Line Slap - Line Snap

Finally, a day without rain. Never thought I'd be saying that this year.

Got out to Lake Amador at 0830 after the usual stop at Starbucks.

The sign at the entrance is still showing 4000 lbs a week being planted and a total this year of 101,200 lbs. so far. 

Plan A was to a little sight fish with my fly rod, around the point by the spillway and then along the side to the dam. After check in and a drive over to the point, the wind was blowing pretty good so I canned the fly rod part and took my little Okuma with 2# (Plan B)  and a plastic case with assorted Kastmasters and a F-7 Rapala in Firetiger.  

The first thing I noticed was the water level was markedly higher than the last time. The water was past the buoys toward the spillway where the last time it was, well way out where these guys were fishing.

Last time

Now this area is under water and with that happening, it's bringing in the fish to the area that was so good a year ago January & February. The water is half way between the  buoys on the right and the left side of the picture. I'll cover the reason I'm explaining all this shortly.

1-7-11

I started by casting a Brook Trout colored Kastmaster along the right side of the buoys. Second cast of the morning got a hit followed by another on the fourth cast and a hook up on the sixth. As is my practice, the first caught was about three pounds and put back for another day.  

After that, it got quiet there, so I moved around the point and headed for the dam. Being the Chatty Cathy I am, I took up a conversation with the gentleman below as he pulled in this nice Cutbow on a Firetiger Rapala. Pete came all the way from San Francisco to fish Amador this morning with his friend Steve. Both did well and I'm not sure of the count, but I think Pete had two or three and Steve had two or three as well.

Pete

As I was back fishing the point again, I noticed several fish swimming inside the buoy area just like last year. The other thing I noticed is the wind all but died. Now was my chance to get the fly rod out.

Up to the truck, string the rod, put on my vest, and dig out three boxes of flies.

Plan C was to fish inside the buoys and target the fish swimming there. The first thing I tried was one like a Muddler Minnow with one of those little white tufts (very technical fly tying jargon) on top. It produced a drive by, but no take. Changed to a size 6 Wooly Bugger in Olive  and then the same size in black, but no interest.Then I went to the old stand by size 10 Tungsten beadhead Thinmint which brings us to the title of this post. The line slapped the rod and then  the line snapped. I must have had a flaw in the leader because it snapped above the tippet and the double surgeon knot. But, oh was that one hell of a hit.

Things are looking up at Amador. It's almost January and February in late March.  

Unfortunately that was all the interest I could get and with my back giving me fits, called it a day. One (this one) can only do so much standing on ones feet for an extended period of time. I cap out at about 3 1/2 hours.

Saturday I'm on my way to Sacramento and the American Fly Fishing Company to see if I can get a picture and a little conversation with Jay Fair. I'll let you know.

Till next time.

Mark