Fall Sale, So Cal Fishing Conditions and Dates to Remember.

Hi Folks,

We trust everyone is having a great start to the fall and we have a few announcements to make. 

First, we will have some great brands on sale starting Tuesday, November 6th and running through Sunday, November 11th. If you have any questions, call the shop (818) 785-7306.

BRANDS ON SALE:

Airflo Tropical Fly Lines: On Sale 20% Off.

Simms G4 Guide Boots: On Sale $219.00- $149. 95

Pursuit Gore-Tex Mid Height: On Sale $139.00 - $84. 95

Pursuit Gore-Tex Low Height: On Sale $119.00- $71.99

Simms Headwater Stockingfoot Gortex Wader: On Sale $299.95 - $249.95.

Media: All DVD's and Books, 20 % off.

Typhoon Polarized Sunglasses: On Sale 20 % off
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Next up on our announcement list -- here are some very important DATES you will want to mark on your calendars: 

December 9th, the Fishermen's Spot is holding a Orvis day at the shop. 

Also, the weekend of April 6th-8th, the shop will be holding an event to remember, so keep these dates FREE on your calendars -- you will be glad you did. (More info to come shortly on the April event.)

~~

Finally, we have some updates for you on the fishing conditions here in California from local guides.

Fishing Conditions:

Sierra Update:
Steve and I made our annual fall trip to the Sierra again last week and here is our report.  

"We arrived at the Interpretive Site on Hot Creek at 4 p.m. and found it uncrowded and loaded with big trout that ignored most of our offerings, although we did manage a few fish on emergers just before it was time to check in at Hot Creek Ranch.  Our first full day of fishing was something we had both been anticipating for a long time.  David de Beaupre, from Sierra Trout Magnet in Bishop, had invited us on a float trip down a wild section of the Lower Owens and we were excited to see this untamed area for ourselves. We meet at David's shop and headed for the river.  A half hour later we were floating into a dense tunnel of tules and willows and casting into some great looking water.  The area is tough to get to and gets almost no traffic, or fishing pressure, so our hopes were high.  Fishing turned out to be quite tough and, although we did catch 6 or 7 fish each we were hoping to hook some of the bigger trout that inhabit this area, only Steve managed to stick one really good fish that got off in a weed bed. Great fun and a trip I want to do again soon. 

We still had time to fish when we got back to the ranch and Steve and I walked to our favorite spots and fished the last couple of hours of daylight.  I was having a tough time getting fish to rise to anything in my box and went back to an old favorite, a size 16 Stimulator skittered and bounced across the riffles.  This method brings a lot of fish up to chase the fly but they are hard to hook.  It's a fun way to spend a couple of hours and I caught fish too.  

The rest of the week was spent matching the hatch with the predominant patterns being size 20 and 22 Caddis and BWO in the same sizes.  13'-15' 6x leaders were the norm and fish were plentiful and willing.  It's a great time to be in the mountains with a fly rod in hand.  Get out there!

Long Beach and Catalina Island Update:


Courtesy of Vaughn Podmore

Beaches: Bolsa Chicha Beach is fishing well with some big corbina, halibut and surf perch. Top patterns are clousers. Remember, mornings are cool so dress warm.

Inshore: The inshore bite is good along the Long Beach break wall. First light is best.

Offshore: Catalina is fishing well with good numbers of barracuda and calicos. We are also seeing the occasional Yellowtail in the mix.

To book a trip with Capt Vaughn

SaltyFly Guide Service

saltyflyhb@yahoo.com


http://www.saltyflyfishing.com/Home.html

So Cal Salt:

Santa Monica, South Bay and El Segundo Beaches:


By Jeff Priest.

All throughout the South Bay the fishing has been really good. Perch are averaging 5-15 inches and the Yellowfin croaker bite is best at first light, on an incoming tide. However, there are still some big corbina working the shallows this late in the season surprisingly. Actually, these are some of the biggest I have seen in several years, so if you want to catch a big corbina, now is the time.

To book a trip with Jeff contact him at:

http://www.eefishent.com/index.htm  

jeffpriest12@yahoo.com

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That's it for this week. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well for the most up-to-the minute updates and news from The Spot.

