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.
Stocked trout are a scourge-a distraction-something to be quickly tossed aside so that the search for the real quarry might continue unfettered. In fact Putah's wild fish are readily available and easy, but only if one knows where and more importantly when to look for them. Large wild fish under the correct conditions...easy. As far as browns go I have caught a few browns in the creek over the years-but nothing of consequence. Tie the fly. Drift the fly. Catch the trout. Repeat.
Ahaah! Yes, fly fishing like many things is so easy in it's initial perspective. But for some reason, something so easy becomes much more difficult. I like to think of myself as someone who has quite a bit of flyfishing time under my belt. However, I have several a bad day, and yes some skunkers laid on me under perfect fishing conditions. It's part of the mystique of fly fishing. It's why we keep coming back time after time, on all the rivers that we fish. Trust me, those natives are not easy pickings as we've all found out. Putah puts out it's share of good days as well as tough days.
How does flyfishing get more difficult? After 22 years I find the simpler and simpler it gets. I have my share of bad days, but at Putah that is usually the result of not fishing at the right time. This is a cool board and I am a new guy that may be posting from time to time. My name is Steve and I do not live far from the creek so I have fished it off and on for quite a few years. I have to say that I still say fishing here is easy---under the right conditions. Tie the fly. Drift the fly. Catch the trout. Repeat.
I guess i did a lousy job of explaining myself. It is easy when you look at it in it's simple tasks . . . tie fly on, throw in water, drift, catch fish. What I'm saying is only this . . . not that fly fishing becomes harder, but that it does not always work out as easily as it's laid out in this statement. I guess, depending on one's perspective, you may or may not read alot more into it . . . that's all. I look at the other factors that go into the day as part of the challenge, i.e. conditions, hatches, flows etc. I guess baseball could be summed up as throw pitch, batter swings, batter out, but along the way many more things can happen!! I guess this horse has been beaten to death. The reality is that we all find this passion as a way we enjoy spending our time, and each has a different perspective on their own time on the river. It's up to each of us to find what pleases ourselves.
So what is the point of fishing Putah Creek if it is so easy? Are you posting here to enlighten us or is this a challenge. I would like to fish with you sometime , I have the camcorder loaded , ready for your expertise. As my grandfather use to say, talk is cheap, it takes money to buy whiskey.
Hey I don't wanna get anybodys nickers in a twist any more than I already have. Putah is easy if the flows and weather are right----under the right conditions it gives up fish willingly. Now I think those ideal conditions come for only short periods each year and when they do it is kinda magic out there. I love it when its easy. It makes up for all the untouched drifts over the years. The point is until you go out there and try it--you can never be sure if the conditions are right and I am sure thats why I comeback to this place. Putah creek can be like whiskey to an alcoholic. I would never be presumptuous enough to attempt to enlighten folks here. A lot of folks on here have more knowledge and experience in their little toe than I will ever have regarding flyfishing. Tie the fly. Drift the fly. Catch the trout. Repeat.
I think you statement about fly fishing is a bit naïve.There is a lot more to fly fishing than tying on a fly and catching a fish.There are so many variables to factor in.First figure out where the fish are holding.Then you need to study the water to decide what rig setup you are going to use.Tie on two flies under and indicator?Which flies do I tie on first?Maybe not use an indicator and high stick.To reach that far seam that no one has fished, can I throw the perfect roll cast 20 feet out that is far enough above the fish to get the perfect drift? How much weight do you put on the line so your drift looks natural?How you handle these scenarios separate the average fisherman from the guy who catches all the fish.What I am trying to get across is anybody can go to the river, tie on a fly and catch a fish (planters).Then there are the skills required that take years to master that allow a few fly fisherman to land that 5lb native that no one can bring to the net.
