Thursday, June 28, 2012

Fly cast or Spin?

 Fishing has been an evolutionary experience, starting in Oklahoma with bacon on a hook in a city park pond. I had a wonderful time putting together some great Sierra and Los Padres trips with a spinner setup. Now I only flyfish because I love to see the action unfold as the trout moves to the fly. I no longer care to catch fish beyond 20 yards out. On my last trip to the Sisquoc with Jim, I had great success with nymphs in the riffles and bank edges which had previously been so frustrating for me. So, for me, I just keep on learning, having the fun... and frustrations associated with the process.


Getting into some tight spots with a roll cast. Close to the action.
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Then getting some nice results.
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Sunday, June 3, 2012


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My wife was in New York City visiting my daughter, so it was high time for a local trip to the San Rafael Wilderness with the fishing pole. These trips can quickly become death marches to slimy, fly infested mud holes so it's a dice roll. If I catch and release fish, it's a fishing trip, if not, it's a hiking trip. A "win/win" really. This happened to be a fishing trip.

My destination was Santa Cruz Station out of Little Oso but when I arrived, the campground was full with compliment of volunteers taking a working vacation to do trail maintenance in the Santa Cruz creek drainage. They welcomed me into the camp with an ice cold beer. After the last 5 miles of hiking " the Wall" and "the 40 mile stretch" that tasted oh so sweet. They told me they just finished clearing the trail to Flores Flat, so I said my thank you and I was on my way to Flores to set up a camp for the next two nights.

Looking back on the Station. Santa Cruz Camp is not in the San Rafael Wilderness so there is a road to the camp. The spur to the cabin has a locked gate at the top of the ridge.
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The top of the next ridge is where the entrance to the Wilderness is. The native flora in some areas is making a great comeback after the Zaca fire including the Oak trees sprouting new growth from blackened bark, other areas, not so, I was picking foxtails out of my socks and teeth!

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Great tread all the way to Flores.
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The camp at Flores is still there, under a big old (and very blackened) Oak tree, the rickety table is gone but there is a nice very square rock that served well as a seat.
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The water in the creeks were all running clear, clean, and cold. The banks are lined with native Deer grass and willow. Miles and miles of deep pools and cascading falls, each pool presenting a unique beauty and challenge to get down to the next one undetected by the fish.
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Spawning landlocked fish. It's there native home and the camouflage is nearly perfect. I would not be surprised if the genetics of these fish revealed native steel-head traits.
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Just before the trip began, the forecast changed to wording that mentioned "cold air with a chance of convection" so I brought my Sierra tent (Akto outer tent only) and bag (Western Mountaineering Versalite), I'm glad I did. No rain, but it was breezy and very cool. Perfect San Rafael weather, no flies or ticks. Glad I brought the wood burning stove too, plenty of fuel to burn so I could linger over the fire on a foggy morning and warm the hands and enjoy the surroundings.
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"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." Martin Buber