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*El Capitan, Mon., Nov. 4th
1 bass me, 0 for Mike C.,
6 a.m. till 1 p.m., Overcast skies, cold. Westerly wind, 5-10 mph, until 1 p.m., when
it reversed. Took Alum boat, Skeeter trolling motor down
Mike met me at the lake at 6 and we worked the
ramp area as busters were going crazy. I got one hit on the Gunfish, no
sticky, and fought one on the 1/8 oz silver/blue Kastmaster for a few
minutes an hour later, but she go off before I could see her, at least a 3
or 4, hit under the busters. That was it. We left them busting at 9 or 10,
and hit the pipe. Worked it and then hit The Corner, nada. Worked the
opposite bank across from Bathroom cove w/ d/s, and I got one on the
watermelon Trick worm, about 2 lbs. Took him back at 1, and we both left.
*California Delta, Tues-Thurs., Oct.
15-17th
6 bass solo
7 a.m. till 7 p.m., Clear skies. Water 62. Took the Answered Prayer
and launched at Tower Park Marina.
* DAY ONE, 10.15
Got to Flying J Travel Truck stop off Hwy 12 in Lodi by 10 p.m., taking 8
hrs to get there from Encinitas. Slept in the van and up at 6:30 a.m.,
sunrise was 7:15. Got two sandwiches at Subway there, one for breakfast
and one for lunch/dinner.
On the ramp I found I'd left the motor keys (includes the keys to the lock
that had my trailer locked to the van, and the compartment keys too) back
at the gallery, or lost them off the tongue of the trailer, OMG! Prayed
they were still there and decided to just fish with the trolling motor as
I was ready to launch. Paid the $10 discount launch fee to the Mexican man
that works there, and heard the engineer was there by 9, and planned to
come back and get the key hotwired, maybe?
Prayed for what to do and launched; plan was to go with
the current and hope it'd bring me back when it turned, pretty much
worked, as I did not have to use the trolling motor much going with the
current. Got one on the Super Spook headed to three islands about an hour
later, at the first tule patch after all the storage sheds, after watching
a lot of bass down by the grass line, was super clear.
Threw the Whopper Plopper mixed in with the 3:16 7"
Wake Jr.. Worked about a mile down by 3, and started to work back. Got
them on the 8" Senko and the craw shallow diver. All about 1.8 lbs, had a
4 try to nail the Plopper off one of the point.
NOTE: Called my landlord about my keys, he has a set to
get into my shop and found them, TUL! He mailed them express and I got
them the next day at the Flying J gas station.
* DAY TWO Delta- 10.16
6:30 a.m. till 5 p.m. Mike's Ranger.
2 bass me, one largemouth, one striper,
both small
Mike Meyers about 5 largemouth and 5 stripers, one at 5# on Super Spook at
7:30 by the abandoned project.
6:30 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Slept at Tower Park in the van, the tolling motor batteries got plugged
in. We made a run to Franks Track from B&W and looked for striper busters,
then ran another slough, and then to Sandman. He threw the Spook and then
the 5" swimbait, Hammer w/lead head, then the scrounger.
Scrounger head.
* DAY Three Delta, 10.17 -2 pm till 7 pm
Three bass, 1 small d/s and 1 2# on Gunfish, sloooow.
Sunny, very little wind, some clouds at dusk.
Slept in, tired from 'all dayer' two days straight. Slept at Motel 6 in
Lodi, stopped at Denny's for late breakfast, got my Subway sandwich and
launched around 3. Worked the west side again, very slow. Worked the
island on the way to three islands at dusk, got two on the Gunfish, but
three islands nada.
* DAY Four Delta, 10.21 Monday- 3pm till 7 pm
Two bass, 1 small and 1 4# on Gunfish, lost a 4 on frog.
Sunny, very little wind, some clouds at dusk.
Left Pebble Beach around 11, and got to Flying J Travel Truck stop off Hwy
12 in Lodi by 2 p.m.. Got a Subway sandwich and went and launched the boat
at Tower Park, where my boat was left since last Thursday. I went east
this time, working the tulle islands in the second slough, Sycamore, that I've done
well before. The tide was coming in, warm. Got a nice blow up on the
second island before the wood poles, off the cheese. She ran faster than I
could set the hook-dang. Ran back at dusk, before I got cold as no jacket.
