Trawling for votes

Sauser, pretty “fly” for a candidate guy …

Leonard guides you through the murky waters of Election Day

By Leonard

Tuesday is a big day for Mono County, not only because the weather is finally calling for conditions worth calling in sick for to head up to the East Walker River for the day, but as everyone who hasn’t been living with their heads in the sand knows, it’s Election Day! Nothing too terribly exciting for California … no Arnold Schwarzenegger versus Cruz Bustamonte sunset showdown in Sacramento, but definitely some changes that will slightly alter the chemistry around our running rivers and still alpine lakes.

The idea of running for office in a small town I find rather humorous. It’s like a kid running for fifth grade class president handing out candy bars. But I digress. We have so many well-qualified candidates; hence, I’m basing my popularity contest upon the respect that each candidate has for the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout. Normal logic? No, and I’m definitely not going to recommend the same selection process for you. Yet, back by popular demand, is the solicitation of answers to angling questions asked of public office candidates found on the June 8 ballot. In the May 15 edition of The Sheet, I asked Town Council Candidates of their experiences of local fishing, and we found some pretty colorful answers. Let’s ask the candidates for Judge of the Superior Court and District 1 County Supervisor their respective thoughts per catching German Browns.

1. What is your favorite fishery in the Eastern Sierra and why?

2. What is your favorite bait/lure/fly in the Eastern Sierra and why?

3. If you could be any fly in the fly fishing world, which one would you be, and why?

4. Anything additional you would like to add about fishing.

Judge. What a job! Judge Judy, Judge Lance Ito, Judge Wapner, and Judge Reinhold. One of three lucky candidates is going to hold the same professional title for Mono County. My dear late father left the world a rather decorated and well-respected District Attorney for Los Angeles County. He spent more than 30 years serving L.A. County, throwing the finest of criminals into the slammer. When I was a child, I asked him if he would ever consider being a judge. He laughed, and told me he’s been to plenty of trials when the judges snooze at the bench during the trial. That more or less summed up his response. Of course, he also believed 99% of all defendants of criminal prosecution cases are guilty until proven innocent, so I guess someone’s gotta pound the gavel at the DA. Candidates, keep George Booth in line. And, no sleeping on the job!

That said, let’s start with the dude who was kind enough to offer for my brown landscaping the first colors of spring, a blue placard with his name on it: Randy Gephart.

“I’m not an expert, nor am I an avid fisherman. And since fly fishing is an art that requires considerable skill, I have to defer to those of you that are experts to comment on the best fly. I typically hike and mountain bike during fishing season. However, I have been out with my two boys, Jack and Joe, and as it turns out, they are quite lucky. We caught five trout in the course of a half-hour on Power Bait at the Rush Creek Inlet to Grant Lake, which also happens to be one of my favorite short hikes with the family, along Rush Creek.”

Randy’s onto something here; I fished Rush for about 20 minutes with my two young nephews last Sunday. While we didn’t stay long enough to bend any rods, my brother insists that he spotted some trophy lake trout on the move running up and down Rush Creek. They are moving in and out of Grant Lake.

Candidate Mark Magit moves us back a bit closer to Mammoth, along the Upper Owens River, which has been fishing pretty well. A lot of decent fish are being caught up above the bridge.

1. Upper Owens north of Brown’s Owens River Campground because it is one of the first places I went fishing with my Dad and our close family friend, Manfred. This trip was the first of many fishing trips in the Eastern Sierra. These great experiences were part of the reason I chose to live in Mono County. Also, the view of the Sierra is magnificent.

2. Worms because I could often catch fish with them.

3. The Woolly Bugger because of its versatility.

4. My dad loved to fish here in the Eastern Sierra and when I think about fishing, I think of him. Some of our best family dinners were freshly caught pan-fried fresh trout, salad, red potatoes, and a good bottle of white wine.

I have to agree with Mark about the views of the mountains from the Upper Owens. During waterfowl season when I’m out looking to fill Daffy or Donald with size 2 steel shot, I always stop somewhere along my early morning walk on the river about a half-hour after sunrise. I breathlessly admire the mountain range with the morning light painting the peaks before me like no human artist ever can. It’s pretty cool.

Therese Hankel’s response was submitted by her twin sister, Katie Novak, who still lives in their native state of Minnesota.

1. Currently, Therese does not do a lot of fishing. The picture should explain why. Therese is a lousy fisherperson. Here she’s shown (agog) looking at her tremendous catch (an empty stringer) on a rain-filled morning fishing trip. And frankly, if Therese can’t manage to catch a fish in MINNESOTA – LAND OF 10,000 LAKES, how the heck is she going to catch one anywhere else?

2. Bait? She don’t need no stinkin’ bait! She simply follows in the footsteps of her favorite brother-in-law, and hand feeds the critters.

3. Since Therese has been accused of occasionally getting under people’s skin, we’ll go with our favorite parasite: the Botfly. Our stepfather, Bill Bemrick, retired Parasitologist, would heartily approve.

4. They go great with lemon and tartar sauce.

Minnesota might be the land of 10,000 Lakes, but Mono County is the land of 1,000,000 trout. I bet if we tie some color and dubbing material into a “Botfly” pattern, we’d manage to land a few Eastern Sierra brutes for you, counselor.

That’s it for our judge candidates. Let’s hope whoever gets crowned next week throws the hammer at anyone caught violating DFG law. Robbing a bank is one thing, but catching more than your daily limit … definitely among the most egregious of criminal of acts. As for the supervisors…

I don’t have a clue what a County Supervisor does. I suppose they “supervise the county” while on the job? As I proudly display my own ignorance, here are Larry Johnston’s replies:

1. Although I used to fly fish quite a bit in conjunction with mountaineering or backpacking, I wouldn’t consider myself an “a-fishy-onado” on the sport. My answer would be the Snowcreek Ponds at the Annual Children’s Fishing Festival … my kids always seemed to catch their limit.

2. I haven’t done much fly fishing lately (being more involved with Little League), so my favorite fly would have to be a “deep fly to left center!”

3. The “Zug Bug” with a #12 hook. I like the rhythm of it; “Hey, let me try one of those Zug Bugs; that 5-pound Alpers swallowed my last Letort Hopper.”

4. Least favorite fishing hole: the 9th at Snowcreek. (See photo above.)

That brings us to Bill Sauser, who sounds like he knows a thing or two about angling.

1. Two favorites: Crowley Lake on opening day. More because it’s an event than for the fishing. We camp at the lake and see the same people we have shared the shore with for years. And, Cascade Valley on Fish Creek. The fishing is always great and it is an incredibly beautiful place to pack into and get away from it all.

2. I grew up fishing with Pautzke’s Green Label Salmon Eggs. When we moved to Mammoth in the late 1950’s we were told they were the best, and I have been catching fish with them ever since, so when I am fishing for the stocked trout they are still my favorite.

3. I don’t know that I would ever want to be a fly; however my preference these days is for a Joe’s hopper. I can buy one large enough so my eyes can still see it and especially in the fall can still catch a good number of fish with it.

4. The most satisfying fishing experiences I have is when I get the opportunity to introduce someone new to the sport, especially kids, and get to help them land their first trout or for that matter a Sacramento Perch on Crowley.

Alright, anglers, the decisions are in your hands now. Get out and vote on Tuesday. By the way, if anyone has seen Allen Blumer’s hat, he still wants it back!

A more detailed report can be found at http://kittredgesports.com/fishing_report.php, Leonard guides for Kittredge Sports. Call 760.934.7566.