Here is where I left off two days earlier, and spots like this
usually hold monsters, slight spread of tulles in shallow water (2
or 3 feet) just off deeper areas (to about 25 or 30 feet). There is
a constant tide action, and every 12 hours it's completely low tide,
or six hours later, high tide, even way back 100 miles, where I
fish, from the San Francisco bay, which is mostly brackish water.
_____________________
Well, my last day on the Delta, Wednesday, was a good one. The day
before anyone going out would have been blown away, so I'm glad I had
not planned to. And the day before that I'd fished sunrise to sunset
and into the dark with highs to 103, great bite but tough heat.
I was up and out of my friends home at 5 am and headed to pick up my
aluminum boat and launched at Tower Park Marina again (only $7 for
fishermen).
The winds were breezy, about 10 mph, perfect for topwater, and it was
overcast, perfect for topwater.
Out on the water solo by 6.30 and within 15 minutes or so I had a
seven pounder landed, buzzbait.
I did not get a lot of fish, like the week before when my buddy and I
got 50, but they were better quality, averaging about 2 1/2 pounds
each, with a three and a four added in here and there. I lost one
about 8 or 9 that engulfed my Super Spook after it came loose from a
tulle and floated to the surface, but she threw it 1/2 way back to the
boat with those heart stopping head shakes on the surface, when you
get a better idea of just how big the moster that exploded on your
lure really is.
The light sprinkles turned to rain in the mid-afernoon, and at that
time it was easy money running the buzzbait over the underwater
grasses and over the floating ones. You don't want those days to end
really.
Spook fish were caught in between buzzbait fish.
The little indent of the plants holds a four pounder, it went airborne
on my buzzbait two days earlier, that's how I know. Did not get her to
go on this day, but thought a shot of how nice the cover is would be
cool.
Imagine running your lure along the edges of this, you see why you
don't want to come home anytime soon.
The point off the large set of trees in the upper left of the photo
has produced big time for me. I've had three fish three cast in a row
on top there last fall, a 6, a 8, and a 10 that got off in short
order, and a 15# striper once that made me think I'd hooked into my
first double digit greenback!
I figured there must be a bass that lived on top of those pipes in the
background, and got
two ok sized ones on the buzzbait from it. Spots like this are fish
magnets.
Even the dinks are ok sized.
Clearing storm on the way back to the Marina, so pretty out when it's
overcast. I'd caught a sixer off this point on the left in this photo
two days earlier on the buzzbait, but nothing this time when I'd
tried. That's Hwy 12 bridge in the background, which I was on 1/2 hour
later as I had to get back home and wanted to hit LA traffic around 2
am, so I could go through at 65 mph, which I did, instead of 5 mph,
which is usually the case between 5 am and midnight.
Here is where I left off two days earlier, and spots like this
usually hold monsters, slight spread of tulles in shallow water (2
or 3 feet) just off deeper areas (to about 25 or 30 feet). There is
a constant tide action, and every 12 hours it's completely low tide,
or six hours later, high tide, even way back 100 miles, where I
fish, from the San Francisco bay, which is mostly brackish water.
_____________________
Well, my last day on the Delta, Wednesday, was a good one. The day
before anyone going out would have been blown away, so I'm glad I had
not planned to. And the day before that I'd fished sunrise to sunset
and into the dark with highs to 103, great bite but tough heat.
I was up and out of my friends home at 5 am and headed to pick up my
aluminum boat and launched at Tower Park Marina again (only $7 for
fishermen).
The winds were breezy, about 10 mph, perfect for topwater, and it was
overcast, perfect for topwater.
Out on the water solo by 6.30 and within 15 minutes or so I had a
seven pounder landed, buzzbait.
I did not get a lot of fish, like the week before when my buddy and I
got 50, but they were better quality, averaging about 2 1/2 pounds
each, with a three and a four added in here and there. I lost one
about 8 or 9 that engulfed my Super Spook after it came loose from a
tulle and floated to the surface, but she threw it 1/2 way back to the
boat with those heart stopping head shakes on the surface, when you
get a better idea of just how big the moster that exploded on your
lure really is.
The light sprinkles turned to rain in the mid-afernoon, and at that
time it was easy money running the buzzbait over the underwater
grasses and over the floating ones. You don't want those days to end
really.
Spook fish were caught in between buzzbait fish.
The little indent of the plants holds a four pounder, it went airborne
on my buzzbait two days earlier, that's how I know. Did not get her to
go on this day, but thought a shot of how nice the cover is would be
cool.
Imagine running your lure along the edges of this, you see why you
don't want to come home anytime soon.
The point off the large set of trees in the upper left of the photo
has produced big time for me. I've had three fish three cast in a row
on top there last fall, a 6, a 8, and a 10 that got off in short
order, and a 15# striper once that made me think I'd hooked into my
first double digit greenback!
I figured there must be a bass that lived on top of those pipes in the
background, and got
two ok sized ones on the buzzbait from it. Spots like this are fish
magnets.
Even the dinks are ok sized.
Clearing storm on the way back to the Marina, so pretty out when it's
overcast. I'd caught a sixer off this point on the left in this photo
two days earlier on the buzzbait, but nothing this time when I'd
tried. That's Hwy 12 bridge in the background, which I was on 1/2 hour
later as I had to get back home and wanted to hit LA traffic around 2
am, so I could go through at 65 mph, which I did, instead of 5 mph,
which is usually the case between 5 am and midnight.
*El Capitan, East San Diego county
Mon.,
June 29th
With Paul O., his boat. Me 3, Paul 1
Overcast all day. Slight winds, some sprinkles, lightening in mountains,
not around us.
I met Paul at the 7-11 and he drove in from there. We got on fish right
away, I did, with smaller gunfish on busters at the ramp cove. Got tough
after that. I got another on a Kastmaster, but busters were tough. We went
to Conejos, but Paul got one on topwater on the rockpile on left before
entrance.
Click photo to enlarge.
Topwater fish, Gunfish, flukes.
We worked Conejos hard, frogs, ploppers, buzzbaits, etc., nada. Went to
bathroom cove, got a blowup on Plopper right at boat, scaring the heck out
of me, but no sticky. Worked the point and the points off the island,
nada. Worked the major point nada, then back to ramp cove and I got one on
a fluke, as Rob from SDfish gave a clinic with his fluke worked over
grasses. He reported most came from letting it sink on the holes, that's
how I got mine. We left around 3 or 4 p.m..
