Free lecture: Fishing on the Los Angeles River
Sunday, Dec. 7, noon-2 p.m.
Yes, there are fish in the Los Angeles River!
Enjoy a free talk at The Frog Spot with three fishing experts. Jim Burns of LA River Fly Fishing will describe the fish swimming in the river today, where they are and how to catch them. Robert Blankenship of Trout Unlimited will discuss efforts to bring back the native Southern California Steelhead. Elysian Valley fisherman and FOLAR docent Ban Luu will offer tips and techniques for fishing in the Glendale Narrows. FOLAR’s own William Preston Bowling will also share information about its scientific fish studies as well as a new citizen science opportunity.
The Frog Spot
2825 Benedict Street LA 90039
Sent from my iPad
A mere three-quarters of an inch of rain left the river blown out today. (Jim Burns)
UPDATE Roderick Spilman says:
November 9, 2014 at 6:30 pm Edit
Well, we went to test things out … not great. I hooked three small bass. One was 10-to-11 inches. Julia caught one tilapia, and my wife got skunked. There were a few fish jumping here and there. We also saw a dead largemouth that was around 3-to-4 pounds. There are fish around, but they’re not feeding actively.
If you were like many Angelinos, the whooping and hollerin’ erupted Halloween eve, as the area got three-quarters of an inch of rain. Didn’t seem like much, but after our dreadful drought, it was like gold falling from heaven. But for river fly fishers, the blow out was real today.
Will and I walked four of our favorites spots, all around Atwater, and didn’t get a strike. If you follow this blog, you know that as recently as last week, 50-plus takes were reported. And I received an email over the weekend saying that Friday a guest contributor caught four largemouth bass.
Aside from the dearth of fish remember that our river changes so much from rain, it’s pretty incredible. Where once there was a smooth eddy, now there is sand; where that sweet carp holding water was last week, this week just a wrecked tricycle appears in the water.
Of course, the river and its creatures will return, but I do wonder about all the tilapia, bass, green sunfish — in other words, all the fun game fish we’ve been catching. Will they be able to withstand what most surely is coming, the rain of a mild El Nino? The carp can withstand just about anything. They come back for the spring spawn in large numbers, year after year.
So, if you are a river planner, what does this pattern tell you? Pretty much, recreational fly fishers want safe havens for the fish so that their habitats aren’t ruined and they are still where fish stalkers expect them to be.
And just as a reminder: stay out of the river when it rains. Don’t get caught in sudden water that could cost you a real lickin’ or worse.
The challenge: Hook up on two L.A. River species, same fly, same day. Take a pic, write a story, submit.
The prize: One fabulous LARFF T-shirt.
The winner: B. Roderick Spilman
The Quote: “Within three casts, I had a small bass. A couple more casts and I had a green sunfish. Then, the fun really started. A nice-size tilapia struck the fly hard. Several more of varying sizes hit the same fly. Each time, they were hooked perfectly on the lip, so that I had to barely touch the fly to remove it.”
Actually, I got a rolling start last night by donating a couple of old reels to the Southwestern Council FFF charity effort at Orvis in Pasadena. That got me 20 percent off a new Battenkill III, which is a reel about as minimalist as they come. In other words, the palm of your hand and fingers supply most of the drag to slow a running fish down.
In other words, it burns so good.
A.M. off to the L.A River with my 5 wt., armed with a fine new line, new leader and, of course, the new reel. Throw in, hook up within five minutes (rare) and — bam — knot fails after three sharp tugs. Blame the new 5x leader, curse the gods, curse the river weeds, curse anything but the fish. From the size of the pull, think the better of a 5x leader and get on down to a 2x. Toss in, wait a bit — bam — same result, including failed knot.
Burn! Slowing down this carp old school gave me a hot palm. (Jim Burns)And then this largemouth bass grabbed the same fly, a work-a-day glo-bug. (Jim Burns)
Curse Orvis, maker of the slippery leader, curse limited knot skills, curse Lou Ferrigno, for no reason. Look up at monochrome sky and ask “why?”
Sit on rip rap. Retie. Walk upstream, toss in, hook up — bam — fish on. Big fish on. Mental notes intrude on sweaty, running experience … Play him on the reel. Slow down the narrow spool with palm, getting hot, ouch. Turn head, tire him out, another run, fingers, ya oh, man that smarts, more mental notes. What’s with the mental notes? Blame golf psychology book, “Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect” that is current read.
Walk back, walk back slowly. Runs again, remember that knot fail! Ease it up, running, slow him down.
In close now. Gold shine, liquid undulating gold. We see eye to eye. Back up, back up, and … he’s ashore.
Heart pumping, mental note, take the IPic. Fumble in pocket. Curse the white-hot September light, so bright I can’t really image the picture. A Mexican guy on a bike on the bike path, says “Take a picture,” as both a question and a statement. I think to myself, “but I am taking a picture,” and then realize maybe he wants to scale down the rip rap and take a snap of me and this California gold rush.
Elation. Snap. Fish back in water. Heart beats hard; left hand hurts; praise Orvis, praise my limited knot-tying ability, praise the very moment, alive, so very alive.
I right myself, put back in, same fly, and quickly get a different kind of tug, bass tug. Oh, yes, this is so easy, haha, nothing two-to it, and will it ever happen to me again? Snag an L.A. river deuce, same day, same fly.
Hallelujah.
Let ’em know you fly fish the L.A. River.
In honor of this twofer, I propose an unofficial contest: if you hook up, two different species, same day, same fly, send me the story and pics, I’ll send you an lariverflyfishing tee shirt. Only got three left from the derby, all extra large.
