Welcome to
Our Quarterly Newsletter!
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SANTA CRUZ FLY FISHING CLUB
FISHOUT
3/9-3/11/12 |
5 new members of the Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club were at the lake house this weekend. Since Steve R. was unavailable to lead the way, no 27 inch rainbows were caught during a mostly sunny weekend; however, among the notables bows were a 23 inch, a 24 inch and two 24 inch (more or less) LDR's; and also a massive 25 inch golden trout (that's what we call squaw fish). But on Sunday Gary K. finally figured it out, after not landing a fish on Friday or Saturday, and landed a 21 inch and two in the 20 inch range. Cary W. also found that the two 18 inch rainbows he caught on Sunday were stuffed with orange scuds about hook size 16-18. (On Sunday March 18th, Owner Roy tried fishing scuds where Cary had landed his fish and hooked one bow.)Roy took the opportunity to investigate a new reach on the Stanislaus River on Sunday with new member Steve F. (that makes it 6 new members for the Santa Cruz Club that weekend.) It was about a 15 minute drive from Goodwin. We packed our float tubes from the recreation parking lot above Knights Ferry, across the covered bridge and then up stream about one half mile. It turns out there is a well used trail for hikers along the south side of the river, and easy access down to it where the fast water exits the class 4 and 5 rapids below Two Mile Recreation Area. After entering the water, it was about 53 degrees. I fished and floated back to the parking lot for an early exit 5 hours later after only landing one 12 inch and one 14 inch rajnbow and hooking a few others in the same size range. But Steve floated all the way down to Knights Ferry Park for another 2 hours and landed six rainbows including a couple in the 16 inch range (As usual the fish were under the two bridges.) The fly of the day was the size 10 Denny Rickard's Seal Bugger with a brown body and orange tail. It was an absolutely beautiful and relaxing float through some massive rock walls that form a series of deep pools in narrow gorges. The flows that day were only about 200 CFS. Not enough water to float productively below Knights Ferry, but in the summer time, when Knights Ferry and below is stuffed to the river banks with rafters, this is a place to fish where the rafters will be absent.
Owner Roy Gunter
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MISSION PEAK FLY ANGLERS CLUB FISHOUT 3/16-3/18/12
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I had a group of 5 from Mission Peak Fly Anglers (Fremont) fishing Goodwin Lake March 16 - March 18th. Conditions were about as tough as they can get with a big storm moving through, cold weather and rain all weekend. Most anglers managed 2-6 fish per day in these difficult conditions, but the stillwater expert, Mitch M., landed 15 fish on Saturday and 10 before noon on Sunday. Several fish in the range of 17-23 inches were caught, and I ended Sunday with big fish honors with a 25 inch rainbow right across from the launch area.
In the cold and rainy conditions we found the majority of our trout in the shallow flats or in drop-offs just off the tules, but we also caught several in 8-13 feet depth. Most of us used type 4-6 sink lines or integrated sinking lines like Teeny 250. We recommend long leaders (8-10 ft) tapered to 6-8 lb fluorocarbon tippet.
Our best flies were white baitfish patterns that were about 1.5 to 2 inches long. The most effective was a white bunny leech on a jig hook with small dumbbell eyes and a pearl crystal flash belly. We also did well with sculpin patterns of the same length.
Lastly, our best luck was upstream (East?) from the house, in most areas from the house to the inlet.
I'll be back!
Tom Knoth
Fly Fishing Guide - Yosemite Sierra Fly Fishing
209-962-5838
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2/17-2/19/12 GOODWIN FISHING
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My feet & hands are still numb as I type to make the deadline for the newsletter [Santa Cruz Fly Club] on time. The Goodwin Lake fish out hosted by Roy Gunter & with Bob M. & myself attending is another fantastic adventure in big trout fishing. The first day Bob & I got here at 9 & were on the water about 11, fishing all day till 5:30. We threw tungsten sinking lines & worked the tule's for the best action; Bob got 5 nice fish & a 24" beauty which he said was the biggest trout of his life. I got 3 fish with the largest at 22" which jumped five times in succession.Saturday we got an earlier start & the action was good up towards the dam; Bob had three fish (one 23") before I got my first, but it was a magnificent 25" buck with beautiful spawning colors. After that I finished with three more, two at 16" & one at 18". I snapped my new 6 wt. rod I just caught the big one on in a back cast that caught a tree branch & on the forward cast it separated in two pieces. I was having luck with the T-10 & a bullet head minnow so I switched the reel to my 7 wt' rod which had T-14. I got another 20" after sunset & another that was a lot larger I lost at the float tube.