I get the point Steve is making, when you watch someone who knows what they are doing and is "on" they make it look easy, a few simple twitches of the rod, a perfect drift and a fish is on. Tie the fly, drift the fly, catch the trout, release the trout... it's a mantra.... it's where you're at when you're on your "A" game... no monkey business...
oh no, DEJAVU, do we have the starting of another brian (from back in the day) on the board that used to get under everyones skin.
you guys remember those days. those was some crazy times.
so lets get back to fishing.
gonna be hittin up east carson on tuesday with an old fishing buddy and putah on weds with jt and ac22
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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.
Brian you've come a long way man, I think we all would agree with that. Ideal conditions ? Of course its easier under ideal conditions, If i wanna go fish putah I'm going to go fish putah no matter what the conditions ! If its flowing at 900 and the wind is blowing on a hot summer day then I'm gonna go give it my best shot. I don't wait for ideal conditions anywhere, I go and I give it all I have with the conditions I have been givin that day. It's about having a good time, sharing time with freinds, observing nature and seeing things others may miss, Its about all the great places flyfishing has takin me, Its about trying to master an art I know I never will master. It's a state of mind ! To me flyfishing is one of the few things in this screwed up world that still makes sense to me. Now lets kill this crap and get back to positive things here please.
Steve, welcome to the board!! Don't take all of this excitement the wrong way. As I said, we all have our own thoughts on things. It sure got this discussion going, and it was fun. I mean there are some funny posts here . . . look at Black Cloud's. We all need a bit of humor like this in our day.
And Brian, the only thing that got under anyone's skin lately were your skivvies, under your skin, up in Truckee ( a Painful memory I'm sure!)!!!!!!!!!!!
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.
Hey guys, just wanted to liven up the board and introduce myself. Hey windknots I may have met you last year by the deer sign area. I was the dude who caught like 3-4 small fish real quick. I think I may have given you one of my little flies. You were going true blue style with no indicator. I think I tried to convince you to use one or something.
DToddman-keep working on that twenty foot roll cast. lol personal reminder to try in the future not to suffer fools haha.
People overcomplicate flyfishing. Tie the fly. Drift the fly. Catch the trout. Repeat
Hey Steve, great to hear from you! Believe me, I'm looking forward to your posts. I remember that day clearly and I've related that story on many occasions, you may have caught 3-4 fish as you were passing by but I was watching you in that pool below me for about a half hour. I swear, it was like a fish on every cast - tie the fly, drift the fly, catch the trout, release the trout, repeat. When you were coming through I just stood back and gave you my stretch so I could watch what you were doing, take a break and have a chat. You gave me some great pointers on indicator fishing, in fact I was up on that same stretch and that same pool last weekend. I couldn't quite wade across safely on my own so I did some mega bushwacking to get there and no-kidding I was focusing on doing exactly what you showed me that day and it payed off. Overall I do a much better job of choosing the appropriate method, tightline or indicator, ever since that day. I've still got a lot to learn though.
Looking forward to running into you again on the creek sometime.
Hey you would be suprised how many people can't roll cast and instead end up with a rats nest of tangled leader and flies. I watch guys on the river trying to to a double hall and end up with line in the bushes behind them.
anyways this has turned out to be a fun discussion.
I do agree there have been some days on the creek where 20 ~ 30 fish are not uncommon. Fishing did seem quite easy almost too easy. I have never fished a tailwater like Putah where you can catch and release so many fish in one day.
I also think October is one of the best months to fish this creek.
You guys keep bickering....Im going fishing.....( I hear there is no one on the creek, their all arguing online)
I here ya Wyt, 9 hours on the creek today, fishin was alright, thats all I'm sayin. Hares ears, hares ear emergers, micro mays, And some swung soft hackles. Flows did a major dive bomb during the day, Was very noticable.
man u cant wait until weds, fishing putah with jt from about noon till when ever. but ill be out there from first light till my and jt fishing. man i am gettin antcy.
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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.
sounds good to me. ac22 had to bail out. he messed up his acl, mcl, or abc, or something like that in his knee. so he is out for a while. i should be there early, not bright and early but early. jt will probably show up around 12 or so. and black cloud might even show up so. but ya ill be there. look for a dark green 98 honda civic coupe. it will be out there somewhere.
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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.