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Seewald at Clear Lake, CA., 7-'08. Click to enlarge.
Michael Seewald's
fishing adventures for
2008.
January thru June
From the most recent to the oldest.
June 29th, Lake Hodges.
Solo 1 crappie, but had two nice hits on the AC Plug worked 'deathstyle'.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Red crankbait crappie.
June 25th, Otay Lake.
Me 3 bass and 1 cat, many lost.
Jerry S. zippo, but lost a nice frog fish.
5 a.m. till 7.30 p.m.
Lowe alum. boat / water about 82 in back, 79 in Bushlowe, air up to 86!
We started off at the entrance to Harvey's Arm me throwing frogs
and Jerry varying jerkbaits. Nada, then went to the back of the arm. I
tossed an A.C. plug and at 9 got a big explosion and hooked into a monster.
The weird thing it acted like it was stuck on the surface, fighting there.
I thought it was snagged on the top of some brush but did not see it.
Finally it dove and then got stuck on a tree stump. I was praying like
crazy it would come undone and I slacked on the line. A few seconds later
I felt it come loose and the fight was on again. I got it up to the boat
and realized two things, I did not have a net for this pig, and secondly that it
was not a pig, but about a 4 to 5 lb channel catfish with an attitude. I
swung it into the boat still quite ecstatic.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Got this nice channel catfish on the topwater AC
Minnow plug I was tossing!
We continued to work the outer areas to the tulles patches but
no more action. About 10 we went into the tulles 'canals' and I missed one
on the black frog. Jerry got a nice one on his new Bass Pro frog, a
greenish-brown one that looks like a Snag Proof or Rojas frog. It took him
into a bush and he broke it off trying to pull it free, losing the bait and the
frog- too bad. We continued to work the area but for zero action.
We worked the right side headed out from the back then went and
lunched at 1 at the Harvey/Otay arm split. Was a beautiful day, slightly
hazy and cool.
Went to the end of Otay arm after working the entrance side on
the right. Very clear water to 12' deep easily. In the back I liked
the looks of what I saw, lots of grasses growing up to the surface, with some so
thick it created a canopy in areas. I got a nice blowup on the brown frog
but miss the hook-set.
Worked our way out of the arm on the right side. Jerry
noticed an explosion in deeper water and tossed his jerkbait but missed the
spot. I pulled the Gunfish out and tossed it on the vanishing rings just after
it came up again and after a single twitch it was fish on. This dude
fought like one twice his size and was stuffed with shad.
Click on photo to enlarge.
This one fell to the Gunfish.
Afterwards we decided to slow down and throw plastics over at
Bushlowe cove, across the lake from the docks. We put out our anchor and
worked the left point. After half hour we moved to the rock piles on the
right side. More nada and then the evening hour called for topwater.
Jerry tossed the frog and I the AC plug some more. After about an hour I
changed the cadence of the bait, creating a more injured look instead of a dumb
fish slow swim look. Did not take long and a monster came up and tore into
my bait, slashing on the surface creating a lot of commotion and a heart attack
for me. I instantly reeled back, felt weight and set the hook while still
reeling. She dove and I cranked and she dove some more and I cranked some
more and then deck landed her before she knew what hit her.
Click on photo to enlarge.
This 6-9 beauty fell to the AC 9" minnow.
A young man (compared to me) name Jay, in a nice Triton with his
son, motored by and gasped when they saw the fish we were holding up to weigh
(6-9 on the Rapala scale). He wanted a shot of her for himself so he
motored over and afterwards I asked to shoot us from his boat with my camera.
Click on photo to enlarge.
The A.C. Minnow.
Click on photo to enlarge.
We continued to the back of the cove and I switched to the frog.
After going 2/3rds of the way back I realized I'd be better off with the
Gunfish. A few casts later I got a nice 3 pounder but she came unbuttoned
after two jumps as the Gunfish had been neutered (de-barbed at Barrett Lake
earlier in the year) giving her more than a fighting chance to win the battle.
At 7:30 we worked the dock area for 15 minutes for nada, and
then while Jerry was getting the trailer I hooked into one last bass, about 1
pounder on the Gunfish, ending one heck of a fun, albeit long, day. Thanks
Jerry.
June 20th, Lake El Capitan.
Solo - 1 bass, many lost.
6 a.m. till 8 p.m.
Lowe alum. boat / water about 85, air up to 110!
I got to the lake an hour after sunrise (it's up early nowadays,
about 5 it's safe light out). Worked the cove by the launch ramp for about
an hour or so for nada (Herbert and I went there a few days ago and got some
hits there).
Went towards boulder cove and worked the shoreline for more
nada, crankbait. Then to boulder bay and then to the trees. First hit at 9
p.m. on a frog in the trees. Another an hour or so later, nope stuck. Took
break from 1 till 3 as way too hot, got in shade of tree and napped/lunched.
Back to work and wind started to die at 5. Started to get action but lost
them on d/s, ikas and Gunfish. All came off during the fight, the Gunfish
was Barrett rigged, as was the d/s (no barbs). Finally got one at 7 and
lost a couple of more towards 8 at main point headed back where lake turns.
June 18th, Lake Hodges.