Tight Lines,

Ken.

Fishermen's Spot Abel & Bauer Reel Sale

The Spot is having a sale on Abel and Bauer Reels while stocks lasts.

Bauer Reels: Salesman's Samples.

Rouge (Size 6) Classic:  Regular Price - $595 On sale for 30% off Retail

Mac Kenzie CFX: Regular Price $310-$415 30% off Retail.

Abel Reels:

Fish Graphic reels & colored reels are on sale at Black reel prices!

This is a great savings on a reel that will last a life time.

The sale is limited to stock on hand. Please call the shop, or stop by for pricing on reel models. (818) 785-7306.

*Note : " De Young reels not included"  on the sale.

 Tight lines,

Ken.

(818) 785-7306.

 14411 Burbank Boulevard  Van Nuys, CA 91401

Post-Carmageddon News and Updates from The Spot

Hi Everyone,

Well, we survived Carmageddon and we had a great turn out for the presentations this past weekend, so a big thank you to those who came out to see us. 

Each week we are receiving new products, so come on by and check out all our new goodies. Some  featured new products include the Simms Bulkley Jacket and Simms Fall Run Jacket, plus we have tons of new hats and underwear from Simms as well.

Bulkley Jacket: 

 Fall Run Jacket

2013 Cedros Island Hosted Trip:

We have planned and secured our next Cedros Island 2013 hosted trip! The dates are as follows:

July 15-19, Aug 26-30 and Sept 9-13. The last trip we did was amazing, and we sold out quickly, so please contact the shop for information or to book your slot for this amazing fishery.

Intro Fly Fishing Class provided by Fishermen's Spot:

The Spot is offering an "Intro to Fly Fishing" class on Sunday, October 28th 2012. The class will start at 9am and will run until 4pm. In this class, you will learn the beginning fundamentals and everything you will need to get a solid start in fly fishing.

Cost per student is $125. Please call the shop if you would like to book your spot, or if you have any additional questions.

On-the-Stream Fly Fishing Classes,

Lower Owens River

Joe Libeu & Kathy Kim are offering "On the River Clinics" with a limit of 6 students per class.

Each class is two days, and you can see the available dates and cost here:

http://www.joelibeuflyfishing.com/index.php?page=3

Southern California Fishing Report:

We got some great intel from our report providers this week and this is what they had to say:

First up, Matuka Joe Contaldi from Performance Anglers Guide Service:

Sierras: 

"The bite is on in the lakes up here in the Sierra’s, but you are going to have to hike to them. The big boys started to show up this last week, and we visited Kirman lake twice and caught  some Jurassic air brushed Brook trout. 

These Brook trout reach up to 18 inches. The top fly last week was a size 12-10 Hornberg, or the olive Loweberg, all fished on an intermediate sinking line with a 7 ft leader of 2x. 

Thats right, 2x. These fish are not leader shy when fishing streamers. So, with Jurassic brook trout and Brute cutthroats up to 10lbs, you can leave the light tippet at home. Pack up your float tube and your hiking boots and prepare for a 3 mile hike to a little piece of heaven right here in the Eastern Sierra's.

To  book your trip with Matuka Joe Contaldi contact :

Performance Anglers Guide Service 

760-709-5049 or cell 818 288-0583

http://www.performanceanglers.com/

So Cal Salt:

Santa Monica and El Segundo Beaches:
By Jeff Priest

"The surf has been big around the Santa Monica and El Segundo area, but it is starting to calm down as we move into fall. Anglers focusing more on the negative tide towards the evening have been doing well. Top flies are Olive/White and Blue/White clousers. Santa Monica beaches are fishing well, and surf perch are most popular species caught. Focus on the inside with most fish holding on the structure around  30 feet out. We are seeing perch averaging 4-10 inches. Halibut season is fast approaching and towards the end of October the halibut will be in full swing".

To book a trip with Jeff contact him at:

http://www.eefishent.com/index.htm   

Long Beach and Catalina Island:
Courtesy of Vaughn Podmore

Vaughn reported this. "The Longbeach break wall is still fishing really well for  Calico Bass. The best bite, is first thing in morning, with Orange/Brown clousers and Olive Wool Head Sculpins. 

