I should have known the day would go into the toilet when I stopped at Starbucks to get a coffee and there were more than 15 people in line. Now, I'm not a person who is intolerant of crowds, but I am a person who doesn't like waiting in line, when there shouldn't be a line. I've been to enough Starbucks that I know there shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 people in line, at most. I didn't wait in line to get coffee. You know me and the coffee superstition.
I did find the access to the American River on the other side from the Harrington Access though. The wonderful thing is that I was alone on the river. Being some what lazy, I grabbed my fly rod and vest and walked to the river. I threw out a fly a couple of times and decided I should put on my waders so I could get the fly out farther. Did that and positioned myself at the top of a pretty good riffle about 100 yards long, that ended with a slow area.
I was about half way through the riffle, casting about 45 feet out (I have 35 feet marked on my fly line) and getting a good swing. Suddenly a truck pulled right up next to me, 5 feet from the shore to watch me fish. Well, the "bar" that I was on is heavy gravel and the truck made so much noise that if there was a fish in the neighborhood, he was down the river and half way to the Delta. The truck sat there for 10 minutes and then drove away.
Then another truck drove in and parked right at the end of the riffle where the old man in the truck let his dog out to run in the water. Then he proceeded to cast his two lines out in the slow area, right below where I was fishing. Then he wanted to know if I had caught anything. I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut.
By then I gave it up and called it a day. So for the American River, it's Steelhead 3, Shoreman 0. I had talked to the guys over at West Marine on Tuesday and they said the same thing everybody's been saying. "Half pounders in the River, but few and far between". That's OK. I'll just keep trying. If nothing else, it's good practice.
One last thing, I got excited by Lizzy's post over on the Fisherbabe, about going to the Cabela's sale, that I went online (nearest Cabela's is Reno) and spent money. A lot of money. More about that when it arrives.
Till then, remember: "A bad day fishing can be a bad day, just not the fishing part".
Mark (Shoreman)
It's a good thing after all these years of fishing that you have learned some patience! There are many times where I think people should think about what they are going to say before they open their mouths. What are they thinking?
ReplyDeleteShoreman - I am generally a pretty calm person, but a few things set me off like a timebomb. You got them all today - unneccesary lines, and rudeness on the stream. You're a better man than I am for being able to keep your mouth shut. That behavior just infuriates me, and generally ruins my day. So - I end up leaving, all pissed off, and the idiots who ruined my day wallow in the oblivion that is their lives and continue on their merry way. Doesn't seem right. Or fair.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm done ranting - HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours!
Wolfy
Shoreman - Just when you think you and possibly the fish are in sync, a couple of "potholes" come along and mess up your karma. Sorry to hear that it ended what looked like a good day on the water. I am not sure that I would have been as respectful as you.
ReplyDeleteAnxious to see what Lizzy has triggered with your Reno's Cablea's. She got me, too!