Michael Seewald's
fishing adventures for 2007.

July thru December.

From the most recent.

Christmas Eve and Day, Miramar Lake
2 trout -solo.  57 degree water.

Went and got myself a little present on the way to Miramar, a BBZ floater.

Anyways, I had the aluminum boat as the wife and I were going to go to the river for two days but she changed her mind and wanted to stay home. Well, being the great husband I am I 'stayed local' too so she would not be alone for Christmas (but almost went anyways, I'm not that great).

I started tossing the new swimbait for zippo after an hour and decided to troll for some of the 3 pounders all over the lake I heard about- zippo. After an hour of that I decided to work a bay with d/s as I've gotten them that way by luck in the past, why not get them on purpose. Darn if after an hour I hadn't got two nice ones on the stinger (3 pounds each) and missed two others.

Called the wife and told her we were having trout for dinner, cool. I expected more to come.

Worked some more shoreline and at just past dark headed back with just the two (they lock the gates at 5:30, it was 5:15). Just before getting to the dock I remembered I'd left the stinger overboard just in time to look back and watch them surfing and bouncing one last time, going airborne as the nylon rope broke from the stress at that very moment. Darn o darn.

Called the wife with the bad news (this is the second time this has happened in as many years, as I don't keep fish, catch and release like you all etc.) so it's easy to forget about a stringer/fish.

Well, as I was loading the boat, standing on the tongue winching it up, I thought how the rust on the trailer looked pretty bad and wondered how long it would hold up. At that very moment of thinking about it the darn thing collapsed and I found myself standing on the launch ramp in 12" of water, shoes, pants and all. GREAT!

Now what, I can't drive it home. Drove it up to the parking lot, dragging and scraping, and un-hitched it and told the ranger about how I'd have to leave it and come back in a day or two to repair it.

(On the positive side, I'm now glad I did not go to the river after all, because at least around here I can get tools etc and try to get it in towing condition- what would I have done in the middle of no where as it would have broken there. I do have the shots of the fish that got away though.)

He said they would be open the next day, which I was amazed, and I said I might come back to fix/take it, but then again the next day was Christmas, where was I going to be able to buy the stuff needed?

*****************************************

The next day- Christmas, was slightly better, but not much. I got to the lake as early as was feasible for it being Christmas day and having a wife, etc., 11:30 a.m., to make sure no one would steal the boat or motor and to fix the trailer. (Seems folks think if someone left something due to breakage that it's free to take whatever is on it, so I was a bit nervous). I had taken a cable and locked the boat to a tree but had forgot to run it trough the motor.

Being the guy the day before said they would be open I was surprised NO ONE was on the lake, except for a couple of shore fishermen and a tuber. Zero other boats and zero rentals.

I went to work fixing the trailer - borrowed a steel pole I found next to the rangers shack and used some clothes hangers I'd brought and tied up the rusted tongue (it's 6 foot long and I'd already reinforced three foot of it last year at the river). I felt good about the 'fix', enough that I thought I could make it back to Encinitas later. Soooo, I thought what the heck, I'm here why not go fishing = good idea huh?

I tried to launch the boat and it would not go back, so I went back further, still nothing. I realized in my zeal I forgot to unhook the wench strap. After doing so I tried to pull the car forward but it refused to move. I put it in reverse and then forward again but only a clunk sound and jerk happened. Again and again, clunk, clunk, clink and a jerk of the car but no forward movement. GREAT, a blown transmission and the van was so far back I had to step in the water to get out! NOT my week it seems.

Upon looking behind the van I could not see the trailer, OH MY GOD, it was GONE! What the heck! Then I saw it ... below water. Upon further investigation, from the dock, I see that it had gone off the ramp and the wheels had dropped into the abyss. I studied the scene in disbelief with no easy 'fix' coming to mind. So, no blown transmission, just a trailer locking it in place.

I could strip down and dive down and try to lift it up while some volunteer drove it forward- bad idea... that water is freezing now and no change of clothes. I could, I could, I could- no other ideas formulated- what a mess I had gotten myself into. All the tourist feeding the ducks just stared at me and wondered what I was to do, I felt such a fool.

Then it stuck me, I could throw my cement anchor (cheapie) into the back area of the trailer and try to snag it and lift if out- and I did with someones help. Thank U Lord! OK, now I'm good to go.

Now, I only had to figure out how to get my battery out of the van because I'd forgot the trolling motor one at the house on the charger. I removed the cables (these suckers were so corroded I was concerned about ruining them). I went to lift it out but it would not budge. I noticed a bolt at the bottom holding a plate against it, holding it down. Hard place to get to and after 20 minutes I gave up and put the cables back on, I'll fish without a trolling motor.

Finally, around 1 p.m., I started fishing. I decided to try the buoy line. After an hour and a couple of hits on a variety of lures I got a nice 2.5 or 3 pound rainbow.

Half hour later got another, this one 4.13 lbs, and what a fight on 4 pound test.

Tossed d/s for another 3 pounder in a cove, released it and went back to lures at the buoy line. Got slammed and run around for 5 minutes before a brute about 6 or more pounds jumps and tosses the lure about 20 yards from the boat. I said 'hurrah' for the fish, it won this time. I got a 16" bass a while later and just before dark I got another 3# trout which I kept.

I got back late again, 5:15, and I tried to start the car to go get the boat but now it would not turn over. GREAT.

I guess the connections, so corroded and now almost non-existent after cleaning and reattaching them, were not doing the job. I found the ranger and asked for a jump. After a while it finally started and I said I had to get the boat now. "Boat?' he said. I said yeah. He said "how did you pay?". I said I went to but the iron ranger was locked and figured it being Christmas the lake was free today!!! He said "yeah, it's locked 'cause we are closed for fishing today". "I did not know", I replied amazed, now worried about a ticket, "I saw some people fishing and the guy yesterday said you would be open", and I quickly followed "you should have posted a sign saying 'closed' ". Not another word from him except that he was locking the gate in three minutes and I'd better get going. (It was no wonder I was the only guy one the lake in a boat! How funny now that I look back on it. OK, hurry and load the boat and get out of Dodge.)

Yesterday was interesting as that one nut to remove the battery plate became another long story, better left alone at this point. Bottom line, the battery was history and coincided with the cable problem. Oh well, at least today we got to eat trout.

Mid Dec., 2007
El Cap. solo, zippo. Clearing storm, water 57.

I went from 8 till 5, threw d/s, buzzbait, hula grubs and more d/s at boulder bay and other areas for nada.

Dec. 8th, 2007
Lake Jennings.

0 bass/ 0 trout, Herbert and I.
63 degrees water temp at 11 am, 54 degree air temp.
From 11 till 5:30.

We left Encinitas by 9:45 and got to the lake and launched by 11.  Plan was to catch a record breaking monster bass on my slow sink BBZ swimbait but that never materialized, but the rain clouds constantly did and so did the rain.  Very cold and with the wind chill factor felt like it was about one million below freezing.  Note to self: next time put on long underwear.

Tossed the BBZ around 'launch bay' for about an hour but did not even see a follower, then headed over to the point across the lake from the ramp and worked plastics (Ika) after anchoring- nada, not even a hit.

Pumpkin Ika 

About 2 we upped anchor and tried drop shot between there and the buoy line.  After an hour of more nada we went to the buoy line and threw some Powerbait over for trout but did not meter any at all and got zippo. After another hour we went to the dam area and d/s some more.  Finished off throwing the buzzbait and swimbait around the shore all the way back to the docks, for even more nada. Ohhhhhhhh well... some days you are the windshield, and some days you are the bug.

Dec. 6th, 2007
El Capitan.

Solo 2 bass, 59 degrees at 10, up to 61 by 1 pm,
From 10 till 5:30.

First time getting to fish since my return from Italy. Up at 5:30 and over to pick up the 'Answered Prayer' (my '87 Skeeter w/ a 115 Merc) at





my shop in Encinitas then headed over to hit El Cap for a nice early bite, or so that was the plan.  I had just had the trolling motor gone over by the Trolling Motor Doctor over in Long Beach a couple of days earlier.  It had been through the war and barely would turn if at all- the control cable was semi-busted I found out later .  While there I had purchased a RAM unit to hold my Lowrance fishfinder on my bow and 2 extra ball units, one for the drivers area and one for my 14' Lowe aluminum boat bow too. 



A shot of my Lowe at Fishers Landing, Colorado River.

I can't afford three nice fishfinder units so I just move the 17x around instead.  I was now ready for bear.

So about half way there I realized I had not finished the instillation of the new fuses on my trolling motor the day before and it had a positive wire just dangling in space and I'd left the fuse at the shop. 

