Prelude SFO

A temperate summers morning salutes me as I awake. As I venture to the outdoors, the incalescence has begun to take effect on me. Perspiration exudes from the pores of my sultry, sun-scorched skin. The leafs on the trees towering above me begin to delicately sway, and at last, with somber a sigh of relief, a vigorous breeze envelops the perspiration exuding from my sweltering body. The sweat ebbs as the heat from my body has been suppressed for now.

Big Brother II

I was quite surprised at the relentlessness and vigor of the fight that this beast is ensuing. I can see the fish break the surface of the water twisting and arching its massive body toward me. The rivers lifeblood scatters. I become drenched as the cool water consumes my parched skin. Slightly shocked and wider awake than I was I perry's to meet this fish's exuberant lunge. The fish now realizes the task for which he is up against. A formidable foe, at last a challenge will befit this evening. The fish splashes down and within a split second reverses his course and begins to take off upstream taking line. My reel begins to sing that familiar tune known to those avid fisherman as the sweet notes of battle, a calling to arms if you will. I NOW understand what will take place this night as I mentally prepare myself.

Uncanny Fate

Caddis in unpresidented numbers were hatching all around me crawling on me. I would consider the Caddis one of the most gentle insects around. So soft as it brushes against you erratically fluttering, tickling your skin. Whats even better is when an enormous trout devours this insect wildly with reckless abandon. Then to top off the list is when an artificial tied unto some tippit, married onto a flyrod fools this trout.
It was literally non stop. As quickly as I could land my fly in the current and dead drift this artificial gingerly through the pocket, a fish would attack and the fight would be on. I had one break me off just as the skies grew dark. One that, surely for this area, would have been very impressive to have landed. He was hooked, but sadly to say, for this trout it wasnt good enough. This beast, with a vigorous whip of his body, had spit the fly out at me like an ol' cow ruslter hawk'n a juicy chaw into a brass spitoon. After tying another fly on and as quickly as it drifted another beast has its lips tasting the steel shanks of this fly. He was hooked good this time and really gave a good fight. After a few minutes of wild fighting the trout reluctantly meets his match. He was certainly eating very well.
I was very impressed at the size of trout coming out of these waters and the abundance of insect like. Just earlier this week I had noticed size 10 golden stone shucks on the rocks and massive cased caddis. Unbelievable the sizes.
To top off the evenings river events and schooling a few trout I was noticing some live music playing. I could'nt quite figure out what it was , I had thought maybe a vehicle, but it was live. I had left the river and drove toward the sound and it was some bands doing a soundcheck for an upcoming festival. What luck I had thought, to fatefully come across this great music and after a stellar day of flyfishing. Dancing caddis on the water, dancing hippies near the river.

Big Brother I

The caddis were out, fluttering, floating by. I cast and my imitation lightly touching the water, like a dancer pirouetting in the air and ever so softly touching the surface. A brisk wisp of wind, my imitation twitches on the water... a pause...
The beast from below spots his prey, focusing, he moves... following his prey. He rises forth to grab a closer look. Anticipating, he just cant resist ...he explodes...The still water breaks as liquid fragements spray out in a blooming array. Breaking from the surface of the water he devours his meal.
A quick reaction, an instinctive pause and lifting toward the horizon, the line becomes tight. Rod bent over, reel spinning, turning wildly. The beast, like a run-a-way train takes off in haste. He wants no business with me today. He lunges toward me and launches himself in the air.....

10 Minutes Part III

6 am I roll up to the house still stinking of food. I couldnt resist another trip up the canyon. One bummer is that I had noticed I lost one of my flyboxes friday. Not a super expensive loss but a loss none the less. I hate when that happens. Well saturday morning proved to be the best of the 3 day run. A handful of fish to hand plus a pig..well for this little water the 14" Cutt was huge. Its also nice trying to play a fish that size on a 2 weight noodle rod. I had perty much scoped out and watermarked the good holes. Time to venture up another canyon to test its waters.

10 Minutes to Paradise Part II

Well one good day deserves another. Today is my first workday so who says your cant go fishing BEFORE work. I stopped into my favorite flyshop to grab a few bugs and jo. I was'nt there to long i was on a mission. Day 2 proved to be better than the first. Light rain faded away giving room for broken sunshine. It was so peaceful in the canyon hardly anyone was there. This time I had driven a little further up the canyon to hit some honey holes I didnt get to yesterday. Eager fish around every bend and they were'nt shy. I rigged up my special tandem set up ...I swear my eyes are not what they used to be. I used a nice fat para PMX (indicator) and trailed a black ant off the back. Heck the fish were swatting the PMX as well. I got into a few browns right off the bat then it was slow going. I decided to drive down to where I was earlier yesterday.

My neighbor caught a nice brown out of this sweet lil pool and I wanted to see if he was still there. As I made my way down the bank I noticed a nice fat cutt sipping off the top. This cutt had some gorgeous color..I wanted him...I think he wanted to eat my fly too. I tossed out the rig it flows over his head he comes up, looks, and nada. SOB once again ...better drift this time...here he comes...bam!!!! After a quick fight and a couple pics it was back in the water.

10 minutes to paradise

I had been up since 6am studying for an anatomy exam. I dont know why but cramming right before the test always seems to help me in a huge way. Teach let us bail after we had taken the test. I was outta there in 15 minutes...what a cake walk. I had came home to eat lunch and to call a few friends to see if the would want to meet up. Got a couple hmms and ha's but nothing solid. The weather probably was scaring them off or something as it was windy and was trying to rain. I perty much waited it out looking at the weather channel radar it looked to blow over real quick. What pissed me off was it teased us and didnt rain at all. Its nice to look out the window now and see that the lawn is WET!!!
Well round 6 pm I load the flyrod and bag in the truck and start to take off when I see my neighbor cleaning the windows on her Xterra. Last time we went fishing was a couple years ago when we went to willow pond with her son. Well it did'nt take to much convincing she bolted in the house hollered at the hubby and told him she's going fishing. We took the quick 10 minute drive up a little canyon and parked in a grove of trees. The weather was perfect..overcast, nice and cool with no wind. Immediately as I walked down to check the flows and clarity the caddis were everywhere, fluttering and hopping by like graceful dancers. Well that was the ticket we rigged up and off we went.
Within the first couple casts the trout were eagerly taking the flys on the surface. I keep on missing hits left and right. Was I not waiting long enough for the set? I had switched to a smaller dry thinking that was it and had finally hooked up with a nice little brown. Not to long after, my neighbor hooks up. She had told me the last couple times she went fishing was'nt a good experience. So to see the excitement on her face was golden. We had fished until it started becoming dark with only one fish to hand each it was still enough to curb the addiction.