The Year of the Dragon means The Year of the Carp

Since we're still fresh into the Year of the Dragon (my birth year by the way), I best post this now. I wasn't always a huge fan of the carp but knew it to be strong and capable of showing up all over the planet. Sure humans have helped it along but its persistence has earned it respect in my book even though I never have caught them deliberately. So what is this post REALLY all about? Two things: It's the fact that Chinese legend has it that the carp's reward is to become a dragon. This means that I have a carp in my ancestry in some cool heritage-meets-mythological fashion. I confess I get a kick out of it. Here's an interesting thread which discusses the myth at the China History Forum. Second, there's a great event in June that celebrates this fish... As follows: Conway Bowman down in San Diego has been a fan of targeting these fish and Al Quattrocci whipped up this solid poster for an event later this year. America's love/hate relationship with the carp gets put aside as cool cats target these fish with flies on a summer day in California. How can you say no?

Details here: http://carpthrowdown.com/
And if you aren't sold on it yet, it's only a matter of time before carp anglers start getting all the babes. Our friends in Europe clearly have somehow brought these elements together (I remain skeptical). Click here for carp-flavored-pinup

The Shark Hugger

Playing in the surf this morning with fishing buddy Al Q had this specimen make a showing. Returned the animal to the ocean to be free and grow larger. I have a soft spot for these fish. I don't like fishing for them but they are really beautiful. Remember too folks, leopard sharks are very much considered harmless.

Falling for Fall

One heck of a summer has just passed. I barely picked up the guitar however got in more stream time than ever I could imagine. Work at Sierra Fly Fisher ebbs as the season cools and I prepare for some final hunts before returning to La La Land. The Samurai is running well and I thank George at Yosemite Smog and Electric as well as the guys at Elite Auto; both in Oakhurst, CA. This, of course, is critical since the car is what gets us to the stream most of the time. I got to meet some amazing people and made many new friends despite a super tame social life. Many days passing with minimal contact with anyone other than clients and anglers. What remains impressive is that I am not sick of it all (fly fishing). Netflix is a huge help and today I watched a documentary on the making of Queen's "Night at the Opera". What a moment that band had. My return to "civilization" will also mark a renewed enthusiasm for all-things-web and some surfing for crying out loud! I am excited. To the Sierra Nevada? I'll be back!

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).

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.

Nature Wins

Just like a plant forces its way through the asphalt, one local stream has gone "richter" with quality fish. Plants are in bloom and I grabbed some wild onion for an experimental omelette. Life is good in the So. Cal. mountains this year. Thanks Noah and Rob for good company.

The Price of a Brown

This blog entry is an homage to one of the most bizarre and remote So. Cal. waters I know of. I have been there very few times and timing can be key to avoid overgrown jungle-like bushwhacking, bugs, snakes and summer heat. It's also one of the most obscene workouts I know and my buddy and I pondered whether or not we'd ever return. Recent training for a run (race) had me a bit better off fitness-wise than I feared but it was still a brutal trek of off-trail terrain and elevation issues. Let this serve as an indicator that 2010 is going to be an amazing year for So. Cal. trout fanatics.
Take a close look at this shot. Click to enlarge. This adorable trout stream has a line of PVC in it. Middle of nowhere. Not cool.

The "Black Diamond Trout Society" tradition lives on as we scrambled down impossible banks to find fat butter-bellied browns.

Be careful and go get 'em!

Blinded Me with Science

Technlogy, like a thermometer, has me salivating. We've had a good year and the locals are going to be great! Observe the dleightful daily dance as one of our local streams ebbs and flows with snowmelt. As this smooths out and the temps warm, one of our beloved friends will be rejoicing; The Trout!

Shasta Soda

An overdue visit to the Shasta/Upper Sac/McCloud area had me marveling at moss, dripping ferns, fall colors and fading indian rhubarb by the side of streams rich in spring water. Last time I was up here was around 1977 or 78 on a fun road trip with my dad which, despite me being just a kid, was memorable and the beauty of the region has stayed with me ever since.

This trip was real treat from a scenic perspective if not from an angler's perspective. Also, I brought back numerous bottles of the water from that region. No wonder Nestle had their sights on this area for a water-bottling facility. This area is oozing yummy water from crags of dark volcanic rock and moss. Frequent light rains punctuated our trip and kept everything slippery as #$%^& but also seemed to keep the fish happy. Fungii abounded.

