Fly Fishing Show West - Pasadena, CA March 1-2, 2008

Today I attended the Fly Fishing Show in Pasadena with my wife.  We sat in on a seminar about nymphing techniques and another on tying midges and small flies, both were lead by Ed Engle.   The public casting demonstration was excellent too.  I don't know who they had chucking the rope, but he was a magician with a fly rod.

The best part of my time there was watching Ed Engle tie his micro-flies.  To watch someone tie a #32 midge pattern is pretty impressive.  I came right home and tried the same pattern on a #20 hook... with lesser results.  Mr. Engle is entertaining and a gentleman.  He allowed me to keep one of the flies he tied in the demonstration - it now resides with my collection of "first" flies.

I spent some money at the show, but like I mentioned, my wife was there so it was a modest amount.  Note to self: leave the wife at home next year.  I purchased two bobbins - besides the vise, the second most important tool in tying - and I will try them both and write up my thoughts.

The first bobbin is the rite bobbin shorty by Merco Products.  It sports an ergonomic design and a drag/tension adjuster.
The second is the Automatic Bobbin by the Norlander Company.  The "automatic" comes in with its spring system that rewinds the thread without manually turning the thread spool.

Stay tuned. 

Piru Creek - Frenchman's Flat - Feb 2008

The filming crew for a TV Pilot called Mongoose (give or take) crowded the parking area.  There was nothing happening.  Yet another skunk at Piru Creek post-storm.  The normal flow here is about 20 cfs, but for the last month it has been no lower than 170 cfs.  I just hope that the water gets clear - at any cfs.

Piru Creek - Frenchman's Flat - Feb 2008

The filming crew for a TV Pilot called Mongoose (give or take) crowded the parking area.  There was nothing happening.  Yet another skunk at Piru Creek post-storm.  The normal flow here is about 20 cfs, but for the last month it has been no lower than 170 cfs.  I just hope that the water gets clear - at any cfs.

Piru Creek - Storm Video

If you haven't seen Piru Creek (Frenchman's Flat) during a normal flow, then here are some reference shots.

Piru Creek Normal - Low Flow

Piru Creek - Winter Flow

Continue reading for updated images and video of the current state of Piru Creek.

Piru Creek - Blue Point and Beyond

A short photo journey of my long hike to the closed Blue Point campground above Lake Piru on Piru Creek.  I was skunked, so all I have to show for my sore legs and back are these pictures.

Piru Creek - Blue Point and Beyond

A short photo journey of my long hike to the closed Blue Point campground above Lake Piru on Piru Creek.  I was skunked, so all I have to show for my sore legs and back are these pictures.

Piru Creek Wild Trout - Frenchman's Flat

The bite is slow on Piru Creek after the rain storm earlier this month, but I did manage to find this beauty in a deep pool with a Caddis nymph fished without a strike indicator.  It was over 14" and really had some fight in it.  Wild trout, in my opinion, are some of the hardest fighting freshwater gamefish pound-for-pound.

Surf fly-fishing Saltwater 

There might not be too many better ways to spend a Sunday than driving the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) looking for places to fish.  I tried 4 different spots; Mugu Rock, La Jolla, Leo Carrillo, and El Matador.  The Surf Perch were plentiful at most of the spots.