Michael Seewald's
fishing adventures for
the second half of 2010.
Have you visited this page
before?
Then you should then re-fresh your browser to see
the newest reports, otherwise the 'catch',
which is a memorization of the page
from a previous visit, may not show updated reports.
July 1st thru December
31st, 2010
From the most recent to the oldest.
12.31.10
Diamond Valley Lake
7 am till 4 p.m., me 0, Robert S. -7 (all dinks) Air
temp 30 degrees in a.m., got up to 42, sunny. Thought we should be
seeing snow on all the banks. Not too windy, but we never took our
jackets or wool hats off all day.
Boiling
fish (stripers and bass) along shore were gone (still there a week
ago), fished d/s 25-30 for dinks when we got them. Tossed Punker for
an hour or more intermittently.
Met Robert S. at his home in Temecula at 6, and after he scraped all
the frozen ice of his vehicle we were off. The lake opened at about
6.45, just as we pulled up the line was headed up over the hill. We
launched and went directly to Josh's honey hole, threw swimbaits
like we did almost two years earlier to the day, but instead of
getting back to back lunkers (it was on my first two casts of the
2009 new year- total miracle), I got nada. And I continued to get
nada all day long.
We then went to intake point for an hour, where Robert almost always
gets a c/r fish, (we both threw them) for nada.
Then to large cove area towards quarry, towards the coves before the
underwater island (U.I.). Robert got on them after I noticed the
graph full of marks as we were leaving. He got them on ice jig, two
dinks (6"), and then one d/s on curly tail shad worm. Me nada on d/s
(20# white braid, straight tie- that's why?) D/S and c/r and
swimbait (me) for more nada.
Then sunken island closer towards quarry off point, 1 hr., nada.
(top was now 25' deep). Me d/s, Robert c/r, then me 12" wat/red flk
worm.
Then to point east off bathroom back towards
ramp, nada d/s or c/r and large worm for about 40 min., 30 to 40'
off point.
Then to 'trees' left side of Ronson's, almost
back in water now. Robert got more dinks on d/s, I tossed s/b- Lake
Fork, then d/s for nada. Sun went behind mtn, deadly cold.
Went to ramp/dam point for more c/r d/s efforts
for last 1/2 hour, nada. Metered lots of fish. Warmer in the sun by
a LOT.
12.15.'10
Diamond Valley Lake
7 am till 4 p.m., me 2, James N. 2
Rained most of morning and early afternoon, cold and a bit windy- but not
bad.
Met James N. (a guide) at 5.30 with his bay boat in R. Bernardo, and
got to DVL by 7. Worked the busters over by the second point,
after going right past the attenuator, but could not quite reach
them. Then worked further north along the points and shore,
more nada. After an hour we decided to give the quarry a try, he had
done well the week before, but after the long run there we fished if
for 20 minutes, but it was dead (no buster, no sign of bait, and no
birds- so dead).
Went to the inlet next but no action/birds so headed back towards
the ramp, stopping at likely coves and points, nada. Went to
Ronson's and found a guy on them pretty good, getting LM bass on
what looked to be a white hair jig, or maybe a small white Senko.
We tried everything but no luck. Went across to 'launch ramp
dam' corner and lots of fish busting. I got two in short order, both
on a green underspin. One went 3#4oz, fought like heck on 8lb test.
Other was a dink.
Click photo to enlarge.
3#4oz fattie, stuffed w/ shad. Hit a green underspin.
Decided to go back to Ronson's dam and boy the action was
unbelievable, I wanted to film it but I wanted to get a fish too.
Got hit on the green underspin and fought one for a second, as did
James, but even with all that we'd landed nada, we were
flabbergasted! Me two, one a 3-4 and one a dink, on green
underspin on 'the road brush' by the close dam, on boils. He got
two, one striper at 3-0 at Ronson's side dam, and one bass at 3-1. I
won the chicken sandwich.
Met pro fisherman Brent Ehrler, sponsored by National Guard and was
fishing on his wrapped boat, with visitor/sponsor "Mr Lucky craft"
and his other Japanese friend at about 1:30 over at the close dam.
Brent got into two lunkers in no time on a 3" white Senko fly lined
and reeled in slowly, showing me that I need to use that system.
Many guys have and all have got good results. Note to self, but 3"
Senkos. I think a white hair jig, which I used the blue one
but lost it, would work well too, but not as weedless.
(Funny, I'd met Brent earlier, in Oct., at
Anglers Marine; photo of us together further down, see 10.6.10).
12.13.'10
Murrieta Hot Springs
Solo / 6 bass
Sunny, warm, from 1.30 till 5.
Valerie hit a bench with a book, in nice warm air for December,
while I hit the water with a spinnerbait setup and a new light blue hair jig,
and got a one pounder in short order, cool. Then put on a light chart. popper (I
found there two months earlier and that won me contest against the
guys) and got a nice 2 pounder working the far end of the shore,
from the intake spot.
Tossed the same popper at the upper pond for an hour, w/ no love.
Then tossed a red/white spinnerbait by canoe, and got three in short
order. Than nada for an hour, but using same bait got one
ripping it on top. Light got great, stopped to get a panoramic (that
I stitched, was iPhone shot).
Click image to enlarge.
The small pond got me two nice ones in the
first hour.
Click image to enlarge.
Me with one of the spinnrbait bass, second one
with wife's finger.
Click image to enlarge.
The east side of the lake, a stitched
panoramic from my iPhone
Click image to enlarge.
Jerry Rago's swimbait bucket
11.21.'10
Went to Bass-A-Thon in Anaheim on Sunday for day two. Above is Jerry
Rago's, swimbait builder extraordinaire, 'swimbait bait bucket'.
_________________________________
11.19.'10
Diamond Valley Lake
Pastor Paul and myself.
Cold and sprinkling all day, looked good.
Water 65 degrees.
Paul three, two largemouth and one
striper.
Me, one largemouth on a T.D.Pencil.
Lots of buster action right off the bat, we got
there at 6:45 and was fishing from the trolling motor only alum.
boat, and Paul got one in the first five minutes. It was slow
picking after that, even though the busters were pretty active all
day. We found the best action in the corner of the east dam, non
stop. That's where Paul got the surprise striper.
Click image to enlarge.
Pastor Paul's largemouth.
Click image to enlarge.
My first nice buster fell for the T. D. Pencil.
Click image to enlarge.
Paul's striper hit topwater,
believe it was a Luckycraft Gunfish.
Click image to enlarge.
Later we ran across Cory Sanden of M.C. Swimbait
fame and he gave us some pointers on targeting the large stripers on
topwater action like he'd gotten, a limit of 10, averaging 12 pounds
each. I got on hit on the Sebile 6" Magic Swimmer but nada for our
hour's effort just off the buoy line. Many times they exploded
the bait balls on top but always out of reach on the second row of
stored boats/ seawall.
