Saturday April 8th, 2006
A prologue; a few days ago, my friend Deva emails and says he wants to get a flyrod and learn how to fly-fish. I get excited about this, and start helping him out. That is to say, I tell him I need to teach him to cast before he goes up to the river with his new gear. After the first session, he understands why :). Anyway, one thing leads to another, which brings us to the subject of today's diary.
Early morning. I got invited by Deva to join him and his buddy Shannon to come with them and fish Loch Lomond, in the Santa Cruz mountains, on Shannon's bass boat. They'll be there with the boat in water at 7am sharp. I got up early and was there, but they were running a little late. Very foggy morning, and super beautiful. Still and quiet.. A few other fishing guys were showing up too.
But they showed up eventually, and we launch with a boat full of gear. In addition to my 8wt flyrod (bass, bass), I've brought along my 70's vintage casting rod and a couple of old reels to play with. I'm in the bow, cross-legged on a couple of coushions, which worked fine. Shannon was worried about me needing go stand to flycast, but I said that wasn't an issue; sitting works fine for me..
I took the nice camera with me, and got some pictures on the way over to the other side. The water is a lot like chocolate pudding in color, due to the recent heavy rains.
We fished the 'tulies' .. the reeds on the far side, hoping for bass. I lend Deva one of my cheap casting rods, with a vintage ABU spincast reel on it. He loves using it, and it casts really far. I try a sinking line with a sea-ducer, but nobody gets any hits. I'm casting left handed, due to my positioning in the boat; I'm glad I've worked on that skill. We work a few other places like that, but no sign of fish. I switch to my old spinrod and the vintage ambassadeur reel, and play with that for a while, but don't get any fish on that either. At one point I see a bass leap out of the water.. cool.
Cellphone hell.. yes there is reception up at the lake.. Sheesh.. Shannon's first, then mine. Danged annoying devices. Its not that I don't like the family, I just don't want to hear the phone ring or talk to them while out fishing. Recently, I talked to a fisherman on the San Lorenzo, who pointed out that one of the advantages of that place was the lack of cellphone reception.
After a while, the guys want to try the outrigger. I pass on the opportunity and just hang my fly in the water. A duck comes by, following us for a while. Cute. But the guys don't catch anything with the outrigger either, so we go back to the bass-looking places. Awfully kind of them, as I have to be back at the dock at 10:30 or so, family responsibilities awaiting at home. I cast my fly (I've switched to a floating line now, with a smaller flashy streamer); they cast their spinbaints. Mine says 'swish, swish.. plop', theirs go 'Ka-SPLASH!!' and 'KA-PLOOF'. I wonder if any bass stuck around with all that noise. Anyways, it was fun casting and working on accuracy, putting the fly as close to the reeds edge as I could, slinging it under overhangs and such.
But, the hours pass, and eventually its time to get me back to the dock. The fog has well lifted by now and its beautifully sunny out, for a change. I toss a little rooster tail into the water and hang it there on the way back. Somewhere past the island I get a hit, but it doesn't stick. Fun, though. I always have had good luck with little spinners and lake fish.
The guys had a looong day on the lake, but no fish for them.