It’s really frustrating that rebanding is no longer allowed, especially now that they’re inspecting boats as they leave. If the goal is to prevent mussel contamination in other bodies of water like the Forebay and the lake, inspecting boats on the way out doesn’t make much sense if. your not rebanding.   I timed my inspection this morning, and it took around 10 minutes. I think the park staff seem as puzzled as we are. If your boat looks clean—with the plug out, motor down, and livewell hatch open—they assume you know the drill and do a quick inspection. This was actually my first inspection there in over 10 years of rebanding. Fortunately, I keep my boat in a heated garage, so that helps keep it very dry.   I’m not looking forward to waiting in line with a bunch of boats to get in, but maybe there’s a silver lining—it might keep the crowds down and reduce some pressure on the water.

Fishing today was pretty average. There were a few small blitzes in the morning off the beaches near Check 12. I chased a couple, but they were short-lived, and I couldn’t get on top of any of them. Using the Livescope, I was able to spot some schools of fish searching for shad in those areas. Later in the afternoon, I found more schools in deep water and used the Livescope to locate some active feeders, though not all seemed interested in eating. With a bright moon last night, they might have fed at night.

The weather turned cloudy, cold, and windy in the afternoon. I found some stationary schools on the bottom in the middle, so I positioned upwind, anchored, and cast downwind, stripping back to the boat—a solid method in windy conditions. I managed to catch a couple of fish every hour, mostly in the 17-20 inch range. It wasn’t as active as last week; the fish seemed less interested in flies today. Most bites came on a shorter strip, with some on a dead stick. I stuck with a 2-inch shad fly all day and probably exercised 20 or more fish total.  It was nice seeing Dan Blanton and Ed Given out with Vaughn today.    They were so bundled up,  I didn’t recognize them till they spoke.

Interesting Fact –   Peter Moyle – Alpha Flyfishing Delta Biologist – describes  the California Delta as one of the most invaded estuaries in the world colonized by at least 185 foreign species.    According to one estimate, invasive species account for an astounding 95% of more of the Delta Estuary Biomass.  Only god knows if this newcomer, number “186” will be the one to take over and destroy all others that share its niche in the ecosystem already  populated by other clams and mussels.   Im not holding my breadth waiting for the doom and gloom.

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