Done with Winter, on with Spring!

What a year it has been thus far. The boys turned 21 and Emma can legally vote :))

The boys are still enjoying college as juniors but they have a full plate in front of them. They are studying for the DAT and tough full schedule in school. There’s a tiny light at the end of the tunnel this summer for them….. we have trips planned for Baja and Japan. They can get some R and R at that time.

I fished Collins Lake just about every week in February and March. Well, I would use the term “fished” very loosely. I fished there on the days they plant their trout. As you would imagine, the fishing was easy and outstanding. I’d fish for a couple hours then head home with some beautiful great tasting trout.

I have access to a private section of the Yuba River above the HWY 20 bridge. Typically I get there around 10am and sit and wait for a hatch. I was only able to fish it 3 times before the crazy rains hit. The river has been blown out most of the time. I only dry fly fish that section so if there are no fish rising by 1 or 2pm, I go home. Two of the 3 times I went, there was a hatch. The rainbows on the Yuba are all wild and they are technical. Gotta bring your A game. Twenty foot plus leaders and drag free drifts are a must. There’s a huge satisfaction of landing these rockets on dries.

Got out one day to fish with Kenny Oda on Oroville Lake. It was overall tough fishing (a little over 20 landed) but it was so great to see the lake with so much water. At that time the lake was at 63% capacity. Now it’s almost 90%.

I’m lucky to have Luk Lake so close by. It’s only about 35 minutes away and during the winter months the Fly Shop stocks it with beautiful feisty rainbows with an added bonus… there is a healthy population resident largemouth bass. I fished there multiple times this winter and spring and the last visit was bass nirvana. I landed 32 bass and 10 trout in 3.5 hours of fishing.

Had a free day Saturday so out came the boats to wash. Geez it took over 3 hours to get them clean. I can’t wait that long next time. It’s been at least 2 years since I washed the big jet boat. Gotta get the boys to do it next time.