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!

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.

Yuba Moire, April 2015

Swifts and Swallows,
dart up then around.
Swoop the spinner fall.

Ripples on the surface.
Moire tapestry, rocks and stones
camouflage my spotted friend.

An insect potpourri.
Pick your poison.
Morrisoni still on the menu.

Isoperla fulva pop.
In the willows their mating dance,
Grass moon apogee.

Ephemerella infrequens
not unlike tippet,
frequently becomes ephemeral
on the spool!

Subtle slurpers,
ease into feeding lanes.
You valiant gift.

Epic spinner fall,
set to the sound of slosh,
at dusk, my April closes.

Yuba-Ku 1-2-2015

Slow slow, slow, tiny tug.

No ring, no rise.

Quite as a tomb.

Baetis tenuous in the drift.

Still no rise.

Cobbled river bed, ankles ache.

In the slot,

Sudden wink, kype jaw rises.

Mano a Mano.

Yuba Begin Again 12-1-2014

No dataclysm here,

Only in the raw.

Either your catching or not.

No magic rectangle held in your hand

can tell you the code.

Only an observant eye can have

a chance to crack it.

It is nature,

adjusting to its moment.

Only ego must observe and adjust

to become ever present in its flow.

Nature has no ego.

Openning day on the Yuba proved to be spectacular, the day was perfect. 30 fish to hand 10 of which were on BWO drys between 11am-2pm. The rest were on beads and red copper john's, a number of times two at a time. Todd and I both found and hooked twice the 28 inch stellie the biologist had reported being in the river, However our 3x tippets and 4wt split cane rods had no traction on her. In the late afternoon Todd and I hiked back upstream to the fiffle we located her in, but this time she was busy cutting her red. We just sat on shore and watched letting her be, just enjoying the sight of such a beutiful fish.

Farewell MF and some homebrew. 11-14-2014

Frosty moon apogee,

wanning like my feet.

The long hike,

to Spring Gap.

Returning, casting to rises,

The Pleiades guides us

above quaking leaves,

Maple and Ash.

fish,

colored like fall trees,

sipping baetis,

in the drift.

final day,

we retreate by lamp light.

until April my friend.

On sunday I started to make my first west coast style IPA, I started with a vague intuitive recipe, 7 1/2 lbs of lt.amber malt extract, and 1 lb of crystal malt and decided to burst hop with 2 onces of Fuggle and 2 onces of Citra at 15min and then 5 minutes at the end of the boil. After it cooled Todd and I transfered the wort to the primary and added the giga yeast. So far so good, I think i'll get another 1 once of citra and 2 onces of casscade for the dry hopping when i transfer it in a week or so...

Fall Color, Headwaters of the Stani 2014

Harvest moon rise,
color in the trees quake.
The creek's hidden leopard strikes.

Camouflaged golden,
fallen leaves conceal, speckled salmonid.
Baetis spinner dance.

Through canyons
into valley
My guide, a hawk,
beckons me onward.

Skinny water,
fishy water,
where brown trout lie
waiting for opportunity,
like me, stealthily stalk.