*El Capitan, East San Diego county
Thu,
June 25th
With Karl H. and his son Joshua- me 9
(2 buzz, 5 med. Plopper, 2 frog), Karl 2, Josh 0
Clear skies, light winds. From 8.30 a.m. till 8 p.m.. Answered prayer
Skeeter
I started at 8.30, around the ramp, then ran to the rock island towards
the dam, nada, then the buoy line, nada, worked back towards the rocks,
getting one on the buzzbait there.
Click photo to enlarge.
First of two on the buzzbait
Click photo to enlarge.
First of five landed on the medium sized Plopper
Kept working north and got another on the buzz, then three on the
Plopper, one got off. Worked the island, lost one on the fluke, then went
to pick up Karl at docks at noon.
Click photo to enlarge.
Arden's nine and a composite of other shots.
Ran across Arden and his dad, shot a 9 for him, and two other nice ones
he got on a lift 3'/drop, wait 3 seconds, then repeat on a blue/black KVD
crawfish w/ 1/2 oz pegged tungsten weight.
Click photo to enlarge.
Arden and his dad's boat is what I would have to
call "a floating tackle box".
Click photo to enlarge.
Another view.
Karl called in lost around 12.30, went to Ramona. Arrived at 1 and I
taught he and his son how to throw buzzers. Worked the grasses while they
threw buzzers and got a 3 on the Spro bluegill popper frog.
Click photo to enlarge.
A nice 4 hit in open water, on 'front' ramp cove
grasses.
Continued around towards the first point, working the large grasses in
the cove first, and got a nice 4 on the frog, open water.
Continued working the shore, first the first point, then the back
cover, then the shallows headed north. Ran to Conejos and worked the
cove/grasses, where I got two on the Plopper.
Worked around to front of the cove, headed north, working the points
and shallows both. Shadows across lake on the opposite side drew us west,
we worked there for nada.
Ran to island back towards ramp and Karl got a small one just past the
second point, I'd already worked it, and I lost a biggie in the cove
between both big points on the islands, about a 5 that straightened out
the hook.
Click photo to enlarge.
Buddy Karl got his first of two off 'second island
point'.
We worked the shallows at the big cove, nada, and then the major point
that is at the end of the side that goes to the dam. Karl got one off it,
a dink. We worked the shallows around that point, nada, then ran to the
docks as it was almost 8 and the ranger was kicking folks off. They were
hitting the top but my Gunfish was on a new rod and I did not have the
casting down for it, we got off the lake at 8.15, and got scolded for
getting off after 8.02, which was sunset she said.
* Murrieta Hot Springs
Monday,
June 22nd
With Mike C., Rocio, Rebecca, Tomas,
Herbert K. and Cameron.
Me from 3 till 8.30.
Herbert 10, me 9, Mike 5, Cameron 5
Me largest at 1.7
Light winds & semi-cloudy skies, maybe 90, nice for there.
Met them there. Mostly fished top, got some on gunfish, largest on
small pond with buzzer.
* El Capitan, East San Diego county
Monday,
June 15th (Day III)
With Mike C.- 1, me 7
Clear skies, no winds till afternoon. From 5.30 a.m. till 7.50 p.m..
Met Mike C. at the ramp w/ my Skeeter 'Answered Prayer' and we started
by fishing busters at the ramp. I got exploded on first cast w/ Gunfish,
but she missed, and it was slim pickins after that. Got my first on it,
then my second on a kastmaster. Tried frogs and flukes as there is a ton
of grass to the top now in that area. We mostly fished the area across the
way, by the steep walled area, seemed to be more over there. Mike got one
on a Little George type lure.
We ran to the island, now a peninsula, and worked the left point first,
Mike lost a med. sized Plopper, and I figured it'd be easy to find but
with choppy water we didn't. Spent a lot of time criss-crossing 100's of
square yards. We then worked out way around the point into the cove by the
island, shallow and got blowups on the buzzbait.
Ran to Conejos and fished the frog, got blowups but none stuck. Threw
the buzzbait and missed a couple and got a couple.
Took Mike back at 2 and took a break, it was really hot and I'd only
got 3 hours of sleep.
Click photo to enlarge.
A grouping of some of the bass caught on topwater
today.
Worked a bed fish at the dock when I started again, no go. Went back
tot the buzzbait and started working the ramp cove point north, all the
shoreline and coves, getting blowups and a couple of bass. Tossed the med.
plopper on the large points, and then was just past the longest point and
got one on the plopper, just shy of 6 lbs, TUL. Finished at dusk, 7.50,
about an hour later. I'd worked to the last point across from the island
at that point. Saw one guy get photographed holding a 12# albino catfish
by his girlfriend, the second that week he reported. Saw him release it at
the boat, really showed up swimming off deep in the water.
California Delta
June 3rd, 4th, 8th and 10th
Solo for three days, went
out with buddy Mike Meyers on day one, he lives real close to Paradise
Marina, where he launched from.
*Wednesday, June 3rd (Day I)
Back seated with Mike Meyers/ Paradise
Marina. Sunny, calm becoming very, very windy in afternoon. Calmed at
sunset.
5.30 a.m. till 10 p.m..
Mike 30, me 20!
Click photo to enlarge.
My buddy Mike with a bass photo he'd recently sent.
It shows he'd downloaded a self-timer app I'd suggested. Cool.
Arrived to the area the night before, and stopped at
Bass Pro Shop to pick Mike M. up a small, 120 cm Whopper Plopper, bone
color. They had one left, but I lost about an hour, and would have
launched and fished that hour but it was just about dark when I got to
Tower Park Marina, oh well. Two guys said they were killing them on the 6"
pumpkin, green flake Senko, and showed me them to prove it. One was a nine
pounder- ouch. Told them why give it to the neighbor, not the big ones, so
they could catch it next time. One was a Sac. cop, and saw his pistol and
the laser was on by accident and he took it out to turn it off.
Next morning I was to meet Mike at 5.30 a.m. and got
there with my boat a little before (we took his, I left mine as no place
to store it yet).
We started on the north islands not far from the ramp,
big baits. Nada. Worked our way north, and got them here and there. He had
three before I got my first, on the large Plopper over the end of an
island we'd just worked.
I got them on a red square bill crankbait, Super Spook
and a buzzbait, and near on marina I got quite a few on the smaller
Gunfish, every cast at one point going over the shallows on one island
there. Even on my large Plopper. I took the lead in numbers real quick.
We picked them off all day, the only thing I did not
get them on was a d/s, but he did. We even fished Discovery bay, what
amazing million dollar homes on the water there. My frog was working, as
well as the chatterbait there (blue and black). He'd gotten them on his
white one earlier.
At dusk, and even dark, he got them good on his new
medium size Plopper I'd got him, and lost at least a 7 at the boat, these
back up at Paradise islands.
