The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

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Flykuni3
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The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#1

Post by Flykuni3 »

You've probably heard already, pardon me if you have. Perhaps the weather patterns have changed. Maybe we are the Anasazi after all. Yet, the LA Rams now play in So Fi stadium, with a huge water feature in front. Like a big fountain in 'Vegas. We'll never learn. I hope we can find our fishing in the future, or is that the present?

On the upside of the sad tale, the Eastern Sierra region about 200 miles from Los Angeles begins year-around catch-and-release fishing on many streams that we fish during the regular season. This could be interesting -- some are socked in with snow (in good years), but in dry years there could be good fishing. But that means there will be little runoff, and even less water for the long, hot summer.

Pal Art Warner at the Hot Creek Ranch, casting to picky fish early in the season (during a good year). Fishing an unusual 6'9, DT3, spliced joint Brandin rod.

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The San Gabriel mountains, part of the Transverse Range of Southern California, in a good year. The coastal range from about Santa Barbara down to the deserts could have streams to fish...if there's a good winter. We go up, we go down. We sadly haven't seen it like this for a while. That snow -- and the rains -- feed the rocky streams where we fish for our local wild trout. Our patterns may be changing to deluges of very wet Pacific "atmospheric rivers," the old pineapple express they used to call it.

These are the hills of NE LA, my favorites. Similar to the Hollywood Hills but far less developed, and hip. These are folksy neighborhoods, and I once lived on one of these hills. My Mexican neighbors had chickens and rabbits (for food). There were few fences and lots of open fields. I loved it, it's the way LA used to be. You might not know this, but most of the allegedly stolen water from the Owens Valley went for AG purposes, as LA County was America's leading AG county, believe it or not. Water now is a huge issue, more than ever.

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A good local, small stream rod that I like a lot, 7' Leonard Appalachian Trail rod, 4/1 for a DT4. This is a very sweet stick, packing down to nothing, impreg'd for durability. Works deep and casts accurately. Went all the way to Japan with me, where I fished it on the snow melt water of Mt. Fuji, the sacred mountain.

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Our local rainbow friend. They get chunky and strong in good years, feeding on BWOs, Flavs, Stones, and various caddis. Funny but just thought of something, ever notice how a Red Humpy never seems to work?

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Last edited by Flykuni3 on 11/18/21 21:40, edited 3 times in total.

NewUtahCaneAngler
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#2

Post by NewUtahCaneAngler »

I've had good success with a red humpy this year; perhaps CA rainbows have a hereditary eyesight issue and don't see red? Nice photos!

PYochim
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#3

Post by PYochim »

Darrel,

Beautifully written and photographed.

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Flykuni3
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#4

Post by Flykuni3 »

NewUtahCaneAngler wrote:
11/18/21 20:34
I've had good success with a red humpy this year; perhaps CA rainbows have a hereditary eyesight issue and don't see red? Nice photos!
It's just weird, never had any action on a red one, never carry them now. But yellow has rocked.

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#5

Post by mlarocco »

The stadium is supposed to be environmentally friendly

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2021/07/ ... led-water/

Don't know how you recycle runoff if it doesn't rain....

Hopefully, some of the west is coming out of drought. BC and NW Wa recently had major flooding. Locally, even though we have received 13+" of rain size 9/1 areas are just starting to be delisted. Central WA and Oregon still have areas in severe drought. Not sure what the status of Montana and Idaho would be.

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#6

Post by 3creeks »

Beautiful photos. I wrote off the stream that I suspect that rainbow came from years ago after drought made it just a sad place. It was about an hour up the 405 for me to get into some wild rainbows "above the dam in the wild trout section" if you know what I mean. I haven't had the heart to go back and see if it's better lately. I suspect not.

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Flykuni3
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#7

Post by Flykuni3 »

Ha, well it’s from east of the area you mention. Things are very rough in So Cal…we had it so good in the 70s—90s

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#8

Post by 3creeks »

Flykuni3 wrote:
11/20/21 02:08
Ha, well it’s from east of the area you mention. Things are very rough in So Cal…we had it so good in the 70s—90s
I started fly fishing in the mid 90's and might have missed most of the glory days of the small streams in So. Cal. I have 4 new builds that have not seen the water yet and maybe I'll head up to test them out and see if the crayfish are still in P. I have never fished the stream that I think you're talking about.

