Had a little fun tournament against Jim (jjbasser) and Rob (Linebig) and
his son. Mike W. was to join me, he texted me he wasn't well at 4.30, we
had a 5.15 meeting time. Tourney would be over by noon.
Rob had dropped his boat on the ramp off his trailer and was inspecting
the bottom when I launched, it was back on it's trailer and he and his son
were inspecting it. JJ helped pull it into the water after it fell off a
few feet short, and Rob said in three years with about a hundred launches
that'd never happened. Scraped buy ok for now they said, and they
launched.
Fished Buschalaugh Cove to start with, saw jj fishing outside, left side
and I went for outside right and worked my way in. Threw my new 3:16
topwater
FreeStyle Shad 6" bait, nada. Worked into the cove, nada. Saw some
nice weedbeds so also tossed the frog. Nada. Worked the outside left side,
jj gone, weedbeds, nada. Saw fish swimming around and even threw a small
basstrix on them for an hour here and there, nada, just looks from them.
High pressure was killing me. Third day of a Santa Ana than had now
stopped, the water like a mirror and the heat multiplying.
Ran to entrance to Harvey's, threw Senko's on attenuator, and Spook on
top, nada. Worked the point and into Otay arm along tulles with the 6"
shad some more, nada. Got down to the shallow point and snapped off the
silver rattletrap lure that I was not trying, but this one made by
LuckyCraft- ouch. Prayed I find it and motored over about 50 yards and
noticed something looked like a thin shell in the mosses, ran the rod down
and come up with it, TUL! Small miracle.
Saw jj across the way and ran over and said hi, we've only talked on
sdfish so far, have not seen him since just after graduating college, he'd
rented me a room way back when in Imperial Beach. He'd been skunked so
far, weird. Told him I'd done no better and ran to the end of Otay for the
grasses/frog fish, nada. Was running out of time and hit Buschalaugh for
last 1/2 hour, frog and big bait, nada.
Went and 'weighed in', and found out JJ was still skunked, and Rob and his
son had three small ones, just legal at 13", so he won.
Shared some of my fruits and nuts with Rob since they were staying and had
none, and we both went back out. JJ left. I ran back across to Buschalaugh
to see if I could do better, trying the frog some more, then went across
to the docks and worked my way down towards the dam, working my 6" shad
all along the tulles, nada. Got to the buoy line and saw the grasses and
worked the frog over them and into open water by the tulles and got a
giant explosion, finally- no skunk. BUT the drag had not been set and my
hookset was nil in effect, as the spool just slipped as I felt weight but
could do nothing, and a second later it was gone- DARN. Rookie mistake, oh
well. Worked it quite a bit more, with a small explosion that did not hold
on. Went across to other side and worked that buoy line, nada.
Getting late so went to Harvey's by about a 1,000 yards, left side, and
started working the Spook and the shad back to the point, nada. Weird,
that always works, it was that tough. Got back and found out Rob and son
only got one more keeper.
Went out hoping to get dinner, and after talking to Paul O. on how to rig
it, I followed his instructions (d/s rig w/ fluke), so I put a 2 oz sinker
below a 24" leader w/ a 4/0 worm hook and a Zoom 5" white kick tail fluke.
I tossed it out just past the jetty on the left and then rigged up a Spook
on my other rod and tried topwater, figuring it'd be long time before
anything hit, if at all. Looked over and saw the d/s rod bendo, and
figured it'd be kelp already, too soon for a fish.
But as I slowly reeled in something fairly heavy the line started to shake
from a fish trying to swim away. Hoped it was a halibut but figured it
might be a ray. But no, it was a halibut and it sounded as soon as I tried
to net her. Time and time again, as it guided it into the net it'd back
out with a swipe of it's body, and sometimes swim 1/2 way back down, it
was huge.
I really hoped it stay hooked, as I could see the line disappeared into
it's mouth, and the teeth are sharp and usually cut line. But it didn't
and I finally got it into the net, and after plopping it down on the
bottom of my alum. boat it was easily a keeper, as they have to be 22",
and this one went over 31". The scaled said it was 12 lbs, and I actually
could not find a reason to stay out. It was more than we could eat, and
would be plenty to give to neighbors. If I got another, I'd just release
it anyways. I made one more drift just for the heck of it, but the wind
was getting so bad that every wave I hit would send the water from the
splash shooting over the boat and into my face. The faster I went, the
bigger the splash and face washing. Everything was getting salt all over
it, rod and reel, me, gear, etc.. Slowly made my way in and called it a
day.
Paul met me at the 7-11 at 10.35 a.m. and loaded the Answered Prayer, my
Skeeter. We launched to clear skies and started down by the dam, left
side, and worked our way back to the giant rock pile. I got one off a pile
on the diver, Paul got one or two on the d/s.
We went and worked the island, and then the bank behind it towards 'the
corner'. Wind was something else by then, and ran across Arden and his
dad. They were having a hard time of it too, fish catching wise.
Paul got a couple of more on the d/s off the small boulder spots, and then
we went and worked Conejos Arm entrance and into the bay. I worked a lot
of top, big baits, nada. Paul got another here and there. Got back at
dusk, and chatted w/ Arden some more.
