Pretentious Snobby Bastard Fly Fishing!

Fly Fishing Reports => Warm Water Species => Topic started by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 18:43:25 PM

Title: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 18:43:25 PM
Had been watching the winter flows stabilizing on the gauge and noticed the unseasonably warm temps in the forecast, so I alerted ARonthefly to fake an illness or something so we could get the yaks out on some warm water before actual winter decided to show up and shut the brown fish down for the next few months. In truth, I fully expected it to be slow, but hoped we might dredge the deep pools and get lucky with a  big walleye. 
We'd been planning on running this section for a while. Neither of us are what you'd call real whitewater kayakers, but the American Whitewater website characterized this float as "Class 2-3" and advised paddlers to have "some skill at maneuvering and avoiding obstacles" before attempting this run, so we decided to take our chances despite the frigid water and lack of actual whitewater boats.

Always great to start a day heading down a dirt road.   

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Dropped the Taco off at the takeout and headed back upstream to get in the river.

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When we put in, the air temp was about 43. Drysuits probably would've been a good idea. Instead we just cranked down our wading belts and PFDs. If one of us flipped, we'd get wet, but we had extra clothes in dry bags. AR also brought along one of those fire logs just in case things got urgent, but like Billy Joel, we'd end up not need it. 

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We hit a few little riffles right off the bat. They were no problem, and we both started thinking this was going to be a piece of cake. We weren't having much luck with the fish, but the scenery was nice.

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After a couple miles and a big flatwater stretch, we heard a low rumble off in the distance. As we came up to, we figured we'd better get out and have a look.

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Hmm....

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Hell, might as well run it.


http://youtu.be/xIOJ8tp5jr8 (http://youtu.be/xIOJ8tp5jr8)

No idea why the quality of that video is so bad. Looks great on my phone.
Anyway, it turns out that section was a little more difficult to maneuver than it looked like. And it also turned out that the rest of our paddle would be through similar type rapids all the way down. Some a little worse. While the fishing was slow, it really wasn't a problem because just making it down the river took plenty of time, energy and attention.

Along the way, we also passed this crazy looking rock in the river that resembled some sort of ancient and mysterious grain storage structure.

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Yours truly.

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So anyway, it was a hell of a  time. And the majesty of an undeveloped river never disappoints. AR managed to catch two smallies, I got the skunk. And wouldnt you know it, the one picture I got of a fish was totally out of focus.

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Thanks for looking. Keep fishing. Mahalo.

Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Transylwader on December 13, 2015, 18:51:22 PM
You speak pidgin? Small kine?
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 18:53:10 PM
Quote from: Transylwader on December 13, 2015, 18:51:22 PM
You speak pidgin? Small kine?

Wut bra? You like die haole?
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Dougfish on December 13, 2015, 18:55:29 PM
Saluting the effort.  -0-
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Transylwader on December 13, 2015, 19:00:55 PM
Quote from: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 18:53:10 PM
Quote from: Transylwader on December 13, 2015, 18:51:22 PM
You speak pidgin? Small kine?

Wut bra? You like die haole?
Haha. Proper kine. I lived in Haleiwa and Pupukea over 3 years and loved it. Haoles...hmmm. can't be labeled on coz I int murican! I got fucked up at Backdoor in 97' but lucked out when DaHui beach patrol saw my Saffa ass bobbing around. Aloha state is legit. Miss me my braddahs and the ono sushi. Great peeps.  Glad you got out JM. I fished the Savage in MD. Found Leroyyyyy
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: bmadd on December 13, 2015, 19:03:10 PM
Nice Yeti
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 19:12:20 PM
Quote from: Transylwader on December 13, 2015, 19:00:55 PM
Quote from: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 18:53:10 PM
Quote from: Transylwader on December 13, 2015, 18:51:22 PM
You speak pidgin? Small kine?

Wut bra? You like die haole?
Haha. Proper kine. I lived in Haleiwa and Pupukea over 3 years and loved it. Haoles...hmmm. can't be labeled on coz I int murican! I got fucked up at Backdoor in 97' but lucked out when DaHui beach patrol saw my Saffa ass bobbing around. Aloha state is legit. Miss me my braddahs and the ono sushi. Great peeps.  Glad you got out JM. I fished the Savage in MD. Found Leroyyyyy

Well, I got stationed out on Oahu from roughly 2001-2004, and while I definitely did enjoy my time there, I was definitely ready to come back to da mainland to experience the seasons again. I actually used to have friends go out and take pictures of the creeks I used to like to fish and mail them to me. Homesick, 19.
I did make a lot of good friends there cause I got really into riding DH mtn bikes which the locals were into. Never did pick up surfing because I don't like the beach. Like the ocean, not the beach.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 19:14:22 PM
Bmadd, if you or Granny or whoever else want to fish some time just shoot me a PM.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Onslow on December 13, 2015, 20:38:04 PM
Love this shit.

Hey, whenever you run ledges, sluices, boils, keep paddling.  Your set up was perfect, but you/someone stopped paddling as soon as contact was made with the backwash.  Keep that forward momentum/paddle to prevent the boat from spinning.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Onslow on December 13, 2015, 20:54:46 PM
Oh, bonus points for mocking Yeti :laugh:
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Dee-Vo on December 13, 2015, 21:00:45 PM
Very nice! I'm debating chasing the smallmouth myself.  y;
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 21:35:42 PM
Quote from: Onslow on December 13, 2015, 20:38:04 PM
Love this shit.

Hey, whenever you run ledges, sluices, boils, keep paddling.  Your set up was perfect, but you/someone stopped paddling as soon as contact was made with the backwash.  Keep that forward momentum/paddle to prevent the boat from spinning.

Well, that wasn't me but I did the exact same thing. So I'll just hammer on through next time. Thanks for the tip.
Was actually pretty impressed with what the boats handled in terms of standing waves and drops and whatnot. The whole thing was a lot of fun.

Thanks for the nice words y'all.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: NCsporksman on December 13, 2015, 22:09:35 PM
I like it, thought about going this weekend, thats as far as I got

Awesome shit, any mursky in that crick?
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 22:30:04 PM
Quote from: NCsporksman on December 13, 2015, 22:09:35 PM
I like it, thought about going this weekend, thats as far as I got

Awesome shit, any mursky in that crick?

Allegedly.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: RiverbumCO on December 13, 2015, 23:06:11 PM
I liked the political reference.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Woolly Bugger on December 13, 2015, 23:26:55 PM
Looks like a grand day to me!
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: sanjuanwormhatch on December 14, 2015, 08:45:31 AM
i had a day similar to that.  "fishing and drinking" turned into class IV rapids ... and drinking.  Probably not the smartest.  but fun as hell.

Why not run that one in what appears to be a channel to the left so you don't have to navigate that overhaning rock?  just curious.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: JMiller on December 14, 2015, 09:22:57 AM
Quote from: sanjuanwormhatch on December 14, 2015, 08:45:31 AM

Why not run that one in what appears to be a channel to the left so you don't have to navigate that overhaning rock?  just curious.


Thought about it. AR went right and it worked out, so I did the same.

Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: Grannyknot on December 14, 2015, 09:58:15 AM
Quote from: JMiller on December 13, 2015, 19:14:22 PM
Bmadd, if you or Granny or whoever else want to fish some time just shoot me a PM.

Will do man. 
Great trip report.
Title: Re: It was worth a shot.
Post by: TheYiman on December 14, 2015, 20:31:12 PM
Thanks for taking us along.