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

Michael Seewald's
fishing adventures for 2006.

From the most recent.

Lake El Capitan (El Cap)
Dec. 10th, 2006

Me solo, 0 fish.

Rained all last night and still drizzling.  Left home at 5:30 and was fishing by 6:30.  Tried my best until 4 p.m.. Water temp at 58, air about the same after warning up.  Went and tried to fish 'deep', 20 to 30 feet, as I heard that's where the bass have move to.  Tried around the docks first two hours, drop shotting as a tournament had been fished the day before, netting some 200 or so released fish there, but no hits.  Tried blades across boat launch towards dam arm for nada. At 10 went and tried to find Alain and his partner Dale, who were pre-fishing for a club tourney.  They had two small ones on Carolina rigged lizards at 30' down in the main lake area.  Fishing the dam area with dropshot and a rock island with that and a blades for two hits.  Back to dock back arm rocks and lost one on a Ika up on shore dropoff due to too small of a hook (I'd found it already with he hook earlier, should have upsized the hook, tired side hooking it but the hookset drove the point into the bait instead.

At noon thirty said goodbye to Alain (he has a new silver Ranger with a 250 Optimax -sweet).  Worked the rocks again and lost a second one on the Ika, - green pumpkin.  Tried the other side of the docks for nada and back tot he Islands with dropshot and then the swimbait for nada.  Got real cold out at dusk. 

Note: the day before there was a NBW fishing tournament with 67 teams.  Winning weight was 19+ lbs..  An 11 pounder was also caught.  It was because it was prior to the storm.  Ben said they got 'em on drop-shotted reapers and jigs up near shore, 5' of water with drop off to 12'.  They hit it on the fall from 5'.

Lake El Capitan (El Cap)
Nov. 10th or so, 2006

Me solo, 0 fish.

Just for two hours in the afternoon to check new Lowrance X17 and it works sweet.  Lost a 5 lbr. at the boat on blade, first rock point left of the islands.  Saw Alain driving new Ranger to put hours on it, not fishing.

Jennings
Nov. 17th, 2006

From 7 till 4. Mostly trout fishing with Herbert (4 trout to 2 lbs.) on nightcrawlers.  Tried some bass fishing before and after.

Jennings
Nov. 17th, 2006

Swimbaits with 'Bassgod' on his aluminum boat (he eventually got 4 or 5 on Rapala X-rap after our 2 hours of nada).  I back seated and got zippo on my jerkbaits of varying styles.

Jennings
Nov. 12th, 2006

First time with wife and newly turned 16 year old friend Skylar.  1 trout after getting some night crawlers as they would have none of our Powerbait first three hours.

Lake Hodges-
Nov. 1st, 2006

Me solo, 0 fish.

Up at 5:15 and left at 5:30 to shop, was already getting light out; I'd forgot about the time change for the morning light; as of Sunday, it is now getting dark at 5 instead of 6. On water by 6:30 and fished topwater for first two hours in narrows for nada. Called Alain and got advice, blades and Senkos. Tied on a Revenge spinner bait and fish on five minutes later, about 2 pounds. It tossed the lure at the boat. Oh, a 'Barrett friendly' lure; barbless, no wonder. 20 minutes later the same thing happens and I lose another one when it jumped, just prior to power line rock pile working south.

Worked the Bernardo arm tree for nada and the back area too. Met a gent named Aaron and partner, they were throwing light green Senkos and got one in the back area I'd just fished. They gave me three and I gave them a dozen Mutants of varying colors. Worked the narrows back towards boat dock and then Del Dios cove at dusk, nada, nada. Was switching between the Senko and the spinner.  Very tough bite, high pressure again.

Lake Hodges-
Oct. 29th, 2006

Me two bass, Herbert 0.

Met at shop at first light, 6 a.m., and on water by 7. Fished the narrows, shadowed west side topwater for nada. Went to rockpile and nada there, then to back of the 15 trees for nada there. Worked back towards the buoy line and had a 2 pounder hit an 8" Sluggo and then got a dink, 10", on a Daiwa TD Pencil at about noon. We worked the narrows some more then over the my old honeyhole for nada. Worked the Del Dios cove trees and Herbert got one on a buzzbait but it threw the lure at the boat. We fished till dark, 6:15, and called it a day. High pressure system making it very tough conditions.