Me 2 bass, Ken 1.
Noon till 4 p.m..
I joined Ken at noon, he had been fishing since sunrise and had a few in the
boat when I joined him. We fished the narrows for nada, then the
construction site for the same. Then the dam with crankbaits, where I got
one and lost one. Put on a red one and got this nice one a couple of casts
later.
Click on photo to enlarge.
The red crankbait is my 'go to' deep water bait.
Lost another the same size on the next cast. Thought I
really had the pattern but another hour with nothing had me wondering. We
finished just after 4.
June 16th, Lake El Capitan.
Me 1 bass, Herbert 1.
4:30 p.m. till 8 p.m..
We saw that the water was way up and also that the cove by the
ramp was filled with water so we fished that area for the afternoon. I got
the first fish in no time at all on a silver crankbait and thought it was going
to be hot fish wise (it was temp wise) but that was the last for me.
Herbert got the first hit on the frog and I went to one too but it was slow.
I finally got a hit in the tree tops but it did not stick. Later I tried
there again and sucess, a big explosion and I thought it was at least a 5 lb
bass. I pulled it out of the tree tops and then it plopped on the water in
front of me revealing a big bullfrog, about 2 pounds and 2' long! Herbert
got one on d/s the last few minutes.
June 14th, Lake Hodges.
Me 0 bass, Ed Kessler 0.
Me 1:30 p.m. till sunset (8).
Ed joined me at 5 p.m..
Worked the narrows, construction site, all for nada. Was a
nice day out though. Had some nice fellowship at Hernandez Hideaway
afterwards.
June 8th, Lake Hodges.
Me 0 bass, Stan Webb 1.
4 p.m. till sunset at 8.
Stan, a collector of my art from Wichita, Kansas was in town for
the U.S. Open golf tourney at Torrey Pines and had time to visit. As a
bass fisherman (with a 11 acre pond on his property) Stan was quite willing to
try our local waters. He handled the gear well and got the stripe off our
boat with a little scrapper towards sunset. I had one bust off back in the trees
by the hwy that had hit a white/chartreuses spinnerbait.
Click on photo to enlarge.
We had a nice time, the weather was beautiful.
Thanks for accompanying me Stan and getting the 'stripe' off the boat.
June 4th, Barrett Lake.
Me 10 bass, Ed Kessler 9.
Air- only 65, water 70.
Second train in, last out, (but not last boat back, that came in 20 minutes
late)! Met Ed at 5:35 at my house and he drove us out to the 7 a.m. 'train
in'. Ed is fairly new to bass fishing and had accompanied me to Hodges a
couple of other times. It was a beautiful day as it was overcast, but
surprisingly it stayed that way all day and actually got very cold and windy
from noon till sunset.
We found Angel, a friend from Corona that bought my tube
tic's and whom was looking forward to our finding him and motoring him over
towards Becky's cove as I'd promised. He had landed 12 already, mostly on the
blade. The other tubers had reported up to 4 each, so he was way ahead of the
average.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Angel with one superb tube fishing system.
I got on them fairly fast using a green/red jig. No
love on the topwater, not that I did not try. Ed did not until we went to arm
split point where he killed 'em on the purple Roboworm drop shot rig on his new
20# braided line on his spinner pole (I did both his and 'bummed' the last 50
yards to spool one of my two. That worked so well, goodbye mono on
spinners from now on). I now call the spot 'Ed's Honey Hole'.
Click on photos to enlarge.
The fishing was a bit slow for Barrett standards,
but here a couple of nicer models I got into. The first was on the jig,
the second on a drop shot at 'Ed Honey Hole'.
Ed really got on them, it was his best day of
bass fishing to date. He leaned a lot of new systems, or perfected them.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Later in the afternoon the frog bite really
picked up FINALLY.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Oh man, and did it pick up. I got me this lunker
a little later too... a 6.14# beauty. My new PB on the frog, and new PB
(personal best) for Barrett.
Glad we brought the net. When you see a fish this size jump
fairly near the boat, and you get to see just how big she is, your heart really
starts pumping, believe me. I immediately yelled for Ed to get the net, at the
same time he was already going for it as I looked over, he'd witnessed the jump
too.
After landing it, in my excitement, I stuck my head halfway
down into the net with this beast and yelled, "WELCOME TO THE BOAT
BEAUTIFUL"! Anyone within a mile would have heard it, I was one
excited dude Ed could tell. He said if that fish did not get you excited,
nothing would. He'd never seen one this big, and I had not seen all that
many myself. After a couple of quick pics I released her unharmed and soon
she was swimming back into the grasses from whence she'd emerged moments
earlier.
I got a couple of more hits in the far end of Pine Creek but
no hookups. We called it a day at 6:55 so we could make sure to get back
to the docks by the 7:40 deadline.
Ed was one tired dude at the end of the day. Most people have
no idea how much energy it takes to cast and reel in all day, not to mention
using every muscle in your body to balance yourself from the waves that
constantly move the boat to and fro. Funny thing is, you don't know how
tired you are until you drive the long way back, and then when you go to get out
of the car you realize you can't even move! I'm somewhat used to it and
still get so tired I can hardly move (but due to going out for 3 of the last 5
days I guess I was in unusually good shape as I felt no pain for once- TUL)! You
also really feel it the next day.