Paul met me there this time, he had to leave at 2. Took the A.P. and we
started at Chocolate Arm, saw big explosions but figured finally they were
carp. Then to the points, where Paul tied on a d/s and got one in short
order. No wind.
Then over to the old island for nada. Then to backside. Then to the
'corner' where a lot of boats had been earlier. The last of the busters
hit just after arriving. One guy trolling Kastmasters, silver/blue, all
around us landed a few in short order, # 19, 20 and 21 per his count. (Saw
him leave at 2.30, he'd gotten 31, said last two hours only 2 or 3, had
shut down). We fished to the 'corner' blind casting' topwater and
Kastmasters, nada.
Paul wanted to fish the entrance to Conejos, we started first boulder
point on left first. I'd tied on a 10' Rapala Shad Rap diver, bluegill
pattern, and got one finally. We went to the point and then around and I
got another. Nice 2.5 pounder. Paul got another. Lost of busters once and
a while. We worked the whole area twice, not that big and shallow - 2 to
5' mostly.
The went across to backside of 'The Corner' and worked north on the small
boulder patches. I lost one that was over 3, Paul got another and lost
one.
Went across the way, back to Conejos side, just at the slow down buoys and
struck out, working north again.
Dropped Paul off and worked the cove there w/ big baits, nada. Went to the
points and struck out. Hit the boulders towards the dam, nada. Winds way
up by now. Got cold, was about 4, and then worked towards Island, around
the corner and into the cove and got a nice blow up on the Plopper. Worked
into and around to that point, then ran to the major point across the way
towards Conejos where I always get fish, or blowup, nada. Back to the
Island and got a 3.5 on the front point, the smaller one. TUL.
That was it, almost 5 and dark. Ran across Arden and his dad, was his
first time fishing fresh in four months, been deep sea, 3/4 days out of
Oceanside on his friends Ryan's boat (only $80 per trip, and getting up to
35 lb yellows). Told him I might ask this friend to trade art for trips.
Been three weeks since I'd been at Otay. Saw old buddy Jim Lichtman
heading out as I drove in, was hoping I'd get there in time to visit, we
keep missing each other and has been 40 years since we've seen each other.
Busters were far and few between, worked the split point with the Plopper
to start with, into Otay arm. Then ran to the back to work the frog after
1/2 hour or so. Nada till working my way out (less grasses now) and got a
real nice one that got off 1/2 way back- darn. Ran to the first cove out
and tried that, looked great, nada. Worked the one before the scullers
camp and got a small one on the frog. Throwing the Plopper mostly, and got
a 2 lbr on it throwing into pockets. Lots of grasses making it tough.
Ran to Harvey's, inside left side, started by the Hwy and worked back to
the point, getting a 2 lbr on the S. Spook, fought like a 5'er. Nice day
on the water, and appreciated the semi-full moon coming up just before
leaving.
I took the 14' aluminum boat out and launched out of Shelter Island. Was a
calm day, pre-storm so lots of great clouds. Tried trolling first 1/2 hour
once I reached the end of the jettys, and headed towards the beds. Once I
got closer too many floating kelp caught in my line. Stopped and started
working the S.Spook and got blown up on in first 10 minutes, getting me
excited. Got a few more blow-ups but nothing stuck. Thought I saw
mackerel or bonito chasing it sometimes when the lure got close. Also
threw the double bladed buzzbait for no hits.
Got into the kelp beds and used the buzzbait and the Spook, in between a
med. size swimbait for kelp, nada.
Sunset at 6 and was beautiful, and took about 20 minutes to run back to
the ramp. TUL.
I took the A.P. and started at Chocolate Arm, by the ramp, then to the
back, which is not all that far with the low water. Got two w/ hard work
on the 3" basstrix w/ 10# power pro. Tried the S.Spook and the Plopper for
nada. After about 3.5 hours started a run to the points w/ the Punker, and
got a nice 3 1/2 on the main point past the first major cove working my
way to the corner.
Worked the left two points of Conejos, then the corner, then the major
point on the left working back in, and then the two on the islands, where
I got a major blow up on the Plopper.
It slowed down and we made a run to the main lake and I saw more action
over towards the Island, and it was on. I got two more on the Basstix and
even a 3 pounder on the Super Spook, rigged for the ones too far away for
other lures to reach, TUL. At 2 or so it died. Mike lost his new bait
somehow, and we looked for it by the cove with the grasses, nada. Went
back to the spot by the front and I noticed the wind/waves were actually
pushing the waves towards the point, and I slowly went that way and
prayed. Mike had given up hope much earlier yet I found it half way there
not moving as fast as the boat in that wind. He called it a miracle, and I
called his bait the 'miracle bait', but he still did not get one on it. I
gave him one of my Basstrix but as the bite had died we got nada. We ran
behind the island (now a peninsula), nada. Over to Conejos, nada (he'd not
been on this lake for 30 years, so basically went there to show him some
more of the lake.
We went back to the ramp to see if the busters came back- nope. Worked the
whole cover again, and then at 5.30 he was too tired to fish. We went to
the dam and I tossed the Plopper, and along every point and rockpile all
the way back to the island, nada. Called it a day at dusk.
