Defintion # 1: SNOWCLUMPING

Snowclumping:

The act of walking on freshly fallen snow with felt-bottom wading shoes. The snow accumulates on one's soles so that the angler gains 3"-6" in height via large, attached clumps of intact snow.

We received our first significant amount of snow last Friday, November 13th. It is here to stay and the ski resorts love it. I connected with Pablo and we decided to explore the LT; essentially to see if the Meadow area was still reachable via SUV. I mentioned to him that we'd been seeing some large browns...officially off the redds...so that they were fair play.

Last week he had landed his biggest Brown ever on the BT; a 26" buck with a tapered snout quickly ascending into a humped-back. He was still pumped-up and was anxious to see if he could get another "good one" (...how about great one Pablo!) on the LT. The BT Brown ate one of his CDC Baetis Emerger.

To say that it was a beautiful day with fresh-fallen snow is an understatement...

....looking for a riser

Pablo spotted one working, got into position and got the take...and missed it when he set-up to quickly at the appearance of a good-sized head. I worked the run; probing the shallow bottom (...at 33cfs) and he moved on downstream "head-hunting". There were no bugs, the productive BWO emergence ceased the first week of November.

I finished working the run with no results. Then I followed Pablo's "snowclump" tracks.....

downstream to a known productive riffle/run. As I approached the area, I noticed a deep bow in Pablo's rod. He had "blind-fished' a known lie & subtle current seam adjacent a mid-stream boulder. He rose a nice 18" Brown that ate his #18 BWO Pullover dry.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Accolades...Geez, I'm Humbled

I've been pursuing this passion of ours for a long-time. For the last 26 years I've justified my addiction by being a professional fly fishing guide and instructor; AFTER 15 years of my initial submersion into the sport. What I know is what I've learned on my own; no steep-curve schooling, strictly by the "boot-strap". Nevertheless, I'm the first to admit that I'm a perpetual student and I'm always receptive to learning something new.

I feel I've been a reasonable addition to California's fly angling scene. I have established a positive reputation for honesty (sometimes too Frank!), reliability, trust-worthiness and competence; as a fly angler and guide/instructor. Until the mid-90's I never blew my own horn until someone told me, "...no one else will" after I ranted about the suddenly-on-the-scene "self-promoters". Some actually had/have substance & credibility & remain, others don't & fade from the scene quickly. I'm satisfied what I've accomplished. In time "paying your dues" will earn you respect and, surprisingly, unsolicited accolades from others, in print and other media.

In the winter '09 issue of Southwest Fly Fishing appears an article on the Truckee River; both the California and Nevada sides. I spent a day fly fishing with the author, Zack Thomas. He wanted some images and wanted to pick my brain relative to my take on fly fishing the Truckee river, on the California side. It is pretty-well written.

What amused me was that he actually quoted me...from an article I'd written about the Truckee River in the Spring 2002 issue of Northwest Fly Fishing. In addition, he mentions me as ...
a "top gun"...an "icon"... and a "renowned" guide.

I've been introduced during a radio interview as the "Dean of Guides in the Truckee Area" and as the "living legend" on a poster & mailer prior to a presentation. Recently, an angler I met while fishing said he was stoked because he met me astream; referring to me as a "heavyweight". Hmmmm, I hope he wasn't sublimally thinking about my current physical stature; having slowly become somewhat rotund as I age.

Guess what?

...I accept these accolades; I've earned it.

CyberFly!!

An unrelated aside:

Recently I authored an article in the current Winter issue of Sierra Fisherman. Amazingly, I found myself plagerizing...myself!!...from a column I wrote for http://www.westfly.com/ in the late '90's.

Moods...An Epilogue...for now

As I've mentioned, moods are flexible. It is easy to switch moods when you see nice fish...steadily...surface feeding. Then being a purist is so easily done. Well that's what's happening on the LT right now (depending on cloud cover)...a couple of classic, over-cast days of Autumn, producing 2-3 hours of an intense, mid-day, BWO emergence...then the sun comes out and the bugs slow down (see October 30).

Wednesday, October 28*

A 2-4:30 PM resulted in a 3/2 session. The entire time I had targets. First one uncorked and then netted 15" and 17" RB's. All three aggressively, jumped-on (they weren't dainty takes!) a #16, No-Hackle, CDC Post, BWO Emerger...trailing a #16 Olive ComParaDun.

Thursday, October 29*
Fished 1:30-4:30 PM for a 6/2 session. Connected with "Pablo"; he having just landed a 17"-18" RB upon my arrival at Brian's Bluff...he then proceeded to hook 5 and net 4 more in the upper-water column with his own BWO emerger tye. My two to the the net were sub-surface; 16" & 17" on a #14 rose-colored egg and one of my favorites...a #20 Black Midge Pupa. Nice, classic overcast day; BWO emergence & corresponding rise activity the entire time.

