Reel Adventures Guide Service

Finally some RAIN and some STEELHEAD...

Imagine that... rain and steelhead go together like PB&J or turkey & gravy!

(Gravy train... speaking of gravy this beautiful wild beast hasn't skipped too many meals!)

(Images: Frank E was fortunate enough to connect to this amazing 30" plus wild steelhead buck last week on the Trinity River. Frank played this fish well... it lit up the pool jumping 6 times!! It was a epic battle and we were just stoked to see it up close and then return it back safely to the river where it belongs)

We had fairly decent conditions last week on the Trinity River here in Northern California during the recent rain events. The river bumped up slightly and dropped back down just as fast. This low pressure event coupled with some good rain were enough to get the steelhead moving. Conditions were perfect for a few days. It reminded me of old times...

(Image: Blake B with a dandy wild one last week... one of many for him this day)

We are seeing a fair number of good ones this fall with their adipose fins attached. Possibly the hatchery clipper run is still lagging as it seems like many things are a good month behind schedule this year. Leaves on the trees have just turned color and my garden has been kicking out the last of the tomatoes and peppers, too! A few tagged fish were landed so I'm anxious to see the tag results on these fish. At any rate, I'd say the Trinity is off to a good start.

 

(Images: Quick collage of the good times... Wojo and David W are in there... woot woot. Frank E and Mason, too. Some Lower Sac days along with Trinity steelhead!)

 

(Images: Pit Viper Cru... Dre, Josh, Blake and Ty... Good Times!! Fishing w/ my buddy Fuzz)

(Image: Dre with a dimer wild one that made us all really happy. Redemption fish)

As with any steelhead adventures... you never know unless you go! Every day is different right now. Even on a week where we saw fantastic steelhead fishing - we still had some ASS kicker days thrown in. Hero to Zero and back again for fishing guides. It's all about the process! There are no guarantees. But I know one thing... for me these fish are worth it. 

My November 2020 calendar is all booked up but I do have a few dates still available in December. January and February are my favorite months and I still have a few dates OPEN. Don't hesitate or procrastinate. I know the Covid blues have a lot of people down but the best place you can be is outside and in fresh air, no large group gatherings and common sense personal hygiene protocols. I believe that fishing is a fairly safe activity given everyone is healthy in our group... but only you know whats best for you. And, if that time is later in the spring or summer 2021 then I look forward to seeing you then. Stay home and stay safe!

Bring on the New Year lets turn the corner on this crazy year 2020.

www.ReelAdventuresGuideService.com for more info

 

It's Been a While...

How did it get to November 9th already?!? These past few months have flown right past me...

I guess I'll begin by quickly re-capping October fly fishing. It was a busy month. Hence the lack of posts. Northern California guides get hammered in October (which is a good thing) but it can be a grind with long days back to back.

Fish reports definitely take a low priority on the list of things to do each day... 

(Porchia C travelled all the way from TX to tangle with some Lower Sac trout. She got after em' too!!)

We saw a good salmon run this season on the Upper-Lower Sacramento River. These were the "early" fall run (King) Chinook salmon. These fish typically produce the largest run (by numbers) of the FOUR Chinook runs that return annually to this river system. We should start to see the "late" fall run Chinook salmon showing up within a few weeks. Rain will help move things along. 

With all these salmon dropping eggs the large resident trout (along with the occasional steelhead) get pretty jazzed up on all this protein in the water. The trout will congregate behind the salmon to chow on the loose eggs when the ripe fish get on their redds (spawning beds). They will also chow in the slurry of bugs and larva that the salmon brush loose each time a big male turns sideways and moves gravel around (cutting their redds). It's like sitting at the edge of the Sushi Boat Moat at the local sushi joint. Endless choices coming your way!

(Bob McCullum with a nice, wild, Sac trout (or small stlhd) from mid October)

The fishing was mostly good... we hooked, landed and lost a fair share of Big trout this past month. But some days were probably tougher than they should have been. I would rate the fishing as "technical" this Oct season.

On the days you were on it, you might be into it. On the days you didn't bring your A-Game - it could easily be a grind. The egg bite began in early Oct and just sorta continued like a big slow arc the entire month. Like a flattened curve to use that analogy. The egg bite never peaked. It never went 100% berzerk. It just sorta plugged along. The EARLY mornings were important to get the most out of the egg bite. Then after the sun came up, it got bright out and by lunchtime the bug game became more important. Thankfully, we had the little caddis!

(Matt Miller everybody. BENT to the cork!)

I'm gonna go ahead and blame the weird fishing on the nice weather. October was ridiculously nice... by which I mean... 90-95 degrees and Sunny every day. Nice if it was August. It was unseasonably dry, hot and with bright sun... every day in October 2020. Zero rainfall for the month. I don't remember a drier October in my lifetime?

Now, if we had just a few days to a week of some good ol' fashioned weather AND rain - I think the Sac River would have been richter for that time. The weather does make it go bonkers when the salmon are in... they like the low light periods and they love the cloudy, rainy days. 

In addition to the Sac we have been spending a few days on the Klamath River this fall. I've actually been spending more time on the Klamath than the Trinity for this time of year. Weird I know... I love the Trinity River and prolly spend more days on this river than any other. But... patience... steelhead season is a LOOONG season.

Back to the Klamath. It's been pretty good. You simply cannot find a more beautiful river in late October and early November in CA. Not one with steelhead and big rainbow trout anyway. 

(Mike Hibbard's boat... BENT again! )

I'll have another report in a few days or week... more busy days ahead. Here are a few more pics. Sorry if I don't have your trip pic in the mix! Too many to sort out right now.

(Lisa Santy and Crew... always a good time, always a lot of laughs)

(Matt M, Brad C, Greg R. BAM... you boys done did it like the best of them. Another fun week spent with the best Peeps any guide could hope for. Fist Bump Emoji) 

 

October has been crazy...

As it always is... fall season has been a bluuurrrr and very busy for fishing guides in northern CA. I've been in guide mode all month and haven't had the time to update the blog in long a while!! 

Fishing has been good to great most days. Seems like the cooler weather (at least nighttime) has triggered the trout to get more grabby and there are a few steelhead showing, too. We have typical low and clear conditions on most of our rivers right now. Indicative of the lack of rain and storms. The Klamath and Sac are at average flows for the season and super fishy. The Trinity is a trickle.

I'll post some pics later - gotta run again. Take a look at my website calendar for open dates in Nov and Dec. I don't have many but I have had some dates cancel lately. Contact me for more info and up to date conditions

www.Reeladventuresguideservice.com

(The Lower Sac kicking our some nice wild rainbows as it typically does in October!!)

October is here...

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. 2020 is serving up a dose of ass kick. Endless craziness it seems.

But... We are all good, everyone is healthy, neighborhood is fine, and we couldn't be more excited for fall/winter season. I'll explain more later when I have time.

For now... I want mention that i do have a few last minute cancellations for October 12, 13, 14  (*These dates have now been booked) 

 

 

Sept Cancellations...

Updated**

I recently had a few days cancel in September... Now Open:

September 21-22... I would love to re-book these dates ASAP. 

Traditionally, this is a very good time to come fly fishing in Northern California with many options for big wild trout and steelhead... top of my list are: Lower Sacramento River, Trinity River, Fall River and Pit River. 

Please visit www.ReelAdventuresGuideService.com for more info or contact me directly.