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November 1-2, 2006

I gave up on the salmon - at least for now. So after launching at Brannan State Park Tuesday morning, I trolled for stripers down river from Three Mile Slough.  I managed one 22" shaker, but that was it. At the last power line across the river below Decker Island, I reeled in and motored down to Suisun Bay for the night. I managed to reel in a shaker sturgeon of about 30 inches who fell for lamprey. He wasn't much of a fighter, but it sure beat a skunk. I spent the night there over my sturgeon hole, and slept pretty well as occasional rain fell. My all night fishing is long over, I need my geriatric sleep! I fished a couple more hours the next morning, but couldn't interest any takers. I tried awhile for sturgeon at Light 25 when I got back upriver, but still no takers. Even so, it was a very pleasant trip.

 Life is good while awaiting that little sturgeon nibble.

November 15, 2006

Sturgeon! 

I cruised the hour or so down river from Brannan Island State Park to my favorite honey hole on Suisun Bay. When I arrived, an outgoing tide was just getting well underway. I tossed out a couple of chunks of lamprey, popped the top on a wobbly-pop -- and waited.

My honey hole is near Garnet Point, between Roe and Ryer Islands. It is very remote, I seldom see another boat within a couple of miles. I love it, it's my favorite spot on the Delta.

This visit, under perfect conditions, would not last long. In about an hour and a half, the typical sturgeon bite clicked a bit of line from my reel. I set the hook hard and I knew I had a sturgeon on!

I thought the little guy was bigger than he was. I fought him for only about ten minutes before he was belly-up at the boat. I wondered if he was even legal, so I grabbed my little green garden tape that is 72" long and has a mark at 46" - the legal slot limit for sturgeon. He seemed to be a bit longer than 46", so I took him. He measured exactly 46" on the sole of the cockpit, and weighed in at 19 pounds.

My limit was in the boat! Lamprey eel apparently is not attractive to other fish, which is why it's my only choice for sturgeon fishing. I would have fished for stripers if I'd have had any striper bait, but I didn't. So I stowed the fishing gear, cleaned up the cockpit and headed back upriver to Brannan Island and home.

Three of the last four sturgeon I have taken measured the minimum 46"; two last November and this one. The fourth sturgeon, taken in March, was at the other extreme of the sturgeon slot limit: A monster 72 incher that weighed over a hundred pounds. It seems that I am due for a fish somewhere in the middle of the slot!

This was my first sturgeon of the fall season, and my Delta fishing will soon be over 'til February or March. I may bag another sturgeon yet this year; it will depend on the weather and luck.

One tough little sturgeon!
52" 30 Lbs.

I read a very good report from Lucky Strike Charter about their catching five sturgeon on Saturday while fishing Suisun Bay. Five!? Suisun? In August? I don't believe I've ever fished for sturgeon in August.

But I loaded up the boat for a two day jaunt downriver to Suisun Bay. I dug out some old, frozen lamprey I keep in the freezer for such occasions. That stuff has been sitting there the better part of a year, but I reckoned it would still attract a sturgeon. I launched at Brannan Island and arrived at my honey hole near Garnet Point about 75 minutes later. The trip was great! It was an unusual summertime day with little wind and the cruise downriver was over mostly calm waters.

I began fishing around noon and I waited 'til about 4 o'clock before I had a tender little sturgeon nibble. Tick-tick-tick went the reel. I grabbed the rod and waited for a second pick up. When the line slowly ticked off again, I slammed the hook home with all my might - and I was hooked solid! Something took off like a freight train, peeling line from the reel with wild abandon. I set the lever drag clear to the stop - and he still kept peeling off line. After about 30 yards or so, my sturgeon slowed and tried to rest. I then applied pressure to him and began working him to the boat. After about 10 or 15 minutes he was along side the boat, completely exhausted and spent. I was shocked! I thought I had a hundred pounder on by the way he fought, but he was a little guy. I measured him at 52", well above the 46" minimum. He weighed in at just 30 pounds.

The long slender sturgeon are males. They are generally stronger than the wider females and usually put up a better fight. This little guy was just amazingly strong for his size.

This is the first year of report cards and tags for us sturgeon fishermen here in California. I dutifully filled in my report card and one tag. I ripped the tag from the card and attached it to my catch to be legal. I have two tags left for the year. Somehow, since they now limit us to just three, I feel an obligation to catch my share.

