The Sage Circa 4 Weight Review - By George Revel

I want to premise this with the fact that I am very critical of fly rods. I don’t believe in buying a new rod because there is a newer version out, but rather fishing the great rods whenever they were made. Now, I have to admit there was a time in my life where I was caught up in fast rods that were capable of great feats of casting. 15 years later my taste in fly rods has developed to appreciate the fish fighting capabilities of softer action rods. Think about it; How is a fast action rod (or stiff rod) going to act as a dampening tool when fighting fish compared with a softer action fly rod. I had been going through a tough streak landing fish for the past couple of years especially when fishing light tippets. For me that all that changed when I switched to the Sage Circa.

The Sage Circa blends beautifully the casting and fish fighting needs of technical dry fishing.

Click here to buy the Sage Circa 4 weight.

The Sage Circa 4wt is the best light tippet dry fly rod made.

A bold statement, yes. I am writing this review have just spent the past 4 weeks fishing this rod all over California and Montana. Rarely do I come across a product that makes fishing legitimately more enjoyable.

Week 1 Eastern Sierra - The East Walker River. Memorial day weekend 10 of us went over to Bridgeport for 4 days of fishing, camping,, drinking, and food. I must say we did it right. Meals ranged from bacon and egg sandwiches in the morning to a 5.5lb porterhouse in the evening. Even a drunken concoction called the Flambinkie (A Twinkie fired in the grease of a 5.5lb porterhouse soaked and flambeed in Jim Bean with a chocolate marshmallow garnish) was invented… Mixed reviews on the Flambinkie.  Back to the rod…  We booked out Scerine Ranch in Nevada which offers several private miles of the E. Walker. The Water was low and the fish were spooky. I fished a dry dropper rig to spooky fishing shallow water. Size 22 and 24 nymphs on 6x are what it took to get these fish. The Sage Circa delivered the size 10 Chubby Chernobyl I was using as my top fly beautifully. I landed fish up to 17 inches with ease. The tip was perfectly soft to protect the tippet while the but offered plenty of beef to land larger trout. A few photo’s from this trip. 

Week 2 Montana - Nelson’s Spring Creek. The very next weekend we flew into Bozeman where I had a few meetings with Simms and Bozeman Reel Company. Nelsons Spring Creek is about 45 minutes out of Bozeman and offers an incredible fishing experience especially when the river are blown out like they are now. To fool the big fish here it took 9ft 7x Rio Suppleflex Trout Leader with a size 24 Midge tied to the back of 22 CDC Ant. Not only that is took a perfect presentation. The Circa kicked ass all the way through the perfectly still morning to the windy afternoon.

Week 3 Northern Ca : The McCloud River - Oh man one of my favorite places in the world. We hit it right! hatches galore - Golden Stones, Salmon Flies, PMDs, Green Drakes, BWO, and more. If I wasn’t fishing dries or a dry dropper rig; I was swinging a Tungsten Bead Red Squirrel followed with a smaller soft hackle. Holy smokes do these fish fight hard! There is no other rod I would have rather had with me.

Week 4 the North Fork of Yuba : Every year I take 20 people to the North Fork of the Yuba River as Part 2 of a Class I teach through Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club. This killer stream has tons of eager trout that will jump at dries and is perfect for beginning anglers. The Sage Circa, no surprise, kicked ass fishing the pocket water of the North Fork Yuba River.

I now own this rod and am excited to take it out on the Fall River in the 1st week of July for the Hex hatch and to the Bitteroot Valley in Montana the 2nd week of August.

Price: $850 Click here to buy the Sage Circa 4 weight.

California Water Facts

How many gallons of water does it take to grow up this 5lb porterhouse?

Well, on average it takes 2400 gallons of water per pound. So about 12,000 gallons on water went into this meal.

Water policy in California is getting insane. Diane Feinstein just had her water bill approved which has a provision that will allow the suspension of the endangered species act due to the drought conditions. Lets hope it does not pass.
 
A Few Water Facts:

• We can store more water than we use. Ca uses 40 million-acre feet of water and we can store 42 million-acre feet.  Largely the argument for more water storage is a costly boondoggle (Areas like the north coast storage actually makes sense to avoid pulling from the already low summer flow rivers)
• California Agriculture is less than 2% of Ca’s GDP
• California agriculture uses 70% of water in Ca.
• Of the 70% used, 80% goes to the bottom 13% crops (Cotton, Rice, Alfalfa, Hay)
• Said another way 0.26% of the States GDP consumes 56% of the States water.