June 1st, Barrett Lake.
Ken Newman 6, me 5.
Sunny and warm (80ish) but not hot. Water 70.
Second train in, last out. Laurie checked us in. Got
back last but 5 minutes before deadline, which they moved up to 7:30 for some
reason.
We stuck with the frog all day, fishing Pine Arm for most of
it. We got all of our fish but one on the frog.
Ken lost a nice one too under the trees at the entrance to the creek- it
exploded and we could see the water and hear it but the denseness was too much
to get her out of in time and she threw the hook. A little while later we were
fishing the mouth of the creek when Ken got one hit and darn if it did not try
again right at the boat. He watched it go down and turn and look up at his
frog, now just sitting on the water. The fish made a move and was on it
for the third time, this time Ken made the hookset and landed her. He was
so stoked to have watched the whole thing.
One of the hightlights for me actually happened twice.
Once, a 1.5 pounder went airborne and landed mouth first on top of the lure
while I was working it. Darn if it did not intercept it just perfect as
when I reeled down I felt weight and set the hook, landing it moments later.
Ken got to see it.
Later, just before heading to Hauser, I saw the same thing
but the bass was about 5 pounds and did not quite get airborne, it was probably
too big, but it did intercept it just perfect and I fought it for a minute,
getting it out of some brush it got in for a moment but then it dove into a
tulle base half way back to the boat. I over pulled on it to get it out
and it tore the hook out of it's mouth- live and learn.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Ken with the first bass he'd ever got on the
frog,
and was the first fish for us this day too..
Click on photos to enlarge.
Oh man, Ken really figured out the frog bite...
way to go Ken.
Ken definitely got the larger models for this day, from 2 to
2.5 pounds, while mine were averaging 1 to 1.5 pounds, with one amazingly only
about 8'' and one was 12". Amazing because it is a wonder the smaller
dudes could even get the frog in their mouths. I've got to give Ken credit with
sticking with the pattern all day, he reminded me of me! The color he used
was the green w/ yellow belly, my fav color and seemed to be the larger models
favorite too; but I'd lost mine at Hodges the week before on a hook-set into a
six pounder and did not have another or I too would have been tossing it.
At about 3:30 we motored the one hour drive to the back of
Hauser, mostly to show Ken the whole lake as it was his first time. I had
a couple of frog hits and he got a nice one out of the sticks back there by
getting a quick start on her and not letting up before she could have caused
real havoc down in the sunken brush, which is everywhere.
Click on photos to enlarge.
The one he got out of a very tough spot.
I tossed a Chatterbait for a few minutes and got one in short
order, a big one that threw the hook when it got near. Ken tossed a worm
for just a couple of minutes and got one fairly quickly on it too (we could have
had much higher numbers of fish caught, but that was not our plan, learning and
having fun on the frog was). I tied on a ribbit, a solid body frog that has
kicking legs but does not float, and got three hits and one in the boat in
short order too at one place we stopped on the way back. We ran out of
time before we realized it but still got back in time to meet the deadline.
April 31st, Wounded Soldier Tournament, Vail Lake.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Roger (tunaman) shooting the event at blastoff.
The main thing was to bless some of our troops, the fishing was
really secondary. But the place had a lot of fish, but it was not putting out
what folks had been reporting to me at the areas we tried our luck at. We had
8.31 lbs by the end of the day (3 p.m., blastoff at 9:20), lots of culling but
not much in size.
My marine named Eric, a hydraulic mechanic at Miramar that was getting out in
August, had an absolute blast. I tossed a swimbait by the trees by the launch
ramp, as well as a frog, for nada the first half hour while Eric tossed the
spinnerbait.
We headed for another set of trees I know about at the north he
got three on the spinner bait before I had got one. The guys that had been
there before knew where to go to get those bigger models, I did not and it was
like pre-fishing on tourney day. At the end I knew where to go, but it was too
late by then. They predicted a lot of 6, 7 and 8 pounders to be brought in, but
only one 6 or so was.
April 19,20,21, Murrieta Hot Springs, sunny
Fished for three days and got quite a few (about 10 per day, some buzzbait,
some frog, some d/s. Here is Herbert's new PB, caught on a live night
crawler.
I lost a monster in the smaller pond, at least I know she is there now!!!
Mike Castaneda got his PB there that day too, a 7-8, on a small swimbait by
Storm. Photo coming.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Herbert's new PB, a 9-2, what a hog!
April 14th, Lake Poway, sunny
Water 70, air 80.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Me w 4 pounder at Poway.
April 7th, Barrett Lake, opening day. Sunny
Water 65, air 75- perfect.
Me, 19 bass, (15 on frog, 2 on Sammy, 1 on Senko, 1 on d/s).
6:30-7. 2 Sammy
7-8. 2 frog
8-9. 1 frog
9-10. 1 frog, 1 senko
10-11. 6 frog
11-12. 1 frog after changing to Spro after losing the big girl.