Finished by Mike asking if I had a jack as he went to
get his trailer going by mine. Jack? Sure enough, my new tire was flat. He
had a special device you drive forward over and it lifts your Fun
times. TUL.
*Thursday, June 4th (Day II)
Solo, clear skies. From 3 p.m. till
9.30 p.m..
5 on Plopper, one on Senko
Was not going to go out today, but after sleeping in
and having a leisurely breakfast I got my energy level back up. Fishing
for 17 hours the day before, with only 5 hours of sleep in an
uncomfortable van, took a lot out of me.
Launched out of Tower Park and headed to the bridge,
north, and fished the rock bank under it, getting fish on the small
Plopper I'd just bought when I got Mike his two nights earlier at the Bass
Pro shop. Figured clear skies and light winds called for it. Good call.
Had three in short order, one went 3 lbs.
Click photo to enlarge.
Cheese, to fish the frog over.
Don't remember, but as I took the above photo I probably
started with a frog, that's what you use her. No photos so I don't thing I
got any.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got on them right away, small Whopper Plopper.
After getting the ones along the rock banks, I continued
along towards Machine Cove, and about half way there I had the largest of
explosions, but the bass missed. Was it a 10? Well, the next time there I
found out, story below, see day four.
Click photo to enlarge.
Here is what I call Machine Cove, due to the sunken
farm machinery. It sits in the middle of a small cove, on an underwater
island in the middle, about 30x30 yards. I have hooked,
but not landed, a monster and landed a few two pounders, sometimes three
in an hour. Had a few amazingly giant explosions, almost all on topwater-
spooks and ploppers.
On this day I fished it, and got an amazingly giant
explosion, just by the machine itself, on the shallow side, darn.
Then ran to Sycamore cove, working the first spot in,
then the second (this tree area), nada, then the islands themselves (about
ten of them in one long stretch).
Click photo to enlarge.
The only bass I did not get on the Plopper was
this one I got on a 'follow up bait', a Senko.
Click photo to enlarge.
A Panoramic of Sycamore Slough
Click photo to enlarge.
Sunset at my favorite area on Sycamore Slough
Click photo to enlarge.
Sunset at my favorite area on Sycamore Slough
No frog hits, weird. Did get Plopper fish on the points,
as usual. One nice three pounder missed and I got her with a follow up
Senko, TUL.
Ended up going back to Machine Cover, hoping to get
a monster to go, no go. Back at dark.
*Monday,
June 8th (Day III)
Solo again, clear skies, no winds, got
up to 103 DEGREES! From 7 a.m. till 9.30 p.m.. About 14 bass total.
Well, I stayed the night at my friends John and Joanne Olichney
in Davis after teaching for three days in Napa. I got up at 5 and
instantly headed to the Motel 6 in Lodi to get the boat and launch.
Was about 7 am when I got out on the water. Headed
towards machine cove and started working the point and then the bank just
before the cove. Was afrid due to lack of wind the top w/ the large
Plopper bait might not work, but boy was I wrong. I tossed it out fairly
far from the bank, as it was semi-shallow for 30 yards out, could see the
grasses, and first cast got slammed after four cranks of the handle. It
fought so hard, and did not come up to jump, I first thought it might be a
snagged large carp, and as I got her to the boat I then saw the giant
mouth with the lure in it, it was definitely a bass, and at that moment
she shook her head, although I was still reeling hard, and tossed the
bait- INSTANT HEARTBREAK as I figured her to be at LEAST 10 pounds, my
first double digit gets off again!
Click photo to enlarge.
Buzzbait fish was the name of the game to fish over
the grasses floating everywhere.
Click photo to enlarge.
Started getting fish on the frog mid-day, fishing
'open water' tulles.
I needed a break real bad by 3 p.m., was starting to
drag as the heat, without a breeze, was becoming unbearable, even with
getting the fish nicely on the frog. When I got back to the dock Jose Jr.
asked if I knew it'd gotten to 103 today! 103??? No way, did not even
cross my mind of how hot it actually got, but that's super hot. If I'd not
been catching them I might have given it more thought.
So I went to the store there and got a 20oz been (they
sell nothing smaller) and went to the bar with a cup and got them to fill
it with ice, and had the beer over a one hour rest over at the ice cream
store on the ramp. Oh, how the shade and a cold beer helped. Still, when I
was done, having only had 5 hours sleep and been at it hard for eight
hours now, I was dead beat and needed a 'power nap' as my fishing buddy
Mike Castaneda would say, so I motored over to the first cover dock (about
12 of them to the south of the ramp) and tied up and set my alarm of an
hour, then changed it to two, figuring I'd still have a few hours.
Woke up in the sun an hour later, moved the boat
further into the slip, went back to sleep and was awaked by fishing buddy
Mike Meyers, who wanted to visit and was at the docks for a look-see of
the area, he'd never been there. We chatted and I was off to start my
afternoon/dusk/night session.
Started along the rock wall headed south, looked so
good, then the point on the left after the 'sheds' and then across to the
point and got a nice sixer on light tackle, she fought for a long two
minutes and I finally netted her.
Click photo to enlarge.
Netted me this six pounder on a buzzbait, o
It usually holds fish, this is the biggest so far there.
Had a four go airborne on the buzzbait around the bend
where the bottom widens a lot- depth wise, along a batch of floating
hyacinth I (picture of spot on next days report).
Got a few more on the Plopper and the buzzbait, working
the tulles and points in that area. Did not make it to 'three islands'
further down, would the next time out. Got back at dark, and stayed at
Motel 6 where I left the boat for the next day and picked it up on Wed.,
my next day to fish.
_____________________
*Wednesday, June 10th (Day IV)
Solo again, stormy, breezy and
sprinkling, or raining, all day. 10 bass total, up to seven pounds.
Well, my last day on the Delta, Wednesday, was a good one. The
day before anyone going out would have been blown away, so I'm glad I had
not planned to. And the day before that I'd fished sunrise to sunset and
into the dark with highs to 103, great bite but tough heat.
I was up and out of my friends home (Jon and Carolyn) at 5 am and headed
to pick up my aluminum boat and launched at Tower Park Marina again (only
$7 for fishermen).
The winds were breezy, about 10 mph, perfect for topwater, and it was
overcast, perfect for topwater.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got a seven pounder in short order, on a buzzbait
lure called Whopper Plopper.TUL.
Out on the water solo by 6.30 and within 15 minutes or so I had a seven
pounder landed, a buzzbait lure, called Whopper Plopper.