We took Paul's boat this time, it'd been a while since he took it out and
he wanted to make sure all was well. We started in Chocolate Arm (launch
ramp cove I usually call it, not knowing it's 'official' name until
recently, but nada. Not many breakers yet. After an hour, we made a run
towards the non-island island, as I saw busters from the parking lot
walking back from Mike Walsh's truck where I picked up my winnings from
the raffle he watched for me from the memorial tourney the Sat. before
there.
When we got there they were busting good, and I got one about the second
cast on the Gunfish. Within five minutes, I got another. Figured this
would be easy money. No more though for like three more hours, but we
tried. I lost an easy 3.
We decided to work the shore, ran to the dam and worked the right side
back to the island, half way, nada.
Fished the ramp area as busters were crazy there, for about an hour, nada.
Then towards the end I had one hit a 2" Basstrix, but missed the hookset,
which I finally put on my ultra light w/ 10# Berkley Fireline. Paul even
broke out his new umbrella rig- nada.
The first day, the 29th, I got on the water a bit later than planned,
around 4 p.m., since I left from Salinas around 9 a.m. and visited an
artist friend in a V.A. Hospital in San Jose.
Stated by heading from Towner Park towards my honey hole at the end of the
A-Z sheds. Stopped and thru the big bait at Lettuce Shed, and got zippo.
Went to the point an got zippo, same with the tulles to the left. Went
across to the other side, another great spot usually, nada again. Frogs
and Plopper, as well as S. Spook and Gunfish.
As the tide came up, I found myself on the spot where Tower Park Marina
has a sign posted on the end of the tulle island, a spot that always works
well for me, for largemouth lunkers and stripers. And this time it did not
disappoint, she came thru better than ever.
I tossed the large Plopper up next to the tulles and slowly retrieved it
back, and got slammed by the first lunker that was about 6 or 7 lbs.
I'd left the scale in the van. Took some snaps, tossed the lure back up,
and BLAMMO, another lunker that tore off taking line. It took it so easy I
panicked and stopped reeling to tighten the drag, forgetting that just
minutes earlier I'd just drug in the other lunker no problem. In that
instant of not reeling, as I found it to be buttoned down on my 65# braid,
she threw it. DANG.
Upon the next cast or two, another monster ate it, and I got another that
went an easy 8 pounds, TUL. That was it, it got dark moments later, no
more fish landed. I came back two days later and found that spot to be
about 2' of water at that time of tide. That's why they did not go down
when fighting, there was nowhere to go down to, thus the thrashing on top
was fierce, and different for me to see.
I went and tied up the boat at the ramp area, unloaded everything and
locked it to the dock.
Got up early after sleeping, so so, in van at the usual TA truck stop
towards Lodi. Got a Subway breakfast sandwich and headed out. Left the
boat at the dock to save launch fees and used an electrical outlook by the
trailer parking to charge the trolling motor battery.
Headed back to 'lettuce' shed where I got a nice blowup the day before.
Got into one right away.
At 10 am or so went back to the Marina to get some ice for my ice chest
from the bar, hit the bathrooms and then left to the right out of the ramp
this time, towards my favorite slough that has a ton of tulles islands.
I started to toss the Super Spook around the ends of the islands, on the
windy corners next to sparse tulles, and it was on. I got three.
At 2 I got a call from buddy John O. and he said he could go out on the
Sac. river at 4, so I drove over, one hour, and we left at 4 and found the
ramp (got lost) and launched by 5:30 at a public ramp in downtown
Sacramento.
We got a couple of hits, me on the Gunfish, and he on a fluke. Otherwise
the do-nothing banks stayed that way- do nothing. But my friend was on
call at the hospital so we had to stay in that area, it's not one I'd
volunteer to fish normally.
Third day I got a late start, as I stayed over at my friends house in
Davis, and had to drive over. So I got on the water by around noon, paid
the $7 good guy discount to launch and went left to try some areas I had
not this trip.
Went to the main river and got two nice fish. Then worked the first slough
on the left, the two islands and their shallow ends for nada. Recorded
video coverage of the area.
Click photo to enlarge.
This striper bass loved the Plopper too. 7:20 p.m.,
almost totally dark out.
I worked the three island honey hole at dusk expecting to get my first
double digit largemouth, I'd lost some that big here last year. Well, the
first island, which I fished last, had a bass hit it so ferociously I
thought it was a 13 lb one. BUT it fought too hard for a largemouth,
taking buttoned down 65 lb test braid where it wanted, acting like it was
going to spool me a couple of times. Figured it was a striper after a
minute, and sure enough, upon bringing it up and netting it that was sure
enough what it was. Took photos and released to fight another day. TUL.
Went back to the spot I'd got the lunker bass the day before, but it was
so dark I did not have an easy time of working the spot. But I did, but it
did not net me any hits or fish. Got back about 8 p.m., to a nightmare
situation back at the ramp.
Click photo to enlarge.
This turned out to be a nightmare. I could not get
the boat
back on the trailer due to all the hyacinth that floated into the area.
Click photo to enlarge.
Another view of my nightmare. Nobody was there to
help get this
stuff out of the way. I tried to muscle it out with the boat, but the boat
would not budge it.