Sebile Magic Swimmer / Chartreuse Holo, the color I had.
______________________________
Well, heck, I'm off to Texas soon on a photo
adventure/fishing trip (Lord willing- as of today, 10.16.10, I'm a
week late departing, coolant leak problems on my '97 Dodge Caravan-
260K miles). Maybe leave by the 18th, evening, if I get her
repaired. I plan to update this trip as I go along.
Yes, I left, and it will be too long for this
column, and thus it's own...
10.11.'10
Lake El Capitan Sunny and warm
w/Paul O. Paul- 1, me 3.
Got to the 7-11 at 3, just down from the lake, and Pastor
Paul picked me up and took me in, his boat today. We fished the
rocks towards the dam, his big motor was 'iffy', and then by the
dam, right side. Mostly the new Mattlures Jitterfish, not hits even.
I picked up Paul's new L.C. Stacey SP (suspending) which he'd been
throwing (he heard Gary Dobyn's lecture at Anglers the month before,
Gary is a fool for this lure) but had no luck on. In a few casts I
got a nice 1.5 pounder.
Onward, with the wind, towards N. Shore. We reached the end and
then sped to the island, just a bit further east, and worked the
west side, and then the cove nearby, all for nada. Went towards the
main point and stopped at cove on N. Shore, Paul got a nice 2.5
pounder on the Sammy, just before a lily pad.
We moved to the point, almost time to go, the ranger sped by
heading to the end of the lake. I was not tossing the
mini-popper I'd found at Murrieta two weeks earlier. I got a small
one right on the point, and then another, but a nice 2 1/2, on the
very next cast semi-burning it back to the boat, right at the boat.
Quick photos, fished it a bit more, then headed back to docks, but
stopped at first main point, rocky, on the left first. Some
boilers but no takers. Went to the ramp cove and tried out luck,
last ones out of six off the lake at 6.30. Fun times.
10.8.'10
Discovery Lake
Warm and Sunny 4 to 6 pm.
Fished the afternoon bite w/ Pastor Paul, after getting
turned around at Lake San Marcos, guard would not take 'friend's
name' as entry, needed permit on boat first anyways. Need to
be member to get permit. BUMMER.
We went to Discovery, Paul's first time. We fished the dam, then
I had to go (40th H.S. reunion tonight). No hits, Paul got one after
I left (hit, no sticky, at pipe on Sammy).
10.7.'10
Discovery Lake
Warm and Sunny 3 to 7 pm.
Fished the afternoon bite. Was the day after the storm
went through. One friend reported being SKUNKED at Vail Lake,
which would be hard to believe even IF HE DID NOT FISH LIVE biat,
which he did. So, I got the skunk too. Tried new Skitterfish
lure, and the Super Spook.
10.6.10 Anglers Marine, Santee, lecture by National Guard Pro
Brent Erhler
Click image to enlarge.
Brent Erhler and Michael Seewald at Anglers Marine, Santee, Ca.
10.5.'10
Lake San Marcos
Mattlures 'Jitterfish' swimbait review. How I got a lunker just minutes of
removing it from the packaging!
Warm and Sunny 7 to 10.30 pm.
Me 3, Herbert and Mike C. zippo for our 'mini-tourney'.
Fished the last part of the afternoon, as I got there late. We
had a contest, fished from 7 till 9 and I got three on the small
popper I'd found there the week earlier, then Herbert and Gitta
left. Mike and his wife Rocio stayed, along with Valerie and
I. I fished till 11.30, getting a few more on a fluke. Up at 9 a.m.,
Mike had got up at 6 and had got a 3-8, along with four dinks
already. Fished till noon, got a couple more.
9.28.'10
Lake Cuyamaca
Warm and overcast/ 3.30 to 7 pm.
Solo- 4.
Well, it's been a scorcher lately, this was the cooler
weather today, down to 92 here at Cuyamaca (down from 105 two days
earlier). Arrived at 3.30 and put on waders and fished the south
end. tossed Kermit and the Super Spook on open water, not much of
that down there, and the kick leg from mostly. Got one blow up on
the frog but that was it till 6. Fished towards the opposite end of
the buoy line, which I'd worked towards at first. Water was
down and I could walk out . Beautiful clouds kept me
appreciating the time, as the catching was non-existent.
Sprinkling rain came and went every 1/2 hour, then a beautiful
rainbow came out and I got my first bass 'right underneath' it.
She was a nice one just under 2 lbs. Got some more hits but
the hook in the zoom frog went into it's body, costing me some
hookups. The last few minutes, just after viewing a perfect end to
end rainbow I got a 1 pounder and then landed a real nice one, about
3 lbs. All on the zoom frog.
9.26.'10
Discovery Lake
Warm and Sunny 3.30 to 8 pm.
3 on Kermit
Fished the afternoon bite. They hit the frog when I got it
right on the tulle edge. Fished till dark but nada on the
S.Spook, unlike the time before. Full moon rose the last
hour.. Got three two pounders, fun.
9.21.'10
Murrieta Hot Springs
Warm and Sunny 5 to 10.30 pm.
Michael 1, me 1
Fished the late afternoon w/ Michael, as security guard at the
Del Mar Plaza, wanting to get his first bass, succeeded. Rigged him
up a brush hog for top, but he got her just under the surface. Mine
came on a small popper I'd found just before we left, got the stripe
off my back.
9.15.'10
Lake El Capitan
Sunny and warm
w/Vincent O. - 3, me 3.
Got to the lake at 6 a.m. and got ready to
load up and purchased the launch permit and my fishing permit. Took
all rods except for the swimbait one, just had some skin cancer
removed off my chest yesterday (my first encounter with it, but not the last
most likely- so far Basil Cell, TUL) so I was not supposed to aggravate the stitches.
Vincent was a bit late, about 6.20, and we launched fairly quickly,
maybe too quickly. Later on that.
Click image to enlarge.
My first came on the Super Spook.
Went to the entrance to N. End, just around the
bend, looking for busters that Vincent had been on. Said it was too
early and we sped to the trees, to another of his honey holes, and
just after getting there the busters went crazy. He got one first
cast (an 8" dink), nada for me on my Super Spook or the zoom kick
leg frog. He graphed a lot of fish and started to ice jig, and lost
a couple. It settled down after an hour and we headed back to the
first spot 1/2 way back to the ramp, just by the floating latrine in
the cove, and it was on. He got one and so did I. They mostly
did not want our lures though, the shad were very small (1/2").