Otay Lake -
October 25th, 2006

Wanted a little more 'end of the season' topwater (see the following 'previous weeks report') and drove all the way (one hour) to the lake, getting there at 3:30 p.m.; only to find the lake too low to launch boats!  So I turned around and went home.  It was to be my last day at Otay for the year as it was closing in another week anyways.

Otay Lake -
October 18th, 2006

Me solo, 1 bass.

I did fairly well at my alma mater, Otay, this afternoon. It's been a couple of months and man is it way down, and the tulles are all mostly out of the water. I was concerned about topwater working without a place for them to be near, but that was not a problem once I found the pattern.  And that was to go next to the shore with a steep drop off (by Harvey's arm) and fish parallel to the shoreline.

I tossed the big Sluggo 8" and was creating some real havoc with it on the surface trying to call up a big one.  I was gabbing to a float tuber at one point and looking at him instead of my bait and then I fell fish on.  But I could not reel down fast enough to load up on her as she swam towards the boat faster then I could reel and it finally let go. It was the first bummer of the afternoon, but not t be the last.  I put on a buzz-bait and got a scrappy 10" one after heading into the Otay Arm shore, then nada until getting into that first cove on the right.  It metered 15' or so in the deep channel but 5' or so on the shore slopes, seemingly perfect for a big bass transition area.

I was now tossing a Sammy, a Spook style bait but the many thin grasses that were floating all over were killing it's action when I snagged them every other cast. I was burning it back in after yet snagging again when whammo, a strong strike on it and fish on.  It fought long and hard and took line a few times and when I finally got it up near the surface I saw it was at least a four pounder; I was so excited on getting one that was worth weighing that I reached into the tackle box for the scale while I was still fighting it near the boat. With scale in hand I turned and watched, dumbfoundedly, as it jumped and tossed the lure, and that's when I saw how big she actually was, at least 6!! How do you spell bummer?

Note to self: next time land the fish first, then weigh it.

Another note to self: next time have the net out and ready so you CAN land the fish first to weigh it.

Colorado River - Yuma, Arizona area.
October 12th, 13th and 14th, 2006

October 12th, 13th: Fishers Landing and Martinez Lake. October 14th: Lake Mittry.

Herbert K., Mike C. and I.
Multiple bass each day.

Water temp.: Fishers 76/ Mittry 72.

At 10 a.m. Thursday morning we started our Colorado River two night, three day outing by hooking up the Answered Prayer to Mike C's smooth running Ford 150 clean burgundy colored truck.  It would be my 8th or so time over there in my lifetime, 5th in the past decade, Mike's second and Herbert's first. They are both relatively new at bass fishing and both had prepared with new lures to try as well as new rods and reels with fresh line.

By 3 p.m. we checked into our motel room (America's Best Value Inn) in Yuma where we had reservations for two double beds and a rollaway. We grabbed some quick Burger King grub and then stopped at the local Pro Bass supply store (Sportsman's Hideaway), on the edge of town, to fill a hole in Mike's arsenal- a frog lure.  Being one of my specialties, I suggested the Dean Rojas Spro Bronzeye frog , and they had it in stock in all colors.

Day One - Fisher's Landing (map)

Then we continued out to Fisher's Landing, about a 50 minute, 35 mile drive from town, up along the river, where we launched the boat in 90 degree heat and started to fish by 4:30 p.m..

We had our first 'in-boat mini-tournament' with the reward of the regular beds going to the two fisherman whom caught the biggest fish. For the first 20 minutes we just got our line wet but then the action started.  Mike got a keeper but only a smaller model on a small swimbait.  I got the next one, about 1.5 lbs on a TD Pencil, topwater, but Herbert got one moments later at little over 2. 

Click photo to enlarge.

Herbert hits one over 2 lbs on a frog while fishing it right next to my TD Pencil lure at 5.30 p.m..  Mike adding a dramatic look?  More of a prophetic scream from losing and having won the cot?  Well, little did he know, this bass was the nail in his coffin as far as beating him for the double bed.  He did not bring one in bigger that evening.