I got out and tried to use the pole that help launch boats to push the
hyacinth away, for about 10 minutes, to no avail. I then tried to use the
boat to push it out of the area, which wasted another 10 minutes. I then
tried to get the boat on the trailer with it all still on it. That did not
work, I could not drive it on enough. It was very frustrating and I was
getting overheated as I was using so much energy. I finally figured I
could maybe use the boat to open a section of clear space, which took
about 15 minutes but finally got it done. Must have been after 9 by the
time I accomplished it.
So, it was 10 p.m. by the time I went and ate at the truck stop and gassed
up for the return trip home, which I figured I'd better do a day early, as
I had a three day San Diego photo class to teach starting on Friday. Got
home the next day at 9 a.m. as I got stuck in L.A. morning traffic after
stopping for a 3 hr nap on Buttonwillow so as not to fall asleep driving.
*Barrett Lake Sept. 3.'14
w/ Mike Castaneda and his son Marcus
Me 34, Mike 15 and Marcus 13, (mostly Gunfish for me, Buzzjet for Marcus
(mine) and spook type for Mike)
Air 85, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
6 a.m. till 6.30 p.m.
Click photo to enlarge.
One of a few double hookups on the boat.
We drove in about 5:15, Jose let us in. We paid
$80 cash for the boat, so saved the $20 Ticketmaster fee. We headed out in
the dark, Mike controlling the motor, and I thought to go to the back of
Pine but as we went past Pigs Point I thought it might be good to start
there, since a week and a half earlier it produced well. I got one first
cast on the Plopper but she got off. Got one on it a few cast later, and
another on the Spook as we reached the point. About a half hour later we
noticed busters almost in range so we trolling motored out to them. From
then on out we had 3 hours of madness with them boiling all over the area.
Click photo to enlarge.
Anther double hookup, almost triples a
couple of times.
Sometimes we were completely surrounded by them,
but most times they were just out of range for my buddies, where as my
Revo setup w/ 15# izorline cast far enough to reach them. I had 13 before
Michael found a lure to work for him, it was 8 am.
Click photo to enlarge.
Marcus was surprised these dinks would hit
his bait, Mike with another nice buster.
Marcus already had three and was learning NOT to
set the hook in the first blow-up. By 9.30 the wind came up and the boils
were harder to see due to whitecaps. We got one here and there
'blind-casting', and Mike lost a beauty off a fluke on the bottom. I lost
one a half hour later off a small rockpile after calling the fish to
Marcus, on a S. Spook. By the time it got 1/2 way back to the boat I
realized I needed a net and by the time we got it ready she shook off,
dang, and it was my 33rd fish, would have been a great one to beat my
record of 32 from there years ago.
We went to Becky's cove to see what it looked
like, it looked a lot like the first time I ever fished the lake, when it
was also only 35% full. Mike lost another large one, and I got two to the
boat fishing the flats, as I 'called I would', beating my record, both on
top again. We putted to the end of Hauser, which was not all that far from
there now. Some nice trees on the right side we worked, then the back
flats, and then back out around the small island there. Some guys were
getting them on crankbaits and ikas. They were stunned to hear our
numbers, and that it was all on top, they had not had any top action.
Click photo to enlarge.
My record topping bass almost did not
happen. Here she is though,
got this one and one more over at Becky's cove. Super Spook fish.
We took a 1.5 hr break at 2, Mike and Marcus to
their SUV and I took the boat to the dam and rested in the shade provided
there. We went back out at 3.45 and fished close to the dock, at the
floating dock nearby, west of the main dock, but nada. Had got three there
the time before. We went to the back of Pine to scout it out, getting
stuck in the shallows for a second, then worked our way out. Caught Marcus
in the back w/ my Gunfish, thank God it was barbless and came out easily.
We decided to leave since we did not get,
surprisingly, a bump! We went to Pig's point, it now being about 5.30, and
worked the area we first did in the a.m.. Nada. We'd seen some kayakers
getting the last batch of busters back at Pine entrance and decided to go
back and try our luck. No sooner getting there Jules came by and said it
was time to pack it in. Oh well, we got skunked the second half the day-
incredible, but more incredible was our morning. TUL!
*Otay Lake, Wed., Sept. 17th
Alum. boat
Solo- 6 fluke, 4 Gunfish 1 S.Plopper
Water 85 end/ Air 90, humid and thunderclouds.
3 pm till 7 p.m.
Very hot and muggy, and again, giant
thunderclouds just east of the lake. Started out at the skullers dock and
worked into Otay arm. Tried the smaller basstrix 3" baby bass fluke w/ 3.0
hook. Actually got the first at the ramp, first cast, trying it.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got a 3 pounder on the topwater larger
Plopper model bait, last but not least.
But after awhile, I figured the one I'd used
there a few weeks earlier might work better, and it did. Made it down to
the first cove and lost a real monster on the Gunfish. Worked the grass
middle and had a nice blow up on the small white Spro frog, as well as one
in the far back grasses. Worked down to second cove and back w/ big motor
to first cove and then to the skuller area where I got a 3 on the S.
Plopper. Beautiful clouds kept me in amazement of the Lord's creative
nature, it was so wonderful being on the water.