I'll be back out there again this year, looking for those other two sturgies!

July 25-26, 2007

New Hogan Stripers!

 
A 16 Lb. Stringer!

New Hogan Reservoir, an Army Corp of Engineers facility near Valley Springs, is one of three lakes in California where the state-wide limit of two stripers is changed to ten. And the size limit of 18 inches is lifted. So any striper caught is a keeper.

The striper fishing there is as hard to figure as anywhere I've fished. Either that lake is on or it's flat dead. I don't know what turns it on and nobody I've talked to seems to have an answer, either. But this trip it was on - for a change.

I haven't caught more than one fish there in over a year. Three years ago it was about my favorite fishing hole because it seemed to be on most times I tried. During one two day period that year my cousin and I reeled in 16 stripers. I reeled in 37 Hogan stripers that year!

The techniques are varied. Some folks simply toss bait in and catch fish. I've tried that and never caught one. Others simply sit in their boats and look for "boils" of stripers feasting on shad that they have chased to the surface. Boils are very exciting and can be heard and seen for a long distance. When a boil starts, the Boil chasers will fire up their engines and charge to the boil. Staying outside the churning water, they will toss lures into the frenzy and usually do quite well. The technique I use - and many others do, too - is to troll frozen sardines in a harness, making them roll as they move through the water. I usually troll 40' deep on one side and 20' deep on the other, using downriggers. The shallower sardine will be further back and if a striper can resist the deeper troll, another soon passes by a bit higher and is - perhaps - harder to refuse. It seems that I catch more stripers on the shallower troll.

This week's trip was slow at first, but within the first hour I had a hit that didn't stick - but the thieving fish took my sardine. I had two or three such losses during the day, but that's not unusual. My first hook-up furiously ripped line from the screaming reel and I shouted with excitement as I kicked the trolling motor down to idle and grabbed the rod. My striper fought with the gusto stripers are noted for, and it took a few minutes to reel him to the boat. He  was right at the boat as I grabbed my net and - he was gone. Well, that's fishing. I harnessed up another sardine and kept trying.

I had four other good battles with those angry stripers - and got all four into the boat. They were all 22" to 25" and averaged four pounds each. Every striper I've ever caught at Hogan is within that range except for one that measured around 27". That's another mystery of Hogan - all the stripers seem to be in the same narrow size range.

I trolled from before noon to about five o'clock, then anchored for the night. I love anchoring for the night when lake fishing. It's a lot less demanding of my attention - and I can break out the beer! I fished with a sardine hanging over each side of the boat 'til about nine o'clock with no action at all. But I sure enjoyed the good gospel and country music that plays aboard FishWisher.

I climbed into the berth after reeling in and slept well 'til about 2 o'clock when the wind changed and I had to move to the opposite side of the lake to avoid wind waves. After the move I again slept well 'til about 5 o'clock. Once I was up and doing my usual morning chores, I decided it was time to head for the dock and home. I'd had enough fishing for this trip.

   Yes, life is good!

Spring Fishing 2007

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May 29-30, 2007

A New Melones Limit of Trout & Kokanee!

I really wanted to head to the Delta and a late try for a sturgeon, but the wind was howling over Suisun Bay at over 30 MPH. So I headed up to New Melones Reservoir for some trout and kokanee fishing. And the wind was blowing there, too, but not nearly as bad.

I trolled at depths from 45 ft. to 55 ft. for a few hours the first day and had four kokes on, but lost two before I got 'em to the boat. About 5 o'clock I anchored near the spillway for the night and tossed a couple of nightcrawlers over the side. As the sun set, I dropped my submersible light down to attract some action. I caught the two larger trout on bait at anchor, the third trout I caught soon after I started trolling on the morning of the second day. That made my limit of five fish. 

It was very breezy the second day as these New Melones wind waves show. There were few boats out and two parties I spoke to at the ramp chose to head back home and forget the fishing in such choppy conditions. It was not pleasant in that wind, but did get my limit fish!

May 16-17, 2007

Five Pound New Melones Trout!

 Hiway 12 was closed for repairs this week from Tuesday through Thursday. Also, the wayward whales were attracting too much attention on the Delta. With those traffic delays, I decided to just head for the foothills and some lake fishing.

I planned to hit New Hogan on Wednesday to try for some striper action. As back up, I planned to drive on up to New Melones if Hogan was as dead as it usually is - and it was and I did.