Pulled up to Islemouth Slough, and got a four at dusk on the Gunfish, on the pause, at the entrance on the right
just in from the point, where I got a nice one last
year on the Plopper. Phone was dead, no camera, so no photo. Worked the
cove with the frog on the mats, nada. Then tried to start up and head in
at dark, BUT big motor messed up, had to
baby it back in all the way from there. Blown? Sounds like it and it runs
so rough, and hesitates every few seconds like I'm hitting rocks on the
backfire. Oh my!!!
* DAY five, 10.22 Tues., 7 am till 7 pm.
Two bass, small on Gunfish, lost a 10 or bigger on frog.
Sunny, very little wind, some clouds at dusk.
Slept in van at Tower Park and woke at 6, 6:30 and then 7. Getting a bit light out,
launched and stayed near ramp, wanted coffee after 8 when store there opens.
Stayed close as motor hardly runs on idle.
Went east and worked across from the sheds near the end, then where it
stops being a 5 mph, nada. Spooks, Gunfish and Senkos.
Worked around the first island, then with the 3:16 jointed wake bait.
Nada. Worked my way back around the island, then lost an 8, maybe even a
10 on a frog on cheese. Got her to the tulles, then she got stuck. 80#
braid but drag slipped. Bummer. Went back, charged the batteries, went to
Subway, split it with Octavio and left again at 4:30. Headed to Islemouth
slough, wanted more frog fish- nada. At dusk got a dink on the
Gunfish, then a 2# on the outside islands.
DAY six, 10.23 Wed., noon till 7 pm.
Two bass, small on Gunfish, lost a 10 or bigger on frog.
Sunny, very little wind, some clouds at dusk.
Stayed at Motel 6 last night. Had asked folks on Westernbass fishing
website where a good Mercury mechanic was, and when calling got reports of
taking a day or two for tests, then even more to fix. Had a nice 'grand
slam breakfast' type meal, (better and lower price than Denny's) at a The
Golden Ox diner in Lodi.
Got to Tower about noon and prayed on the motor and went and talked to
Tower Park mechanic to see what he said. He said he worked on them for 30
years, bring it over in an hour, so I did. He ran tests and said it was a
computer type problem controlling three of the cylinders, not a blown
motor, TUL! He ordered the $200 part and said he could install it the next
day at noon, when it arrived, for $98 labor. So I went fishing. Hung close
by as only had trolling motor, but did use the big motor to putz around as
it did still work. Went to 10+ frog bass spot, worked it the best I could,
throwing frogs at first, then jigs, nada.
Worked the point and around the island, nada. Back at dusk.
* DAY seven, 10.24 Thurs., 2 p.m. till 7 pm.
Got boat back after the repair, which was about 2 p.m., but it would
not get on plane. They guy showed me how to push in key choking for more
gas while pushing throttle up at same time, steering w/ knee. Got the hang
of it and it started to go on plane later on without the extra work. Went
to islands on Sycamore, worked the whole area in strong winds, nada. Went
back along S. Mokelumne River and worked the big bait, Lunker Punker, next
to the tulles for quite about a 1/4 mile here and there, nada. One blow up
if I remember (posting/catching up from the 16th of Nov.).
* DAY eight, 10.28 Monday., 2 p.m. till 5 pm.
Stayed at friends in Davis last night, then took their son James to the
slough by their airport, where I'd done well last fall on the gunfish. We
tossed fly lined flukes, nada, but saw a few by an inlet. Water very low
when we went. Fished from 10:30 till noon. Dropped him off and hit the
Delta, an hour away.
Launched around 2 p.m., and told Octavio Jack let me launch for $7, so
he did the same, TUL. Went towards 10# frog fish again, gave it heck, high
tide and all, nada. Went to three island and tried my best, but blew
trolling motor fuse towing a giant floating tree, and I MEAN GIANT- 100'
and 6' girth, to the shore and tying it up to a giant pipe, and had to
anchor after that, heavy winds finally showed. Gave up before dark, zippo
fish.
*El Capitan, Fri., Oct. 4th
4 bass me, 1 for Mike C.,
mostly blind-casting points near coves back before buoy line before 1 p.m.
7 a.m. till 5 p.m., Clear skies, hot -85. Westerly wind, 5-10 mph, until 1
p.m.,when when Santa Ana hit, killing bite. Water 74. Took the Answered Prayer.
Mike met me at the lake at 6.45, I got there at 6.05
and worked on replacing the starter button on the trolling motor.
We started on the Pipe, which has some areas hitting
the trolling motor now, at about 7. Worked it for about an hour, nada.
Worked the Corner for 10 minutes, nada. Went across and worked outside on
Conejos, left side point and cove, nada.