I did not get a lot of fish, like the week before when
my buddy and I got 50, but they were better quality, averaging about 2 1/2
pounds each, with a three and a four added in here and there. I lost one
about 8 or 9 that engulfed my Super Spook after it came loose from a tulle
and floated to the surface, but she threw it 1/2 way back to the boat with
those heart stopping head shakes on the surface, when you get a better
idea of just how big the moster that exploded on your lure really is.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got this nice 4 pounder where I lost a 10 pounder
two days earlier, along the windy bank towards machine cover, just north
of Tower Park Marina.
Click photo to enlarge.
I figured there must be a bass that lived on top of
those pipes in the background, and got
two ok sized ones on the smaller Plopper from it. Spots like this are fish
magnets.
Click photo to enlarge.
Getting them on the outside edges of the weed line,
or right above them on high tide, like it was here. This one just shy of 3
lbs.
The light sprinkles turned to rain in the
mid-afternoon, and at that time it was easy money running the buzzbait
over the underwater grasses and over the floating ones. You don't want
those days to end really.
Click photo to enlarge.
The little indent of the plants holds a four
pounder, it went airborne on my buzzbait two days earlier, that's how I
know. Did not get her to go on this day, but thought
a shot of how nice the cover is would be cool. Imagine running your
lure along the edges of this, you see why you don't want to come home
anytime soon. The point off the large set of trees in the upper left
of the photo has produced big time for me. I've had three fish three cast
in a row on top there last fall, a 6, a 8, and a 10 that got off in short
order, and a 15# striper once that made me think I'd hooked into my first
double digit greenback!
Click photo to enlarge.
Clearing storm on the way back to the Marina, so
pretty out when it's overcast. I'd caught a sixer off this point on the
left in this photo two days earlier on the buzzbait, but nothing this time
when I'd tried. That's Hwy 12 bridge in the background.
Called it a wrap at 5 p.m., and I was on my way home a
1/2 hour later as I had to get back home and wanted to hit LA traffic
around 2 am, so I could go through at 65 mph, which I did, instead of 5
mph, which is usually the case between 5 am and midnight. Did stop on top
of the Grapvine for a 2 hour power nap, as I'd been up working it hard for
night on 24 hours.
Can't wait to go back, but will have to, just hope August comes darn fast-
I'm sure it will. TUL.
*Otay Lake
May 27th
Me 1, Matthew from Il Fornaio 2 / 5.30 a.m. till 1 p.m./
AP Skeeter/ Water 68, overcast and misting till 10, cloudy till we left at
1 p...
Met Matthew at CVS at 4.45 and we
left to drizzly skies. Got to lake and I spent the first hour near docks
teaching him how to cast a spinning reel, and how to work a Gunfish. He
was blessed with one from casting towards middle of lake, but was a
Barrett lure (de-barbed) and it got off.
Click photo to enlarge.
I threw the large Plopper, nada,
then the frog. Looked so fishey. After an hour or two we went to the
'split', looking for busters that'd been reported, nada. Worked that point
with top, nada. Worked into Otay arm with top, then down the bank and
finished 1/2 way down by noon. Put a d/s on for Matthew and he landed one,
cool. I found a bedfish and got him on a Senko. Fished the flat with
cranks and top, nada. Went in at 1 p.m., Matthew had to get back. He love
it.
Dock talk with one
gentleman w/ newer Skeeter- some busters by buoy line near dam (which we
saw boats there when we left), but not many he said. Bite for him slower
than has been.
* Barrett Lake
May 20th
Solo
9 (7 bluegill)/ 5 a.m. till 7.30 p.m./ shore till noon, then boat.
The waders have a leak in the
right boot so I opted to shore fish as I'd not repaired it yet. Plan was
to go out in the boat later, purchased tube tic from sdFish's 'badbassbill'
in trade. Laura checked me in and blessed me with a boat at noon instead
of waiting, and luckily she did as the guys did not leave till 4 (back
problems hung in there for them, that was the deciding factor).
Click photo to enlarge.
Morning was a
bit tough, tons of bait around, bass would not hit artificial as well as
before (as in crankbaits around docks). Last one from Senko.
I got a few right off the bait,
Plopper next to corner, netted me a 3+. Flopped back into lake before I
got a shot. Some on crankbaits and Senkos, but only six by noon. Nice one
on the Senko.
Got one on a lizard at the dam,
but a lot of bluegill w/ a small rattletrap bait, almost ever cast. One
tuber was getting them every third cast with an 'underspin', which I
forgot I owned one, so ordered a bunch next day for next time.
Click photo to enlarge.
Rattletraps
still producing, landed two or three on it.
Then went back to Pine Arm
entrance, as no arm now, working the rock points on way there. Got one
(tubers getting them again, as well as boaters) and then worked big baits
to end of Hauser over the flats, then back to Pine and got another at
dusk. Worked the rock points on way in and got another on the lipless, and
lost more. Was cloudy and not too windy all day, so it was special weather
wise, made for a great trip. TUL.
Click photo to enlarge.
Shots at dusk
on way out shows how low the lake is, at 5.5% full now.
*Castro's Fish Camp
Erendira, 1
hour south of Ensenada
May 8th, - 10th Three compadres, two new, and 99 rock cod landed.
Mike C. invited me to join two of his buddies
that do Mexico fishing trips to go with them. Price was right at $140 for
the whole trip, incl. 2 night stay and a fishing boat for the day.
We met at Larry F's house in Spring Valley at 5 p.m. on Friday night
were he treated us to KFC and we loaded up Rob's SUV and headed out. We
took the 1 down thru Ensenada ang got there 3.5 hours later.
The place
is called Castro's fishing place, aka Castro's fish camp, and is in the
town of Erendira.. They have a website and a facebook page (with fish
reports/ photos every week or so) with reservation number (in Ensenada),
and a number to the camp. The room has triple bunk beds, three, with foam
mattresses, bathroom with hot showers. A kitchen w/ stove and refrigerator
and a small dining area rounds it out- oh, and a porch. Nothing supplied,
you bring toilet paper to coffee maker, towels to sleeping bag (or bedding
of choice- I brought sheets and blanket).
Very friendly Cuban guy named Ed (his English is so good you'd think he
was an American) runs a restaurant overlooking the ocean there, where you
can take you fish in afterwards and he'll cook it up, add rice and beans,
etc., for $7 a person. Early breakfast available if you don't want to make
you own. Rooms don't have TV, but he has satellite and like folks to hang.
Panga that can fish six easily was $200, and is a 3/4 day boat (6 am. till
4 p.m.), and the room was $60 (Smaller for $50 I believe).
http://castrosfishingplace.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CastrosFishingPlace/info?tab=page_info
Couple of markets and a liquor store in town (few hundred yards down the
road) rounds it out.
