Swing-Ku, South Fork Eel, March 2017

Gett'n itchy to go. 

just feel'n like day trip'n, until the main event.

California dreaming.

Along the river trail,

the secret spot we all know well.

fern and moss, encourage hopes.

A perry poke and swing.

Around rivers bend.

Todays perfect tail out found.

Black and blue, swung into  shade

3 on 3 off.

Bend that bamboo!

Yuba-Ku 12-7-2016

This withered river
The Cotton woods aflare.
Harvest moon sets, drizzle rain. 
Beatis emerge. 
Each cast a reflection of
a new year to come. 

Sometimes we go fly fishing not to really catch a fish, but to catch some time with another kindred spirit. Spending time on a river, walking miles searching, where hours can go by with out conversation. Thanks for the day!

Yuba-Ku 12-1-2016

 Before Yule rise to the beat,

baetis and trout along currents edge.

Single cast, single rise,

like the Moon and Mars,

we together.

I'm always excited to fish opening day on my home river. I don't know really why I go anymore. My quest in fly fishing has changed so much over the years. Looking back through my fishing journal, 15 years ago I caught 40 fish on opening day above the hwy 20 bridge. Of course I was casting beads and San Juan worms... At some point I began to change and catching a bunch of fish wasn't what my fly fishing experience was about anymore. So here I am at this river with probably 30 others. It's almost like homecoming really. Today all I brought was a few variations of BWO drys and some small Hilton variations to swing with a new Spey rod I'm testing. At the end of the day I connected to 3 amazing fish all on drys. My intention is not to be better than someone else, rather my hope is to inspire us all to challenge yourself to try something different don't buy into what everyone else does. Find your own truth on the river and believe in it.

Yuba-Ku 7-24-2016 Yuba on fire!

Sparrow, swung pulses.
Big flash, rainbow kype-jawed.
Oh, what a monster!

Yesterday I fished the Yuba River with no expectations, just really going to field test this new ‪‎bamboo‬ quad ‪‎spey rod that I've been making over the past few months‬, to this date I revised the mid and tip section three times. Each time making the rod faster and faster. It really likes a 435 scandi head with a floating poly leader, effortless casts to about 90 feet. Well I guess with the results I think I'll go ahead and take off the masking tape wraps and put some silk on her! I just can't settle in on the color.... I sort of like the idea of Black against the auburn cane,sort of how my buddy Dave does of his switch rods, but then again I like the dark olive translucent wraps I've been doing on the single handed 6wt Quadrates. What do you think?

A new small brewery opened down the street from my workshop here in Oakland so my buddy Jacob who is a rod maker had a few of their IPA's while talking tapers.... a very good time!

Sierra High Route-Ku 6-12-2016

Basins of water and granite,
hidden within abundance of color.
In my hand, Sierra sunset.

At the pass,
fields of granite inspiration.
Like New Years day.

Ranger buttons and fireweed,
along this talus strewn basin, hopping.
The smell of solace and solitude.

On the high route,
my spirit soars, freedom.
Golden eagle circles above.

Feeling the zone.
Feet float like wings,
over granite.

Forks of the Stani-ku 5-1 thru 5-12, 2016

Swallowtails and Mourning cloaks,
Along the trail, between.
Towering cedar and pine,
we waltz.

Here again,
A favorite spot, to cast and dream.
Wow! big splash.

Under bloomed dogwood,
this river spotted leopard,
My new friend.

Cascades of bubbles and foam.
Along this dark seam, in-between
faith and hope.

Ride it high and dry!
Sulfurs cruz.
Just believe.

From the first of May I traveled the forks of the Stanislaus adventuring high and low to get my fix on one of my favorite river systems. The water has been high and some of the past secret spots during low water was un-fishable or should i say un-reachable! However, like a text book lesson, fish were to be found where the fish should be. I witnessed an incredible Sulfur emergence each day from noon to 3:30pm that brought large and small brown trout to the surface. When I casted my imitation to likely spots I got an over whelming response. The average size of these Sulfurs were around the 12 hook range. The environment of the forks is truly just stunning with Dogwood in full bloom and butterflies everywhere. Wild Iris and Ginger poping up in the shade as well. The days are long and getting warm but the water is quite chilly. I found the best fishing days were the ones when cloud cover eased the brightness, trout were more willing in the shade as well. Lots of snakes are out and about, I saw two timber rattlers as well as a few colorful Kings and a Garter. Be mindful of stepping on sticks, it just might be a snake? Get out while its still cool!

Yuba-Ku 4-16-2016

Drifting dry, mend.
Lurking shadow bolts then rises.
One fly, one fish.

Lavender and green, lupine beckon.
Along the trail, memories of change.
River of change, rushes.

Again and again,
rhitogenia morrisoni, flavor of the moment.
Oh the bend of cane.

With friends, we hike,
new and old, we become,
share the stories, freshly squeezed!





It was just a fabulous day on the Yuba, tough fishing as usual however. I don't know if i could stand it any hotter around 90 degrees. Fishing was very slow going all day until the last few hours we were there, then I was able to raise fish. Most often just prospecting with an attractor fly to the soft areas along the fast water.
The flows being at that spring/summer run off level, seemed to have willing trout in the soft water near the banks under and along the willows. Abundant Salmon fly's and a few sporadic march browns were fluttering about, as well as some very dark caddis. 12 foot long leaders help get the floating line out of the range of the willing trouts view. The trout are there you just need to have your "A" game on for every approach and cast for every spot. A slight miss-step into the water and you'll see the fish of your life, a dark shadow, bolt into the deep water.