Fish Porn...

Hey I like 'fish porn' as much as the next fanatical fly angler...but jeez there are other things in life. Aren't there?


I got a "through-da-grape-vine" report that the infamous Swill D. Beers was lurking on this blog. The message relayed was that he would prefer fewer philosophical musings, rants & raves and more factual reports (...do I want to give too much away?) and 'fish porn'. My take on this matter is there are other blogs with those sort of addictions. Here...if you choose...you'll have to endure more sanitized, and nuanced aspects of fly fishing and life in general...with some occasional humor and in-your-face opinions about things that tweak me the wrong way....


So...I went fishing on Saturday with "The Leader". It was a beautiful late winter day in the Sierra; scattered cumulus clouds, blue sky with an occasional gentle breeze. Winter Stones carpeted the snow banks and there was a sparse BWO emergence...and few steadily working risers. If you've followed my "mood" series; I was in that "head-hunting" mood. I did spot one; maybe having rose 3-4 times in 15 minutes (for sure not steady or rhythmic), but nevertheless a target for my #20 CDC ComParadun. I was really proud of my perfectly tracking 45'-50' casts into the vortex of two converging current seams and the trout ate it on the 4th or 5th drift. I netted/taped a plump, 17" female RainBow. That was it during the entire 2 hour mid-day session...I was a happy camper.


Spring is nearing and more bugs will appear...I'm ready and anxiously awaiting another season. Who knows maybe there will be more reports and some titillating fish-porn or two.

Land of the Patagone...gone?

As I sit here in my living room looking at Mother Nature's harmless, gently falling snow; I can't stop thinking of MN's not-so-benign behavior...such as the 8.8 earthquake that shook central Chile and produced devastating ruins in some of the coastal towns. Fortunately there were some enlightened building codes...if not there would have been more death. Chalk this one to hind-sight and the government getting it right after Chile experienced a huge quake that killed 3000 in 1964.

While at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing show, replying to e-notes, calls and phone messages at home in Truckee; I explained that where I visit is 600 miles south of the epicenter of the quake. There was no damage in the Coyhaique area. Visit the current, on-line issue of Sierra Fisherman at http://www.sierrafisherman.com/, page 16 for an article on the region I visit.

I've been in contact with one of the lodge-owners and guides, whose families reside in Santiago and have been informed that all is well. Although one of the guides e-noted that this natural disaster is really playing havoc with the psyche of the Chileans.

A return from the land of the Patagone....

Mount Picacho...southern Chile
Patagonia is derived from the Portuguese word "pata" meaning feet. Magellan (was actually of Portuguese descent, not Spanish...Spain funded his expedition) used the term "patagone" to describe the native people who he thought to be giants...the people with "big feet"(..."gone" is still of unknown origin & meaning). The Patagones were actually Tehielchees Indians who averaged 1.8 meters (5'11") in height compared to 1.55 meters (5'1"); the average Spaniard of the times.

So, last week I arrived back from southern Chile...and no luggage!! After a nervous 1-1/2 days both bags arrived. I was relieved; one bag had about $3500 worth of fly fishing gear. with that issue settled; I unpacked and then prepared for the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show, February 26-28. I'll be in the Truckee Guide NetWork booth...come by.

In the interim I'm getting a bit pressed for time to prepare for the show...so I'll delay a thorough report/images.


Suffice it to say that it rained 90% of the time...and February is the prime "summer" month?! Fish were caught but not in the numbers I anticipated for the group I "hosted" at the Picacho Lodge (http://www.picacholodge.com/) during 2/6-13/10. Everyone had a great time; a couple may return. Rio Emperor Guillermo ...an unnamed "laguna" outflow

Paperwork & Patagonia

I've been working feverishly completing all my "administrative" paperwork. I've just got one more to do; my 2009 permit usage report to the Tahoe National Forest. I should finish it and mail it tommorrow.

Then I pack for Chilean Patagonia and leave AM Friday, arriving in southern Chile 24 hours later. The flight is a drag. It generally takes a day to re-coup. I intend to write a report when I get back. I should have something to read prior to the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show, 26-28 Febuary. Maybe I'll even write about fly fishing...having not lately, except obliquely.

One thing I'll not miss...the snow-shoveling. I've been doing a lot the last 10 days. It is summer in the southern hemphispere...an interesting weather change.

Ole!

shoveling my life away...

Well, I came back "up the mountain" from the ISE show in San Mateo on Saturday. I made the early get-a-way because I didn't want to get caught in the first wave of snow-falls we've had this week. Actually it hasn't stopped...one after another.

Today, was the 5th straight day I've shoveled and pushed snow off the back-deck. I prefer doing it daily instead of all at once...if and when the white stuff ceases falling! If not, I would have worked my tail-off unloading 4 feet of snow today. The cummulative snow is accurate...because, like the fish I land...I always employ measuring devices. Well, la-de-da; what a self-rightous jerk! Also daily, I shovel the entry to the side of the garage and clear-out the berms that are left at our garage portals by our drive-way-clearing service. I have made one expedition to the north-side of house (sort of like Nantuk of the North); the side of the house with the big picture windows. The mission was to clear the snow so that we can see our live, multi-colored-lighted Christmas trees on the forest-knoll. We keep the lights on for the entire winter. You're probably asking..."what da #@&%" does this have to do with fly fishing?!"

Well, let it snow..the fish need it...yeah!

My back yard...it is beautiful when there is a lull in the snow-fall

Nanuk

...before the snow

Reading a friend's blog made me think of the title for this post. Check Jay's blog at http://www.northernsierraflyfishing.blogspot.com/. If you like swinging for wild steelhead his recent post shows the passion.

Well, I guess I'm jaded, but the ISE San Mateo is a mere shadow of its past. I had a booth there from 1990-2000. This year I manned in the Sierra Fisherman magazine booth. It afforded me an opportunity to see if the ISE San Mateo improved...nada. I saw more people in one day in the '90's than I saw in 2-1/2 days at this year's ISE.

Regardless, I had fun seeing familiar faces, BSing about fly fishing and was satisfied with the presentation Bill Forward, Andrew Harris & I gave to interested show-goers.

The only time I was tempted to cast a fly was during a feeding frenzy at the Crown Royal Hotel Koi pond in the lobby........

...Wishing Y'all a Healthy & Prosperous 2010

Went to the Village At NorthStar last evening and saw some close-up fireworks. It was all fun; the sights, the scene and the people. Actually the pyrotechnics started about 9:30 PM and lasted for about fifteen minutes. The video is from a friend's I-Phone so the images are not really precise...nevertheless you can listen to the audio.

I "couched-it" today. Being New Year's Day...well it is Bowl games times. I was most interested in the Rose Bowl. Being a west-coaster I wanted the Pac-10 to beat the Big 10...well the game just ended and Ohio beat the Oregon Ducks 26-17...darn. For you football fans I've included the following video.It is funny....