The Fly Club raffle is taking a short break for the summer. There will be no meeting or raffle in July, in lieu of the August meeting we will be holding our annual summer BBQ. No raffle but we will have some great door prizes. Don’t miss out.
September will see our regular meeting with both online and in-person raffle ticket sales.
Many thanks to all who participate in our raffles, your support is greatly appreciated.
Posted on August 11th, 2023
Some salespeople really bite!
Posted on August 4th, 2023
If you are new to fly fishing and want some hands-on learning, here are some local resources. The first is our club’s casting clinic held the last Saturday of the month at Jade Park in Capitola. (Check the club activity list in the newsletter or the monthly calendar on the website). Another option is to check the schedule at Central Coast Flyfishing and see what Geoff Malloway is offering: https://www.centralcoastflyfishing.com/
This fall, we have club members offering classes through the local recreation department. This might be a good class for some of our brand new members or for friends who are interested in an introduction to fly fishing.
Discover Fly Fishing
Capitola Park & Recreation
Alex Ferber
It will be 5 consecutive Saturdays starting September 23- October 21. It will be held at the Jade St Park in Capitola and we will use the recreation building for our classroom sessions. The class is for those with little or no experience in Fly Fishing. It will cover basic casting on the lawn, as well as classroom instruction on knot tying, rigging rods for various fishing situations, reading water, basic entomology, conservation and an overview of the equipment one might need to get staying fly fishing. It is geared to those wanting to get into fly fishing or to those just getting into fly fishing who would like a formal introduction to what it takes to fly fish. I will supply all the equipment, including rods, reels etc. you can sign up for it at: https://www.cityofcapitola.org/recreation
Fly Fishing 101 – Oct 17 and Oct 21
Santa Cruz Park & Recreation
Tim Loomis
Fly fishing demystified! This class will cover the basics of fly fishing along with the history of the sport from its evolution of tree branches as poles to state of the art graphite rods. Learn about two of the commonly used types of fly fishing along with the ABCs of casting with all the various knots, materials and gear available. Then we will head outside to practice the skills learned. Discover a lifelong hobby that will take you into the great outdoors. Tuesday’s class is instructional and Saturday’s class will be held outdoors. Rods, reels and gear are all provided. A material fee of $30.00 is due to the instructor at the first class. Tuesday’s class will take place at 7pm at the LNCC, Saturday’s class will take place at 10:00am at DeLaveaga Park Meadow.
Additional info and sign up detail at:
Posted on July 27th, 2023
General Meeting……………………
August BBQ
Summer Raffle Schedule……………………
President’s Line……………………
Fly Tying……………………
August Class: Chubby Chernobyl
Fly of the Month: Parachute Ant with Orange Post
Conservation Concerns……………
Fall Creek Fish Ladder Improvement Project Begins
Membership Notes…………………
Club Activities – August
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
30 2023 Rosters Will Be Available
Fishout Schedule…………………
Gone Fishing…………………
Lake Almanor Fishout
Cartoon ……………………
Posted on July 26th, 2023
I think that the dozen of us that participated in the Lake Almanor Fishout would agree that the weather was perfect; cool and crisp in the mornings and up into the mid-seventies in the afternoons. The downside of the mild weather was the relatively cool lake water temperature which reduced the quality of the Hexagenia hatch. A handful of big fish were taken by anglers lucky enough be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing.
Those that ventured to other local waters such as Clear Creek, Crater Lake, Baum Lake, Manzanita Lake and such were rewarded for their time spent behind the wheel with lovely scenery and quality fly fishing.
The dates for next year’s Lake Almanor Fishout will be Saturday 6/22 thru Saturday 6/29. For cabin reservations at Wilson’s Camp call Debbie a 530-259-2267. For cabins at Plumas Pines call 530-259-4343.
Many thanks to all that participated in this years event, congratulations to those successful in their angling efforts.
