Month: June 2014

Events

San Diego’s Carp Throw Down gets a new champ
NEXT! Two-time Carp Throw Down champ David Wratchford congratulates this year's winner in the wading division, Amy Barder McMahon.
NEXT! Two-time Carp Throw Down champ David Wratchford congratulates this year’s winner in the wading division, Amy Barder McMahon.

San Diego’s third annual Carp Throw Down is in the books with the team of John Hendrickson and Dustin Sergent snagging both first place in the boat division, as well as most fish caught, with three carp and two catfish.

“Like always, it’s fishing—you never know what the insect, weather, and water conditions are going to be until you get out there,” organizer The Fly Shop’s Matthew Austin said. “The competitors who succeeded all came in with a plan of attack, adapted, and persevered.”

Difficult fishing conditions made for little top-water action, but Amy McMahon made the best of it, to take first place in the wading division with a 23-inch carp, dethroning two-time wading division champ David Wratchford.

“Little did I know when I set out to start the hunting expedition that I would be one of only two waders to bring one in,” McMahon said. “I was fishing with some very skilled fishermen with amazing long distance casting skills so I felt very humbled to have won. ‘Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then’ is an expression that comes to mind as I think about my success in bringing one in.”

Other winners included:

Biggest trash fish, a 19-inch Channel Cat, Jason Tinling
Biggest carp, 27 5/6 inches, Jake Ness
Second Place Boat, 24 1/3 inches and and 27 5/6 inches, Jake Ness and Chuck Griffin
Second Place Wade, 18 inches, Dylan Moore

Prizes are listed at: http://www.theflystop.com/blog, and you can check out other happenings at The Fly Shop, http://www.theflystop.com/san-diego-fly-fishing-guide-shop-charter.

See you on the river, Jim Burns

Events

LARFF passes 50,000 mark

imageFour years ago, this blog started out as an experiment, really, and it’s hit this landmark today. Through it, I’ve learned a lot about the politics of the city I love, made lots of new friends, been skunked and humbled more times than I can count, and occasionally watched as my fly line exploded down the river.

And, today’s my birthday!

So, thank you all. I really appreciate your contributions and readership. Best birthday present a guy could have.

See you on the river, Jim Burns

News

New So.Cal. Steelhead book hits the heart of the matter

The first book published by Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach details the struggles of the endangered Southern California Steelhead. (With permission, Aquarium of the Pacific)
The first book published by Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach details the struggles of the endangered Southern California Steelhead. (With permission, Aquarium of the Pacific)
If you think you’ve finished your summer reading list, stop! Consider one more book, please.

“Against the Current, The Unlikely Story of the Southern California Steelhead” could not, in truth, be a more unlikely tale. Author John G. Tomlinson Jr. takes the reader on an environmental roller coaster ride that matches our region’s boom-or-bust water supply, and throws in plenty of human Greek drama.

What just over a 100 years ago was a region so pristine that Easterners came here to mend their health, through hunting, fishing and soaking up the sunshine, quickly turned into what we have today. As someone who has lived here for over 30 years with no plans of leaving, I’m not complaining, but when you read this book and realize what it once was — especially if you enjoy fly fishing the San Gabes — well, get our your handkerchief.

Sob.

One fact to prime the tears: In the early 1900s, the then-equivalent of the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife set the limit of fish taken at … 100. If you’ve ever put boots to dirt and fly to water in our mountains, this should give you a chill. Guests at the local fishing camps regularly hauled in lots of rainbows, and, yes, steelhead. And they hauled, and they hauled and they hauled. Think buffalo in the plains states.

How we got from those abundant fishy beginnings to where we are today is a story of good intentions gone to greed, it’s about that simple.

As for the steelhead once again taking center stage as we enter the Great Los Angeles River Rebuilding, well, this magnificent creature needs our help to get off the endangered species list.

This chart of the comparative rainfall might not look great during our record-breaking drought, but in earlier times, it was a draw for those looking to escape bad weather and regain their health. (With permission, Aquarium of the Pacific)
This chart of the comparative rainfall might not look great during our record-breaking drought, but in earlier times, it was a draw for those looking to escape bad weather and regain their health. (With permission, Aquarium of the Pacific)

When Congress approves the billion bucks for a river makeover early next year, I hope every politician, every engineer and every investor gets a copy of this book. They should look up the section on one Henry O’Melveny, lawyer, fishing advocate, Creel Club founder, ice plant owner and, sadly, leader of the pack that done the natural inhabitants of our erratic rivers and streams in. Indeed, he is a figure as defining of Greek tragedy as Oedipus or Agamemnon.

Fast forward to today, and a mayor who is bringing in major bucks from Washington for the river as well as public transportation. I hope that Eric Garcetti reads this slim volume. It is the most compelling work to date on why the natural habitat can’t take a backseat to our own urban comfort zone. That story already happened.

See you on the river, Jim Burns