Summer Blog Entry #1

Oh my, no blog entry since May? This is bad. The year-after anniversary of my Flying Jeep incident has passed without incident and I have been reveling in an unusually solid guiding run in the Sierra with Sierra Fly Fisher. High water, critters abounding and great times with an amazing variety of anglers has made this a summer to remember. I'm on break visiting friends and family in San Diego with Rebecca. I'll be posting much more soon.

Grape Flavored Trout Beer

Today's overdue entry celebrates craftsmanship from good ol' Bakersfield. A recent session at my friend Jordan's studio had me play on one of these delightful beasts. We worked on music that was, dare I say, as twangy as any bizarre Ventures + B-52s coupling.

On the trout side of the discussion, a recent trek into the local hills of So. Cal. with Chad Simcox showed the fisheries thriving and even now (May) still in a pre-spring mode. This means chilly waters and insect life not yet at a fevered pitch. Despite this, no complaints.

Carnival Perch

Some of you may have seen this at my facebook profile and/or at the Fly Fishing Addicts forum however it deserves further sharing. I was lucky to be frivolously fishing near the pier when this perch cooperated for the shot. The fish was released unharmed.

Fishing and Hipocrisy

Quite a title eh? One form of hypocrisy of which I am guilty of is as follows: I swear by what I call the "under one's nose" rule. In other words, a great fishing spot might be right under everyone's noses. Some of my largest trout in So. Cal's trickles have come from such waters. Well, my soapabox is laughing at me. I live very near the ocean but I almost never fish it. I appreciate it immensely as a surfer. Sometimes in summer, I ride my last wave in and playfully chase corbina as I run through the shallows. What am I thinking? These are fascinating game fish! Recently, upon the urgings of some friends, I started to dabble with some local beaches and I am so glad I did. A quick casting fix with a possible fight is now a daily staple.

My first session in years and on my 3rd or 4th cast I tangled with a gargantuan leopard shark. He eventually broke off but what a kick. Thanks Arvin for the picture and the encouragement. Thanks Dave Wratchford for the secure knots!

That and other sessions have been sprinkled with these hard fighting and fun fish (Barred Surf Perch).

Cthulhu Evidence in Palermo, Sicily - Nov. 2010

My Last Day of Fishing

... for a while that is. As fall kicked-in and my guiding run slowed, I treated myself to the usual ritual of a "treat to self" day of angling. The weather was getting weird but that's not always a bad thing. Helicopters abounded and I later learned that this may have had to do with the Oprah goes fly fishing in Yosemite episode. I think this is fun and applaud her although I wonder with no self-serving interest why she didn't hire a Yosemite regional guide? No no no, it didn't have to be ME. It just might have made sense if it was someone who regularly works the region. Seems to make sense? I would love to be enlightened here. Anyway, on grand finally days, I often experiment with techniques as well as seek out a few spots where I have seen lunkers. The lunkers didn't cooperate but the fishing wasn't bad at all. What I call "flossing" as well as "pendular drifts" were super effective on the Merced. Some areas where dries normally work were very dead. I even broke out the ol' Rio Indicator Line and used it for high-sticking as well as high-drag, swung nymph drifts (sort of a sloppy Czech method without the Christmas tree of nymphs) and it worked like magic! It was one of those days. Like all good days, I finished it with some Chili Fries at Happy Burger in Mariposa. The staff there is fun and the food is all-American nuttyness. As soon as I wrapped up this trip, it'd be all about preparation for Europe and a meal like this would be a mere fantasy. That, of course, isn't to say that food in Italy, Greece etc. wouldn't rock! ;)
* Entry posted from a hotel room in Novi Sad *

Summer to Fall (off the mountain)

Wow, the time flew. Between great fun with Astra Heights at cool events such as Venicestock and guiding in the Sierra with Sierra Fly Fisher, I also worked on flying my jeep off of the roadside in Yosemite. Oh and don't let me forget Nicaragua with Rebecca, Quinn and Megan followed by a wonderful trip with Alexis and Jeanette to Mexico then a trip with Noah Snyder and Jim Lowe into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. 52 miles round trip on foot! So summer had all sorts of lessons learned such as highsticking the Merced at low elevations for hidden pockets of unusually strong wild bows to correcting a vehicle's direction to avoid rolling it! *See photos below* As many of you may know, Oprah recently went camping in Yosemite National Park. She apparently did some fly fishing too. I work seasonally in the Sierra and often enter the park. In the middle of summer, after a fun day of guiding, I went off the road. I walked away unharmed. I am very lucky.




That very evening, a rather brazen tow-truck driver pursuaded me that using his pulleys and chains, he could "stretch" the vehicle back out to a functional state. I was too exhausted and upset to even protest. The next day I used the jeep on a guiding run and the following day I drove it to LA! Feeling the little jeep's spirit, I began plotting the salvage process.

Jesse, in Corona, has a yard full of parts and this began the "healing" process. This photo below shows him pulling a hood off on an old Samurai for my wounded Sammy. I also had a favored mechanic inspect the frame, alignment and state of the hubs along with many other essentials.

A few weeks later, with all parts in hand, I had the vehicle taken to the doctor.

And, alas, voila! The happy jeep is rolling again looking sexy.

Now, you thought it'd be so easy? Of course the National Park Service's law envorcement division hit me with a ticket...(no I was not drunk). Did you know that they have a cute little court house right in the heart of Yosemite!!!???? Click on the image below for a slightly larger look. I ain't joking.

After my hearing, I got the fine reduced and they also offered traffic school. I am about to wrap up my online course. I am re-visiting important lessons such as "Don't stall your car on a railroad track".

This entry is being posted as I waltz again into the phonebooth of rock and emerge on Monday in Berlin Germany as a member of a great band The Fuzztones. I'll be roll-casting a guitar cable in Italy and Greece to name a few. Never a dull moment and 2010 is far from over.