Now I don’t blame Ca Ag. They have not been incentivized to save water. They have been promised cheap water for so long now. I don’t have a solution, but what I do know is that the economics of water in California follow unnatural rules and need to change.  This fact “0.26% of the States GDP consumes 56% of the States water” is what infuriates me. This is a blatant waste of water.

The team at Wild Waters Fly Fishing has been guiding everywhere lately. Fishing has been a mix between good and excellent, because of changing weather patterns and windy days. The hatches have been pretty thick as our windshields can attest. May has been all about the dry fly and its been a treat to fish some of the bigger ones. Golden Stones, Grey Drakes, Green Drakes, and the Salmonfly. I like...

Dear Friends of Bill Lowe,

The memorial gathering for Bill has been set for Sunday, June 1^st from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

It will be held at:

Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse and Park

7997 California Ave

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Bill meant a lot to a lot of great people and this is going to be a wonderful assembly for those that can make it.

Bill’s brother Dan and his band will be playing the Clubhouse, the surrounding park is green grass with play structures for kids (very welcome!), and there will be plenty of opportunity to mingle and share fun stories.

Those who want to speak will have an opportunity during the band’s intermission (around 7:00) and those who want to walk down to the American River to pay tribute with a flower petal or cast can do so from this venue.

This is a picnic-style gathering so bring your own food, drink, blanket, chairs, and umbrellas. Bill’s wife Michelle wants everyone to know that the village of Old Town Fair Oaks, which you will drive through, offers up some fun local faire including a great deli, a natural foods restaurant, a biker bar with bar food, and other options if you want to shop locally for your meal.

Please forward and post this as needed to make sure that we get the word out.

We hope you can join us for this special evening.

The Dry Dropper Rig

The dry dropper rig is a very effective way to fish. The dry dropper rig is a perfect set up when rivers like the North Fork of the Yuba or even the fly fishing Upper Sacramento River. The dry dropper rig is so effective because you are giving the fish two options. You are generally presenting a large dries giving the opportunistic trout a sizable meal option and fishing your nymphs. Fishing the nymph in the upper water column replicates the emerging stage of a nymph swimming toward the surface to become an adult. Trout often feed during this stage as the nymph is particularly vulnerable.

1)   Leader: I start with a 7.5 foot 4x mono leader and loop to loop it to my fly line or butt section. I chose a shorter mono leader because it turns over the larger foam flies that I like to fish with my hopper dropper rigs.  Use mono because it floats. If you are using smaller dries use lighter leaders. Also on waters with wary fish you may consider longer leaders.

2)   The Dry Fly: Choose a large dry fly. One that can support the weight of the nymph that you want to use. I really like the Chubby Chernobyl for this purpose.  Make sure to put floatant on your dry before it gets wet.

3)   The Tippet: I usually use fluorocarbon tippet. Generally 5x or maybe even 6x if the fish are being particularly line shy. 1-4ft of tippet (90% of the time 3ft is perfect). Attach this to the bend of the hook with a clinch knot.

4)   The Dropper: Choose a beadhead fly.  I like 16-22 tungsten flies. Tie on to the tippet with a clinch Knot.

Fly Fishing the North Fork of the Yuba River – Beginner

The Upper reaches of the Lower Yuba River, The North Fork of the Yuba River is a beginner’s paradise. The North Fork of the Yuba River fishes best in the summer months after the snow melt has occurred. Snow melt depending on the year is generally finished up by June. The North Fork of the Yuba River is over 60 miles long, most of which is paralleled by highway 49.  The hot summer days allow anglers to fish without waders which is a huge plus for beginning fly fishers who may not have waders.

The best stretch of the North Fork of the Yuba River is the stretch between Downieville and Sierra City. There are literally hundreds of pull outs for anglers to park and walk down to the North Fork of the Yuba River. In my experience your best bet is to fish the pocket water and make only a few casts in each spot before moving to the next rock.

Difficulty Rating for the North Fork of Yuba River – Beginner

The North Fork of the Yuba River is where I take all of my friends and students to learn how to fly fish. The hundreds of eager fish in every stretch of river are quick but very catchable. The North Fork of the Yuba River is the perfect size for beginning anglers to learn how to wade and fish a river. While it is the perfect size it is not the easiest river to wade. So, being in good shape is a prerequisite to fishing the North fork of the Yuba River.

Fishing the pocket water on the North Fork of the Yuba River:

Pocket water is a section of water with many boulders protruding from it. These boulders create a buffer for the fish to hold behind, in front of, and along side. I like to fish my way upstream casting my flies all around the rocks. Start by fishing the water closest to you and then work you way out. The beginning angler should cast a hopper dropper rig. If you have cast your flies all around the rock and don’t get a grab move to the next boulder. There are hundreds of eager Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout in every stretch of the river. Be persistent and you will catch fish. For more on fishing pocket water check out this video.

