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By Sean Fenner, March 29, 2010

The California Department of Fish and Game has posted the list of the fishing spots that they will be stocking this week for Region 5-South Coast Region. Remember to practice catch and release as much as possible, pick up trash when you see it, and respect this resource so that everyone can enjoy it!!!

(Rainbow Trout)

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By Sean Fenner, March 27, 2010

There’s just something about being in the middle of Los Angeles County with millions and millions of people around you, and being the only person probably within a 50 mile radius fishing with a fly rod. I’ve had some strange comments from people (“you won’t catch any fish like that”, “what do you use for bait”. and probably my favorite of all time “there aren’t any fish in there don’t waste your time”) while fishing the Urban Oasis of the Greater Los Angeles Area. Yet, the handy ol’ fly rod produces fish most every time out, and Bluegill continue to be one of my favorite freshwater species to catch on a fly. They really are beautiful fish, and the constant readiness to take a fly makes them the ideal target and loads of fun to catch. I’ve often caught them on flies that can barely fit in their mouth, and they always seem fight with the vigor and spunk of a fish twice their size. Bluegill the Urban Fly Fisher’s Dream!

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By Sean Fenner, March 25, 2010

The Micro Bugger is a perfect prospecting fly for this time of year. It is big enough to attract Bass, but small enough to get you hook ups on Panfish. My favorite Color is Brown or Rust to imitate a small crawdad (or something similar), and I only fish a beadhead to get the head down fast with a quick retrieve for a natural presentation. It makes for a fun day when you never know what is on the other end of the line. I had a day not that long ago using only Micro Buggers and I caught Largemouth, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Red Ear Sunfish, and an Oscar all within a couple of hours. Pick up a selection today at The Trout Spot and get a great price, plus the peace of mind that you are getting your flies from a quality business located in our home state of California.

“Richard over at The Trout Spot has been generous enough to give our readers a 10% discount on any purchases made on his site. Just reference the promotion code UFV at checkout”

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By Dan Zambrano, March 23, 2010

Alright, so my fishin’ buddy Sean is back from a well-deserved vacation in Hawaii. But he picked up a flu bug of some sort and didn’t even make it to church today. My other fishin’ buddy, Ray made it to church today but then he had a rehearsal this afternoon for an upcoming band gig. My wife (and newest convert to “the way of the urban fly”) was supposed to be at the same rehearsal as Ray but she had a paper to finish writing. I had to write a paper for the same class but I finished mine last week.

The long and short of it was that if I wanted to go fishing, I was going solo.

So after a very pleasant lunch with my lovely bride and some of our dearest friends, I opted to check the conditions at the Glendale Narrows portion of the L.A. River, where I haven’t been in a couple of months due to all of the winter rain.

When I crested the small hill at Red Car Park I glanced downstream and immediately noticed that the rains had scoured away most of the emergent weeds and rushes leaving the River looking a bit plain and lifeless. I also noticed that the remaining trees growing up from islands in the middle of the River were all pushed over in a downstream direction.

The good thing about this was that I could get a rather detailed mental picture of the general layout of the many small islets and sandbars and channels that would eventually be hidden by vegetation – vital information for later in the season.

The bad thing about all this was that every bit of trash and debris lay exposed like so many open wounds on the landscape.

In a strange twist of nature and geography, the same storms that brought the white, blanketing snow to the mountains — covering, hiding and beautifying everything up there, stripped away the lush, verdant growth in the River — exposing the mud, debris and refuse of civilization down here.

Seriously, trash was everywhere. Bits of plastic bags, tarps, towels, clothing, and paper hung from the trees like Tibetan prayer flags. Mounds of debris, both organic and otherwise, were draped around the upstream side of every bridge abutment, pole and tree trunk.

It was kind of an eerie feeling. I kept wondering which items represented someone’s thoughtlessness and disregard for the environment and which items bore silent witness to the fury of nature and the lost dreams of some family who’s home hadn’t fared well in the previous month’s storms.

Then, as I got down to the water, I saw thick ropes of string algae curtaining many of the pools that had held decent size carp last summer. In fact, I would spend an inordinate amount of time pulling string algae off my flies for the rest of the afternoon.

I tried all of my favorite spots. Upstream then downstream for about a half mile in each direction, I cast to all of the productive spots of last season and got not so much as a nudge on any of my offerings.

I took advantage of the missing plant cover and rock-hopped out to where I could cast to the main channel – still nuthin’.

For several hours I worked the River ‘til my arm ached and my eyes burned.

The sun was sinking quickly so in one final attempt to squeeze some kind of proof that fish, any fish, even still remained in the River, I ventured back to an area where the water slows significantly and a large, deep pool forms.

In the summer this same pool is a favorite with bait fisherman. Judging from the piles of dried string algae strewn about on the shoreline it probably wasn’t high on anybody’s list at the moment.

Still, I had to know. So I stripped off a little more line than usual and false cast a couple of more times than usual and stretched to reach a little further across the pool than usual and… was rewarded with a rising Carp.

Not a strike, mind you, but a rise.

Sure, I would like to say that a fish took my fly and I landed it after an epic battle but…I only got a rise.

Yet, it was enough.

Knowing that the River was on the mend from the assaults of winter and that fish were still there was enough for the day.

Now, lots of guys would count the day as a wash. OK. If your only measure of success is the raw number of fish you land then the day was a wash.

But, if you count the opportunities I had to observe aspects of the River that are normally hidden and if you count the mental maps I had the opportunity to make and if you count the extra effort and opportunity I had to refine and improve my casting skills and technique then, by my count, it was a great day.

Toss in the warm sun, the diversity of bird species present and the solitude of the River on the last official day of winter and I’d say again, it was a great day.

I love this addiction called urban flyfishin’.

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By Sean Fenner, March 22, 2010

The California Department of Fish and Game has posted the list of the fishing spots that they will be stocking this week for Region 5-South Coast Region. Remember to practice catch and release as much as possible, pick up trash when you see it, and respect this resource so that everyone can enjoy it!!!

(Rainbow Trout)

Comments (2)

By Sean Fenner, March 20, 2010

Just landed back in the Mainland last night from our trip to Hawaii. It was an amazing vacation filled with time for family, site seeing, and even some time out on the water with my fly rod.

The trip was mainly for my wife to visit her Grandparents and her Dad, and for me to visit my Grandparents. In between visit however we did manage to do some site seeing like visiting Iolani Palace and Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay.

Before I left on my trip to the islands, I got into contact with one of our site followers Chris who knows the island and the fish on it extremely well. The weather patterns have been a little strange there for the last few weeks and the Saltwater bit has been slow. So, we decided that it would be best to hit up th local  Nuuanu Stream in the morning and get out on the flats in the afternoon when the tide was coming in.

The morning started off interesting with me missing the cutoff sign for the stream, and getting lost. I found my way back to the road to find my host waiting for me on the side of the road to flag me over to my parking destination. We talked for a few minutes and he briefed me on the terrain and the equipment to use.

The fishing was amazing. We both managed a few Smallmouth Bass, I think I caught about 15 (since he gave me all the good holes to fish) within a hour or two. The hiking was a little strenuous in the rain with us (mainly me) slipping and falling all over the stream, but the results were well worth it.

I want to give a big Mahalo to Chris for showing me this little stretch of paradise!

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By Sean Fenner, March 12, 2010

We will be on vacation for about a week in Hawaii and will not be posting anything during that time. Don’t get discouraged though we should be pushing out new material by the end of next week.

-Aloha from UrbanFlyVentures.com