We got a couple more and finished our tournament at 7 p.m. (was dark by 6:30) but kept fishing until 8:30 p.m..  Mike got a nice one on a small, fat crankbait at 6:45 and I got a nice two pounder at 8:15 p.m. on my own Dean Rojas frog.  (As it's completely dark all you get to do is hear the splash when they hit and you reel down and set the hook.)  Exciting stuff.

So in the end, the top two in size were still caught by Herbert and I so Mike had the privilege of getting the 'cot'.  We loaded the boat on the trailer by 9 and drove back, skipping dinner. We hit the sack by 11 p.m..

Day Two - Fisher's Landing/ Martinez Lake.

Up at 5 a.m. and packed up the boat in pitch blackness for our second day.  Stopped at Denny's for sandwiches to go and were greeted with wonderful clouds on our drive out that would end up keeping the heat down a bit (by a whole 1 degree but the non-direct hit of the sun was very refreshing) and topped off the beauty of desert, mountains, lakes and rivers.  (See pic below).

For our fun 'in-boat mini-tournament' of the day it was agreed upon to have the fisherman whom caught the largest fish to be treated to a steak dinner at the Texas Roadhouse in beautiful downtown Yuma by the other two. The deadline to finish was set at 7 p.m..

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Herbert and our first morning of fishing.

 
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Another shot of our first morning.

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Mike proving the weight of his first morning bass.

I caught the next three fish, each one weighed in at exactly 1.13 to tie him for the 'biggest fish' three times over!  (What are the odds of that happening?)

Hours later Mike finally pulls out a spectacular win with a tie-breaking fish of 1.15 with only 15 minutes left.  We saw a breaking fish and he tossed a soft-bait at it and fish on. 

I ended up with a much higher total than my competitors for the day (12 bass) and second place.  But close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes, right?  Congrats Mike, well done. On this night we only fished a little past our 7 p.m. deadline as we had Mike's  free 'tournament winner' dinner to attend to- and another early start to make the next day.  We enjoyed a Jacuzzi to ease our muscles at 10 p.m. after unloading the boat and the truck and hit the sack by 11.

Click photo to enlarge.

Sunset was at 6 p.m., and was dark by about 6:30 but we fished day two until a little past 7.

Day Three - Mittry Lake.

Up at 5 a.m. again and picked up some McDonalds breakfast items for later on.  Found the Mittry Lake launch ramp (no amenities or snack bars, only camp sites there) and Mike starts off with getting the stripe off our boat with his first spinner blade bait he ever used, a chartreuse BOOYAH brand he just got at Wally's World (Wal-Mart).  Within minutes we were all tossing blades but that would be about it except for a couple Mike would lose on them later on and one that I'd get at noon.

The wind was a bit brutal overall and the clouds were mostly gone, but the wind did keep the heat from seeming to hot, unless we would get behind some tulles as a windbreak, then we would feel it.

Click photo to enlarge.

Mike started to pose with the first bass of the day but almost fell overboard instead. (Three is a bit crowed for the boat with all the gear around and I almost feel over later while trying to avoid it all in a rocking boat and walk around too).  Here he is almost completely righted by Herbert.  My journalism photographic background started to shine again.

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Here, Mike gets his composure back to show off what he hoped to be a winning fish, a 2.7 oz beauty, caught at 7:10 a.m..  He was sitting pretty for about an hour- see next pic.

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Here Herbert & I at pose with my 2.13 oz. bucket mouth, tricked by a buzzbait. 

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Here is a better view of the 'winning'  buzzbait fish again,

My bass was a very healthy specimen caught just two feet from shore in shallow water at 8 a.m..  I saw the water move just before it sped over to the lure and inhaled it with a big crash on the surface, one hungry dude and a good fighter too.
 

Click photo to enlarge.

Here is Herbert's entry, a 1.12 for his biggest fish,
which fell a bit short and he ended up with the smallest 'big fish'.
(Nice capture Mike, I was wrong; this camera captured
shadow detail better than I expected).

I prayed that we would all get a big fish before we had caught any and the Lord answered my prayer, big being relative I guess. We figured these would be the first of many but not so.  A couple of lost ones and another landed by me at about noon was about it.  So not many fish caught but they were much larger models over the previous two days at Fishers Landing and Martinez Lake.

