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Seewald at Clear Lake, CA., 7-'08. Click to enlarge.

Michael Seewald's
fishing adventures for 2006,
January thru June

From the most recent.

Mammoth Lakes 6.30-7.4.'06

Me 2 trout.
Mike Wade 8 trout.

I was invited to go to Mammoth with a friend Mike Wade, who was celebrating his birthday with this trip.  I supplied the aluminum boat and he the tow vehicle.  Left home at 3 a.m. and then the shop with the boat at 4 a.m..  Breakfasted up in Lone Pine at 9 a.m. and tried to get a campsite at Silver Lake by about 11 a.m..  But we found 'reserved' forms on all of the empty ones, which were about 50% of them.  Mike said that some were supposed to be left empty for 'drive ins', but maybe all those had been taken already!?!

We got one of the few remaining over at Lower Lee Vinning campsite, in a beautiful setting of trees with the stream going by and set up camp. 

Afterwards we immediately went up the hill to fish the stream at the top. He caught two nice rainbows on Super Dupers and Thomas Boyant’s while I tried fly-fishing for nada for about two hours.  Since I'm new at it I felt lost after not getting them to hit so I switched to lures after awhile.  We left at dark with his two to go get dinner in Lee Vinning. 

The next day we filled up with a great breakfast at the little cafe/supply store there at the Silver Lake Resort.  We ran into some of Mike's friends from Escondido, Ron Amen and two of his adult sons, Mike and Chris, who had just ate.  We exchanged pleasantries and figured we would not run into them again as it's a big area up there.   We launched the boat and Mike reported that after an hour of trolling he was very surprised we did not limit out already, like he did a month earlier, let alone not get any!  But the water had warmed up a bit since then I'm sure, and patterns had changed.  Others were getting limits on Powerbait and worms in no time at all, and one guy in a float tube went by and was getting quite a few on an olive 'Matuka' streamer he said, catching two as we watched just near us.

I had tried tossing dries as some trout were hitting the surface until about noon too, but no takers there on them.  Mike got some Powerbait out at that point and we tried our luck 'meat fishing' at the lakes exit area where everyone else slayed them earlier.  But we got only a couple in three hours of 'work' and at three the wind blew us off the water.  So we trailored the boat and I went to the stream coming in by the boat rentals, and as it did well for some fly fishermen on Wooly Buggers etc. earlier I tried but zippo. 

We went back to Lee Vinning and parked the boat as I wanted to try the streams just up a couple of campsites from us as it had looked great the day before going by it.  I tossed a Wooley Bugger and after just 5 minutes saw a nice brown rise and inhale it.  It must of been a couple of pounds but came off after just a few seconds of playing him- B U M M E R.  I thought it must of been caught on one that had been made barbless from my trip the year before from fishing Hot Creek, but not so, it was fine.  We got nothing more the rest of the afternoon on my dry flies or Buggers and went back to camp where Mike made an excellent set of burritos.

Sunday morning, after having a great breakfast made by Mike at the camp, we went to 'Performance Trout' in Mammoth and got the heads up from the owner Joe for fishing Hot Creek:

Adams Parachute - #18,
Caddis Puppa - #16,
WD 40 - #20,
Matuka Streamer #12,
Wooly Bugger #10.

We arrived at the creek at 11 a.m. and got a report from those still there- slow with about 6 each all morning from those that usually get 12 or more.  We tried for about 2.5 hours for nada, and no one else got one either.  Surprisingly we ran into Mike's friends again and they reported getting 30 EACH there the night before between 8 and 9 pm., when it's about too dark to see.  So we came back at about 6:30 as they just got back there too. 

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Mike Wade and Mike Amen chat while waiting for
the action to pick up at Hot Creek.

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Self Portrait with Mike Amen in background.

We fished for a few until about 8:30 when it picked up a little but not like the night before.  They had reported so many Caddis flies in there faces they could hardly fish and that the trout had taken anything you threw. 

At 8:45 I finally got one to hit my Elk Hair Caddis and it turned out to be a real nice one.  I fought him for about two minutes but lost him trying to force him up the river after about his third or fourth run.  He had jumped a couple of times and looked to be at least a pound and a half, but with 3.75# leader I was worried about horsing him in too much. Sure enough, when I thought I could, because of how long he had fought already, it cost me and he broke off.  Oh well, at least I got to fight one there finally that day.  We left at 9 and chatted up at the parking lot until 9:30.  They had reported getting a few up to four or five pounds there over the last two days, mostly on Wooley Buggers.

Monday morning we all, now as a group, hit what my partner called 'Upper Lee Vinning Lakes', where a lot of smaller native browns were to be at. 

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Upper Lee Vinning Lakes.