Catalina has been productive, and we got a big yellow tail last Sunday on a Blue/White surf candy. The Calico bite at Catalina has been good, but there is no sign of the bonito yet. The water has been to warm, and should show up in a few weeks or so. However, there are some nice mackerel around, and we have seen some anchovy moving in on the front side of the island so it should keep the mackerel around, and bring in the bonito. 

Bolsa Chica Beach has been good, and it has been fishing better than Huntigton Beach. The best times are the negative tide, just before dark. Yellowfin croaker at dusk, and during the day, it's all small surf perch. Top flies are Olive/White and Orange/Brown clousers  all fished with 6-8 weight rods, and a 250-300 grain shooting head."

To book a trip with Capt Vaughn

SaltyFly Guide Service

saltyflyhb@yahoo.com
http://www.saltyflyfishing.com/Home.html

That's it for this week. Stop by or call the shop and we'll see you soon.

Tight Lines,

Fishermen's Spot Staff

Dry Fly Madness

Hi folks,

It's been a busy few weeks here at the shop getting our orders in and ready for the fall season, but we have some great shop news to share with you this week.

First up, 'The Spot' is hosting Dry Fly Presentations By Master Casting Instructor Joe Libeu on Saturday, September 29th. Joe Libeu is the owner of Sierra Pacific Fishing Adventures.

This casting class will start at 9 am and run until 12 noon.  The 3-hour class is limited to 6 students to insure individual instructions and the cost is $75.00.  We only have  a few slots left, so call the shop ASAP (818) 785-785-7306 to reserve your spot. This class will take you beyond the basics and make you a better angler, and you will be able to apply your skills the next time you are on the water. We will meet at the Fishermen’s Spot at 8:30am and carpool to the casting location. 

Following the casting class, we will also have a presentation, "Fishing the Dark Side of the Lower Owens," presented by Joe Libeu starting at 1pm sharp.  There is no charge for this presentation, but because of limited space, reservations are suggested. Please contact Fishermen’s Spot at (818) 785-7306 for reservations. 

This presentation will cover the basics of nymphing the Lower Owens. He will cover planning, observations, entomology, reading the water, nymph rigs and presentations. Joe considers the Lower Owens his home water and Joe is considered one of the most knowledgeable individuals on fishing this area.  We all know the Lower Owens can be fickle, but with the skills taught in the presentation, you will be well armed with right info to have a productive day. 

Now, let's get to the local fishing conditions. The general area has been fishing really well recently and we've gotten some great intel from our condition providers.

Vaughmn Podmore sent this over to us regarding the local salt:

Beaches: The beaches are still fishing well for Yellowfin croaker and we are definitely seeing better tides now that things are cooling down a bit. Suggested fly patterns are clousers Brown/Orange, Blue/White and crabby patterns for corbina. See Ken at the shop for my fly patterns and recommendations.

Inshore: The Longbeach break wall is still fishing really well and we are seeing good Calico bass early morning or late afternoon. 

Offshore: The bite around Catalina is great. We have found several yellowtail and bonito. The bonito are averaging 8lbs and we have broken off some big yellowtail. Dorado have been hit or miss but if you find the right structure you can find some nice fish. Suggested fly patterns are sardina patterns. See Ken at the shop for my fly patterns.

Vaughn Podmore
SaltyFly Guide Service
saltyflyhb@yahoo.com
http://www.saltyflyfishing.com/Home.html


Next, Bernard Yin took a trip to the Sierras recently and focused on the western slope in the Sierra's. 

On my latest exploration, the signs were good. Clear skies and warm weather with fish still starting to show. Given that browns prefer some clouds, gloom or rain I am excited. It's been a rough year for the fish and the cooling of fall as well as possibly some weather should make up for the tough summer. 

After walking some of these beats for years as part of the SFF team, I feel that I have gotten a reasonable read on these fish. The big challenge is reading what happens one day and determining what that means for the next.

For more details on guided days for west slope browns, contact Sierra Fly Fisher at 559-683-7664 / http://sierraflyfisher.com/

This next section is from Joe Contaldi owner of Performance Anglers.

