The morning air was thick and cold as I gently woke up to the sounds of very large trout jumping and gulping huge swarms of full moon mosquitos that had descended upon the Immigrant Forest high mountain lake I had back packed into. The 15 mile back country hike solo included packing in a very nice new four pound tent with floor and rainfly, blow up mattress, hammock, fuel stove and cells, radio, and solar powering unit, water purifier, emergency G.P.S. solar powered, complete freeze dried gourmet meals for a at least five days and my one of a kind three piece, “ Quill Bamboo Traveler”.

This little 20 acre lake exists within a natural high canyon with steep walls and steep slopes that have rock outcropping just made for pitching and eagles nest like one man fly fishing camp with all the possible comforts an eagle could possibly ever need.... Large and small blue shimmering waterfall’s are within hearing and smelling and walking distance. Sounds of many small animals of different ages and distances filtered past a sleepless night as morning arrived like Selma Hyack smuggling puppies a bright full early spring moon just behind her and her snuggling wet nosed pack...

The night before upon arrival at 3am, I quickly through my Bamboo three piece together and with my own #18 Red Tailed Mosquito began hooking and landing fish after fish in the two to four pound weights until six hours had passed and the bite and my arms had quit. Only deep in Alaska or very deep into the north end of Yosemite National Park or very deep into up state New York high mountains, or way back too deep into South East Asia to be caught fishing, have I had such a grand trout experience. Of course for the eagle being entirely alone upon a huge expanse of ice cold trout filled waters is absolute bliss to the extreme...

Tolepedra Fly Tiers of Nairobi Kenya

I have been field testing many kinds of flies tied by companies that specialize in quality custom well tied bulk flies. Mr.Kunj’u and his African fly tying company tie over 1000 dozens per week and ship world wide to new Zealand Australia, Europe and the good old USA. These flies especially the Clouser pictured are tied to stay together and use over and over. I caught and released 15 stripped bass with this pattern, it held up quite well! Contact Mr Kunj’u On the web at www.fishingflytiers.net

Pacific Ocean News

In these days of continued bad environmental news highlighted by one more vanishing specie or drilling platforms lined up like stepping stones all along the still almost pristine Pacific Coast. As if we Californian’s aren’t fortunate enough to see the sun rise and set across this majestic blue carpet, it appears mother nature is about to provide perhaps the best wild salmon, stripped bass fishing in decades or longer!

Fish and game scientists predict 1.65 plus million Salmon are and will be roaming up and down the golden Californian Coastline this season along with very high numbers of Stripped Bass already witnesses in the Sacramental Delta annual spawn that occurs each April confirm. The early fish are not all large, most average in the 15 pound or less range, yet they are abundant and fly fishers who can work any clouser minnow patterns in white or flashy yellow will be rewarded, many fly fishers take advantage of both the excellent surf action for those who can throw in the 70-100 foot range or those who can work from drift boats in the rivers like the mighty Sacramento River Delta area.Of course for the hard core boys? Fly fishing for ancient sturgeon with deep sinking special bottom hugging pattern has been observed and is the rumor around San Francisco Bay baby!! ( Fletcher Quill at it again?)

Swarms of bait fish have been gathering just off the Pacific coast within ten miles or less, one can easily watch large flocks of seagulls and many other species diving and swarming. This season’s sea temperatures now have adjusted to 52-56 degrees, the consensus is a good storm coming down from the Arctic could make things even sweeter and more nutrient rich when the sea temperature drops to 50-51 attracting more and more bait fish balls!. The best case scenario appears to be all random factors from temperature to tidal drift, global warming, deep upswelling and mother nature may be smiling on our Pacific Ocean......... Those who throw flies off California coastlines must be very cautious about wading out to far or further then planned as the sudden rip tide or undertow can be deadly.

All the outstanding trout photos in this April column except the clouser minnow ( from Africa ) are taken by Rok lustrik Slovenian fly fishing guide and a very good man with a camera... Thank you Rokmeister, I keep thinking about playing with your healthy colorful fish...

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“ ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL “