The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

It's closed to fishing, but that doesn't prevent "Fantasy Fishing," in which you go float it and pretend you are on a side braid in some storied Alaskan river . . . indeed, the last time I floated such pretty water was last September on the Kanektok.

What makes the Alaska fantasy possible (despite the Butte scenery and wildflower breeze) is the fish -- every deep pool was FILLED with salmon. It's good for your California soul just to see it. And if you didn't focus too hard, you could pretend that all the squawfish behind them were dollies and rainbows.

At 270 cfs it was doable in my inflatable kayak, though several tight spots between sweepers and shallows required you to really pay attention to your maneuvers. Look forward to trying it again at higher flows.

Incidentally, this float was planned as a way to fill up the day while waiting for the shad to wake up and bite again in Glenn. You can only stretch the Willows public library so far.

Sounds like fun, but this type of "fantasy fishing" is definitely not recommended on Butte Creek. Butte Ck is a very sensitive watershed that currently supports around 70% of the total remaining population of Central Valley Spring run Chinook salmon population. These fish hold over in the deeper coldwater pools during the scorchingly hot summer months. While we haven't quite reached that point yet, once it does get hot, these fish are hanging by a thread for survival. Locals report dead fish after nearly every tubing weekend, usually because the already stressed fish are forced to scurry from their holding habitat as boaters pass through, and often this can be all it takes to cause their death.

Tubing and boating on Butte Ck is a very popular pastime. However, most folks familiar with the watershed agree that it is best done during high water periods or in the winter/early spring months during the fishing season and before the critical period for springers occurs.

Sven Erikson -- as in Sven Goran Eriksson, the football coach? I feel like I'm being trolled again . . .

Without knowing more about Mr. Erikson, I'd have to appeal to Dawn and other fish doctors on this question -- is a kayak or raft passing over pods of salmon a threat to their survival? Where are the redds, and at what point in the year would the fish be dying off anyway?

I'm well aware that Butte Creek is a refuge of the salmon in California, where most of the rest of their habitat has been polluted or plumbed. I'd be more than happy to stay off the creek during sensitive times, if it's really an issue.

Sven is the new Mexico coach... let's hope he does as well there as he did with England.

GO USA!

Sven was down in San Diego tonight watching his future team get hammered by Argentina. He was taking notes on a laptop and, I think, monitoring NCFFB.

Messi & Co. looked unstoppable, which is how they always look until the rubber hits the road and someone stops them, like, maybe, in 2010, AMERICA

USA all the way!

In other news... Altidore to Villarreal... a big move for the young American... and it looks like Bradley might join Boro... let's hope he gets some minutes there. He's young and a little aggressive, seems to like collecting yellows and reds. Lots of rumors about Dempsey circulating... seems he might not be long for Fulham as he was really a second choice in every position he played in. Beasley looks to be getting back to playing fitness. Guzan might make the leap to Aston Villa.

No word on Convey or Henneman since Redding took the drop. I think folks are done looking at Gooch too, after his poor WC and Nukers loan spell.

B-
Socccer fanatic.