By 8.30 I saw busters across from Bathroom Cove and we
stopped. Mike got one about 3 to the boat, lost it while I went for net. I
got one on the Gunfish, and then later on the Kastmaster, first cast two
seconds after it landed. I heard that was a hot lure but would rather get
them on top. But very frustrating getting so many hits, or missing the
cast by a second, time and time again.
Click photos to enlarge.
The topwater action was hectic at times,
and to
cash in I changed it up and tried the Kastmaser.
The sun cut the bite off, was about 9.30. Went back
towards the trees, tying off on the buoy and worked plastics for a 1/2
hour, nada.
Went to the bathroom on that end and I got one on the
Gunfish blind casting the shore. Worked that cove some more, and got
another two, with three hits that did not stick. Mike got hits on a larger
Gunfish but none stuck. Finally found out his hoods were not tack sharp,
and we sharped them, but bite died. Stopped at Boulder Bay about 12.45,
but wind died and we left.
I continued to fish the ramp area after dropping him
off, got a dink on the Gunfish. Went back to the pipe, and fished it for
at least an hour or more, saw bigger models on point, about 5's. Got a
dink. Went to the island, had not fished it in years, and it looked great
with rock islands and points, nada. Back to ramp by 5, loaded and gone by
5.30. TUL.
*Murrieta Hot Springs, Tues, Oct. 1st
4 bass me
5 p.m. till 7 p.m., Clear skies, hot -85.
Click photos to enlarge.
The topwater at Murrieta Hot Springs was as
hot as the hot springs!
Stopped on my way back from Palm Desert, had called for
permission on the way there in the a.m.. Fished the Gunfish, got 4, all on
the big pond, one blow up at the small one at dusk.
*El Capitan, Mon., Sept. 23rd
6 bass me, Paul four on Gunfish,
mostly blind-casting points at dusk.
1 p.m. till 7 p.m., Clear skies, hot -85. Easterly wind
sometimes, 5-10 mph, water 80. Took the Answered Prayer.
Started on the points headed to Conejos, I got one on
the Gunfish on the first two stops. We then worked Conejos, right side
grasses, then across and back out. No hits, on gunfish, frogs or Zoom kick
tail fluke.
The we went to the trees to find busters, some here and
there. Kept working the back, and then got on on the Gunfish in far back
as looking to find a place to get out of the boat and try to find the rod
Sam lost of mine three weeks ago, and praise the Lord, it was in the mud,
the reel was shiny and helped.
Paul got one on the spinnerbait while I was doing that.
We went back along the shore headed to the 'lunker alley', but nada.
Worked back to the middle area, more busters, none ate our lure. Decided
to work our way out, and we both hooked up, he on the Gunfish and me the
Plopper, both in the trees.
Click photos to enlarge.
The point by Conejos did not disappoint,
third time in a row.
We each got one on the point by Conejos coming back, I
landed mine (2.80). He got one on The Corner, and we finished at The Pipe,
where Paul blew a big one by trying to set the hook before it ate the
lure.
*Otay, Wed., Sept. 18th
10 bass me (8 landed), Mike C. 7
6:30 a.m. till 6:45 p.m./ Overcast till
10 a.m.. Took the Answered Prayer.
9 on Gunfish, mostly busters in afternoon in Harvey's, one 5 or 6er on
3:16 Wake Jr. trout.
Started at sunrise, 6:30 a.m. at entrance to Harvey's,
left side point, and worked into Harvey's a bit. Mike got one on the
Spook, and I got one on the Gunfish a 1/2 hour later, both blind-casting.
We worked into Otay arm, Mike w/ T/R worm and split shot flukes. I tossed
the 3:16 -7" Wake Jr. swimbait, and got a 5 or 6'er on splashdown on the
tulles. I got it to the boat and realized it was a bit bigger than I
thought, and she came unbuttoned as we tried to get the net out. Oh well.
We jumped down to the second cover on the right,
outside only, and then down to the far end. An accident happed as we got
to the trees, a SUV overshot the curve and ran off the road and hit a
tree. Old roomy Jim was in a tin boat across the way, unknown to me, and
yelled to call 911. I saw the driver out and walking around, so we didn't.
Click photos to enlarge.
The busters were larger than normal, mine
were over 2 pounds each.
We worked all that grass and I got one blowup on the
frog. Ran to Harvey's and worked the grasses mid bay in the back, nada.
