Putah Creek 4/2

[EgoNonBaptizo]

No conservation or history lecture this time around, short and simple:

Fished Lower Putah in Davis from 1-7 pm. The creek was still turbid (1-2 inches of visibility) and the water was up and fast. I started off throwing 3" Keitechs and football jigs for nothing until 3, then switched to carp fishing for two hours for little luck. Switched back to artificials, this time to a 1.75 inch squarebill to search more water and cut through the murk. On the second cast the crankbait got absolutely smoked by what turned out to be a big sac pikeminnow.


Big girl probably coming up to spawn, released.

I should have taken this as a sign to go home, as I fished the squarebill for nothing until I lost it in a tree at around 7 pm. Twelve bucks down the drain, and now 36 more since I ordered three more.

Hopefully with warming weather the bite turns on a little more, and the snowpack doesn't decide to melt and obliterate the Central Valley.

 

[Mahigeer]

Good fishing.

I recommend to not put the reel on dirt for pictures. A small amount of dirt in the reel can cause problems.

 

[EgoNonBaptizo]

Good fishing.

I recommend to not put the reel on dirt for pictures. A small amount of dirt in the reel can cause problems.

I’ll try bringing a rag or something to put under the reel next time, but with all of this rain, the creek banks have been horribly muddy and slick. I actually fell while trying to land this fish, hence the mud on the reel.

 

[fish-ninja]

Hi Ego, I saw in the photo that you put the handle down on the ground so that the spool etc does not touch the dirt. I think that is a good practice only changing the bearing of your handle get stuck by dirt. But as Mahigeer said, these dirt can kick up easy and get in these reel good. Best to avoid it (I agree). I have only hooked up on Sac pikeminnow on kern river long ago. They attack the bait so violently isn't it?