*El Capitan, Thurs., Sept. 12th
Alum. boat
Solo- 2, 1 S.Spook, 1 Gunfish (busters by ramp)
Water 80 end/ Air 95, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
3 pm till 7 p.m.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got a couple of 3 pounder busters in four
hours.
Very hot and muggy, big clouds east of me.
Busters here and there, especially after sun went behind big mtn there.
Worked the grasses and the cove the whole time. Got a few blowups, and one
hit the Plopper.
*Barrett Lake Sept. 3.'14
Solo- 10 (3 Ika, 6 S. Spook, 1 Plopper)
Air 88, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
6 a.m. till 7 p.m.
Been over a years since I last fished Barrett,
was really excited. Got to bed late, and up early- 3:30 am, so I could get
there at 4:45, but got there at 4:55. Was third in line, and by 5.30 when
Laurie checked us in three more had arrived.
Nobody had reservations, so I could not put my
name under anyone, but Laurie sold me a lake permit, told her I'd tube
till getting a boat later, she was ok with that.
Launched at the docks, took awhile to get all
set up, been a year since I'd used the new tube. Got a blow up but lost
the bass, barbless, on a S. Spook, within 5 minutes. High hopes but nada
on that or black/blue jig I worked to the dam, across and down the other
side. Weird. Saw some you guys getting them good on med. size swimbaits
around 10.30 or so, sun was up, found out later they were very slow sink
Deps models. Lost another on the Spook as the wind picked up off a rock
point. Darn.
Kicked across to the docks, which was very hard
with winds and waves keeping my progress to a snails pace, was wondering
if I'd even make it.
Took a break at 11.30 till 12.30, shuteye in the van for most of it. Felt
like that would keep me going, and got back into the tube and worked the
way west now, and got on them with an Ika I put on, black w/blue flakes.
They hit it hard on rock points, and I landed three of 8 or so I'd fought-
cool. Stripe off the back.
Click photo to enlarge.
Finally figured out they wanted the
Ika, not the jig.
Glass rattle worked quicker too.
Saw some guys come in and leave around 3, so
kicked to the dock to see if Jose, now working, would let me take a boat
out. But he was not around and I waited in the shade in a chair for about
an hour for him, needing the rest, then went shore fishing. Nada.
Jules showed up around 5, said Jose's had to
leave and he was now on. I asked about the boat, he said sure, take one.
So I went west where I'd seen busters and got one or two on the S. Spook
in short order.
Click photo to enlarge.
The Super Spook is my go to bait in
the wind along the shore
and points, did not fail me this time either. TUL.
Worked the Lg. Whopper Plopper for another
headed towards Pine, which knocked it out of the water it at the boat,
scaring me, and I instantly kept moving it and she hit it again, right in
front of me, and I just swung her in- cool.
Click photo to enlarge.
Lake is so low, we usually go way up
the cove on the left, here it's shows there is no cove any longer, just a
sand bar w/ grass.
Worked my way to the old island, now way out of
water, then into Pine, all the trees were now showing, like the first time
many years ago when I'd first gone.
Nada so back to the first spot and two guys were
getting them good, in a little bay. I got one on each side of them, but
left them to the craziness, working to the far end and back, getting one
more on the Spook. Fun times in that last two hours.
*Cuyamaca Lake, Sun. Aug. 31st
Solo- 0
Water 68 end/ Air 88, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
4 pm till 7 p.m.
Been a year or so since last visit, the water
was so low all the floating green islands in the 'shallows' were exposed,
so not much chance of the usual pattern working. Tried anyways, fluks and
frogs, and got one blow up on the frog in 4' of water. I was wearing
waders and out really far to find deep enough water. Lots of grasses, and
catfish.
*El Capitan, Thurs., Aug 25th
Alum. boat
Me:
1 Plopper, Mike C.-0
Water 82 end/ Air 90, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
1 pm till 7:30 p.m.
Mike met me at the lake, high expectations as usual. I worked the ramp
area, and hooked into a nice topwater one on the large Plopper but she got
off in short order. Mike joined me minutes later, and we worked that area
hard, as usual, but nada. Grasses are almost non-existent, week by week it
changes, the ducks eat a lot.
Then went towards the dam after an hour or so
and tried the busters, they were really going off as I drove in, figured
easy money. We hardly saw any, so went towards shore, by 'boulder
islands', for more nada. We worked it back towards the island, and I got a
blowup on the S.Spook working between grasses, which are still plentiful
along this shore. We worked around the point and into the cove by the
island (now a peninsula with water down), more nada. I did get two hits on
the Spook, no sticky. At this point we're fishing for a burger, so I'm
trying harder. Mike gets no hits, now I've had four, not counting the one
before he joined me.
He suggests the area around the back side of the
island- which I said would probably not be too good but we went, and I got
a nice 3.12 on the Plopper, in corner on left, where I usually get one,
TUL.
Click photo to enlarge.
The move to the back of the island was a good call by Mike, I got a
nice one.
I suggest back towards the ramp, and shadows are
everywhere by now. Should be easy money, not happening. Fished all around
the end, then the rangers came by at 7.30 and 'guided' us to the dock.
Nice out finally, so cool in the shadows.