Tips for fishing the North Fork of the Yuba River:

·         Fish the pocket water in the bouldery sections of the North Fork of the Yuba River.

·         Fish a hopper dropper rig.

·         When fishing the runs and deeper pools of the North Fork of the Yuba use and Indicator rig.

·         Wade carefully and be stealthy as the water is clear on the North Fork of the Yuba River.

There are many campgrounds on the North Fork of the Yuba. I like the Loganville campground a few miles short of Sierra City. You can reserve a campsite here by calling 1-877-444-6777.

There are equally as many cabins to rent on the North Fork of the Yuba River. The two that I prefer are The Lure which is very nice and The Sierra Streamside Cabins which is the more economical option. Both are pet friendly.

Trout Opener on the Stanislaus River

We had a great time trying to drink all of SF’s alcohol after the Western Rivers Conservancy toast to Trout Season we hosted at LCO. The morning had begun with an early am house call to drop off some equipment for a Founding Member heading to Honduras. I had pretty much written off fishing this weekend, that is until my close friend convinced me that opening the bottle of Yamazaki scotch on my desk would make me(him) feel better. 30 mins later it was 6pm and time to close… I had just agreed to 5 am wake up to go on a 1 day fishing trip to either : Battle Creek, Clear Creek, Hat Creek, Tuolumne River, or Stanislaus River.

5 am rolled around and we decided the Tuolumne River would be cool. So we loaded up the dogs and headed towards Groveland. The thought was to avoid people and fish some water that had been on our list.

We rolled into town picked up some lunch, another cup of coffee, and 6-pack of Lagunitus IPA. As soon as we hit the fire road we realized that we had not considered what the slight rain might have done the freshly burned banks of the river. In short, it rendered it completely unfishable. The flows were a touch high, but the color was brown. We continued on our now joy ride down to the river just to check it out and let the dogs out who had now been cooped up about three hours.

Now what… We looked at my trusted DeLorme Atlas and found a road, Wards Ferry, that would take us from Groveland to Sonora. What a beautiful drive this time of year. Rolling hills, live oak and green grass until you get to graffiti bridge which crosses over the Tuolumne River just above Don Pedro. This spot offers some great access and interesting sight seeing. Works of art titled “Candy Cane Dick” and “Fuck u :)” cover this otherwise scenic bridge. 

We cross over New Melones Lake which is terribly low and make a right onto Camp Nine Road. All places right off the road were shoulder to shoulder spin fisherman, but a short hike and you had the river to yourself which was nice. God bless laziness.

We had great fishing on golden stones and soft hackles. I think there is a few months of good fishing to be had this spot but with the wildflowers blooming and green banks it is certainly at the height of its beauty.

I was fishing a great run and hooking a fish every other cast or so for about 20 casts when I saw 15 or so people in dry suits carrying a crash test dummy down to the river. Now, I had seen this before over at Boards Crossing on the N. Fork of the Stan. I yell “Your’re not about to do what I think you are….. ARE YOU?” “Yeah Sorry” they reply. I yell back “I am going to throw rocks at you!” and they laugh. The local fire department chose trout opener as an optimal weekend to do white water search and rescue training on the best run I had found. Well shit!!! Pretty funny to be honest.

The day wound down with a few beers and the surprisingly only a 3 hour drive back home. We capped it off with a stop at the Mexican food market and food truck “taco del sol” in Oakdale for some grub.

Life is better out there!

George

Lost Coast Outfitters hosts Western Rivers Conservancy to learn about their Blue Creek Project.

Project Facts

• WRC is creating a salmon sanctuary and sustainable community forest by helping the Yurok tribe acquire 47,000 along and around Blue Creek.
• Blue Creek is the lower Klamath’s most important cold-water refuge for migrating salmon and steelhead.
  
• The project conserves habitat for rare animals like Humboldt marten, marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl.
• Acquisition will protect thousands of acres of forest in one of the most biologically diverse regions on the planet.
  

In a historic opportunity, Western Rivers Conservancy is partnering with California’s Yurok Tribe to create a salmon sanctuary and ensure the survival of one of the West’s great salmon streams: the Klamath River. The backbone of this effort is Blue Creek, a vital cold-water tributary on the lower Klamath and a lifeline for migrating salmon and steelhead. WRC is working to purchase and conserve the entire lower Blue Creek watershed and help recreate a homeland for the Yurok, California’s largest Native American tribe.

