Upcoming Fishing Outings

Goodwin Lake near Jamestown Goodwin Fishout - February 17th - 20th
Fishmaster: Roy Gunter - 484-2509

Partial Check List:
Slip-ons (sandals or Crocs) to walk over ground in your waders
Fish Finder; 5 or 6 wt rod; float tube for best access;
PFD (Lifevest) available on site if you don't have one
Contact Roy for costs, and with any questions you may have.
Roy Gunter - rgunteriii@yahoo.com; (831) 809-0316 (cell); (831) 484-2509 (home)
View the property at this website: www.homeaway.com; property ID number 370547
Footnotes: Goodwin Lake is a very narrow body of water, no more than 400 feet wide by 1 1/2 miles long. It is fed by the outflow from Tulloch Dam, that creates a current at the east end in the center and sides of the lake of between 0 to 1 1/2 mph. At times, it can require stamina to hold your position or kick back up against the current to fish effectively, but the current is presently almost non-existent except near the discharge channel from Tulloch Dam. Flats along the length of the lake provide a respite and fishing opportunities.The west end is almost devoid of current. The speed limit on Goodwin is 5 mph. The lake is accessed from the house by an informal patchwork of steps with treads of varying height, or down a steep decomposed granite roadway, both are convenient to use for packing a float tube to the launch. The best way is to fish it is in a float tube or a pontoon boat, since the options to get your craft to the water and back to the house from the west end of the lake where the fishing is best involve negotiating some steep terrain or paddling back to the house against the current. There are no opportunities for fishing from the bank except limited ones below the house, the reason being that the residents on the south side of Goodwin are not amenable to people setting foot onto their property and the other side is mostly too brushy or steep. This also requires that you choose your spots to take a leak beforehand which should always be on the north side which has no residences. Roy has permission from a neighbor near the west end of the lake to haul in and out and you can walk float tubes up to a waiting truck for transport of the 1/2 mile back to the house at the end of the day. You can also walk back to the house from the Roy's friend's take out. It takes 20 minutes of easy walking on the shoulder of the county road.
Side note from Roy: he will also take fishermen down the Merced, Stanislaus and/or the Tuolumne Rivers if flows are appropriate at times during these dates, no more than two plus himself on the Merced and no more than three plus himself on the Stanislaus or Tuolumne.
Bank fishing on the Stanislaus immediately below Goodwin dam is also available, but you are on your own. Roy is also often at Goodwin weekends when the $60 per night program is available on an individual basis. For a more complete description of the Stanislaus or Merced drift trips call or e-mail Roy or Harry Petrakis. (831) 419-4245; harryandlinda@yahoo.com.
On Jan 15th the Stanislaus fished fantastically (See Fishy Tales in this newsletter). Hope to see some of you at the February fishout. We will hit the rivers too if the flows cooperate.