*El Capitan, Thurs., Aug 21st
Skeeter
Me: 4 flukes, 3 buzzjet, 1 gunfish,
1 Plopper
Water 81 end/ Air 88, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
1 pm till 7:30 p.m.
Went solo on the Answered Prayer with great expectations, only to be
dashed by sunset with me getting the, 'not too often' skunk. Oh well.
Started off at the usual ramp area and got two explosions on the fluke,
but also threw the Buzjet, large, and the large Plopper. Surprised I did
not get any, and worked it for a good two hours or more. There was a
flurry of busters when I first launched, which gave me false hope as that
pattern diminished in short order, now that I think of it.
Had a green helicopter
that said 'Armi de Teri' on the side, came from Hwy 8 and after about 20
minutes of hovering here and there just 50' off the water went back the
way it came- strange.
Then went to the boulders on the right side towards the dam, nada. At that
point my trolling motor only had 'constant on', so I had to keep adjusting
the speed, and in the wind was a real pain. Worked the shore for awhile,
mostly fluke.
Worked the point where I'd lost a biggie the week before, nada. Worked
around the corner, headed to the island (now a peninsula) more nada.
Worked the ramp again at dusk, nada. Oh well. Did get a great shot...
Click photo to enlarge.
The lake was wonderfully lit in the late afternoon,
with thunderclouds bringing sprinkling and lightening.
*El Capitan, Thurs., Aug 18th
Skeeter
3 flukes
Water 81 end/ Air 88, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
4 pm till 7:30 p.m.
Click photo to enlarge.
The Zoom Fluke Jr. worked again for three more nice ones.
Went solo on the Answered Prayer and worked the grasses around the ramp,
ended up with three on the fluke once it got shadowed. Nice size fish too,
about 2 to 3 lbs each.
*El Capitan, Fri., Aug 8th
w/ Mike C., Skeeter
Me: 4 flukes, 3 buzzjet, 1 gunfish,
1 Plopper
Mike 3, 1 spook, 1 fluke bottom, one top.
Water 82 end/ Air 90, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
5.30 am. till 8 p.m. me, Mike till 1.30 pm.
We met at the lake at 5:15, as planned. We launched and started to the
north end, but stopped at boulder bay as no one was on it. We had
nice cloud cover, and Mike got two, one a spook type lure, and one
on a fluke dragged on the bottom, a 4-8. I threw the Plopper for the big
ones, nada.
Then went to 'far back', which is
not that far anymore, and trying the 2' shallows which are hundreds of
yards from the end, with sticks, for nada. The left side has that deep
drop off, to 6' now, so that side would be better to fish, but a guy was
on it when we first went there, he left and we tried for nada- frogs,
Ploppers, and Mike plastics. The rock point on the left before the lake
kinda re-opened we always hit is now high and dry, the waters edge a 100
yards from it.
Went back to boulder and tried
plastics, then finally got one on a fluke over the grasses by the ramp as
I dropped Mike off around 1 p.m.. Stayed till dark and thing heated up for
me.
Ended with 9, three more on the fluke, one on the gunfish, four on a
Buzzjet (thanks Mike Walsh for the intel on those you got near me) and
one on the Plopper as I motored over to say hi to Vince as he was loading
up. He got three on C/R, getting there at 3 pm.
Mike Walsh said he felt good about winning, guess he took second or third
with his wife and fishing partner Jennifer. Here they pose with Paul
Leader, the sponsor of, and owner of, El Cajon Ford bass tournaments.
Mike Walsh said he was getting them on a Buzzjet, which I had. It did not
look like how he was getting action on his, so I cut the lip off and got
the same action, more or less. I need to Dremel tool it all the way down.
Tired as heck today, 15 hrs on the water!
Deps Buzzjet
NOTE: Fishing buddy Alain told me the smaller Buzzjet is what he'd use,
and I ordered and rec'd one from Tackle Warehouse two days later- about
$24.
________________________________
*Lake Skinner, Mon., Aug 4th
w/ Mike C., alum. boat
Me: 0
Mike 0
Water 82 end/ Air 90, humid and sunny afternoon winds.
4.00 am. till 7.30 p.m.
I picked Mike up about 1 pm to go fish a golf pond by his sisters house,
over in San Luis Rey Downs. I was a bit leery although Mike said his
sister was sure it was ok. The pond was shallow and small, and I was glad
some golfer that worked there came over and asked us to leave.
We got to Skinner around 4, and went to the
south where we found tons of grasses but no takers on our frogs and
Plopper. We fished all the way back, then back out and went right. I was
praying for Mike to get one, out loud, when he got a hit but lost it. That
would be the only hit of the day. We made a run to the dam, I'd never gone
there before, and found an inlet pumping thousands of gallons of water
into the lake per second, looking like a river coming it. Some guys were
fishing it for strippers. We tried for a bit but nada. Fished a couple of
point on the way back, and the lake closes a 1/2 hour before sunset- no
fun that.
____________________________
Calif. Delta (July 21, 22, and back on the
25th)
and Clear Lake (July 23, 24)
*Mon., July 21 / Delta
Solo. on Mon the 21st, from 12 till 5:30
/ 2 bass, none large.
