Destination: Desolation

Way back in July (it seems like ages now) I decided to head up to the higher reaches of the sierra in search of the mythical monsters that lurk in the early season lakes. My co-worker Nick and I made a mad dash Friday after work, got our rods in the car, forgot a few other useless items, and were off. We planned to camp outside the wilderness boundary and day hike in to fish, thus avoiding the fees other chumps would be paying. However, our logic was not totally sound as we found ourselves in the trail head parking lot without permits talking to a park ranger about how dispersal camping was not allowed in Lake Tahoe management area. Also, she warned about the unusually large number of backcountry rangers out patrolling that would surely issue us a hefting fine. Shit. Oh yeah, the wilderness trailer (yes, that office has been delegated to a small portable on the edge of a parking lot) closed 20 minutes ago. With a hopeful tone she suggested we try their new online system.

We drove off in search of cell signal praying we could conjure up some permits for the weekend. At the same time we were also planning several sketchy gorilla-camping alternatives, most of which relied on playing dumb when captured by park officials.

So it goes, the online service does not allow day-of permit purchases, and furthermore, one must appear at the wilderness ranger portable to officiate the permit. Why did you waste your f-ing time with the online system!? It serves me in no way and destroyed all hopes of restoring this perfect trout bum weekend. Except...you can always rely on acting dumb.

If you ignore all the fine print, leave the page loaded on your smart phone that says you've purchased two nights of desolation for said occupants, and seem innocent, than no self respecting back country ranger should be able to fault you for just wanting to catch a few fish right? Flawless plan. Now just avoid the army of rangers in the backcountry on this specific weekend.

Fast forward past exploding cans of Tecate, dressing like Larry the Cable Guy, and smelling strongly of beer while talking to the Sheriff search and rescue guys, and we got away with it! Not only that, but we we managed a few fish despite mostly frozen lakes.

This is Nick ON Lake Aloha


Frozen lake with more of the white stuff surrounding it. July ~8,000'


Nick fishing a sweet hole. It took us a while but we eventually walked onto that ice-float and fished.


And it fell to my new switch rod with a sink tip line. Can't stop loving it.



Douche-beg 1 and 2. They couldn't be happier though. If you look closely in the back ground on Nick's picture you can see a guy on ski's. We left immediately assuming he was a backcountry ranger out to get us, though we actually never saw any rangers anywhere.

I love the Pacific Ocean!

I've moved back to the bay area and have been spending some time with my folks in Half Moon Bay. Though I loved the time I've spent in the Sierras, nothing I've experienced has come close to replacing the ocean. We've had a couple of flat ass come days lately and for me that means fun times on the water without getting sick. Armed with some fresh smelt (from an epic surf fishing outing with Bob) I paddle the trusting kayak out past Pedro point and started searching the depths...



20" Cabazone and 27" Lingcod. I made ceviche out of one of the lingcod fillets and the rest turned into a saute with fresh tomatoes (courtesy of Aliyah and the family farm), capers, celery, fennel, some wine and lemon juice. There is nothing better than food fresh from the sea. It's good to be home.

May is Morel Month in the Mountains. MMMM... alliteration never tasted so good

Life at Blodgett forest has been pretty great so far; lots of cool new people, a chill job with lots friendly owls, a sweet cabin in an experimental forest, and nearby adventures abound. The only down side is the white headed woodpecker that pecks on the side of my room between the hours of 5 and 8 am. He won't like long at this rate.

My boss flagged me down Tuesday evening to say she'd found her first morels of the season. When I got back from the field this morning I headed straight out again and found seven of my first ever morels! Apparently its not looking like a good year but oh well, its always nice to add another species to the forage list and have a tasty lunch once in a while.

I sautéed a few with some butter and garlic and threw them together with some Gruyere cheese into a quesadilla. It was simply divine, I must find more...

Little Truckee Fish Releasing Montage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blXTAwg5xTE

Weekend Escape for Trout (video coming soon)

It's official, I've moved to the mountains to start working with owls. Unfortunately we've had a lot of down time due to all the snow. Not much is open in the Georgetown area, so it didn't take long before I got the itch to find some fishy water. We ended work early on Friday and after making a few calls I decided to hit the Little Truckee River again since it would still have limited access and thus very few people. I packed my bag and hitched a ride with my co-worker, Haruka, as she headed home to Reno for the weekend.