The Pyramid Lake fishout is one of the best attended fishouts the club has, and for a good reason. Large fish (the average Pyramid Lahontan cutthroat is over 19 inches) cruise parallel to the shore in easy casting distance from a ladder. When they go on the bite, the action can be non-stop. This year, as of this writing, there are up to four spaces available for this fishout, if enough members come forward to secure a spot to get the cost of renting the trailer to a more affordable level. Contact Harry for details (831) 419-4245. Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Flyfishermen, so get your membership paid up if you haven't done so yet, and start tying up some buggers and midges or call club member Jim Hall. Jim ties very good flies specific to Pyramid cutthroat as well as other species. His number is 713-6835.
For those in the club who want come up by themselves for a day or two or three give Crosby's Lodge a call and let them know how many in your party and they may have an opening. You would be on your own for dinner but if you didn't want to eat alone drop by one of the trailers with a bottle of wine or a dishtowel tucked into your belt around dinner time. Crosby's also provides dinners on a call-in basis (by 2:00 PM at the latest, the same day). There is a general store with provisions as well as tackle and an assortment of flies. Crosby's number is (775) 476-0400. Plan to dress for cold or warm weather. Conditions are variable and change rapidly.
Equipment: 6-8 weight rods with hi-speed, hi-D shooting heads to fish the bottom in 6 to 9 feet of water, and a floating line for indicator fishing. Five weight rods will work also. You should bring a stripping basket and a ladder that will accommodate it. A ladder helps to get you up out of the cold water and enable you to cast out to where the fish are. You can still catch fish without one but not with near as much consistency.
Flies: Woolly buggers in black, white, purple, olive, midge, caddis and mayfly nymphs to name a few. Plan to attend the Confab to see how some of the best Pyramid patterns are made. Bring a vise and tie some yourself. Flies are also available from club member Jim Hall 713-6835, at reasonable cost.
How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.
NOTE: Anyone who plans on attending the 2011 Pyramid Lake Fish out who does not have a reservation should contact Harry Petrakis to get their name on a waiting list or call Crosby Lodge (775) 476-0400 for reservations. The next nearest available lodging is in Reno, 30 miles away. Contact Harry Petrakis with questions at 831-419-4245.
ANOTHER NOTE: As of this writing, there is one space available in one of the SCFF club trailers. Contact Harry Petrakis. You can also call Crosby's Lodge at (775)476-0400 to inquire about lodging. Contact Harry with questions at (831) 419-4245. You must be a paid-up member of SCFF to attend this fishout.

You must be a paid-up member of Santa Cruz Flyfishermen to attend this event.

Pyramid Lake is a unique trout fishery with its own traditions and rules of etiquette. Some of these "rules" are common sense and are seen in other fisheries; however, some are unique to Pyramid Lake. Should you break these laws of etiquette you will find yourself being nicely educated by one of the veterans of Pyramid Lake. Should you ignore this instruction and continue to violate etiquette, you will attract the ire of fishermen around you and create ill will. Should you fish friendly and respect others, you will find people helpful in sharing new techniques and maybe even a secret fly.

Ladders are used for shore fishing and they rule the day. These ladders are placed in about 3 feet of water and are used as platforms to cast. They also designate a particular location as that individual's spot. Ladders are usually spaced in a line parallel to the bank about 25 feet apart. A ladder's fishing area will extend out into the lake just beyond casting distance. If a person is spin casting, this distance will be further than a person who is flyfishing.

* It is considered a breach of etiquette to squeeze your ladder between two ladders that are already properly spaced. People get up early to get their chosen spot and do not appreciate late-comers squeezing in.
* Placing your ladder farther out than the rest of the line is frowned upon. The entire line will decide to move in or out as conditions dictate. Placing a ladder farther out will generally tend to push the fish farther out. These fish are traveling parallel to the bank and when they see a ladder, person or float tube they will veer to deeper water.
* A float tuber may need to go between two ladders in order to get out into the lake to fish. This is okay if not abused. A float tuber may go out and come back between ladders in order to go out fishing and come back when finished. It is not okay to go back and forth between ladders while fishing their area, even if the ladder fishermen are taking a break on shore. It is also not appreciated when a float tuber stations themselves at the end of line and farther out than the ladder line. This is essentially just like putting your ladder farther out then everyone else's, except you are doing it with a float tube and not a ladder. It still impacts the movement of the fish which will have a negative effect of the fishing success of those fishing near you.
* A float tuber should also not fish a ladders area when the ladder person is on shore taking a break, no more than another person would place their ladder two feet from another ladder just because that person is taking a break.
* A float tuber should fish out beyond the casting range of those on the ladders. One of the worst breaches of etiquette is for a float tuber to troll parallel to the ladders inside their casting range. The ladder person may say "I can cast that far", throw a tennis ball, cast across your line, cast at you or just give you a solemn stare down with a hint of "stink eye". These are all indications that you are in serious violation.
* A float tuber should also refrain from casting into the area within the casting range of a ladder.
* If you put a ladder out into the water then fish from it. Do not drive away or start fishing from your float tube. Short breaks on shore are fine; everyone does this.
* When a trophy fish is hooked, a 10 plus-pounder, that person gets special consideration. Others will bring in their lines so as to not interfere with the lucky person's ability to bring in the fish of a lifetime. Watching a 10 pound trout being successfully landed and released is one of the best aspects of fishing at Pyramid Lake.
This list of dos and don'ts is being published as a reminder to those who fish Pyramid Lake, because our club has a good reputation with the locals and we'd like to keep it that way, so on future fishouts, we will be welcome there.