Lower Owens: Shaping up nicely for drifting, and things are definately starting to change around here. The trees are turning,  and we are seeing some early fall hatches of midges, mayflies and caddis early morning before it gets warm.

Upper Owens: As temperatures cool down we are seeing fish moving up into the river from Crowley for spawning. The Trico hatches are great right now and if you have some time I would head on up and get in on the action.

Tight lines,

Joe

To book your fall trip contact us at:

matukajoe@yahoo.com

http://www.performanceanglers.com/index.html

(818) 288-0583 
~

Thanks again to all our local contributors for all the great info they've been providing us week after week.


We hope to see some of you at our two great events this Saturday, September 29th. If you have any questions regarding tackle or upcoming trips or events, please don't hesitate to contact the shop.

Tight lines,

Ken.
http://fishermensspot.com/
(818) 785-785-7306

A Fine Fall Is Just Around The Corner...

Hi folks,

Thank you all for the support over the Labor Day weekend. The shop was very busy, and we were able to make some space for the all the new product we will be receiving shortly for the fall season. 

Some quick updates:

The Spot is offering a Crash Course Intro to Fly Fishing on Sunday, September 30th from 9am-4pm  and October 28th. ($125). If you or anyone you know wants to get involved in fly fishing, please have them call the shop to reserve their spot.

This coming weekend, September 13-16, The Spot will be at the Fly Fishing Fare in Mammoth, so if you are in the area, come stop by our booth and say hi. We will have some great products and sale  items at the show.

This last week the guys from the Saltwater Fly Rodders club went out and hooked and landed 7 Sea Bass on the fly! Some of these went up to 25lbs and they broke several off and it's definitely something I want to try.
This week, we got some great intel from our info providers...

Vaughn Podmore from SaltyFly Guide Service sent this over to us.

Beaches:

The beaches have been spotty down south and the Santa Anna inlet is your best bet right now. First light is best for targeting corbina and Yellow fin croaker. The top flies have been the "crabby patty" size 6-8 and the clouser olive/ white or orange/ white in size 4.

Inshore:

Newport Harbor has been struggling a bit, but if you put some time in, you will get results. The bays are fishing best on an incoming tide and the Long Beach break wall has been off the hook recently. We have done very well on Calico bass in Long Beach recently and our largest bass of  the week came in at 7lbs. Top fly has been the wool head sculpin. Also, the deeper reefs have been producing some good numbers of Calico.  Ask Ken at the shop for my fly patterns if you are heading down to fish the bay and he will hook you up.

Catalina:

Catalina has been fishing pretty well and we are finding decent numbers of bonito and barracuda. The biggest opposition we have had has been the warmer water, but if you know where to look you will find them. Top fly has been a blue and white surf candy and anchovy patterns in black and white are also doing well. If it gets too sunny and the fish are picky, switch up to a light color clouser size 2-4 and you will see results.

Offshore:

The offshore bite has been pretty good. Good size Dorado have been scattered around. We have been focusing on kelp patties around the 272, 209 and 189 spots. Sardine patterns are best and clousers 1/0 fished on 12lb leader.  Ask Ken about my fly pattern or recommended patterns for the Socal salt.

If you would like to book a trip, or if you have questions please feel free to call me. 

Vaughn Podmore
SaltyFly Guide Service
saltyflyhb@yahoo.com
http://www.saltyflyfishing.com/Home.html


Next up, our good buddy, Bernard, was down in the San Diego area last week, and judging by the picture, it's fishing pretty well right now. The Santa Monica area is seeing some good fish, and many of the beaches have healthy sand crab beds right now, which are providing an ample food source. Check in at the shop for suggested fly patterns for our local beaches.

If you would like a guided trip with Bernard, please call us at the shop: 818-785-7306 to check availability and reserve your day.


Joe Contaldi AKA "Matuka Joe" had this to say about Crowley and the Owens:

Crowley Lake is fishing well right now, but the water level is dropping. The most productive area is Mcgee Bay. We have been finding fish early in the mornings and perch patterns are doing best. The algae bloom is coming on and fish are keyed in on the perch fry in coves like 6 Bays as the cruisers are working the shoreline for the perch, but don't count out the midge bite as well. The lower  and upper Owens is coming on nicely and we are seeing some good fish on nymphs and dries.