12-1. 1 frog
1-2. 0 on d/s, lost 2 at boat
2-3. 1 d.s
3-4. 0 on d/s, senko and frog
4-5. 1 frog
5-6. 1 frog
6-7:10. 1 frog
Herbert 7. (3 D/s, 1 frog, 3 buzzbait).
From sunrise to sunset, on water from 6 till 8, fishing from
6:30 am till 7:10.
We met at 4 a.m. at my house and drove the one hour drive and
went in from the gate at 5:35. We paid Laurie after unloading at the docks, per
Laurie's approval again we just parked there, and got in our aluminum boat and
headed back to Pine Arm which took about 1/2 hour in the slow boats.
Started with the spook and TD Pencil but only got blow ups. Herbert got one
right away on a d/s purple worm but I poo-poo'd him for doing so (that pattern
is for when nothing else works for most people) as you mostly catch dinks
anyways, as his was.
Although years past the frog did not work early and I was
resolved not to 'waste time' with it, I went to a black frog anyway as too many
areas looked promising and got my first of many for the day in short order- thank God I did. It was slow
picking until we went to the far end of the creek where I got 6 in one hour,
from 10 - 11, all on the smaller frog. After that I went to the Spro, b&w
as the hook was setting into itself on the smaller one too often; very soft
plastic. On the way back out I missed the big one tucked back under a branch
next to shore. She explodes on the frog and then runs at me so fast that I
can not reel fast enough to set the hook. This is the second time, if not
third, that I've lost her, as the same thing happened last year.
At one spot headed back to the waterfall I lost a big one that I
was trying to drag through the tulles (no trolling motor to help) and the
pulling must have torn the hook out of her mouth.
From 1 to 4 we went to Herbert's honey hole and the island not
far from it where I lost 2 on d/s and got one on the Senko. Realized the frog
pattern would be better even though the trolling motor had bit the dust at 11.
I started the motor and used it to the best of my ability to 'troll' with.
Basically motoring near the shore, cutting the engine, fish a few minutes till
the wind blew us into it or away from it and start it again and move down the
shore. Not easy but it worked. Found out later at the repair shop that the
prop had stripped.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Herbert got on them in the back creek at Pine the last few
minutes. Two big ones in about 5 minutes. I was still getting 'em on the frog.
Click on photos to enlarge.
The two bigs one came in the last few minutes.
Both over three, with the bigger one just shy of 4!.
Wrapped it up at 7:10 and headed back for the 7:45 deadline
to be back. We then noticed the boat was running slower than normal, and
with the wind and waves not giving us a break either we did not get back until
7:55. One of the guys from the fishing board acted like it was the end of the
world and tried to pick a fight. Was not the kind of ending to a great day
that was needed, but what are you going to do?
Delta/ Clearlake trip.
One week... 4.21-28.'08
April 21st, Bethel Island, Frank's Tract
Water 62, air 75- perfect. Windy as usual.
The first day I got on the water in the early afternoon after
driving over from Salinas, where I had stayed for a few days while I taught a
photo class in Carmel, now it was time to fish some of the best fisheries in the
world.
Click on photo to enlarge.
The Delta has a lot of hazards, I found
two rebars
sticking up ready to ruin boat bottoms at exit
from Franks Tract to False River.
My first fish came on a d/s late in the day, a nice 3# as the
water was rising. The next one, a lunker and last bass for the day, came a
dusk in only 2' of water on a buzzbait.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Second bass of the day at the Delta, Frank's Tract,
came on the buzzbait, a nice
5.10 pound lunker.
April 22nd, Clear Lake
Water 55, air 60- rainy and a bit windy.
3 hits on buzzbait, two landed.
Stayed in Pittsburgh town at the Delta the night before and drove to Clear Lake
via the Napa Sonoma road, a gorgeous drive. Clear Lake is in a higher
elevation and the weather was different than the south.
It was rainy when I launched at about 3 p.m. after getting a swimbait (Hudd #5)
and rigged at the local tackle store in the town of Clearlake on
Clear Lake (click here for map). Plus I had to get a sticker for the boat
that stated I was 'quagga mussel' free.
I saw a perfect place to toss the buzzbait under a tree in shallow water with
lay-down logs and sure enough, 3rd cast fish on- but it took so long to get set
up to take the picture- working with one hand to get the camera out of the bag,
set up the tripod, take a reading and pre-focus, etc.), that I just tossed her
back it after taking it and then realizing my mistake.
Got nada on the frog back in the slough next to Anderson Marsh. Water was way up
in the trees.
Worked back out to the main point where I got the first one and worked towards
the marsh, where I picked up another nice one of 3.9 at 7 p.m..
I fished the frog on some mats and had one try to come through to eat it, but
that was it. At about 8 I had another hit on the buzzbait just after
snagging a tulle and burning it back in. Then just after lifting the lure
up out of the water she tried to eat it again, coming out mouth wide open right
at the boat- COOL!
Worked till dark but nada else.
Went to Konocti Casino but the rooms were too much at $99 so went to Lakeport
and woke the folks up at the Skylark Motel. Paid $68 after AAA discount.
Click photo to enlarge.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got three nice ones on the buzzbait the first afternoonat Clearlake. Had a 7 or 8# try at 8 p.m. at boat too.
