Genealogy And Other Family Stuff

My wife decided that I needed a hobby other than fishing. This was caused by the constant rain and a good case of the "shack nasties" I tried wood burning, but just couldn't get into it. So for Christmas she gave me a 6 month subscription to Ancestry.com.

The last 10 years of my working life, finding people was what I did, so Genealogy was a natural choice. I also picked up MyHeritage.com and Family Search.org.

Those of you familiar with the LDS (Morman's) Church know that Genealogy is a BIG part of what they do.

I'm sure Emily (aka River Damsel) can relate to Genealogy. Did I mention that my Grandmother's name was Emily?

Anyway, after all that, I've had my nose buried in my computer since. I've also made contact with a cousin I haven't seen since her mother passed away in 1961. I also found out I have a cousin that is a published author (just like Moi).

But it's not just that. After collecting any and all paperwork from the previously mentioned Cousin and what paperwork was all the family papers my sister had when she died, I've come up with so much information it's almost taken on a life of it's own. Kind of like a blog.   

I won't go into a lot of what I've found, but I did find a picture of my Grandfather, Grandmother, and all eleven Aunts and Uncles circa 1932 or so. I also found a picture of my Mother, Father, and yours truly at the age of about 3 or 4.

It's mind boggling what you find and if you're not careful, you find your nose still stuck to the computer late into the night.  

So what I'm trying to say is that I'm following all your blogs, but maybe not until the next day or so because I got lost in the "family" that day.

Thanks for being patient. Fishing this week. Probably New Melones because it's filling FAST. Really good news.

Stay tuned. 

Why Have A Camera When You Have A Blog Photographer

Since the wife was home today after working a gazillion hours yesterday, I got up early, and headed out to the lake at 7:15. When I left the house it was 27 degrees. When I arrived at the lake it was 37 degrees. Amazing what a couple hundred feet in elevation will do for the temperature.

I'll just let you look at the pictures.

Calm

Calm

The next 15 pictures is why I don't need a camera as long as I have a Yuki.

2 lb. 7 oz. football

And after all that, I missed the first one. It hit, jumped three times and I almost got it to shore when the hook came out. It was on a silver Kastmaster. The only hit on any Kastmaster today.

The other two (one was 2 pounds 2 ounces and the other was 2 pounds 7 ounces) came on rainbow Power Bait. Smaller one was a hold over because it had Copepod slime on it and the bigger one was probably stocked yesterday.

Yuki got one bite on white Power Eggs but missed it. In the last photo, you can see a green grassy area in the water. Last Wednesday I was sitting below that spot. Water was up another 10 inches or so. On the other hand it makes it a little difficult fishing "around" floating twigs, tree limbs, and in a couple cases the tree itself.

That's it for today. I'm sure I'll be back out next week since we're not expecting any rain YEH!!!!!!!
Never thought I'd ever say that.

Stay tuned.

Pulling Weeds..............Going Fishing

Woke up this morning and it wasn't raining. I didn't know what to do with myself.

I could go out in the back yard and pull weeds. OR, I could run out to the lake and soak some Power Eggs. What a concept!!!!!

So I got out the:

You know what this is.

The side with fishing was definitely the one in my favor. So when the wife left for work, I left for the lake.

I got there and the lake was FULL. I haven't seen it this full ever. Even back when, we refer to it as the "Yuki incident" it wasn't this full. Take a look.

3/25/2013 The "Yuki incident"

Today

North Shore launch ramp

There was one other gentleman from Elk Grove fishing on the point. He got one bite on chartreuse Power Bait just before I got there, but missed it.

I put out one rod with white Power Eggs and one with rainbow Power Bait and took enough time to finish my coffee. Once done I reeled in the Power Bait rod and started throwing a silver Kastmaster. I'm not sure if it was the first or the second cast, but I got a hit, a jump, and then it was gone.