 Bummer.  Well, I'd have to find an auto parts store and get a temporary as the new 50 amp would not blow as much as the 30 that came standard.  Well, it was about 7 and I drove around Santee and Lakeside and could not find one open yet.  I knew Aim Marine would open at 8, and then I could talk to Jeff about the 50 amp fuse to see if really was a good idea (warning notices posted all over the wiring say 30 amp max). 

So I killed time by hitting Anglers Edge, a tackle store in Lakeside (note to self: not a good idea to kill time at a tackle store, if so leave wallet at home).   

Anyway at 8 I went over and we took care of the fuse and a couple of other small problems like also installing a new connection plug for the motor, I'd stepped on the old one too many times ( they put the plug down by your feet, what is to be expected?).  It was now way after 9 and I was off to El Cap.

Launched to small whitecaps and heavy clouds so I exchanged the California jacket for my heavy duty Italian one and jetted over to the back of the lake to some rocks and started throwing the buzzbait.  BUZZBAIT you say? Yeah, I heard the bass at San V. were still hitting the frog in the early morning sometimes, even though it was Dec., so I thought what the heck.  By the way, the water was 59.  About 30 minutes into the pattern fish on, a nice healthy 12.5 incher that fought like a 4 pounder.  I was surprised in a way to actually get one on it, I must admit, but cool . 

Anyways, not another fish on it after three more hours of tossing it.    

Buzzbait fish in December.

Went to a d/s Robo M/M and fish on at same area second cast, in about 3 foot of water.  A nice 16".  This was going to be easy money.     The clouds had parted and the sun had come out, winds died at that time and it was 2 pm.  Not another fish after and hour of it though, so much for 'easy money'. 

16" on drop shotted Robo worm, Margarita Mutilator.

Back to the buzz at 3 as it was long shadows started to show up everywhere.  Got one heck of a hard hit and fight for a split second bringing it along a rock wall and two more smaller hits after that, but nothing stuck.  Left at dark. T.U.L for the fun day on the water. 

Nov. 6th thru the 27th, 2007
ITALY.

Solo 0 bass, 32 degrees most mornings, up to 41 by 1 pm,
Only got to fish two days, one at Lake Lugano and one at a river over by Venice.  Water too cold for most bass to move much.  One hit by some kind of carnivorous carp at the Lake, nada at the river.

Oct. 21st thru the 24th, 2007
Murrieta Hot Springs, by "DEFAULT".
Me 10 bass -Herbert the same.

Fires hit San Diego with Santa Ana winds on Sunday the 21st. We were evacuated from Del Mar the next afternoon and stayed with friends Herbert and Gitta Kellner in Murrieta Hot Springs, so, Herbert and I went fishing there......

The fires started in Ramona and by the next day it was over half way to the coast burning up hundreds of homes in Rancho Bernardo.  It was headed directly towards our area, but it was only one of 7 or so fires burning all over San Diego county by day 2.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/firemap/

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/wildfires/index.html

It looked pretty bad and the fire was predicted to definitely hit the coast somewhere. The Lord heard our prayers however because on Tuesday, when the winds were supposed to be just as bad (35 to 45 mph with 70 mph gusts), the winds dropped to half of that.  On Wednesday the winds, now north-eastern in direction, were blowing the smoke from the Temecula fires towards us so we came home.  Our area had been given the 'all clear' on Tuesday afternoon anyways but we feared the smoke would have been as bad as when we left.  We could not see two blocks away it was so thick.

We ended up with quite a few bass caught at the ponds there, but not as many as usual.  They came on buzzbaits, Sammy's, d/s and frogs.  Here are a couple.   
 

            
Here is am with another buzzbait bass.  Herbert with a d/s dink.

 
Gitta, with Herbert and Valerie in the shadows, having another one of her fabulous breakfasts.

The first night we got there at midnight after working around a lot of closed roads due to the fires.  I had to catch one before retiring, and I did.  Here is one from the next night.

One of the many 'fire bass' I caught on the Sammy.  The fires took about another three weeks to completely extinguish.

Here, some kids that followed us around hold up one of my bass. They were evacuees from the Temecula fires.

This link will take you to the Sign on San Diego photo gallery and show you some of the photos.

Oct. 17th, 2007
Otay Lake.

Me 2 bass -solo,
From 7:30 a.m. till 4 p.m./ 65 degrees and rainy, water 68.

Was overcast and drizzly when I left the coast and it only got worse inland.  The conditions made it tough to get there early, wet roads first time of the season et. al, even though I got up at 5:15 to start.

Started at Harvey's entrance again with breakers. Threw a fluke to no avail although I got a nice 16" the first cast on a blue tail spinner.  Thought it'd be easy money but no more on that lure at all either.

Worked the breakers till 9 and went to the back of Harvey's to check out the frog action.  Nada.  Worked buzzbaits along the shore back to the entrance like last time there with same results there too, nada. At entrance I caught a dink on the d/s and then went to Bushlowe Cove at 2 p.m. for more nada on Ika's and the Lunker Punker swimbait with some buzzbait tries too.  Back to the entrance at 3:30 till 4 but no breakers found.  Did explore the bottom and mark a waypoint as I'm learning my depth finder more.

Oct. 15th, 2007
El Capitan.

Me 3 bass -solo,
From 2 p.m. till 6 p.m./ 70 degrees, water 68.

Was overcast and drizzly on the coast and I hoped it would be the same inland. Got to the lake and paid the iron ranger my $10, $5 launch fee and $5 daily fishing permit fee and launched to blue skies. Gentleman leaving reported only dinks, 9 or so, for his all day efforts, some breakers but most d/s, not promising, but then again, HE DID NOT THROW THE BUZZBAIT- TA DAhhh. Or so I hoped it would be THE bait still, but I had my reservations after last week at Hodges.

Tossed the Lunker Punker swimbait for the first 45 minutes on the north shore, starting on the point and working towards the dam.  No hits and then threw the buzzbait. The perfect little point with boulders in the water netted my first one, a chunky 16", at 2:50 p.m., 5 minutes into tossing it..

Click image to enlarge.
First one of the day.

Worked to the buoy line by 3:20 and tossed over it and along the shore.  This spot nets me a fish 90% of the time, and this time was part of the 90.  A nice one about 17" exploded on it just as it went past a boulder sticking out from the shore.

Click image to enlarge.
2nd one came 1/2 hour later.

Worked back to the original starting point but nada, and then to the peninsula, which was an island last year for more nada.  Went to the area Scott W. and I got on them two weeks earlier in the narrows and got one hit- first miss, and the Ika follow up got a bump but no fish again.

Went to the other side down by boulder bay where Scott got his first buzzbait fish and lost one half way back to the boat.

Ranger came at 6 and I headed back but stopped at a spot that I'd spied earlier and got a nice 17 to 18 incher on the last cast.  T.U.L..

Click image to enlarge.
Last one came in last minute of the day.

Oct. 10th, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 1 bass -solo,
From 4 p.m. till 6 p.m./ 75 degrees, water 70.

Got out at 4 p.m. and started off at the construction site, my honey hole.  No hits on buzzbait which I decided to toss the whole time.  Nothing until 6:15 when it was time to go and got one about 3 lbs.. T.U.L., stripe off boat.

Click image to enlarge.
3# buzzbait fish on picture phone.

Starting to think topwater is about over.  Trout being planted soon at local lakes. Wrong, see above El Cap. post.

Oct. 3rd, 2007
Otay Lake.

Me 3 bass -solo,
From 7 a.m. till 6.30 p.m./ 89 degrees, water 74 in a.m. to 78 in the p.m..

Launched by 6:30 and at the entrance to Harvey's Arm I saw two guys in bass boats working the area in the middle.  I slowed and saw that there were breakers everywhere and tossed the Lucky Craft Gunfish 115 in shad color for one right of the bat.  One guy said he already had 7.

It slowed down and an hour later I still only had that one.  More folks had come by and joined in, mostly tossing flukes and getting a few.  Note to self, get one spooled up with 4# test and use a fluke too.  One was tossing a spoon and picking up smaller ones every other cast, about 12 to 14" each, deep.  I put on a flat, narrow beat spoon and after a half hour had landed two and had lost about 4 on the way up. A little George would have worked well too. Was fishing in 30' of water. Lots of hits midway up.

Went back and worked the tulles with a frog.  After an hour of zippo, and getting skunked there the week before, I thought maybe there was no more bass back there and tossed an Ika to check it out.  Got one hit like a freight train in about 5 minutes but lost him on the hookset. Continued with the frog but not a single hit. It was overcast and fishy weather but warm.  Took my shirt off for the first time this year thinking so late in the season why not, and forgot to put it back on soon enough and paid the price that night- lobster city.

Worked the Lunker Punker swimbait for an hour on the way out towards dusk and stopped and worked the entrance on more breakers but it was much slower than the a.m.. Final 1/2 hour spent tossing the buzz for no love.