Posted on July 26th, 2023
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District has announced that work has begun in Felton to improve fish migration up into Fall Creek—a tributary of San Lorenzo River. Early last year, our club submitted a letter in support of this project. This was in response to a request from one of our members, Carly Blanchard, who happens to be The San Lorenzo Valley Water District Environmental Programs Manager. The existing fish ladder—built thirty years ago—had steps too tall to allow the fish to easily move up the creek. The re-design incorporates lowering the ladder steps from eighteen to twelve inch steps. This is critical to make the trip upstream easier for steelhead and coho salmon. The water district has been working with the National Marine Fisheries Services and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on the design to meet current accepted standards. The budget for the project is about $2.3 million with $1.1 million coming by way of a grant from the CDFW Watershed Restoration Grant Program. Completion date is expected to be October 2023. Great work Carly!
By the way, there is a trail that follows Fall Creek in the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell State Park that is beautiful, especially this year after all the rain. Check it out if you get a chance.
For more information, go to: https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/07/10/fish-ladder-upgrades-underway-at-fall-creek-in-felton/
Posted on July 26th, 2023
| Date | Activity Link | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
| Sep 06 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Fly Fishing Film Tour 2023 | The 17th annual FLY FISHING FILM TOUR (F3T) The 2023 show will feature locations from Cuba to Patagonia, Mexico to Australia, Alaska, Wyoming, the Deep South, Massachusetts and beyond. Experience the achievement of a permit slam, follow one man’s journey from Mexico to the waters of Wyoming, explore the best international waters and compete for the legendary belt buckle. Join us for a journey of adventure, friendship and the best fly fishing action. The F3T is the original and largest fly fishing film event of its kind. Come for the action and stay for the giveaways and camaraderie that will feed your fishing addiction. | Aptos Grange |
| Sep 23 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
Posted on July 26th, 2023
Reminder 30 SCFF Rosters 2023 will be available @ the BBQ Wednesday, August 2nd meeting.
Posted on July 26th, 2023
The newsletter provides brief fishout info. For full detail, go to the website menu and select EVENTS -> Fishout Schedule
| EVENT NAME | EVENT DATE | SPECIES | FISH MASTER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Del Mar State Beach Surf Fishout | Aug 05 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout | Sep 02 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | To Be Determined |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) | Sep 08 - Sep 10 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Mammoth Fishout – UPDATED – | Sep 23 - Oct 07 | Trouts | John Cook |
| October surf fishout – Beer Can | Oct 07 | perch, stripers | Sam Bishop - Fishing; Mike Lovejoy - Breakfast |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) – CONFIRMED Oct 14 | Oct 14 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
| O’Neill Forebay ‘Stosh’ Memorial Fishout | Oct 19 - Oct 22 | Striped Bass | Kevin Murdock |
| 2023 Fishout Round-Up | Dec 01 - Dec 02 | FISH | Club Members |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) Date Postponed High Water | Mar 15 - Mar 17 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 1 – April 7, 2024 – New Info | Apr 01 - Apr 07 | Lahontan Cutthroat Trout | Mike White - (831) 706-5556 |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) | Apr 20 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
Posted on July 26th, 2023
This fly just works. It makes a great hopper/dropper top fly and it catches fish on it’s own. No dry fly hackle or other expensive materials and it can be tied and just about any color. We’ll be tying this one in purple which is probably my favorite version. It’s also not too difficult to tie making it great for beginners.
Purple, black or dark thread in 6/0 or 70 denier works well but anything close will do. I’ll have some extra thread. Another thing to bring, if you have it is super glue. All materials provided. Please bring your vise and tools but if you need anything, let me know.
No need to RSVP.
Hope to see you there! Jerry
Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to Fly Name to see more information.
| Date | Fly | Excerpt | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Sep 13 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Barry Smelt | Guest instructor: Michael Sherwood |
 | Oct 11 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | October Caddis - Fly Tying Class | All club members are welcome! |
Posted on July 25th, 2023
For our August meeting, we’ll get together for our annual summer B-B-Q. This year, we’ll meet at 6:00 pm at the Aptos Grange. The club will host a burger and hot-dog cookout with all the fixings. (Adult beverages will not be offered. Feel free to bring your own.)