It was quite a hike going up a 1/3rd or 1/2 a mile - mostly up hill, at 10,000 foot.  As Ron, partner Mike and I are all in our mid-fifties, we had to take our time to catch our breath but it was tougher for those two as they have knee problems.  Up at these lakes it was so beautiful it was amazing.  Catch fish or not, it was a great place to be.  Quite a few hikers came by greeting us and watching us. 

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Ron prepares to toss his Elk Hair Caddis fly.

Ron caught a small brown on a caddis fly and Chris used worms (he's mostly a 'catch 'me on whatever works' kinda fisherman) but we did not get anything else on flies.  I heard from a friend I should have tried Wooley Buggers there as the browns really like them. 

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Upper Lee Vinning Lakes.

I walked back to the 'campsite stream' where we had parked and tried to get some on lures and flies.  I got two and we then all left, pooped out to the max from all the hiking, calling it a day a bit early and relaxed at the camp.  That gave me a chance to break out the fly tying kit and I tied up 6 Elk Hair Caddis and 6 Wooley Buggers, 3 each of Black and Olive.  I was ready to go.

The next morning, Tuesday, Mike treated me to that great breakfast at the Silver Lake Cafe but threatening clouds drove him to want to go home a day early, so we went back and packed, left by 10 a.m..  Tried to talk him into a Hot Creek stop but his passion to fly fish is not like mine, if he does not get one in an hour it's quitting time, and as he had not got one yet in the few times he'd tried he gave up wanting to try.  Oh well, it had wet my appetite for more and got me back into camping, it was so relaxing.  The wife and I usually stay in a condo at Mammoth a friends loan us and we miss the relaxation camping gives you.

Blessings and I'll see you back up there in a month or so, as this time I'm going with die hard fly fishermen that have invited me along to help me learn much much more about this great sport.

Lake Hodges, June 26th, '06.

Solo, 3 p.m. till 8 p.m..
1 bass.

My solo bass of the day fell to a pumpkin Ika.

Went out at 3 p.m. for a little topwater action, I hoped.  Saw John Kerr and his son leaving and they gave me the scoop on what was working for their pre-fish styles for the WON bass tourney to be held their the following Saturday.  John was to fish with Mike Long again, who had pre-fished sold.

I tried my skills along the narrows at first but nada, and then at the entrance of the Bernardo arm where the thee gents did so well the previous week.  Finally took John's advice and worked the trees at the Hwy 15 area and got a nice 16" keeper at about 7 pm..

Lake Hodges, June 21st, '06.

Morning, early afternoon:
Me zippo.
Jerry S, zippo. (reportedly, by him, for three years now.)

Afternoon:
Me, 6 bass, 6 crappie
Evan 2 bass, 3 crappie
 

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First of many to come that afternoon.

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Another large crappie fell to the Storm 12' diver.

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Me with another afternoon crankbait bass,
Evan in background.

Picked up Brian's son Evan and went back out at 3 pm. till sunset.  We fished diving crankbaits along the narrows, south side, for quite a few nice bass and crappie.

El Capitan Lake, June 16th

Me 1 bass over 12", a few dinks,
Weldon 3 bass, many dinks.

Woke up late, 5:35, the time I'd wanted to be out there. Called Weldon and he was waiting, luckily I had the boat already and drove straight over and picked him up at 6 a.m.. Got launched and out by 7 a.m., fished the dam immediately for nada, then the shore for same to island, then the island I got one and so did he.

Out of water at 11 a.m. to take trolling motor in for more new wiring at Aim, back on water at 3 and fished island some more, then the end at the trees with topwater for a couple of keepers by Weldon and a couple of dinks by me.

Barrett Lake, June 10th

Me 23 bass over 12", dozen or so under.
Barry, 5 or  bass over 12", multitude under.

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Barry giving it his best try.

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Early morn, island off Becky's cove.

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Barry with a nice Senko bass caught in the late afternoon at above pictured island.

We fished from sunrise to sunset, just like old times, starting at the island before the split for nada, then the island off Becky's cove.  I got a couple on dropshot Roboworm in purple and brown and after an hour we fished the shore with deep diving crankbaits in red headed east. I picked up another three nice bass but Barry didn't toss his up to the bank before cranking, and so he got zipped on that pattern.

At the end of Hauser we really got into them, catching fish, or getting hit, on virtually every cast.  I fished 5" Roboworms again and got bigger fish, while Barry fished smaller jigs and got lots of dinks.

Diamond Valley 6.6.'06

Me -0
Weldon K. -0

9 a.m. till 2 p.m..

It was a tough bite there.  It was overcast most of the day and looked great for fishing.  Fished straight across the ramp first two hours, then another point headed north, then the island Alain had showed me. Lost a real nice one in the trees below after hooking up there, and almost lost the anchor there in them too.  Had to power up the boat to pull it loose.

