Fly Fishing,    Fishing Report,    Underground's Best,    Upper Sacramento

Death, Taxes and A**holes

By Tom Chandler 6/27/2006

A fishing report usually isn't written when you've got a couple pints of adrenaline coursing through your system, but here I am at my desk, barely able to keep from jumping up and pacing the house. First things first - the fishing was OK. Not the hatch I experienced last week and not nearly as many fish, but enough to keep it interesting. We even hit a small spinner fall towards the end of the evening, though it only accounted for a couple of my fish (note to self: tie more #14 mustard spinners).

Upper Sacramento River canyon
It's a pretty river. No matter what happens on it.


It was a pleasant evening made more so by the dark grey thundercloud scudding by to the south. I was fishing in sunshine while the thunder rolled on and on, which is a different enough experience that you'd pretty much have to enjoy the novelty of it.

I scored one fish on an ant (one of the Upper Sac's real sleeper patterns) and a couple on a parachute Beetle Bug. Then two friends showed up, and after a while, I saw two sizes of yellow/cream mayflies on the water, and because I had a good stock of #16s in the right color, decided the fish clearly preferred that size bug over the other.

At one point, I made a tough cast under an overhanging brush, and for the third time in three trips, briefly hooked a very nice fish. I know where he lives so you'd think the odds would tilt in my favor (just like you'd think at some point the hook would stick), but... NOT. Final tally didn't quite reach double-digits, and it seemed like it was my night to make good casts, hook fish for exactly 1.8 seconds, and let 'em off. (And yes, I checked the point a couple times.)

OK. I went to bed and slept on it before starting this part...
It's never fun to ruin a fishing trip for any reason, or to let someone else do it for you. But the world is populated by more than rivers and trout, and some of that population clearly possesses a few demons. Three of us were fishing a stretch of river that can't really accommodate any more than that, even assuming they were buddies. So the guy who got into the river 20' below Mike was pushing it a lot more than a little bit, but mostly you glare and turn around and keep fishing, hoping that's the last you'll see of him. I'm glad I wasn't in Mike's shoes.

Sadly, this interloper was of the more aggressive variety; some words were exchanged while fishing, and after the fishing was done he started his running commentary in the parking lot. In retrospect, I'm guessing he was looking for trouble, and had picked out one person in our group in the hopes of getting it. At some point it was entirely unclear as to whether things were going to get physical, but it ended with a lot of adrenaline and some inane comments from our new friend about this being "my spot." Ahh. His spot.

It's easy to look back and suggest those confrontations aren't worth it - and the next day they aren't, given the possibility of someone pulling a gun in defense of "their" spot - but it's also a startling way to end an evening spent fly fishing, something I'd say I do because it pushes the everday world farther away.

In truth, the "everyday world" can seek you out even on the river, and sometimes the "everyday world" is composed of people who - it turns out - treat fishing as yet another conduit for getting pissed off at the world.

Today's Underground Entertainment? Naw, I want to hear from you folks...

OK, I'm not so much in the mood for entertainment today, so let's just skip it. Let's make it Open Thread Day
on the Underground. Any stories to share about unhappy human interactions on the river? And please, no "that's why I carry my .357" threads. I'm only willing to devote one day to this cranky stuff, and then it's time to get back to the fun side of the sport... See you on the river, Tom Chandler
AuthorPicture

Tom Chandler

As the author of the decade leading fly fishing blog Trout Underground, Tom believes that fishing is not about measuring the experience but instead of about having fun. As a staunch environmentalist, he brings to the Yobi Community thought leadership on environmental and access issues facing us today.

