Fishing on the reds

rgloft · Senior Member

Fishing on the reds

bono · Master Fly Fishing Guide

Thanks Rich. I took a couple of guys I had for a class a few days ago to the spawning beds to look at the spawners at the deer sign and saw alot of tracks in the mud leading right to the redds.So it looks like some folks are still targeting those fish. Greg

jvento · Senior Member

I'd like to think that half of the tracks that you see are from people walking out to observe the fish and making sure they are NOT being fished, but then again, who knows.

ONEWEIGHT · Senior Member

Here's a good one for you. I was out 2 weekends ago to do our PCT spawning census. Up at one spawning location, 3 guys are fishing at spawners. Not over the stacked fish, but to spawners getting ready to pair up. I stop and have a good talk with them and I think they were able to take a lot away from it. They seemed like good guys.

Next I go down to another spawning site. Here is a pickup truck parked there with a PCT sticker on it. I go out and here's an individual, whose name I will withold, just running drift after drift right over spawning fish stacked up on the redds. I talk with this guy and tell him how dissapointed I am to see someome with a PCT sticker going directly against all that we are working for. He says he lives on Putah Creek and always fishes the spawn. At this point my diplomacy is waning quickly and I explain the wild fish thing, no stocking, etc. . I was not mincing many words in making my point clear to this guy. I had no plans to leave him alone at this point. I mean, he wasn't even being covert about it. He finally gets that I am not leaving and packs it up and leaves. One thing that just made me laugh out loud was his "Catch and Release license plate frame. Give me a break.

Now I don't want to start the inevitable annual diatribe on this subject regarding the legality and ethics of fishing in this manner. This guy was no beginner, but a seasoned fly fisher who knew exactly what he was doing.. He might as well have just put 5 trout in a 5 gallon paint bucket and fished for those. I found this one episode very dissapointing.

On a brighter note, most people fishing that day were away from spawning areas, fishing for younger fish. That was great to see. I mean 5 years ago, you had guys lined up fishing the spawning fish, so advances have definitely been made.

bono · Master Fly Fishing Guide

I would totally agree that I think the word is definately spreading, I also remember not too many years ago stacks of people elbow to elbow fishing the redds, keep up the good work guys!

Xnjb707X · Senior Member

Wow... hearing stuff like onewieght has posted is just sad. Some people just don't get it. The more we all educate the redd rapists, hopefully they will get tired of hearing it and not come back. Which I doubt but it's always worth the try. Anyone want to make a bet and see who can kick the most people off of fishing redds? I'm at least 7 or 8 for the season. biggrin

- Nic

SwettMan · Newbie

I'm a newby to PCT. Didn't know anything about the redds but really appriciate all the info on the site. Heading up tomorrow with my son and will take special care to avoid the spawners and the redds. Is fishing the pocket water OK this time of year?

bono · Master Fly Fishing Guide

I personally think most pocket water is a safe bet, I just try to stay away from known spawning areas and if I see large fish in visibly shallow water its probably in the spawn mode. Have fun and good luck. Greg

steveg · Member

Thanks for all the great info guys and well done on the hard work to protect the creek. I get out occasionally and been impressed by how much cleaner the river is, much less trash about. I can't attend the Jan spawn session but would like to if another is scheduled? Perhaps some photo's (close ups so as location is not shown) could be posted to help people identify the reds? In the meantime if I get out I'll keep an eye out for bad activity and pick up trash etc.

SwettMan · Newbie

0/3!!!
No luck today. (or the first 2 trips we've made to Putah). Beautiful day though, stayed clear of the spawning areas. Every time we go we find more great water, now we just need to figure out what the trick is to catching those fish.

coolbee · Veteran Member

think small swettman. i wouldn't throw much that's larger than a size 16, and even thats a bit big. 18-24s do the trick well. i've had most of my success with smaller mayfly, midge, and bwo imitations in various stages. nymphing with these types of patterns is a safe bet. you can throw an egg but this time of year it's kinda like cheating. I've also had takes on san juans and scuds as it is a tailwater, but don't plan your day around those flies.