Was about 2 and we headed towards the ramp when I spied busters (well,
actually some guys out in the middle), and we joined in the fun. I got
them on the Gunfish, Mike on a Heddon lure that looked like a S. Spook,
but no rattles. That got him blindfish, while my Spooks, Gunfish and
Sammy's wouldn't, due to sound I figured. Hmmm! It slowed down, we went to
Otay arm and 1/2 way to end and started on the shadowed side w/ frogs and
Plopper. Nada until we were headed to the ramp and found guys w/ busters
on the way. Tiny ones, would not hit Gunfish. Worked the Plopper as Mike
fished his Heddon. I got one and so did he, same time- . He said lets take
a pic as we reeled them in, saying 'double hookup'. Mine was a 2+, but his
a 6". Then he said forget the photo! Funny.
*El Capitan, Mon., Sept. 16th
6 bass- solo, four on Gunfish,
mostly busters at dusk. Two on Plopper, one by ramp grasses and last on
point by Conejos as coming it at dusk.
2 p.m. till 7 p.m., Clear skies, hot -90. Easterly wind
sometimes, 5-10 mph, water 83. Took the Answered Prayer.
Started on all the grasses by the ramp, worked my way
to the far back, got a 2 pounder on a corner w/ the Plopper, then a
blow up on the frog. Worked my way out to the point, and then buzzed to
the back and worked the big bait from the narrows, right side. Got
to the far back and got one blind casting the Gunfish. Got three on
busters for an hours work nearby, fun stuff. Worked my way out, then the
points by Conejos and got the last one, a 2, on the Plopper on the corner
of a point. TUL.
Ocean fishing, Sept.
11th
3/4 day boat, San Diego
7 yellowtail, most on the iron, two
on large sardines.
5:30 a.m. till 7 p.m., Overcast most of the day.
Ryan ok'd my going out again in trade for art. He said
to buy the yearly Mexican license but I did not have the 'cash only' $65
fee, so paid for the daily. Was about 38 folks, it takes 49 max for these
trips.
Took three hours to get to fishing grounds, and kelp
was the ticket. We got fish off every other one, and then less as we went
further south-west, looking for blue fin. I got two to the boat that got
off. Fished the iron, one of which got broke off, a 2 oz. Sun came out
about 2 and made it easier to see kelp. At 4, as we were told we had 10
minutes left to find any, I found the last one, and I got one more on it,
on the sardine, TUL.
*El Capitan, Fri., Sept. 6th
6 bass- 4 bass me, Paul O. 2
.
6 a.m. till 5 p.m., Thunderclouds, hot -90, and humid, easterly wind
sometimes, 5-10 mph, water 83. His boat.
I met Paul at the usual 7-11 on the entry road to the
lake at 5:25, and we got to the gate and waited 5 minutes, 11 boat in
line. Met Dale, a professional painter that goes to Skyline Community. I
had seen him the Saturday before there with his two kids, he has an '83
Skeeter w/ built in decking- cool. He said he fish the trees too.
Headed to the trees immediately and work 13# set for nada. Busters all
over. Nada on frogs, flukes and Ploppers. Worked that area and I missed
two blowups on the Gunfish. Saw two guys that said they'd got two on
plastics, and then Dale close to the beginning of the trees, who was
fishless. So after hitting the complete N. shore and back down the middle
trees it was 10 and I started to get into them, getting two on the Gunfish
in the shallows. We then worked the 'circle' again, and I got one on the
Plopper for a few seconds close to where I'd gotten the eight last week,
it was about a six, but it came unbuttoned. But that was it. Paul still
hitless.
We decided to see if the cheese and frogs might work,
so we went to Conejos at about 3 pm and the thunderclouds that had been
building since 11 finally filled the skies about, giving us much need
shade, the heat factor immediately dropped, TUL. Right side nada, but left
side hit, and then I got a 4 1/4 on the new small white spro frog on top
of the grasses along the shore, after missing two earlier blow-ups, cool!
Click photos to enlarge.
The grasses finally started to produce,
maybe the
thunder clouds helped? We think so.
Paul still hitless ties on a Zoom fluke w/ paddle tail,
rolls it across the surface of grass in the far back and lands a two
pounder, second cast, cool. We think he's onto something. We work our way
out, I miss a small one on the Plopper, he nada. Work grasses just outside
the arm, headed N., nada until we got to the major point and I got about a
3 on the Plopper.
Hit outhouse cove and then I worked the rock wall,
telling Paul he should use his fat crankbait he'd been tossing and he got
a 1 pounder while I tossed the Plopper. Then boulder point grasses back
towards the dam.
