Forks of the Stanislaus

August 2013

Big trees and sour grass,
We hike under giants of old.
Towering cathedral,
shade and light filtered.

In this rivers flow,
Swirls and bubbles,
then babble.

Like a brook.
ancient voices.
stories told.

Even tiny stones can erode big stones.

Granite speckled.
Silver and black with iridescent shades,
as does its fish.

Stani renga-ku 3-14-2013

North Fork Stanislaus River

Black oak and cedar,
dappled light sparkles.
Through big trees, glimmers the sun.

Over polished granite slabs.
Silver bright and speckled,
igneous in nature.
Cascades and tumbles, turbid water races.
Between steep canyon walls.
With the fishes we play.

Along the evening trail,
through coyote mint, ankle deep, hiking back.
A day shared,
with friends true.
Some new, some old,
and to a few,
a new,
farewell.

Upper Sac, 6-18-2013

Under the bright heart of Scorpio,
standing farthest north.
With the wavering wild rhubarb,
Rainbows porpoise.
While Calineuria Californica lumber about.

Watching from my circle,
but far from Nabta.
Flower
Strawberry
Rose or
Honey,
This moon, under Jupiter together
with Antares rising.

One of four guardians,
like me,
withen Castle Crags I cast,
into the Sacramento.

Boo on da'Beaver

Discomoecus, creep.
Granite stones swept and polished,
spotted friends hover.

Like this Honey Moon,
precious trout agresivly rise.
Each pool I hopscotch.




meat and potaoes:

Beaver Creek, 5N02 near Calaveras Big Trees State Park
weather, sunny warm,
Water temp 48 degrees, air temp 70 degrees
Flows 30cfs
water visability, gin clear
Hours fished, 10:30am til 4:30pm
bug activity; sporadic caddis
5wt single handed bamboo rod 7'6"
25+ trout landed, size; 12-6 inches

No Scales, Just Bamboo.

I haven't gone fishing for a bit. the weather has just been too good, but sometimes thats kinda bad for fishing. My home river has been in that summer stretch when the fishing is best super early or early evening. With the temperature hitting easy 90's on the river i just as well as stay home and focus on my rod building. Last year a good friend retired from building rods and gave me all of his equipment as well as three bundles of bamboo. since January i've finished three rods. one is a short spey,switch rod, another is a medium fast single handed dry fly rod thats a taper from Wayne Cattnach, and finally a Paul Young parabolic para14. not sure if i like this para 14 its very soft and one of my rod R&D casters thinks its crap. Where as he thought the Cattnach sir D taper streched out to 7'6" 5wt was nice.
I think tomorrow ill try the para 14 out as a nymphing rod rod, next to the Cattnach with dry flys up on Beaver Creek for the day
Theres some basic issues in the building process that i haven't been able to figure out as of yet. I'm getting some twisting in the tips from the binder. a number good of friends suggest using a lighter weight on the feed cord when binding the tips. But also a number of friends said they always get some twisting and need to do some straightening after the glues dried. all in all however i feel pretty good about these first three prototypes.
heres some pics of them and work in progress in my shop.

Tres Sendas Trail, Redwood Park, 4-27-2013

Down into Redwood,
along the stream, we hike.
Gurgle sounds.

Under my feet,
duff of needles, soft,
dappled light.

Yuba Tanka 4-21-2013

On the airs current,
lumbering.
Isoperla fulva drop,
dapple the surface.

With accuracy,
uninhibited,
trout leap to this bounty.

My puppet?
Palmered catskill style and biot.
Another rainbow rodeo.





meat and potatoes:

ya you know... bamboo rod, dry flies and lots of fish.

photos by Roger Williams