Fish 2 - fishermen 0

Unfortunately that was it. Since my purpose in being out there was to just get out of the house (and not pulling weeds), I packed up at Noon and called it a day.

I know that's not very exciting, but it is what it is.

Friday, Yuki and I are taking another shot at the lake. Maybe the water will be clearer and the fishing will improve.

Stay tuned. 

Oroville Dam Update

OK, you've seen the spillway on TV. I have to say that when it works correctly it's an amazing sight.

The water level will be down below the emergency auxiliary section in about 5 days. Then they can get some more repairs made. In the mean time they are still letting 100,000cfs out of the spillway even though it's damaged at the bottom. The aren't seeing any more major damage in that area.

As far as us being safe, here is the info I sent Mel this morning:

We're a long way from Oroville Dam (maybe 4 or 5 hour drive). If we had a dam problem it would come from the Hydroelectric dams on the Mokelumne River. There are two, one up Electra road (where Yuki and I fished late last year) and one further up the river at a place called Tiger Creek. Both are in good shape and owned by Pacific Gas & Electric so well maintained. No worries there. We've had some flooding in the area, but where our house is, and even though we are across the street from the drainage creek, it's been minimal. When I say minimal, what I mean is that we had a couple inches of water (from the rain) build up in the back yard until our drains could take it out to the street.  No big deal.

To respond to the comments.

Bill Trussel's son Jason is no longer in Marysville (I'm glad for that) so he's safe. 

We're not done yet Howard. Starting Thursday the rain will begin again and last through Thursday the following week. That's as far as Channel 10's forecast goes and based on the little icon, Thursday isn't the last day.

And the boots, cheap. $13.00 at Tractor supply.

Thanks for worrying about us out here. The song says "It never rains in California". Even though they are talking about Southern California where is certainly doesn't rain very much, and they really aren't talking about rain at all, trust me it does rain in California. Only problem is that it usually comes in massive amounts when it does. I'll just throw out a couple dates for you. 1986 rained so hard the American River was bank to bank and they considered blowing up an earthen dam (dike 8) and flooding Rancho Cordova to relieve the pressure on Folsom Dam. Then there was January 1997. Same thing, water, water everywhere, and of course 2016 & 2017.

We'll get through it and boy will there be some awesome stream fishing this summer.

Stay tuned. 

Lots Of Information

First on the agenda today is yours truly was asked to participate in a website post about fly fishing called Epicwilderness.com . I have to admit that I'm among some pretty special people, many who you already know like Orvis, Mat Wagner (The Driftless Angler), Jason tucker (Fontinalis Rising, and Kirk Warner (Unaccomplished Angler). I am humbled that they would ask me "What are the 3 most important things you wish you knew when you started fly fishing?". So go out and take a look at Epicwilderness and see what you think about their site.

Second on the agenda is that I'm sure, if you watch National News that you saw the problem they are having at the Oroville Dam. It was pretty shaky last night with the evacuation of the towns along the Feather River (below Oroville Dam) to the tune of 100's of thousands of people. BUT the dam held and the water level is dropping although most are still not allowed back home quite yet.

Third, since it rained most of last week and we are expecting five more days of rain, starting Thursday, I headed out to Lake Camanche this morning if for no other reason, to get some fresh air and sun. Want to know about the water level? It's full. You saw the pictures in the last post of the Mokelumne River running under the 49 bridge. That runs into Lake Pardee (which is full) and then into Lake Camanche and back out into the Mokelumne which has been flooding the valley down Wilton (Ca.) way.

So with two lines out, one with rainbow PB and the other with orange Power Eggs, I sat, chatted with Rubin and Dave (you know them from previous posts) and Yuki when he arrived. It's getting to be like a family out there. Rubin caught one on Chartreuse PB right when he got there, but the rest of the time was spent socializing. We were waiting for 11:00 which seems like the time the bite starts.        

In the picture below, if you make it big and look right in the center, that little bush is the big bush on the island we used to fish off. 