The Importance of Blue Creek
The Klamath was once the second largest producer of salmon on the West Coast. Sadly, its great runs of Chinook, coho and steelhead have been reduced by hydropower dams, irrigation projects and over fishing. Today, one of the greatest threats to salmon and steelhead are high water temperatures when the Klamath is stressed by low summer flows. For returning fish, Blue Creek is the first cold-water refuge they encounter on their journey inland from the Pacific Ocean. Studies have shown that by holding in Blue Creek’s cold water, Chinook can lower their body temperature by up to eight degrees Fahrenheit, making this tributary critical to their survival. Without this cool-down period, most Chinook would likely die before reaching their spawning grounds in the upper Klamath.

Blue Creek also provides high-quality spawning habitat for Chinook, coho and steelhead. The riparian and upland areas within the Blue Creek watershed provide outstanding habitat for rare and imperiled animals like marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl, California condor and Humboldt marten.

Read more here >>>

Trout Town USA : Dunsmuir, California

Trout Town USA : Edition 1 - By George Revel.

Slogan: “Home of the Best Water on Earth”

Population: 1,650

Fishing: Upper Sacramento River and The McCloud River

The Local Fly Shop: If you’ve been to Dunsmuir there is a good chance that you have met Bob the owner of Ted Fay Fly Shop. Hell, my grandfather shopped with Ted Fay 50 years ago. A class act all...

Fly Fishing The Upper Sacramento River

By George Revel

North of Redding, The Upper Sacramento River consists of 35-ish miles of trout filled river that is open all year long. Plenty of public access, created by the train tracks that parallel the Upper Sacramento, make it a fly fisher’s delight. Diverse in features, the Upper Sacramento River boast breath taking waterfalls, trout filled pocket water, and crystal clear pools. Below Lake Siskiyou, the Upper Sacramento is much smaller gaining in size from springs and creeks. The upper river has carved out the steep Box Canyon which creates a much more treacherous wading environment than the lower reaches.

The Upper Sacramento River fills Lake Shasta with help from The McCloud River, The Pit River, and various other creeks. Lake Shasta supplies the water for the Lower Sacramento River and most of the power in the Northern Ca.

The Difficulty Rating of the Upper Sacramento River – Intermediate
The Upper Sacramento River can be so kind, yet so cruel sometimes. During the heat of the incredibly hot summer days the Upper Sacramento can be quite cruel, while the cool mornings and evenings can be very productive. The wading and access is pretty easy with I-5 paralleling much of the river. Fishing in the town of Dunsmuir is perhaps the best place for beginner anglers as it is stocked often.

Tips for Fly Fishing the Upper Sacramento River:

• Fish the soft edges of the river during high water and spring runoff months. (spring)
• Look out for rattlesnakes on the bank of The Upper Sacramento River. Here is a link on avoiding a rattler bite.
• Fishing is best during the mornings and evenings of the hot months (July and August)
• Fish terrestrials like grasshoppers during the heat of the day.

• When nymphing, if you are not snagging bottom you are fishing a long enough leader or enough weight.
• Fish smaller flies and light tippet to catch more fish.
• Make short cast and high stick the pocket water without an indicator

Camping and Lodging near/on the Upper Sacramento River:

• Sims Flat Campground – On the Upper Sacramento River 530-926-4511
• Castle Crags Campground – on Castle Creek a fishable feeder creek of the Upper Sacramento River (530) 235-2684
• Lake Siskiyou Cabins and Camping- On Lake Siskiyou great stop for families and fishing the upper reaches of the Upper Sacramento River. 530-926-2610
• Cave Springs Vacation Rentals- I have rented the Rivendell House which has some good fishing right behind it. The Tree house is pretty cool too! 530-235-2721

Access on the Upper Sacramento River- Too many to list

• Ney Springs- You can wade about 2 miles upstream. This very unique section of the river is enclosed by canyon walls. Wading is tough but the scenery and fishing can be pretty amazing.
• Cantera- This is one of my favorite access points to the river. You hike up toward Ney Springs of walk the train tracks down river. While the water is small I have hooked some nice fish here.
• Mosbrea Falls- While I have never experienced too great of fishing here the 1-ish mile hike on the train tracks to falls is well worth the trip.
• Sims Road- This will take you to Sims flat campground and access to some great fishing. I prefer to hike a mile or so up stream on the tracks.
• Delta-  This is a great spot during the hot summer months. Large trout and even bass will come up from Lake Shasta.

Hatches on the Upper Sacramento River-

• Blue Winged Olive- Spring-Fall
• Midge- Year round
• Golden Stones- May- June
• Salmonfly- May and June
• PMD- May- June & September-November
• Little Yellow Stone- June and July
• Caddis- Spring-Fall
• October Caddis- Sept- October