*Otay Lake, Mon., Sept. 2nd.
0 bass
1.35 p.m. till 7. Thunderclouds, hot and humid, 80 degrees air, water 83.
Wind 5-10 mph,
I went out solo, everyone else BBQ for the holiday and
Valerie wanted some alone time to recharge her batteries (had a big BDay
party on Saturday for little one year old Imisi, whom she is a nanny for.
Anyways, no sooner get there and notice a fellow
fisherman with a 'Roman Made' logo on the truck window, and as he was
Asian I figured it might be Jimmy Huynh, big bass fisherman that caught a
13+ bass at the El Cajon Ford night tourney a week ago, that'd I'd become
Facebook friends with so I could ask about his catch. Sure enough it was
him and his N. California friend Alex Tran. Introduced myself, took a shot
and went to the back of Harvey's arm.
Click photos to enlarge.
Alex Tran and Jimmy Huynh
Worked my way from the right side, just before the last
cove, then into the cove, with the frog and Plopper. Then the grasses
which covered the middle with a frog and fluke, nada, then the far back
with the frog. The back was covered with green and red floating algae.
Click photos to enlarge.
The back was covered by red and green
algae.
Worked my way out of there and back up the right side,
looking out, about 1/4 way with one follower on the Plopper. Grasses kept
fouling that lure. Motored towards the entrance of the arm and worked it
some more, nada. Then motored to the point, worked around it, and then ran
across Jimmy again speeding out of Otay Arm. He wanted me to photograph
his and Alex's seven pounders, and I gladly obliged.
I worked my way to the first big cove, into and out of
it, with one more hit that did not stick, then it was time to go back.
Stopped just shy of the ramp at a point for a few more casts, then got
back and shot some more images for Jimmy, who showed up to leave a few
minutes after I did.
*El
Capitan, Mon., Aug. 29th
7 bass, 1 catfish, - 6 bass me,
Sam Spadero- 1 bass, 1 cat.
6 a.m. till 6 p.m., Thunderclouds, hot -90, and humid, easterly wind sometimes, 0-5mph, water 76.
I met Sam, fellow brother in the Lord, at the frame
shop. He went with me a few months back. Arriving at 5.45 we saw some
already on the water. We launched the Answered Prayer at 6 a.m. and we
went directly to the trees, where I worked "13# trees" for nada. We worked
our way around back there, Sam throwing the d/s, me top. After a while, I
taught Sam how to cast a baitcaster, and he threw the spinnerbait. After a
while, he was fighting a big one, but it ended up being a 3 lb catfish. He
said he'd keep it, it went into the live well.
I got two in the shallows, finally, on the Gunfish at 9 a.m.. At one point
I threw it on a wolf pack of 10 or so, two and three pound busters, and
they took turns hitting it, right at the boat even. Turns out the first
one fouled up the line into the two trebles, thus none stuck after that.
Click photos to enlarge.
Sam with one caught on the drop shot.
Sam got one on the d/s, about a two, a few minutes later. He was stoked.
We continued to work the south shore, and at 10.30 I was working the
Plopper close to where I got the PB just the week earlier. It was at the
major set of trees on that side, and I had a strong feeling I was going to
get a nice one. Sure enough, she hit with fierceness, Sam saw her explode,
I only heard it and saw the line tear off to the side, a least 15 yards in
a 10th of a second, I knew it had to be big. Once I saw her come to the
top, I yelled 'get the net', Sam was still working his lure. He grabbed
the net, catching it on a reel, then getting it tangled on a lure. I was
using one hand to help him, and using the other to keep the line tight on
the lunker. He scooped behind her, and I told him to just hold it out, and
I brought her around and brought it into the net, TUL.
My heart was racing so, and I told him you get out of
breath fighting, and landing, a lunker. We were both excited, him maybe
more than me. Scale came out, she weighed in at 8.60, one of my top five
bass in my life. Then the cameras.
Click photos to enlarge.
Lunker going a whopping 8.60 pounds. 10.30
a.m..
Getting close to beating my personal best again,
this one also fell to the
Whopper Popper. TUL.
We continued to work all the way to the corner, then
back to where I got the eight. As long as the wind blew we were ok, but
this was one humid day, the second of four we were to have. Lots of
waters.
We came across two gents that said they were 'breaking in the shallows'.