(Valerie and her friend from H.S. Caroline sat in back and chatted)
Tower Park Marina, with the Answered Prayer Skeeter.
Paid Jose $14 for 2 days launch in advance (reg. $11 per, TUL).
Finished teaching a tree day class in Carmel the night before, and stayed
at the Motel 6 in Lodi ($60 w/ AAA discount).
Started w/ 3" Zoom white/silver flake fluke on
corner heading North. Got two and then lost a brand new 5s iPhone
overboard. DANG DANG DANG! Stripped down and spent 15 minutes diving into 6-8' water into murky water
feeling 2" of mud for it. No luck. Went and picked up Valerie and Caroline
and went to the first cove on the right, where there is usually good
'cheese' floating for frog fishing, but hardly any there. Threw the
Plopper on the middle shallows, and surprisingly there was no grasses. Got
a 2# on one side and a 2 on the other, TUL.
Worked the point, left side, nada, then the
whole outer tulle area where it's fairly shallow across from the point,
nada. Made a run to the islands a mile or so further north. Worked them
with the frog, Plopper and the Gunfish. Got blown up real good twice on
the frog, no fish though.
*July 22, Tues. / Delta
6 me, 0 Jon / Out of Tower Park marina again.
2pm-9pm
Stayed at Caroline and Jon's house in Sacramento, and the next day took
Jon Z. out with me, getting there about 2 p.m.. First we tried to get my
phone again, me diving with his yard hose for air, using a 12' 1" PVC pipe
to help guide me down, but the hose I chose was a bit old and crimped and stopped it
from working. It was a higher tide, hard to go that deep too, and the tall
weeds were hard to feel around in, growing up 3' out of the mud.
After 20 minutes or so we gave up and went and worked the cove I'd caught
2 the day before, getting a 7 or so on the Popper right away, but
hesitated as it was so close I wanted Jon to see it on the surface thrashing, and
she threw the bait instantly- DARN!
We worked that area, still with no weeds, and
then the point on the way out, nada. Worked the shallows too, even further
down the N. than the day before, with the Plopper, nada. We went to the
back and worked the islands, but the wind was really too fierce for a beginner
caster, and Jon had a very hard time casting. I got one on the frog, and then
another in sparse tulles, figured out a pattern. And it was NOT on the cheese, as
expected (should have figured, did not hardly get bumped the day before
either!)
Click photo to enlarge.
Got into a really nice frog bite for a few minutes. BUT they were
only in the 5' space between the bank tulles and the sparse tulles and
weeds further out. Got this one on a brown Snag Proof 'Bobbie's
Perfect frog'.
On the way back at dusk ran across a sparse
tulle stretch and decided to try our luck, and got three landed, but broke
off a biggie on the first or second cast, on 50# braid, losing the green popper Spro frog with
it- bummer. Tied on a brown Snag Proof 'Bobbie's Perfect frog' and got
back to work, landing a 4 1/2 in short order, and a 3 and a 2.
With the wind still up, Jon did not get good casts here either, nor was his working of
the frog quite good enough to elicit a strike- but he really tried and
never gave up. It was
basically dark when we finished, around 9 p.m..
*July 23, Wed., CLEAR LAKE
0 me, solo, out of Koncti Vista Casino
6.30 till 9
ALMOST lost the boat!!!
Got to the area about 5:30 and launched and worked the ramp for nada-
strange. NO frog fish, BUT the place was like 3' deep in the harbor, but
still!!?
Worked the way out, nada. Worked the outside, nada. About 8 I made a run
to the tulle point, where the wind had come up and I ran over 2-3' waves,
the Skeeter handled it well for the most part, but many time it went
completely airborne. When I reached the point I figured the trolling motor
could handle the waves, but the bouncing made it only work half the time,
the other half it was out of water. In short order it was too close to the
tulles and it folded under the boat, as it was designed, so not to break,
but was now useless. Before I could run and start the big engine, I was
being tossed on the rocks with each wave, the back of the boat getting
water in it. I finally figured I needed to get out and try and push it
off, then start it, but it was soooooooo heavy. I got back in and used the
oar, which got it off a few feet and the motor, now almost out of the
water to allow escape, as it itself would stop the boat from moving,
getting grounded, threw water and sand to the front of the deck, 18' away.
I was soaked, but it worked. I went around the corner to quiet, wind
protected water and surveyed the damage. The trolling motor was
fine, all the poles had sand on them, did not know about the prop.
Fished another hour with the Plopper there, then ran back, this time into
the waves, a bit easier than with them really. Got back tired from the
experience, of having to muster so much strength to get off those rocks.
Almost got submerged, although in reality as it was beached it was
salvageable easily, I guess. TUL
*July 24th, Thurs., CLEAR LAKE
1 me, solo, out of Koncti Vista Casino
11am-2.30pm / 5-9pm
Ate a late breakfast as was pretty tired from the fiasco the day before.
Steak and eggs at the casino, $10. Got on the water and worked the harbor
for a bit, Plopper, nada. Frog too, nada again. Went to Lands End slough,
the first one down but it was so shallow. Saw an osprey swoop down and
nail a 4' baby bass and take it to a tree above the spot and eat it.
