What will this season bring?

[midger]

Bernard,
I like your new ride. It should get you to a lot of new places--and back as well.

[Bernard]

Bernard,
I like your new ride. It should get you to a lot of new places--and back as well.

Thanks

That said, I do hope we all enjoy what smells like a great year to come. Looking forward to some great reports.

B

[theophilus]

I'll second Bernard's observation- the coming year will be great!

My goals-
1. I want to catch some Bernard-big fish! But to do that I'm gonna have to fish like him, and that means I need more skill, enthusiasm, new knees, better lungs, more pain endurance....maybe I'll fish Bernard-lite.

2. I want to learn the discipline of a well tied blood knot.

3. I want to fish with an absence of worry, a clear mind that can absorb the beauty of wild trout and wild places, without the weight of impending loss. It will be sweet.

4. Is it possible to fly cast from the a sit-on-top kayak? I want to find out.

5. I want to catch a trout in the San Berdoos that has a vestigal orange slash under its jaw, a genetic echo of century-distant stocking. Some places are hidden still....


Doug

[beachbum]

Nice objectives, Doug. I cast from my sit on top kayak all the time. It's easy, and a stable fishing platform, in both salt and freshwater applications. It's great for trolling too.

[rayfound]

Well, we're 10/12ths of the way through this year.... how is everyone doing on the hopes and dreams from the start of the year? I think its fun to see how outlooks change over time.

Here were mine.

*Soft Hackles/Wets*

I plan on gaining an understanding of soft hackles more. I plan on starting out with generally having a soft-hackle dropper behind dries most of the time... then hopefully I'll deepen my understanding.

This isn't happening. I don't think I've fished soft hackles at all this year, and for now, I don't care.

*Saltwater*

I plan on getting out and fishing surf/bays a couple times this year. I've got an 8wt now and damnit, I need to use it.

Been there, done that. Fished the brine a few times, never had a great day, but I've managed a few fish. Still doesn't give me the joy a day on a trout stream does, but I'll continue to fish it a couple times a year.

*Striper*

I want to catch a striper. Aqueduct, Silverwood, whatever. They appeal to me as a powerful gamefish and I want to catch one.

Hasn't happened. Haven't even tried. As much as I want to catch them, I've not wanted to catch them bad enough to bother taking a day to do it.

*Salmonids*

I want to catch at least one new species with an adipose fin. Kokanee, cutts, whatever. I want one new species.

Had hoped to do this in Mammoth this weekend, but alas, its not the right time for me to spend a weekend away.

*Creeks*

I want to fish at least 2 new SoCal creeks that I've never fished before.

Good news here, I am at 4 new creeks and counting. Turns out this was the one I really got an itch for recently.

5. I want to catch a trout in the San Berdoos that has a vestigal orange slash under its jaw, a genetic echo of century-distant stocking. Some places are hidden still....

I've been working on this one with no luck. I've still got a few ideas.

[Papasequoia]

If things work out, I will be spending a lot of time in Mammoth in the late spring and early summer. While the flowing water will obviously be targeted, I'd like to get get out in the float tube that I bought a year ago and have only used once.
Since quick trips of just a few hours will be possible, I'd like to get the boys back into fishing. All day trips away from friends and video games makes the teenagers groan, but I should be able to get them out for some shorter trips, like an evening hatch somewhere.
We put off plans to visit Glacier for backpacking, hiking and fishing the last two years in a row. Hopefully this summer will be the "third time's a charm" year that we make it.

1. Spend a lot of time in the Mammoth area: accomplished

2. Use the float tube that I had only used once: accomplished

3. Get the boys back into fishing: fail, although I did get them out a couple of times, I have not yet been able to rekindle the spark

4. Visit Glacier National Park for backpacking, hiking and fishing: accomplished

3 out of 4 ain't bad, I guess, but I still need to work more on the boys.

[FlyinFish]

Hey Ray, I was just looking back on this post last week!

First and foremost, fish this water. Ryan and I scoped it out. I'm really excited to fish this place. We're deciding between calling it "Treasure Map Creek" and "Torn Up Front Bumper Creek."

Went back and found those fishies and it was gooood! Next step is to scope out a different area of it .

I want to fish HC and/or the Upper O or the gorge as well. The EW may have to wait. Those may not happen with all my escapades to the Owens though, unless I can get the gf to come along.

HC is checked off. The Upper O and the Gorge avoided me. Made it to the EW with no luck. Did pretty good on the Lower O though, before the flows blew up.