Of course we knew that, we started there, and worked our way back there. I
eventually got some more on the Gunfish, landing two of the three in five
minutes. Sam accidentally dropped an old rod of mine over the back, and
almost got it. We spent 1/2 hour dredging the 3' water, found lots of
sticks, no rod. He'll reimburse me a reel, the rod not to worry, it was
from my childhood (was a temporary replacement for one I'd broke the week
before) and was not of the quality I now use, although I'd just
re-varnished all the wrapping on the guides the night before, oh well.
I fished solo from then on, Sam just relaxed and watch
me fish; he was tired, and a bit bummed. We went to the shallowest of
shallows, did not know if we could, as a lot of fish would break there
once and a while, but no luck.
Click photos to enlarge.
Sam taking a self portrait,
Worked out to mid-bay and then high tailed it to
bathroom cove, and I got a nice 3 pounder on the east swept waves on the
Plopper. Then to Conejos, but the frog action on the main patch was dead,
did not try the other side. Hid 'the corner' nada. Then the next on the
milk run, and the point netted the biggest swirl I'd ever seen, but she
did not go. A few casts later another did, but was smaller and did not
stick.
Click photos to enlarge.
Sam taking a shot of me fishing a large
swimbait.
Click photos to enlarge.
Self timer shot of us at sunset.
Hit bolder point by the dam, nada. Called it a day at
6:30, 45 minutes from deadline time to get off the water, the trolling
motor batteries barely working at that point. The catfish ended up being
released, Sam too tired to hassle with it I guess. Fun but exhausted. TUL!
*El
Capitan, Mon., Aug. 26th
5 bass, 3 me, 2 Mike C.
1 till 7p.m., Overcast, hot 85 and humid, easterly wind sometimes, 0-5mph,
the westerly 15 mph at 6:30, water 76.
I launched the Answered Prayer w/ Mike C at 1 p.m. to
overcast, rain threatening skies (sprinkled on and off only). We made the
milk run, I got one blind casting schoolers w/ a Gunfish at first stop,
boulders towards the dam. Stopped at next one, rocks across way towards
Conejos, nada, as well as the next point. Then hit 'The Corner' and Mike
threw the CR floating Rapala and got a 1-8 pounder with it, cool.
Back in Conejos gave Mike the option of frog on right
stop, he declined and I got a 2 /2-8 or so on the new River 2 Sea popper
WA frog. Cool. Nothing home at the three across the way. Ran to the trees,
started on the right side of the narrows and worked our way back. I got
one on the Gunfish, a 2-8, on a buster. Lost three straight on nano-fil 4
or 6# test, thinking 4, with dead sticking 3" flukes. One started to spool
and busted, two others wrapped in sticks and instead of trolling motoring
over I just popped them off, lure and all, but pulling too hard, oh well.
Worked the area and the winds reversed at dusk.
*El
Capitan, Sat., Aug. 24th
5 bass
5:30 a.m. till 7.15 p.m., Sunny, cool and breezy 80, water 76.
I launched the Answered Prayer, solo, after waiting
with about 12 other boats for safe light in line by the first admission
booth. Plan was to go to the Biggies home and try before the sun hit her,
and I did. Tried the top and then the 7" Senko. Nada. Worked to where I
got blown up on the time before and got a nice 4 pounder on the new River
to Sea frog. Got another after casting next to a laydown, 2 pounder,
before I even twitched it.
Worked a brass and glass TR pumpkin Trick worm in the
same area and got a nice three. Clouds were threatening about 3 and I
prayed they'd come further west and they did. Worked the Plopper in the
corner and a biggie ate it heartily. Fought her to the boat, circled her
until she could be netted, missed the first time, she sounded and the
second I netted her. TUL, a new PB at 9.56 lbs.
Click photos to enlarge.
My new PB went 9.56, and fell to the
Whopper Popper. TUL.
*El
Capitan, Aug. 22nd
0 bass
5:30 a.m. till 4.30 p.m., Sunny, humid and about 85, water 76.
I launched the Answered Prayer, solo, after waiting
with about 12 other boats for safe light, and went straight back to the
trees for once. Was on a mission to try and get the 13 pounder again, but
I slowly worked my way back and the sun hit that part earlier than I
thought. Tried the River to Sea popper frog (a new one I bought at
Lakeside Bait and Tackle earlier) for the first cast, then the 7" Senko
after that. Then gave it a rest and went elsewhere. Got a giant blow up on
the frog trying to fish the shadows, which was diminishing per minute.
Worked the trees and the front, then back to the 13, throwing the 7"
fluke. Nada. Took a nap for two hours there, up at 12:30 and tried
the S. Spook and then a 8" D.S. Trick worm for the big girl, nada.
