I've been lurking about the board since late August. You are one hilarious crew! Been tempted to post, but kind of held myself quiet out of respect, and not sure what I could contribute.
A big public shout out THANKS to you all for being so entertaining and helpful.
I was feeling Brian's pain on the loss of his new St Croix ... until I read his post tonight ... nice comeback! Can't wait to see the pics!
I've been on the creek 5 or 6 times over the last couple of weeks, with mixed results. The low was about two weeks ago. I think it was my second time out. Was getting run down by a speeding 4x4 trying to make the turn into the #5 parking lot. Overshot ... wrapped my bumper around the yellow pole! Almost $4k in damage. Car still in shop. Ranger pulled up 30 seconds later. Fished anyway. Hit 2 planters ... my car and I limped home... be careful out there guys...those people drive like maniacs!
Tried my luck at the bridge last week ... hooked 3 , landed 1 small native bow. Great lookin fish. I notice the planters are spunky on putah.
Today...Saturday, 10/6 was interesting... got to 5 about 3:30 ... was working my way up the creek. Stopped at a spot where I handled 2 planters last week. Saw a post from JL about his luck with bigger princes this week ... tried my luck. #16 prince, had #20 prince as a dropper. A couple casts in hooked something different than my earlier experiences. This was the first fish I've hooked at putah that wouldn't let me "push it" around! It hit on the edge of a 3-4' deep pool just off a shallow riffle, and it was not pleased being on the end of my line! By the time I realized it wasn't another garden variety stocker, like my others ... I had just enough time to get it on the reel ... and it decided to run! Didn't have much room. Went about 15' up stream, circled came back on me, I reeled up as fast as I could, then I'll be damned if it didn't come just close enough to the surface to give a little belly flash as it turned, dove to the bottom of the pool...right back the way it came and GONE! oh and too! ...fyi...my knots and rig held...must not have hooked well, don't know which p-nymph it hit.
Classic .... "the one that got away" ...this was no 20"er, but it sure showed me who's boss! It all happened in about 30 seconds! I was standing there, up to my navel, leaning on a fallen tree ... thinking ... what the 'bleep"! and shakin a little. I am sure, "Junior" was sitting at the bottom of that pool saying 'rookie' and having a good chuckle at my expense.
My next trophy was a 1" stickle back minnow that decided to hit the #18 tan poopah I decided to try as a dropper. I think ... "Junior" put the minnow up to hitting that fly just to mess with me.
That was the highlight...stayed until...almost dark...worked my way back up a little farther...amazing mayfly hatch! Just about 15 minutes... lot's of juvenile bows jumping in a pool or two I tried ... couldn't make em hit anything I had.
You guys are Rock Stars! I am still hacking at it a little ... but sure having fun! Can't wait to share my first "epic" tail (tale, haha) until then, thanks for posting yours ... they make for great reading!
Cheers, Ed. "Lahontan"
-- Edited by Lahontan at 23:32, 2007-10-06
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"You tell yourself that it will be both educational and spiritually uplifting, as all imaginative excuses for goofing off are." John Gierach, "Music of the Spheres".
Look back a few weeks ago (maybe a month or two). I put a pic up of the stickleback that hit my pheasant tail. Even at an inch it wasn't the smallest fish I caught on a fly - that would have been a baby salmon/trout that I caught on the Yuba - it was so small that the sun shone right through it's little body when I held it up to the camera.
I posted a shot of that on the NCFFB.org site, but I couldn't find the post to put on this board. My harddrive crashed last year too - so I lost hte photo forever. But I still remember it. The little fish rise like crazy around access five. Glad you got to experience that. Funny thing is that even the dumb planters will only give your fly one or two looks before they decide not to rise for it again.
IN that case, switch flies. can be tough as the light fades, but is well worth it.
I was at 5 on friday night. A lot of risers. I couldn't get them to hit my dry unless i kinda skipped it along the top. My biggest there was about a 12 inch native.
welcome aboard ed. looks like you had a decent day besides the yellow pole and your bumper. there are some really crazy drivers on that road, i like to pull the old you ride my ass i ride my brakes. that really gets them worked up. thanx for the feeling bad for me even though it may have been for just a moment. ya me and eric really raised some hell on the 5th, looks like we might be doing it again next friday. just pm me and let me know.
glad you got to experience the native footballs that putah offers, and dont worry this wont be your first or last pig that gets away, if you read through the post you will see that people miss more than double of what they land. thats just how it is.
well hope to see you some time out there. if you are every available on a thursday or friday just pm me, one of those 2 days i take off and hit up putah.
hope you car feels better soon.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
to you all for being so entertaining and helpful.
oh and 
too!