Friday, October 30*

2-5PM for another 3/2 session. The one that uncorked was a minimum 20" Brown that performed a 2-feet-high-aerial pirouette upon feeling the dainty steel of...yeah, the #20 Black Midge Pupa...Had it on for several strong runs and the tiny hook unhinged. I land two smallish RB's at about 10". I met with da "Yoda of the Yuba" and "DT". They were in their normal purist kind of mood. "Yoda" landed a 18" RB on a #20 Olive ParaDun and "DT" hooked 2 and landed one Brown in the 18+- range at Frustration. Clear, sunny skies seemed to put-off a consistent rise and emergence of bugs.....

* this post was edited starting on the 29th and posted on 10/31

California Premier of ..."Rise"

Surprisingly there were over 40 intrepid fly anglers who attended the California premier of the 16 mm film RISE at the Judah Lodge at Sugar Bowl ski resort on Saturday, Octobetrr 24th. The proceeds went to two local groups; Tahoe-Truckee Fly Fishers and the new TU Truckee chapter. It was sponsored by Sierra Fisherman magazine and Cloudveil.
Hey...the movie was truly well done cinemathographically (...such a word?). It entailed interviews of people who ply their trade in both salt & freshwater enviorns with accompanying fly fishing scenes.

Recently I viewed a DVD entitled Once in a Blue Moon. It is easily one of the best I've seen during the the last three years, along with Trout Grass. Both of the latter are visually pleasing and have interesting/pertinent story-lines. RISE, Drift and Nervous Waters are different Frankie da Film Critic

Moods...Continued

Yeah...moods can be fickle & short-lived. Depending how locked-in you're in your tactical mood...in this case "head-hunting"; your mind-set is always subject to change. If there aren't consistent and rhythmic surface-feeders...forgetaboutit! Go down. Call it being a pragmatist.

I don't get to fish much myself because I'm mostly with clients. Essentially, I'm fishing through them so I strive to get them into fish...when it happens that is my gratification. Autumn is my first sustained time when I can do it for me!

This is what has occurred during this "mood" change...the two browns below were TAPED, no BS or quessimates!! I'll be honest, I thought they were larger while the struggles ensued; the taping set things straight.

Cumulatively---three sessions, 10-1/2 hours on LT resulted in 10 hook-ups/6 lands:

Wedneday (10/21)---3 hrs, 2-5PM
3/1; consistent and rhythmic risers resulted in 19-1/2" RB on #22 Brook's Up-Right, Organza-winged Spinner...two rising RB's lost on unanticipated SECOND moves on Brook's fly. I figured on the first moves and applied necessary pressure to move them away from the security lies. Then both made moves that I was not prepared for...very smart trout.

Thursday... (10/22)---3 hrs, 2-5PM
3/3...24" Brown on #12 pink egg, 11" Brn on #18 Olive Mico-May,11" RB on #20 Griffith's Gnat.

Tuesday (10/27)* ---4-1/2 hrs, 12-4:30 PM
4/2; 11" RB on #20 Red Brassie, lost 2 RB's in the 15"-17"...on for about 30 seconds each, #18 Olive Hackle-Stacker and #10 Peppas Egg. The big buck on...a #20 Black Midge Pupa!...no s&^*!...my best-ever "20-20". In this case a 24" Brown on size 20 fly. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pumped.

...normally I don't take fish out of the water. Here, I quickly brought to bank to tape and it flipped once before I took image...reason for the grass...It was properly resusitated and swam-off where I was confident it was OK for being out of water for the 20-30 seconds

Amazing, two "fish of the season" in three outings...how sweet it is!

*---started this post on the 23rd and posted it on the 27th

Fly Fishing Moods

Fly anglers are of myriad personality types. Some of us can be viewed as loners, at-all-costs-crowd-avoiders, essentially anti-social. Some of us not, savoring interaction, "fish gossiping" and seeking-out communal-group angling; camaraderie is what it is about.

Regardless of were you're button-holed within the above two extremes, we all display moods; in this case, specifically...fishing moods. These angling moods can be seasonal or change day to day. Each mood can fit into a different mind-set relative to strategic...as in seasonal...or tactical...relative to what is occurring at the moment.

Today is a beautiful, autumn day in the mountains. The air is crisp, the sky azure-colored, the cottonwoods, alders and aspen are brilliantly colored and there is little wind. Although I would prefer a bit of cloud-cover, now is a good time for "head-hunting"...

...see ya

I deleted 6 posts!!

Yikes---Being so blog-techno-challenged I inadvertantly deleted five posts!...the intial ones I posted starting in August.

I know that it said it can't be undone...but can it?

I've lost my "RainBow & Blues", "Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously", "Rock & Roll...FlashBack #1", "...An Ultimate Compliment?", the Martin Clan's "Trout Tour 2009" and the lenghty "Summer Doldrums"...I may redo from memory...except the last mentioned

...stay tuned.

...Any help out there or advice ?

Dumb-O Frank