Weldon asked me if I had gas, and I told him what great gas mileage I got with the 25 hp Honda four stroke.  A little later we ran out of gas, and got back pretty much with the much used trolling motor battery holding up well about a mile from the docks.

Ocean Fishing,
La Jolla Kelp beds 6.4.'06

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My two yellowtail, the first of the season for the boat, just before Ben cleans 'em up.  Got them on fly-lined sardines about 9 a.m..  We caught many 7 and 8 lb. bonito too, about the same size of the yellows.

Barrett Lake 5.31.'06

Me solo 7 bass
 

Barrett Lake, Pine Creek arm.

The time before a couple of guys had caught quite a few back at the end of Pine Creek, but it was just not happening for me this time.  The place was filled with mosses that made shallow areas too hard to fish. 

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Barrett Lake, Pine Creek arm, close up.

Tried the area further out and other places back to the dock by dark, but did not get much action except by island at split where I gout two in five minutes at dusk on a dropshotted Roboworm, purple and brown.

El Capitan 5.26.'06

Me 6 bass
Weldon 2 bass

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I was up at 5:20 and out of the house by 5:50, twenty minutes later than I'd wanted...
       I then hit Jack in the Box and got two breakfast sandwiches, one for immediate consumption and one for lunch.  Headed north, filled up the van at Costco, returned and picked up the Answered Prayer and was off by 6:30, right on schedule.  Picked Weldon up at 7:10 in Poway, and hit Anglers Edge in Lakeside so Weldon couple pick up some Ika's and large ewg hooks, which I'd made a believer out of him on the previous trip.  We were fishing by 8:30 and we went towards the dam immediately and tossed top-water for naught at the rock pile. 

Went to right side, close to dam and kept up the top for more naught.  Weldon started his Ika tossing and picked up one in short order as we worked away from the dam.  I got a couple of hits on my popper but lost them jumping.  They had been de-barbed from fishing Barrett, which would cost me a few during the day on an EWG Ika fish too.  Weldon got a nice 16" a little further down (see photo above) and was 2-0 over me.  I switched to and Ika too and got a couple working the shore too.  Soon, at the Island, I got my fourth and fifth fish, most 16" but the last one 17". 

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My 17" on an Ika by the Island

We fished on down the area after working the island for nada, went towards the trees and worked the left side for a few minutes and then the trolling motor stopped working.  It was super windy and the white capped waves threatened to smash us into the rocky walls of the drop off but Weldon got the boat started and backed us up just in time while I was trying to get the trolling motor to work.  We ended up bottom fishing jigs at an underwater island the ranger told us about for nada too.  Left at 3. Was a good day. Thank U Lord.

Cuyamaca 5.24.'06

Me 0 bass
Brian 2 bass

Cuyamaca had been producing some nice bed fish so as I headed out Brian called and said he'd like to accompany me.  So we left about 1 p.m. from Del Mar and it took like an hour and a half to get out there.  Right off the bat we run into John Kerr, who had done real well he said for the past month and a half there.  He already caught an 8 and showed us his new camera and the image on the back - COOL!  Plus, he was on about a 14 pounder he'd figured.  Brian and I chatted with him and I picked up a lot of info from him. 

I went and tossed my new Mickey Ellis 3:16 frog (I'd ordered and rec'd four 'assorted' colors and was anxious to see how this big puppies did. 

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Brian gets his largest largemouth bass to date.

I got hit on one of my first casts, but nada after that.  John let Brian get the male off the nest while this was going on.  I worked the weed cove in the south part of the lake and changed up with buzzbaits and Ika's, all for naught.  I wanted Brian to get on some more fish and told him a fluke would really be the ticket and he got another one on that.  I got a few more hits but overall my topwater action type baits are just a little ahead of time at this point for this time of year at some of the lakes.

El Capitan 5.19.'06

Me 6 bass
Weldon 2 bass

Got to the lake at about 12 after picking up Weldon K., a fisherman I met through the sdfish.com website.  We launched my Skeeter and started fishing the rocks on the left side towards the dam.  I tired the buzz bait for awhile and then switched to drop shot, 4" Aaron's Magic Roboworm and quickly had four keepers about 17" each in about a half hour. 

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One of my first four with Weldon in the background.
 

One came unbuttoned at the boat.  Weldon switched to that system, although he'd never used it before, and in short order the ranger came over and said the area was closed to fishermen as a jet skier had showed up.

We went to right side of the island directly across from the boat dock and I instantly got hit on my top water Sammy 100 about three times, but they were smaller fish and none were hooked.  I tossed a pumpkin Senko out towards some underwater rocks and hooked up another nice 17". 