11 comments
Write a Comment
I'm going to fish the middle Rogue, as usual. I hooked about a 7 or 8 pound steelhead last night on one of my hi viz comparaduns. It was a bit of a shock, though I had seen two earlier rising to some large mayflies. I was free drifting, and put the fly about a foot from the bank and up it came. After a battle, I had it near the boat, but missed the first attempt to net it. With my rod bent too much, ... more I gave the fish a little slack. It proceeded to go under the boat, and seem that it liked it there. Here is where I got stupid. This never works. I was using a 12 foot 5x leader and a 6 weight 9 foot Sage. Too long to net a fish under the boat, or one you can't slide into the net. I decided to gently hand line it, hoping to somehow either net it, or tire it out again, once it was away from the boat. Once it felt the pressure on the leader, "Ping!". I'm not sure was I was so irritated at myself. I didn't have a camera, and I would have let it go anyway, but somehow it didn't seem officially caught. On the otherhand, this is the second steelhead I have lost on this fly in two weeks. If this is more than just dumb luck this could be a fun summer. This is the first summer I have fished water that holds steelhead with a dry. Both were on a drift, no skating. - rriver
Reply
0
0
And speaking of getting ready for the next trip, what's everybody got on tap? Nancy and I are thinking about hiking back to some remote lakes over the Fourth to escape the crowds. Anybody have any plans for the local fisheries?
Reply
0
0
It is mind-boggling to me why some of these "flyfishers" insist on taking all their baggage from home and work with them to the river........... This just makes for an unjoyable experience on the river for anyone they think is fishing in "their spot". I'll bet they do most of, if not all of, their fishing alone since no reasonble flyfisher would want to fish with someone like this... Just very hard ... more for me to imagine why someone would get ticked off if they were on the Upper Sac and encountered someone fishing a spot they wanted to fish. There is A LOT of good water to fish on that river, and if you encounter someone fishing a spot you wanted to fish, all you have to do is just walk 10-15 minutes either up or downstream and you'll have a section of good water all to yourself. Sorry you had to experience this, Tom. Best to just down a couple of your favorite micro-brews and realize that these incidents do not occur very often, and get ready for the next trip. Brian
Reply
0
0
This is why I usually choose to frequent the more out-of-the-way places to fish. You know, the places where you might see one other angler the whole day. If you're not lucky, that is. Tom, sorry you had this kind of end to the day. Get one of your broken bamboo rods and shove a sharp end down his fingernail... Naw, usually much better to look the other way, have a cold one, and live to fish another ... more day.
Reply
0
0
I am also from the Bay Area and am able to get up there 2-3 times during the summer. I have been fishing the Upper Sac. for around 25 years and find it relaxing to visit various spots on that river , where normally I never run into anyone. I do not feel like a trespasser, because it is there for everyone. There are areas on this river where you may find bait, lure, or fly using fishing men or women. ... more I personally visit this river to relax, soak in the beauty of the area, and catch and release some trout. I will admit to using my spinning reel, with always barbless hooks to catch and release these trout. And while I enjoy this website, to see how life is going for those lucky enough to have this river in their backyard, I have had conversations and been given negative looks by some fly fishermen on the Upper Sac. Hey, I respect this river and always give plenty of water for those I might encounter out there. But unfortunately a few fly fishing individuals seem to feel they own the river, look down on barbless lure users, and in return give an attitude because they are fishing the Upper Sac. in it's purest form (fly fishing). I am in no way bashing all fly fishers, I fly fish and have met many friendly individuals using fly rods. But there are some individuals that feel they own the river because they are holding a fly rod, have all the expensive gear, and are wearing breathable waders in the river even though it is 100 degrees like they have some image to uphold. It is childish much like the differences between snowboarders and skiing. Snowboarders are using younger, wear flashy snow gear, probably listening to their mp3 players. While two plankers are often older, not as flashy, and feel snowboarders are rude and disrespectful. Both are riding downhill on snow. Fishing.... whether using a barbless hook lure or throwing a fly, both are out on the river doing what they love. Can't we all just get along?
Reply
0
0
"In any case, I'm not that interested in villifying this guy;" See, that's where you're probably a better man than me, 'cause I quite enjoy the vilification... - Dave
Reply
0
0
I suppose I'm lucky, because I've never had an experience like the one you describe. That's partly because I don't fish that much, partly because I tend to fish in some rather isolated areas that aren't easy to get to, and partly because the few times someone has come a little too close, I've always just moved on. There's usually plenty of water, so if someone really wants a spot that badly, I'll ... more let them have it. Being from the Bay Area, I always feel like a trespasser anyway. Maybe I'd feel differently if I lived near a river and fished it all the time, or if I really needed some fish to feed my family, but I find it kind of hard to get worked up about something I'm just going to release anyway. The assholes are everywhere Tom, as I'm sure you well know. After awhile, you either learn to let it go, or you snap. I can't afford to get all pissed off every time someone cuts me off during the morning and evening commute. Maybe it would be more of a shock and upset me more if it happened less often. I can't really say. Finally, I always think about what might happen if I really did want to do something about it. Sure, it's fun to fantasize about beating the shit out of someone, or destroying their property – or worse. The reality is that the consequences can be horrendous and last for years. So what to do? Personally, I drink. The hard stuff. A lot. At the end of the day, I find that a few cocktails seem to wash it all away. No insomnia here. But that's just me.
Reply
0
0
Hey, you posted in MY SPOT! A little calling around does wonders. Heard about a similar incident at Ney a few days before, and something similar last season. Somebody needs to back off the coffee intake. In any case, I'm not that interested in villifying this guy; he's got enough to deal with. More interested in hearing how often this kind of thing happens to people, and how they react.
Reply
0
0
Hey! You took a picture of "MY SPOT"!!!!!
Reply
0
0
What are the chances he'll read this post and recognize himself? Pretty slim, I'm guessing, since I'm sure a lummox like that has a limited grasp on reading ability to begin with. And since he says he goes to that spot nearly every night, what are the chances we'll see him again? Pretty slim, too as I'm guessing he also has a limited grasp on reality. And here I'm am, the morning after, getting worked ... more up about it all over again. - Dave
Reply
0
0
Sorry to hear about your adventures. To be honest the only suprise is that this sort of thing does not happen more often given the way a lot of people are today. I have run into some pretty rude people on the river but never to the extent you described, although I did hear a story about two guys on the Trinity that got into a fight over a hole. They started throwing rocks at each other and they both ... more ended up in the ER in Redding. I dont understand why people get so posessive, especially on the USac. Just walk another 10 or 15 min and I sure you will find just as good of water.
Reply
0
0

Discover Your Own Fishing and Hunting Adventures

With top destinations, guided trips, outfitters and guides, and river reports, you have everything you need.

Help