Herbert lost a couple of nice ones that kept throwing the lure before being landed, one he guesses at about 5 pounds, but it was after the 11 a.m. tourney finish time anyways.  So my 2.13 # fish ended up getting the 'big fish of the day', topping Mikes by about 1/2 a lb. and Herbert's by one. (Thanks for the burger Herbert- the free ones are always more delicious)!

Overall, it was a total blast and all bass, as always, were caught and released to be able to fight another day.  I was surprised my elbow did not hurt when I got home, as I had cast a few thousand times overall in the 22 hours of fishin' time. 

Thank U Lord and thank you Herbert and Mike, you are becoming worthy opponents and for semi-beginners your skills have progressed very fast.  It's all time on the water, the best teacher.

Cuyamaca 10.8.'06
Me - 0 bass.
Herbert 0 bass.

Left at 2.30 pm. and on wat4er by 4. Fished nice looking area on N. Shore (weeds and tulles) but nada hit on topwater.  Threw a little plastics but only a few times to likely looking areas.  Went to S. end and worked east side and then the S. end for nada some more.  Left at dark, 7 p.m..

The good news was seeing I won a Lowrance LX17m on eBay when I got back home for $560, new, selling otherwise for $899.  Hope to get it and install it by Thursday for our 3 day Colorado River trip (Mike C. and Herbert K.)

Hodges 10.4.'06
Me - 3 bass.
Herbert 1,
Tom 0.
9 am till 4 with them, solo till 6.30.

I got one at boat dock on TD pencil on second cast, then nada, except for Herbert (1), till 3 p.m..

Nada a Seewald's honey hole and nada at Del Dios Trees, but lots of action that morning. Worked the 15 arm entrance, left side, from 1and worded to back by 2.  Fished it till 4, where I got two on a Rapala -dinks, and then soloed it till 6.30.  Nada on top in narrows nor frogs at entrance to 15 arm on right side in trees except a couple of hits.

Hodges 9.27.'06
Me - 4 bass.
Jerry S- 2.
6:45 am till 3:30.

I started out at the honey hole (about 6:45 a.m.) but it was dried-up, fish wise.  Only one small hit on topwater.  We tried for about an hour all along the boom, which was further out now, (me topwater and Jerry a very small plastic swimbait) then slowly worked the shore down, headed towards the direction of the dam, for nada also.  Flukes and frogs for me, same for Jerry.

At about 9 we went down to the Del Dios Cove trees and tried our skill there.  Jerry finally got his first bass after three years of nada on his small swimbait (except for two surf perch in the past week).  I got three of the smaller models on topwater over about a three hour try, largest at 14.  We went back to the honey hole to see i things picked up but no. Again, worked the shore towards the dam, but this time further , but nada on the whole stretch. Packed it up at about 3:30 and off the water by 4- I was going to stay for the evening topwater bite but I was dragging from the previous days action and lack of sleep for two days straight.  We saw Alain's partner Paul and his son launching.

9.26.'06
Seaforth Sportfishing on the San Diego
5:30 a.m. till 6 p.m.

ME -3 yellowtail (first 1 trolling and two dropper loop on the bottom) and two bonito.
Mike C. -1 yellow (bottom) and one bonito.

Mike Castaneda and I went to the Rock Pile for the first time ever ( a spot about 5 miles further south than the Coronado Islands, which are just into Mexican waters, themselves) on the San Diego out of Seaforth. It's considered a 3/4 day trip, but leaves at 5:30 a.m. and returns at 6 p.m.. Bobby was skippering and Jay and Larry were decking (a Seewaldism?). Ed was cooking, he makes a mean club sandwich, and I'd met him the month earlier on the Mission Belle. I heard the regular captain/owner of both of these boats, Ryan Bostian, was out freshwater bass fishing on his new bass boat- getting into some of that hot topwater bite I'll be on tomorrow at Hodges probably)!

I really got on them trolling (7 yellows up to 16 pounds) with my brand new Penn Senator 113h with the Penn rod it came with ($137.95 for the combo at the Sports Authority) loaded with 40# Izorline. I was trolling an 8" Yozuri clear/gray lure but the other two being trolled, Rapalas in bright colors, always got hit at the same time.

  Click photo to enlarge.
Photo copyright Mike C.
The Malahini goes by us at the islands. 

