Caught several of these wild fish along the grassy banks of the Tuolumne river. The water level has dropped quite a bit and you really have to search the pockets for fish. I spotted this guy sipping some bugs in the water above me and he took my dry fly without hesitation. Tight Lines, PM
Here’s what happens when you hand a friend a fly rod who has no experience whatsoever. Instantly in the trees!
The last glimmer of daylight after a long day on a couple different rivers, much exploring while off roading, hiking and fly fishing with my friend.
Autumn really is beautiful in the Sierra! The Black Oak and Aspen turn bright yellow. I took this photo in the late afternoon while fly fishing this section of water on the Tuolumne river.
I sure love the color in these small wild trout! Catching them on my #18 deer hair caddis you see here in it’s lip. Still a standard fly that almost always out performs many other attractor type flies. Tight Lines! PM
After successfully landing these wonderful wild trout I put them back home and watch as they dart behind some rock or log. It’s a great feeling when you get to the place of knowing you don’t have to keep a fish to be happy, but will have many more opportunities in the future if you help to sustain the future of our fisheries. Honestly when I began fishing some 40 years ago I kept and ate everything I caught, but over the years have found the fun is in the catch, and keeping a few stocked fish occasionally is all I need! I have learned to release all wild trout and it makes me smile to know they may be there again when I come back! PM
I managed to catch several of these small trout on a spring fed river the North section of the Tuolumne River. You have to approach each pool carefully and usually only get one cast per pool so you better make it a gentle presentation. Even the smallest lure when it makes contact with the water will make these fish hide under the rocks! I used a #18 caddis I tied. It seemed like they preferred the deer hair material to the lighter colored elk hair. Only a month of fly fishing left before they close the rivers for winter! Tight Lines! PM
Do you ever wonder if your kids or grand children will have the same opportunities as you have had to camp, fish and hike along our beautiful rivers? One way we can help preserve them is to be informed and out of that information we can determine a few things and then we can apply them as we see fit. I find such a wonderful correlation between my faith in God and responsibility to serve Him and His creation. Sometimes I think it feels there’s too much of a sacrifice on our part , but Trout Unlimited has made it very easy to be involved! Check out their action center and contribute by notifying your representative in Congress. It’s an easy process and they’ve already taken initiative by writing the letter for you! Just sign in and fill out the blanks. Tight lines and clean waters to you and your family! PM
Today I took my good friend Ryan up to the Sierra to explore, hike, and fly fish a couple rivers. We started on the N.Fork of the Tuolumne and I managed to catch a few small wild trout and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors and crisp mountain air. As we hiked parallel with the river there were many gray squirrels already stock piling food for winter, usually a sign that it’s going to be a long cold winter. The granite was slick hiking into the steep canyon and the reflections of the water and pine were stunning. We only came across one man who lived in a cabin that we asked for directions. He was kind enough to invite us in and explain the country we were hunting for. When we finished hiking a few miles along the stretch of water we back tracked and four wheeled back onto the main road. After that I took my friend to another familiar section of river, the Stan, and fished there for about an hour. We ate a nice lunch of BBQ chicken I cooked the night before and shot a few rounds from Ryan’s 357 before gathering ourselves and heading back home. It was a fine day of fly fishing on the rivers and a great time with my buddy all around. I hope you can find time to enjoy these beautiful fall days in our beloved Sierra! Tight Lines! PM