T.U.L..

Oct. 1st, 2007
El Capitan.

Me 1 bass -Scott W. 2,
From 2 p.m. till 6:15 p.m./ 80 degrees, water 71.

On the way to the lake I stopped at Anglers Edge in Lakeside to purchase a Spro frog & ran into a gentleman I'd JUST SEEN and exchanged small talk with the week before at Otay Lake!  We had both been fishing frogs at the end of Harvey's Arm, so what a God-incident to run into him way over here (see Otay, Sept 19 below).   I'd asked what was working at El Cap. and noticed the fisherman that answered was looking familiar.  At the same time he asked if I was Otay Michael, the name I go by on the fish boards, and were so surprised to meet each other again.  We decided to team up and take one boat out, and since my trolling motor was still iffy, his.  It's an aluminum one, I believe a bass cat or the like.

We tossed plastics deep at first, then more of the same but over on the large boulder outcrop down towards the dam.  I tossed the Punker for a bit, but no bites.

We went to the narrows and he tried plastics and I tossed a buzzbait. Nada, but long shadows started and I talked him into trying a buzzbait.  He tried it at Hodges a day or two before with no luck and had never got one on it yet.  I encouraged him to keep trying and I got 7 hits an 45 minutes but nothing stuck, truly amazing to miss that many.

We went to the boulder outcropping per my suggestion after trying the shallow end with the trees for nada.  Scott got one after I had yet another miss, but it was small.  Not long after he got a nice 16".  Ranger pulled up and I did not want to stop but we did.  While Scott got the boat trailered I tossed the buzzbait still trying to get the stripe off my back.  Just as he finished up I tossed one parallel to the docks and fish on.  Only about a 13" but he counted, T.U.L..

Sept. 25th, 26th 2007
Murrieta Hot Springs ponds.

Me 6 bass -Herbert 15,
From 4 p.m. till 7 p.m./ 90 degrees, water 80.

Weather changed lately and the bass there were much more finicky. Topwater was slow but I managed a couple on frogs dropping them in dense tulles and one on a buzzbait, fished till dark and then in the a.m. only the next day, getting about three on d/s.  Herbert got there the day before and stayed till 2, thus the big numbers, drop shot mostly but some top too.

Sept. 19th, 2007
Otay Lake.

Me 0 bass -Herbert 0 also,
From 9 a.m. till 6.45 p.m./ 89 degrees, water 78.

Weather changed lately, a cold front came thru, a really, really cold front.  We went to the back of Harvey's Arm but did zippo. Met an old friend of two of my brothers, Chris and Peter, a Jack Siegelin whom was nice enough to work on my trolling motor which was acting up.  No luck on it.  Then blew a fuse and bummed one off of a nice gentleman named Scott Wingo (I later found out a week later, a God-incident, at Anglers Edge in Lakeside) also fishing frogs and whom had just got one earlier.  He said some local club tourney had killed them back here, lots of biggies.  Great, they caught most of them and then let them go at the docks. No wonder the bit was so tough. 

We then fished out way back out of Harvey's Arm working the south shoreline.  I had one on, a small one, but it threw the topwater lure.  We left skunked, oh well.

Sept. 15th, 2007
Barrett Lake.

Me 7 bass - Herbert 5,
From 6 a.m. till 7 p.m./ 90 degrees, water 80.

We started off the very chilly morning in almost total darkness as the sun is rising so late these morning now. I threw Kermit and buzzbaits, and the wake-bait swimbait, by the island across from the docks, where we fished for the first half hour. I had no love but Herbert got two dinks fairly rapidly tossing a Grape Roboworm d/s.

We ran to the back of Pine Arm, to Pine Creek entrance, where a slight mist hung on the water, and I continued the topwater assault for one hit on the buzzer. Herbert continued on the d/s and I picked it up too and got the stripe off my back with it fairly fast and then went back to topwater.. glutton for punishment. We worked into the creek a little and then decided to hit Herbert's Honey Hole around 9.

It was slow there but I managed to pick up a couple of more on a Carolina rigged pumpkin hula grub. We saw a couple of young men cruise by and instantly get 3 on crankbaits across on the island and we decided to follow suit, at least I did. We worked towards the back of the creek again with frogs, buzzbaits and d/s for nada.

At 4, after working the Honor Camp cove and me picking up another d/s fish we worked the dead trees where the creek starts and Herbert had a mishap. He fell in the lake after losing his balance saving his poles from going over after getting into some branches. They still ended up in the water and he grabbed them fast after I pointed out this fact. I got his hat but his sunglasses were lost to the deep. I thought of taking a pic but it was a bit embarrassing for Herbert, of course, so I honored that and decided not to, even though it was a bit funny. I think it was less funny in that I almost went over too as when he landed on the side of the boat and all the gear was on that side I too went towards the railing due to the boat leaning so far over the water was coming over the rail a bit, but I held the rail while dropping to my knees and barley adverted the disaster. He took his clothes off and rung them out. Luckily it was still hot out with three hours till sunset so it wasn't long and all was fairly dry.

We continued back to the entrance to the creek and I had my first blow up on the frog, but that was it. Weird, as the week before at that time and place I had got a lot of hits a a couple of fish.

We hit the H. Hole again at 6 and another point headed back to docks, all for nada, and the 'across dock' island at 6.30 for one more for me, finally on a Ribbit (the only top of the day). We unloaded the boat at 7 and drove the one hour trip home really exhausted but happy we'd tried our best and did ok. T.U.L.

I'll miss the lake as it closes this month, not to open again till next April or May.

Sept. 12th, 2007
Lake Otay.

Me 10 bass -solo,
From 6 a.m. till 7 p.m./ 92 degrees, water 80.

Threw Kermit at the end of Harvey's Cove for first two hours for nada, which the week before had been nice to me. 

Went over to Bushlowe to see if I could get some of the breaker action I saw there last year and sure enough got two on the Gunfish while tossing a d/s for four more, but nothing of size.

Click image to enlarge.
First couple came on d/s and Gunfish.

 

At noon I went back to frog fishing- figured I have to just figure it out -I was tossing the green Spro. Well, after a couple of blow-ups, a good sign finally, I got a beauty just shy of 6 pounds at 5.14.  I was and I was stoked!     Now this would have been good enough to make my day, but read on.

    
Click image to enlarge.
First of my three biggies, a 5.14.

Then, I lost that frog to an even bigger one and busted 50# braid as I tried to turn her from digging deeper into the tulles, I was totally bummed at myself. 

So I tied on a white Bobby's Perfect frog and tried to shake off the screw-up and loss and about an hour later I got a 6.10 on it and I was very, very happy.   

Click image to enlarge.
Second one was 6.10, a real hog.

Then, after getting a dink 3 pounder a little earlier (can you believe I can call a 3 a dink? Well yeah, with the other being sixes!!!)

I got a 6.1 towards dusk which was temporarily stuck in the tulles/grasses but I managed to pull her out and not break off.....

       
Click image to enlarge.
Third lunker was almost lost in tangles, but fought her out.

Ended up being the best day of my life as far as weight for five fish, can't beat that. T.U.L!

Click image to enlarge.
Sunset with my shadow on tulles.

        
Same images but cropped tighter.

Sept. 10th, 2007
Lake El Capitan.

Me 2 bass, Herb 2 bass,
From 4 p.m. till 7 p.m.

Buzzbaits for me, d/s for Herbert.

My buzzbait fish with Herbert working his bait in the background.

Sept. 8th, 2007
Barrett Lake.

Me 6 bass/ Mike W. 6 bass,
From 6 a.m. till 7 p.m.

Mike met me at my home at 3:50 and we headed out. Grabbed breakfast at a J.I.Box on the way and got to gate at 5 a.m..  Laurie checked us in and we left the front gate right at 5:30.  She was nice enough to offer me the handicapped parking spot (not marked but area down by docks) as no one needed it. We left and went to far end of lake, fishing by 6:20.  Expectations were high and the scenery was spectacular as a fog enveloped the water.

I broke the ice with getting the stripe off our boat with some topwater action on the Lucky Craft 'Gunfish 95'.  But overall topwater was not as expected and breakers were far and few between.

Click image to enlarge.
I got the stripe off the boat with this Gunfish fish.

Within the first hour Mike got two, and his first ever, on the black frog.  He was excited as he was beating me for the first time ever 2 fish to zero! He said it would probably be short lived, and took the words right out of my mouth.

Click image to enlarge.
 Mike's first ever frog fish.

By 9 we had worked Pine Creek all the way back to where it was too shallow.  I'd had many hits on the frog but they were not serious about eating it- green Spro and the white/black.  Mike had one frog fish outrun him towards the boat and never really got a good hook-set, the fish threw it before it even jumped- too bad it seemed really big and I'd lost a sixer in the same area myself months earlier.

