Central Coast Fly Fishing

Of course this would appear in the shop...

One of the classics that probably adorns a wall in every Fish & Game office in the country.

After he's brought joy to children the world over, Santa knows how to find his own #momentofchill. He deserves it. Merry Christmas from all of us at Orvis! Filmed at El Pescador Lodge and Villas by Jenny Mayrell-Woodruff of Woodruff Guide Service.

Ok...the lights and the stuffed animals are up. Bah humbug...

Affordable, USA-made PEAK rotary vise...$182.99.

Because I need the bucks and you need help with your casting... This Saturday, August 17th, from 8:30 am to 10:00 am, we'll have another casting clinic focusing on first-timers and novices. From the basic presentation cast to shooting line, you'll gain an understanding of what makes a good cast. Rods and reels provided. $30 per person. RSVP by 5:00 pm on Friday.

Howdy, valued customers! The shop will be open tomorrow, FRIDAY, through MONDAY from 10:00 to 6:00. The shop will be closed again from Tuesday through the following Monday...pheasants, chukar, huns and quail are calling.

FOUND: A landing net floating in the Salinas River today. If you’re missing one, email me at [email protected].

I've learned a few things about tackle selection...especially rods and reels...since opening my shop in 1996. Ideally, I prefer products made in the USA but price points are an important consideration to the buyer and USA-made products are relatively expensive when compared to those produced overseas, namely China and South Korea. There's now considerable reluctance towards Chinese-made products, and rightly so, and US tackle companies are moving their manufacturing to Sout...h Korea, which produced better products, anyway. This brings me to the best bang-for-the-buck reel made in Korea, Redington's Grande. It's a mystery to me why these reels don't sell better than they do. They are the best machined aluminum, sealed reel that's well-suited for surf fishing available in the $300-class. When considering it's substantial drag (more drag pressure than you'll ever need), large handle and oversized palming rim, there's isn't another reel out there that comes close. Price-conscious surf anglers should consider this reel over less-expensive die-cast or pressure-cast reels for two reasons: the Grande won't break when you drop it and the saltwater and sand won't penetrate the drag housing. Salt water and sand intrusion go hand-in-hand with any lesser reels. The old retail saying, "buy right, buy once", really does apply in this case. The extra money spent is worth it.

Water is the most essential element of life because without it you can't fish. #leavethecrowds Todd Moen - CATCH MAGAZINE

Gearing up for the holidays. This is what 13 pounds of pure nutritious goodness looks like.

We at Integral Ecology Research Center are happy with the passage of the California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2020 (AB 1788) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.g...ov/fa/billTextClient.xhtml which completely bans the general use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) throughout California. This Bill expands on a bill passed in 2014 banning the consumer grade sale of SGARs stating Despite the 2014 regulations issued by the Department of Pesticide Regulation, scientific research and state studies have found no significant reduction in the number of non-target wildlife with detectable levels of SGARs in their system. The Bill will help eliminate deleterious impacts from SGARs to a range of sensitive species that inhabit our treasured public lands including spotted owls, fishers, bobcats, mountain lions, foxes, and coyotes. As a local, Blue Lake-based environmental non-profit, IERC is proud to have provided some of the primary scientific data highlighting the scope of SGAR impacts within northern California forests. In a state analysis prepared for the Bill, several peer-reviewed scientific publications authored by IERC Executive Director Dr. Greta Wengert and former Director Dr. Mourad Gabriel (currently with the USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station), were cited as direct evidence of the continued adverse effects of SGAR exposure to the fisher, northern spotted owl, and other non-target wildlife species of Conservation Concern. While our research focuses on illicit public land cannabis cultivation areas as a primary source point of these toxicants, it also investigates the broader ecological consequences of SGARs and their potential to contaminate entire food webs. The Bill found that The ecosystem services provided by native wildlife predators are a public trust, just like clean air and water. We, as California residents, are obligated to conserve these wildlife populations for future generations of Californians. As a Humboldt-based environmental research group, we support California’s dedication to the conservation of our natural resources, and are proud to have played a small part in informing the decision to pass this monumental, and much needed, statewide wildlife conservation legislation. Please visit our website http://www.iercecology.org/publications/toxicants-wildlife/ to access several IERC publications that contributed to this Bill.

THE SHOP WILL BE CLOSED CLOSED OCTOBER 26 THROUGH OCTOBER 29...GOIN' FISHIN'! OPEN OCTOBER 30 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2, INCLUDING... SUNDAY AND MONDAY CLOSED NOVEMBER 3 THROUGH NOVEMBER 8...GOIN' HUNTIN'!

Last Clinics and Classes for 2020 Saturday Morning Casting Clinic October 24 and November 14 8:30AM - 10:00AM... Whether you’re a first-timer or an accomplished fly fisher, these 90-minute clinics will get you squared away on the basic casting stroke and various delivery casts. 8:30AM to 10:00AM. $30/person (all equipment included) This coming Sunday's 1-Day Beginning Fly Fishing Class is full so I have added one more class on November 15. $80/person (all equipment included) CLASSES MUST HAVE 4 STUDENTS OR THEY’LL BE CANCELLED. Learn how to survive your first fly fishing trip by learning the essential skills of fly fishing: tackle selection, knots, basic casts and line manipulations, reading the water, entomology and fly selection. Our sensible approach to this course will help you build a solid foundation of fly fishing fundamentals and stimulate your interest in taking the sport to any level you desire. RSVP IS REQUIRED. Respond to this email or call (831) 298-0690.

Fishing for Spawning Trout It's PSA time again, friends. Brown trout and brook trout redds are popping up across western Montana, and folks need to underst...and that actively targeting spawning fish on or near their redds is not only unethical, but also short sighted from a conservation stand point. Even if you'd never even think of intentionally targeting spawning fish, it's important to educate yourself about how and where fish spawn, and be sure to avoid wading in those areas, or disturbing the stream upstream of them causing unintended siltation of the eggs. This photo shows two brown trout redds (the clean gravel patches). These are obvious. Others are smaller and less clear. If you aren't sure, please assume they are redds. If you've never seen spawning trout before, and want to watch them, please do so from a distance to avoid spooking them. If you have any questions about this topic, post away, or shoot us a DM. Thanks! #bigskyanglers #mindtheredd #wefisheverywhere #butnotontheredds #montanaflyfishing #idahoflyfishing #yellowstoneflyfishing

Last week NDOW Fisheries biologists conducted their annual electrofishing survey on the Truckee River. Here's a look at the survey, which helps NDOW staff asses...s the health of the fishery. Electrofishing only stuns the fish and doesn’t injure them. Once the fish are stunned, biologists net them and record important information on their health before the fish are released back into the river. See more

Want to prepare for the upcoming waterfowl season? Join CDFW’s Advanced Hunter Education program for a waterfowl hunting webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m.... Get tips for identifying waterfowl in flight, and learn the rules and regulations specific to our state-operated hunt areas. This is the second of a series of webinars to be offered through the Advanced Hunter Education Program. To register, please visit https://www.register-ed.com//california/162-advanced-hunte.

THE LAST SURF CLASS OF THE YEAR IS THIS COMING WEEKEND! October 16, 17 & 18 Friday night 5:00PM 8:00PM, Saturday from 8:30AM-10:00AM and Sunday morning (optional) from 6:00AM to 9:30AM. $100.00/person.... Limited to 4 students. This is not a class for beginners. If you have never fly fished before, you should sit this one out and take the 1-Day Beginning Fly Fishing Class on October 25. Please RSVP by responding to this post, email [email protected] or call 831-298-0690.