I gave Hogan four hours of rolling frozen anchovies and shad on Wednesday. I had no strikes and no action of any kind. There were no "boils" to be seen, either. Boils are what we call the action caused by stripers chasing bait fish to the surface and the resulting feeding frenzy. Such times are great for tossing a lure into the cauldron and hooking up with a crazed striper. But not this trip.

After giving Hogan a fair try, I loaded up the boat and headed to New Melones. It was after 5 O' clock when I launched, so I headed directly to the spillway area and anchored for the night. I set out a couple of rods baited with night crawlers - and was rewarded with a hard, long run as soon as I set the second rod in the holder.

I grabbed the rod and was amazed by the fight I had on my hands! I knew I had a big fish on and we fought for ten minutes before she finally tired. I scooped her into the net and weighed her in at five pounds! In the years I've fished New Melones I've never caught such a fish! My prior best there was a 4 1/2 Lb. brown trout while trolling.

My big catch was an exciting start to a wonderful evening that included quite a display of trout dining by a nearby osprey. The beautiful raptor dined in a nearby tree with as much pleasure as I display when dining on a juicy, rare, rib-eye steak. What a life they lead!

I had one more big hit that evening while fishing under a submerged light - but didn't get to the rod in time to set the hook. Rats. I'm sure the one I missed was a big one, too.

The following morning I was treated to more osprey antics as one patrolled the area around my boat and finally scooped another trout off the surface for breakfast.

I trolled for several hours Thursday morning and managed one kokanee of about one pound. The kokanee season is just getting started and are not that easy to come by - yet. At least not for me.

 
In this very poor photo an osprey scoops up his breakfast. What a show!

May 7-9, 2007

Sturgeon Fishin From Brannan Park

FishWisher awaiting the little sturgeon nibble that never came. I launched at Brannan on Monday and fished a couple of hours off Decker Island, where I took this photo. The next day I headed downriver to Suisun Bay where I do my most productive sturgeon fishing.

The water was like glass on my way downiver to Suisun Bay. This red barn overlooks the river a few miles south of Rio Vista, near the area referred to by fishermen as "the powerlines" due to the many lines that are strung across the river in the area. But the glass like  conditions didn't last.

The wind kicked up and blew against the outgoing current, creating wind waves. I dealt with a mild chop through all of Suisun Bay. Here the drogue, an underwater parachute device, holds the boat in line with the current as the wind tries to blow the boat in circles.

 I spent about four hours fishing Suisun,  but gave up early as the wind continued. I tire easily from too much wind - and I hate banging back upriver in a choppy, lumpy river. I settled in again for a few hours at Decker Island, near Brannan Park. A big sturgeon fight was not to be, but that's not unusual for those of us who faithfully keep trying for the next big brawl. Maybe next week...

Another Brannan Island Visit:
Good Sturgeon Fishing!

A large female gives it up at the boat. She was probably 72 inches or more, and was released according to the new 66" rule. She took lamprey at my honey hole near Garnet Point on Suisun Bay on Tuesday. I waited almost four hours for her tender sturgeon bite. After about 15 minutes, she was at the boat in submission. I measured her with my little "sturgeon stick" which is shown below:

The green gardening tape is 66" long and is marked at 46", the allowable slot limit for keeping sturgeon. I managed to catch two sturgeon; one too large to keep by about six inches, the second about 4 inches too small to keep. Even so, the fight to get them to the boat was still very enjoyable. For me. Probably not the sturgies!

Here a smaller sturgeon of about 42 inches or so comes to the boat and is also released.

This week's trip to Brannan was timed perfectly. The weather was warm and calm and the tides were timed to make daytime fishing just right. I spent two nights and Brannan State Park, camped in the RV Campground just above the boat docks. I met a several new and old fishing cronies at the campground Tuesday evening and enjoyed their company as well as dining with them. Life is good when you have friends with a pot full of campfire stew!

The Rig at Brannan's ramp parking lot is a head turner, I guess. I like it when folks come up to me and talk fishing or RVing. This combination makes for comfortable fishing and cozy overnight stays complete with all the comforts of home. I need to find other RV/ramp locations where I can launch - such as lakes and perhaps further down the Delta.

March 8, 2007

Another Trip to Camanche!

After Tuesday's skunk, I couldn't live with myself. Poor Willie had a hard time going home empty handed, too.