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We then went further back towards the back trees and fished a rock pile on the right side for nada.  About two hours later we hit the trees.  I fished top water spooks and buzz's and Weldon fished the blades.  Nada, and it looked great.  Towards sunset I got a real dink on the spook, then we saw bass busting shad on the shore.  Finally Weldon figured out my loaned prop bait would be a good choice to try, and while I agreed instantly and was tying on my own he caught and released two, on being a dink but one a nice one.  That was it, no more takers.  It was  a great afternoon on the water.

Lake Hodges 5.17.'06

Me 3 bass
Aaron 5 bass

Hit the lake at 10:30 a.m. after sending out an invite to the sdfish.com forum offering a backseat on the boat.  An Aaron Sanders responded just as I was about to launch and then joined me 20 minutes later. We did so so.  Aaron outdid me on my own pattern though, the Ika. He owes me though as he did not have any 5/0 hooks, only 2/0. You know how good those would have been?

Had three hits on the buzzbait and lost a nice one on the Ika on Hernandez banks, close to the dam. But by 3 we decided to get the stripe off the boat after hitting the concession stand for a sandwich.  Then we fished the narrows for 1/2 hour for nada and then went to a spot that had done me right last week (Alain had told me about 'Bernardo Point' and we indeed got into some dropshop fish, about 5 or so. Then we tossed Ika's back in Bernardo cove, and Aaron got his first ever Ika fish but somehow his reel came loose while bringing it in and he farmed a good keeper.

As he said, the good Lord worked things out as the next cast or so he got a nice 17 incher. I got another dink on one and then it was time to leave, it was 7:40.  When we got back the staff was gone, but one other boat was coming in too.

How does time go soooooooooo fast when you are fishing, answer me that.

Colorado River 5.12-14.'06

(Martinez Lake, Fishers Landing, 40 miles from Yuma, Arizona).

Day 1- me 6 bass, Evan 2 bass, Brian 3 bass.
Day 2- me 10 bass, Evan 2 bass, Brian 1 bass.

Day 1

We left from Leucadia on Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. after loading up the Answered Prayer, my 1988 bass boat made by Skeeter, onto Brian's diesel suburban type vehicle.  We headed over to Temecula and picked up his 14 year old son Evan at about 2:45.  We then took the back roads thru Alpine to Hwy 8 and then went to Yuma where we checked into our motel at 7 p.m., the Yuma Cabana Motel.  We got a decent rate for three beds, only $49 (but with a 10.75% sales tax on everything, including food, things got expensive- hit those tourists). 

After dinner and hitting up the local Wal-Mart for fishing lures we got to bed at about 11:30 and ordered a 4:30 a.m. wake-up! I figured we could get an early top water bite if we got out at safe light.  But after hooking up the boat and getting breakfast a Jack's and driving the 45 minutes to Fishers Landing and launching, it was 6:30 and we had missed safe light by at least an hour.

We started off the fishing right in the lake and I worked top water for a couple of hits on the Ribbit but no hook sets.  Brian got the first fish, a dink, on a jerk bait while Evan tossed a variety of lures.  They would both change lures on the average of every 10 to 15 minutes believing if they had not bit by then they wouldn't.

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First fish for me succumbed to a Yamamoto Ika in the pumpkin color.

I figured out the Yamamoto Ika would work well in the tulles so I started flipping them. It was  not long and I got the first decent fish of many to come.

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Me with my first top water bass of the trip, on a Sammy 100 just after pausing during a retrieve. A nice 3.2# that could have hit Brian's Spook Jr. being retrieved along side mine instead.  10:45 a.m..

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Same fish with Brian in the background. 
 

Funny thing was, I had been showing Brian how to fish the Spook when in the first second or two of the retrieve a smaller bass hit it.  That gave me the idea to actually tie on my Sammy (a similar bait) and fish it.  When one fish hits something, usually you are on a 'pattern' and other fish will hit the same lure.  It works 80% of the time, as it did here.

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Brian and Even pause during the early morning to be captured on a digital file.  

The place is just so differently beautiful, and the mornings and evenings are very pleasant.  We took a break about 2 p.m. and rested under some tree shade in the boat for about an hour.

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Evan and I with another Hula Grub bass.

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This one hits Brian's top water Spook Jr. in Martinez Lake at dusk.  It was cooling down (from about 98 degrees) to about 90.  Water temp. read 78 degrees to about 80, depending on time of day and location.

We fished till about an hour after sunset, with good top water action on the buzz-bait (I lost four, two of which I was fighting but due to no barbs they threw it quite readily) and the spooks the last hour of the day, but once the sun went down the bass quit hitting the top water presentations, as they did last year too.