 

Greg Forgatch with a 20+ inch Rainbow upper Owens river this week on a hopper pattern tan body size 14

Joe Contaldi,

Performance Anglers Guide Service, 760-709-5049

https://www.facebook.com/PA.guide.service

Thanks again, Joe Contaldi of Performance Anglers, for that great update. 

Make sure to find Fishermen's Spot on Facebook and follow us for daily updates from the shop and for  the latest info on upcoming sales, classes and trips. Hope to see you all soon and have a great rest of the week.

Tight lines,

Ken.

End of Summer Update

Hi folks,

It's been a hot summer, but the fishing has continued to stay strong on several of our Southern California fisheries, namely Crowley Lake and the local  beaches. The shop has been extremely busy, and we've been doing a lot of traveling on various fishing trips, but now that the dust has settled and our summer projects are winding down, we can focus on the fall line up that will be coming soon to the shop. The IFTD show in Reno was a blast and we got to see the new products for 2013, plus  we got to see some old friends. 

If you would like to view more photos from the IFTD trip please see our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fishermens-Spot/198061763342

The Fishermen's Spot is working to provide a weekly fishing update for Southern California and the Sierras, in which we will cover hot areas and hatches, along with general news from the shop.

This week, we've received some great intel from our good friend Joe Contaldi. Joe is the owner/ guide for Performance Anglers Guide Service in Mammoth and he sent these great photos and an update for Crowley Lake.

"The moon is moving into its full stage, and the bite this week has moved to later in the afternoon from 2pm until dark. There are some dry periods between your indicators going under, but the scenery is beautiful.

The McGee bay miracle bite has slowed to a crawl in the mornings recently with more of the little willies adding numbers to the count, but nothing like the bruisers we had test our tackle in the 4-6 lb range a week ago. The north end has been producing some big boys on streamers, and indicators and anglers have done fair in the mornings along green banks and the Owens river near the channel.

The best time for the North End is late afternoon, with good numbers of 18 to 20-inch fish being landed on both indicators or streamers with perch patterns. Streamers and perch patterns in size #10-12 are doing great, and the top colors are olive, gray and black. Make sure to use heavy tippet 3x-1x - there are some really big monsters out here this year so the heavy tippet will aid in making sure you land them. Indicator fishing with midge patterns in colors red and black, black and copper, gray, and silver back are all working well  in sizes #14-18 during the morning and afternoon bite. 

Adjust flies from 4 inches off the bottom to about 2 feet to find the location of feeding fish, or when your indicators are not going under after a period. Rods should be 9 to 10ft and  5, 6, or 7 wt. Floating line for indicator fishing with 4x or 5x tippet... Streamer fishing use a type 3 or type 4 sinking line and tippet 3x-1x.

We have openings for trips on Crowley lake next week and make sure to book your trip with us for the upcoming fall season on the East Walker River and Crowley Lake for the trophy Browns".

Joe.

Performance Anglers Guide Service 760-709-5049

https://www.facebook.com/PA.guide.service

Thanks again, Joe Contaldi of Performance Anglers, for that great update. 

As far as the local beaches go, the fishing has been solid. Bernard has been having great success on the beaches near Santa Monica. If you are interested in partaking in some of this action, call us at the shop 818-785-7306. 

We have several options available and are happy to get you set up with the correct flies, gear and services as needed for the beach as you can fish it year round. 

(Photo by Jim Solomon).

Looking north towards the Ventura area, the carp bite has been good.  I went up earlier in the month on my day off and just had a blast with a few carp. We carry a great selection of fly patterns for carp, but we also carry flies from local guide Lee Baermann for our local carp fisheries. Stop by the store and we can point you in the right direction.

Finally, the Fishermen's Spot will be having a big Labor Day Sale this weekend, with brands like Winston Rods going for a steal.  In addition to our regular hours, we will also be open Sunday and Monday from 11am-3pm in order to allow our customers to take advantage of the sale during the long holiday weekend! So come on by!

Make sure to find us on Facebook and follow our posts, classes, trips and daily updates from the shop. Hope to see you all soon. 

Tight lines,

Ken.