It's about 18 miles south of San Vicente, they have maps on the site.
We hit the sack at about midnight
after getting settled in and up at 5 a.m.. We each had brought a list of
items to food, cleanup, cooking, etc.. Waffles on Sat. morning, with
coffee and orange juice and we went to load up the boat at 6 and was off
by 6.30. It was an hour ride to the fishing grounds, headed north (bottom
fish is the name of the game this time of year).
Click photo to enlarge.
Group shot
before leaving
Click photo to enlarge.
In the boat headed to the ramp.
Click photo to enlarge.
Rob
Click photo to enlarge.
Larry F.
Click photo to enlarge.
Larry and Rob/ Being launched, low time so
they had to take us out farther.
Hoped to get pelagics but they did
not show. The captain of our panga, Fernando, nephew of Fernando that runs
it, got two YFT three days ago, a 34 and a 30, on irons 2 miles out. Dang.
Click photo to enlarge.
My first drop, with the hooks baited with
fresh cut squid, netted me a fish on each hook. I waited a few seconds
after the first bite to load it up.
Threw irons at birds on way out to fishing
grounds, nada, nor with bouncing them on bottom. Here was results of my
first drop, 160'.
Click photo to enlarge.
A
big 'red' came on the jig I set up, Fernando said use red as the fish
were all cough up 'logastinos', or baby lobsters.
At the end I tried dragging a jig on the bottom, and got a few nicer
models, picture above. Ended up with 32 cod. The others with 21 each, and
Mke C. with 16.
Click photo to enlarge.
Super sized
ice chest was full by the end of our trip, some lings scattered in the
mix.
Click photo to enlarge.
Cleaning the
99 fish was a group endeavour.
They have a group of folks come
and filet your fish, tipping suggested at $20 per ice chest full (We
blessed them with $40, as the Captain refused the tip and asked us to take
care of the cleaners, so we did.).
Click photo to enlarge.
Relaxation
time.
Ended the day in a nice relaxing
chair and an ocean view from our front porch, unplugged from modern day
technology- no computers, phones, TV's or facebook! TUL.
Click photo to enlarge.
Short stop in
Ensenada for souvenirs (curios) and lunch at the fish market).
On the way home, we stopped at the
fish market in Ensenada and had fish tacos- $.80 each.
We took the 3 back to San Diego,
it goes to Tecate and the border crossing only took 15 minutes. We guessed
it would have been 2-3 hours at the San Ysido crossing.
Next day I spent the day running around and giving fish away to any
friends I could find home with my share of the catch, keeping a little for
the wifey and I, and for the freezer.
*Barrett Lake
May 6th
Me 25, Mike Cast. 21 / 4.30 a.m. till 2 p.m./ boat
Well, went with a buddy Mike C.
and figured the bite might be like opening day. We got there just in time
to get in the line, outside the gate, before it moved in, at 4:15. Then
grabbed a boat and went the 100 yards across the lake to the rocks across
from the dock, and waited for the sun to come up. Tried everything knowing
nothing would work until then, and it worked as planned... nothing bit.
When the light started to show, I'd expected the magic shad bite to start,
it didn't. I got a few anyways, and kept waiting for the shad to go crazy,
but an hour of hard work netted me a few on topwater, and a few more on
crankbaits, my buddy the same. No busters on the shoreline, not in this
area anyways?
I saw the action at the docks was going crazy, like it did opening day for
those standing on it, and for those of us on the shoreline. The shad and
bass action was hot and heavy that I could see from our spot, so I said
what the heck, I'd go over and use topwater and see if I could get into
some of it. Guys were basically swirling the crankbait at the end of their
rods and getting bit- again, it seemed too easy. One gentleman had 90
already, and others had 40-60. It was only 7 or so.
Barrett Lake Dock Bass action May 6th, 2015 from m seewald on Vimeo.
The shad were hitting our boat
after we arrived, and we could hear the bass hitting our boat eating them
below- weird. They were still leaving eggs on everything, thus the bass
slaughter. Pic is of my trolling motor with a lot of eggs still on it,
after wiping a lot off already.
Click photo to enlarge.
Shad layed eggs on anything solid on top
of the lake, rocks, boat bottoms, trolling motors, etc..
Sure enough, after getting there I
tossed topwater to get them, and although I could have gotten more tossing
a crankbait, I still wanted them on top. I'd get blown up on five times
for everyone that stuck, and it was good for numbers as expected. I ended
up with 25, and my buddy 21.
My buddy did better, size wise, with larger swimbaits and got them to 4
1/2.
Click photo to enlarge.
Mike got two nice ones, slow rolling super flukes
under the back of the dock boats.
We went to the back by the
entrance to Pine and four float tubers were on them like crazy, at about 1
pm. They said the rattletrap was the ticket, and we tried to replicate the
bite, but put on the wrong color, and worked it wrong when we put on the
right ones (noticed much later they were letting them hit bottom, 5-7'
down, and then slow rolling it back in). They were nice enough to give up
all the info we asked for, like most of the folks there nowadays. I guess
I give folks as much advice too as they go by, guess what goes around
comes around most of the time. Anyways, we got a few more hits, and added
to our count, but not like they had/did.
Took the 2 pm train out, as Mike had an appt. (otherwise I would have
stayed, cloudy and windy- nice conditions for success) even though we left
them biting, unlike Sat., when we left them not biting at the same time!
*Barrett Lake
May 2nd (Opening Day)
Me 40, Pastor Paul 18 / tubes/ 4.30 a.m. till 2 p.m.
Went with Paul O. and we got to
the gate at 4.45 to see everyone was already in. We tubed it from the
docks, and the staff lets you unload there and then find parking
afterwards, made hauling a lot of gear pain less, thanks guys.
After launching my first came on a rattletrap as I kicked away from the
docks, and we worked across the lake, took all of two minutes as it's not
far anymore, with tubers and boaters pretty well spread out, not as bad as
I'd envisioned. Guess there is about 25 to 50 yards between them. Would be
nicer with 100 yards like before. Oh well.
Click photo to enlarge.
Got so many on topwater lures (Gunfish and Super
Spooks) it was like a dream. Flat bill crankbaits worked after that
stopped, or between lulls.
After an hour or so it was pretty much an epic day
of fishing (morning that is) and just about everyone was blessed with 2-3
hours of frenzied bass action on the shore.
Click photos to enlarge.
My PB for the day came on a cb by the docks. One
really big took me down into a stump and broke off, leaving only the lip
of the lure for me to reel in- bummer.
Got 20 on top, and 20 on crankbaits. New PB in
that respect, left at 2 with a grin and wobbly legs. Forgot to cover the
thumb, man is it raw. Staff was great, as always, service with a
smile. What a county! TUL.