As I'd already caught three fish trolling (two yellows -1 farmed- and one bonito) Jay asked me not to troll anymore so as to give others that were skunked a chance to get one on the Sand Diego's trilling rigs.  But later I was given permission as all abut about three had a 'fish in the bag'! But I still gave them over to those that had not gotten a yellows as they would step up after I got them on. 

Click photo to enlarge.
Photo copyright Mike C.
Jay gaffing one of my dinners.

This I did three times, with one being about 16 pounds. Counting the first trolling yellow I farmed at the boat, the 3 yellows and two bonito I landed, and the three trolling fish I handed over, I would have ended up the day with the highest catch rate of the day.

Click photo to enlarge.
Photo copyright Mike C.
Here, Jay and I coach a young woman
I gave my fish to that was caught while trolling.

We would troll, catch a few, pack up, troll, catch a few, etc. and got on them all day long. Towards the end of the day fishing wise, about 3 p.m, we got into a wide open bite and pandemonium set in. Mostly 16 pounders on a variety of live bait, topwater jigs, bottom jigs and bait on the bottom. Got a nice backlash in the excitement on two of my five poles ring too hard on far tosses, one of live bait and one on a jig. Thank God for extra poles but I did not get hooked even with them at the ready.

The bonito (mine and a few some folks gave to Mike and I) went to a Carlsbad homeless center, the yellows to myself and a couple of close friends/neighbors. It was a blast. The jackpot was won with a 18# yt, caught on YOYO as many were. I also got a couple on dropper line on the bottom.

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Mike C. and two of my three yellows.

Click photo to enlarge.
Photo copyright Mike C.
Jay and Larry, along with a visiting deckhand from another boat, clean the fish on the long drive back.

The crew did one fantastic job in all categories, thanks guys. See you soon, but not soon enough.

Hodges 9.23.'06
Me - 10 bass.
Ed- 2.

Herbert and Tom (separate boat)
Herbert 1 (on a frog).
Tom zippo.
6:45 a.m. till 1:30 p.m.

Fished the secret Seewald honey hole for nada, first thing in the a.m..  They were moving the plastic log boom further out and that seemed to shut them down today.  I saw quite a few boats down at the end of Del Dios cove so we went down there and joined in the action.  Lots of birds diving and bass pounding the shad.  They were mostly the smaller model, not many over 10".  I got them on TD Pencils and flukes. 

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ME with one of my many Daiwa 'TD Pencil' lure fish.
 

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And yet another.

     
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Ed Kessler with a nice Hodges bass.

Left at 12:30 as I wanted at attend the Aim Marine annual fishing seminar and fishing show.  It was poorly attended but I managed to win the Maxima Fishing line drawing for a spool of 12# fluorocarbon and 6 lb regular, hats, t-shirt worth about $40, TUL.

Hodges 9.20.'06
Me - 18 bass.
Tom G. 8 bass.
Ed- 1 bass. (Joined us at 5 p.m.)
6:45 am till 7:10 dusk.

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Ed Kessler with his first Hodges bass.

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Tom Gaddis with his largest ever bass, at 3.6#.

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Me with a Dean Rojas 'Bronze-eye Frog'
capture, from way back in Del Dios bay.

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Me with a 5.0 caught on a fluke,
topwater at 9:30 a.m.

Hodges 9.13.'06
Me - 20 bass.
Tom G. 2 bass.
Herbert - 0 bass. (They left at 2 p.m.)
Me 3, Tom 2, Herb 0 by 2 p.m., they left.
I stayed till 7:15/ dusk.

Just before all heck broke loose.

Click photo to enlarge.

Matt with another keeper, not that we did, unh unh!

Fished the shore around the narrows and then over to the shore at Hernandez Hideaway where I'd done so-so the week before.  I really got into a great bite on topwater- most at 16 to 17", about 2.5 lbs each, the last hour of the day.  On spooks, frogs and TD Pencils.

El Capitan 9.2.'06
Me - 0 bass.
Herbert 1 bass.
5 p.m. till 12 midnight.

Went out and tried my skill at night fishing for the first time this year, starting at dusk; I took my trainee Herbert. We went directly to the shallow end and ran into 'Alabama Rich Welch' (almost literally in the narrow spaces in between the trees) and he told us of his 4 pounder he'd taken on a spook earlier. After he headed out I hooked into a nice 4 pounder of my own, on a toad. But mine threw it half way in. ( I figured it was due to a poor hook-set as I was using the trolling motor and facing sideways to the lure as I was retrieving, keeping me from having full strength motion. Nothing like seeing a big one on the end of you line like that though.