The first sight I'm greeted with at the Boca Reservoir campground was a cluster of large Ford trucks at the edge of the lake. I decided to set up camp a good distance from this group because I foresaw lots of general shenanigans in their future. The minute I started to leave, one of the truck campers comes out from behind their armada armed with a BB gun and tries to shoot a seagull out of the air. Yup, just as I suspected, yahoos. Nic joined me for dinner later that evening and we enjoyed listening to the sounds of engines reving, cheap rock tunes, and drunken idiots on too small boats playing gently from afar. Ahh the wilderness, God's gift to man.

Cool moon out this weekend, no wonder everyone was howling.

The next morning I moved camp to the Boyington Mill site further up river to further distance myself from the yahoos and to gain closer access the the best fishing sections. Since Nic's car was filled to the brim with his crap, I strapped my backpack to the top and stood on the icy bumper holding an icy rail. I almost lost it going through a few snow piles, but made it through in the end.

Set up camp again, made coffee, dawned my fishing gear and was off, not wanting to waste any fishable hours. A few trucks were able to make it all the way through to the upper lot, so I wouldn't be the only one out there, but for the first few hours I was. The fishing was slow at first with only two hook-ups before 11 AM with one landed. After that it went off the hook (ha, pun!). I hooked three in the Lightening hole in about an hour, landing two, all on the same red copper john. Then I moved down to the 610 hole, my bread and butter. There was one guy fishing the middle section of it, and he came out to talk to me as I walked by. We shot the shit for a bit over a cup of coffee, then he move up river and I move in on one of the outer seams of 610. Twenty minutes lately a Blue Winged olive hatch started and lots of big fish moved into the shallows to sip them up. During the next two hours that the hatch persisted I caught 5 fish between 18-20” from one main pod. The last fish I caught was actually the first one the rose to my fly, but the hook failed to stick. After that he teased me continuously, following my flies as they drifted over him, but never eating them. After all the other fish had been caught and released, he was the last to be seen contentedly sucking up bugs. The hatch was dwindling down and it seemed like he was going after something different. I decided to tie on one of my freshly made winter stone dries and sure enough he greedily gulped it down after two casts.

Fish Porn:






I think this fish might be a cutthroat/rainbow hybrid, but I'm not sure exactly what the Little Truckee has in it. I only noticed very slight orange blotches under the gill plates, but nothing definitive. Very beautiful fish though.




I moved down river after that and spotted a large fish hanging near the bottom of a deep bend pool. There were some big eddies and other currents pushing and pulling, so it was hard to get a drift at the fish, so I tried high-sticking with a bunch of lead and a big stonefly. Eventually my line seem to go taught so I instinctually set the hook. There is a flash of light as a big head starts shaking under water and my rod tip bends deeply. The heavy current and steep bank make the fight all the more difficult, but I eventually manage to subdue the large brown (see video for image).

I hiked the river all the way back to camp, scouting unknown sections for future use, but the brown was the last fish of the day. Final tally: 9 fish landed, 5 other people seen, ~4 miles hike, and 1 huge sunburn.

The following day was not as productive as strange weather was brewing. I managed two fish on nymphs, including this incredibly hook-jawed male that came way out of his hiding spot to nail my swinging fly.


I made it back to camp early, found some cell reception and got the news that Nic was going to come get me before the storm really hit that night. Getting myself and my gear into his car was a squeeze to say the least, but I was grateful to be heading to a cabin with a leak-proof roof. Beers, more cribbage, and old movies ended this weekend warrior's trip. Thanks to Nic and Haruka for the rides and company, I wouldn't have been the same without you.

Making a Wild Salad with Mom

I've decided I didn't want this to become just another fishing blog. Don't get me wrong, I love fishing blogs, but in order to combat my own addiction I need to focus on other things. Besides, I realized that as of late, too many people, myself included, take fishing way too seriously. Fishing will probably be a hot topic as it has always been my first love (sorry Aliyah), but devoting a blog entirely to talking about the intricacies of fishing is a little too much like masturbating on chat roulette; it might get a few people off, but to everyone else its just bizarre. This brain child will be more like a collage of my outdoor obsessions, the scribbled pastimes of a wandering 21st century nomad.

That being said, I've spent the last four days waiting hopelessly on the beach for the surf smelt to run and had no such luck. Fortunately plants don't typically have an ocean to hide in, so at least I was able to bring something to the table.


All of the following plants were picked within 10 minutes of my Mom's house and none were cultivated. Most came from the top of Old San Pedro Mountain Road, one of our favorite hiking trails, but many of these plants are pulled from home gardens as weeds.