Went to other nearby areas and worked them but not much going on.  The scenery was still spectacular and the weather was not as hot as usual, thank God we were not there the week earlier when it hit 100 with high humidity, it would have been no fun. It was maybe 90 and low humidity.

Click image to enlarge.
 Late morning the weather was just perfect.

Went to Herbert's Honey Hole and I got on some right away on the d/s with purple Robo, taking the lead 4 to 2 in a half hour, one went 3.3#'s.  Mike tossed every color d/s he could but I felt sorry for him and gave him one of my purples and he started to catch them too. We lost two to every one we landed having to fish barbless.

Click image to enlarge.
 3.3 dropshot fish on grape Robo.

I lost one that never even stopped after it took off, breaking my 6# Izorline in the tree branches down below after taking about 20 yards of line.  Not long after seeing some fellow ReelAngler members I lost another in the trees below that was large also.  I had gotten her near the boat before she really ran for her life.  I spent 5 minutes feeling her slowly take line and waited her out to un-work the line but finally just snapper her off and swore to get some 20# line for these lunkers for the nest week out! 

 
Click image to enlarge.

By 4 p.m. I was getting itchy to toss Kermit and the buzz so we did.  I noticed I started to get hits whenever I tossed to the shaded sides of tulles, and big ones, but they kept missing it.   I decided to go back to Pine Creek and hit all that area as it's very shady back there now, a good idea as I picked up one more on it and Mike got another one too.

Click images to enlarge.
Kermit worked well for us in the shadows in later afternoon.

Towards 6 we went and spent a half hour on my 'buzzbait bank' where I usually pick up a few, getting at least 3 blow-ups on my poorest days and 10 on my best, but this time zippo!!? 

I then figured to hit the point across from the docks that I usually pick a few buzzbait and frog fish.  Sure enough, Mike got his first buzzbait fish.  I stupidly tied a Ribbit on my spinner bait pole w/6 lb and after a nice blowup I could not set the hook and it was too light of a setup- amateur mistake. I tried like crazy for one more Ribbit fish but it was a no go.   

Overall it was a fun and enjoyable day with perfect weather. Three firsts for Mike today, frogs, d/s and now buzzbaits, and he tied me again with now 6 total (ok, four firsts as he did not get beat by me!)    Oh well, a tie is not so bad as Mike used to fish tourneys years ago and it's nice to know my skill level has grown to where I can out-fish him most of the time- maybe tourney time is coming soon, huh?  I got out next Saturday again and this recent trip will help immensely I've got a feeling.

Sept. 5th, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 1 bass solo,
From 5:50 p.m. till 7 p.m. (Hour and 10 min.)

Got one after throwing the Torpedo bait for nada at the construction site.  Put on my new Terminator chartreuse buzzbait ($12 after tax) on a pole with new (but old) SpiderLine 17#.  First cast at rocks past construction site fish on.  Ends up fighting like crazy and I thought it might be an eight, but ended up being shy of 6.  Fished the dam area, then east side for nada.  Back to rocks and got another that took line like crazy and I could not turn her and she ended up in some stick-ups, breaking me off before I could undue it.  Lost her and the new buzzbait.

Click image to enlarge.
5.8 on the new Termination Buzzbait.

Sept. 3rd, Labor Day, 2007
Otay Lake.

Me 2 bass solo,
From 6.30 a.m. till 2:00 p.m., hot (97) and humid, water 86.

Launched at 6:30 while talking to a guy launching his boat that asked about frog fishing as he was going to try it.  He said he's never got one on it. I told him where I fished with zero results the week before but I was going to try swimbait again.  I went across from the boat docks to Bushlow Cove tossing the Lunker Punker for about 20 minutes then a Sammy for nada; lots of busting bass everywhere- wished I'd had my Gunfish replacement, San V. story below explains why. 

Went to Harvey's Arm and worked the shore area I caught one last week, but this time for nada.  As I got closer to the end/shallow I could see tulle growth that was not there 2 months ago.  A couple of guys were tossing white frogs and reported getting some so I threw the brown one. 

Right off the bat, 5 minutes into tossing it

, I tossed over a bunch of tulles/grasses as I could see water way behind them.  I could not see where the lure was, just the tops of the weeds, but I heard an instant explosion after it landed but it got into a bush right away. I undressed down to skivvies and jumped in, wanting to get this first frog fish of the day bad.  I waded with water up to my waist thru the thick tulles and found the frog on a bush but no fish anymore!!?  That's when I felt a sting and looking at my arms noticed they were covered with small chartreuse chiggers.  I swept them off/killed 'em but more took there place, my super hot sweaty skin attracting them in droves (I'm still itching today, the day after, with dozens of bites).  Waded back to the boat (no wind, it was just sitting waiting for me) and continued fishing getting more hits but nothing stuck, they just were not committing with gusto.

By 9:30 I realized it just might be the color so exchanged the brown one for a green/yellow belly.  Right away I saw another explosion in the weeds (they had been happening all morning every few minutes) and I tossed it on top of the area, instant reaction with a repeat explosion and fish on. Wow, first cast and it ended up being a very nice 4 pounder.

     
Click image to enlarge.
My 4# Spro Green frog fish and a 2 pounder with frog in mouth.
The weeds behind the frog are what I 'pushed' my boat into with my oar and shows the conditions I had to work in- tough.

I worked the shore and then back to the flats where I got another at around 10 a.m., after he'd missed it earlier.  Got a few more explosions and then got the lure caught and broke off at 1 so I spent a 1/2 hour searching in the tulles pushing the boat back into them with the oar, it was hard work and in the heat I must have been retarded, but I HATE losing lures, something from my childhood and being poor.  I was surprised I could not find it- I mean green and yellow belly!  Then I worked Harvey's entrance for awhile with the Punker for nada, but as I was out of water I had to leave; I had planned to only fish till 10 or so but frog fishing gets in the blood.

August 30th, 2007
Lake San Vincente.

Me 12 bass/ Herbert 3
From 5:30 am to 9 p.m.. (on water from 6:45 till 7:15) Water temp 84- very hot (100) and 95% humidity.  It was ok unless the wind died, which it did too often.

Stopped at Anglers Edge in Lakeside and got me a new Lucky Craft Gunfish 115, smoke shad, as did Herbert on my suggestion.  It was the lure of choice for breaking fish I'd heard.  And guess what, I got 3 on it, till 9 a.m. along the  north bay shore after getting 2 in grassy bay.

Click image to enlarge.
My 17" Gunfish bass.

Click photos to enlarge.


Lucky Craft Gunfish 115

Click image to enlarge.

At 8:30 Herbert gave up on topwater and started throwing the d/s, his confidence bait but got no love until noon, and love it was.  A nice 17" on a Robo m/m, near the narrows. I got one minutes later and a second much later.  Herbert got another later also.

At 2 we went to Toll Road Arm and we fished with no love until about 4, even though some breakers where hitting the surface around us.  Then the sad experience with a skier took place, see side note story below.

SIDE NOTE STORY: At about 4 p.m. I had some water skier guy and his family run over my new Gunfish while working the shore (could not believe they fit between us and it as we were only 70' away OR LESS, and as they went by, screaming 'sorry' with smiles on their faces, the line snagged in their prop before I could finish rapidly reel in the lure.  I was spooled before I knew what really happened and I stood there dazed not knowing what to think, say or do; oblivious to their wake crashing over our bow and soaking all.  I waived my arms and shook my line-less pole up at them finally, feeling helpless to really do anything. 

After talking to Herbert for a couple of minutes and realizing just what a stupid and dangerous thing had just happened I got the idea of a least demanding the money to replace line and lure. I mean, they had a thousand yards to turn around in, so why do so in our little area? There is a name we used to call folks like this- fill in the blank______, but now being a Christian I try not to use those kind of words anymore. So, after following them in (guess the pass-by was their last hooray for the day as they immediately left the area skiing back dockside) where upon catching up to them I politely asked for compensation.  He had the audacity to say he had lost many an item and to get over it, basically laughing gin my face. I thus got angrier and went to the dock helper and asked if he could make this guy fork over his name and address so I could sue him for the $20.  He said he had no authority but their was a ranger on the lake and he could call him if I wanted, and upon my request, did so. 

So a ranger named Joe came up moments later and listened my story, and then when the dude showed up to finish trailering his boat, his side.  Then the ranger took me aside and said my only recourse, as he could not just make him pay me $20, nor get his name and and address for me, would be to allow me to place a citizens arrest because it's illegal to pass anyone at more than 5 mph within 100'.  So after Joe told 'Charles', found out his first name, I was going to place him under a citizens arrest where he would then receive a ticket and have to go to court, the dude suddenly came to his senses and paid up, albeit angrily.  T.U.L..

