Upcoming Fishing Outings

Quail Hollow Ranch Public Education Day - Sunday, March 12th
Coordinator: Kathy Powers

Place: Quail Hollow Ranch (see below for directions)
Time: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Over the past few years, this event has grown into a forum on most aspects of fly fishing. Quail Hollow Ranch is a 300-acre preserve in Santa Cruz County that was once a summer home of the Lane family, founders of Sunset Magazine. The ranch has a special history; California Ranch Style living we know today was started here. There is a wonderful bass pond on the property that was once the watering hole for cattle that grazed on the land. Much of the ranch house has been restored to its original condition and is a treat to see. Many photos, dating way back, adorn the living area, speaking thousands of words.
The day is organized to introduce people to fly flshing who think they might be interested in our sport. We will have continuous demonstrations and instruction in casting and fly tying. We need as many members as can, to volunteer to help by demonstrating fly tying and casting and answer general fly fishing questions. This is a great opportunity to introduce our favorite pastime to people who will be coming to learn just what it is we are all about. As many as a dozen Club members first learned of us at a Quail Hollow Public Education Day. Don't miss this opportunity; members who have participated in the past have thoroughly enjoyed the day. It's your chance to pass along what you have learned and to pay back a little of the fun, knowledge and camaraderie you have enjoyed as a club member. Please do help out.
Snacks and drinks will be provided, but bring a bag lunch. Bring your tying gear, and the rods you want to practice with and may be willing to make available for visitors to try. We will have plenty of room to throw a few hundred feet of line.

Directions: take Graham Hill Road to East Zayante Road and travel just about a mile until you reach Quail Hollow Road. About 1/2 a mile up you will see the ranch entrance on the right. Can't miss it.

Lake Amador is a privately run lake with LARGE cutthroat-rainbow hybrids. It's a three hour drive from Santa Cruz. The trout fishing is good until well past May and the bass fisherman don't start racing around the lake until late May. At the March meeting I will be glad to supply maps and driving directions for the three hour drive. Cost per day, one car, two people/two float tubes is $24. The link to the Lake Amador website with parking, launching and fishing prices is www.lakeamador.com. Fishing: Use a float tube or boat, fish fairly deep with a streamer such as a bead/cone-head green woolly bugger for large rainbow-cutthroat hybrids. Fishing is good from first light.
Camping: For those wishing to stay overnight, the link with the Lake Amador overnight RV camping costs is: www.lakeamador.com/fees.htm.
Lodging: Harry Petrakis' favorite B&B in Sutter Creek is: www.eurekastreetinn.com. It's owned by Chuck & Sandy Anderson formerly of Santa Cruz. A great place to stay! The Best Western Inn in Jackson has low winter rates, If you have questions, call Don Wilcox.

This great fishout is still on. More information is in the January Newsletter and on this website, in the archived issues. If you have any questions, you can call Jim Hall or John Steele at 476-0648. Either will be glad to help. Hope to see you there.
Jim will demonstrate how to put together a deluxe "Pyramid Lake Fishing Ladder" at the Confab on February 11th. You can also see some of the best fly patterns for Pyramid at the Confab. There may be some tying of those patterns going on as well.

A spring fishing experience in the Eastern Sierra before trout season opens is what it's all about. Areas open to fishing are:
* Owens River Gorge (a rugged trout stream)
* Lower Owens River (a challenging tailwater fishery)
* Pleasant Valley Reservoir (float tubing for brown and rainbow trout, between the gorge and the lower Owens)
* Several largemouth bass ponds.
A few things to consider for the fishout:
* It's a nine hour drive to Bishop through Bakersfield (Ebbetts and Tioga Passes will still be closed for the winter).
* Expect highly variable weather.
* You will be camping at 4,000 ft elevation or lodging in Bishop about ten minutes from the campground.
Lots more information will be provided in the next Newsletter. If you have questions, call Elaine or John Cook at 688-1561.

This is where some members have caught the biggest trout of their lives. North of Susanville, the ranch has a 400 acre pond, fished from float tubes and small boats.
Cost: $100/day, twelve anglers, four spaces still available. $200 deposit to hold your place. There will be a waiting list to buy the deposit of anyone who has to cancel.
Facilities: Grill, tables, Porta-John. Bring your own food, camp chair, sleeping arrangements. Weather can be windy and cold. Access road is not passable with a trailer in tow.
Fishing Gear: Float tubes, prams, PFD/Vest , 5-6 wt. Rods, floating & sinking lines 2X, 6 ft. leaders, leech patterns.
Participants will meet at the 5 Dot Ranch entrance gate, time to be established. Contact the fishmaster for additional information.

In July, fishing opportunities include great fishing for smallmouth bass to 5 pounds in Trinity Lake and dry fly fishing for aggressive 8" to 16" trout in several area rivers, streams and lakes within a 30 minute drive from the Power home in Trinity Center, 6 to 7 hours' drive from Santa Cruz. Trinity Center is on the northwest shore of Trinity Lake, about 30 miles west and 30 miles north of Redding.
The fishout will be limited to the first 12 members who sign up at meetings or who contact Harry Petrakis at (831) 419-4245. Harry will also organize provisioning and kitchen duties shared by those who attend. We have two guest bedrooms that sleep two in each. We also have a 15 X 75 foot deck and have 4 bed frames that can be used on the deck. You should bring towels, sleeping bag and pad, and be ready to sleep on the deck. July weather is great up here. For those who want to camp, Wyntoon Resort (530) 266-3337, less than half a mile from our house, has full hookups, tent sites, cabins, swimming pool, private beach, launch ramp, etc. This will be a busy week for Wyntoon, so make reservations early to insure availability.
Fish lakes from a float tube or pontoon boat using sinking lines and minnow or leech patterns. Use 4 to 5 wt rods in the streams. Fishing is good for hike-in alpine lakes, usually with snow on the ground nearby. Larger trout (to 24") are in Lewiston Lake, best fished from a pontoon boat or (electric motor) powered craft.
Please direct any questions to Harry Petrakis or the fishmaster . Local guides can be made available by contacting the fishmaster with your requests and needs. Hope to see you in July!

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