This is the borage flower (Borago officinalis), a local wild edible that lends a brilliant splash of color to any salad. Notice the many tiny hairs on the leaves and stem (a high degree of pubescence a botanist might quip). These hairs can really irritate the mouth and throat so be sure to pick only the flowers.


This is Miner's lettuce (Montia perfoliata), a crispy, succulent green that looks a bit like a little lilly pad with a texture like spinach. It grows in moist, shady areas, especially near creeks and springs, thus it's high water content. It's juicy, crunchy, and cool, a perfect fresh trail snack on a hot day. Note that early in the season most of the young leaves will be more spade like and the small white flowers may not be developed yet.



Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is equally as beautiful as it is flavorful. The young flowers and stems add color and a mild radishy spice to our salad. It grows EVERYWHERE in coastal california, give it a try.


Wild Onion (Allium spp.) has a very potent onion smell if you've ever crush it under your feet. The flowers and a bit of the stem is all you'll need or you may risk over powering your greens. We have not experimented with using the bulb yet, but I've heard of many people using the alpine species while back packing. It grows widespread from high sierra to coastal gutter. Walk the streets of Montara and rub a few of the leaves, you'll know when you've found it.


This is the newest member of known edibles we've added to our list this season, welcome to the table Stellaria media.



It's a mild green rich in iron and zinc, in fact it was more than any of the top 10 commercially produced greens. During the spring season it can be found in great aboundance as my mom happily displays. One of the distinguishing characteristics is its single lined "mohawk" that runs down its stem.

Unfortunately, chickweed does have a poisonous look-alike that can grow amongst it. I found this Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) growing about 50 feet down-trail from the patch of chickweed we harvested. However, the bright red flower (as apposed to chickweed's white), square stem, and lack of any obvious hairs gives it away.


After our nice sunset walk/foray, mom and I cleaned the greens, mixed the salad, and ate with the company of a baked chicken. Final verdict: Delicious! The salad was entirely wild and had no bitterness or off-putting qualities. The greens were crisp and mild and the flowers were a tender bouquet of simple flavors. The entire gathering process took about 30 minutes, less time than it would have taken to go to the store, and the freshness was unparalleled. Wild foods often contain far higher concentrations of essential minerals and nutrients than their domesticated counterparts, and nobody does organic better than mother nature. Pick some up today at your local corner!

NOTE: For the record, I have never masturbated on chat roulette nor in any other public forum, internet or otherwise.

Let the Sun Shine!

The sun is back after a long overdue absence and it feels SO GOOD! I woke up feeling more perky and refreshed than I have in weeks, and the birds outside my window sounded like they agreed with me. I took the day to go surf fishing with my pops and then went on any evening Montara Mountain ride with my buddy Jesse. We made it to the saddle just in time to catch a nice sunset over a couple tasty brews (Thanks Jesse/Tristan!).

The sun actually does more for good moods than you'd think. A splash of sunlight can reverse winter doldrums, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD=(, and it has proven useful in treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Light therapy has been used effectively to treat depression and some therapists consider it to be the first-line of defense against the blues. Furthermore, it can drastically improve the mood and symptoms of women during PMS. Plus it makes some damn delicious tomatoes.

Besides a few foods, the sun is our main source of vitamin D, a key component of our immune system. UV rays from the sun bombard our skin, triggering a series of reactions that produces vitamin D. This sun-solicited nutrient influences how our bones sequester Calcium and there is a direct relationship between the strength of our bones and vitamin D levels. Sun exposure and vitamin D have also been suspected to play a role in the immune response and/or prevention of multiple sclerosis, prostate cancer, rickets, osteoporosis, diabetes and others, but no definitive connections have yet been discovered.

As with everything in life, sunlight is best used in moderation. Use a good sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB radiation, but you don't need to go overboard with the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers. SPF is just a ratio of the time it takes to burn with said sunscreen divided by the time it takes without. So if you know how long it takes you to burn you can figure out you maximum time in the lime light.

Its simple: Minutes to burn X SPF# = Max. sun exposure with sunscreen applied

Always be conscious of the awesome power of the sun, it has the power to give life, but it can take life away. It was been revered by cultures around the world throughout time and we should show it that same respect in our contemporary culture. So soak up the rays while you can, there should be some April showers on their way but spring flowers are already showing up!