We’ll also hold a fishing swap-meet/flea market. Bring your gently or un-used gear to the meeting for cash or trade. Be sure to bring your own display table.
Also, bring your favorite rod and join the cast for cash competition. This meeting is a great opportunity to meet and greet in person.
Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.
| Monthly Speaker | Date | Excerpt |
|---|
Posted on July 25th, 2023
We are going to have the Annual BBQ and Swap meet at the Aptos Grange on Wednesday, August 2nd at 6:00 pm. I kind of think of this event as a gift from David South and Kevin Murdock to the club members. They do all of the purchase of the food, prep and cook it for us. All they want is that we show up, eat some food, and have a good time. Its that easy to make them happy.
In June, I joined club members, Elaine and John Cook, Kathy Powers and Michael Sherwood as we camped and fished our way through Yellowstone NP, Cody WY and Dutch John UT. With guides costing upwards of $700 a day, it was an honor to fish and learn from fellow club members who have been fishing these waters annually for upwards of 25 years. We had lots-of-fish days and no-fish days, sunny days and God-is-going-to-blow-our-camper-two-states-east days. After two and a half weeks, I was sated; I could have fished more, but I didn’t need to fish more. And that might be the best way to end a trip.
Just last year, Emily Marriott joined the SCFF club and the Board by volunteering for the Secretary and the Marketing positions. Without any prior experience in fly fishing, Emily learned quickly and became a regular at the fly tying classes and the surf fishouts. In August, Emily and Adam are moving to central Illinois to help care for aging parents and be closer to their daughter and grandchild. We are going to miss Emily’s smile, purple hair, and great work she did on behalf of the club. Thank you so much Emily!
For the rest of the 2023, Carly Blanchard has stepped in to be the Secretary for the club. Carly has been helping behind the scenes with the monthly online raffle and she is going to be a real help with conservation issues as she is the Environmental Programs Manager for the San Lorenzo Valley Watershed District. You can read about one of her projects, “Fall Creek Fish Ladder”, in the conservations section of the newsletter. We are lucky to have her join the Board!
We still have an opening on the Board for Marketing and Merchandise position. If you have a creative flair, like designing and selling logo items, and want to help spread the Santa Cruz Fly Fishing brand than let’s talk!
Posted on July 25th, 2023
| Date | Activity Link | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
| Aug 26 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
Posted on June 28th, 2023
General Meeting……………………
No monthly meeting in July – August BBQ
Summer Raffle Schedule……………………
President’s Line……………………
Fly Tying……………………
July Class: Copper John
Fly of the Month: Renegade Fly
Conservation Concerns……………
Tulare Lake is Back—For Now
Membership Notes…………………
Club Activities – July
Fly Casting Meetup July 22 at Jade St. Park
2023 Rosters available August BBQ
Fishout Schedule…………………
Cartoon ……………………
Posted on June 28th, 2023
The Fly Club raffle is taking a short break for the summer. There will be no meeting or raffle in July, in lieu of the August meeting we will be holding our annual summer BBQ. No raffle but we will have some great door prizes. Don’t miss out.
September will see our regular meeting with both online and in-person raffle ticket sales.
Many thanks to all who participate in our raffles, your support is greatly appreciated.
Posted on June 26th, 2023
Additional 2023 Rosters are available at the August BBQ @ the Aptos Grange. Please email me if you cannot make the BBQ and want a Roster at Robert6367@aol.com.
Posted on June 24th, 2023
Some of the expected outcomes of the onslaught of storms this year are the near record snowpack, reservoirs full to the brim and swollen rivers. With climate change, we can expect more drastic swings between flooding and drought in a feast-or-famine cycle. One event during heavy rain and snowpack years is the re-emergence of the “ghost lake”—Tulare Lake. Part of the complex history of man controlling water in California, Tulare has an interesting legacy. Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River, although its size varied between dry and wet periods. It was fed by the Kings, Tule, Kaweah and smaller rivers. During a typical year, the lake covered 650-700 square miles!
