The Little Sur is my favorite local coastal stream. It's just a little stream, with tiny trout that requires a long hike to get to, but that all adds to the charm. Earlier this season, I wrote about how excited I was that the Little Sur seemed to be "bouncing back" after the 2008 wildfire season. The trout were more numerous, and bigger than the previous year. So I was really saddened about a month ago, when I heard from my local fly shop owner that the river had been occupied by some people growing Marijuana in the national forest around Little Sur Camp. 

Now, while I don't begrudge people the right to do what they want in the privacy of their own homes, but Marijuana cultivation in National forests can be big trouble for fly fisherman. Firstly, they can threaten or chase away people who want to use the land, they can damage river banks, use pesticides thats kill fish and as the case is here poach out the existing fish population. Apparently when the ranger's went down to the river to clear out the growers, they found the river "fished out", and when one local angler had gone down and fished it, there were no sign of the usually eager little coastal rainbows. 

So, when I set out with my wife to check out the Little Sur this weekend for the last day weekend of trout season, I wasn't expecting much. We had a lovely hike, a delicious picnic, and although I was only able to fish for about half an hour I had several trout rise to my parachute adams and landed a nice little rainbow. It seems that rumors of this river's demise have been somewhat premature.