Mark your calendar and plan on attending the following Shows this year:

International Sportmen's Exposition 

(located at Cal Expo in Sacramento)

1/09 - 11:00 - 8:00 pm Thursday
1/10 - 11:00 - 8:00 pm Friday
1/11 - 10:00 - 7:00 pm Sat.
1/12 - 10:00 - 5:00 pm Sun.

(located at Alameda County Fairgrounds)

2/21 - 10:00 - 6:00 pm Friday
2/22 -   9:00 - 5:30 pm Sat.
2/23 -   9:00 - 4:30 pm Sun.

See You There!  Roy & Daneen Gunter

Ed and Dan had rented the Gunter's home overlooking Goodwin Lake and fished its waters earlier this year with the Fairfield Club and were impressed with the quality of fish in the lake. Ed had mentioned to me about wanting to go back and that I would enjoy the fishing. Having fished with Ed over the years I trust his judgment and arrangements were made with Roy and Daneen Gunter. The Gunters were generous and allowed us an early 8:00 am check-in on Tues. Ed and Dan live in the Fairfield area and left there at o'dark thirty. Not being an early riser, I spent the night at my sister's house in Turlock. It was less than an hour drive that morning to Goodwin. Gary, having a prior "honey-do" commitment, would not arrive till late that afternoon.

The Fairfield guys and I arrived within a few minutes of each other. Punching in the lockbox numbers for the key, we opened the door to a clean comfortable home, a well equipped kitchen, queen-size master bedroom and bath, a 2nd bedroom with 2 beds and bathroom next door and a living room with ample furniture easily made into beds. Having eyed the queen-size bed, I began putting a lobbying plan together. The guys must have read my mind and let me have it. Aw, the perks of being an old fart. We soon had our personal gear brought in, food put in refrigerator and  it was time to get on the water.

Dan and I have 8-foot prams and Ed uses a Scadden frameless pontoon boat. Having been there before, they knew of the steep road down to the water. Dan and I have wheeled dollies to move our prams around and Ed has a modified peddler's cart. Using a belaying system, we lowered our gear down the graveled road with a 150 ft. climbing rope Dan had from his rock climbing days. Ed and I are experienced with this method, having lowered our prams down steep banks to fish for shad on the Umpqua River. Experienced anglers and rods were rigged to go.

We soon had our flies hard at work doing their enticing dance for the fish and it was not long before someone's line came tight. We fished 'till around 6:00 pm and made our way up the steep stairs back to the house. (Roy, you need to install a tram.) Gary had now arrived. That evening we enjoyed a great dinner of barbecued ribeye steaks, baked potatoes with all the trimmings and American Boy Apple Pie - yummy. With full tummies it was time for some apres fishing.

Wednesday with the four of us now fishing, we were spread out on the lake. Gary in his float tube was fishing 150 yards down from the take-out area when one of his fins slipped off his foot. He later said that he felt like a one-armed wallpaper hanger; with a little fancy footwork, he managed to get back to the dock. That evening another great dinner of barbecued cornish game hens and of course, apple pie for dessert. After dinner conversation; what fishermen do best, tell stories and lies about the one that got away, the ones that were landed and the colorful characters one encounters in our adventures.

Thursday we fished 'till 11:30 am; then loaded our prams on their dollies, attached the rope, with the other end to a vehicle at the top of the hill, and slowly pulled our gear up to the parking area. The next door neighbor came over to check out what we were doing and gave us a positive nod on our engineering skills. Checked off the departure list requirements, closed and locked the gate. Shook hands and said our goodbyes, each one headed in a different direction knowing everyone had a big smile on their face: Life is good being a fly fisherman.

Thanks Roy and Daneen for making your place available to use. Good numbers of beautiful rainbows were caught and released from: 12-21 in., averaged sizes: 15-17 in., 2 salmon and 1 small mouth bass. Rods: 3-6 wt. Lines: floating, intermediate and sinking shooting heads. Flies: crystal wooly buggers in black, brown and dark olive; Denny Rickard still water patterns; Prince; p t; and hares ears nymphs, tied 24 in. from point fly. Variety of bead head nymphs. 10-6 # fluorocarbon leaders 7'-8' long. Ed and Gary used a floating line with sliding indicator and also sinking shooting heads. Dan and I would work the shallow bays in the morning before the sun hit the water using an intermediate line. Then we switched to shooting lines and 30' of T-8.

Gil Santos, Capitola

Roy G., Owner