Desperate times, indeed! (Smoker of the Year Contest entry)
November 18, 2007 by JD
Filed under Smoker of the Year Contest
Kevin Pohley of Auburn, CA sent in this Smoker of the Year Contest entry — a fish from the Feather River, near the infamous Thermalito Afterbay Outlet Hole, where the season was an absolute bust. He pretty much summed it up with this:
“The 2007 salmon season….Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
Hurry and get those Smoker of the Year photos into us…the deadline for the 2007 season is Dec. 15. At that point, the judging will begin!
Ask JD: Oars, Camera Flash issues, Steelie Plugs, Nets & more!
Okay, on to the mail bag…here are some questions from the readers. If you’ve got a question for me about fishing — or anything else — zip me an email.
Hey J.D., Saw the picture of your drifter and now I don’t feel so bad. LOL! Anyway, I need some new sticks — what do you have and do you like them? Thanks, Jerry
Jerry, I saw something on the news today that really made me feel old — the band Duran Duran is having its 30th anniversary this year. Wow — I’m sad to say that they were really popular back when I was in high school!
Anyway, for those of use who lived through the stuff that’s now called “retro,” the best way to go with oars is wood shafts — the continuous fibers of wood flex better than the hollow tube design of composite shafts. That forgiving flex of, say a Sawyer Lite wood shaft, is easier on our aching –and aging — joints. Add some Sawyer Dynelite carbon-fiber blades and you’re in business.
Watch for the February 2008 issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader for an article I did on changing out the old blades, which you may want to do if your shafts are still serviceable.
JD, I know how to tie a sliding hook rig for mooching/trolling but am not
sure how to tie a fixed hook rig for the same purpose. THANKS!! Capt. Salmon
Hey Capt. Salmon….thanks for the email! Check out the “Videos” section of the webpage and click on “Pimped out Egg Loop”…that will show you the steps.
The Catfish Killer!
November 17, 2007 by JD
Filed under Endorsed Lodges & Outfitters
One day, I’m gonna fish with this guy…he’s awesome!
Meet Darrell Taylor of Lake Conroe, Texas, professional catfish guide and inventor of Catfish Killer Famous Cheese Dip Baits, (which come in Original Cheese and Brains, Cheese and Blood and Cheese Shad Scent flavors, by the way).
“Catfish Killer Cheese Bait is absolutely the very best catfish bait on the market anywhere in the world today,” says Darrell. “I normally catch my limit (25 in Texas) in just a little over two hours.”
While the bait is legendary in Texas, I think Darrell is selling himself a bit short by giving it all the credit. The guy’s been slaying the cats in this neck of the woods since he was a little guy and is, by all accounts, one of the top cat killers in the region.
If you’re ever out Lake Conroe way, look him up and book a trip (www.catfishkiller.com)
Fishing Report Nov. 17, 2007
November 17, 2007 by JD
Filed under What's Biting?
Okay, so it’s been a while since my last fishing report — believe, me, I’ve been hearing about it! So, would you buy it if I told you that my dog ate it? Wait I don’t have a dog anymore…Um, my kid flushed it down the toilet? It was stolen, yea, that’s it. Somebody stole my fishing report, but I’ve got it back now and here we go…
First off, here’s a nice 25-lb. king Tony Manuel of Sacramento caught with me while fishing the American River on Thursday evening. The way things have gone this season, anytime a king is caught in the Valley, it’s noteworthy. We did a night run on the American, where I saw more boats than fish (3 boats and 1 rolling king). In talking with the other boats, this was the only fish taken that night.
Luckily, we’ve got more interesting things to talk about…
When all the planets are in alignment…
November 14, 2007 by JD
Filed under Cool Photos
It was one of those moments that you never forget…Big Fred, our good buddy Nick and me…having one of those epic days of fishing when all the planets were in alignment. We hooked something like 35 or 40 steelhead…on the fly…that day. It was absolutely sick! We caught ‘em on nymphs and dries and I had an unreal session in the middle of the day in which I hooked three steelhead on three consecutive casts….three times! That kind of fishing just doesn’t happen…
The highlight occurred when we managed to accomplish this rarest of rare steelhead fly fishing feats — the triple header. After that epic day of days, Nick asked us if we wanted to go back to the same spot the next morning.
We decided not to — there was no point in trying to one-up perfection.
Bad to the Bone
November 13, 2007 by JD
Filed under Cool Photos
Alright, all the fluff chuckers in the house…this school o’ bones should put a little lead in your Crazy Charlie!
Cast…Three O’Clock! Strip…Strip…Strip….SET! You got him! ZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!!
Sorry, just a little Bahama dreamin’ on a cold, cloudy November night….
It sure seemed like a good idea…
November 13, 2007 by JD
Filed under JD's roadtrips
On a warm night recently, the boys and me decided that it might be cool to give topwater striper fishing on the Delta a go. After all, I’d been getting 12-20 topwater blowups per morning on my guide trips. On a nice calm evening, I reasoned, we could put the serious hurtin’ on the fish…
Oops…Reilly did it again!
November 12, 2007 by JD
Filed under Fishing Videos
Watch as trusty side-kick Reilly finally makes a good cast…
Coho Hook-up from jd richey on Vimeo.
What it’s all about…
November 11, 2007 by JD
Filed under Trophy Room
Five-year-old Jacob Taylor caught this nice salmon on the Trinity River with me last week. And this, right here, folks is why I do what I do…
Saltwater bluegill? Name that Fish!
November 10, 2007 by JD
Filed under Name that Fish!
Okay, it’s time for another round of Name that Fish, the contest in which you can win, uh, well, nothing.
But it’s still fun to play anyway, right?? Anybody? Hello? Is thing thing on?? Test. Test. Test. Can you hear me?
So, anyway, this little fella likes warm near-shore waters of the Pacific and Sea of Cortez. He hangs out near rocks and kelp and dines on crabs, shrimp, mussels and small fish…and 2-ounce spoons!
Hint: he’s not a….
Barred surf perch, cabrilla, calico bass, Pacific barracuda, copper rockfish, Mexican Goatfish or Atlantic salmon.
Any guesses??