*Lake Hodges,
April 29th.
Zippo, 1 to 4.30, Tube.
Need to get in shape for the Lake Barrett opener
this upcoming Saturday. Not been in one since last year. Started by the
Hideaway Rest. and worked a 1/2 hour tossing topwater. Then I noticed lots
of birds hitting the surface all around the buoys towards the dam, but by
the time I kicked there the action was over. Tossed top all around it,
then d/s with a fluke and got hung up, but as I jerked it to get unhung it
got hit, but I broke it off- 6# leader.
Worked my way back with rattletraps and blue
chatterbaits, more top (gunfish, buzzbaits), nada. Left at 5 fairly bushed
from the workout.
*El Capitan,
Friday April 24th.
Friday, lightly rained
all day. Paul brought his boat and a buddy and his kayak. Met them at 5.45
a.m. at 7-11. Fished till 4.
Paul 2 (swimbait/ D/S), me 6 (all but one on Kastmaster boilers, slow
sink, or blind casting it, skipping it on top.. Last on D/s.
Paul first one at a rock point, right side towards island, on a
6” Wave Bait, his first, in first 10 minutes- YEAH!
Then nada, we fished all around the island (now a peninsula) nada, me big
topwater. I was thinking there must be something going on further down the
lake, as the time before nobody was at this end, and same today. We
rounded 'the corner' and sure enough, I saw five boats down by 'bathroom
cove' al in the middle. We rolled up just as it shut down. I tossed the
Kastmaster and got a few over the next hour. We worked the shore as Paul's
not a fan of the pattern, and I got blowups, and fish, skipping the
Kastmaster across the top.
Worked Bathroom Cover, nada, then I got one on the
d/s, green trick worm as well as Paul, on the steep rock banks between
‘corner’ and 'bathroom cove’. Paul got one on the same there. The rain was
light, but consistent. Paul loaned me a $.99 fluorescent pink poncho as I
only brought my rain jacket, expecting it to hardly rain, per forecast.
The day before was supposed to be worse, and it hardly rained.
We tried Conejos cove, nada, then across to the
bank. Got on a hot bedding bass at the dock, but he did not get hooked
with about 15 bait moves (d/s silver fluke), and the female was in on it
too at first.
*El Capitan,
Monday, April 16th
Solo, 5 bass - 2 bed fish
(morn.), 2 Gunfish and 1 Super Spook (dusk).
Water started at 67.5, ended at 70. From 7.30 am till almost 7.30 pm,
Worked beds after working topwater big baits all
around ramp cover, nada. Then bedfish, plenty of them, right there. Got
one and could have got more, then went to first point and got another,
along w/ buzzbait tosses for nada. More buzzbait working down the shores,
coves, nada.
Worked the island cove, the island, and then the shore, nada.
Should have made a run towars the back, not many fisherman around, and
report of buster near island never materialized. (was right, but did not
find out until next trip w/ Paul).
Click photo to enlarge.
First Super Spook fish of 2015
Then at dusk I got them on top blind-casting, no
busters then either, back at the ramp. Gunfish and Super Spooks. Nothing
big, but fun NoneTheLess!
As always, all released to fight another day.
*DVL
(Diamond Valley Lake)
Monday, April 14th
With Mike C., 0 bass - Me
3 Gunfish.
Water started at 67.5, ended at 70. From 7.30 am till 5.30 pm,
Met Mike at this house at 5.30, but with stopping
for gas, food, and the drive did not get on the water till about 7.30,
after passing the mussel inspection.
We worked the ramp for while, they just planted 2K
pounds of trout.
Click photo to enlarge.
Click photo to enlarge.
Click photo to enlarge.
Then we headed towards the left, and we worked a
hump and I got a blow up, on the small Gunfish, then hooked into one, then
another and another. It was overcast. Got three landed, with four fought
in five hits.
We worked the dam, the stairs, and then after an
hour back to the hump and around that island.
Then back past the ramp towards the other end,
past a few points and worked the floating bathroom and the points back
towards the ramp. Worked an island with big baits, wind way up and a bit
dangerous. Worked the points and could not keep the boat in place with the
TM, so had to use the big motor and re-position, beds after working
topwater big baits all around ramp cover, nada. Last boat off the water,
it was about 5.30.
*Lake Skinner (Temecula, CA)
Tues,
March 24th
Solo, 4 bass. Two 5’s (same bedfish on
Deps 175), one 3 on d/s, one 2 off bed in afternoon, all in marina
(usually off limits).
Up 5 a.m,, picked up jug of coffee, 7-11, two
breakfast sand. J.I.Box, picked up alum boat w/ extra trolling motor
batteries at frameshop, and headed to Skinner by 6. Arrived and fishing by
7:15 or so, $15 fishing, parking and launch fees at gate, after declaring
where the boat had been (does not make sense, as Skinner has Quagga
Mussels already, thus the check as you leave to be dry, as to not spread
them).
Noticed a trout in 5" of water in a spot on shore by
ramp, and then a lot of trout and bass on the ramp in 5' of water. So I
started by throwing the big bait (Deps 175) around that area. Saw some big
followers on almost every cast, was expecting my first on this new lure,
nope.
Worked my way to a rock pile across from the
docks/boats and stated to work a bedfish. I noticed a 4 or 5 pounder near
a male, but it never went deep as far as I could tell, and a bigger one
would swim nearby. I finally decided to throw on her and found it to be a
'him', as it was on a bed not much deeper than I was working. Oh wow. So I
threw the big bait and after a 1/2 hour or so of swinging on him once and
a while I finally hooked up. Sure enough, this was one big male, going 5
lbs on the scale, cool.
Click photo to enlarge.
Five pound male- wow!
Worked the bed hoping the female would
come in, she hung 10 yards further out, and her lip looked damaged,
probably been caught before, helping me see an otherwise hidden fish, her
back was dark and so was the bottom but her damaged lip was protruding a
white area. After 20 minutes I just hooked the male again, which had gone
right back to the bed. I gave up on her and went further out of the
marina, noticing it was marked no fishing, did not know. One guy had been
circling the docks tossing a 11" Hinkle trout swimbait, looked real
'real'. Overheard the dock attendant tell some friends launching that as
DVL was closing due to lack of water that they would open the closed
Marina to make room for the extra boat that would start showing up.
Put on a 6" trick worm d/s rig and
worked it just outside the ramp, in deeper water. Second cast hooked into
a real figher, a three pounder.
Click photo to enlarge.
Third fish came on d/s.