Here are some of my favorite sunsets and spring flowers from 2010 and I'm looking forward to many more this year.

building rods

In the depths of a wet winter I decided to build my first rod ever. I didn't really need a new rod, but a fisherman is never satisfied with what he/she has, so of course I should collect more gear while I'm not even fishing. My 7 WT saltwater rod broke on me a few years ago so I figured I should replace that one, but I don't really fly fish the surf much and I'm just about to move to the mountains so why build a rod I probably won't use this year. I decided to try building a 6 WT switch rod since I'd been hearing so many good things about switch rods, and a 6 WT would allow me to cast my old 7 WT lines.

I started by reading up on what it takes, what steps to follow, do's and don'ts, forums, FAQs, etc. It seemed pretty simple, the only tools I needed my dad had for me to borrow (drill, rasp, sand paper---Thanks Bob!) and the rest I could make or improvise. All that was needed were the components which are exceedingly available thanks to the internet. Though shopping around for custom parks was definitely the most fun, it was also really overwhelming to choose from so many sources. A checklist was definitely a must, but be sure to double check all of your sizes.


I chose my blank, the sections of tapered graphite which all other components are fastened to, from a domestic company called Batson Enterprises. They're a relatively small company that produces a wide range of blanks and building kits for cheap, but they don't lack quality. Though they are a little heavier and slower action than top of the line makers like G. Loomis or Sage, you can't beat $80 for a 10 & 1/2 foot switch blank with a sexy flat black finish, especially for my first rod (Spoiler alert: I think it cast really nicely).

The first step was "finding the spine" of the blank. Every blank has a naturally stiffer side to them which makes a difference in the rods casting a fish fighting ability, thus this side is called the spine. Finding it was easier than I thought and just by taking my time and following some instructions I had the spine all mapped out. However, whether to place the spine either along the back of the rod or along the front is still up for debate and seems to be a matter of preference. My rod's spine runs down its back, it just seems like the natural choice (for a chordate).


The next step was building the cork grip. Since switch rods are used both for two handed casting and single handed casting, they use a pretty unique grip system. The few pre-made switch grips that were offered online didn't appeal to me so I opted to make my own form a full-wells grip and 7 stock cork rings. You can see in the pictures how I've cut the full-wells grip in half and sandwiched the rings in between them. I made a simple press to keep all the parts from moving while the glue dried. Also, I decided to build the grip directly onto the blank for a better fit, but I was running the risk of making a mistake and ruining my blank.


Thankfully everything went well and I have a custom shaped grip for one or both of my hands.

Next up was spacing the guides, the little loops of wire that "guide" the line down the length of the
rod. I found the measurements online, but basically you want one guide for every foot of your rod plus one. I have a 10.5 foot rod and the spacing chart I used gave me the distances for 10 guides plus the tip top (a total of 11). In the picture is a thread wrapping stand a made (glorified shoe box) holding a section of my blank. The section has guides taped to it at the appropriate intervals.


Thats a wrap! Seriously, it is. Thread is wound over the foot of the guide and finished in simple, knotless way that gives a seamless appearance to...a wrap. There are many styles of wrapping that can give a rod extra flare, but I thought I'd save those till next time. To keep tension on the thread you can either buy ($$$) a fancy spring loaded thread holding that has a variable tension knob, or you can run your thread through a large book. The friction of the pages is enough to hold the tension and to can adjust it by running the thread through different chapters of the book. Wraps not tight enough? Try chapter 8, to tight? Bring it back a few, try chapter 6.


Once all the wrapping is done, you have to make sure the guides are all alligned with each other and with the spine.
Sighting down the blank through the guides is one of the best ways to see this step.




Then its time to finish the rod, literally. After adding a hook keeper, a few fancy gold wraps, my name and a few other labels, I covered all the wraps with a special flexible epoxy finishing glue. The glue has a long curing time so I had to keep rotating each section every 15 minutes for 3 hours or bulges would develop.

The last step was to glue on the reel seat and rear grip. For the rear grip I decided to use a 4 inch tapered grip that was sold as a fore grip for a spinning rod but it works perfectly for my needs. The only thing I would have liked to do was add half an inch of EVA foam to protect the butt end, but I forgot to order it. I used the reel seat's butt instead. Presto! In 3 days a made myself a great new rod which I love casting and has opened up some new fishing opportunities to me. The new member of my arsenal:


I thought it was appropriate to show it in its new environment. I never named it but I was thinking of something like Duet, Duo, or Les Duex since its meant for two types of casting, but I thought those were too boring so I put it off. Comment your suggestions please!