Later, after dark, we went to Carolina rigged 16" Robo worms and GrandeBass Creatures but picked a poor point. Looked great on top, tons of giant boulders, but did not feel many down below. (Depth finder is out, so discovering the bottom at different locations the old fashioned way, by fishing it). Problem is, the spots I've found in my few visits there over the past year are now all above water-how do you spell bummer.

Anyway, finally found one point that had rocks below. I tied on a 16" worm after my partner farmed one on the hookset, but I went Texas rigged. I got a nice hit after about a half hour but it barely took off with it, I was not sure if it had kept it. I reeled down, felt weight and swung real hard as usual, as hook-sets are free. I brought up my 65# braid minus fish, hook and weights. Must of cut it on a rock. Then I remembered it was not necessary to try to set the hook as if you need to land the fish all in one swing, as braid has no stretch (first time using it with plastics on the bottom). OUCH.

Then my partner lost his second, took him into the rocks and tied him up. He finally pulled one in about 11 p.m. and got the skunk off our boat. He is new to worm fishing as was not sure if he was really getting hits or not. Well, when he finally got a 'real one' he said he now knew the feeling, it felt like a freight train bumped his pole he said. Now he knows what to expect.
 

Click photo to enlarge.

Herbert and a 2.3 pounder that ate his
10" Carolina rigged brown worm, :+

Of course, the good thing is is that a lot more time on the water is required to help me to eliminate most of my mistakes. . For only three years into this I've come quite a ways I'd say.

Mammoth Lakes/ Sierra fly-fishing.

8.27th- 30th, '06

I had a blast learning a lot more about fly fishing for three days with three other fishermen (two advanced and one beginner angler). 

Arrived late Sunday night (3 a.m.) and awoke to fresh coffee and a large egg/bacon/sausage breakfast at 8.30 a.m. and then off to get info from the trout supply stores. We decided on Rock Creek, reportedly it was producing lots of fish. It did, but all were quite small, averaging 4 to 5 inches each. Left late afternoon for Upper Hot Creek but called it quits after a half hour- too windy.

Click photo to enlarge.
Gerald and Alain getting ready to chow down
on our first of two gourmet dinners.  19 year old Carl, Gerald's
 nephew from England, is off to the left.

We went back to condo at 7 with a stop first at Performance Anglers for supplies, then off to a superb steak dinner with pasta (one of the partners is a 'semi-chef'). I tied flies while they cooked.

Tues.- started off with another big breakfast then off to start the day a Hot Creek- 9.30 a.m..

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Mid day at Hot Creek.

No wind but slow (lots of hits on dries but no hook-sets) and left to Benton's Crossing at about noon.

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Benton's Crossing

Partners got a few on woolly buggers and nymphs in about 2.5 hours of tossing, but me- nada darn thing.

Then to Upper Owens, which was not easily found at first, but once found it was not easy to fish at the locations we stopped at. We returned back to condo for a superb wild salmon w/ cream sauce and asparagus dinner, after stopping at the Troutfitters for more supplies and ideas. Again I tied flies while partners cooked, then off to sweet dreams of getting giant bass at Hodges on frogs.

 

Click photo to enlarge.
San Joaquin River

Wed. we got up at 5 a.m., packed the SUV with all of our gear by 6 a.m., checked out of the condo and went to the next destination; the San Joaquin River, Pumice area, and we were fishing by 6:45 a.m.. (One can take their vehicle in if you get into the park before 7, which was very convenient compared to taking the shuttles around the park with all of your gear). It was stocked the week before so you could say we killed 'em.

Click photo to enlarge.
San Joaquin River, early morning with fog on the river.

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Gerald netting first of many for the day at the San Joaquin River.

Ice formed on our guides and rods as it was freezing on the river at first, but warmed up to 75 by the time we left. What a spectacular place, fish and scenery wise. Dries at first worked well, then woolly buggers in any color until the sun hit the water. Nymph's/ emergers did well after that. Some of us getting hits/fish every other cast or so. Finished fishing at 11:45 a.m., quite satisfied, and headed home with lots of re-telling of stories on the way.