Worked 'chasing our tails' as I call it, as you end up moving all
about with the trolling motor to get closer to the busters, but as
soon as you get close they then erupt just out of casting distance
from whence you just came, and shut down at the area you just got
to; this went on for about an hour.
After the sun hit that spot it calmed down and we
then went to a spot just past boulder bay to about 40' depth on some
rocks, metered fish and tossed c/r (him) and t/r beavers (me), for
nada. He'd done well there a few weeks back, getting 5
pounders left and right, but it hasn't produced since.
After a half hour we went back to the trees, to
his first honey hole, but they were not participating.
He tossed a c/r for nada. I kept on top.
Then we worked back to the 'original' honey hole
along the shore, a few hundred yards back to the opening. He got
another on his Gunfish 115 and I tied on my TD Pencil and landed the
biggest of the day, a nice 2-8 right on the shore, on top of
breaking fish, on the first cast.
Click image to enlarge.
My 2-8 hit the TD Pencil right off the
bat.
We worked that area for some time, then went back
to the trees further back, did not see much. Was hoping we'd go back
further in but no such luck, he's really not rigged for froggin', or
doesn't like it much.
We worked back to the shore and then went to
boulder bay and tossed c/r and d/s (me), for nada.
Then brush hogs on "N. Shore", just around the
bend and heading to the island on 'dam arm'. Nada, nice grasses I
thought I'd get one on the frog- no takers.
Went to just past the ramp and I got another on the Pencil, a nice 2
pounder, it was 2.30 and we called it a day. As we pulled up to my
van I noticed the side sliding door was open, passenger side. Did
someone break in, or did I forget to shut it? Saw my waders still
hanging at the door, and a swimbait rod, cool. As we pulled up
all the way, I then noticed the driver door wide open, WHAT THE
HECK! I now wondered if someone broke in, but immediately saw
the doors were still locked, so I unlocked it with the transponder
key. How clueless. I guess once I locked the back hatch, and
locked it with the transponder, I figured it was a done deal. Well,
it looked like someone just made a mad dash into the bathrooms, so
nobody messed with it.
The next day Vincent called me and told me the
ranger lady had asked him, after I'd left, if he knew anything about
the 'float tube guy' missing in the white van, they figured he might
have gone and got drown, his van has been open all day and he was
missing. She said they were about ready to call the helicopter in to
search the water for the body!!! Oh My Gosh, how funny, in a way.
He said "look, the guy's van is gone, and
actually he was with me". Then she got mad at him for me leaving my
door open and scaring everyone, but why get mad, it was a mistake!?
9.14.'10
Lake Murray
Sunny 3:45 to 7 p.m.
with Mike T, 0 bass.
Got to the lake after spending an hour and a half running around
trying to get a 50 amp circuit breaker for the tolling motor wire on
the Answered Prayer (my '87 Skeeter). Mike had never caught a bass,
nor been on a bass boat, so he got to realize one of the two, no
bass. He had been fishing for whatever with small hooks and worms at
the dock. I put a d/s rig on his catfish pole with a shad Robo
worm and we were off, only to return fairly quickly as he'd forgot
to get my launch and fishing permit, which he said he cover. We went
directly left and across from the ramp and fished a cove, and worked
our way to the buoy line towards the dam. I tossed the Punker and
the Zara Super Spook, along with Kermit (Ish's), until she broke off
in the tulles (on 85 lb braid?)
9.13.'10
Discovery Lake
Sunny, cool/cold at
dusk/dark. 6.30 to 10 p.m.
Solo- 7.
Started on by saying hi to 'swimbait Ryan' and
his friend Toby, they arrived just as I was headed in from the car.
Fished the damn as my honey hole was plugged up with a fisherman.
Fished next to some skinny dude from Escondido, he was fishing a
bluegill. Think I saw him before, and three kids on the dock
fishing same. Tossed Kermit (Ish's), and the Punker and Spook, no
hits. After an hour went to an opening towards the 'pipe' and had a
hit on the frog, did not stick.
Was almost dark when I went back to the H.H.,
which was now un-occupied and tossed Kermit for a couple of casts,
then the Punker. Worked it till dark and got one about 1.5,
not pic worthy, at about 7:30. Then tossed the Spook and
slowly, as it got darker, the bite got better. At one point I was
getting hit, or hooked up, with every cast! They were all clone 2
pounders, all very nice fighters, I'll take 'em. The half-moon was
headed toward setting, and I was tossing west, so I had back light,
which made the explosions of them hitting the lure all the cooler.
One on the Punker, about a 1-8, then all the rest on the Zara Super
Spook
I was working the Spook fairly slow most of the
time, and after working it back from the point off the right back to
me, usually one that does not hold many fish, I heard a sucking
sound of something on my lure. I thought either a small
bluegill or bass, or a monster trying to just suck it in. I
kept working it when two seconds later the whole are exploded in one
big eruption of a giant bass slamming the lure. But as fast as I
could react to try and set the hook all I felt was a bit of weight
as she went down and exhaled three treble hooks and a lure from her
throat, somewhere down in the 6' depth -what a bummer. She knew
within a 1/2 second that it was not real and got rid of it. That's
how they get big.
Right after the moon set, about 9.30, I
wondered how the bite would be. They pretty much stopped for
1/2 hour then I got one more.
8:33, 8:37, 8:58 (with moon in back) and the last one at 9:36.
Finished at 10.
9.7.'10
Lake San Marcos
Sunny to overcast, and pleasant, cool/cold at
dusk/dark. 3 to 8 p.m.
Solo- 4.
Got to the lake and launched by 3. Started on the left of
ramp and worked back towards bridge, across and worked the cove
before it, and after another fisherman left from under it, worked it
and the creek way in the back. Mostly tossed Kermit in all the
likely places, lots of grass lines along shore, not a single blow
up.
Worked way back into the creek, until the boat could not get me
through, in some places I had to duck down and work the TM with knee
and hand. Got one blow up and a couple of hits on the TR worm,
no hook-ups. Worked my way back out and then worked the right
side after exiting, tulle and brush lines on deeper water (5-6'),
for nada. Tossed the punch set-up a little into the lily pads,
nothing.
Worked my way back along the west shore tossing Derek's larger
Zara Spook, and now the buzzbait some, for nada. Back under
the bridge and back along the cove I'd worked, lots of nice grasses-
more nada. Worked towards the dam, at the Island outside edge,
and got one finally on the Spook after losing a real nice one on it
that hit close to shore between shore and the island.
Continued working the coves and points going south, and got one
on the buzzbait and a couple of the kick leg frog. Worked a
lily pad 'pod', floating in front of 'Jim's' house, with the punch
setup and finally got my first punch fish, a nice 2-8, on the
outside edge. Jim came out and asked if I'd got his 'big girl', and
I said if she was a 2-8 I did. He said no, she was over 5 and had
been caught a few times. We chatted about his selling one of
his two boats on his dock (smaller 18' sea-going rig for one like
mine), his flat-bottom was a staple of most lake front property
owners and was a keeper.
