Rancho Seco Lake This Morning

Float Tube, Day 2.

Got to the lake at 0845. It was cloudy, overcast, and foggy. Got the Float Tube in the water, put on waders, flippers, and the stripping apron. Flippered myself out a ways and snapped this picture of the sun breaking through the clouds. Looked like the day just might get sunny.



WRONG. That was it. From there it got worse. What little sun you see in the picture went away. The fog got worse, the overcast got worse, and on top of everything else, the wind picked up. OK, I admit, the picture is kind of cool.

Anyway I cruised across the lake against the wind, fishing a black streamer that one of the guys at American Fly Fishing Company wanted me to try. Didn't get any hits. I changed to a white Clouser Deep Minnow and nothing on that either. When you're flippering against the wind, it's hard on your legs, but casting is great. When I got to the other side of the lake and turned around, the going was easy, but the casting put the streamer back in my face.

Since I hadn't gotten anything on the first two streamers I switched to a Wooly bugger in black. With casting a problem, I let out the line as I drifted and then stripped it back in. This worked pretty well except the float tube kept wanting to turn backward. One of those aerodynamic things, I guess. To make this work I had to keep the tube going in the right direction.

Got back across the lake and I'd been out for about 3 hours, so I decided to call it. I still don't want to push it too hard until I get in better float tube shape. A correct decision since I can feel it in my legs and shoulders already.

As I was leaving, I noticed a couple of float tube guys going back and forth in a little cove and there was a bunch of people on the bank fishing right near by. I think I'll try there the next time, but will probably do it on a week day when there are less people.

Till the next adventure.

Mark (Shoreman)

Hagen Park Pond December 29th

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Combat Fishing at it's finest. This is the picture I couldn't get blogger to upload. Had to get the IT wiz Wife to fix it.



Mark (Shoreman)

January 1, 2010

A new year and a new decade begins. When I reflect back over this past year, I'm reminded that this is the first year since 2004 that I've been able to go fishing on a regular basis. We lost my Father-in-Law in August 2004 which started the complete remodel of my Mother-in-Law's house. It was a two year project and unfortunately in 2006 we lost my Mother-in-Law too. In 2007 I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer which was removed and is completely gone, but the complications that occured from that surgery took me to another surgery in mid-2008, where those complications were finally corrected. Pretty much kicked my ass.

After recovering during the balance of 2008, I was able to get out and fish more starting in 2009. As I wrote in my post on Christmas Eve, I wanted to share my knowledge, and what I've learned during the year (and I've learned plenty), with others. I think the objective has been accomplished.

Now in 2010 and since I'll be spending more time in my float tube, my objective for this year is to share what I learn from that angle. I'll still be fishing from the shore on occasion, but will be focusing on how to catch & release more fish from further out in the lake. Oh yeh, I'm still focusing on those elusive Steelhead. The new year has dawned and the area of the American River that closed on October 31'st, is again, open. I'll just wait for a few days for those fishermen that hit the river Today, Tomorrow, and the next few days to get it out of their system. Then I'll get down to Steelhead business.

From my Family to your's, a Happy New Year. May you have tight lines and full creels all year.

Till the 2010 adventure begins, remember: "A bad day fishing can be cured with a full day of Bowl games".

Mark (Shoreman, Floatman, Tubeman, Float Tubeman and anything else You or I can think of)

A Trip To Sacramento

A little change in colors for the new year.

I had several errands to run in Sacramento today so I figured, While I was down there I'd do a little fishing, as time permitted. Since Fishermans Warehouse and American Fly Fishing Company don't open until 10:00am, I'd first stop by Hagen Park Pond. I did a post about this little pond in Rancho Cordova last February and mentioned that I had encountered 7 gentlemen fishing. I thought it would be a good time to practice with my fly rod since they stocked last week and were going to stock this week too. Well, I guess everybody (I stopped counting at 30 people) found that out too and there were so many people fishing I didn't even take out a rod. I would show you a picture, but Blogger won't upload it.

Left there and completed my trips to Fishermans Warehouse, American Fly Fishing Company, and dropped some stuff off at my Daughter-in-Law's. It left me a little time to run by the American River and cast a couple of Steelhead lures. I was able to put in about 45 minutes and then had to boogie. Steelhead 5, Shoreman 0. Still working on them.

OK, so you ask "why didn't he stay longer"? I have to clean the flue on our wood stove every 3 weeks or take a chance of a flue fire (I've had 2 in the last 5 years) and the 3 weeks was up last Saturday plus, it's going to be cold and wet for the next 3 days, out here, and it just needed to be done more than I needed to be fishing. Priorities. Sometimes priorities suck, but I took it like a man. OK, I cried. Just kidding.

Still want to get one more day fishing before the year ends. We'll see what happens.

Till the next adventure.

Mark (Shoreman)

Christmas Eve Morning

I started this blog back on January 7th of this year because I was MAD. I was mad because
nobody would let the local fishermen know what was happening out at the lakes and streams. Sure, you could get a "canned" report from one of the local lakes, but that was it. I wanted to share (most fishermen are tight lipped) what I was catching, where I was fishing, and what I was using to catch the fish.

So as we near the one year point, I've been able to do just that and more. I've been able to reach out and help local fishermen and fishermen across the US. I've also made many good friends among those fishermen and those I've come in contact across the world. My oldest friend (Z3) was my first follower and today I see there are 32 and I'm honored to call all them friends.