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Me at the San Joaquin River.

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The rainbows averaged 12" with some to 14 and 16.
 

Click photo to enlarge. Photo by Carl of England.
Gerald, self and Alain take a quick break in the action
to record our footsteps in the river!? 

Click to see regular size image.
Gerald, nephew Carl and Alain.

Click to see GIANT size image. a
(Good for saving and printing Gerald.)
Gerald, nephew Carl and Alain.

It was hard to take a break for group photos as it was the first time in three days to get a wide open bite of nice size 'keepers', not that we did.  I learned so much from this half day of fishing that if I'd had the knowledge and confidence of what I'd learned applied to the two previous days I'd of probably have doubled my catch rate! 

Lake Hodges 8.23.'06
Me - 0 bass (should have had 5 minimum).
All day, (6 a.m. till 7.30 p.m.) hot and sunny.

Lake Hodges 8.20.'06
Me - 0 bass.
5 p.m. till 7.30 p.m.

Mostly tossed buzz, frogs and flukes. Two hits over on Hernandez banks, one medium and one with story that follows that I posted on varying fishing boards.

"Was tossing some frog type lures around over here in San Diego, at a lake called Hodges. It's a couple of miles long, few hundred yards wide, but has put out some monster Florida’s over the years, the biggest about 19 lbs or so (and no trout to eat either).

Fished from 5 p.m. till dusk, which now is about 7:30. At 6 I had only one hit, on the hollow frog, followed it up with a plastic creature bait, but nada. I just switched one of my frog set-ups to braid, to make sure I don't lose any hogs in the trees I'm working a lot now.

Anyway, I kept working the area and then decided to switch poles and toss a new toad I just got, a solid body floater, but it had a cupped mouth to act as a popper. I did not want to work it that way after a while so I tore off the edges of the cup and just cranked it in so it kicked and fought fairly fast.

After the first cast I see a laydown of heavy reeds/tulles and a tree laying down with some stick-ups there too. Just too perfect not to have a bass. Tossed the toad and started reeling it at a semi-fast pace and within two cranks something exploded from the side from about three feet away, all I saw was a green flash and the bait was headed south with it, under the whole mess.

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Here is the spot.

It looked more like a yellowtail boil in the size and speed of the explosion. I reeled back and set the hook, adrenalin running knowing this was a really big fish, then the line snapped - WHAT? Oh my gosh, it was the P-line regular 10 lb. test on that pole. I had just re-tied it too, but that was definitely not the place to fish 10 lb test and try to muscle it out the way I did. Live and learn; at least it would have been nice to have the CXX 10#, which is more like 20, but I don't think that would have helped much either."

 

Ocean Fishing 8.20.'06.
Me - 2 yellowtail, 3 bonito.
Other 30 people- 6 yellowtail, 13 bonito, 8 Barracuda/

3/4 day boat, the Mission Belle:

I got two yellows and three bonito (one yellow and two bonito on the troll- Rapala). Jackpot was mine too with one yellowtail at about 9 lbs. on sardine fly lined with an extra far cast to outside edge of everyone else, T.U.L.!

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70 scoops of anchovies and sardines.

We tried to find patties the first two hours of the morning as Brian, the temporary captain, said the Islands had cooled down for the past three days, but nada on that idea. Luckily we did get some here and there once we hit the islands. Dogs robbed me of a couple of fish and I farmed a couple of others, but overall it was a beautiful day out there.

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My catch from the Coronado Islands.

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Shot of the New Seaforth, the half day boat, jammed packed.

Lake Cuyamaca 8.16.'06
Me - 2 bass.
Valerie- watched.

Fished from 3 p.m. till 7.30. Threw frogs and toads with first hit about 5 p.m. on a toad.  First fish came 15 minutes later on a toad by the shallow water bridge. Continued north along that shore with some drop shot for about 1/2 hour but for nada, then back to the south shallows with topwater. Put on Buzzbait at 7 and got two strong hits by same fish two casts in a row, both time taking the bait under but I missed the hook-sets.  Then I got this nice one over 3 lbs on buzzbait.

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Me with a Cuyamaca greenback, caught on a buzzbait.

Lake Hodges 8.2.'06
Me - 3 bass.
Larry Smith- 3 bass.

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Me with the one keeper.

