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RETURN to Putah Creek Trout -> Putah Creek Fly Fishing Forum -> Putah Creek Fly Fishing -> Monday afternoon on Access # 5
Post Info TOPIC: Monday afternoon on Access # 5
JL


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Monday afternoon on Access # 5
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Well, ordinarily, I'd be telling all of you what a great afternoon/evening I had at Access #5 in terms of numbers of fish caught, fish taken on nymphs and dries, and generally how great it was to be catching fish in front of bait dunkers.

BUT, in about 3.5 hours, I didn't so much as see a fish, let alone catch one.  Only in the last 30 minutes of light, when the bugs started going bananas, did I draw so much as a look at anything I presented.  And the 10 strikes or so I got were from 4-8 inch babies too dumb to know better.

Sheesh.  I didn't see any bait guys, but one spin cast guy was using eggs, he got a fish or two.  The other spin caster I saw didn't get anything either.

Read the recent reports and tied on a fox poopah (my go to fly) and a midge pupa, and no dice.  Nothing.  Very surprised.  Switched to pheasant tails and micro may flies, nothing.  Threw some streamers around thinking the fish were tired of flies - Nothing.  Finally decided to try some dries in my favorite pools and until the light was almost gone, nothing.

First time on the creek this year and I got skunked.  That might be the first time I've ever been skunked on Putah.  I mean, not even a little guy or a dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks planter.  Actually, I've never caught a planter on Putah - kind of curious - but I guess the planters don't know real food when they see it.

Having said all that, it was a beautiful day, and at least I wasn't working.

BY THE WAY - has anyone evey been fishing alone at the split in the late afternoon/evening, and heard big rocks ker-plunk in the water near you?  Happened to me a few years ago when all the construction was going on around the back side and I posted about it then. I think a couple workers were having some dangerous fun.  Today was spooky though.  I thought a big fish rose under a branch and hit the branch making a lot of noise and some big rings in the water until about 5 minutes later I heard the plunk of a big rock.  I got the hell out of there.  Anyone else ever experience this?

JL



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101fish


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I have never personally had this happen. Evening/night fishing alone can be fun at times, if a little spooky. Given the amount of game around the creek it is possible it could have been a critter. Also there are river otters and beavers in the creek which might be making the splash. Morning/evening is also the favorite time for mountain lions to hunt (growing up in the mountains has left me slightly afraid of the them), so if you are out by yourself be careful. As for people having 'fun' I walked past a couple in Sept. this year who were rounding third and didn't even stop when I walked past. It was...disturbing to say the least. Some people should never attempt to be exhibitionist types.

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JT


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JL,

Don't worry about the skunking.  I got skunked three times in a row in the past couple of weeks.  I was seriously starting to think that something was wrong with me.  It had been years since I'd gone that long without a single fish to hand.  Putah is good at handing everyone a good old humbling experience (or three) when needed.  The planters probably haven't made up their way up to #5 yet, and the bigger fish are most likely sitting in some deep hole after all of the fluctuation in flows.  Just be patient.  You'll find them again.

As far as flying rocks, I've only had this happen near the resort.  Kids up there will throw rocks at the bushes not realizing that there are fishermen in the water on the other side.  I wonder what they'd think if the rocks started flying back.  

I'll have to agree with 101fish.  Fishing until dark can be spooky.  I've had too many encounters with rattlesnakes to feel comfortable about it.  For this reason, I keep a snakebite kit in my vest/chestpack.  The only type of snakebite kit that is still recommended to use is the one made by Sawyer.  They're not too big.  The box is about the size of a small fly box.  Thankfully, I've never had to use it. 

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JL


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I do a lot of fishing in rattlesnake territory. Have to look into that sawyer snake bite kit thing.

Good thought.

JL

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Matt R


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Hey now dont ya know the old saying: If ya dont get skunked once in awhile you aint fishin enough.   Yeah #5 has been tough to me in the last couple weeks also. Been doing better above #2.  Not too sure about the rock thing but I frequently walk out of the creek at dark and I also frequently get freaked out, but i kinda like it.  I carry a headlight now ever since I walked up on a couple of deer in the side creek at #5. Didnt know what was running thru right in front of me at first, but it got the heart pumpin like no other.