After all the brouhaha we went to the island and I tossed the Lunker Punker for nada while Herbert tossed the d/s with the same results for about 15 minutes.  I decided to go back to Toll Road Arm and fish the shore while looking for the lost lure but no luck. When we got to the end all heck was breaking loose and the fun was on, it was about 6. 

I got 5 on the Sammy 115 and Herbert got one, and lost a few, on his new Gunfish.  He was having a hard time getting it to work right, like a Sammy 'walk the dog' action, he'll get it and then watch out you big mean fish!!!!

Click image to enlarge.
The first one came on the Sammy 115 (the closest lure I now had to the Gunfish)
just 1 foot off the shore.  It must have hit the fish in the back and it exploded at least twice by flipping over, such thrashing I'd never seen before.  I hoped it had it in it's mouth and sure enough I had fish on, a nice 18" three pounder.

August 26th, 2007
Otay Lake.
5 p.m. till 7:30 p.m..

Herbert and I decided to see if topwater action was happening.  Well here is a pic of the only action, but it was good.
 

Click image to enlarge.
3 pounder on the Lunker Punker bass pattern, Harvey's Arm.

Click image to enlarge.
Backlit 3 pounder.

Click image to enlarge.
Early moonrise over Otay Arm.
 

Click image to enlarge.
Moonrise over Otay Arm.
 

Click image to enlarge.
Frog lure- Otay Arm.
 

Click image to enlarge.
Sunset at Otay launch ramp.

August 25th, 2007
Lake Hodges.
5 p.m. till 7:30 p.m..

We departed on the Answered Prayer and went over to Hideaway shore, north shallow end and worked towards the dam.  Nada after a half hour on top (me- buzzbaits) nor top and d/s (Herbert) so we went to the honey hole.  Herbert got a nice d/s fish early on and we got a couple of more but that was it for the day.

We finished up a quick 10 minute buzzbait pattern along the shore before the big point at the turn back for nada.

Saw Ken and got the report of him getting a 4.5 on the buzz which I just helped him learn the week before. (See further down stories).

August 24th, 2007
Lake Cuyamaca.

Me 1 bass/ Valerie zippo.
From 2:00 to 7:30 p.m..

We won a free use of their 'bass boat' from one of San Diego's fishin' radio programs that included permit fees too.  It was hot but bearable due to nice winds; I worked the south shallow looking for as some frog action and had three blow-ups from on weed mat in two hours of working it.  Started heading north to Fletcher Island point and got a nice one from a mat along that shore. 

Click image to enlarge.
Frog fish.

AT 6 we went to the dam and I continued the assault while Valerie started fishing instead of sun-bathing.  She lost a trout in one of the buoy lines fishing night crawlers and I rigged up a worm too, dragged it and tossed the lunker punker around the rock outcropping by the docks.  That was it for the day.  Had a nice Australian bratwurst /pork chop dinner at the restaurant on the lake.

    
Click images to enlarge.
Moonrise and sunset.

August 22nd, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 1 bass/ Herbert 2/ James 1/ John zippo.
From 4:30 to 7:30 p.m..

We departed on the Answered Prayer and went over to Seewald's Honey Hole and fished just north of it, then south of it where I got into one on a buzzbait. 

Click image to enlarge.
I get the stripe off the boat with this buzzbait fish, a 2#, 16" fighter.

     
Click images to enlarge.
Herbert got us all excited getting into a 6.6 pound
monster -took plenty of pictures before gently releasing it. 

We saw Ken and a friend in his Cobra fishing the point first and someone was on the HH.  We went back to it and Herbert gets into a 3 pounder fairly soon.  John had two or three but each got off.  Herbert got into a monster and we took plenty of pictures before gently releasing it. 

Then, just before leaving at 7:30, James (just turned 5) was working his own pole now (instructed by Seewald and trying his luck for the past 1/2 hour) and he had a system of one crank and stop, shake worm, one crank and stop, shake worm etc..  While resting from the system I noticed his pole was trying to go overboard in his hands.  I screamed he had one and he started reeling like crazy, and although it was only 10 ounces it fought like crazy and jumped twice, once far away and once right at the boat.  He high-fived everyone after we had netted and boated his fish.  Then he turned and announced it to Ken and his partner, now not far away, saying "I just got one drop-shotting just under one pound".

Click image to enlarge.

James, not to be outdone by the 'big/old folks' showed us
that his system would work as well as any.  In the background Herbert tries for one more before the lake staff 'invited' us, and anyone else still around, to kindly get off the lake!
 

Large file for printing/ 250 dpi 8x10.

August 21st thru the 23rd, 2007
Murrieta Calvary Chapel Conference Center/ Calvary Chapel Bible College ponds.

Afternoon/evening #1
Me 6 bass/ Herbert 7.

We took the wives for some r&r to the conference center and got there for the late afternoon bite.  It was not long and Herbert got a nice 2.5 pounder on his favorite bait, and the one he would mostly throw the whole time, the d/s rigged grape Roboworm. 

 
Click photos to enlarge.

I had my first bass moments later, from a bass that exploded on my brown Dean Rojas Spro Bronze eye frog. 

  
Click photos to enlarge.

I got the others on the buzzbait with another one on the frog.  I lost number 7, a nice one, on the bank just at quitting time our we would have tied in numbers!

Night #1, Murrieta Con't.
Me 3 bass/ Herbert 1.

We went back out after a late dinner and fished until 11:30 with a midnight retirement time.  Buzzbait's worked well with me getting two in a row at one point.

Morning #1
Me 3 bass/ Herbert 10.

We wanted to be out on the water by 5:30 the next morning so we had a 5 a.m. wake-up time. I got some morning bites as did Herbert but I threw topwater solely and it cost me in the numbers. No frog fish.  We finished at 9 and had breakfast by Gitta, Herbert's wife.

And then went to the Bass Pro Shop in Rancho Cucamonga, north of Riverside by about a half hour.  

   
Click photos to enlarge.
As we enter the largest Outdoor store in the world/ In the store showing 15% in background to about 200' back.

Evening #2 / Murrieta Con't.
At this point I lost count, but Herbert got the numbers again (mostly dinks).

Back at the ponds for the evening bite and finished at 8 for a dinner at Mimi's, dead tired.  Up again the next morning was planned at 5:30 for me and 6 for Herbert.  I was to be joined by Mark, whom we met this day.

Morning #2 / Murrieta Con't.
Me 3 / Herbert 11 with lots of dinks- AND the size too this time on one biggie ....

I got one on a buzzbait before anyone joined me at about 5:45, but that was about it for quite a while. 

  
Click photos to enlarge.
The self-timer/long exposure to get natural light did not quite work out the way I planned. New camera, learning.  This one came on the buzzbait before anyone joined me. 

Click photos to enlarge.
Herbert fishing the other side of the pond in the early morning light.

Herbert got into a few at the honey-hole corner but he reported they were mostly quite small, one not much bigger than the bait. 

        
Click photos to enlarge.

Herbert got into the action fast, as did Mark McIntyre, a pastor on staff at the bible college there, who joined us for the morning action bite. 

I finished at 8 a.m. for an early breakfast as topwater stopped with the direct sunlight while Herbert got into a real monster at the bridge area on his 6" Roboworm just before I left.  Good job Herbert. 

Click photos to enlarge.
My last topwater fish of the morning, just before Herbert got the whopper below.

Click image to enlarge.
His is Herbert's P/B to date, a beautiful 7',11'' bronze-back caught on a 6" grape Roboworm drop shot rig at 7:30 in the morning.

Click image to enlarge.
Pastor Mark poses with Herbert's 7'11".

250 dpi 8x10 for Herbert.

We 'pooled it' to cool down, and still went into the hot springs too for a short while, and left at noon as we had an appointment with a lake (Hodges) with a friend visiting in town with his son for later in the day, report is posted above this one.

August 19th, 2007
Lake Hodges for two hours.

Me 1 bass/ friend I helped- 2 bass.

Click image to enlarge.
Ken Newman's first buzzbait bass (actually 2nd, but first was a dink).

After finishing up my San Diego photo class at 4.45 I got to the lake and was fishing by 5:40.  I  caught one on my honey hole after trying topwater the first two hundred yards before that area for nada, including with the Lunker Punker swimbait.

I then ran across a fellow enthusiast who know me through my postings on sdfish.com. who had done pretty good tossing Texas rigged worms in the same area, more towards the point though.   As I went by tossing the buzzbait I encouraged/advised him concerning the use of the buzzbait, which I've semi-mastered from two years of heavy practice, and he reported not ever doing well on.  He had one tied on and I told him to go in front of me and I'd advise him on the techniques. 

The place I told him he was bound to get one he got a dink, and on the next cast got one just under 2 pounds, he was ecstatic.  He said from now on he was hooked and would use it (I saw him the following Wednesday and true to his word reported getting another one that night.

