I've been fishing the American several times a week over the past two months. Watched the circus for the first month and a half or so. It was entertaining watching everyone "swing" with their huge split shot and glo-bugs. Lets just say I saw very few fish hooked in the mouth. Over the last 2 weeks though the crowds have all but disappeared and I've had the river nearly to myself.
Think the winter run is over? Not a soul in sight.
All the fish must be gone?
Maybe not. Caught 3-5:
In between lots of these: and these:
You get some of these this time of year: This one is bigger than most of the steelhead I landed this year! Got to love the elusive golden bonefish.
I finally got one that wasn't so chrome, but was still in great condition:
But mostly I've been getting the chrome types:
And my favorite pics so far this year: The lunar eclipse on the river: And a memorable big HP/small adult:
All these fish were caught nymphing with egg pattern/caddis pupa combo. About 75% on egg and rest on caddis.
Hey great pics Chris! Looks like you have been having an epic season out on the American. Looking at all those fish makes me a tad jealous I must say. I only got one superchrome this year and the rest were pretty colorful, although I can match your sucker with a monster whitefish that I pulled out of the Truckee last weekend! But seriously man when are we gonna hit up the Mok? I have been wanting to get out the pontoon boat and do a float for a while now. Let me know if you want to fish. chuck
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"when you put your hand into a flowing stream you touch the last that has come before and the first of what is still to come" -DaVinci
great looking fish chris and even better story, ya the ar is done fishing, there are no fish there. if someone asks me if its good there ill tell them to go somewhere else. hahaha
i also had a great day on 3-7, fished the am with chuck the duck, i caught a really nice chrome 20-21" wild female in the early going. and that was it till about 1pm, then it picked up in a major way. i left early that day around 4:30, but for those few hours in the late after noon i hooked 6 fish and landed 3, i was using my 5 wt with lighter tippet to get a better presentation, and well i am glad i did, it worked perfectly, yes i broke of on 3 large steelhead, but i also landed some really nice fish as well. do i put having lighter tippet to my success yes and no, it was a combo of not a lot of fisherman so the fish havent been pounded, great weather, and well the tippet i think played a nice roll as well, the lighter tippet did handycap me on those bigger fish, it would have been awsome to land a beast on 4x tippet, but if i was using that 4x tippet on the 7wt i wouldnt have landed a damn thing, my 5wt really saved the 4x tippet. so they were just on the bigger side and really gave me a fight and broke me off. all in all i caught 4 really nice fish ranging from 20-26"s 2 wild and 2 hatchery 2 chromers and 2 not so chrome. both chromers where wild, one was a very very nice chunky female that was wild, and was right at 26"s and had some really really big shoulders on here, thought i was gonna break her off, but never did, she was a real challange for the 5wt, the other chromer was smaller at 20-21" and same thing chunky with some nice shoulders. i loved using my 5wt out there, it felt nice fighting all those fish on it.
even got a sucker fish too, about 5lbs, freaking pig. tell you what they got some spunk to them on a 5wt.
hey chris maybe we can meet up and hit the ar next weds
-- Edited by brian clemens at 13:03, 2008-03-08
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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.
I am so frickin jealous Brian. I haven't hooked more than 3 in one day all year. Way to get them, I was going to stop going to the AR but maybe not now.
I'm glad to see you finally got your sucker, took you long enough. I've been getting several an outing.
what ever bro, you are always gettin into some fish and nice ones to boot. you still up for a late night yuba trip next weds with the pontoons or what. i am thinking maybe but we shall see. just let me know, cuz i might be down, and who knows, i might get up there in the am, and fish it until you get there, then float the sycamor area. man that actually sounds fun, i might just have to do it.
hit me up and let me know brian
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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.
Great pictures Chris. I wish I would have picked up fly fishing at such a young age. You have many great years of angling prowess ahead of you. You tie some nice looking flies too.