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shon42073


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I too have been getting skunked lately, I fish #5 alot and it just hasen't produced much lately, Can't wait to get up to the sierra's this weekend and get into some less educated and less pressured fish. Never had the rock thing happen, Maybe was a beaver, I've had beavers come up and slap there tail really hard on the surface, sounds pretty much like rock being tossed in the creek, Had this happen while float tubing on the lower creek, scared the hell out of me. I have read story's that say bigfoots like to throw rocks biggrin. 

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WT


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Are there rattlesnakes on Putah?

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shon42073


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I've seen a few dead on the road, So i would say yes. Lots of king snakes too.

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JT


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There's quite a few rattlesnakes on Putah.  Be careful when walking around rocks and stepping over logs.  I've also seen them in the brush along the road.  Be careful when you park there.  I haven't seen any lately, but a couple of years ago I saw them all of the time.  Once I saw one without a rattle.  It was plenty big enough to have one.  The snake was about 3 ft long.  There was a little stub where the rattle should have been.  If you see any kingsnakes there, leave them alone.  They are immune to the venom of rattlers and actually eat them. 

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WT


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I am use to fishing around rattle snakes, but where I fished with them around in Washington they were fairly passive except in the spring when they came out of hibernation. Now that's not to say one could be any less careful around them, but how are they on Putah?

Thanks for the replies too!

-- Edited by WT at 19:45, 2007-05-03

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JT


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In my experience with rattlers, they've all been fairly passive.  They're like any other snake--just trying to survive.  I actually had a rattlesnake for about a year.  My kingsnake ate him, though.  I guess I let the kingsnake get too hungry.  It was funny.  When we fed them, the rattler would bite the mice, killing them.  The kingsnake would then sneak over and eat the mice before the rattlesnake knew what happened. 

If you do encounter a rattlesnake, you shouldn't have any problems, unless you step on one.  When surprised they can be dangerous.   



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bono


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Our ranch is right at access #5 and last year our hired hand killed over 70 rattle snakes,that was an all time record and this year seems to be right on track with last so far.But as much as I've been on the creek over the last 25 years I've only seen a hand full of rattlers,they for some reason tend to stay away from the waters edge(generally speaking of coarse).And JT is right about them not being too agressive,rattlers have had pleanty of opportunities to bite me but have failed to do so....so far.  Bono

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WT


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Thanks Bono.

JT that rattle snake you said you ran across without rattles, could that have been a bull snake? Bull snakes look almost exactly like rattle snakes, but do not have rattles, and actually fed on rattle snakes.

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JT


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WT,

The snake was definitely a rattlesnake.  Bull snakes, also known as gopher snakes in the west, have the same coloration as rattlesnakes except for the tail area.  Rattlesnakes, at least the species that live around here, have black and white bands just before the rattle.  Another difference is the shape of the head.  Rattlesnakes, like all pit vipers, have wide heads.  This a key distinguishing characteristic.  The snake in question had a wide head and the black and white bands near the end of the tail.  The rattle was missing, leaving a blunt tail.  I don't know if the rattle was broken off or if the snake had a birth defect.

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WT


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Thanks JT. Hope I wasn't offensive, if so my appologizes

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JT


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WT,

No need for apologies.  A lot of people have a hard time telling the difference between the two snakes.  If I saw a post about a rattler without a rattle I would think the same thing.

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FlyNgo


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Just my 2 cents worth and barely worth that... my very first time on Putah I startled a king snake, or should I say, we startled each other as I was coming out of the creek and had made it a few feet up the bank. I am ok with snakes - at a distance, behind a glass, or on video. They really give me the willies. Anyway, I am not sure who tried to get away faster, me or the snake. As for rattlers - thanks for the heads up. I have been traipsing around there not even thinking about them.

Maybe the rock throwing was bigfoot?!?!?! Just kidding... aren't we too far south for bigfoot?

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