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creakycane
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#9

Post by creakycane »

Whenever you post on the mountain streams near LA, it makes me think of the neat little set of maps produced by Reel Maps back in the 80s/90s. Conrad Ricketts was the producer's name; never had the pleasure of meeting him, but he was enthusiastic about the trout creeks near LA!

Edit: I also think of the great publication the California Fly Fisher, which I still subscribe to, though now live 2500 miles away. The latest issue arrived in today’s mail!
Last edited by creakycane on 11/24/21 10:26, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#10

Post by ibookje »

Lovely!
Hard to believe there is so nice fishing near LA!

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#11

Post by 3creeks »

creakycane wrote:
11/20/21 16:06
Whenever you post on the mountain streams near LA, it makes me think of the neat little set of maps produced by Reel Maps back in the 80s/90s. Conrad Ricketts was the producers name; never had the pleasure of meeting him, but he was enthusiastic about the trout creeks near LA!

Edit: I also think of the great publication the California Fly Fisher, which I still subscribe to, though now live 2500 miles away. The latest issue arrived in today’s mail!
I wish I had more of those maps. Here's one on the Kern, which I grew up closest to as a kid in Bakersfield but before I fly fished. My dad put the fear of god in me about going to the Kern, with tales of friends lost in its swift waters. The death toll at the entrance to the canyon as we'd drive through on the way to Isabella hammered home his point so I've never fully explored it in my adult years as a fly fisherman. I also live in LA now so getting up there is harder. I've built enough rods now that I've resolved that 2022 is going to be more time exploring water in California and less about shop time at home. I've been studying this map and others on the Kern, which is one of my main goals to explore.

California Fly Fisher is a great publication that led me to some local waters in the LA area. I used to get it at a news stand in West LA that's no longer there, and as far as I knew it was not in publication so it's good to hear that it's alive and well. I'm going to subscribe to it today. Definitely worth having.


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Flykuni3
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#12

Post by Flykuni3 »

Great stuff, 3.

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owenscaddis
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#13

Post by owenscaddis »

I miss the articles Richard Alden Bean published in California Fly Fishers. I found his articles helpful in identifying new places to explore and they motivated me to get out of the house. Unfortunately, with the increased traffic on the 5 and 15, drought and fires I have not made it up to the Mountains surrounding LA for several years.

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#14

Post by uppercreek »

Flykuni3, very nice to see the Leonard Appalachian Trail that I sold to you many years ago on a Mt. Fuji stream. The original grip seemed small for my extra large hands, which is why I let it go. I have no regrets, especially seeing that it went to an appreciative new custodian, and hope to make it to Japan some day, maybe after a trip to New Zealand.
Best,
Kevin

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Eric Peper
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

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Post by Eric Peper »

Kuni, you have the gifts of good thought, composition and expression. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Eric
A mountain is a fact -- a trout is a moment of beauty known only to men who seek them
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich

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Flykuni3
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#16

Post by Flykuni3 »

uppercreek wrote:
11/24/21 09:13
Flykuni3, very nice to see the Leonard Appalachian Trail that I sold to you many years ago on a Mt. Fuji stream. The original grip seemed small for my extra large hands, which is why I let it go. I have no regrets, especially seeing that it went to an appreciative new custodian, and hope to make it to Japan some day, maybe after a trip to New Zealand.
Best,
Kevin
Hey thanks for reminding me, I should keep notes on my gear. The rod has gone far.

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#17

Post by thegubster »

Eric Peper wrote:
11/24/21 10:07
Kuni, you have the gifts of good thought, composition and expression. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Eric
Couldn't have said it better Eric!

From one well respected author and fisherman here to another well respected poster/story-teller (hey, nobody tires of reading 'Kunis' posts, do they!) and fisherman here you gave the perfect reply.

Happy Thanksgiving ladies... I need to visit here more often instead of carving my spoons! :)

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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#18

Post by WiFlyFisher »

Kuni, is wonderful to fish with. He had me laughing so much I missed a couple of nice takes. Just don't get him on "clousers". :)

He also gives a great history of his LA employer on YouTube that is amazing, if you love history.

Happy Thanksgiving to all the members.

John

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Flykuni3
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Re: The Fishing Has Been Bad in the Western Drought

#19

Post by Flykuni3 »

Ja, da Clouser, it's all you need, jaaa.

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