Full

Full

The cove

North Shore ramp

That's Yuki down there.

The only fish came at about 11:30 on white Power Eggs. I guess it was my lucky day. Probably should have gotten a lottery ticket.

Fish on

How do you like the new boots?

Got tired of muddy socks caused by a blow out of my old sneakers.

And there it is.

Probably a pound and a half to two pounds. Gave it to Rubin (behind me) to go with the one he caught earlier. You'll notice I'm in a tee-shirt. Nice low 60's with ample sunshine. A nice day, all in all.

Next time out probably not until next week.

Water, Water Everywhere

I got a text from Yuki last evening. He said I should take a drive over to the Mokelumne River at the 49 bridge. He thought you guys would like to see the amount of water coming down from the Power House upstream.

Because I was already in sweats and slippers I decided to do it this morning instead. The first picture is from when Yuki and fished up by the Power House last November. Beautiful fishing water.

November 3, 2016

 I decided that the best way to approach the river would be the Day Use area under the 49 bridge. Unfortunately they closed it because of high water. So I did the only thing logical, I parked the truck and walked through the barriers down to the river.

I apologize for the "not so good" pictures, but you can't get anywhere near the river. The water is all over the place. 

As you can see in the picture below the river is almost, if not at flood stage. 

Under the 49 bridge.

 And, you can see the water is running over the Day Use Area road.

The road

This is upstream from where I was standing.

Hard to see with all the trees.

Then I decided to take a drive up Electra Road (which was also closed), but that didn't stop me. I just drove around the signs. Upstream from the 49 bridge.

Getting the idea?

Last night I mentioned to Yuki that I was going to try to sneak out and fish Middle Bar Bridge. He thought it might be underwater. Good point, so I thought I'd take a look.

Almost, but not quite.

Middle Bar Bridge

Just to give you a little perspective, the first photo is from March last year when we were fishing the bridge.

Upstream 3/25/2016

 Then today

Upstream from the bridge

 Then downstream in March last year.

Downstream 3/25/2016

And again today.

Downstream today

On the way back to Highway 49 along the 3 mile drive, I stopped (I was the only one on the road) to take a little waterfall shot.

Normally dry

Then, last but not least, I took a couple shots in town. First one is Jackson. This runs along Highway 88 all the way past Pine Grove (8 miles up the road) and meets another branch that runs behind the houses across the street to eventually runs into Lake Amador.   

Jackson Creek

Behind the houses across the street.

With all that said, the next storm (this one is just like the last ones) is coming in tomorrow.

Remember that guy up the street with all the lumber? His boat is starting to look vaguely familiar.

I think he knows something we don't. 

Oh, and fishing Middle Bar Bridge, even if you put bait in the water, I doubt the fish could find it.

Stay tuned.

Superbowl, The Morning After

No, it's now about being blitzed yesterday or nursing a hangover this morning, it's about a little Superbowl history from a Geezer.

I suspect that there aren't many out there that have taken in all the Superbowl's. Maybe Mel, Howard, or Alan. I, on the other hand, have watched every one (all or part) since Superbowl 1. That would be 51 years worth.

Some were good, some bad, some were a waste of time. The half time shows were, eh!! Most of the time with the exception of the wardrobe malfunction that Justin Timberlake gave us via Janet Jackson in Superbowl XXXVIII (38) weren't worth watching.

Immediately after.

But what I really wanted to touch on was Superbowl 1 because of the gyrations I had to go through to watch the game.

The date: January 15, 1967.
The place: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.  
The teams: Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers.
The score: Later.

In 1967 I was newly married, lived in the same apartment building I lived in when I landed in Los Angeles in 1963 (from Florida) and there was something that now days doesn't exist. Blackout. 


Yup, if you lived within about 50 square miles of a game, you couldn't watch the game. So our options were to drive to San Diego, rent a room with TV, and watch the game OR being young, poor, and destitute as young marrieds were in those days, we made an antenna that could get the game from a San Diego TV station.