It provided habitat to a vast number of wildlife including thicktail chub (now extinct), hitch, blackfish, Sacramento perch, pikeminnow, sucker, Tule Elk, blackbirds, singing marsh wrens, geese, ducks white pelicans, black cormorants, herons, egrets, frogs, turtles, otters and beaver. Living off the abundance of wildlife were the indigenous Yokuts bands.
The demise of the Yokuts and Tulare lake can be traced to the appearance of European settlers. In the case of the Yokuts, malaria, smallpox, enslavement, genocide and the loss of their ancestral land were certainly devastating.
For Tulare Lake, after California became a State, the newly annexed “swamp and overflow” land in the area was subject to sale by the federal government for pennies. The conditions for sale were that the lake can be crossed in a boat and that the prospective buyer was willing to drain the lake for the purpose of farming. With this incentive, farmers engaged in constructing levees and other water containment measures to make the lake bed farmable. The final blow to the lake came in the first half of the 20th century with the influx of mega farming. These farmers had a hand in convincing the Army Corps of Engineers to spend millions of dollars building Pine Flat Dam on the Kings River as a flood control structure. Following shortly afterwards, dams on the Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers were built. So, except during years when the snowmelt overwhelms the flood control infrastructure (1969, 1983, and 1997 and 2023) Tulare Lake does not exist. From a wildlife resurgence perspective, this year can be considered a wonderful event. Not to mention recharging much-depleted aquifers that have been over-drawn over the years. The downside is how all the water has disrupted and displaced residents in the region. Many of the residents are on the low end of the income scale, will loose farming jobs. Water managers in the area think that it may take a year or two to reclaim much of the lake for farming, costing the economy over a billion dollars.
While we will never return Tulare Lake to its historic glory, I can’t help from thinking if a scaled back version of the lake would be a compromise for the best interests for all stakeholders in California.
For an interesting read, see the following website: https://californiawaterblog.com/2023/04/16/lake-tulare-and-its-fishes-shall-rise-again/
Posted on June 21st, 2023
The newsletter provides brief fishout info. For full detail, go to the website menu and select EVENTS -> Fishout Schedule
| EVENT NAME | EVENT DATE | SPECIES | FISH MASTER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach Surf Fishout | Jul 01 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Loreto Fly Fishing Trip July 2023 | Jul 16 - Jul 20 | Salty Sharp Toothed Fishy Critters | Rich Hughett |
| Kennedy Meadows / Sonora Pass – Fish-Out 2023 | Jul 23 - Jul 27 | Trout | Tom Hogye |
| Rio Del Mar State Beach Surf Fishout | Aug 05 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout | Sep 02 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | To Be Determined |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) | Sep 08 - Sep 10 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Mammoth Fishout – UPDATED – | Sep 23 - Oct 07 | Trouts | John Cook |
| October surf fishout – Beer Can | Oct 07 | perch, stripers | Sam Bishop - Fishing; Mike Lovejoy - Breakfast |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) – CONFIRMED Oct 14 | Oct 14 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
| O’Neill Forebay ‘Stosh’ Memorial Fishout | Oct 19 - Oct 22 | Striped Bass | Kevin Murdock |
| 2023 Fishout Round-Up | Dec 01 - Dec 02 | FISH | Club Members |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) Date Postponed High Water | Mar 15 - Mar 17 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 1 – April 7, 2024 – New Info | Apr 01 - Apr 07 | Lahontan Cutthroat Trout | Mike White - (831) 706-5556 |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) | Apr 20 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
Posted on June 16th, 2023
John Barr’s “Copper John” is our fly for this month’s class . This attractor fly has a stonefly nymph’s biot tail with a red wire body and a mayfly like thorax. The bead head and wire body help the fly sink to the bottom of the water column and hopefully grab the attention of some chunky opportunistic trout. Bring black 6/0 or 8/0 thread, other materials will be supplied. The club has tools to lend for beginners. I hope to see you there! My phone number is below, please text message or call to sign up.