Kept working the trees, spinnerbait mostly, but top
quite a bit. Pretty hot, and worked Conejos Arm w/ the frog, nada. Then
'The Corner' for nada.
*El
Capitan, Aug. 19th
6 bass
5:30 a.m. till 7.30 p.m., Cloudy mostly and about 80, water 76.
I launched the Answered Prayer, solo and went towards the dam
and fished the main point, with the big boulders, as usual, for nada.
Tried the Whopper Plopper. Went to the back trees, heard some big fish
being caught on the frog in 6' of water (Moose per pm on SDFish). Threw
the Plopper all around, nada. Went to the spinnerbait at 9 as saw one guy
get two fish on it, and I got a nice 3-8 at the boat, over in the shadowed
shoreline. Went to a TR pumpkin Trick worm and picked up a 2 in the same
area, an hour later.
Kept working the trees, and at 4 the action picked up
as I worked shallower. Got a nice hit on the Plopper, but missed her. An
hour later I worked further back, far back, when all of a sudden something
ate the Plopper. Here is the report I posted over on the Texas Fishing
Forum:
My first teen got off about four seconds into the
fight yesterday. Slammed a large topwater bait, and I went into shock when
I saw the beautiful white basketball size belly attached to the head on
this thing as she went partial airborne to inhale it (she was too big to
go completely airborne, but boy she tried).
On the positive side, since I was in shock from first seeing it, I did not
go into shock from losing her. She was in the middle of a batch of trees
and all I did was reel in the 65# braid, that was buttoned down, as fast
as I could, before she sounded in the 5' of water and wrapped me up down
there.
I had just changed out the front hook, as a tug of war with a tree took
one prong off, but she must have been hooked on the back one. THE ONE I
had barbless still, from a trip to a lake that is catch and release only,
and that requires that all lures be barbless.
Live and learn.
ON a more positive note, I NOW KNOW WHERE SHE LIVES.
I figured out that night that it had been barbless- had
fished Barrett with it a couple of months previously, but had been landing
2 and 3 pounders on it so I'd not thought about it. A few casts later,
lost one about five half way back skiing her in, should have checked the
hooks at that time.
Got some more on the bait, and went and tried the frog
on Conejos arm, where Pete had one hit his frog the week before.
Hit the point on the way out, got one on the
Spook, a 2.
Went to 'The Corner', got another 2-8, this one on the
Plopper.
*El Capitan, Aug. 15th
1 bass
6 a.m. till 2:30 p.m., Sunny, clear and about 85, water 76.
Picked up Pete M., from Band of Brothers church group
(our first time out together, we've been saying we were going to go out
deep-sea for a year now), at the frame shop, along with the Skeeter- the
Answered Prayer, and launched by about 6. We went towards the dam and
fished the main point, with the big boulders, nada. Went to trees, got
Pete going with a Gunfish, taught him walk the dog, he fishes ocean w/
baitcasters, so he knows how to cast, TUL.
I worked the Spook and Plopper, nada. Eventually we
went to TR worm, me, and CR brush hog, him. He thought he got a hit and
did get one on the Gunfish in the far back, but missed the hookset. We
worked Conejos at 1 p.m. and he got two blow-ups on the frog, one went
airborne. We went to the floating bathroom, TM batteries about dead and it
was out of the wind, and I got a nice 3 pounder on the S. Spook, we called
it a day at 2:30.
*El
Capitan, Aug. 12th
3 bass
3 p.m. till 7.30 p.m., Sunny, clear and about 85, water 76.
I launched the aluminum boat and went towards the dam
and fished the main point, with the big boulders, nada. Tried the S. Spook
and the Senko.
Went to the next 'usual' boulder point, towards Conejos
arm, and had a med. diving crankbait w/ Fluorocarbon line, nada. Tried
topwater too.
Went towards Conejos some more, fishing the next point
(in major wind) and barely could hold the boat, and got slammed on the
crankbait right after it hit, about 5' off shore in about 3' of water,
fought like a 7, but was a 4.
Click photos to enlarge.
Paul gets a shot of a you
Went to the main point on the left at 'the turn',
called 'The Corner', and got exploded on topwater, both the 6" Lunker
Punker and the S. Spook, but both got off. Threw the crankbait as a last
resort and got a 1 pounder. Went to Conejos and fished the left side
boulders, at the 'entrance', nada. Tried the grasses on the second, and
then the third cove on the left, with the big boulder, nada.
