Meandering Angler: Fly-fishing with the Fonz

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Henry Winkler, who played Arthur Fonzarelli in the 1970s-80s TV series “Happy Days,” is a fly-fisherman. He recently made public service announcement on behalf of Project Healing Waters, a nonprofit fly-fishing organization of which I am a member.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities, including outings and education. The Fonz appeared in the video urging support of the organization.

California is part of the group’s Southwest Region, which works with 15 fly fishing clubs serving injured and disabled military service personnel and disabled veterans in 20 different locations. It also works with Department of Defense medical facilities, VA Medical Centers, Vet Clinics, VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

Fly-fishers who wish to support the work of Project Healing Waters can go to projecthealingwaters.org to volunteer and/or make a donation. If you shop online with Orvis, and use the link from the PHWFF site, 5% of your purchase goes to the organization. If you have fly fishing tackle or materials in good, serviceable condition, you an also donate that as well, via the contact page on the PHWFF website.

Anglers looking to get in some fly-fishing before the summer heat sets in should look north to the upper Sacramento River near Dunsmuir and the lower Sac between Redding and Anderson. Both are fishing pretty good right now. Heading north and east from there, the Fall River and McCloud River are providing excellent fishing for fly fishers.

For the upper Sacramento River, I recommend contacting Bob Grace at the Ted Fay Fly Shop in Dunsmuir. Bob not only can set you up with the right flies for the river, but can direct you to some of the best fishing spots. He also can put you in touch with excellent guides. Call Bob at 530-235-2969.

The Fly Shop in Redding is an excellence source for the lower Sacramento River, the McCloud, Fall River and Hat Creek. They can arrange for guides for those waters. Call them at 800-669-3474.

Another excellent guiding service for that area is Anthony Carruesco’s AC Flyfishing, acflyfishing.com, or call 800-201-5047.

Halibut and striped bass continue to provide lots of action for angles along the Marin Shoreline. In fact, the tides this weekend should improve the fishing. Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait Shop in San Rafael recommends Paradise Park and its pier, and the levee at Loch Lomond as two good spots for shore anglers. He has plenty of live bait including, pile worms, grass shrimp, anchovies, shiners and smelt. Call him at 415-456-0321.

Rock and ling cod action is very good right now off the Sonoma Coast. Ocean salmon fishing is closed now, but will reopen on June 23. Capt. Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sportsfishing will continue his regular party boat for rock and ling cod until April 23, when he will resume his combo trips where anglers can fish for both salmon and the rock fish in the same day. Call Rick at 707-875-3344.

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