Day one had a big brown flipping me the fin as it migrated upstream. A long hard day of flogging with a few bows had me sitting streamside when suddenly this beast surfaced in front of me. It was one of those porpoise-like surface visits of a fish that was clearly migrating. It was amazing to see. I could count the spots. It reminded me of seeing salmon move up the Klamath way back when. The fish was just a few feet away and was a few feet long I might add. I later saw huge browns on redds and even had a nice one almost land on my feet as it tried to jump a plunge by which I stood. Oddly, as the trip wore on, the allure of this European invader was quickly replaced by an appreciation for the magnificent native strain of bow for which the region is legendary. Hard fighting, plump and willing to take a massive "Noctober" caddis pattern that Joe and I were developing. Since it gets dark early, we had ample time to sit around and tie each night while still getting a good night's sleep. This may be THE biggest secret of fall fishing: time and energy management is taken care of by the elements themselves. You actually get some rest in! Perhaps one of the best slaps I have ever been dealt was when I shared this "Noctober killer" fly with one of our team ("Nish" as we like to call him) who went on to catch a nice brown on it! Boy, the trout gods were on a roll! My face still stings. I have included the photo below.

In addition to the generosity of Jimmie Morales and the great company of several guides-on-hiatus, we were treated to some streamtime with historian, photographer and "patron-of-the-trouts" Craig Ballenger. Craig is a true man-of-the rivers with an engaging personality that we initially were as much perplexed by as entertained by and a knowledge of the region that was, well, deep as the river. Visit his website: craigballenger.com One of my fave moments that can't be forgotten (solid sarcasm about to kick-in) was having some dormant yellow jackets slip into my clothes. As I warmed them up, they got active. Two stung me; one in the armpit and another on the forearm. I shook two or three others out of my clothes as I picked up a discarded aluminum can of Shasta soda. It was all too surreal. At almost the same time, Joe and I were both looking across the water when a large fish jumped for a huge caddis. We both saw it and let out a classic fisherman's "woah!". All this in a 10 minute window. Oh and I fell in a few minutes later. Never a dull moment and definitely huge fun despite the stings.
As the trip ended, my only brown was about 5" long! Oh but who cres when you have "the strain". What can be better than catching a wild native fish? Mr. Trutta, we will meet again someday to square off properly. Bows were the theme for the majority of this trip and we honor you humbly with flies the size of hummingbirds.

I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story...

Sierra Critters

The wrap up of the fall Trout Camp was good. Fish emerged from a cold front with a vengeance and reminded me that last year, the best fishing took place a tad later in the season. Too much real world BS here in LA and I had to return. That said, you've seen the fish, now consider the critters!

Horses and Dogs are critters too! Gotta love this shot. The dog had limitless energy and chased squirrels on the trail as we fished one day. My horse had a mind of its own and often took its own path which on one or two occasions, was the safer route.

I love reptiles and this year I found my first rubber boa. What an amazing animal.

Patti Smith on the Santa Monica Pier

The night before leaving for Montana, I had a get-together near the pier. As expected, Patti Smith performed as scheduled and it was wonderful. The lights on the ferris wheel (pre-programmed and very psychedelic), the pleasant temps and the sound of surf. As I was cleaning up my pad to prepare for the gathering, I heard the band soundchecking. Much to my surprise, Patti was doing her own check. I ran and snapped this shot of her, Lenny Kaye and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Later that evening at my apartment, Lenny would grace us with his presence as he popped-in for a sip of Rudi Protrudi's Makers Mark. Good times to say the least!

Wild Angels - Fuzz Guitar by Davie Allan

I had the good fortune of jumping into a phonebooth a couple of weekends back and finding myself onstage with the legendary Davie Allan. He gets the majority of the credit especially in North America for really setting the "tone" and laying the foundation of "fuzz" guitar. Numerous cool films including some of those great Peter Fonda biker movies utilized his music. If you look at the shaggy headed guy on stage right (to the left of the viewer), you might see someone daydreaming about big browns. Oh and YES, that is the Queen Mary in the background. The band got THE Queen Mary suite for the night. Remember, what happens on the Queen Mary, stays on the Queen Mary!

The Hills Are Dead and Alive

A recent trek had not only trout make an appearance but also a number of random characters such as a dead fox, a cougar slaughtered deer(?), a VERY alive rattler and the telltale signs of Smokey himself! Hmmm am I forgeting anything? It was life and death in a nutshell. Pretty intense.





The gloves, for you black diamond trout folk, help reduce sun damage but really shine in giving you less fear when grabbing branches, bushwhacking, leaning on boulders and clearing plants that could be toxic. The gloves are certainly not ideal fish handling items but these were soaking wet and the fish was gently handled and quickly released.