Lake Hodges 7.26.'06

Me 6 bass- solo.

San Vincente 7.13.'06

Me 6 bass,
Weldon 2.

I fished with Weldon until noon, he had to go.  We got some good topwater action back in Toll Rd Arm, him on a spook, and mine all came on a TD Pencil. They ran about 2.5 lbs each, with my largest 4.6, and another at 3.6.  Just see the boil and hit the spot.

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Lucky Craft's TD Pencil

After dropping him off, I went and worked the shore just past Grassy bay towards Barona Arm and had just gone past a nice elderly black couple in a new ranger ocean style boat. Minutes later I head choking off in the distance and saw the lady was now in the drink and the man was trying his best to put a rope around her as she clung to the front of their boat, her arms reaching way up to the bow (while her legs must have been up and under the boat, not an easy position to hold for long).

I trolled back in their direction thinking they may need help, but when I got near and asked no one said anything! He did not even look up. I thought probably pride (we men don't like asking for directions, or help in saving the wife I guess) and upon the second time asking the lady screams out YES! When I got up to them she was telling him she could no longer hold on (I'm no lifeguard and I feared for her life, but I was not going to jump in and get drowned myself- I hoped) and when I motored up to her I told her to grab my boat (had the aluminum one, close to the water) and told her I'd run her over to shore while she hung on, some 30 yards away. He said just get her to the back where the ladder was, so I did. I warned her to keep away from the prop and she could barely climb up, she was so exhausted (a good bit overweight I must add), but thankfully ended up fine.


I was just doing what others would have done for me. Weird thing is, today I was driving up the Hwy 5 freeway, with everyone doing 65 mph as usual (would have been faster, but rush hour slows us all down), when I see cars veering right and left and then some dude rear ends someone real bad and flips over on his side up on my right about 10 cars up. I saw most of the explosions and car rolling, but don't know what started it all.

But when I came up to it no one had stopped to help whoever was in the vehicles, especially the one or ones on its side. I immediately stopped halfway in the slow lane, (they were just off it) put on my emergency blinkers and ran over and saw a guy standing up inside the cab staring at me eye to eye, like a fish in a fish tank. It was not good. I reached way up (it was very hard to reach) and opened the door (straight up to the sky, and it was heavy), and helped him climb out before it might catch fire or explode. Thank God he was able to climb out by himself, as it would have been nye on impossible to pull him out.

Of small concern was that he was a painter, and a 5 gallon can of red paint was thrown all over the freeway, the truck, and as I later noticed, now all over my clothes after leaning on the back of the truck to help him. Later, when they saw all of the bright red 'blood' on my shirt and pants everyone asked how I was. "Nah, its only paint" I said! I cleaned the slow lane of a lot of debris, and as two cop cars and a fire truck arrived I headed out.

Glad no one was seriously hurt. Weird, two days in a row with having the chance to possibly save someone's life, what the odds of that!

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My clothes covered in red paint!

Lake Hodges 7.9.'06

Me 3 bass.
Herbert 0

Went from 5 p.m. till 7:40 on the little aluminum "Answered Prayer II".  Started off with Storm diving crankbaits 12' fishing the narrows (small red), as did Herbert (larger shad pattern) per my recommendation, for nada.  I saw a nice spot I figured a bass would be holding and tossed a pumpkin Mutant to and was nailed after about two seconds.  Did not load up on him and lost him on the hookset.  Threw bait right back and another hit it, this time I loaded up first and got an nice 12".  We proceeded to toss plastics for nada, then cranks, then went to the 15 overpass.  More plastics nada, then saw some nice water crying out to be fished with a buzzbait.  Got slammed in a particularly nice looking area, pic below. 

Ranger came back to escort us out.  I tossed a spook while waiting for Herbert to bring the trailer and got nailed after the second twitch of the rod for another 12".  Nice 2.5 hours on the water, missing the heat of the day. It was beautiful and not to windy, for Hodges.

Mammoth Lakes 6.30-7.4.'06

Me 2 trout.
Mike Wade 8 trout.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Self Portrait with Mike Amen in background.

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

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

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

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Upper Lee Vinning Lakes.

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

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Ron prepares to toss his Elk Hair Caddis fly.

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

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Upper Lee Vinning Lakes.

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

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

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