The only traveling was to the east coast for a few days for the funeral of my cousin. In fact, I put off a trip to the Gila, because I thought I might have to make those unhappy travel plans. She had fought lymphoma for 23 years, and lived a good life in that time. I guess we hoped she would have one more battle in her, but it was not to be. The world lost a special woman, but is better for her having been here.
While hanging around the Lincoln, I found a public access fishing area very close to my home. It is a spring creek with some wild brown trout. There are supposed to be rainbows there, too, but I don't think so. I have yet to catch a 'bow there, and they are more reckless than browns and easier to catch. Here are some pictures of a few of the little browns I have caught and released on my new keiryu fly rod. Wouldn't you know I didn't have my camera for the prettiest - an 11 or twelve inch male still in spawning colors. It's the truth. It was the first fish caught with the new fly rod, too.
And here is where the little brownies live. I am delighted to have found this place, as I really enjoy fly fishing and it is only a fifteen minute drive from home.
It has been a below-average-snowfall winter, but we have had a few storms that brought enough snow for snowshoeing and backcountry skiing on the local trails.
And I have my volunteer work, too. Looking for downed trees on trails for the USFS has let me get some hiking in. On one of those trips I saw where some high drama had occurred.
If the trees are small enough, I just remove them. Otherwise, I log their positions for later removal.
Heading home after an afternoon on the trail.
There is plenty to keep me busy here in all seasons, but I am itching to take the keiryu rod to another rio. I hope that will happen soon, before my next volunteer session out on Otero Mesa. Spring will be here before we know it, and the winter trout waters are calling.
Looks like a wonderful stream to spend some time along and some lovely little brownies. I have to admit to trying to look up "keiryu" which I guess means "mountain stream." Are you indeed using a telescoping rod with a fixed line? Sounds interesting indeed. Are you using the small split shot technique?
ReplyDeleteNow that I'll be getting my camper, I've been thinking of returning to fly fishing which I haven't done since I was a very young man in the streams of northern NM. Now where did I store my equipment?
This whole Tenkara style of fly fishing is fascinating and I think I'll enjoy the research. Maybe it is time to get new gear?
I found this site: http://www.tenkarabum.com If you have other resources, I hope you will share. Perhaps this would make a good blog posting.
Here are a few other sites and/or blogs I found this morning on tenkara fly fishing in the US, in case anyone is interested:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tenkara-fisher.com/content.php - site and forum
http://www.tenkaratalk.com - Jason Klass' site and blog (Colorado)
http://castingaround.anthonynaples.com - blog and lots of links
http://thegreatclod.blogspot.com - who has a long list of other blogs in the right-hand column and link in his left-hand column
I've subscribed to these RSS feeds and think this will keep me busy learning for a while.
Bill, yes, I am using a Tenkara-style rod. The keiryu rods are (on average) a little stiffer and meant for slightly larger fish, as far as I can tell. I bought the rod from Chris at Tenkara Bum. As he notes in one of his blog posts there is a lot of overlap between tenkara and keiryu rods, and mine could just as easily be called a tenkara rod.
ReplyDeleteFor the little streams we have around here, tenkara seems like a natural fit. I won't chuck my other fly fishing gear, but I am having fun with fishing without a reel or line guides. I feel like I've gone back in time when I use that rod (if I can ignore the telescoping rod and carbon fiber technology). I haven't used split shot yet, but when I tie my version of the Utah Killer Bug, I weight the hook. The two flies that have caught most of the brownies are the Utah Killer Bug and the flashback hare's ear nymph. The hare's ear I fish unweighted and have used the methods for getting the fly to sink that are mentioned on the Tenkara USA site (I think). Basically you let the current sink your line and the fly.
What I find interesting is the western emphasis on a good dead drift, and the tenkara emphasis on varying the presentation of the fly. In truth, I've had more luck catching the little browns when the fly was given some action. Go figure. Maybe a good dead drift would catch the BIG browns :-D
Those are some interesting links you found. More reading to do.
Isn't there some good fishing around Albuquerque in the drains? Aren't they winter trout waters? You are lucky to have easy access to a lot of good water in the north part of the state. I bet you are counting the days to when you get your camper!
When you have your camper and plan a trip to the Sacramentos, I'll give you the info on the two leases I know of in the area. The other lease is on the Rio Ruidoso away from town. You can also fish right in Ruidoso. They stock triploid rainbows regularly there.
Thanks for the detailed response, Highz, including your experience on flies, drift and action.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, I was able to find my old fiberglass fly rods and my dad's old bamboo fly rods. My best fiberglass rod is an 8' Eagle Claw "Denco Super II" I tried googling it and found one just sold on eBay as a vintage rod for $26 ;-)
My dad's poles are nicer quality, but our family didn't have a lot of money, so they aren't fancy. The one that still sports a decal is a South Bend. There were several similar looking ones on eBay in 9' lengths. One if his is 10-1/2' and the other 12', approximately, in three sections. He mostly did lake fishing, whereas I love the little streams.
My old 8' rod is in great shape and fairly light. I suppose I could wet my line on that to see that would rekindle my fly fishing jones on the cheap. Seems like I've been spending money like a crazy person getting ready for the new camper (not even counting the cost of the camper.)
But I'm sorely tempted by the Tenkara Bum's Shimotsuke Tenkara 3.3 starter kit. That would probably be much more fun.
I do hope to make it down to the Sacramentos this year and would be grateful for any tips on good streams. I just can't see myself fishing in the ditches around here with their hatchery rainbows. I think stalking wild trout in a beautiful NM mountain setting is much more appealing. Though there is a catch-and-release pond at Tingley Beach that might work as practice.
Don't know when the camper will be ready. I was thinking it would be mid-March, but since I haven't heard anything, yet, it may be a couple of weeks later - which is fine, but as you suspect I'm very excited by the prospect.
Bill, you have some fly rods with good history and memories. I've never fished with a bamboo rod. You are lucky to have your dad's. You could use those rods to achieve most of what a tenkara rod can do, I imagine. I can't fathom spending close to a thousand dollars (or more) on a fly rod, when a less expensive rod will do just fine. A Loomis rod doesn't automatically make one a great angler :) Most people say that the most important factor in a fly rig is a line with a low coefficient of friction, anyway.
ReplyDeleteThere are really a limited number of fishing options in the Sacramentos, and it will probably not get any better any time soon. Bonito creek is out since the Little Bear fire wiped out the headwaters. A shame, really. I haven't checked downstream near Fort Stanton - I should do that, but I haven't heard of any fishing there. It's mainly t the Ruidoso and Peñasco and the put-and-take lakes. Maybe Eagle Creek - haven't fished there. I've heard rumors that the Sacramento River had browns, but it's been mostly dry of late.
Fishing is like photography... a great camera doesn't make a great photograph - it's the photographer's eye or vision that makes a great photo. An expensive rod may be a delight, but the person holding the rod has much more to do with whether or not a fish is caught.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find my dad's old fly reels, but then I haven't had a chance to dig too deeply. I remember an old brass crank fly reel, I hope that is still around somewhere.
I think stream fishing most everywhere in the west is vulnerable to these droughts that seem to be widespread, it's not just southern NM. No snow means no melt and dry streams.