The first time I fished the Green was during an industry-sponsored junket back in the nineties. The annual Fly Tackle Retailer trade show was being held in Salt Lake that year and at the closing of the show a bunch of us hopped in a bus and took a three hour ride to Dutch John, Utah to stay at the Flaming Gorge Resort. Several luminaries in the fly fishing world were on that bus, and with an open bar, things got quite animated by the time we got there.

It was arranged that we were split up into groups of three, who were provided a three-man raft with a rowing platform. That morning when we three met at the water’s edge, I thought that it would be appropriate, for openers, to settle on who was to row first. When I posed the subject, no one spoke up, and they seemed not to want to make eye contact so I volunteered to be the first one. I then brought up the subject whether either of them knew how to row a boat and if they did, had any whitewater experience. This time, they both spoke up and said “no” to both questions. I saw the writing on the wall at that point and realized that for the next two days, I was going to be at the oars and be lucky to have a chance to fish. This trip will be great as we have a guide for three days.

CLINICS

Local Water Orientation Clinics, are where I show you how to fish our area waters. During the clinics, we travel the waterway where I show you where the fish hold and when to fish. We also discuss flies, equipment, and techniques for fishing Steelhead, Stripers, and Shad. Spring clinics are now scheduled (see above) for the Lower American River (shad). Also, a Lower Yuba Private Water Fishing Day will be held in September. Date TBD. The schedule for fall half-pounder Steelhead clinics will be posted soon.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Fly Tying Clinics for beginners, intermediates, and experts, taught by Master instructor Tim Au Young, who is the former fly tying instructor at Kiene’s Fly Shop and has years of experience teaching beginners to experts, will be held soon. Call Tim at: 916.479.1049

NEWS OF INTEREST

Latest on Nor-Cal fishing: I just finished updating my CaliforniaFlyFishingReports.com website for this week, and I’m happy to tell you that all of my contacts around the state reported great fishing in their local waters. Now is the time to go before the waters get too warm in the Sierra. Hint, plan to hit your local water the week before the 4th of July weekend as most of them will have them stocked the previous week.
Click this link https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/PublicPlantSearch
to find out when your favorite has been planted

Shad fishing on the lower AR is still going strong and the fish are spread out throughout the river.

For your complete updated fishing report log on to the link below

THIS WEEKS REPORT

INDUSTRY NEWS

• Nothing new this week, but there will be several events coming up as we get into summer.

“NEW” MAGAZINE ARTICLES

My photo essay on Highway 395 fishing is in the current issue of Gray’s Sporting Journal. For an outdoor photographer, this is kind of a big deal.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAY'S

Check out my article in this month’s Cal-FlyFisher, about

Sacramento’s urban fisheries.

Subscribe to Cal-Flyfisher

The current issue of “American Fly Fishing” magazine, which includes my article & cover shot about fishing Oroville Lake with Ryan Williams IS HERE! and can be found on a local magazine rack near you. I know that Barnes & Noble in Arden Mall has them in stock. If you don’t currently subscribe to the magazine, click on the link below, where you can sign up for A FREE, limited subscription

CLICK HERE FOR FREE SUBSCRIPTION

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

also,my images of the San Juan River and Soaring Eagle Lodge will appear soon in American Fly Fishing magazine.

If you have any interest in the best fly fishing destinations around the country, start reading American Angler as it’s the only travel magazine that reports on North American fly fishing destinations. Click on the link below if you would like to have a free limited subscription.

CLICK HERE FOR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

EVENTS OF GENERAL INTEREST

• US Fish & Wildlife Service survey
  Learn about the results of a recent survey of the of users of our public lands. I’m sure you will find it interesting.

FREE SUBSCRIBERS-CLICK HERE TO ORDER

ALREADY A PAID SUBSCRIBER? Email me at - vinci.greg@gmail.com- and I will send you a link so you can get a 15% discount on your book.

CONSERVATION NEWS

• Here is some updated info on the state of the lower Yuba River after the recent penstock failure up at Cooper Powerhouse. https://www.facebook.com/YubaWater

TRAVEL

• I was just informed by the guys at Fly-FishingTravel.com that they still have some spots available for their annual Golden Trout Horse Pack Trip. See Below.

Yellowstone River & Spring Creeks

• Any interest out there to join me for a 3 day 4 night trip in September of 2026 to fish the Yellowstone River and spring creeks? Let me know as soon as you can as we need 7 to make it work. I already have a couple signed up and need a few more. Email me if interestd - you don’t have to commit now.

FISHING LICENCES

Click below to purchase your 2026 California fishing license

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Are you sick and tired of wading through California’s fishing regulation booklet to find out the special regulations for your favorite water? Problem Solved. Simply click on the link below and you will be taken directly to my compiliation of the special regs that I guarantee is user-friendly.