Went across and fished the other grasses and got a
small explosion, frog, missed her. Kept working it and a giant explosion,
indicating a monster, but did not stick. Fished it for another 1/2 hour,
but she would not go again. Tried a topwater fluke too.
Went back to the other side, and tried the three coves again. Got two more
explosions, nada still. BUMMER. Sun was almost gone and I went back to the
cover where I missed the big one, now with a Target frog, no go.
About 7.30 ranger went by honking the horn, headed back
out but stopped on left side point, wind swept, and threw the S. Spook,
got a nice 2 pounder, great end of a short trip, TUL.
*Skinner Lake, Aug. 7th
1 bass
1.30 p.m. till 7.30 p.m., Sunny, clear and about 85, water 80.
I launched and went straight across, tried the frog,
the S. Spook and the Plopper, on the point w/ tulles and then the rock
point, then to the back tulles. Tossed the Plopper over the flats, all for
naught, EXCEPT for the fact I kept getting 4" fingerlings on the Gunfish.
Probably took two hours to cover the whole two bays.
NOTE: Heard there was some nice
frog grasses, but one getting there I found very little, and none in the
back where I usually find more.
Finally got a blow up on the frog, second bay headed
east, towards the shallows, but it did not stick. Went to the back, worked
the flats and the tules, same baits, nada. Took an hour for that area,
then went across the bay towards the main point. Saw some 'nervousness' on
the surface (shad being worked from underneath start balling up on top to
get away, causing a ripple effect), tossed the Gunfish on it and
immediately got slammed by a two pounder that went air born, but got off
during the fight. When it came off, it got slammed under the water and
another fought for a couple of seconds, also getting off. Got a few more
fingerlings and then worked to the left, and back into, the river type
part. The water was way up, so I could get further back than I'd done
before. Nada.
Worked my way back towards the point, nada. Then worked
the point itself, it now being 7, and got a nice little blow up- finally.
Fought for a few second and then the bass went air born- wow, a lunker.
She ran into the deep grasses a few times, and I thought she might get
off, I had about 10# leader on 20# braid. Got her into the net but then
could not find my scale. Put her on a stringer for weight back at the van,
that's where it was.
Click photos to enlarge.
Got another hit further around the point, it came
unbuttoned, kept working it and it got hit again, but this one ran deep
and all I could do was hold on, like the first big one, but she pulled
off.
Worked my way back towards the ramp, had about 10
minutes left, but no more action. Guessed it to be at least a seven, but
it was skinny and only went 5 and a half.
*El Capitan, Aug. 2nd
Paul O. 1 bass, me 0 /
5:20 a.m. till 2.30 p.m.. Overcast till about 9 a.m.. never got too hot, a
low pressure.
I met Paul at the 7-11, he brought
his boat. It was still dark when we launched, cool. We worked the boulders
on the point headed to the dam, first time in years as the water is low
enough and now they show again. Nada, me with the Punker.
Then we went and worked the ones on the right, where
the turn towards Conejos Arm is. Paul fought a nice one on a crankbait,
but it got off. Me the Punker and the S. Spook.
Click photos to enlarge.
Paul gets a shot of a young buck that
allowed our boat to get pretty close to it,
about 30' at least.
We continued towards the back trees, stopping at the
point before boulder bay, then boulder bay itself, now with major part out
of the water, nada. Same baits for me, Paul got a dink, snagged in the
belly.
We went to the trees and started at the honey hole on
the left, at the 'narrow', then worked the trees, I got a blow up on the
frog, took it down but I missed it. But it cleared up for the most part
from then on out, bummer. We worked our way to the right side, nada. Me
mostly the frog, Paul a 6" basstrix dropped on the trees.
We worked our way back to the narrow, me with the top,
and Paul the crankbait. Nada. Worked towards the port-a-potty, me the d/s,
nada. Worked 'the wall', just past boulder bay on the right, me the d/s,
nada.
Then we went to Conejos, the wind was getting bad, it's sheltered. Found a
grass patch and I got a blow-up, but missed her, saw her go airborne, about
a 1 1/2. Noticed more patches in other little 'bays', and shot across to
fish one, when one guy reported he'd just got a 5-8 off the one next to
the one we just got to, the one with the big boulder at it. Fished two
more of them, nada. Then we went looking in Chocolate Arm, found one big
patch, nothing after 15 minutes, just live frogs. Called it a day, was
2.30 and neither of us had a lot of sleep.
July, mostly in Cuba, and did not get to
bass fish there, oh well.
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