August 15th, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 9 bass/ Herbert 8
Water 85, stained, a VERY hot and humid day.

Launched at 9:30 after a series of problems starting from 5:30 in the morning.  Worked the Bernardo Bay with the Lunker Punker / buzzbait/ frog while Herbert d/s purple Roboworm.  Nada, and after an hour or two so went to the entrance to Escondido arm and Herbert picked up a dink.  Then worked the point across from Bernardo arm w/ d/s and then the narrows where we both picked up a couple of more.

     
Click images to enlarge.
Herbert gets some nice ones on his Grape colored Roboworm d/s.

Got over to the construction site and had lunch, about 2, and then Herbert really started to nail them on the d/s while I tossed a variety of top for nada.  At 5:30, with Herbert with 8 bass and me 3, we started a topwater assault headed towards the dam.  Within 15 minutes I had three on the buzzbait, up to 16".  At 6:30 got another down closer to the dam and then we went back past the construction site and I tossed the Lucky Craft Sammy and picked up two more, ending the day with 9. 

Click image to enlarge.
One of my last buzzbait fish before I switched to the Sammy.

August 6-11th, 2007
California Delta/ Clear Lake.

Day one, Mon. August 6th. 

After teaching a photo workshop in Carmel over the weekend and driving to the Motel 6 room in Stockton on Sunday night I was poised to do some serious fishing.  After getting up at 6 & hitting Denny's for a meat-lovers special I took the 5 north a few miles and then Hwy 12 east towards Rio Vista and launched just east of it at B&W Marina.  The day was overcast and that was exciting as I was looking for topwater action, especially with the frog, and that's great conditions for it.  I brought my 14' aluminum Lowe with a 25hp Honda four stroke and a 46 # Motor Guide foot controlled trolling motor & 7 poles rigged for action.

After launching about 9 and getting some trailer hook set-up surgical tube from a nice gentleman I headed off towards Frank's Tract, my final destination, about 4 miles down-river.  But I noticed a great weed line along one shore with tulles further back along it not far downriver from the ramp.  I tossed the frog along the weed line and had three blow ups in 15 minutes. The lack of fish committing to the bait had me concerned so I switched to a buzzbait.  It was not long and 'fish on', and a few more followed from that area, and the trailer hook worded well.

 
Click images to enlarge.

First of 7 buzzbait fish for the day.

Click images to enlarge.

Self portrait of me fishing the delta.

Click images to enlarge.

Still catching them even thought the sun is now out.

Click images to enlarge.

I motored out to Franks Tract and tossed the buzzbait and frog with just a fish or two for all of my efforts, the wind had come up and the sun came out at noon earlier, and this made the fishing tough.  Towards dusk I stopped at Korth's Pirate Lair Marina and worked it for nada, but just outside the entrance I nailed my final for the day, number 7 and he ran about 3.5.

Click image to enlarge.

At dusk I ended the day with another buzzbait fish just past
Korth's Pirate Lair Marina in the weed beds along the shore in semi-shallow water.

Day two, Tues. August 7th, 2007. 
Me 2/ John O. zippo

I have friends that moved to Davis recently, John & Joanne O., and John is a doctor that works in Martinez up on the Delta once a week. It so happened when I called him he said he was there that day and could go fishing, in his suit, after work so I did some Wal-Mart boat upgrading killing time till 2:30 p.m. when he said he would get off.

My phone had a problem so we did not get onto the water until 4 from the Oakley marina.  I wanted to target Big Break- I heard it was good fishing.  We tried out luck at some fishey looking weed lines outside entrances to coves for nada and then worked Big Break by 5:30.  By 7 I got my first bass, a nice 4.3 on my new brown Dean Rojas Spro Bronze-eye frog.  It had exploded on my buzzbait and refused it the second time, as I figured.  I tossed a drop shot on it and then an Ika for no love.  Picked up the frog and tossed it to the back on top of the weeds and whamo, fish on.

Click image to enlarge.
A nice 4.3 on my new brown Dean Rojas Spro Bronze-eye frog.

Click image to enlarge.
A nice 3.5 on a buzzbait with the trailer hook.

Click image to enlarge.
Same 3.5 without the flash, a little artsy don't you think?

Day three, Wednesday August 8th. 

Day three had me thinking that the Sacramento area might do well (it was close to Davis and my friends I was staying with) and besides John was working locally and we could go out together when he got off work- Rio Vista. 

I got out at about 2, after spending a lot of time having to repair the trolling motor as I had burned up the fuse holder the evening before.  And even though I was told not to waste my time by the local fishing store owner in Sacramento I fished (mostly motored around looking for 'fishy areas') for nada till 5 p.m.  I canceled John's joining me due to the poor fishing; day was lost in a way but I had a nice scenic boat ride along the American Canal for a few miles.

Day four and five, Thursday and Friday, August 9th and 10th.
Clear Lake.

I had received a call from a friend asking my advice on fishing Hodges and he mentioned how a friend had done well at Clear Lake recently, and as I was contemplating the two hour drive further north to fish it that was all I needed to hear, the next morning, after have a relaxed breakfast with my friends and making a reservation at a Motel 6 in Williams, an hour east of the lake but the only affordable place nearby, I headed up.  By noon I launched from a public facility in Clearlake town and was tossing buzzbaits and frogs minutes later,  but mostly for nada until I figured out the pattern after three hours.  I found floating pea looking stuff under a big tree with felled trees in it and I swore to myself I'd eat my hat if I did not get one in it.  Two pops later fish on and I somehow got it to the boat.  Guess what, I got two more there and one got off, but darn, three from one area, cool.  I now had a pattern and it held up 50% of the time.  Find peas, toss frog, bring in fish.  I ended up with 10 nice fish for the day.

Click image to enlarge.
Here was my largest at 3.5#.

 
Click image to enlarge.
The backwaters of Cache Creek, far south end of Clear Lake, held lots of fish that liked my frog.  Ended up with 10 in the boat up to 3.5 pounds, they averaged 2-2.5#.  Worked it from 2 till 9 and probably went 2 miles back and still did not hit the end, if there even is one.

At dark I tossed my new 7" 'small' Lunker Punker, with a bass pattern, with high expectations but no takers.  Off to my hotel by 10:30 and to bed, tired as heck, by midnight.  Plan was to get up at 5.

Day five, Friday August 10th/ Clear Lake con't. 

But at 5 I said I'm going to sleep another hour and set the clock, but since I was half asleep I set the wrong part.  I woke up at 8 but found out it was really 7 due to my setting it wrong.  One hour drive back to the lake and on the water by 9.  Lunker Punker'd for two hours for one explosion next to some boulders over in Jone's Bay. Followed it up with a buzzbait and fish on, a 3#. 

Click photo to enlarge.
Here is the Lunker Punker, but in the
rainbow pattern, I got the bass one. $60 Bongo Bucks!!

Decided since the buzzbait worked so well (frog bite not good with the 'peas') and I slowly got a fish here and there with it.  By mid afternoon the wind was whipping up whitecaps and 3 foot waves.  I got a nice four pounder out of a felled tree and a few more working the boulders parallel to shore still. 

Click image to enlarge.
A 4 pound beauty.

I got a nice hit on the boulder point by the 'giant log cabin' and came back later and landed a nice 5 pounder.

Click image to enlarge.
Artsy-fartsy shot of my 5 pound buzzbait fish caught
on my second day of fishing Clearlake.  On a point along the boulders over by the 'log cabin', caught in front of two tournament anglers fishing the Anglers Choice Pro-Am.

I went back into Cache Creek around 6 to see if the ones the day before would eat Kermit again (and to get out of the stormy waves and wind) but I found they would have nothing to do with him.  So after two hours of nada back there I started tossing the Lunker Punker over by the launch ramp where I'd started with it in the morning, now at dusk, but again no takers.  Left the lake so tired I could barely move and drove to my friends in Davis home, arriving at close to midnight. 

Day six, Saturday August 11th. 

Left my friends home by 8 a.m. and hit the Delta for some last minute topwater action, hopefully.  But as I crossed the bridge headed to the B&W marina ramp I almost decided not too after seeing the whitecaps on the Sacramento River, while going over the Rio Vista draw-bridge.  But luckily the B&W area looked better so I launched, it was 10.  The first place I fished the previous Monday, with weeds along the bank, called to me but I got no love after four hours of fighting waves up to 5' from the cabin cruisers that would speed by.  The weather was not the same and the tide change no doubt affected things too.  I re-loaded the boat on the trailer by 2:30 and got back home to San Diego at 11:30 that night.

Thank U Lord for another special and safe trip! May there be many more, with friends and family or solo with YOU!!!

