Trip Report: Bill on Lost Slough in Cosumnes River Preserve

I had some free time on Sunday and decided a fishing trip would fill it nicely. I hoped to shake my skunk on the Cosumnes. Since it was a Sunday I was looking for some quiet water to fish. I remembered Dan mentioning that if you paddle under the Franklin Blvd bridge and do a short portage it opens up into a slough. As luck would have it when I arrived the tide was all the way in so there was no portage necessary just some skinny water paddling. The narrow heavily brushed slough soon opened up and I was in warm water fish paradise. Tules, weed mats, flooded timber, and drop offs were everywhere. Better yet, I had the whole place to myself. I paddled under I-5 and continued on another few hundred yards. I stopped at a likely bass spot and made a few casts. Nothing. I did however notice two bluegill in the water. I checked my fly box and found a panfish popper and tied it on. On the second cast I hooked  up. Finally some success. I then decided I would have a day of bluegill fishing. I ended the day with 10 bluegill and even caught a little bass as a bonus. Even though it wasn't the monster that I had hoped for I did manage to catch a bass on my fly rod at Cosumnes River Preserve. I can only improve from here.

What a slough. Tules and drop offs everywhere.

 First fish of the day. It may not be big, but it was fun to catch on a topwater lure.

Finally a bass!

See you on the water.

-Bill