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 Evan taking a proud fathers photo.  Neither one had done much bass fishing prior to this trip, and Evan had never caught anything over a few inch's before.

Day 2

We got to bed at about 11:30 again with a wake-up call now scheduled for 4 a.m. so we could get on the water, hopefully, by an hour earlier.  We left the boat hooked up to the vehicle this time to save us time, had paid for the room and decided to skip breakfast and just take an extra complimentary muffin from the motel.  We dragged ourselves out of bed on time and got to the lake just 15 minutes after safelight, at 5:30.  We parked in a safer spot, this too hopefully, as the day before someone broke into Brian's back hatch area of the truck, but taking nothing of the pool cleaning supplies he had back there, T.U.L. (Thank U Lord).

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Sunrise, moonset at the entrance to the river from Fishers Landing- 5.14.'06.

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First fish of the day, just before 6 a.m.. This feisty guy hit my top water Sammy100 just after touchdown by the tulles at the entrance to Fishers Landing, where we had launched.

We got out just 15 minutes after 'safe light', which was about 5:15 a.m. on this day.  That is where you can start seeing detail in the landscape. 

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Nice 17" on a Root beer Yamamoto Hula Grub

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A 4.2# fell to the Yamamoto Hula Grub tossed into a weed strewn, dock covered corner.  Took line on the 10 pound test like it was nothing a couple of times. This is what it's all about, getting those bigger, harder fighting fish, and one never knows when or where you will get one.

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Brian's 'non-skunk' fish, "even if it is a dink", as he said excitedly.

Brian was having a hard time of it on day two, getting skunked UNTIL THE VERY LAST CAST OF THE DAY.  On what would have been my last cast exactly at 4 p.m., I got one on top water, giving me that 10th fish I was hoping to nail before we left.  Two limits in one day- YEAH! 

And because I was bringing in my 10th fish, Brian got to get an extra cast in, which netted his 'non-skunk' fish, "even if it is a dink", as he said excitedly.  He finally was throwing a hula grub, even though for the life of him he could not understand why a bass would eat something that looked like no living creature he, or any of us, had ever seen?  Well, that's a bass for you.

Barret Lake.
5.10.'06

5 bass.

Water at 65 in the a.m., but up to 77 at dusk back in Pine Creek cove.

First train in, last one out. Supposed to be 'drizzily', at least that was forecast for Jamul, the closet place to check weather. I never saw a cloud, blue, blue, blue- and fairly hot.

Well I had high hopes but I was not as skillful as I had hoped. Got one three pounder on a frog at 7 a.m, as it started out perfect weather for it, very foggy.

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Started out so foggy I could not see the shore when we all launched, I had to hug the shore to get around safely.

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Clearing fog.

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Clearing fog.

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My motor broke and I got towed back to switch about 8:30.

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But then nothing till 11, when I got one on a 4" watermelon Senko. At 11:45 got my first Mutant fish in watermelon w/ black flake going for 'bigger fish', then lost a monster on it (and it kept my Mutant) a few minutes later.

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First GrandeBass 'Mutant bait' bass.

Got two more towards dusk, one on a LA slider setup and one on a small swimbait. Two guys I ran into were really on them with over 50 caught before I got there. I watched them haul in 5 in just two minutes with double hookups twice, but they pretty much shut down just after I arrived. Plus, if you did not have 'the bait', they would not hit.

When you come across those wolf packs it is definitely wide open with one every cast, more or less. The guy said once he caught 27 in 27 casts, back in '91. But as he said, that kind is no challenge and after a while you just stop going for them.

Hodges Lake - 5.7.'06

1 bass.

Got there at 6:30, a half hour after they opened and launched the Answered Prayer.  Fished Hernandez shore where I got a couple of hits on the Ribbit, one I followed up with a drop shot and got him.

Barrett Lake.
5.3.'06

11 bass, 1 bluegill.

Me 10, Mike 1

Mike Wade joined me for our latest trip, and I sold the other two tube spots to Ken from Julian.  We took the 8 a.m. train in, and got out boat and shoved off by 8:30.  We stopped at the first island and I got one fairly quick off of a drop shot rig with Roboworm Special FX worm. 

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Mike Wade with his large bluegill.

The report from two guys that had been there since opening was only 1 each, so I guess in that respect I caught up in no time and appreciated the two extra two hours of sleep.  Mike got a very large bluegill on a grub.

We then went back to the dock to pick up my jacket which I'd forgot (knowing in the early evening it would be needed). Since we were there, we worked the dam for 1/2 an hour with no bites, throwing plastics.

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And then went to the end of Hauser Arm where I started to work a Chatterbait replica and caught two nice ones in about 10 minutes.