Greg Foy – ph/txt: (831) 239-8780
Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to Fly Name to see more information.
| Date | Fly | Excerpt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 09 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Chubby Chernobyl | Guest Instructor: Jerry McKeon | |
| Sep 13 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Barry Smelt | Guest instructor: Michael Sherwood |
| Oct 11 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | October Caddis - Fly Tying Class | All club members are welcome! |
Posted on June 16th, 2023
Posted on June 15th, 2023
| Info | Date | Excerpt |
|---|---|---|
Join us in August for a BBQ at the Aptos Grange. Hamburger, hot dogs, salad and sodas. BYOB. |
Aug 02 | Club BBQ |
Posted on June 14th, 2023
When I joined the Santa Cruz Fly Fishing club, I assumed that I was going to learn how to cast, where to go, how to read water, and land a fish. One day, I asked Sam Bishop where I could buy surf perch flies and he looked at me with incredulity. “You don’t buy them, you make ’em and if it takes longer than 3 minutes, than you did it wrong.” So a bit chastened, I went to to a fly tying class which featured a surf perch fly. On the left is a picture from the Feb. 2020 newsletter and on the right is the fly that I tied in the class. Let’s just say that I wasn’t a natural.
With that experience and COVID shutting down all in-person activities, it should have been the end of my fly tying. However by September, Tom Hogye (past-president) convinced Elaine to teach fly tying online using Zoom and I volunteered to help Elaine run the Zoom class which means I participated in the class. Over the months, I started to look forward to spending an evening a month in the Zoom class with other club members. Now I watch YouTube videos on tying, go to club swap meets, and buy material on-line. Oh and I still go to the monthly tying classes to learn from others in the club. I even think my tying has improved.
Over the summer months, we will have guest club instructors including Tom Eckert, Greg Foy, Jerry McKeon, and Michael Sherwood. You should give it a try, you might accidentally become a tyer.
Have a wonderful 4th of July,
Scott Kitayama, President
P.S. The fly that Sam was referring to is the “orange stick”. Very effective, fast to tie, and only uses two materials. I am not sure you can buy it. You might just have to make ’em.
Posted on June 14th, 2023
Ok folks, it is now June and time to really get serious about some fine fly fishing.
We have some great raffle prizes help get the party started.
ROD AND REEL PACKAGE
How about a winners pick for either a 5wt, 6wt, or 7wt V-Access 9 ft four piece rod in a cordura hard case along with a matching machine cut HCH reel. Winners choice from mountain trout streams to open water stripers and everything in between. One rod/reel prize will be awarded, winners choice.
HEXAGENIA FLIES
For some of us, June means one thing-HEX HATCH! And that means Lake Almanor, Butt Valley Reservoir, Lake Davis, Fall River, and a few other guarded secret spots that produce the mid-summer Hexagenia Fly. Lance Gray, famed Lake Almanor guide, has put together a box of a dozen of his favorite Hex flies ranging from his Swimming AP, Hex Wiggletail, Hex Dunn, to a Loop Wing Paranymph plus a few in between. A great selection of some great flies.
Note: Henderson Springs has quite a prolific hex hatch in mid-May.
STILLWATER GUIDE BOOK
The good news is that we had a very wet winter however the downside is that some of our favorite streams and rivers will be running high well into summer. Might be time to give some thought to Stillwater options. To that end we have a great book raffle prize “Fly Fishing California Stillwater” by Bill Sunderland.
This beauty is loaded with extensive stillwater techniques, detailed maps, gorgeous photographs, fly selection tips, and local connections to help you achieve success in our mountain and valley waters. A true treasure trove of stillwater information.
THE FINE PRINT
Raffle tickets cost a dollar each, $20 bucks gets you 25. Click on the following link to purchase your lucky raffle tickets:
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/product-category/raffle-prizes/
The online raffle ticket sales office will close at noon on Wednesday the day of the monthly meeting (6/7/23). Club membership not required to participate, need not be present to win. The prize drawing will take place at the regular monthly meeting.