April 23rd, Clear Lake
Water 55, air 60- rainy and very windy.
10 a.m till 5 p.m. (blown off water at that time).
After eating at the 'Cottage' a local cafe at about 6 a.m. I
transferred to the Regency Motel as the Indian man gave a good rate for two
nights, $54 each.
Launched over at the public ramp in the rain next to the Skylark
Motel; I though it was fine while I parked down the road but the boat drifted
away as there was no dock and even though I had rain boot on it was so deep the
water came in while I waded out. Went and changed socks and put on the
tennies and went fishing.
Started at the trailer park entrance with the Hudd for nada,
then went to some tulles as the wind was bothersome, creating waves to contend
with. Got one on a black/red flake hula grub at 2 p.m. and worked other
tulle points for nada. At 5 it was so bad I took refuge in the Konocti
Vista Harbor. An angel, Al Butt, a fisherman from the bay area, took me back to
Lakeport where I picked up my van and trailer and went back and got the boat
from the harbor, TUL.
Went back the the hotel and fished a little from the docks. Got
a nice 2# chunk on a Texas rigged blue/black hula grub. Ate at Rene's cafe
across the street and to bed by 11.
April 24th, Clear Lake
Water 55, up to 60 by end of day, air 70-75 sunny finally, YEAH.
Up 7 a.m., breakfasted at JiBox and launched at the Konocti
Vista Harbor, free, at 8 a.m.. I worked the slough entrances to Kelsey and back
over the 12 hours. Very tough bite but mostly tossed swimbaits- Hudd #5
and had to use the pole lure retriever once to get it back. Paid for the $35
until with one save, TUL.
Click photo enlarge.
Me motoring to Kelsey cove for some, hopeful swimbait action.
Got one 2# bass finally at 2 p.m. on a Senko at the county park
ramp at the rock jetty.
Click photo enlarge.
This hawk had a white head and thus looked like a bald eagle.
Worked some tulle points for nada except for the following
crappie, a 2# that fought like a 3# bass at 3 p.m.. Got it on a
green/brown GrandeBass rattlesnake Texas rigged.
Click photo to enlarge.
2# crappie on a GrandeBass rattlesnake.
Continued to work the sloughs, one I went way back into, Catfish
slough, all for nada. Worked the point north of there for more nada in
very windy conditions. Lost my good buzzbait but the Lord blessed me as after I
motored over to the area I saw it still on a tulle down pretty deep and when I
put the pole down it got caught on it and I brought it back up. Small
miracle really.
I then went to work with the Huddleston #5 at the entrance to
Lands End slough just south of the Harbor. I had worked it for about a 1/2 hour
before the hit, how cool though, a nice lunker of 5.2 pounds at 7:30 p.m.
Click photo to enlarge.
Entrance to catfish slough, just west of
Konocti Vista Casino Harbor.
Click photo to enlarge.
5.2 # on Huddleston #5.
Finished at 8 p.m., bushed from all of the muscles needed to keep balance on a
bouncy aluminum boat day after day. I was really looking forward to tomorrow,
when I'd meet up with Tom Leogrande, an acquaintance by e-mail and phone only.
Friday, April 25th, Clear Lake
Tom Leogrande 6
Me 3
At 8 a.m. we finally met each other in person after contact by
e-mail and phone for a year now. We had almost got together the year before up
there. Tom launched his bright yellow colored Legend boat at the Lakeport
public ramp and we headed to check on bed fish at the 'trailer park' just south
east of town. It's the first slough type area in that direction and I'd worked
the entrance two days earlier.
He was pre-fishing for two tournaments he was to fish that
weekend. Tom did not see any males on beds in that area -he usually finds
them 1st of all areas at the lake. We had a problem getting on plane so we
took it back to the ramp and loaded it up and took it to a shop and ran a test.
Nothing the guy could see on the warning notices. Figured it was bad gas
and we bought some additives. Tom also had figured it was mostly the wrong
type of prop and he'd been wanting to get another. We went to the north
end to a duck pond off Rodman slough he likes and he got one on the AC Plug 7"
in 4' of water. We worked the area for about 1/2 an hour and he was surprised we
did not get more action.
Click photo to enlarge.
Friend Tom Leogrande took me under his wings, and on his Legend
boat, and taught me way more than a thing or two on bass fishing; what a
learning experience. He had five before I got my first... thanks Tom. Here
is his first topwater bass of the day.
http://www.tomleogrande.com/blogs.html
I was tossing the 9" AC but nada. He switched to a frog near
some trees and got two on a yellow headed one made by River to Sea, similar to a
local bird in coloring. After the second one caught he loaned me one with
a big clear lip with the same color (to help it waddle) and then said I could
have it, as well as the AC Plug. Cool, thanks Tom.
We then went to 'rock wall' that he likes and tossed black/blue
jigs for nada the whole way along. He usually does well there. We found
the solo dock at the end a fisherman reported he'd done well at the day before
but zippo there too. Then we made a run to Clear Lake town as he found a prop
for sale there over the phone. We took about 15 or so minutes to cross the
whole lake at about 60 mph. It was a beautiful day and he pointed out good spots
along the way.
