Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Date: August 6, 2007
Location: Canyon
Air temp: 70s-80s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: Caddis and a brown mayfly
Fish landed: 6

Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:

Quickdraw
Xan


After Montana, I took a week-long break to catch up on some work and go to LA for a friend's wedding. My time in California was nice, as I also got to visit with Jazz Hands and his better half. They took me to my first ever rodeo, where I got to see cowboys and cowgirls harass cattle, and the ever delightful feat of skill, mutton bustin'.

Mutton bustin' involves taking a young child, adding protective gear, and then placing the young lad on a sheep. Both sheep and armored tyke are then set loose into the arena, where the child tries to hold on for as long as he or she can.

I've seen plenty of fun things to do with sheep, but this ranks up there. Here is a sample (note, this is not from the rodeo we attended).

The next morning, I watched Jazz catch his first fish in the surf. A noted surf guide came up and chatted with us for a while, giving us valuable tips on how to tempt the variety of fish and sharks that roam the shallows. Not long after, JH pulled in a couple perch. Though he was trying to catch the elusive Corbina (a type of sucker), he was still glad to have hooked something other than his head.

I took the red-eye home and after short light rail and bus trips, I met up with QD for some fishing. We headed to our favorite fly shop for some dollar flies. For giggles, we tried fishing the river near the shop, but soon made our way to the Canyon.

The Canyon was LOW. We worked all the way down to the Alpha Hole. I was able to pick up fish on nymphs along the way at the usual riffles and runs. We ended the day at the Beta Hole, where I landed a fish on a hopper for the first time this season. Even though I was able to land some fish, I doubt I will be going back to this stream for the rest of the season, unless they get some serious rain.

We ended the day at Red Lobster, which to my good gastronomic fortune was hosting, "Crab Crackin' Monday." Delish.