My Heart Just Wasn't In It

I left the house at 7:30 with the intention of fishing Silver Lake, nothing more. After a coffee stop, I got to the lake at 8:30, checked in and headed to the Day Use area where we usually fish.

Two lines out, one with rainbow Power Bait and the other with a pink/white Mice Tail. Nothing.

Change the Mice Tail to red/brown and the Power Bait to Pink. Nothing.

Back to rainbow Power Bait and my little Okuma with the pink Kastmaster. Nothing.

So I took pictures around the lake. 

This is where we usually set up.

Unfortunately the water was a little deep to walk over there. Told you this lake was full.

As the day progressed, the wind picked up, coming from the South where the Washington Fire is and so did the smoke. After two hours of 10 to 15 in your face and increasing smoke, it felt like I was back in Los Angeles again. If you've ever experienced the smog in LA, you know the feeling.

So because of the wind and smoke, I just couldn't get into fishing and headed home after only 2 hours. Anybody got any oxygen?

I did stop at Munnerlyn's for an ice cream cone. You'll hear more about them later.

How About A Little Trip Back In Time ?

For all you Geezers out there and those younger "kids" that appreciate beauty in it's finest form.

I give you the 1963 Corvette Fastback 427cubic inch, 5 speed, it originally came with a 4 speed but was replaced with a 5 speed during the restoration process. 

Those of you that have lived through this era know this is one HOT car. At the young age of 18, I was given the opportunity of driving a 1964 Corvette 427, 4 speed to the repair shop to get an estimate on a small ding (a hole the size of a half dollar) in the back, above the bumper. The car belonged to the Vice President of the company I worked for and he didn't have the time to take it over. 

Here is the truth, I was scared to death to give it any gas because it was so powerful that I idled over to the Chevy Dealer and back. And that little ding, $500.00 (a lot of money in 1964) was the estimate.

The one above? Rumor has it that the owner (owner of the Chevy Dealership) was offered $200,000 for the Vette. He just said it's not for sale.

I promise, I did not slobber on it one drop. They all landed on the floor.

Welcome To Summer

Once again, summer has arrived and California is on fire.

According to YubaNet.com there are currently seven fires burning in California. The biggest is the one down South around Big Bear Lake (currently 17,000+ acres).

The reason I'm writing this is because of the one called the "Washington" fire. In the past, I've talked a lot about the East Fork of the Carson River, Markleeville, and have touched on Carson River Resort where I caught my first two trout on the fly.

The "Washington" fire is currently 16,544 acres at last count and 0% contained. It is listed as 10 miles South of Markleeville. The Carson River Resort is about 5 miles South of Markleeville. The whole area is pretty much evacuated and Markleeville is on notice to prepare to be evacuated.

Add to that, the wind has picked up and the temperature is rising. The temperature is expected to be 106 degrees on Thursday (in Sacramento) which will be little help to the firefighters.

Keep your fingers crossed that all is well with Todd (who owns), the Carson River Resort and those living in that area.

If you want to check in at YubaNet, here is the link YubaNet.

Nothing Special

A while back Howard asked for a picture of the new tying bench.

I won't mention it being the main cause of my smashed foot.

It Wasn't Stellar

I had a choice. Silver Lake, Caples Lake, Red Lake (which is already green), or Upper Blue Lake. I think you can guess where I went.

I pulled out of the house at 7:30 and after a coffee stop got to Upper Blue Lake at 9:40. Yes, that is two hours and ten minutes and I wasn't letting any moss gather on my tires either. 

On the way down to the lake, there were a bunch of these little yellow flowers all over the place.

Little yellow flowers

 No, I don't know what they are.

See, they're all over.

Once parked, I took some shots around the lake just so you can see how low the water is.  Looks like about August level.

That's the dam over there.

Across the lake

Way across the lake

Even a little snow here and there.

Temperature when I landed was 55 degrees with the wind blowing about 10.When I left it was still 55, but when I got to the house, 87.

Two lines out with rainbow Power Bait and parked in the red Coleman camping chair which I have to mention is getting a bit ragged after, what five years? Maybe I'll get a new one next year.

First fish came at about 10:30. It was a holdover Rainbow about 11 or 12 inches. I'm guessing holdover because of the coloring. Most stockers don't have much color. Sorry, I forgot to get a picture.

An hour later and nothing to show for sitting there, I put a 1/4 oz. pink Kastmaster on one of the rods just for something to do. Second cast out, BINGO. The lure was almost as big as the fish. That would be the fish in the picture below.  