About an hour south of the city of New Orleans near Port Sulfur are brackish to saltwater flats referred to as The Louisiana Marsh Lands. Composed of extensive mud flats, shallow water ponds, channels and containing numerous islands in varying sizes held in place by grasses and to a lesser degree mangrove, this delicate ecosystem is ideal habitat for sight fishing to redfish. This is where we fish. Redfish have the spotlight here with black drum and sheepshead readily available. Seatrout and jacks make rare appearance.
Unless the non-fishing members of your group are okay to entertain themselves while the others fish, I recommend this trip for fishermen only. Having said that, you do not have to fish every day and you can be there as long as you want. This might be a good stopping-off point to stay for a few days on your way to another destination. You can also choose to fish a half day at a slightly reduced rate.
The hotel we stay at is similar to a Super 8 ($85-90/nite.) The beds are good, it is clean and the lobby is secure and open 24 hours. wwwriversidebellechasse. I will book the hotel in Belle Chasse if you decide to stay where we are staying. I will also assist with locating a guide if you like. The guides can provide, upon request, all top grade equipment necessary at no extra cost including flies and leaders. A deposit is required to book dates to fish with a guide. Because the chances of obtaining a good guide diminish with time it is highly recommended that you commit by the end of January. Fishing licenses are $5 for 3 days for guided fishing. You may have to obtain the license yourself depending on your guide. Booking air fare early can lead to obtaining better flights and an early arrival which can leave time for a trip to the French Quarter. We go to the grocery store on the day we arrive to get fixings for the lunches we make. Bring some good coffee if that is what you like. I buy the Starbucks instant and use the hotel's hot water dispenser in the lobby.
In addition to being one of the premier destinations in the U.S. for big redfish and because it is only 10 miles from where we stay in Belle Chasse, this trip lends itself the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of the French Quarter in New Orleans in the evenings after a day of fishing.
November is the month the larger fish start to migrate into the marsh from the colder Gulf waters and when the weather is good enough to sight fish which is most of the time the fishing is excellent. There are plenty of shots at big fish and the rush you get from seeing these aggressive takes on both the big fish and the smaller ones will make you holler. Almost all of the fish that are hooked are landed and released in good condition. The guides encourage catch and release and are stewards of the marsh. November is the best winter month for weather but because fronts blow through in the winter months you may not get to fish or have to fish in less than desirable conditions. Glare from cloud cover and wind can make it extremely difficult to see and get a good shot at fish. Check with your guide to see what his policy is when the conditions will not lend themselves to sight fishing. He may choose not to go out or find sheltered places and employ different techniques. Pray for light winds and abundant sunshine.
It takes a 20 to 40 minute boat ride to get to the fishing hole depending mostly on weather. The better the weather the further we travel. Fishing takes place in 6 inches to 3 feet of water and you will see the fish before you cast. Ideally, the Captain will see the fish and position you to make the cast at about 35 to 55 feet, depending on their body language and the size of the fish and the wind and water depth. An 8 weight rod and a back-up is all the flyrod you will need.
The Riverside hotel is 35 minutes from our guide's house, which is another 20 minutes from the launch area. The guides do not all launch from the same area, so everyone's travel time may vary.
On the last day my son Chris and I stopped at the Woodland Plantation for dinner, which included oysters shucked at the bar by Foster, the owner, and appetizers served at the bar. The dinner consists of chicken, a steak or fish entree. It was a good complement to the entire trip.

Sightseeing: St. Charles Street mansions and the Streetcar Named "Desire". There is an Audubon Zoo and plantations, and bayou rides on air boats.
Websites:
www.uptownangler.com is a flyshop.
www.woodlandplantation.com Guide service and lodging.