After changing the prop the problem still existed so a mobile
mechanic came and ran tests and found one cylinder not firing, thus the problem.
We then went back and fished an island Kennedy won last years FLW tourney on for
nada topwater, Huddleston 5, and jigs. Tom picked up a 2# on the jig.
Then off to Kelsey Slough, where I had worked the entrance the
day before, and got a couple of followers back in it but nada after an hour of
working it back.
Then off to the tulles where we worked the Mission fish for
nada. We were eliminating a lot of water for him.
By then it was about 7 so we went back to the Lakeport ramp and
fished along the shore to the Regency boat cove where I stayed and I finally got
two on the spook, which I switched to just a few minutes earlier. Felt
good to get the stripe off the back finally. Tom got another AC Plug fish
and I got another one working the shore back to the ramp. It was a
very nice day on the water, even though we lost a couple of hours or so with
motor problems. I hope Tom did well.
Saturday, April 26th, Delta
11 a.m. till 8 p.m.
Me, 0 / friend John O. 1/ his 5 year old son James 0.
We left Davis in the late morning and launched at Bethel Island
ramp by 11 or so. Went to Frank's Tract and worked d/s, frogs, jigs, you
name it for nada. John finally got one about 3 or 4 p.m., a dink, on the d/s.
Tough bite. Was surprised I did not get bit on the frog or buzzbait at dusk.
Sunday, April 27th, Lake Hennessey
6-8 p.m. .
Me, 0 / friend John O. 1/ his 5 year old son James 0.
Took the day and went to church with the Olichney's to start
with. We then went to Napa where we had a late lunch and then went to a
wine tasting. Afterwards we hit a gallery and then went to Lake Hennessey
where we shore fished for a couple of hours. It was so pretty there. John got
the skunk off us with a d/s fish but he did not land it. I tossed the Sammy and
the frog and the Senko, all for nada.
Monday, April 28th, Delta
8 a.m. till 3 p.m.
Me solo - 1 on a swimbait.
Said my goodbyes and left the Olichney's house at 6 or 6:30 and
got to Franks and on the water by 8.
Click photo to enlarge.
First Mission bass, a 3.10# fighter,
at the Delta,
Franks Tract/ wall area.
4.30.'08, Lake Hodges.
Click photo to enlarge.
First AC Minnow fish, about 2.5 pounds. Got 4 Senko fish.
April 9th, Lake Hodges.
Solo, 4 bass 1@ 12", 2 @ 15" and 1 4.5#, all on Senkos.
Water 67, up to 69 at dusk.
Got there at 7:30 a.m. and fished top and d/s around honey hole
for nada. Got first fish, 12", about 9:30 on wacky rigged 6" watermelon
Senko, same with the rest I got. Lost a big one using 4# test and switched
to 8 and different reel= bait caster. (Was a trout rigged spinner I kept
forgetting to upsize to 6#, but did after break off with spare reel in tackle
box).
Next one was a nice 4.5# at 10:30.
Click photo to enlarge.
Tried across the lake for nada, until another one, again just
outside the reeds, that was 15", at 1. Another at 2 pm and rested from
2:30 till 4:30. Tossed spooks and buzzbaits till 7:30, with nada till 7 and then
got three explosions on the buzzbait at 'rock cove' past the honey hole.
Next time they will eat it more readily, they are just warming up lately.
April 4th, El Capitan.
Water 70 far end, both increasing by 1 degrees
over the day.
(Info
on El Capitan)
1 bass - solo.
Got there a little after 2 p.m. after stopping by the new
Anglers Marine to check it out and see if the had time to check my trailer
wiring, still trying to get the left brake light to work.
Well, thought I'd give the north end north try as it has been
good to everyone lately. But first I tried Boulder Bay, the wind was hard
to fight and topwater got me nada. Went to the trees at the north end and
the bite was slower than I would have guessed.
At 4 I got a nice blade fish from the top of some green
trees but she threw the lure while trying to get her out of some brush, bummer.
Worked the buzz, the spook and the Ika, mixing it all up for nada. They
were not busting everywhere like two weeks ago.
Finally got one at 7:30, really pushing it as all the
boats were gone when I trailer up. Oh well, at least no skunk.
Click photo to enlarge.
First topwater for El Capitan.
April 1st and 2nd, Murrieta Hot Springs.
Day 1
8 bass me.
7 bass Herbert.
Day 2
5 bass me.
0 bass Herbert.
We joined Herbert and Gitta, whom where already there for a day,
by 2 p.m. Herbert had four already and my goal was to still out fish him.
Nada for the first 1/2 hour but soon it was fish on. Senko with brass in
the small pond netted one just shy of 2 lbs.
Click photo to enlarge.
Herbert looks a bit worried as i got my first of many.
(J/K)
Another not long after just a
tad smaller. A third came later and I decided to try the buzzbait.
Good choice as before dark I had caught up, 7 each.
Click photo to enlarge.
My first buzzbait fish of the year, now THAT's what I'm
talking about.
After dinner at Claimjumper and got one more on the buzz, T.U.L..