Use your imagination here. Two broomsticks shaped like a cross. Coat hangers straightened out and taped to the broomsticks parallel to the cross arm. Wired together with ( I can't even find a picture out on the net) two strand TV wire and then screwed to the back of the TV. It was two copper wires separated with plastic to make a connection from your antenna (that's the thing that used to be on your roof for you youngsters) or rabbit ears (those alien antenna's that sat on the top of your TV) back when your TV was wide enough for something to sit on top of it and screwed to the connections on the back of the TV. You used to have one connection for UHF channels and one for VHF channels.

Something like this:

Add caption

The wire coming out of the back of the TV was the wire I was talking about above. Then we had to put that antenna on top of the two story apartment building to get it high enough to get reception.

Back to Superbowl 1. Green Bay won 35 to 10 and we watched it on a small (probably 12") set with a grainy picture (they used to call it snow), but we watched the game non the less.

And as they say, "The rest is history".

As the years went on, some of the games were good, some were awful (14-7 very boring Redskins and the Dolphins in Superbowl VII [7]), and some where blowouts (Superbowl XXIV [24] was 55 - 10, 49'ers over the Broncos, sorry Howard).

So Superbowl LI is in the books and if you watched it, it was a really good game. First Superbowl to ever go into overtime. Tom Brady is the first quarterback to win 5 Superbowl's.

Just want to share that with you. 

Sneaking Out Between Storms

It's rained so much in the last two months that I can't even tell you a day that it hasn't. Today is no exception. Rained yesterday, going to rain later today. I told my wife that instead of buying the Freedom Express last Summer we should have bought a boat.

Now the guy down the street has the right idea. He had a pile of wood show up in his front yard. A BIG pile. Said something about Gopher Wood and building a boat although I don't know where you would get that type of wood and why that type specifically for a boat. He must have some inside information. Anyway it looks like he's collecting animals too. He's got more in his menagerie than Yuki does and Yuki has a lot. We'll see what happens.

On the spur of the moment, I ran out to Lake Camanche North Shore just to give my wife some time at home without yours truly underfoot. Got to the lake just before 9:00 and put out two rods, one with rainbow Power Bait and the other with orange Power Eggs.

Took a couple picture while I was sitting. Looks like the lake has dropped about 10 feet. You can almost drive out to the island.    

More land showing in anticipation of the next storm.

My wife asked me about the makeup of the shore line so I took this shot. It's a mixture of clay, pebbles, and some larger rocks.

Rocks and such.

I let the PB & PE's soak for an hour and then reeled in the Power Eggs and started throwing my pink Kastmaster.

That's the island way out there.

From where my chair was, I worked my way out to the point of the peninsula and had one of those wonderful moments when you cast out your $6 lure and it keeps going because it's no longer attached to your rod. I hate when that happens.

Went back to the chair (it's where the tacklebox is) and tied on another snap swivel and put on a silver Kastmaster. Seems I'm out of pink ones. Four or five casts later on my little Okuma, and it was "fish on". When you're fishing with 2# line, there is no horsing a fish in. A two pound Rainbow gives a really nice fight on a light rod. A quick picture, a little CPR (there was no mouth to mouth done on this fish) and he was off for another day. 

2 pounds or so. 

If you make the picture below big by double clicking it, you can see (in the middle of the picture) this fish on his way back into the lake. 

Right in the middle.

By about 11:30 the wind had picked up and the clouds were rolling in so I decided to pack up, but make one more walk around the point. Straight out from the end I hooked up with another one about the same size as the one in the picture above so I didn't photo that one. Got it right to the shore, unhooked, and sent it back for another day.    

That was it, walked the rest of the way around the peninsula, but no more were to be had. Not bad for a sneak out fishing trip.

With all the rain coming I don't know when I'll get out again, so stay tuned.