Missed a side shot

Missed him completely

Oops, missed again

Aah, there he is, but no side shot.

I didn't mention that those first two went back for another day. I wasn't planning on keeping any. A couple more casts and I noticed I was getting bumps, but no hook-ups. That told me the lure was too big so I dropped it down to the 1/8th oz.

While I was reeling in fish after fish, it's always cool when a PG&E helicopter lands near by. Also helps that this lake is a PG&E lake.
 

Coming down

Landed

Since I was having so much fun catching those little (7 or 8 inchers) that I packed up my gear and got my little Okuma with 2# and continued, but smashed the barbs on the lure. By the time Noon rolled around I had brought a total of 9 to hand and released. Since I wanted to be home by 4:00 to watch the Giants game, I decided to head back down the hill and maybe stop at Red/Green Lake and try for a couple of those little Cutts that are there.

As I popped over the hill at Lower Blue Lake, I thought "what the heck", might as well give it a try.
With my little Okuma and the lure case I walked down to Lower Blue Lake. You all know that I've not fished Lower so I had no idea what to expect.

I chatted with a gentleman who was there fishing with his son, but he hadn't caught anything. I moved down the shore a little way and first cast out, my first fish at Lower Blue Lake. It was one of those little ones, but who's complaining, they're just as much fun as big ones.

After a half dozen caught and released I asked that same gentleman if he had one of those little pink Kastmasters, but he said no, so I gave him the extra one I had so maybe he could interest his son (he is the future of fishing) in catching fish since all he had to do is cast out, and reel in. The fish would do the rest.

In case you haven't been keeping count, that's 15 for the day. Like the title said, it wasn't stellar, but is was mighty good.     


On the way home, I stopped at Caples and Silver Lakes just to show you how full (and I mean full) they are. EID (El Dorado Irrigation District) who controls these two lakes seems to be doing a good job holding water for later in the summer.

Caples at the dam

Silver lake at the trailer parking area

Silver Lake full

Unfortunately those of us that reside in beautiful downtown Jackson, our water is not fed by Caples or Silver Lake so we have to rely on the Tiger Creek system for our water and it isn't a pretty picture. Let's hope we get a good El Nino this year.   

Maybe next time I'll hit Silver Lake. Shouldn't be as far a walk down to the lake as it usually is.

Well, It Didn't Work

I emailed Yuki that there was a big todo on local Channel 3 about the DFW dragging a bunch of kids up to Silverfork and throwing a bunch of trout in the creek. They usually plant at the 8 mile bridge and I thought it would be "shooting fish in a barrel" so I asked if he wanted to go. Unfortunately he was tied up until late next week, so it was was tossup whether I wanted to go to Silverfork, Silver Lake, or try the "secret" way at Bear River. I chose Bear River.

When I got there it was void of people.   

See, nobody home

I backed my truck as close to the dam as I could.

I put one rod out with rainbow Power Bait and snuggled up next to the dam with "3" and the secret hookup. Then I went and got my 6 wt because I couldn't get a cast out more than about 3 feet. It was a tad windy, but just enough to make casting "3" difficult.

Snuggled up right over there.

With the 9' 6wt I could get the "secret" rig out about 25 feet. Sometimes size does matter. I got several drive-bys, but no takers. So I nixed that and put a Red Naked Lady under an indicator. Here too, I got drive-bys, but no takers. Red was supposed to be the magic color.  

Then I tried the pink/black Wooly Bugger and a black Crystal Bugger, but nothing. By then the wind had picked up sufficiently that a cast usually landed at my feet so I gave up on the fly rod and went to a second rod with the "Cal Trans" rig.

You might have forgotten what the "Cal Trans" rig is, but to refresh your memory, it is orange, white, and chartreuse Power Eggs on a #6 bait hook. Hey, I was willing to try anything at this point. On the other rod I put on some fresh Power Bait with some Pro-Cure Sweet Corn scent. After a while I refreshed again this time with Garlic.

I finally pulled in one rod and on my little Okuma I started with a gold Kastmaster, switched to silver, and finally the pink one. On the third cast I hooked up, FINALLY.

Then the unthinkable happened. As I was getting up to continue the fight, I slipped on the sand/rocky side of the lake and with just a second of slack, the fish was gone. And like some golfers we know, I now have three broken fishing rods thrown into the trash that will be picked up in the morning.   

OK, I'm just kidding. I don't have that kind of temper. I only broke one. 

Still kidding, but that was the only hookup of the day. After that I didn't get anymore interest in the pink Kastmaster so I packed it up and headed home. Next time I think I'll go to Silver Lake.