Day two I was up at 7 and fishing by 7:10. Buzzbait was
the plan but after fishing the entire large pond I had only netted one at about
10". Was starting to think it a mistake when I tossed it parallel to shore
under the big tree across from our rooms and bammo, fish on.
But wait, this was not just ANY Fish,
this sucker was taking 20# line like nothing. Maybe it was a large
catfish? She ran deep and towards the fountain but I finally started
getting some line back. Shortly after I had her up to shore, now I just
had to lip her before she tossed the bait- bingo, bent down and pried down her
mouth- success at last, and she WAS BIG!
After waking everyone and getting pics weighed her before
releasing her, the scale bouncing between 8-8 and 8-12, mostly settling on the
8-9 but 8-10 is dead center between the two extremes so I settled on that new
Personal Best record- T.U.L.. (My old PB was 8-4 caught on a Rebel Popper when I
was about 18 or so!).
Click photo to enlarge.
Well, here she is in all her glory. Herbert was
hoping she would eat and he'd catch her, beating me but the weight of the meal.
Good luck Herbert, I hope you do (but figure the odds).
Herbert came out an hour later but neither he nor I got anymore
for the day. The clouds had gone (it was supposed toe rain a bit) and the
weather had changed.
Just around 6 p.m. I put on the spook (Daiwa actually) and
started getting hits and fish right off, with the intensity increasing the
darker it got. I ended up with 2 from the large pond, with numerous hits,
and one more from the small one at 7:30, my deadline so we could join the
Kellner's whom had left at 7. Ended the day with 5.
March 28th, El Capitan.
Water 68 far end, both increasing by 2 degrees
over the day.
(Info
on El Capitan)
2 bass - solo.
On the way there I stopped at Aros Trailers in El Cajon and
picked up some new tail lights and wiring. Took an hour to replace the old
and now all works but one brake light. Was on the water and down to the
north end by 2. Worked the area with white spinnerbaits for nada until
about 4:30 when I picked up one.
Threw a Rapala X-rap, white, and got two more, one got off.
That was it. Tossed the Senko for an hour as well as the buzzbait for
nada. Won't be long- herds rumors of them hitting in the mornings.
March 24th, El Capitan.
(Info
on El Capitan)
0 bass - solo.
The news is the lake is hot, north end. Got there in the
afternoon and after working to the shallows from the no wake buoys noticed a lot
of fish hitting shad. Two guys were getting them on white blades and Larry
from Aim was nailing them right and left on a crankbaits- Rapala style.
Beautiful weather - records highs.
I tossed red/black blades as they had worked before I'd gone to
China, but not this time. My Daiwa crankbait got me on large one but I had 4# on
both my spinner bait set-ups (still rigged for trout) as my bait casters had 15#
and 20#. Needed 8 or 10. I'll be ready next time.
March 22nd, Lake Hodges.
Water 69 far end, 71 in Escondido bay by 5.
Solo- zippo.
First chance on the water since my return. Hodges has been
tough, so the reports say. JK told me he had been working the tulles with
large plastics in the holes with some results. Fished from 2 till 7:30 with
zippo results, mostly fishing the same way with some d/s thrown in here and
there, including the construction honey hole. Buzzbaits around there too
for nada.
One man said Ika's and Senko's on left side towards dam got him
quite a few.
Gone to China/Laos for 4 weeks- 2.19-
3.19.
February 7th, El Capitan.
Water 53 far end, 56 at 'mouth', both increasing by 3 degrees
over the day.
(Info
on El Capitan)
2 bass me,
2 bass John Kerr
2 bass Jordan Kerr
Click photo to enlarge.
Distant view of El Capitan
On the way in (we got a late start- 9 a.m.) as the bite we were
going after would not start until 11, and so it was.
It was so beautiful out... too beautiful as a matter of fact, as we were hoping
for a little wind to get things going.
We had a fun and productive day out. I got two nice ones, a 4.0 and a 5.12,
making up for the skunk at Hodges the day before.
We tossed everything in our tackle boxes but the spinnerbait,
dark colors for me, was the trick. They took 25th place last Saturday there with
6.25# for five fish- problem was they did not go back to the north arm where the
new water was coming in, it was too brown and John guessed, wrongly, that
nothing would be back there! BUT the top 6 all caught limits back there with one
guy tossing back over 35 fish- top weight went 19# with one guy getting a niner!
John kept saying that I almost beat his and Jordan's weight with just one fish
today. He and Mike Long will fish a tourney there Saturday and I hope I helped
with the pattern I found that they can now use! I loaned him my baits as
the color and style was not being used by anyone and seemed to work better too.
(Note: Found out they took 9th with 10#'s or so- some 28 boats danced around
each other back there and he hung out a bit where he got on the last bush).
Click photo to enlarge.
My 4.0 needed a belly, it would have gone 7 John said.
Click photo to enlarge.
My 5.12
Same problem with this 5.12, would have gone 8 or 9, which when
it got it's head out trying to jump from a distance was what I thought it was.
Caught both on the StrikeKing 'midnight special' (comes with a rattle-
blue/black and red/black). I went and immediately got four more, two of each, in
case of a run after this report.
February 6th, Lake Hodges opening day.