USER FRIENDLY VERSION OF "SPECIAL REGS"

FLY FISHING CLUBS NEAR YOU

• SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FLY SHOP

  • New Fly Shop in the Bay Area. CrossWaterCreek Fly Shop in Lafayette CA is I spent a day there doing a book signing and was amazed at how gorgeous the interior of the shop is. It’s worth the time to stop by and say hellow. Check them out at www.crosswatercreek.com

    

    Musings Of An Old Trout Bum is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thanks

  Subscribe now

Hi everyone, I know that this is kind of last minute but I thought that I would let you all know that I’ll be interviewed on one of fly fishing’s most listened to podcasts, “Ask About Fly Fishing,” this evening, where I will take you on a road trip to visit many of the waters and fisheries covered in my book. Here is the link if you would like to tune in.
www.askaboutflyfishing.com

Greg

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If you find yourself reading this newsletter and my original stories (that appear on Tuesdays) of each week, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. It doesn’t cost much, and I’m sure that most of you can afford $5.99 a week (or $60 if paid annually). It takes considerable time putting both the newsletter and Tuesday’s story together and your genero…

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Those of you who are regular readers have heard me rant before about how the fly fishing media seems to have been fixed on convincing us fly tyers that one must “match the hatch” in order to be successful fly fishermen. This is not some grand conspiracy or marketing ploy, but just a narrative that has persisted for years and years. The media, both prin…

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Last night I called my fishing buddy Jack Ohman to tip him off about all of the shad that are in the L American River right now. Jack and I don’t have a chance to talk very often as we’re both busy in our careers. It’s great when we can get off on a fishing trip and discuss politics and other subjects for an hour or so until we reach our destination. …

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Sorry I’m a couple of days late in getting this week’s newsletter out. I was away on a Hwy 395 road trip that began with a speaking gig at the Aguabonita Fly Club meeting in Ridgecrest, CA, this past Tuesday. The presentation went well, and I enjoyed meeting the members of the club. A chronicle of my trip is printed below.

Ridgecrest is located…

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YOU ALSO GET A FREE LIMITED SUBSCRIPTION TO “AMERICAN FLY FISHING MAGAZINE” BY SIGNING UP

SIGN UP HERE

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Thanks to all of you who took advantage of my free magazine subscription promo that ended on Thursday. I’m sure that the lowering of the cost of an annual subscription to $60. (from $80) encouraged many to sign up too.

REMINDERS . . .

• SHAD SEASON IS COMING UP SOON . . .
  So now is the time to book a guide for the date you want. Click on the link below …

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For this wee…

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As you know I’ve been offering a Free limited paid subscription to American Fly Fishing magazine to new Paid Subscribers who come on board during the month of April. I have spoken to the magazine about also offering this oportunity to my pre existing Paid Subscribers (you) and they said yes! So, if you would like to receive three free futur…

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This is just a reminder that Fly Fishing Specialties www.flyfishingspecialties.com in Citrus Heights CA is having it’s annual open house on Saturday, April 24th (tomorrow) from 10am to 4pm. This is a great event with many guides, fly fishing manufacturers, and fly tyers showing what they have. A chance to talk to the experts. The free barbeque is the h…

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Back in the early nineties, when I was establishing my wholesale fly tackle and accessory company, Sierra Pacific Products, I was personally making sales calls on fly tackle dealers in California. At some point, I was made aware (I think it may have been Bill Kiene) that there was a new fly reel company that had started up in the Bay Area and …

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Some thoughts . . .
First of all I want to thank those of you who came on board as paid subscribers since the beginning of the month. Your magazine subscription should begin with the next issue of American Fly Fishing, which will be the May/June issue. If, for some reason, you don’t receive a copy, it definitely will happen when the July/August issue d…

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Some of the most interesting individuals I’ve met during my many years of fly fishing have been guides. Guides are a curious group, with some of them being trust babies who can afford to live the dream, lost souls having a midlife crisis, to recovering substance abusers trying to climb their way out of a snake pit. For some it’s a serious career. One…

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Some thoughts . . .
Lots of stuff is going on this week. Saturday was my book signing at CrossWaterCreek Outfitters in Lafayette. It really had a great turnout, which was due to the super effort they made to promote the event. When in the area, stop by the as it has to be one of the most beautiful fly shops in the state.

Everyone I run into is askin…

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…

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Musings Of An Old Trout Bum is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks

Subscribe now

All pre-ordered books have been shipped so if you don’t get yours within five days from now, please let me know. My book signing at the new CrossWaterCreekOutfitters fly shop in Lafayette, C…

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