as it’s the best tool.

Directions:

  • Go South on Highway 1 towards Monterey
  • Follow CA-1 S to Molera Rd. Take exit 414 from CA-1 S and take Nashua Rd over the highway
  • Take the first right on Monte Road 1.6 miles to your destination.   This is a dirt parking lot on the left side of the road before the twin bridges.

Posted on October 24th, 2020

Posted on by

Veep’s Line – Voting for John Steele Award

by Kevin Murdock, Vice President SCFF

With all the hoopla going on surrounding early voting this fall, it would be advisable for each of us to create a voting plan. No, not for the presidential election… I’m referring to our own John Steel award for 2021.
Who will be honored as this years recipient? Who has helped you on your fly fishing journey this year? Who shared a favorite fishing spot or favorite fly with you? Who showed you how to make a tuck cast or tie a new fishing knot? Who lent you a piece of equipment or taught you how to tie a new fly pattern? Who gave you sound fishing advice or just went out of their way to make you feel welcome at a club event? That is who will be chosen for this award.
And, as our nations president says, go ahead and vote twice. Or three or four times. (Just once for each kind deed though).
You can cast your ballot by emailing me at troutdock89@gmail.com or texting me at (831) 238-3037. We’ll announce the results in the January newsletter.

Posted on September 25th, 2020