Bob caught 6 on Sat. & Roy landed 4 with only a half day fishing in the lower part of the lake. The boys plan to fish the Tuolumne R. on Sunday, but I am planning to stay right here & look for the 30" monster I know is in this place. My toes are just starting to defrost, but who's complaining?
Steve Rudzinski
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FLOATING THE STANISLAUS RIVER
1/15/12
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On Sunday January 15th, Harry P., Peter F. and I floated three miles down the Stanislaus River from Knights Ferry to Horseshoe Recreation Area. After, dinner, "revelry" and a nights' stay at Goodwin, we entered the water at about 8 am. That morning it was cold enough for ice on our windshields. The flows were perfect at 500 - 600 CFS as we approached Russian Rapids one eighth mile down river. A sign offered a portage around; but Peter, a first time river float tuber, "offered" to let me go first. I had been through this rapid several times before at lower flows. This time, it was one hell of a nice ride as the waves washed over the top of my Fatcat and around my waist. Then, Peter swept through amazed to be alive and how easy it was, although he probably got a little wetter in his low rider tube.
Fishing one mile further down river produced only a few rainbows 14 inches or less until the river became wider and the flow moderate 4 to 5 feet over weed beds. I knew immediately the rainbows would be here if anywhere; and worked the water hard, back and forth with my go to river fly, a black size 6 pistol peet - for the uninitiated traditionalists, a seal bugger with a small metal propeller just behind the hook's eye. Soon all three of us were tossing pistol peets cross current and stripping them in fast. Among my catches was a beautiful 20 inch rainbow. At the end of this productive 400 foot run, a 30 inch steelhead showed me his entire back as he rested at the top of a rapids. But he wanted nothing to do with Mr. Peet, so I introduced Harry to him as he showed his back again 20 feet between us. For 30 minutes Harry tossed every fly he could think of at the steelhead, but he had left his size 000 treble hooks at home, so he too finally had to abandon his efforts. Halfway through the drift, in 10 minutes we spotted a great egret, a bald eagle and an osprey. Later, Harry landed a 19 inch rainbow on a gold size 6 burks bullet head minnow.
Before we left the water at 4 pm, it had warmed to 60 degrees under a mostly sunny blue sky. We had been the only humans on the river that day. It was by far my best float ever on the Stanislaus out of 3 prior.
I'm looking forward to improved flows for floats on the Merced River around Snelling and on the Tuolumne River around La Grange. I love these Central Valley tailwaters which are all within 45 minutes from Goodwin.
Fish On. Roy Gunter
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Owner Roy Gunter is an avid fisherman. He and his wife Daneen purchased the Goodwin Lake property in Sept. 2010, renovated the home and property, and started renting their vacation home in 2011.
Fishing is year round on Goodwin Lake (private water), catch and release only, barbless hooks, and no live bait. Float tube fishing produces the best results. Public access to Goodwin Lake is through Goodwin Lake Vacation Rental which is a fully furnished 2-bedroom home with the use of a motor boat with trolling motor, kayak and canoe.
DETAILS ON RENTING THE VACATION HOME ARE LOCATED AT HOMEAWAY.COM, PROPERTY ID NO. 370547.
Roy and Daneen Gunter, Owners (831) 809-0316 Roy's cell (831) 809-4155 Daneen's cell (831) 484-2509 Gunter Home |
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IN THIS ISSUE
JANUARY-MARCH 2012
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SANTA CRUZ CLUBFISHOUT
3/9-3/11/12
MISSION PEAK CLUB FISHOUT
3/16-3/18/12FISHING GOODWIN
2/17-2/19/12
FISHING THE STANISLAUS RIVER
1/15/12
USEFUL LINKS
ABOUT US
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BOB M.'S
24" RAINBOW
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FISHING GOODWIN LAKE FROM A FLOAT TUBE
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23" RAINBOW CAUGHT BY ROY GUNTER
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 | 24" RAINBOW
2/28/12
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USEFUL LINKS
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Goodwin Lake Vacation Rental, Property ID #370547
California Data Exchange Center |
 | STEVE R.'S 27" RAINBOW
2/29/12
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RECENT RAINBOWS CAUGHT AT GOODWIN LAKE
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2/17-2/19/12
20", 22", 23", 24" & 25"
2/28-2/29/12
17", 18", 20", 24" & 27"
3/16-3/18/12
17"-23", 25"
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GOODWIN FISHING QUOTE OF THE DAY |
1) New Rod
2) New Reel
3) New Depth Finder
Keep me in the "Loop," I am ready to "Kick Ass."
Keith M.
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