Worked my way to the east, towards the
shallow end, working shoreline with the swimbaits. Nada.
Came back to get waters I'd left in the
car and found two
boats working the trout on the ramp, and started to also when a lady from
the front gate showed up and kicked everyone out (even though the other
three workers there allowed everyone to do so for three hours by now?).
Some 10 pound bass were swimming around a few feet from the shallower
trout, waiting for a quick meal. A 16+ had been caught Sunday by the
captain of an Oceanside Deep Sea boat, throwing an 8" Huddleston around
the docks. He lost it the guys said, broke the swimbait, but he got her
again on another one later on. WOW. (And thus the complaint it should not
count as the lake record, beating the existing one by two pounds).
Worked my further east, working points
and shoreline with the swimbaits, and then decided to troll west for
trout, and explore areas I'd never seen before. The wind was up and a
little water slapping into the face could happen if the boat was not
positioned into the waves properly. Saw a nice shallow underwater island
and threw the Plopper all around the edges, and over it too. Trolled back
to the ramp, and then to the shallows. Saw a guy in a kyak fishing for
trout with his two kids, he'd been doing that at the ramp. He reported
getting one back there. I got blown up on the Super Spook, FINALLY. First
blow up on top this year (not counting Murrieta, where I killed 'em on a
popper two weeks prior).
Tried to get the trout back there,
throwing a variety of smaller baits, jerk baits, worms, etc., nada, and
left a 1/2 hour prior to sunset, as mandated, being the last guy off the
lake. Fun times, T.U.L!
*El Capitan
Mon.,
March 16th
Solo, zippo
Water 58.5 degrees, 60 by afternoon. Bed fish
abound. Sunny.
Took the Answered Prayer (Skeeter) solo. Worked
the rock pile island by the dam with big baits and small, nada. Then the
buoy line, and then back towards the pile again. Worked the point back by
the island (still a peninsula now), then both points on it, topwater
Plopper and Super Spooks, then d/s the rocks towards the 'Corner'.
*El Capitan
Mon, March 9th
Paul 4, me 1.
Water 58.5 degrees, 60 by afternoon. Bed fish
abound. Sunny, but real cold till noon.
Took the Answered Prayer (my Skeeter) and met
Paul O. at the lake at 5:50. They allowed launch at safe light, 6.35. Ran
to the boulder towards the dam, right side, and Paul got one on a red
rattletrap in short order, I tossed the Punker and the new small Dep's
glider. Nada. Paul then got one on a Nico Pumpkin/Red flake Trick worm.
Worked out way to the dam, started seeing beds,
no fish.
Ran to the point back towards the 'islands' and
lost one on a d/s, bed fish.
Went around corner, fished the islands, then to
the large rock sections just past them till 1. Paul got two more, me one
on a d/s, green senko.
Paul left and I fised bed fish by docks, then
back to where I lost one, he was gone, then towards the dam w/ large
baits, Plopper, and a red Norman crankbait.
Click photo to enlarge.
Paul with his largest of four.
*
California Delta
Feb. 23rd-26th / March 2nd & 3rd
Water each day 55 degrees, sometime up to 60 by late afternoon, some
cold days stayed there.
2.23.'15 Monday 9 am till 3 pm Orwood Ramp. Zippo
bass, freezing and hurricane winds
2.24.'15 Tuesday 9 am till 6.30 pm Tower Park - 1 bass, warn and no winds,
TUL.
2.25.'15 Wednesday 6.30 am till 6.30 pm Paradise Point w/ Mike Meyers -1
bass me, 10 Mike Meyers, nice w/ clouds, TUL.
2.26.'15 Thursday 8 am till 3
pm Tower Park -1 bass, cold and windy.
2.27-3.1.'15 Gave a Yosemite
Photo workshop.
3.2.'15 Monday 8 am till 7 pm. 6 bass, 1 on white 5” Rapala Susp.
crankbait low tide, balance last hour on high tide, all 8” Senko w/
rattle. One was a 7 pounder
3.3.'15 Tuesday, 8 am till 2.30
p.m. – 1 bass on Senko, last ˝ hour on incoming
Click photo to enlarge.
First fishing was at dusk/night, at Orwood Marina
My first day was night time. Fished
these docks around Orwood Marina, near Antioch, and Discovery. It was so
weedy between the dock and shore, but too early for the frog to produce.
An hour netted me zippo.
2.23.'15 Monday 9 am till 3 pm Orwood Ramp. Zippo
bass, freezing and hurricane winds
Next day was hurricane winds from 10 a.m. on. I fished from 9 am till 3
pm, not even a bump. They were all lockjaw. Water temp dropped to 55 and
stayed there (had been hitting 60 by the end of the day). Two guys the
week before got 59 lbs for two days in a tourney, beating the others by 10
lbs though.
2.24.'15 Tuesday 9 am till 6.30 pm Tower Park/
Sycamore Slough side- 1 bass, warn and no winds, TUL.
Next day got a little bit of action, weather was much nicer, warm and not
too windy. Fished from 8 am. till 7 p.m. (you can fish here 24 hours per
day, no 'be back in time', heck yeah!)
Click photo to enlarge.
Here is the bridge I go under after launching at Tower Park Marina (only
$7 to launch here, as for the fisherman's special).
Nice calm and warm day, not usually the case this
time of year. Summer can be crazy hot, but fishing 'off the hook',
especially topwater. Top was not happening yet, but I put in 25% or more
trying each day. The big ones can go for it at any time, not this time
though. Levees on both sides here.
Click photo to enlarge.
Making a two mile run w/ my aluminum boat,
love running these sloughs, and everything looks, and is, soooo fishy.
The Delta is hundreds of miles of tidal waters, all looking
like photos from a bass fishing magazine. And the average bass is about 3
lbs, with many lunkers around.
Click photo to enlarge.
Typical
tulle island. I run to a spot with about a dozen like this, deep on one
side, shallow w/ weeds on the other. The whole place, 95%, has about 2-3
foot of weeds/grasses around them.
Some have a lot of riprap, along the sides to keep the water out of the
farmland (the sloughs run between all the farms, they'd all be under water
if not for the levees.
Click photo to enlarge.
She took it twice, the second gave me time to
set the hook..
I had nothing for my efforts until
around mid-day. I saw two guys pull up and toss what I guessed to be a jig
into the tulles, and a minute later the guy landed one. So I went to a
similar side and depth on my island and sure enough, after tossing my
rigged up blue-black jig she hit it, ran, but dropped it. Tossed it back
in the tulles and she hit it again, TUL.
Click photo to enlarge.
Here is what the tulle islands there
looked like. This was in Sycamore Slough (Tower Park Marina area, near
Lodi).
