Friday, January 31, 2014

Somebody Moved My House

Unless you've spent the last couple days in a cave, you know that Northern California got some rain. We went 54 days without measurable rain. The previous record was 44 days set back in 1976.

So, where does the title of this post come in, you ask? Well, the weather guessers said that this was going to be a warm storm and the snow level would be 6000 feet.    

Now, if you look at the first two pictures below, you'll notice that the white on my truck and the white on the roof of the house is SNOW. Photo's taken this morning.

To me, that would mean that I now live at 6000 feet instead of 3200 feet where I previously resided and somebody moved my house. Can you see the logic in my thinking?

Truck

House
OK, so they were wrong again.

In my infinite wisdom the only logical thing to do, since it snowed last night, would be to go fishing today. I didn't want to launch the Float Tube Cumberland, because I'm heading out to New Melones on Monday to tube. I decided to try Lake Camanche one more time on the off chance that I just might catch a fish. Boy am I stupid sometimes. Even my stupid pills can't correct this one.

Three hours, every Kastmaster in my tackle box, the 1/4 oz. Magic bullet, a Thin Mint behind a bobber (too windy for my fly rod) and rainbow Power Bait plain and with every Pro-Cure Bait Scent I had. Absolutely nothing.

While I was sitting, I decided to take a Selfie. Everybody is doing it and thought I'd take the plunge. After all if the President can so can I.    
Selfie
By the way, the lake level is about five feet lower than the last time I was out there. Lower than I've ever seen it.

When I checked in, the guy at the window asked if I was going to the Day use area or the Peninsula? It didn't dawn on me what he was talking about because I had no idea what the Peninsula was so I just naturally said the Day Use Area. After three hours of nothing, I drove back to check in and asked what he was talking about.

He gave me a map and said that a lot of people he talked to would catch fish at the Peninsula while those at the Day Use Area wouldn't. OK, time to see what the Peninsula was all about.

Drove out there to find the roads with a good access to the lake were closed and also had signs that said "No Day Use". The only place to park would have been a dry camping area where you had to hoof it a half mile or so to the lake.

Let's compare this. Day Use Area, park next to where you fish, but don't catch anything. Peninsula, park in the dry camping area and hike a half mile (carrying all your gear) and maybe catch something. This is a no-brainer for me, quit fishing here.

Next stop, New Melones on Monday with the Float Tube Cumberland and the ever faithful Thin Mint.   

Stay tuned.

6 comments:

  1. D@m, someone must have moved my house as well. There's a good 6 inches of that white stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Two points I would like to make. First off, great to hear that Northern California got some rain, and some snow, too. You guys need all the rain you can get it looks like.

    Secondly, and just as important, very nice "Selfie"!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mark
    I feel for you guys out there, 54 days unreal, ABC news did a piece tonight on the lack of rain in California this year, and they said it is so bad now that no one is allowed to keep the trout and steelhead now in the rivers, because of low water levels. Have you guys started conserving water yet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bill. This is the worst drought, they say, in 500 years. There are no restrictions on trout and Steelhead although the American River is so low that most Steelhead fishermen have forgone any fishing. Many down in the valley are on water restrictions and they are saying that some cities will run out of water in 2 or 3 months unless we get a lot of rain. We aren't on any kind of conservation because we have a well, but with just two if us we don't use all that much water. On the other hand, I've dammed up the pond so it will help replenish the aquifer. We're OK for now.

      Delete
  4. Just a magical winter wonderland up at camp Kautz. We ended up getting .03 of and inch of rain over two days. What a way to break the streak huh?

    ReplyDelete
  5. crazy, hope the heavens open wide and just dumps some water on you all

    ReplyDelete