Click images to enlarge.   Chatterbait replica fish.

We worked that area for another hour for nada.  Then I saw an area which screamed for a frog (Ribbit type is what I'm throwing lately, love 'um) to be thrown to.  I tossed one and within one second of working it in off the weeds it got slammed .  I landed a nice two pounder and then got another one under a tree, but he got off.  I tossed an Ika to him and he took that but I farmed him again, setting the hook before loading up, a rookie mistake.  We worked that area some more and Mike got one on a purple worm which I guaranteed would work.

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Mike prepping another bait at the end of Hauser's Arm.

We went back to Becky's cove and worked the shore with the deep dropoff as we heard it had produced well on spinnerbaits for some folks, one that got a 6.8#.

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I saw one point that looked too good for something to not be there, so I picked up the Ika rod and got slammed by this 3.11# fatty.  Fought like heck.  Wind was bad (always is in the afternoon) as you can almost see by the ripples.

We continued to work the shore for nada, then into a cove where I picked up another 'Ribbit' frog bait fish.  We were having a problem with the motor and took the boat back and exchanged it.  We worked a cove not from from there and I got another Ika fish way in the back.  Mike refused to believe that a fish would live back there, but I got the longest bass of the day there (17") and made a believer out of him, and also a believer in the Ika.  He borrowed one right away. 

We finished up getting back a dash late, 7:43 instead of 7:35, but not bad compared to earlier years.  I ended up with 10 for the day, and Mike two (1 bass, 1 bluegill).  It was tough, as the game warden said folks averaged about 7 per person.

Barret Lake.
4.22.'06

25 bass total.

Me 15, Russ 10.

Well, I'm tired (it's 11 p.m.) but not as tired as usual.  My friend Russ D. and I went in on the 8 a.m. train (with two other cars), but only after a miracle happened. My car started to have tranny problems three miles from the gate, with a sudden jolt that I thought was the timing belt breaking. I prayed we could still drive it as with 10 minutes before 8 there was no way we could get a taxi to continue there, etc.. Well, the car kept going, but jerkingly.

So I prayed some more that it would at least get us to the gate. We got there, and then I prayed it would get us to the lake down the 15 minute dirt road drive still ahead. It got us there, and then DIED exactly as we reached the parking lot. I mean, IN THE PARKING LOT! Reverse worked for one second, and then bam, no reverse. I drove it haltingly from the docks, after unloading, but when we went to leave we could not even go up the steep driveway to the main exit at the parking lot. It sits there now, but at least we got to the lake, and that's all that matters, right? Thank U Lord!

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Friend Cisco getting a ride along our boat.
 
As far as fishing, my friend Russ got on the first fish after I showed him the 'new bass fishing techniques', it's been a decade since he's fished for a bass as he's a fly fisherman.

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Russ with his first Barrett bass.

He caught the nice three pounder, on a Senko worm.

I caught a couple on Ika's, then switched to white blades and started getting lots of action back in Pines Creek. Russ did not think that lure would catch fish, and after I got two he put one on, and fished (and caught) fish on it for the balance of the day (in 5 to 10 foot of water mostly), especially by and between bushes. He caught a dozen and lost the same amount at the boat. I did about half that on the blade, but got a few more on the Ika (6, on the pumpkin) and one at dusk on the black/blue jig.

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Russ with a nice blade fish.

Thankfully, a friend named Barry was going to follow us out to make sure we were OK, but had to give us a ride out as the car died there. He heard it takes tow trucks a couple of hours to get out there, and we were too tired to wait. I now have to figure out how to go get the car, so Bill the dam keeper does no go crazy.

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Me with a nice one.

I was glad it was cloudy all day, but the chill was amazing strong because of it. Many people were not dressed for cold weather, and thankfully it did nothing but sprinkle, because I, and most, were not prepared for rain.  It did start to pour a few minutes after getting into the car.

I don't go back till May 3rd (as far as fishing ), but I can't wait. Pic's to follow on Monday, I'm teaching a photo class tomorrow and too tired to post them tonight.

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Me with one of four Ika bass from under one tree.
 

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Me with last bass of the day, caught on black and blue jig just off shore.

We ended up with about 25 bass, half were about 9 to 12", and the other half were 16 to 18" ALL very, very healthy.

Opening Day, Barrett Lake.
4.19.'06

2 bass,
1 large bluegill.

The weather was picture perfect, but it was a tough bite today, according to most all we (Cisco, Eric and I) asked. We had just shy of 30 bass between us, and that's with Eric only fishing 2/3rds of the day.