2.25.'15 Wednesday 6.30 am till 6.30 pm Pardais Point w/ Mike Meyers
1 bass me, 10 Mike Meyers, nice w/ clouds.
Click photo to enlarge.
Mike at sunset, Paradise Point Bridge
(The spot I'd caught a seven on a Lunker Punker in the fall with him at).
The next day joined my friend Mike Meyers on his
boat. We stared sunrise and fished north, the first bass being a striper
for him, and one hit my topwater (W.Plopper) but did not stick. Fished the
end where it splits, right side, all the way to the dead end bridge. We
ran to Disappointment Slough, stopped for a bit at the 'Fingers' in Middle
River, then outside and inside Mildred Island towards dusk. Here I lost
two, one on a jig, one on a Speedtrap, craw color.
We had a blast, he has the patterns down, mostly
jigs, punching and crankbaits (some d/s and Senko if needed, but not
today).
I threw a lot of big baits, like each day, not a high percentage bait,
thus the low numbers.
2.26.'15 Thursday 8 am till 3
pm Tower Park -1 bass, cold and windy.
Next day I went out again, now solo.
Started off with a bang, got one on a swimjig (it hit it while bringing it
in fast to re-cast).
Click photo to enlarge.
Got one on a black-blue jig off 'three
islands' spot, Little Potato Slough.
Yep, got it all figured out- NOT.
Nothing else hit. Had tied on a black/blue chatterbait but lost it. Tried
an olive one, no luck. Tried my new Deps Swimbait each day too, the
smaller version that I'd gotten recently from Japan for only $75.
The wind came up pretty bad by 9.
Worked the islands back towards White Slough, then into it and worked my
usual two islands, four points, but my trolling motor battery, as large as
it now is, was giving out (should have brought the second, accidentally
left in the motel). So since it was 3 and low tide anyways, and since I
needed to get work done on the computer back at the motel I left.
Right at the ramp two guys fishing the levee reported getting a 7 and 9,
green-pumpkin chatterbait and punching. I then asked if they fished all
day, but no, only since 1 pm. Wow, low tide fish! (Note to self, get
green-pumpkin chatterbait, I was now out. Note 2 found them at Walmart on
way back from Yosemite, via dude a Big 5 letting me know they had them).
Click photo to enlarge.
View of Yosemite from 'Tunnel View'.
Took three days off to work, teaching
a photo class in Yosemite.
Got a little snow and a bit of rain. Great light.
3.2.'15 Monday 8 am till 7 pm. 6 bass, 1 on white 5” Rapala Susp.
crankbait low tide, balance last hour on high tide, all 8” Senko w/
rattle. One was a 7 pounder
Click photo to enlarge.
Back at it after the class, on Monday morning.
Launched out of Paradise Point around
10 a.m., went north like Mike and I had done the Wed. before, but did not
get out of no wake zone and started fishing the island, for nada with
chatterbaits and big topwater.
Ran more north after an hour and found a small slough that we had not
worked (Telephone Cut), went in barley making it under the wood bridge,
worked the right side, no tulles, then the other, all tulles, each with
nice drop offs, but surprisingly nada.
Then back out and near the water
pipes where I'd lost a striper, and Mike got one, got my first one, it hit
a white Rapala suspending crankbait, at about noon.
Kept working north, around the bend
and down that entire slough, nada. Mostly crankbait and some Deps swimbait
and Whopper Plopper.
Around 3 or so, I heard thunder and
saw a black mass coming my way. Fished a few more minutes and thought it
best to head back, into that black cloud now coming closer. I had a rain
jacket for warmth, but rain pants (Bass Pro 100 MPH, had them for
years) were in the car. Besides, lightening was not nice to boaters. I
just hoped I had time to make the 2 mile run back in time. About 3/4 of
the way there I saw I would not. The wind had become super strong against
me, but surprisingly no white caps. Just before the bridge, about a 1/4
mile from the ramp, the rain started and then instantly turned to small
hail. I pulled under the bridge as it really came down, just in time to
stop the beating. TUL.
I maneuvered the best I could, but
the wind kept blowing me out from under it. After 5 minutes it was mostly
over, and a couple of more I continued in and got the pants, and put them
over my now somewhat wet ones to stay warm.
Click photo to enlarge.
Back
getting my rain pants so I could go back out. Paradise Point Marina,
near Lodi (between Stockton and Sacramento)
Got my rain pants and went back out.
Knowing the lunkers would now bite (I hoped)...
Click photo to enlarge.
My first Senko bass of the trip, came after
giving up on all other techniques.
Click photo to enlarge.
The clearing storm made for some great snaps.
It was a tough day, so I decided to
throw 'live bait', a Senko, after trying the chatterbait, crankbait and
the topwater all around the islands right off Paradise Point. Got three
fish in five casts. WOW.
Click photo to enlarge.
The second Senko bass, third cast, was a
lunker!!!
The third cast I got the second one.
She ran all over the place, but it was only 5' deep, so she plowed through
a lot of underwater weeds, making me think I might loose her- plus the
drag was too tight and I had to loosen it, she was pulling the pole into
the water, the line was not going out. Thought she was a 10 the way she
fought, but was more like a seven. The two scales got wet from the
hail/rain/thunderstorms I ran into earlier.
Click photo to enlarge.
The last of five Senko bass I wanted to
include the moon in the shot, while the last of the sunlight, the sun long
gone, illuminated me enough not to have a silhouette.
It was time to head in, not much
light left, but I really wanted to get a last fish pic to show the moon
behind me while I was still lit up by the remnant of the setting sun,
which had actually set over a half hour earlier at this point. These
iPhones are amazing, mine is the 5 but it was almost dark out. Not bad
huh?
Click photo to enlarge.
Here it's high tide (about a 3 to 4 foot
swing every six hours). AND there is an 8 pounder waiting for your lure in
this area, guaranteed. The boat is in 16', the scarce tulles in the middle
are now in 8', and those tulles are now in 5 to 6'. What will you toss at
her?
Loved my trip, TUL~
______________
*El Capitan, Mon., 1.26.'15
solo, skunked
Air 70, water 55.5. Overcast, changing to rain for a
few hours, then cloudy at dusk.
7 a.m.. till 5 p.m. Took he Answered Prayer. Waterproofed the T/M w/ trash
bag and tape, it leaks- worked fine.
Ok, first trip out, had not fished
for over a month. Planned to throw the Hudd, and did so for the most part.
8", and the Whopper Plopper and Lunker Punker too. Once and awhile the
jib, and the crankbait, and the d/s. Got a few machine gun tugs on the
jig, probably bluegill.
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