I continued working the coves and points until just past the
dock, with the action dying with the sun. Back to ramp just
after dark. Fun times. TUL.
9.6.'10
Discovery Lake
Sunny and cool. 6 to 8 p.m.
Solo- 2.
Got to the pond and started on the dock, no one there
surprisingly. Tossed Kermit, the Spook and the Punker, no
hits. Some kid showed up and reported getting them earlier on
bluegils, I told him it was illegal to fish those, which he know I
think, and he fished other baits until his buds showed up, then went
back to that. I left for my honey hole and tossed Kermit first, no
hits, then the Spook, no hits, and then the Punker for two fish
finally right at dusk.
9.3.'10
Discovery Lake
Sunny and cool. 6 to 8 p.m.
zippo.
Got to lake and tried out fixed waders (glued all seams and
sprayed with 'CampDry' water repellant for clothes) and leaks were
minimal, hoped non-existent. Fished my honey hole but nada, frogs,
buzzbaits, spooks (got a bad birds nest at dusk, too dark to
unravel) and Punker. That had never happened at that spot- oh well.
Click photos to enlarge.
Rec'd these shots from a friend, too many drunks in the 'skiing
and wakeboarding department' on the waters nowadays.
8.31.'10
Lake San Marcos
Sunny and cool
Solo- 2 and one cat.
Got to the lake about 7, launched and hitched a
ride with a pontoon boat to the dam (I still have only a trolling
motor on the aluminum boat) and started working my way back.
Got a couple of hits on the buzzbait, then landed one about 1.5 lbs.
Tossed the frog quite a bit, nothing wanted it. Pitched the lily
pads with my Delta set up, nada.
After dark got a nice hit on the frog, then spent
more time with the swimbait. At one spot I FINALLY got one over 10-
one that went 15-2! Tossed my 9" AC Minnow right next to the tulles,
it was solid dark out now, and WHAMMO, just as it landed giant old
explosion- heart started beating soooo fast as she took line out
twice (on 25# test buttoned down) like it was nothing, knew she was
a monster, knew it was for sure my first bass over 10- YAHOO.
Got her to the net and noticed she looked kinda funny, as in catfish
funny. NOT funny, but got a pic of her and let her go. Got one other
bass on the AC, about a two, left at 11 pm.
Click photo to enlarge.
Notice the catfish with that 9" AC minnow, looks
like a small lure, NOT, it's a giant catfish.
Other fish was a bass, about two lbs.
8.30.'10
Discovery Lake
Sunny and cool
Solo- 1.
Got there late, about 7. Had worked on waders,
gluing all seams, then spring w/ 'camp dry' but the still leaked,
new areas and not so bad. Only got one hit, but landed her, on
AC Minnow, 9". Done at dark, about 8.30.
Click photo to enlarge.
8.27.'10
El Capitan Lake, E. San Diego County
Sunny and HOT-breezy
Paul O. 1, me 1.
Met Paul at his house in Ramona and he blessed me
with changing the front breaks on the van. Took 3+ hours and then we
took his boat to the lake. Very hot, 92, but had been 100 all
week so nicer. Went to Vincent's honey hole, I got hits on the
larger TD Pencil, none stuck. Vince said the rattletrap had worked
there pretty well days earlier, but we only wanted top water fish.
Tossed the AC minnow next to deep trees, worked our way back. By 6
we were deep back, and I had a very big explosion on the frog but
bait, I don't think, even made it to the water. Got a nice 3 pounder
finally, heaving her over some brush to land her.
Click photo to enlarge.
Little later Paul gets a nice explosion but
misses, then all heck breaks loose as busters get hit in open water
back there and we both hook up, mine got off and Paul lands his.
8.24.'10
Lake San Marcos
Sunny and warm.
with John O., zippo.
Met John at my house and we picked up the boat on the way over.
Launched about 5 pm, plenty hot out still, sunblock on. We fished
the island and then the cover where our friend Judy lives, who
invited us (private lake, must be invited there to fish). We
took her out and fished the cove, nada. She had to go and we headed
to the dam, getting just past the last house by dark. Got hits on
the fluke, and the frog, nothing stuck. TD Pencil by John got nada,
left at 9:30, was nice at dusk and into twilight, even w/o fish!
8.6.'10
El Capitan Lake, E. San Diego County
Water 78, sunny and cool-breezy
Jerry S. 0, me 6.
Jerry met me at my house at 5 a.m., and after
grabbing a breakfast and lunch to go at J.I.B. we were off. Launched
and fishing by 7 in the north, starting at Vince's honey hole at 8
after hour of trying various areas before the wind came up, as 71#
Motorguide trolling motor went kaput. It had been on the blink since
Otay on Wed. and after spending the whole afternoon the day before
soldering/cleaning all the connections it still ran intermittently.
Nada after about an hour so tossed out a pumpkin
Senko, flylined, and got one fairly fast. Jerry got excited
again and tossed his worm out, but lack of weight, with wind up, did
not work. I got another one, while doing something else and pole
just sitting there, Jerry got perturbed. We did notice some Egrets
working the shore 100 yards south so we pulled up anchor and tried
there. As the TD Pencil hadn't worked, and remembering how well the
full size Spook did before, I put one and got one finally on the
top. Over the next couple of hours I got three more, and had a
few hits. Jerry had a couple of hits on his prop bait, and
then went to his Spook, a smaller version with bright blue sparkles,
but had no success. It was not the bait that didn't work well, it
was Jerry. I kept showing him how to walk the dog with it, reeling
at the same time, but he just could not get it. I used his
bait to show him how, the second cast got nailed and fish on, but
came unbuttoned.
At about one the bite had shut down and we upped
anchor (actually, just shorted the length so it would not hold us in
the winds, now slight white caps) and drifted the shore. Art
Bailey, a good fisherman and worker bee over at Anglers Marine, came
by with my friend Vince on the back of his boat (they had been doing
so-so) and they got one while we got none.
At two we went further back into the trees and
threw the frogs (and me the Punker) but no hits. Left there at 2.50
and got off water by 3.30 due to goof-heads at ramp that could not
land boats.
8.4.'10 (?)
Otay Lake, E. Chula Vista, San Diego County
Water 78, sunny and warn-breezy
Me 3.
Thought it was about time to hit my namesake, Otay Lake (on the
fish-boards, 'otay michael') first time in a loooooong time.