Posted on June 1st, 2023
Posted on June 1st, 2023
I first heard about white bass fishing at Lake Nacimiento about twenty years ago. Even though the lake is only about two hours from Santa Cruz, I never made the trip down there. During the spring spawn when the the conditions are favorable (like ample water) is the prime time to head up the Narrows on the opposite side of the lake from the Marina. Club member Kathryn Yant got the ball rolling this year. She had been working on plans for a trip to Naci with Geoff Malloway, the owner of Central Coast Fly Fishing. Scott Kitayama and I were fortunate to be invited by her to join the group of eight anglers. Dagur Guðmundsson, a central coast guide that presented to our club was took part in the trip. He is quite familiar with Naci and San Antonio and guides these fisheries. We camped the night before at Lake San Antonio because there is a three night minimum at Naci. After setting up the tent, we spread out in search of carp before the rest of the gang arrived. We didn’t find any, but it was great to see the lake near full. The meal that night was full-on gourmet thanks to Chef Brandon Miller. We even had a sighting in the sky which turned out to be a Starlink pass-by.
The next morning we caravanned over to the Marina at Naci and hopped on our rented pontoon boat—what a sweet ride with Captain Malloway at the helm! It was brand new with cushy seats and plenty of room for all of us. The water was glass-smooth and aside from some wood debris we had to keep an eye out for, it was a relaxing cruise. After about an hour, we made it to as far as we could go up the Narrows, which is where the Nacimiento River empties into the lake. After Geoff gave us a brief “how-to” talk and made sure we had some flies, we got out of the boat and waded upstream in search of white bass. Unfortunately, after a couple hours of searching the clear water, it became evident the spawn was over and the whites had moved back into the lake. We did manage to eke out a few spotted and largemouth bass. Dagur thought we may have caught a couple of smallmouth/spotted bass hybrids. It was a beautiful day and we had the place to ourselves, but the fish didn’t get the memo with our invitation….oh well. On the way back we fished out of the boat in a few of the coves. I guess Dagur decided the boat was to full to try to fish, so he jumped out with rod in hand and proceeded to “fish/swim”. It’s a strange sight to see only a head and arm with rod sticking out of the water! And he was making some nice casts. Oh, to be a young buck. To sum up the fishout: close to home, beautiful scenery, great company, fantastic dinner, fun boat ride, good fishing, not so good catching. I have no regrets, learned a lot, had a great time and look forward to doing it again. I think our club should think about exploring this area for fishouts in the future. And if you are interested in learning about fishing in this area, subscribe to the Central Coast Fly Fishing newsletter to keep up on events offered. https://www.centralcoastflyfishing.com/
Also contact Dagur Guðmundsson for guided fishing opportunities in the area. He is super knowledgable, energetic and a lot of fun. https://www.dagurflyfishing.com/
The bass photos in this article are courtesy of Dagur.
Here is some interesting information about white bass: https://fishbio.com/another-controversial-bass/
Posted on May 31st, 2023
The newsletter provides brief fishout info. For full detail, go to the website menu and select EVENTS -> Fishout Schedule
| EVENT NAME | EVENT DATE | SPECIES | FISH MASTER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout | Jun 03 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Tommy Polito |
| Lake Almanor/Hex Hatch – Jun 25 – Jul 1 2023 – New Info | Jun 24 - Jul 01 | ||
| Palm Beach Surf Fishout | Jul 01 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Loreto Fly Fishing Trip July 2023 | Jul 16 - Jul 20 | Salty Sharp Toothed Fishy Critters | Rich Hughett |
| Kennedy Meadows / Sonora Pass – Fish-Out 2023 | Jul 23 - Jul 27 | Trout | Tom Hogye |
| Rio Del Mar State Beach Surf Fishout | Aug 05 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout | Sep 02 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | To Be Determined |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) | Sep 08 - Sep 10 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Mammoth Fishout – UPDATED – | Sep 23 - Oct 07 | Trouts | John Cook |
| October surf fishout – Beer Can | Oct 07 | perch, stripers | Sam Bishop - Fishing; Mike Lovejoy - Breakfast |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) – CONFIRMED Oct 14 | Oct 14 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
| O’Neill Forebay ‘Stosh’ Memorial Fishout | Oct 19 - Oct 22 | Striped Bass | Kevin Murdock |
| 2023 Fishout Round-Up | Dec 01 - Dec 02 | FISH | Club Members |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) Date Postponed High Water | Mar 15 - Mar 17 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 1 – April 7, 2024 – New Info | Apr 01 - Apr 07 | Lahontan Cutthroat Trout | Mike White - (831) 706-5556 |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) | Apr 20 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
Posted on May 31st, 2023
Our newest member Lannie Spencer comes from Piedmont, Calif, however spends 3 days a month in Aptos and recently met a member @ Companion Bakery in Aptos. Lannie is our 212th member and we welcome him to our flyfishing group.