(Info
on Lake Hodges here)
0 bass me,
0 bass Herbert
0 bass Elmar
We launched at 7:30 after trying to get Elmar a license at the
local bait shop but they did not have one. He decided to hold off until we
could get one at Sports Authority in Escondido at 10 a.m. when the store opened.
We went to the construction site but only got a couple of hits
in an hour of working it. Went around the corner, headed south, and fished the
point and then further to the boulder outcropping which was now underwater for
more nada. Went and worked the same area after we got Elmar his license
and saw Alain and Dale. They reported the same results, less the bites. We
only heard of one guy getting a 3 on a lizard by the handicap dock.
We worked the old ruined docks on the point and Herbert lost one
in the trees below on d/s. Worked the narrows and he lost another.
We finished the day over by the handicap docks, me tossing chartreuse blades for
nada, them d/s.
January 3rd.
Diamond Valley Lake with Robert Schneider.
4 bass me,
4 bass Robert.
Pre-frontal conditions, water 57, air 44 at 6 a.m..
I almost went with Robert yesterday by a bad cough and cold kept
me home. I prayed I'd be well enough to go, I'd been itching to hit this
lake for weeks.
Up at 3:40 a.m., after 3.5 hours of sleep, and drove to Roberts
house in Temecula by 5. We made it to the lake at 5:45 and waited for the
ranger to escort us in. We got on the water, 3rd boat out, on Roberts
white with blue stripes Champion 188 bass boat. We sped off to the
'saddle dam', at the other end of the lake 4 miles away, where we planned on
tossing swimbaits first off. Some success had recently been reported by
others and I tossed what I thought was my slow sinking BBZ towards shore before
the boat even came to a stand still. I instantly got a small overrun and
while untangling it I saw a bass hitting the surface where I had cast. I got the
line straightened a second later and as I took up the slack the bass on the
surface actually started pulling my lure. What the heck, how could that
be, my lure should be near the bottom? I reeled like crazy and landed a nice
large bass at least 4 or 5 lbs a minute later with Roberts help on the netting.
I realized then the BBZ was my Christmas present one, a floater, not the
slow sink one I already owned and thought was tied on the pole. Oh well.
HOW ABSOLUTELY COOL IS THAT? A SWIMBAIT FISH ON THE FIRST
CAST OF THE YEAR!!! THANK U LORD. And totally lucky, with no skill whatsoever.
Robert came over and used my camera to take a pic of me and my fish. We
put it in the live well for weighing later and 'group pic's' of our best 5.
I was planning on an 'epic' day I had told Robert the night before.
Click on photo to enlarge.
VERY first cast of the new year netted me this 4.8#
beauty!
Well, I NOW knew how to work this bait, just dead stick it as we
call it (do nothing but let it sit there- dead looking- thus the name). My
second cast I did just that. It sat there motionless- nothing. I
waited. I waited some more and then twitched the lure, nothing, then
EXPLOSION and hook set...FISH ON! I fought it in and Robert netted my
second fish of the season/year, another very healthy lunker of 4 or 5 pounds!
ABSOLUTELY COOL. A SWIMBAIT FISH ON THE SECOND CAST OF THE YEAR!!! "THANK
U LORD" I yelled. HOW ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE COOL IS THAT? "Yahoo, THANK U
LORD" again I yelled. "Quite" barked Robert, those folks will hear you! He
was right, noise carries like rifle shots and it would attract attention to our
spot. "Sorry" I replied, "I'll keep it down".
Click on photo to enlarge.
Here is my second fish, caught on my second cast.
I had a hard time getting the lures treble hooks out of the net
this time and lost about 10 minutes trying. Robert finally came over and helped
and then took a pic of me and my fish for me. We were keeping them in the live
well for a group shot of all the biggies at the end of the day, or so we hoped.
Well, after about 10 more casts Robert gets one on his BBZ too,
his was a real slow sinker. We put in the other well without weighing it too,
but his looked at least as big, if not bigger, than mine. Time to catch
bass, weigh them later.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Robert got the biggest of the day.
Well, no more excitement for the next hour or so. 50 more
casts by me and about the same by Robert netted zippo. We finally went to
another spot nearby where Robert tried to get one on a Carolina rigged Yamamoto
creature bait in watermelon. I got the next one, a smaller model, on a drop shotted
'Schneider special'. Pink, purple and watermelon. Similar to the
'morning dawn' by Roboworm but with the watermelon. Funny thing is, he'd never
got on on it yet.
Click on photo to enlarge.
My third, a 2.12 came on a drop shot rig.
We went back to the original spot to weigh and release the bass
as Robert was worried about their health. Mine weighed 4.8 and 4.4, his
was a 5.3. WOW.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Here are two of my biggest three for the day.
He then caught a 4.1 on his creature bait and a 3.3 an hour
later. A 3.12 was his final fish for the day another hour later.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Here are two more of Roberts Carolina rigged fish.
At 4:15 p.m. I ended up getting my fourth fish on the last cast
over on east dam launch point on a watermelon 3" d/s Senko on 4 lb test.
It fought like crazy. What an epic day to start the new year. Thank U
Lord.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Last but not least, a 4.6 caught on the
last cast of the day.. EPIC.