I want to further explore an area near Lake Cachuma that I call Douglass Creek. As well as a spot on the West side of the Sierras. (Both of these are very conducive to bringing along significant others).

Did quite a bit of exploring on Douglass and found where the fish were and were they weren't but potentially may be some other time. Never made it out to the west side and don't think I will this year, sadly.

A backpacking trip is a must for this year.

Donesky!

Fishing the GTW opener would be nice, but is at a low level of possibility right now.

Not true. Made that happen!

Of course improving my tying has been a big goal and it's getting better. I'm almost to where I don't have to buy flies anymore.

I'm to the point where I have to hold myself back from tying to tend to other life matters in the evenings. I am to the point where I can tie most anything I need or want, but I still have a few patterns I need to get materials for and learn.

I'd also like to take up Czech nymphing. Go the whole nine yards, get a specific rod for it, get the flies, fish it exclusively to learn it better... NOT!

Ha!

Catch a 50# tuna on a popper (not the fly kind, the big honkin' Japanese kind on a 10 foot jigstick).

None on poppers this year as the salt has been sour! But I did get a 50# tuna on my 11 1/2 foot old school stick. That was fun.



Also made some unplanned advances in fishing the surf which was cool.

Nice to revisit these. Hopefully I'll check a few more off by the end of the year and can't wait to get started on next year!

[Gary C.]

3. Get the boys back into fishing: fail, although I did get them out a couple of times, I have not yet been able to rekindle the spark
.

Jon, just a thought but you might try letting them bring a buddy along. That always made things better for me when I was a teenager. It would be a pain in the butt for you because of the added chaos amd logistics, not to mention haveing to feed more teenage boys. I remember that after a very short time camping with my Dad I was bored and needing some excitement. I needed someone that could go full tilt with me for the day, someone other than my snitch of a brother to sneak off with and do all the things us adults don't allow but know boys are going to anyways as soon as they get a chance. It was even fun * dad off and trying his patience as long as I had a friend along to prod me on.

[Rockstar Fisherman]

*Striper*

I want to catch a striper. Aqueduct, Silverwood, whatever. They appeal to me as a powerful gamefish and I want to catch one.

quote]

Definately on my list!! Especially now that I have the gear for them.

I'd like to hit the goldens at ice out but it's not looking like I will due to scheduled travels already in place.

I do want to learn and REMEMBER some new knots this year.

Well I haven't remembered any new knots that Eric and Mark taught me on our trip New Years day, still haven't caught a striper but I did hook into one, so I guess I'm getting closer. And I did miss ice out for goldens due to me being in the Czech Republic around those times.

I will say that I have conquered a 14er which was awesome and somewhat fishing related. I've also done some extensive golden trout fishing and fished a few new areas this year as well. All in all I've done real well, just haven't spent as much time as I'd like to on the water this year. Hopefully soon, like after this weekend I'll get some more time in before November 15th when all my lake fishing comes to an end.

[briansII]

I would like to visit a handful of new places this year. Mostly stillwater, but some moving too. I'll try and revisit some neglected local haunts. My stripah addiction has put them on the back burner, but this year i'll make an effort to get reacquainted. I will continue to hunt down Moe stripah. LMB later this month. Shad and stripers are just around the corner. Talking about doing Bass-N-fly this year. Possible Lahontan trip in the next couple months. Definitely would like to be on the eastside a few more times. Teach a buddy how to catch fish with a fly rod. Support some conservation/fishy causes.

I'd also like to get comfortable/proficient with a few spey/switch casts. Need to get "my groove back" on casting shooting heads/sinking lines. Buy more gear.

briansII

I'm not doing so great.

New places. No, not really
Neglected local haunts. Yes
Stripah addiction. Fed, and continually feeding
LMB. Done, and still doing
Shad. No
Bass-N-Fly tourney. No
Lahontan. No
Eastside. No
Support fishery causes. Yes. More than last year.
Spey/switch casting. No.
Getting shooting head groove back. Yes
Buy more gear. Yes

So far, it's been a pretty good fishing year. I haven't done some things I've wanted, but isn't that just life. Sure I CAN complain about some missed opportunities, but the nice thing is, they'll come around again next year. Oh, and the year isn't over yet........

briansII
PS, this year I'll try for a trout on a Pole Dancer

[Sasha]

Oh I dunno, I hardly ever plan my year out.


So far my only set plans are GTW and some other crappy creek out there

There are a few spots I still want to hit up here. I would post more stuff but this thread is in the public section. Fail: Somebody couldn't get the time off of work.

This year I had some "firsts": Caught my first Bull trout, caught my first chinook on my first spey rod.