Roland Trevino Sr. cuts a fine profile at the first Off Tha’ Hook fishing derby on the L.A. River on a hot Sept. 6. (L.A. Riverguide)
If you were at the event over the weekend, you know there were lots of press folks there, both MSM and bloggers. This quote from sensible billionaire Warren Buffett pretty much sums up my feelings:
“The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves — and the better the teacher, the better the student body.”
So, here’s a listicle of articles. I couldn’t get the piece that ran on ABC Channel 7 Saturday night. If you missed the event, these will get you up to speed:
Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times. This is also the best headline: “For fly fisherman at inaugural L.A. River derby, it’s carpe diem.” Wish I’d written that!
Matus Solobic, one of today’s Off Tha’ Hook winners, with a sweet hog. (Jim Burns)
Well, the first Off Tha’ Hook fishing derby is in the books, and, man, participants got into some fish. In the true sprint of a derby, the number of fish caught, not length or weight, determined the winners. (Drumroll, please)
Fly-fisher Matus Solobic nailed three fish, a meaty carp and two largemouth bass. Next, fly-fisher Andy Wilcox caught three bass, two at seven inches. Finally, from the kids’ derby, Jayson Zwalen, nabbed two bass.
The bucket brigade (me included) hauled much of what got caught to biologist Rosie Dagit, who weighed and measured the fish, before releasing them back to the river.
Biologist Rosie Dagit confirms that lil’ guy is, in fact, a largemouth bass. (Jim Burns)
But the real winner was the river, as well as the people who want to fish it. To see 25 anglers going for it on this hot and humid morning was, frankly, something I never thought I’d see. So much community, good times, real fun.
I finally got to meet in person many anglers I’d only known through this blog. And I made a lot of new friends as well.
And Friends of the Los Angeles River Lewis MacAdams said the organization will host it again next year.
Hot as blazes in L.A. today and tomorrow is the first fishing derby on the Los Angeles River. So, if you haven’t registered yet, click this link and get in! There are only 25 spots for anglers, and 25 spots for youngsters. Anglers cost $35; kids are free. You don’t even need a fishing license! The reason Friends of the L.A. River picked this day is because it is one of only two days during the year that the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife doesn’t require one.
If you’re an angler, bring your own gear, and I’d bring a rod for both small and big fish. I haven’t spotted carp recently, but there have been plenty of what we’ll call smallmouth bass, tilapia and green sunfish. Also, you can wade, so bring your waders, and maybe a wading pole for more support on those slippery rocks. Fishing will be from 9 a.m.-10 a.m., with volunteers helping you get your catch to a biologist to measure and catalog before being returned alive to the river.
Water at its deepest, I’d guesstimate at 4 feet.
Now, if you’re bringing your children, remember they get in free, but you’ll need to sign a guardian waiver, which is on the registration page. The big-hearted folks at the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club have donated all of the rods and reels, so basically all you have to do to get your children some water time is register and show up at 10 a.m. Remember, anglers from the derby will be on hand to teach the kids. I know, it’s a pretty sweet deal.
There will be a food truck on hand to satisfy our appetites.
What kind of fish might you catch on our river? My photos are missing a few species, but here we go:
Nothing like catching your first fish on a fly — a baby bass, no less. (Mark Gangi)Keith Mosier nabs his first L.A. River carp. Oh, yeah! (Ken Lindsay)Green sunfish are one of the pllars of the L.R. River ecosystem, and fun to catch as well. (B. Roderick Spilman)Seeing is believing: Catching a Largemouth Bass can make your whole day. (photos by Roland Trevino)
If you look to the right of this post, you’ll see one river event we’re all pretty stoked about: “Off Tha Hook”
But there’s another fun event coming up, “The L.A. River Boat Race,” Saturday, Aug. 30 in Elysian Valley. As journo, kayaker and commenter Anthea Raymond told us, ” It’s open to anyone who knows how to paddle.”
So if you’re got a kayak, a canoe, a paddleboard, or even if you want to rent equipment to get into the water, this could be your chance to splash to a river first.
“The course tests contestants in speed, strength, endurance and water craft control.
“One hundred experienced and intermediate canoeists, kayakers and SUPers will tackle a 3/4-mile stretch of the Glendale Narrows in a race for glory (and cool T-shirts and swag). Contestants compete in various age- and skill-level categories for awards and other prizes.”
Remember back to the bad old days, say, four years ago, when some of our city’s fisherfolk were issued citations for having the audacity to fish in our river?
Flash forward to Saturday, Sept. 6, precisely 9 a.m. at North Atwater Park in Atwater Village. Not only is it the last day of this year when you don’t have to have a license to legally fish, it’s also the date for the inaugural, the one and only awesomeness of FOLAR’s “Off Tha’ Hook.”
You read that correctly. This is the first fishing derby to hit the banks of the Los Angeles River since 1849. OK, I made that part up. If you actually know of another fishing tourney on the river, please comment below.
Here’s what’s going down:
— fishing contest, for fly fishing and traditional, wading OK, from 9-10 a.m. Yup, one hour. After biologists and volunteers document weight and length, the fish will be returned to the rio.
— the contest is followed by an hour’s worth of family fishing and education. Angler volunteers (you could be one) will help children learn conventional fishing. This will be a supervised, safe time for the kids.
— awards ceremony at 11 a.m., includes a prize for the “rarest” species. All children who are registered and participate in the family fishing event will receive a blue ribbon.
— food truck, that’s the rumor, and a good bet. I don’t know which one.
I’ll post better details as they become available, but I do know you want to sign up soon, as the number of anglers for this historic event is limited to 25 anglers and 25 kids.
Free lecture: Fishing on the Los Angeles River
lariverflyfishing 