Dear Denison Dam...

...please start generating. I have some Costello Rattle Clousers that I tied up and cant wait to try them out.

California Delta Rematch

Chasing pre-spawn Delta Striper with my dad and Mike Costello? You bet your ass. I felt that I had a score to settle with these fish (after the butt kicking I took last trip). We fished I-lines and sinking lines and it took a few hundred casts before I got used to chunking and dodging heavy lines again. Missed a few solid strikes (and by solid I mean how the F did the hook not find a home) but set in to some pigs. There is nothing like that solid whomp that comes in between strips as the fly drops or swings. The delta is beautiful in the spring, the ducks had paired up, the otters played happily, the trees and flowers had bloomed and the striper were fat and healthy and hit hard.

California Delta

I have heard so much about the California Delta and everything that I have heard is true. The air was filled with the calls of swans, sandhill cranes, snow and canadian geese. Around every bend in the Delta was a new and completely different body of water. Though the conditions were less than favorable the striper still showed up and gave us some exitement.

Paul Miller Fly Strikes Again : Dad Shows That He Can Do It Too

My Dad is a fishing machine. When I think that I am doing a good job putting time in on the water, my Dad has spent 2-10x more time on the water fishing with world class guides (though I wouldn't admit this to their face) and fishing legends (I didn't know there was a Fly Fishing Hall Of Fame until you sent me the email) in exotic locales and blue ribbon rivers . I am proud of you Dad. In this photo he shows off a "smaller" Delta Striper that fell for a Paul Miller. Kick ass.

Denison Dam and Paul Miller Fly

Denison Dam has been generating between 10am and 5pm. Found good numbers of small fish hanging on the edge of the currrent. If you could mimic the final few kicks of an injured shad drifting down river then a strike was almost guaranteed. I don't think I once had a hit on the swing. There was one monster hit which broke me off immediately and quickly became a 10-15lbs fish (but I'm pretty sure he wasn't worth the cost of a Paul Miller fly). That fly had some crazy natural movement and looked sexy as could be but it is hard for me to justify such cost per fly for anything other then a fish of over 20lbs. Phil has again continued his reign of terror on buffalo. His cousin's son assisted in the landing of the fish. The kid makes one good net.

Bad Weather = Time to Tie

When the fishing is slow there is always something to see and do. The pelicans and sea gulls were everywhere and bait was all over the shore. Please forgive the camera phone pics. I no longer allow myself to carry cameras near water. Phones are easier to replace.

The sexy black llama clouser.

Cold Ass Fishing

I was getting cabin fever and felt like pretending I was steelheading somewhere up in the Northwest. I couldn't feel my fingers and my morning coffee quickly became an iced latte as it sat on the banks of the great Rio Rojo. A few drifts of the clouser under my makeshift indicator was all it took to get the first hit. Striper are a far cry from steelhead but they will have to do this winter. Indicator switch fishing for winter striper is pretty sweet.

The only casualty of the day (the bottom of my boot). A sure sign it is time for them to retire.