Then went to the next slough, too shallow there too. Then went to the
point before tulle point, now no wind, and worked the shore, nada.
Realized they may be off shore, as it's really to shallow everyone I
usually fish, and throwing the ivory Super Spook get blown up on- WOW! So
there are fish!! I then tied on an American Shad S. Spook and nail a nice 3
pounder. I then get blown up on with a 2 pounder, this all in 6-8' of
water 100 yards off shore, with weeds here and there.
Got called to lunch, gassed boat up, got oil for it, got a fuse for the
depth finder, and then went and chatted it up with Dave, one of two owner
of Clear Lake Outdoors tackle (Troy the other). He reported the south was
'hot', whereas the N. was dead! But why? We both figured the deep cliffs
made the difference, here was too shallow overall, and sure enough...
after going back out now at 5 thinking I had it figured out- NOT! Not
another bite, working there and the honey hole, but offshore, towards
Lakeport I usually fish. Wished I gone south- live and learn.
Tomorrow back to the Delta, taking John O. out in the afternoon.
Back to the Delta
*July 25th, Friday
4 me, 0 John / Out of Tower Park marina
again.
4:30 pm till 9
Left Konocti Vista Casino after breakfasting at the casino, splitting
steak and eggs with V. Got on the road around 11, getting to John and
Joanne's around 1:30. John was off at 2, and we left after getting snacks
from home, and after getting his one day license at WalMart, and my
chicken McNuggets at Kentucky Fried we launched around 4 p.m., paying Jack
$7 at the dock for the launch fee.
We first did the, now, routine. Try and get the cell phone up from Davey
Jones Locker. John dove down, mask and snorkel, and used his feet to try
and locate it, that was faster. He tried a good 30-40 minutes, but no
luck- darn. Seemed to be my last chance.
I'd caught two small bass as we were getting there first though, on the
Gunfish. I'd rigged up a Zoom 3" kick tail fluke, and he'd throw it a lot
that afternoon, never getting bumped.
Click photo to enlarge.
Third fish was a nicer model, and she hit
the frog- almost on the bank.
We went across the way from the lost phone and started to work that shore.
I got a nice frog fish, a little over 2, in the shadows next to shore,
between tulles. Cool.
We then went to the 'boat harbor/cheese cove' and I tried my luck on the
plateau in the middle, nada. BUT the weird thing was, the place was now
covered in grass, and yet the tide was even higher then three days
earlier, when there was none to be found? Can it grow that fast, and why
now?
Click photo to enlarge.
The larger Whopper Plopper fools this 3 1/2
pounder. Fun stuff.
We hit my usual point on the way out, but this time I got a nice 3.5
pounder on the Plopper, TUL.
Worked the new 'honey hole' we'd found days earlier, just across the way
from the cove some, a turn down or so, but not a bump. Fished the area
where I'd got the frog fish at dark, getting back to John's (after leaving
the boat at Tower Park), at 11 p.m.
________________
*El Capitan, July 14th
Solo.. on alum.
1 Plopper off shore, four busters.
Water 82 end/ Air 80 and overcast, usual afternoon winds.
4 p.m. till 8 p.m.
Started at 4 at the shoreline, looking like the wind too strong, and got a
4.8 in short order on the Plopper. Fished it with the frog too, nada. Took
boat out and tried the grassy area out in the middle of ramp cove, nada.
Worked the Plopper, then the usual points and coves.
Saw guys fishing busters by 'peninsula' as I was going to fish the frog
behind it and threw a gunfish on them and got them going. First one was a
3.8 TUL.
*Otay Lake, Chula Vista, July 9
Solo. on alum./ 5 on fluke
Water / Air 82, usual afternoon winds.
2 p.m. till 8 p.m.
Started w/ Plopper at ramp, got nada. Worked grass shore, starting left
side just past Sculler Pier and got on them in short order with the fluke.
Used a 3" Zoom white w/ silver flake and 2/0 hooks. Kept working that side
on down, and ended up with a limit by dusk. Lost a monster on it at that
first cove in the grasses, it had not eaten it earlier..
*El Capitan, July 3rd
With Paul O.. on alum.
5 bass me (1 frog
fish, 3 buzz, 1 fluke, 0 Plopper/ Paul 1 on plastics).
Water 80.5 end/ Air 90, usual afternoon winds.
4 p.m. till 8 p.m.
Paul joined me at the 7-11. We started working the launch ramp cove and I
got one right off the bat, as it sat in the middle of a giant grass patch.
Paul got one 5 minutes later walking his over it. But an hour later, that
was it, no more hits even- weird. The patch is like 200 yards square. We
went to the pipes, now 'giant grasses cove' and I got two on buzzbaits and
lost a big one and the buzzbait fighting her! OUCH.
We continued to the point for nada, and around
it heading east. More nada. We then shot across towards the island,
working point in. Nada. Worked the back and I got another in open water on
the buzzer.
As the shadows got longer we ran back to the
ramp to fish the grasses, thinking the frog might work better. Got a blow
up then nada. Threw the fluke last few minutes and got two blowups and one
landed, getting my limit. Paul had one hit his frog three or four times,
then felt her but missed the hookset.
Click photo to enlarge.
The Whopper
