Consumes River Preserve 01/19/09

This is my first post due to getting skunked on my last 3 outings (Sacramento Deep Water Channel, Delta, Sac River).  My wonderful wife let me out for a 1/2 day, so thanks to Fishing-Jay got the idea to go to Consumes River Preserve.  On the water at 8:45 and was escorted out by two otters.  Was about to call it a day when I finally got my first fish on my new Hobie Outback.

Well done!
That is such a beautiful place.
We have seen otters there as well, that always makes my wife more patient with my fishing   
Nice fish too!

Congrats on your first fish Hambone!  Nice bass! Thanks for the report.

That's my favorite place I've never been.

Nice bass!

Hey Hambone! We launched about 30 minutes before you and pretty much headed upstream past the Railroad tracks. Unlike you, I was skunked, although we didn't fish too seriously. I was tossing a baby brush hog around and hooked up twice, but both times the fish shook the hook before I could get him to the boat.

This is one of my all time favorite places to paddle. So here's a quick tour for those that haven't been before.


Correction, this stretxh is not non-motorized, only the launch. See Backcountry's post below. Still I rarely see motor boats in here outside of duck season. Non-motorized for the whole stretch, although this time of year there are lots of duck hunters that don't seem to care about it being non-motorized  



The path to the launch:


The launch:


My wife demonstrating the proper pre-launch prayers:


A few of the locals met us at the launch. I didn't get as good of pictures as Hambone, but there were three of them when we launched:


I had the camera, so my wife ended up as the subject of most of the pictures:


Beyond the trestle the river goes back for another 1.5 miles. This place is bassy and I'm thinking that I'm going to have to check it out during the spring spawn:

That section of the Consumnes is NOT non-motorized.  The only restrictions on motors is that the Preserve launch is only for non-powered boats.  This snipet was taken from the Preserves website;

http://www.cosumnes.org/recreation/paddling.html

"There are no restrictions to motorized boats on the Cosumnes waterways in accordance with State laws. However, motorized boat use is difficult due to shallow and varying water depths and vegetative over growth. The closest boat ramp for motorized boat launching is located outside the Preserve, farther downstream at Wimpy's Marina on the Mokelumne River, which offers better motorized boating opportunities. "

Nice fish and cool looking area there.  I'm always amazed at how pale the bass are this time of year. 

Looks like a fun day on the river. What time did the gate open?
Hambone: nice fish. What were you using?

Thanks for the report,
Al

Beautiful place. Nice pics, guys.
Thanks for sharing.

That section of the Consumnes is NOT non-motorized.  The only restrictions on motors is that the Preserve launch is only for non-powered boats.  This snipet was taken from the Preserves website;

http://www.cosumnes.org/recreation/paddling.html

"There are no restrictions to motorized boats on the Cosumnes waterways in accordance with State laws. However, motorized boat use is difficult due to shallow and varying water depths and vegetative over growth. The closest boat ramp for motorized boat launching is located outside the Preserve, farther downstream at Wimpy's Marina on the Mokelumne River, which offers better motorized boating opportunities. "

Good find, they certainly give the impression that the area is non-motorized with signs before the launch and right at the launch talking about "non-motorized boats only" under the River Preserve sign. I guess that means that only the shoreline is a preserve 

Welcome to the madness as they say...

Nice fat fish--WTG!

Bryan

Another cool place to explore. Thanks for the report and pix.

LL

Great first post, Hambone.  That's an awesome looking place.  Paddling through varied and mysterious little waterways always reminds me of Disneyland.   

HAMBONE Hey HAMBONE HE's THE COOLEST! HAMBONE

Love the handle and I love that Wil Ferrall skit on SNL when he kept yelling Hambone.

Dude that place looks so cool, I so want to check that place out.

Congrats on the catch HAMBONE!

Welcome to the forum Hambone. Thanks for sharing some cool pictures Fishin-Jay.

Jedmo