August 3rd, 2007
Casitas Lake
Solo- 0 bass

Stopped and fished this lake for the first time ever for me, from 4 till 8, while on my way to teach in Carmel.  Fire was burning somewhere north of there and gave the place an eerie aura.  I got one nice 4.5 or so on a buzzbait, chart./white but my new trailer hook set-up was rinky-dink and it busted off at the boat.  Fished the left side of a drop off next to a weed covered point just north of the second launch ramp.

Click image to enlarge.
Fire was burning somewhere north
of Lake Casitas and gave the place an eerie aura.

July 28th, 2007
Barrett Lake.

Me 17 bass, Barry 7.
Water 82-83.

Met Barry at our usual parking place in Rancho San Diego mall and we piled my stuff into his S.U.V. and the two gents that I sold my tube tics too followed us to the lake, being their first time.

Laurie checked us in at 5:15 shortly after we drove in and after I paid my $60 to Andy Bigbee who sold me his tic; he joined his brother in his boat, their partners having bailed- good for me.  On the water headed to the back of Pine creek where I found good topwater action the week before. 

 
Click image to enlarge.
Barry in early morning light.

After about 15 minutes of tossing Kermit (Dean Rojas Spro Frog/ Blk) I picked up the first bass on a buzzbait. 

Click image to enlarge.
First of 2 buzzbait fish.

Switched to a Ribbit after the second buzzbait fish and started nailing them on that too.  Barry was having problems getting anything as he did not have the same baits. 

    
Click images to enlarge.
The next two on the Ribbit, one with weeds brought in with it.

By 8 a.m. it was me 8 and Barry zippo (he tossed a miniature worm and caught some bluegill and 6" bass but I refused to count them, we were not 'dink fishing' this time and I said only 12" bass would count and he agreed.  We worked further back but no love so we hit the trees at the entrance of the creek for one more for me on a pumpkin colored Ika.  He got his first on a worm.  We went to Herbert's honey hole and I got another, then the island for zippo. 

Barry thought that desolation cove would be good but he started dink fishing and I put up with it for about a 1/2 hour while I tossed a red crank and a frog on the weed mats for nada.  Talked him into jig fishing, which is what we went to do in the first place, at an area that would really work for it, one with rock on steep cliffs.  We found an area and the first cast I nailed a nice 2+ but it was the last for that hour. 

Click image to enlarge.
The first and only jig fish for the day.

We worked west and I got two more on that red 2 piece Rapala crawdad crank I'd thrown earlier.  Went to Becky's cove, now it was about 3 and we tossed to the boulders and I got another Ika fish.  Barry got a nice one on the point and we worked it east for quite a while for nada.

   
Click images to enlarge.
The two I got on the two piece crawdad Rapala.

By 5 I decided to hit Herbert's honey hole and we got one (I did) on a grape Robo d/s.  At 6 we started topwater at the island nearby and lo and behold Barry borrowed one of my white Ribbits and had two nice hits almost back to back, losing the first which looked to be about 5 and getting the second, a 2 pounder.

Click images to enlarge.
Barry with one of his seven for the day.
 

We continued working the shore over by pig point cove and then the shallow point across from the boat dock where I got two more on Mr. buzzy. We got back to the dock at 8 after being surprised by Bill (yes, retired Bill) who volunteered as they were short he said.  Great day, great fishing with great friends, T.U.L..

   
Click images to enlarge.
Mr. John Curry, 'sumGuy' from Westernbass fish boards, with his 6.3. Hodges beauty.  I was hoping to see/meet him there on Saturday the 28th, his birthday, but I got that boat for Barrett.  I posted this for him so we could show the guys on Westernbass.

July 26th, 2007
El Capitan.

Me 8 bass, Jordan 15 and John 25. (Did not really keep a good count, but these two out fished me 2 or 3 to 1 most of the time, as I guessed they would).
Hot HOt HOT.

John Kerr invited me to back-seat on his new Skeeter whilst he and his son pre-fished for the El Cajon Ford - San Diego Team Open. 

According to and ad: The San Diego Team Open will be held on Lake San Vincente on Monday August 13th and at El Capitan on the 14th. This is a great Derby with a huge cash purse. First place is Six G, GUARANTEED!!! It’s worth the entry fee just to fish the lakes when no one else can. The lakes are rented by Mr Leader. Fishing is off the hook this time of year at SV and EC.

It was a real honor to fish with such an esteemed fisherman from our own backyard.  He has gone out with so many celebs from the Padre and Charger teams that like to fish.  He mentioned a few, Tony Gwinn, Drew Brees, etc..

We met at the lake at 5:40 and launched his new boat and went to find some topwater action at a couple of spots he heard did well lately. He has a great network of friends that supply he and Mike Long with up to date info.

First spot, far north end, was unproductive with no hits.  Went to the 'trees' and nada there so we went to the 'tree hole' where things were really happening.  Breakers were all over and we got into quite a few.

    
Click images to enlarge.
Jordan Kerr catches and releases yet another bucket-mouth (bass).

Click image to enlarge.
John and Jordan with their two new 'rides'.

We ended up with about 10 to 12 topwater fish and 20 to 30 ice jig fish.  It was Jordan's and my first time both on using that system/jig. Very effective in the right circumstances, as John pointed out to me on the graph.  We plan on going out next Thursday to San Vincente, can't wait.

July 18th, 2007
Barrett Lake.

Me 21 bass- solo. Hot HOt HOT. 1st train in, last out.

Traded some art for the ticket, some guy needed to dump it.

 
Click image to enlarge.

Stopped along with these 2 guys on the shallow point just 5 minutes from the docks.  They got one right off, a four pounder, on a Senko while I tossed a Sammy for no love for 5 minutes- had to get back to the Pine Creek Cove, stick with the plan (I get carried away- I never get to work plan A- easy to do with 20 minutes of driving by/seeing so many likely spots).  This time I did and it paid off.

        
Click image to enlarge.
Some morning fog greeted me as I arrived back there.

   
Click images to enlarge.
A nice frog fish w/ his humongous mouth.

Got them mostly on a mix in the morning -Sammy, fluke and frog till 9, all at beginning of Pine creek cove in back on the left where it starts to narrow (nice weed growth, a couple went 2.6 on 3.3).

Click image to enlarge.
Topwater action treated me well this morning, this one went for a fluke.

                
Click images to enlarge.

Some later morning scenes, gotta love it out there.

   Then worked far end for nada except one on a pumpkin Ika, then the trees for one on the Chatterbait and and nada on the frog.  Moved to

     
Click images to enlarge.

Ika fish, one of many on it.

Click image to enlarge.
Chatterbait fish.

Herbert's Honey Hole on right on the rocks at 2 p.m.- then I got 3 more on the pumpkin Ika, then 1 on red Rapala craw crank.  Then moved down a little and got 6 more on the other side of H.H.Hole near the point on the Roboworm d/s M.M. (Mike DeFalco and Grumpy were on the sweet spot of the actual hole), one went 4.11, what a fight. 

        
1.       Click images to enlarge.      2.
New acquaintances Grumpy and Mike DeFalco stop the heavy action for a pic.

Big File for Mike of pic #1.
Big File for Mike of pic #2.

Click image to enlarge.
I got into my own action for awhile there too.

At 5 went froggin' and got 5 hits in 15 minutes across from the honey hole. Followed up the area w/ the double blade buzzbait then worked the Pine Arm buzzbait stretch with my new twin bladed buzzbait and missed about 10 in a row over a one hour period to work it.  Closed down the hook and landed one.  More misses and went to to main rock cliff towards docks by pig point for another buzz fish in front of Mike who was there now, and more misses. 

Click image to enlarge.
One of the buzzbait fish that did not get away.

Went across from the docks on the shallow point now there and after nada on the spook got four blow ups on the frog and landed one.  Two hit it twice trying to inhale it they were so active. T.U.L. for a safe and refreshing/relaxing day!

Click image to enlarge.
One of the frog fish that also did not get away, until I wanted him to that is.

July 16th, 2007
Murrieta Hot Springs/ Calvary Chapel Conference Center ponds.

Me 10 bass, Herbert 6, Thomas 3 and Mike C. zippo.

We left Carlsbad at 3:15 and picked up Mike and his son-in-law Thomas, age 15, and drove out to the ponds.  Fishing by 4:45 with me getting the first couple of fish on the buzzbait.  Herbert tried his, but no luck and started getting them on the drop shot.  Mike hooked up Thomas with a small swimbait and he got his first bass ever a short while later. Things picked up as the evening progressed, and though it was about 90 it was quite bearable/nice with soft winds blowing over the water.  I got Herbert to loan Thomas a buzzbait and told him how and where to fish it, and he got on a nice one at 8 or so.  We finished up by 9; I won the mini-tournament with the largest fish (2.6) but Herbert said he lost one about 5 snapping his line and bouncing back into the water.  Then we went for some local Pick-up-stix Chinese chow. T.U.L. for a safe and refreshing/relaxing afternoon/evening!

