Optimum Flows

This is the time that the best fishing in the Sierra occurs, just after the snow is all but gone and the water warms into the 50 degree plus range. Insect activity increases and the fish start to look up!

Repairing Simms Gore-Tex Waders

The Simms Fishing Products' website has some good information about their products, especially information about product care. Besides the " Repairing Pinholes " seen in the video above, there is " Repairing small tears " and " Evaluation & repair of neoprene stockingfeet " as well as other videos.

Sierra Nevada Travel Log, May 24, 2009

What started out to be a fishing trip turned into a tour of our Sierra Nevada. I drove up to Sonora Pass, then to Conway Summit, to Tioga Pass and then back home. I really enjoyed this drive on this beautiful late Spring day!

My first stop was the middle fork of the Stanislaus, where you can see from the video that the river was very high. It will probably be a month or so for the water to drop and warm sufficiently for fly fishing to be prime.


My next video/photo stop was at the top of Sonora Pass. As you can see there is still plenty of snow there. It seems that we may be in better shape than last year.


The next stop was along the West Walker past the Marine Base. The river was very high and had a fair amount of color.


I then drove to Bridgeport and drove past Bridgeport Reservoir to take a look at the East Walker on Memorial Day weekend. I was surprised that it wasn't very crowded, but still too many people for my taste.

I then headed south to Conway Summit.


I stopped at the overlook and took in the beautiful view overlooking Mono Lake. Viewing Mono Lake reminded me that just the day before I was speaking to someone about Clint Eastwood in the movie " High Plains Drifter ", you remember the one where the man with no name ( Clint Eastwood ) told the town's people to paint the town red. I told my friend that the town of Lago/Hell was built on the shores of Mono Lake. If you think I'm a little whacked, read about it here and here. B

They don't make 'em like they used to, do they!


After descending Conway Summit, I drove up Lundy Canyon to Lundy Lake.


As I ascended Tioga Pass I stopped at Ellery Lake. Ellery Lake was still about 60% covered with ice.


Even though I didn't fish, I really had a great time taking in the beauty of our Sierra Nevada.

Bass-N-Fly Tournament 2009

The 2nd Annual Bass-N-Fly Tournament took place May 15, 2009. It was won by my friends Mike Baisdon and Russ Owens. They not only took first place but they also took big fish honors! Last year they took second place, they also took big fish honors with a 10lb. 11 oz. monster ( read about it on my blog entry from last year ). About 40 boats entered the tournament. Congratulations, Russ and Mike!

Eastern Sierra-update May 22

Tioga Pass was opened on Wednesday, May 20.

" Leavitt Meadows July 2006 "

Below is map to the exact location where the photo was taken.


View Larger Map

Sonora Pass was opened yesterday, Thursday, May 14. Flows out of the East Walker are currently at 160 c.f.s. ( perfect ). The river has been fishing very well but has been very crowded! Most of the other streams in the area will be high and poor fishing due to run-off. Below is an example of flow conditions, the West Walker's normal flow for this date ( average ) is 700 c.f.s. and is now averaging about a 1000 c.f.s. ( Click on the chart for a better image. )
The drive over the pass should be beautiful. I can't wait to go over!

Whiskey is for drinking,....

..water is for fighting over. No more prophetic words than those of Mark Twain so many years ago. With the exploding population growth of our beautiful state, the recent low rainfall years has caused all sorts of water-related controversies to be raise their ugly heads. Water interests in their desperation to stop the decline of not only the endangered Delta smelt and many other native California fishes such a Silver Salmon, Chinook Salmon, and Steelhead, are now pointing their finger at non-native species such as Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass as a significant contributors to the decline of native species. They ignore or attempt to divert people's thinking that prior to the huge water diversions to the south state, populations of both native and non-native species coexisted in large numbers. There is now ( Assembly Bill 1253 ) an attempt to lift all limits of Striped Bass and allow the commercial harvest of the Striped Bass to reduce the numbers of predator species. The California Sport Fishing Alliance is leading the charge against the bill. You will be able to make feelings known by sending or faxing letters to the appropriate parties on the CSPA's website or on savedeltafish.com.

UPDATE: The bill was gutted due to a good showing by over 60 groups opposing the bill. Read more about it here. As the article says, " The water wars in California are just beginning."

The movie " Rivers of a Lost Coast " is coming to Modesto on April 16, 2009

Rivers of a Lost Coast from Skinny Fist on Vimeo.

" Rivers of a Lost Coast " is coming to Modesto's State Theatre on April 16, 2009. If you attended the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the State Theatre on March 5 you likely saw a segment of the movie. Here is what the movie's website has to say about the movie:

"At the turn of the 20th Century, a handful of pioneers carried their fly rods into California’s remote north coast and gave birth to a culture that would revolutionize their sport. For a select few, steelhead fly fishing became an obsessive pursuit without compromise.

Leading the pack was the mythical, Bill Schaadt, an off-kilter angler famous for his ruthless pursuit to be ‘in the fish’. The new endeavor was ruled by a demanding, unspoken code, which made 'breaking in' almost as difficult as 'breaking out'.

By the early 1980s, the Golden State’s coastal fisheries found themselves caught in a spiraling decline. As California searched for its disappearing salmon and steelhead, these men foraged for their souls."

Tickets are available here at the shop for $9.00 each or online at the State Theatre.

This movie is sponsored by the State Theatre and the Tuolumne River Trust, both non-profit organizations.

Here is a link to the State Theatre.
Here is a link to the Tuolumne River Trust.
Here is a link to " Rivers of a Lost Coast " website for more information on the movie.