August 12, 1990, changed my life. Dressed in neoprene waders and a fishing vest loaded with flies, I accompanied two anglers on the frigid waters of the Frying Pan River in Colorado and provided them the opportunity to catch trout on a fly rod, and I got paid! So began this magnificent odyssey of fulfilling my dream as a fly fishing guide. Over twenty years later the passion still flows through my veins with a vigor that is relentless and innovative. My heart thumps when a client hooks into a fish, and “set, set, set, set” will always be part of my vocabulary. Fly fishing is my life and guiding is my career. Each day I look forward to going to work, seeing old friends, and creating new memories. Over 4000 days of guiding and I’m just getting started. I look forward to seeing you out on the water!
     Fish Hard, Captain Mike Costello

FISH TALES 2012:

JANUARY - MARCH

The mild winter made for favorable fishing conditions through out the California Delta. In January i did 20 striper trips and we averaged around 10 to 12 fish a day with around six being of legal size. The water temperatures were in the high forties in most places and small clousers fished on I-lines seemed to produce the best results. I also did one steelhead / trout trip on the Lower Mokelumne River and my client, George Strickland picked up some very nice fish up to 20 inches in length. We landed three adult steelhead and around 20 rainbow trout.

In February the water temperatures climbed up to 50 degrees in the delta and that put some big linesiders on the prowl. My clients and I landed 175 legal stripers in the 21 days giving us an 8 fish average per day and we landed even more smaller sub-legal fish. The biggest fish of the month came on Feb. 7th when I landed a very fat 22 lb. striper while fishing with my client Tom Brutsche. Tom also picked up two quality double digit fish that day. Ron Madding didn't know what to expect on his first day ever striper fishing with his wife, but after he landed an 11 lb. fish and followed it up with a robust 15 lb. striper he became striper fishermen for life. The fish seem to be fatter and healthier this year compared to 2011.

When March rolled around I had high expectations and the fishing did not let me down, despite lots of wind and rain that came later in the month, and was greatly needed. Jim Becker and his two daughters, Cori and Brittney, started the month off in big way landing three double digit fish on a cold, rainy Thursday. On March 4th, anglers Murray Low and Dennis Taniguchi put 37 stripers in the boat with three more double digit fish, and then Sydney Kohara on the very next day landed an amazing 42 fish. Mike Jones had another incredible day on the delta when he landed an awesome 27 lb. trophy striper on a I-line in thee feet of water on March 13th. For Mike, he fished twice this winter, and on both days he had wind and weather, and despite adverse fishing conditions he was rewarded with three double digit fish. We fished 25 days in March and landed 353 legal size stripers giving my clients a 14 fish a day average.

Fish Hard, Captain Mike Costello

Delta Top Water Catch

Landing the Big One

I love to read, especially books related to the outdoors and fly fishing, so I wanted to share some my favorite books with my friends.


MY TOP FIVE FLY FISHING BOOKS OF ALL TIME:

1) A River Never Sleeps (Roderick Haig-Brown)
2) Trout Bum (John Gierach)
3) Trout Madness (Robert Traver)
4) The River Why (David James Duncan)
5) The Earth Is Enough (Harry Middleton)

And, the book every trout fishermen should own: In the Ring of the Rise by Vincent Marinaro.
 

Mike is the Author of
"Fly Fishing the California Delta"
Buy it now at your local fly fishing pro shop.
 

EXCITING NEW TOYS

   I have had the pleasure of fishing the Loomis NRX 9 ft. 9 wt. prototype for the past year and my clients and I agree, it is one of the best fly rods ever designed.

   20 % lighter and stronger than the GLX Cross Current, this rod has handled some huge linesiders over the last 12 months and its performance has been nothing short of perfect.

   I am pleased to announce that the NRX is now available to the angling community from 3 wt. to 12 wt and should be on everyone's wish list.

Product Review: The winter has been miserable this year but what allowed me to guide day in and day out in such adverse conditions was the new Simms Extreme Rain Suit. The bibs and jacket left me dry and comfortable and even though the fish were not always eating, my equipment help me fish longer and harder.