Beside all that, I've grown as a fisherman. You know from all the posts you've read that I was a bait slinger, grab my 5 (the limit), and go home. Since then I've moved more toward catch and release, fly fishing, and most recently float tube. A lot of this change was helped by many of you (and you know who you are) out there in our blog community. I don't have a wish list for Santa. I've been fortunate to be able to get anything I've needed to persue my passion for fishing. I have hinted to my wife about a couple of books and things that I'd like to have, but no big Spey Rods or something like that.

I've had a Merry Christmas all year and I wanted to take this time to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and to be politically correct, Happy Holidays.

OK, enough of the mushy stuff, let's get out there and catch some fish.

Mark (Shoreman)

The Trout Pond - Yikes It Was Cold

We had expected a storm to move through Monday Night and the snow level was supposed to be 4000' or above. Since we live at 3200' it should have been raining, if anything. I was getting ready to drive out to the Trout Pond yesterday morning when my wife asked if it was raining. "No Honey, it's not raining. It's snowing". It was that pellet stuff we call "corn snow". Great way to start your fishing morning. 32 degrees and snowing.

Lake Camanche is about 2500' lower in elevation than where I live. I had just been out there on Sunday (you know, the maiden voyage) and all I needed to keep warm was my hoodie (and thermals). The wind on Sunday was blowing from the South West. The wind yesterday was blowing from the North East, bringing all that good Canadian cold with it. Hoodie, Thermals, chemical hand warmers, gloves, nothing kept you warm out there yesterday. The cold cut through you like a knife. Do you think I remembered to bring my parka? Oh, hell no. I didn't need it on Sunday, why would I need it two days later. Wish I had it.

Decided to bank fish and got there just before 0900 and set up a split sinker rig with Rainbow Power Bait which just sat there the whole day totally ignored by anything with fins. This would have included all float tubers except there weren't any on the lake. In fact, there wasn't anyone on the lake. The few of us that braved the cold were all on the bank. The one I did catch was on a gold Kastmaster. After that, nothing. Rich and Mark showed up about 0930 and when I left (had errands to do) Rich had caught 2 and Mark had caught 1. The pond hadn't been stocked for a couple of weeks, so the trout that were still there, were getting smarter and harder to catch. I only saw one other caught a ways down the line.

Here's one of those "you'd like to throw your friend into the pond for being a smart ass" moments. Rich hooked up a slip sinker rig with a white power worm, followed by a white power egg and a chartreuse power egg. "I'll have a fish within 7 minutes", he said. OK, I looked at my watch. 11:00 am. I'm timing this because I know he wasn't going to get anything, let alone one within 7 minutes. Less than 2 minutes, he was hooked up and landed one. Since he's a good friend, I just couldn't push him into the lake, smug smile or not.

Well, that's it for this adventure. Till next time, remember: "A bad day fishing is worse when you're freezing your butt off".

Thanks for stopping by.

Mark (Shoreman)

Float Tube - The Maiden Voyage

As one would expect, not everything goes as planned on the maiden voyage. Hey, look at the Titanic. This one was not quite as bad. I got to the Camanche Trout Pond about 0900. Stopped for a few minutes and chatted with Rich and Mark. Then I went over to the parking lot to launch the float tube.

I had left it slightly flat due to elevation fluctuations and got out the 12v air compressor. Pumped it to the max and set it by the lake with rods and such, nearby. After putting on my waders and PFD vest, I decided to sit in the float tube and put on my flippers. I’ll know not to do that again. Spent several minutes trying to get my leg bent enough to put the fins and chasing myself around in a circle. Next time I’ll sit on the bank and do it there.

OK, got the flippers on, the stripping apron attached, and I was ready to go. Leaned into the back of the seat and nearly dumped the thing over. I thought I had it adjusted correctly, but apparently not. It was like sitting in a Barq-o-lounger. Of course, you drive this thing backwards and when you lean back too far, the back end comes out of the water. Minor seat back adjustment needed. Got that fixed and off I went.

Got out from the shore about 25 feet and started stripping line from the reel with a black Wooly bugger on the leader. Another seat back adjustment. Flippered myself out another 100 feet or so and another seat back adjustment. I knew I’d get that thing right sooner or later. Did a few strips and a few casts, and another seat back adjustment. This went on all the way across the pond. Got close enough to the other side and pulled up to the bank. Stood up and did another seat back adjustment. Sat back down and started back out across the pond when I realized I was only being propelled by one flipper. What the hell! Back to the shore and reattached the left flipper to my foot.

Changed from a black Wooly bugger to a Clouser Deep Minnow in Chartreuse/White. Did anyone tell you that guiding a float tube into the wind is easy? Took me half as long to get back to the other side of the pond, all the time stripping and casting. Made a U-turn and started back across. About then, I saw a fish rise to surface and whipped my Clouser just beyond. Two strips and the fish was on. Then the fish was off.

By then I’d been out for about 2 ½ hours. Thought I’d better call it a day. I tend to overdo sometimes and wanted to be sure I could walk tomorrow. The wind was picking up too. We’re expecting a storm tomorrow night. One thing I noticed too was that the float tube was getting a little mushy. I don’t think I had the valve tightened down enough. Re-work that for the next time.

Well, that’s it for the maiden voyage. I’m a little bit sore in the shoulders, but a couple of Tylenol will take care of that. Oh yeh, when I got home, I tightened down the seat back all the way. Should solve the problem. If not, I'm in trouble.

Till the next adventure.

Mark (Shoreman)