The water had turned pea green (only recently it was said) and the water is still a bit cold. Topwater in the a.m. did not happen (at least for me) but Cisco and I got a couple of real nice ones on Zara Spooks at dusk. Otherwise everything seemed to work, just not real well. Jig bite saved most, as well as blades. Heard some real big ones were brought in, one over 8, and they were all super healthy- FAT.

Can't wait to go back on Saturday. Maybe the water will warm up a bit and they will turn on a little more.

Lake Dixon
4.13.'06

Me 4 bass.
Herbert 2

I may have fished
 for 'THE FISH'.

Herbert, whom I was teaching bed fishing to hit Dixon Lake at 6 a.m. and fished most of the day yesterday.. While fishing in the a.m., a young man motored up with his girlfriend and asked if we were fishing the bed by the big rock. I said yes, as a fish about 4 lbs was on the bed. I thought it's either the biggest male I've seen on a bed or the male was caught and the female was left as no larger fish ever came up to the bed to join it!!? We tried our luck for quite some time but nada, it was not interested.

WE caught a couple of other small fish on beds nearby and moved on. Later on we went back to this spot. While fishing for this fish the wind came up making it difficult to see below and then I saw this large black thing cruising in the distance near the surface. I thought it too big to be a bass, it had to be a carp. But it seemed too round, then I thought it a bait ball, but it moved to well as a group! I sure wished I could see whatever it was, but then it sounded deeper when it got near and went right down to the bed I was working on- WHOA!.

Then I saw a flash from a belly. OH MY GOSH, that giant thing is a HUGE BASS and it was down there staring at my bait!!! And so the lone female was no longer that, it's really a darn big male after all too. WOW. I could hardly speak- I told my friend to look down but he was eating some sardines in a can. I yelled for him to look but he was not moved. The fish was looking at my bait. TAKE IT, TAKE IT I prayed.

Nada, and it slowly moved off into the deep like some old slow fat submarine. Oh my gosh, we should tell someone about this fish. I thought it 30 pounds, but what do I know, I'm no expert. Then I look around and guess who I see? I mean just seconds later...That's right, the BIG TWO- John Kerr and Mike Long in a boat headed our way. I told them about it, and they said they knew, they had been told, and were waiting for us to get off her or catch her. OH MY GOSH! The BIG TWO! Anyway, we had to leave the lake early (3 p.m.) so I waited for half an hour to try and catch 'her' and then called them back over. I wished them the best of luck, as they were the two I would have called anyways.

Unbelievable, I still think it's all a dream, but it's not. If it turns out to be the 'you know what- the WORLD RECORD', at least I can say I saw her and tried to get her.

They said the young man whom had talked to us earlier had called them and said it was at least 16 pounds, if not bigger! And now I know why he had asked us if we were fishing THAT bed by the big rock, but little did we know what other half of the team (that giant female that was mostly off in deeper water) looked like. Bed fishing can be so exciting, and yet such hard work.

(Update: 10.'06.. I talked to Mike Long a couple of weeks ago at an event at Aim Marine and he said that yes, it had been 'The Fish'. Oh my gosh, the largest bass in the world!!!!!!)

Opening day, Lake Hodges
4.12.0'06

6 bass.

Went from 9 a.m. till closing (7:20). Two on frogs right off in tulles, then slowed. Got one on dropshot around noon, but folks said it was tough overall after 10 a.m.. Lots of dinks, as in under 12".

It picked back up for me at dusk with flukes, largest at 14", but nada on swimbaits and buzzbaits from 3 p.m. till 5 p.m.. Talked to some guys that had been doing well on jerkbaits in the early afternoon.

Also saw a couple of guys pull a 5 pounder off a bed after trying for one minute, but had tried earlier in the day for an hour with no luck on same fish. Another guy said he got an 8 off of a Senko in the am.

Oh, I saw John from Anglers Arsenal and he reported a tough day for him and his partner. Pre-fishing for the Graves tourney I imagine.

Two gentlemen fishing back by the overpass reported cats of 4 and 5 lbs on mack.

Bottom line, it was a blast.

San Vincente Lake.
4.5.06
Five bass.

Clearing storm day.  Got there at 4 p.m. and drop shot the 'dock point' for two fish on 4" new 'special' robo- semi-clear w/ brown strip and blue with beaded body- 12" and 13".  Went just past narrow, right side 'honey hole' for two more, 16" and 13".  Tried new Daiwa 150h I got from eBay for $61, sweet. 

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Went back to Kimball arm and surprised to see nice drop off with tons of weeds right on the edge.  Tossed the white horny toad and got nailed just as the ranger came by to kick me off the lake.  He watched me farm him, snapping the line and said 'ok' to the request I stay for 5 more and try to get another.  That was my last bait and switched to a pumpkin similar style and got hit but no feesh.  What a blast, topwater is definitely back, see next post. 