Frog bite should be 'off the hook'. Headed to the shop and picked up
the Answered Prayer (my '87 Skeeter) at 8.30 a.m., joined in the
masses on the freeway headed to San Diego at a crawl. Picked up some
art from my photo lab and got to the ramp by 9.45. Trolling
motor did not work so spent an hour on the ramp taking off all the
contacts to the two batteries... gave up and tried to start the van
to launch the boat anyways, then THAT would not start.
Called AAA and waited over 1/2 hour, realized that even though the
gas warning came on 10 miles from the lake, it was out (20 miles
early). But in the meantime some guy helped me run some electrical
tests and we figured out why the trolling motor would not
work! Great to have that working. Launched at noon after getting
van to start, was fishing back of Harvey's arm by 1 p.m., way later
than the 7 am goal set the night before!
Got two hits on the frog, then landed one that went 3-8. Day was
looking better. Saw a perfect spot by a tulle clump and switched
gear, shot off the TD Pencil and a nice 2 pounded inhaled it. Cool
when you start to get the felling of what bait to fish where, and
when! Lots of grass up to the surface all over the place and saw a
guy fishing the kick leg frog. That just made sense so I tied on on.
Got a nice 2-8 in short order. Trolling motor started acting up
again, was intermittent, oh well.
Finished at sunset, just got back. 1/2 hour ago. Ended up with
three, water was 79 degrees.
Oh yeah, that guy fishing the kick leg frog brought a lunker out of
his livewell for a shot, then noticed it had a pair of birds feet
sticking out of it's throat, saw it, real strange. After he got his
shot, and before releasing, he pulled out the half digested bird but
it was too far gone to tell what it was.
7.30.10
Discovery Lake, N. San Diego County
Went to the lake and on the shore
fishing by 7.10 p.m., at my honey hole. Fairly fast got one on
a Zara Spook, full size, but it threw it half way in. Threw
the frog, the spook, and the Punker but did not get anything until
dark, the Punker got one about 2-8.
Click photo to enlarge.
This one ate the Lunker Punker with a slurp
sound, that's how I knew I had one.
Went to the docks at 8.30, dark out and found an acquaintance,
Ryan, tossing a swimbait. I got one fairly fast on the Punker,
working it slowly, a 3 pounder.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got this one off the docks, then lost one
three times bigger.
His friend Toby got one after that, a 1 1/2 and then a 2 1/2 and
another one about 2, all on the 3:16 six inch hinge plastic 'Shad'
swimbait about 5" long. Left at 10 p.m., just after his third
friend, Danny, showed up and started tossing the SB and 'took my
place'.
Click photo to enlarge.
First swimbait fish in his life, Toby
was VERY excited. He got two more hits, landing one, within 15
minutes.
7.19-24.'10
El Capitan Lake, E. San Diego County
Water 78, sunny and cool-breezy
Vince 9 to 10, me the same.
Met Vince at the ramp at 5.30, plan was to launch
at opening, 1/2 hour before sunrise, but some were on the lake when
we got there already- errrr!
Loaded up and looked for busters (busting fish)
around the docks, nothing. Zipped out to the N. End looking for
same, got more of the same, nada. Worked further back, to just
before the main batch of half sunken trees, more nada. Went
back to the buoy line about 8, and worked plastics along the shore,
me w/ flylined Senko's, Vince with C/R worm. I got one fairly fast,
but nothing after that, at least skunk of the back at 8.30.
Continued working the shore until we finished at Vince's previous
weeks honey hole, would it produce?
Well, it did, and he was the first to get one, it
hit his Gunfish, 115 model. About 3 pounds, cool. He got
another, and then it was my turn, getting one on a TD Pencil, 115
without the feather trail hook, (his had one). Got one more
after Vince got another, things were heating up, was about 10 and
sunny.
Click photo to enlarge.
First to get a big one, Vince's three
pounder.
We worked it some more, me throwing the Lunker
Punker, per Vince's suggestion, nice 2.8 on, and then another a
little later on. Only concern was to get them in before they
dug into the brush, which was everywhere below us, depth only 7' and
we were 50' from shore.
Click photo to enlarge.
First Lunker Punker fish, had another
one a little later.
I put on the full size Zara Spook about 11, and they started
tearing it up. At one point we both hooked up at the same
time, a double hook-up, YIPEE!
Click photo to enlarge.
Double Hook-Up... Good Times!
Within half an hour I got three more, one went
3lb3oz on the scale, the biggie for the day. Had another hit
the Punker as Vince got three quickies on the Rattle Trap replica
lure (Rattling Vibe by Cabalas). Mike, a tourney fisherman in
a B-U-T-FULL Maroon colored Triton circled us like a vulture on a
dying fish, trying to get in and get on our fish, but kept his
distance and we continued to get 'em.
Click photo to enlarge.
I continued to get solid fish, mostly 2-8 to 3
pounds, solid buggers.
Ended up with 9 to 10 each, we both lost count in
all the action. Back to docks at 1.30, had to get to work at the
gallery, a man HAZ-2-PAY-Z-REnT!
UPDATE: Just called Vince, he ended up getting another 15,
fishing to almost dark, what a great fishery. TUL!
7.19-24.'10
California Delta, Central Calif..
Each
day clear, sunny and cool (87 to 90) with moderate to heavy winds,
mostly cooler ones.
Everyone was reporting the temps
had been having big swings (88, then 95, then 100, then 87, etc.)
and thus the frog bite, as well as most others, was near
non-existent. I prayed for consistency, whatever the temp, as I
heard that was what was needed, but mostly a run of 100 degrees,
that was said to be best.
Water temp averaged 76 mid day in
most areas.
OVERVIEW
Actually, I fished five out of six
days, did not know how my elbow would hold up, it gets sore
now-a-days if I throw all day (10 hour minimum but I go from dawn to
dusk back home- that could be 14 hours of casting, e-gad man, no
wonder the elbow hurts the next day!) but it held up ok.
Averaged 10 to 11 hours per day on the
backseats of some fine fisherman's boats (Scott Johnson 'ScottyJ',
Lloyd 'Roaroar', Rich Smith, Marty 'Marty' and Derek Rowan (D-man).
Stayed at friends in Davis, an hour 15 minute drive to and from
daily, up at 4 am and to bed by 10 or 11 made it tough on these
semi-old bones!
The bite continues to be tough, I averaged about 1 bass per trip,
skunked on Rich's (he got a few, a 3.5 on the frog and one about 7
or 8 on the jig, he only weighs 'em when they get close to 10!!!
Could have got more but wanted to stay with the pre-fish pattern all
my boaters were throwing, besides it's my favorite pattern this time
of year anyways, hitting or not.
Got to see Bobby B's lecture over at Gone Fishing Marine, nice
place. Great job Bobby, leaned a ton about punching too, next time
I'm going to work that in a bit too.
