Up Sac and Low Sac

I frigged up my knee playing soccer, at 34 but thinking I’m 20. It was going to happen eventually. I live in Humboldt county, CA. Cheaper and better MRI services are available in Redding, I’m scheduled for tomorrow, and weather in Humboldt was terrible. I decided to head over to Redding for the weekend.

I got over and fished the lower Sacramento. Wind!!!! It was terrible. That’s such a powerful river too, and slicker than snot. I fished about two hours before my knee was screaming.

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It was fun getting out but I decided that wading was a very stupid idea with the shape my knee is in. I figured tomorrow I should head up to Lassen Park or Burney and paddle around in the kayak.

I checked the weather in the morning and snow everywhere at higher elevations. I can put up with the cold and I broke in a new “fishing rig” but I didn’t want to chance the snow.

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So I decided to head to the upper Sacramento River. Shasta lake is incredibly low, and I guess it only has water right now due to these last storms. The weather here is crazy and it’s going to be another awful fire year.

Speaking of crazy weather, I fished in the sunshine, while it was snowing, in a t shirt. I was skunked today too, but I didn’t feel good enough to hike far or wade aggressively. I found some good spots and tried nymphing, streamers, soft hackles, everything I could. Reports were that the weather had put down the fish, so I didn’t feel too bad with the skunking. I was limited but I still got out and had a good day in a gorgeous spot

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Travis Bille said:
I think it is good news! Soccer, fly fishing, and Ramones, we've got a few things in common. My brother is moving to Washington, we need to get together when I visit!
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Indeed! Give a shout when you head up.
 
mcswny said:
Wading with a sketchy knee is a bit terrifying, and I’m not old (34–your age). I tore my miniscus pretty bad and waded a whole summer on it and it was rough for the first month, it calmed down and I was able to get through to the winter for a quick clean up.

Man, I love the burney area. My most memorable fish ever was a like 10” wild rainbow below the falls, upstream of the rainbow bridge. I was wearing my daughter in a sling (5 months at the time) and she was napping. I was fishing all the likely pocket water and finally got an eat on my Adams on my 3wt. Landed it without waking her up!
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My daughter caught her first fish at Baum Lake! Burney is one of my favorite places
 
Brute said:
I fished both the upper & lower Sac last fall...it was very good. Also fished the Fall river...fish were easily spooked, but most were large...

May go back this fall...
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The hex hatch is a hoot and a half. Nothing like seeing them emerge and starting to hear rises while the sun goes down over Shasta
 
Where in WA is your brother moving too?

Thanks for posting the pics @Travis Bille. Some nice looking fish!

When I was at HSU for grad school did not get out as much as I should have or would have liked, but no regrets as I put school unlike when I was an undergrad. I did manage to wet a line in the Mad River, Big and Stone Lagoons, and I did catch my first trout on fly (dry) in the West Fork Walker River.
 
Bruce Baker said:
Where in WA is your brother moving too?

Thanks for posting the pics @Travis Bille. Some nice looking fish!

When I was at HSU for grad school did not get out as much as I should have or would have liked, but no regrets as I put school unlike when I was an undergrad. I did manage to wet a line in the Mad River, Big and Stone Lagoons, and I did catch my first trout on fly (dry) in the West Fork Walker River.
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He and the fiance are ending up in Seattle.

It's not HSU anymore, it just got upgraded to Cal Poly Humboldt and I think the student body is supposed to double in size! Or possibly even triple. Pretty wild.

I gave up on the lagoons, they're too frustrating. But when they're good, it's pretty fun! The Mad can be great if you can get away from 8,000 gear fisherman. I think my favorite fishery in Humboldt is for rockfish in Trindad. Although the Trinity is pretty awesome. Let me know if you ever swing back through!
 
I caught a nice Src in the lagoons one time. Brings back a good memory. Also the big black birds posting up in the branches of the Sitka spruces with their wings out. I forget what they were. Super spooky and cool
 
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Man, all of that shit around Burney is just incredible.

A number of years ago, the 'first' time my wife got super pissed at me because of fishing, we were camped out along Hat Creek and I was n charge of dinner. I was headed back to our campsite and along the way I ran into this older fella who happened to ask how the fishing was (it was decent), and I said, "it was ok, I guess"....he took it on himself to "show me the light" and said, "follow me, I'll get you into some fish"...well, he did, and I caught a decent number of fish on little dries until we couldn't see. We stumbled back to the parking area in the dark where my GF (now wife) was PISSSSSED. fair point....buuuut, come to find out later, I fished with none other than James Reams of bamboo fame....one of the coolest strangers I've ever fished with!

She currently states that it was the second most pissed that she's ever been with me....

BTW, dinner was made in a timely fashion (according to me)....lol
 
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Travis Bille said:
He and the fiance are ending up in Seattle.

It's not HSU anymore, it just got upgraded to Cal Poly Humboldt and I think the student body is supposed to double in size! Or possibly even triple. Pretty wild.

I gave up on the lagoons, they're too frustrating. But when they're good, it's pretty fun! The Mad can be great if you can get away from 8,000 gear fisherman. I think my favorite fishery in Humboldt is for rockfish in Trindad. Although the Trinity is pretty awesome. Let me know if you ever swing back through!
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Yeah, I heard HSU now becoming Cal Poly Humboldt within the last month. Did not know about the student body doubling or tripling in size. I do want to head back down and fish the Trinity or Klamath for half-pounders. My major professor took me once and I think it was the Klamath.

My grad research was on the S.F. Trinity River.

Yes, if I plan on swinging by, I will be sure to let you know!
 
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