Tales of fishing outings, all true!
Apr. 18-25 - Greater Exuma, Bahamas
Six Santa Cruzans, Jim Harmon, Heidi Theodore, Sharon and Norm Bedell, John and Pat Steele, two Redding residents (ex-Santa Cruzans), Tony and Linda Holdren, and two Oregonians (also ex-Santa Cruzans), Winston and Carol Moore, all had a great time fishing for bone fish in Greater Exuma.
I personally hunted down, cast to, hooked into and landed my very first fish wading the flats, then later, caught and landed five fish from the guide boat.
Fishing for bone fish while wading is more like hunting, and seeing them is a practiced art. They come in with the tide, feast on crabs, then skeddadle back out into deep water when the tide is at peak ebb. You wouldn't think it would be hard to spot them in the shallow, clear water, against a stark, white sand background, but unless you catch a shadow, they are invisible.
Aside from a line being wound onto a reel backwards, making me cast like I had never picked up a fly rod, it was a wonderful trip, and a relaxing time away. The next time Linda Holdren plans to get a trip together to the Bahamas is the end of January into the first week of February 2006, so I highly recommend you consider joining us! - Pat Steele
Apr. 16 - Little Panoche Reservoir
Richard and I went to Little Panoche and caught six or seven fish, with the largest at 16 inches! It was worth the trip and we'll do it again. - Scott Bedell
April 9th - Lower Sacramento River
Brian Bommarito, our new assistant Casting Master invited me up to Redding Sunday April 9th for a drift with him on the Lower Sacramento River.
My first impression of Brian was how knowledgeable he was of all the "fishy" spots on the section of water we floated in his Hyde drift boat. We put in around the Bonnyview Road area and spent the next seven hours catching some beautiful rainbows in full spawning colors. With Brian being the new kid on the Fly Shop's guide roster, I wasn't expecting him to know of all the hot spots that the regular Fly Shop guides know of, but he surprised me with his knowledge, and then some. We did fish off the gravel banks when the opportunity arose. Brian showed off his catching prowess by hooking onto some of the local hogs while I was usually drifting empty waters. Being the consummate guide, Brian quickly surmised what I was doing wrong (just a minor rearrangement of my fly selection) and had me on to some of the hottest rainbows in the West.
What a glorious day we had! Brian even allowed me to share rowing duties giving him a chance to fish off a drift and me a chance to wield some of the renowned "guide powers". After hearing me yell "set, set" about a hundred times in succession, Brian eagerly resumed the rowing. What is about rowing that fills you with the desire to command? Anyway, I got in my rowing licks, Brian got in some fishing off the bow of his own boat and we both agreed that it was a total blast.
Would I recommend Brian as a guide, you ask? Well, if my smile at the end of the day was any indication...I would have to say "ABSOLUTELY! - Tim Loomis and Brian Bommarito