My first iPhone, the 3G
(getting new 4 on order- got a 30 day window to return and it came
out in that time frame) really helped me as I kept notes on the
voice recorder every day. Otherwise I'd forget the name of spots,
how many caught, time returned as when you are tired, and on the
water so many days in a row, some of us have it all 'blend in'
together. I even used the GPS feature to find out just where in the
heck we were on all those sloughs.
Main Highlight- every cast knowing I could get a 15.77, more or
less!!!
Second highlight- screaming all over the Delta with these crazy
guys, sometimes reaching speeds of 65 (could not go much faster even
though someone like Rich's Ranger hits 75) as we were sometimes
going into 25 mph winds too; THUS finding out there are cavities up
in your brain area you never thought you had, or ever thought you'd
be able to locate if you did- how do you spell exhilarating? You
see, my older Skeeter only gets to 45, and the winds in San Diego
don't get anywhere near those white-cap bruisers you average up
there.
Arrival night:
Arriving Sunday evening the 18th, and having just
finished giving a four day photo class in Carmel, I was roaring to
get a monster! I pulled into Russo's launch ramp area hoping to get
a last minute dusk bite 'backseat'! It was 7 pm and I found that the
'Teen Future Pro' tourney was just wrapping up; local guide/pro
Cooch puts it on yearly. Saw, and said hi to, Gary (ex-pro I'd
met at the Clearlake rally's for the past two years), TonyS from
W/B, and Cooch among others. A few were going to Clearlake at 3 a.m.
for a small two day 'rally' event and wanted me to join. I'd thought
hard about it, but as I already had two backseats set up for the
next two days I graciously declined.
Gary introduced me to Rich Smith, a local pro,
saying he might also be able to take me out. Sure enough, he
volunteered to take me out on Wednesday, TUL! I listened to his and
Gary's stories of fishing professional events, and then thought
processes for now catching bass on the Delta, for about an hour and
then went to shore fish. I threw the frog for an hour around the
docks and then headed to Davis at dark, about 9 pm.. I'd been
offered a room to stay w/ old friends from the San Diego area. Got
'home' at 10.30 pm and hit the sack at 11.30, just before they
arrived back from the airport, they'd been to Hawaii.
Day 1 - Monday the 19th of July.
Two for Lloyd, two for me.
Up at 5 a.m., stopped for a bagged
breakfast and coffee in Dixon at the J.I.Box, (and got extra
ultimate breakfast sandwich for lunch, like I did every day).
I was going to start my week w/ Lloyd
(roaroar on W/B fishboard), and met him at his house in Dixon at 6 a.m., a 15
minute drive from Davis. His new Skeeter (had 20 hours on it
when he purchased it from a pro) was hooked up to his truck. He is
planning to fish the Snag Proof w/ a Ron Brown, 58 year old retired
pro with a bit of a back problem, and was pre-fishing every other
day. After a quick load up we were off.
We started just N. of 'the
Fingers' after launching out of B&W Marina off Hwy 12.
He got a dink fairly early on, 8", on a small two part L/Craft
wake-bait with a lip, new to me. We then worked 'the fingers' for
two or three hours, all along the tide going out. I got a blowup on
the frog, but just before the tide went slack at 10.30 a.m. I tossed
the L/C TD Pencil, 115, and got two at the entrance of finger number
two, one went almost 2 lbs, the other 1 lb., stripe off the back I
went back to the frog. EVERYTHING looked so fishy!
We hit some more nice
looking areas and eventually worked over, in into, Mildred Island. I
suggested to Lloyd if he had a yellow-headed blackbird pattern frog
to try it, and five minutes later he got a two pounder on it. We
worked a lot of 'fishy' areas around there, but that was it for the
day; we headed in and got back to Dixon at 6.45 p.m.. I missed a
nice fish or two, but their hearts were just not into it, or maybe
I'd better set those hooks faster huh?
To bed after chatting w/
friends at there home by 11.30.
Click photo to enlarge.
First day out w/ Lloyd, camera shy but boat wasn't, so here is a
pic.
Day 2 - Tuesday the 20th
Three for me, five for Scott.
Up at 4.30 a.m., I was to
meet Scott Johnson at Russo's at 6 a.m., and after loading and a
quick pic of him next to his boat in nice morning light we were off to
'the wall' per my suggestion. But no swimbait action either side, saw no
bait or small stripers, which are always there!!? Heard it was not
like it used to be and I never saw anyone fishing it anytime I ever
went by, which was daily. Marty said 'lack of weeds', and sure
enough I did not see the cheese or hydrilla- I usually do. Worked it
all the way to where I lost my monster and then went to the 'new
housing' in Sand Mound slough. There is no real new housing, just
hundreds of new docks put into newly dug canals/sloughs by the
hundreds, but the company went bankrupt before building any actual
homes, it was a eerie place.
Click photo to enlarge.
Day 2 - I went out with Scott Johnson, here he
is after launching from
Russo's Marina on Bethel Island.
Scott got one fairly fast
off a new spinnerbait color he had 'Jigs' on WB make, with skirt of
watermelon/red and black flake, like the color of the go-to plastic
colors. It was a dink of about 8".
I threw the frog mostly.
After working some deeper dock poles for nada w/ the Senko Scott did
got two dinks on it on the points, and I got some hits but none
stuck. I tossed the TD Pencil and got a nice 1#10 oz bass in deeper
water between docks. We worked our way out but nothing hit on the
entrance, now our exit, which we had saved as Scott had got a 6 on
one corner previously.
We no-waked it over to my
'6 pounder honey hole' and at low tide I got to see why it always
produced; there was a railroad tie embedded sideways in the bank,
just under the high water mark. I'd never fished it at low, or
semi-low tide, so now I know why it's so great.
We worked the opposite
bank, east side headed back towards Franks, he with his spinner and
me with a crawfish colored Bomber 'Square A' bait I'd found at
Discovery Pond in San Marcos two weeks earlier that worked well at
M.H.Springs too. I got one in short order, a 1 pounder. He
said in the winter the pipes that drape over the levee work well for
crankbait fish, most produce.
Click photo to enlarge.
Scott got two on the frog. Cicadae Pattern
Snag Proof frog.
We went to an area that
had been producing for him, just along the outside of the Little
Mandeville and he got into one fairly fast on the frog. About 1/2
hour later he got another, they were coming out of the weed patch
lines in 6 to 8 foot of water. Nothing seemed to be up under the
trees with overhangs, which were plentiful. Probably would be good
at high tide.
Click photos to enlarge.
Got one on my Spro popper, green frog. Tongue
deal is for proof in a small contest I'm in that I caught it during
a certain time frame.