Otay Lake.
4.5.06
Five bass.

Second day of rain but it was supposed to clear by noon, so said the wife.  Got there at 11:30 and the rain was fierce, as was the wind.  Tried to learn fishing in a hurricane so I went across to Bushlowe cove for two hours.  Crankbait diver, 10' red, for nada, and a Senko too for the same. 

Gave up on learning this style and went to the west side up by the buoy line, tossed a Senko and got one right off, as 12".  Switched to a pumpkin Ika and caught three more in the next few hours, two 14's and a 16".  The last part of the day I wanted to get my first topwater fish of the season and felt I could. 

 
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I tied on a Zoom Horny Toad frog and got one on the second cast towards the sculler docks, TOO COOL, T.U.L.!.  No better fishing that to have them hit topwater.  The wind was still fierce but the rains had died by 2 p.m..  The time change meant I did get to fish till 7:15 p.m.. Photos coming soon.

Otay Lake.
3.29.06
One bass.

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Nice sunny day.  Hit up the lake for the last two hours of the day. Worked a 10' diving red crankbait for no love on the farthest left point from Bushlowe Cove.  Tried the tulles towards the cove for nada also.  Finally went into the cove and threw a Senko, got a nice 3.10 on the back right wall.  Photos coming soon.

Diamond Valley.
3.25.06
Me one bass,
Alain one.

From 6:15 a.m., opening time, till 1 p.m..

Me one 12" on dropshot Roboworm 4" straight-tail, Alain one 13" on 6' diver -red crankbait at first stop off a point by second dam (and one that got off at boat at end of the time, plus two trout by main dam that broke off at boat- he was not fishing for them and would have thrown them back anyway).

San Vincente.
3.23.06
Me 7 bass, 1 trout,
Herbert 3 bass.

Herbert and I on water from 11a.m. till 6:05 p.m.. Trolled for trout 1st hour, nada, beautiful weather for 'tourists' no wind only sun. Drop shot 'Island point', nada. Drop shot narrows, (first of two spots and styles per friend Alain's suggestions) for nada. Just past narrows, right side, for nada.

East wind came in fairly hard, worked 1st major cove, right side past narrows and started to pick up fish at 1:30. Got two, 12", 13", then Herbert got one 12". Worked further into back of cove picked up two more, then quite a few more in deepest spot, a honey hole of boulders in 10" water. All bass caught were in 5 to 10' of water. Caught one more working towards 1st point of that cove and 1 20" trout on point. Water 57 degrees warmed to 60.

Otay Lake.
3.22.06
Three bass.

Fished a half day, 7 a.m. till 1:30 p.m., second day of blue skies after major storm system went through.
Cold east wind till 8 a.m., then windless till 9, then slight breeze from west till strong winds by noon.

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I got three keepers, a 16" and this 19" on 6"
pumpkin Senko at 9:30 and 10:30 respectively, and a 10" on drop shot brown/purple 4" robo
at noon at 'Erick's point'.

Otay Lake.
3.7.'06

Me 3 bass,
Eric 6.

Hit Otay by myself about 11 a.m., it was overcast and a storm had recently blown through.  Caught one fairly soon on a pumpkin Ika in the tullies, about 5 or 6' deep.  Nothing until 1, when I caught another 12" by the boat dock, waiting for a friend from the SDfish board I saw there.  I'd offered to take him out and we caught quite a few on worms after trying the end of Otay arm, where I caught a couple the week before on hula grubs in the tulles.  Saw my first bed fish of the year too.

Most fish being caught on jerk baits along outside tulle lines.

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My friend Eric caught quite a few on his 'San Vincente Special', a worm like the 'Otay Special', brown with blue vein, but with a purple glitter in it, and much suppler than the Otay is usually.  He did very well on it, catching 5 and losing as many on the hookset.

Otay
2.28.'06

1 bass.

Went out from noon till 6 p.m., very windy and cold.  Caught one 12" on hula grubbs down on right side of Otay arm in the tullies, and lost a bigger one on snapping it off on the hookset- forgot had 6# test from week before trout fishing at San Vincente.  Had one follow a top water fluke I tried just for the heck of it.

San Vincente
2. 24 and 25 '06

1 bass.
4 trout.

Fished from about 2 p.m. and caught four trout trolling a firetiger Thomas Buoyant lure.
 

               
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The next day I got out earlier, about 11 a.m..  Again, they averaged about 2 pounds each.   Got one bass on a hula grub at the island rock pile point.

Otay

Early Feb.

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The first day I fished at Otay in mid-February was a bit cold, with white caps sometimes forming. It was good for my pneumonia condition!!!  Zero bass, fished Harvey's Arm with plastics and swimbaits.