July 11th, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 13 bass- Herbert 5- Robert S. 1.
Most on d/s M.M. except my 1st, on a blk frog 17" and three on red Rapala craw crank.  Herbert all M.M., Robert on swimming d/s 5" purple worm.

Surprisingly, none on Chart. buzzbait at dusk this time.
Water stained- 6" visibility/ overcast till 8 a.m., no fog.

Met Herbert at shop at 4:50 a.m. and at gate by 5:30, just as they let the vehicles in.  Robert Schneider was already there. We worked the Hernandez shore but lack of fog had that bite mostly shut down.  First bass was Herbert's' on Roboworm Margarita Mutilator 5" straight tail drop shotted. I got a nice one finally at about 7 on a black frog. Then missed a nice one on chartreuse buzzbait 15 minutes later. Met Larry and his partner tossing shiners on bobbers with 1' leaders working the shore towards and past us (and we watched them get a 5.5 at the spot I missed the blow up at!).

Click image to enlarge.
Me with the first and only topwater bass, on a frog - 17" / Herbert in background.

We worked down to the dam, me with equal time w/ frogs, spooks and buzz's, Robert with small spook and Herbert D/S. Then over across the dam and back down the steep drop off shoreline from the dam back. I switched to a red Rapala craw crank right away for 3, Herbert picked up a couple more and Robert got his 2, one of which fell off near the boat, as did one of mine as I swung it up (it was his first time on the lake and he is not used to stained water at all- it really through him off.)

Lunch break at 1:30 at Hernandez Hideaway Mexican Restaurant and then Robert had to split (too bad, we hoped he'd stay all day as he is such a crack-up, but he was super tired and had some 'stuff' to do). We went back and fished the narrows, I had 6 and Herbert 5 at that point. I got 7 more in the afternoon session but Herbert got zipped, even fishing the same baits, MM Robo- strange!!?

The last hour and a half (6:30 till 8) we 'speed fished' the Hern. shore from the dam back to almost the construction site, helped by the strong winds pushing us at 10 mph, with not even a blow up- frog for Herbert and buzz for me.
 

July 8th, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 8 bass- Russ 4. All on d/s except my last 2 bass, Chart. buzzbait.
Water stained- 6" visibility/ sunny and windy.

Russ Dunnum and I got into the same bite as I did yesterday with Herbert (next report) using same methods.  I had 4 before Russ got his first and promised I would not bring in one more until he got one.  He did when I had finished the sentence and then I proceeded to get 2 more.  Went over to the new honey hole and got 2 more, both on chartreuse buzz baits.

July 7th, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 6 bass- Herbert 4. All on d/s except my last bass, Chart. buzzbait.
Water stained- 6" visibility/sunny and windy.

We got on the water by 4 p.m. for the afternoon bite.  First tossed topwater, buzzbaits, spooks and frogs for nada starting at the right side of the narrows by the old docks and worked east through the narrow part of the narrows.  An hour later we switched to d/s grape and got into a dink fest of sorts (all 12 -14") as the narrows narrowed, most on the rock banks in 1' to 6' of water.  At 7 we went to my old honey hole, but closer to the dam by 100' and I got one more on the buzzbait just after being asked to go back the to docks. Quit fishing at 7:50.

July 6th, 2007
Lake Jennings.

Me 1 bass, 2 cats/ Herbert 1 bass/ Cameron 1 large cat.
Slight greenish colored water, clear to 10 foot.

We arrived at a little after 3 p.m. to find the gate closed with a notice that the lake opens at 5.  Went to Wal-Mart to hang and Herbert ended up getting Cameron a new rod/reel bass set-up while kicking tires in the sporting dept., and no combo either, the real deal (Daiwa rod? and Mitchell reel).  We spooled it with 8# test there too, in the McDonald's part.

Launched boat right at 5:00 while Cameron and Herbert ran to get permits/ fishing by 5:15 in cove on opposite side way across from docks.  Herbert got the stripe off the boat with some nice topwater action while controlling the boat from the front seat- BUZZBAIT.  

Click image to enlarge.
Herbert with the first bass, a 15", fooling it with a white buzzbait.
 

A while later we came back to the area and I got one on a long cast with the Sammy 115 to a deep cove with lots of sunken trees on both sides with the tops sticking up.

Click image to enlarge.
Me with my topwater bass of the day- a fighting 14" scrapper on a Sammy 115 lure.

 At dark, about 9, we setup for some catfishing.  I got the first and second ones, but they were pretty small at about 1 lb..  Just before having to leave, about 10:45, Cameron lost a big one.  10 minutes later he got another (same spot so same fish?) and it was the big fish for the day.

Click image to enlarge.
Cameron with the big fish for the day.  He baited the hook, watched his line, set the hook and brought it in all by himself.  This guy is a real fisherman, and a happy one too!!!

Click image to enlarge.
Cameron - Large file for printing.

July 3rd and 4th, 2007
Murrieta Hot Springs, Calvary Chapel Conference Center ponds.

Me 6 bass, 1 up to 7 or 8!!!
Herbert 0, Cameron 0, Robert 2.
Stained water.

Valerie and I stayed at the Murrieta Calvary Chapel Conference Center/ Bible College, departing N. San Diego at 6 p.m. from the gallery. By Escondido the Toyota started acting up with all electric drained to 0 (radio would not even run, nor clock). Told the wife it would be J.I.B. because I did not think we could stop and start the car at one of the 'finer' restaurants around, but she was not a happy camper and did not believe me. Then the stall at the off-ramp proved me right. BUT since we broke down at Marie Calendars a 'good' dinner it was- (but valuable fishing time was lost!!!)

We were about 4 miles from the center and Robert Schneider, who lives nearby and was going to join us fishing there anyways, was called and asked for a jump and a battery charger.  He obliged us right after dinner and about 4 jump starts later, over just a 5 light distance, we gave up and just loaded up his vehicle with our gear and left the car in the Costco parking lot, we had to fish dad gum-it and this was wasting time!  We had also taken the battery and after checking into our room we hooked up the battery charger and went fishing. But unfortunately by then it was dark, about 8:45, and the great twilight bite like I had two weeks ago was over.

My two other friends that came to visit us and fish, Herbert and Cameron, were already there; they had tried their luck for 5 hours with cats earlier at Lake Wohlford but got zippo. Cameron (age 12 or so) borrowed my spinning reel and threw a frog for an hour but he and Herbert continued their 'white stripe' streak for the day and left at 10 p.m. with a 1 hour drive back to N. San Diego ahead of them.

I ended up with getting two on the Sammy and Robert got 2 also, one on a Sammy and one on a worm. We quit at 11 and I got the car back to the center with more of Robert's help (thanks again Robert).

Up at 5:30 a.m. and fish on at 6, and it was a real beauty. Guess it was between 7 and 8. Here are some pics.

    
Click images to enlarge.
Notice my fist would easily go into her mouth, and it did with room to spare.  Man O man.  Reminder to self, next time bring the scale       and the good camera (these are with my camera phone, better than nothing by about 1/2).

Problem, was, my PB (personal best) is only 8.25#, and this fish had the ability to beat that. I should have figured a way to weigh it, but the scale was 2 blocks away in my tackle box and I did not want to keep her out of the water for a stroll over there and back. I was not going to let it back in the water with the lure still attached like a stringer and the pole dangling off the dock as she would have swam off with the pole most likely, so I just measured her against the eyes on the pole (5.5) which measured 23.5 inches.  Best length to weight estimate I can find to date is that she was 7.3#. As one friend had mentioned, I should have cut some of the line, made a stringer and went and got the scale!!! 

Met a young fisherman named Johnny (his dad teaches at the center) and his youth pastor Brian, a new dad that was 'let' to go fishing by the new mom (thanks mom). Gave Johnny some pointers (only been fishing for 2 years, tutored by Brian) with his new 'Sammy 85' (smaller than the '115' I toss). But hey, he already has a 12+ under his belt so he's a fast learner. I got three on the buzzbait and one on a Senko, about a 2.5#, in the smaller pond.

 
Click image to enlarge.
Brian and Johnny concentrate on getting another bass while I shoot away making artsy fish photos unknown to them.

July 1st, 2007
Lake Hodges.

Me 2 bass- solo.
Water stained- 1' to 2' visibility.

Out on the water by 6:30 a.m. and fished until 11:30, just two hits on topwater, nothing stuck. Left the boat at the docks and went to work and then to a gathering in Rancho Santa Fe. 

Back at 6:30 p.m. and got 2 nice ones (2 to 3 ea.) on buzzbaits just at 7:30.  Wife went the 2nd time for company. No camera with me.