He let me take the trolling motor while he retied
once and I got one on the frog just over the grasses too. It'd hit
half-heartedly and I kept walking it and it hit again. Yeah, skunk
of the frog baits was over finally. We worked
the whole area back again, this time in the opposite direction.
Had one good hit for me in some back brush but she wouldn't go
again.
We went to another of his honey holes, as well as
to Cruiser Haven, my first time there, but nada, all on the frog.
Found an excellent slough with tons of 'cheese mat' that stretched
for 400 yards and was 100 yards wide, with a boat trail we could
just barley make it through, with 'cuts' here and there someone had
made half way to the levees where tulle patches grew. We got a
couple of blow up and thought when Scott returned it might be really
be good. He came back three days later, Saturday, and the stuff was
half gone!
We made it back to Russo's by 5 p.m. as I did not
want to overwork my body as I was going out again the next day with
pro Rich Smith and was not able to get much sleep due to distances
traveled and times needed to start. I also wanted to make the
Bobby Barrack lecture over in Dixon which started at 6.30. Got
there, with traffic, a little later than that.
Click photos to enlarge.
End of day two got off the water in time to go see
Bobby Barrack at
'Gone Fishing Marine"
in Dixon California. Great lecture on frog and punching patter
fishing.
NOTES from Bobby. Frogs-
Tie hook together w/ braid, then super glue it.
Add weight to ones for throwing over giant cheese areas. He has a
special one made by Snag Proof, but can make hook-ring unstable as
you open it to put it on.
Take half weight off frog for open water working.
Use the thumb for the drag on bigger ones that will dash under the
boat, just deck anything under six as 50 # test it's no problem.
Work the bait VERY SLOW, if the bite is tough.
They CAN see color on cheese, he went under it and looked for
himself.
Cicada, Tweety and Sparrow his main three bait colors.
Trims legs down, for 'walking' better, from outside in, staggers
each from short to long.
Believes more parabolic sweep of pole better, hook-sets stronger and
surges of bigger fish more apt to hold better.
Punching-
Uses 100# PPro, would use 200 if they made it.
Ounce to ounce and a half. Just jiggle wiggle and it will fall
through, no need to sky-high tosses.
Day 3, Wednesday the 21st.
Rich seven, four on punching, one about
7-8, three on frogs, one went 3-8!
Me- skunked! Missed about four blow-ups and one punching!
VERY windy at the end of the day.
Got to bed at 11 p.m. and
up at 4 a.m., got to ramp by 5:40, meeting time requested by today's
partner Rich Smith, at Russo's.
Rich is a beginning pro of about two or three years, and his wife
Julie is a fisherperson too and supports his profession, but works
full time herself. He used to be a top executive of some sort
and did well for himself, and his investments help support him too.
He fishes mostly west coast, as the cost to fish them further away
can be a bit prohibitive, but has fished tourneys the entire country
over now.
We made what seemed like a
long run, at least for me- they say it's usual, of over 10 miles at
full speed down to a slough two down from Holland Marina, where he
usually does well on certain tides (always a factor with Delta
fishermen I found). We tossed top, he the black buzzbait w/
a stinger, which is his go-to bait early over the grasses for
lunkers. I tossed the Lunker Punker, all for no hits. He worked a
tulle spot, a spot on the spot as we say, just 10 yards south of the
island we were working - he usually gets one every time, throwing a
jig. A new Dean Rojas floater crawfish, watermelon with about
a 1/2 to 3/4 oz bullet weight with a watermelon skirt.
Got his 3.5 at 3 PM at
White's slough.
Ended the day at
Fisherman's Cut, last hour and a half. Got to fish the front, missed
two hits, for one hour. VERY windy, casting into wind. He got a
monster on the jig (jig outside tulles, punching in cheese or
plants).
Ended at 4.30 p.m.,
learned to 'watch the water', is it pushing bait into islands where
big bass might be waiting? Learned to switch hands mid-cast so
you're ready to swing on the explosion that might happen. Learned to
keep frog rod pointed at bait and work it slower, walking dog more
and letting stop more (did this pausing semi-well already). Was
really blessed going out with Rich, he is an excellent stick that
reads water well, and teaching with patience and determination to
have you learn.
Click photos to enlarge.
Rich Smith. 3#8oz on a frog, the
7 to 8 on a Dean Rojas floating craw, watermelon red flake I
believe, TR w/ 1/2 oz bullet weight and skirt..
Day 4 - Thursday the
22nd.
A day off. Much needed, give the body a
rest from casting, standing and got to sleep in.
Day 5 Friday the 23rd
of July.
8 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Marty one (Jig), me one
(frog).
With Marty Martinez, on the BassaNova
aluminum.
Click photos to enlarge.
Day five, after a day off, went out with
Richard 'Marty' Martinez. His small one came on a jig.
Want to get a feel of how fast we move from point A to point B on a
bass boat going full throttle? Click the above 41 second video!
Marty answered my request the night before over
on the WesternBass website for a back-seater after I PM'd him and a
couple of other guys. He called as I'd not responded (was 11
pm and I was off my friends computer and in bed) so I almost missed
it! We scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. at Russo's, thanks God, a little
extra sleep for me, YEAH!
Stopped at Delta Outdoors (sister shop to Clear
Lake Outdoors) in Oakley and thought the salesmen looked familiar.
Young dark-skinned Dave introduced himself, and then older Dave
reminded me he's seen me at Clearlake outdoors. Got two new Snag
Proof frogs, one black and one white, and a punching setups.
Bob Tosh bobber stoppers, Bob Tosh punching skirts (watermelon) and
some 4/0 hooks and some Dean Rojas floating crawdad baits,
watermelon. $44 and then onward.
Marty was tapping his feet with arms crossed as I
drove up at 8.02 saying we were missing it! He's funny. Got on
water, with all 8 of my poles this time as he said it didn't matter
to him, and went to N. Frank's Tract to an area inside the False
River opening. He tossed an A.C. Minnow, 7", and me the Punker. Nada
over, around or between the grasses.
He then showed me his new tail for the Minnow,
one of frog leg strands, but was having a tough time keeping it in
place. I instantly saw the benefits (of not losing the kick-tail
they tear off that comes with it) and will make some for mine.
Went over to Fisherman's cut and worked the same
areas Rich had worked just two days previously. I did not tell Marty
that as each spot is hush-hush for pre-fish, not that I did not want
to let him know, but I could tell what worked and when, and did!
We worked the area on the mouth of it, the north
end, where the San Joaquin flows by. Got a hit on the jig but missed
her. We worked deep and shallow, and along some tulle islands
there for nada. He says he usually gets them pretty well
there- oh well.