Regarding Membership, we hope to have our 2023 Roster printed and ready for our monthly June meeting June 7th and if you would like to receive a printed copy, please email @robert6367@aol.com. Also if you are receiving to many googlegroup emails, please email me and I will unsubscribe you from the mailing list.
Posted on May 31st, 2023
We’ve all been hearing about the decade-long effort to to get approval and funding to remove four dams on the Klamath River. The nation’s largest dam removal project is underway. The project cost estimate comes in at $500 million and is expected to have the river at a free-flowing state by the end of 2024.
So, what what is involved in a project like this?
Here are some numbers to give a sense of the scale. Remove 100,000 cubic yards of concrete, 1.3 million cubic yards of soil and 2,000 tons of steel. Fifteen million cubic yards of sediment that has accumulated behind the dams will be released.
What needs to happen prior to removal of the dams?
Seventeen million native plant seeds and 300,000 tree and shrub starts are being collected and prepared for planting the 2,000 acres that will be exposed after the reservoirs are drained. Invasive species are being removed. Water monitoring, wildlife surveys and barriers to protect fish in construction areas are being implemented. Endangered Lost River and short-nosed suckers will need to be relocated because they can’t survive in a flowing river. A new water line will need to be installed that is part of the delivery system to the town of Yreka. Some access roads will need to be widened and fortified to accommodate the heavy machinery required to demolish and remove the dam. Bridges will need to be reinforced. Nearby construction crew temporary housing needs to be provided. All this pre-demolition work need to take place before the dams can be removed.
The first dam to be demolished is Copco 2, the smallest of the four. This dam will have holes drilled and filled with dynamite. Hydraulic picks and other machinery will be used to break down the rubble into manageable chunks to be hauled away. While Copco 2 is being removed, the other three dams will be prepared for draw down and demolition.
This summary just touches the surface of all the details of this huge project. When all is said and done, the hope and expectation is that a healthy, free-flowing Klamath river will provide a much improved ecosystem. And with that, an extended reach of clean, cold habitat for re-establishing decimated Coho and Chinook salmon populations.
For more details and a deeper dive, see the excellent article found at: https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/undamming-and-restoring-the-klamath/Content?oid=26439802
The non-profit organization in charge of managing the project is Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Their website is: https://klamathrenewal.org/
Posted on May 31st, 2023
| Date | Activity Link | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 24 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
| Jul 22 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
Posted on May 31st, 2023
Damselflies will be featured this month and next for our fly tying classes. Adult in June and nymph in June. Trout, largemouth bass and bluegill will go for this particular insect. As usual, all the materials will be provided for the class, except for the thread, and no charge to participate. The thread this month olive 8/0 and bobbin. Some will be available to borrow. If you have a light colored thread, such as white, tan or yellow, you can bring it and we’ll color it with a sharpie pen. Tools and vices and thread are available for beginners, who are always welcome. It never hurts to bring a lamp and magnification. Sign up by contacting Tom Eckert best number 831-818-3801, email c_eckert1@comcast.net or at the June club meeting..
Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to Fly Name to see more information.
| Date | Fly | Excerpt | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Jun 14 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Damselfly Nymph | Guest Instructor: Tom Eckert |
| Jul 12 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Red Copper John | John Barr’s “Copper John” is this our fly for this month’s class . | |
| Aug 09 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Chubby Chernobyl | Guest Instructor: Jerry McKeon | |
| Sep 13 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Barry Smelt | Guest instructor: Michael Sherwood |
Posted on May 31st, 2023