We went across Frank's Tract and went down
Holland Cut making a right on Rock Slough, going by Holland Marina,
to the end where it adjuncts Sand Mound Slough, separated by a
earthen dam (levee). We went under a small bridge and went to
the inlet. Marty believe that crawdads get washed in and the
bass are waiting for them on this side. Nada. We fished both
corners and started to work around the island in the middle, I had a
nice blowup from a small one, then Marty had two blow up and then
hooked into a nice 3 pound chunk which came un-buttoned half way
back to the boat as she shook her head on top while he surfed it in.
Bummer.
We got another couple of hits and he realized it
would be a spot for his tourney. Worked under the bridge and along
the right side going out. He gets them there too and I got another
blow up. Looked better than how it produced, could only imaging how
it would produce once the bite starts!
About 4.30 his back started hurting (he's a little older than me,
at 62) and I know of which he speaks. We got back, loaded up and I
left by 5.
Day 6, Saturday the 24th.
7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear
skies, again, cool winds, about 90 degrees tops. Water 76.
Derek 2, me one.
Went out with Derek Rowan on his Triton, we'd
fished together a couple of time the year before, once at Clearlake
rally and later, last Oct., on the Delta for two days. I'd gotten a
9 on the Punker, only fish for the day, next day he gets the solo
fish, a niner also on a paddle-tail swimbait.
We left from Orowood Marina after meeting at 7
a.m., as I'd told him nobody had got anything all week before 9 or
10 a.m.. As we started working out way out of the no-wake zone just
headed out of Orowood down the Werner Dredger Cut Derek says 'who is
this idiot parked and fishing in the middle of the slough'! I didn't
see the problem, plenty of room to go around him, and as we came up
on the boater I noticed it was Scott J. at the same time he noticed
it was me. He had his uncle on the back of his boat; Derek was
surprised to find out I knew him.
We high tailed it up to the end of Venice Cut, on
the San Joanquin, and he got a two pounder right off the bat on a
frog out of some sunken trees off the main river. We worked
that area, and then at 9.30 I got mine on the same (about a two also
on the Snag Proof black Ish frog).
Click photos to enlarge.
Goofy pose needed to prove the month taken for a fishing contest
photo. Got this one on my new Ish Snag Proof frog, black, on
Disappointment Slough.
Later on, at 2 p.m., as we
fished Little Mandeville, Scott gives me a call. Thought it might be
a fish report, but his boat was broken down, he thought he'd blown
the motor and wanted to know if we were still fishing, if so were we
close by and if so could we give him a tow? I did not want to leave
and I asked, as did Derek, if he could still fish w/ the trolling
motor for another 1/2 to 1 hour, we would then be done. He said yeah
as his phone got cut off, bad reception. Half hour later he
called back to say he'd cleaned weeds out of the intake and it
started ok.
We continued to frog fish
a very larger area of cheese, one that netted Derek fish the week
before, but the water had been higher. We did not get touched, but
it sure looked good.
I lost him again
mid-sentence and we went to another area to try. After about an hour
Scott calls again and says the motor stopped, was still at the swing
bridge in Connection Slough and needed a tow. Lost him again and
Derek headed that way, as we were done anyways and had to go by that
spot anyways. Tried calling after we got there as he wasn't there,
but could not reach him. On our way back, a quarter mile further
south, we ran across them limping back, making it alright and waived
as we went by. We got back to Orowood and cleaned up Derek's boat
and he put it in covered storage.
Derek got another around 3, just about a half
hour before we headed in, on the frog.
Called Marty as I'd left
my jacket in his boat, it was 5:30 at that point, and got his
address in Brentwood.. I found the directions on my new iPhone
and picked it up, saw his new and improved tail on the AC Minnow and
said my goodbyes again. Gassed up at Costco in Tracy by 6 p.m.
and got home at 12.30 that night. At 70 to 75 mph, surprised
to do it so soon. AND I did not need any more gas, getting
home before the 'low fuel' warning came on, a small miracle as I'd
never got past LA, or for sure, Orange County before! TUL.
Next year count me in on this Snag Proof tourney! And I truly had a
blast, again thanks to all that blessed me with back-seats on your
boats, for compliments when I did well and constructive criticism
when I didn't.
Can't wait for another
trip up there after teaching up in Napa Sonoma in September- sure do
love this sport.
7.14.'10 Lake Nacimiento
7:15
p.m. till 8:45 p.m.
Four on TD
Pencil, one on Lunker Punker
Warm and sunny.
I usually stop at this lake on my way to Carmel, this was my
third time. I park at the entrance to the lake, by the dam,
and walk down for an hour or so. Got so many hits it was
funny, they sure love the topwater there. Some gentleman came down
and joined me for a few minutes and said he'd never seen the big
size I was getting. Thing is, they were only 1 to 1.5 pounds!
In the end, I threw the Punker and really got a nice one, about 2.50
lbs.
7.6.'10
Murrieta Hot Springs
Solo 8 / 3.3 to 8.30 / Cool 83 degrees, bit
windy, as usual. NICE overall.
Actually, Herbert was there
from noon to 6. He ended up w/ 7, all on d/s. Hot Pink has been his
hot ticket. I got mine on crawdad shallow diver Bagley
crankbait I found the night before at Discovery (3), fluke (1), TD
Pencil (3) frog 0, d/s (1).
Bagley
Biggest went 2.2 lbs in the small pond, on the TD
Pencil.
7.5.'10
Discovery Lake
Solo 8 / 4 to 8.30
5 on TD Pencil 115, 3 on Punker, biggie got off,
all at the honey hole.
Fished dock, then dam, then 'hill' for nada, called
cal-tip on dock dudes fishing bluegill. By 6 pm I was at honey hole, and
finished there at 8.15. Fished the TD Pencil for first hour, got 5, one
got off.
Click image to enlarge.
2 pounders, one of five clones, on the TD Pencil by Lucky Craft
Then the frog for an hour, nada, no hits.
Then the Punker till dark, got three with a very large one getting off just
after hitting, was a blast of dusk trip, TUL.
Click image to enlarge.
2 pounder, one of three, on the Lunker Punker.
Click image to enlarge.
2.5 pounder, on the Lunker Punker.
Note the haziness, the new
iPhone got damp in my ice chest, which I thought had gotten dry from
many days of being open. Thank God it dried out after a day, $200
w/insurance to replace it, $600 without- YIKES.
Don't forget... take a kid fishing, they'll
cherish it their entire life!
Or help one on shore you might see struggling, make a difference in life, and IN
a life. MS
7.9.10
Michael Seewald
Galleries
Del Mar Plaza
1555 Camino Del
Mar, Ste. 312, Del Mar, California, 92014 USA
Phone: 858.793.3444
Open Wed. thru Sun., 2 p.m. till 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturdays till 10 p.m..
Call first if
going out of your way, we sometimes close to run errands.