So I called Willie to see if he was up to another try, and he couldn't wait to get back on the lake!

We trolled for about 4 1/2 hours, and landed just the one 3 3/4 pounder above. I was in the process of checking that a couple of our trolled lines were not crossing, holding the rod in my hand when this beauty hit.

Catching the single, stupidest fish in the lake is not new for me. For two days this week, every other fish was too smart for us.

As I cruised down the Sacramento River from Rio Vista, somewhat slowed by the wind chop, I decided that, yes, it would be a good thing to head into Montezuma Slough. One can always tule tuck there to stay out of the wind.

Tule tucking is an old Delta technique whereby a skipper powers his little craft into a stand of tules -- that he is familiar with -- and drops anchor. Some skippers, including this one, have been known to wind up on the hard when the tide drops. That doesn’t happen often, but there is that chance. Tule tucking is best done on the protected side of a river or slough, out of the wind as much as possible. The idea is to find protection from the wind and to stabilize the boat. Properly done, the boat will be stable and secure, avoiding the usual twisting and rocking when at anchor in windy conditions.

I found a deep, large stand of tules there on Montezuma Slough and tucked up into them. The boat was stable, out of the wind and within casting range of some fairly deep water. I rigged up for sturgeon and cast out to the deep water. I dialed up some good ol’ country music on my new satellite radio, popped a few tops of my favorite brew and settled in for some proper sturgeon time. Life can be good even when the wind is whistling through the antennas overhead.

I was pretty comfortable tucked into the tules, but the fishing wasn’t so good. Even so, I spent the rest of the day there and fished faithfully ‘til bedtime. I had a couple of small hits, but missed them both. Surely, I told myself as I climbed into my berth, Thursday would be better. Although I didn’t know it then, it would also be much windier.

I was up and fishing again before dawn. I spent about an hour at my tule anchorage, still trying to fool a sturgeon. As I sat there watching daylight spread across the eastern sky, wisps of fog formed and dissipated near the tules. It was a very lovely, calm morning on Montezuma Slough.

With the winds calm, it seemed a good idea to head out onto Suisun Bay for the day. My favorite honey hole near Ryer Island would certainly be more productive. As daylight chased the darkness away, I fired up the big motor, weighed anchor and headed on through Montezuma Slough to Suisun Bay.

As I entered the bay, the mothball fleet in the distance, the wind had kicked up and Suisun Bay was already choppy. Even so, I continued on toward Ryer Island. It was a choppy, slow ride across the shallows of the bay. From my tule anchorage in Montezuma Slough, it took nearly an hour to reach my honey hole. When I arrived and dropped anchor, the wind was blowing briskly and it was a rock & roll affair aboard FishWisher. I chose to sit in the cabin; rod in hand and the door open with the heater on. Conditions were tolerable.

Early on, I was sorely tempted to give up the effort. It was not much fun; the wind blew endlessly from the west and the rockin’ & rollin’ got old real quick. But having come this far over two days, I chose to stay put a while longer. Surely, I convinced myself, I would eventually be rewarded for my efforts.

I had been fishing with ghost shrimp both days. Having less than a dozen left, I decided that I’d fish ‘til they were gone, and then head upriver to Rio Vista and the ramp. I probably should have surrendered to my wimpy self, but I stayed put and toughed it out.

Within a couple of hours, I was rewarded by a hard, stripper-like hit. I set the hook and … missed. After a second miss, I reeled in and freshened my bait. I cast out again, greatly encouraged by the two bites. Soon enough, another quick hit ripped off line and I set the hook into what seemed to be a small, ferocious striper. I was surprised by the little guy’s tenacity; he fought like no other little striper I ever caught. But soon he was to the boat and in the box. He weighed in at four pounds and measured 22 inches. Finally, the skunk was out of my boat. I was then greatly encouraged to continue fishing in the challenging conditions. I freshened my bait and tossed it out across the transom once again. My bait was running low, but my spirits were rising.

About half an hour later, I had another striper-like hit, perhaps a bit less enthusiastic, and I set the hook into something much more substantial than a four pound striper. As I reeled in against this bigger fish, it seemed that I might have a small sturgeon on, maybe big enough to be a keeper. Whatever was pulling on my line, I had a good fight on my hands, and by gosh, my resolve to keep fishing was paying off!

Our fight continued for several minutes before I got a brief look at my big fish. It was a striper, surprisingly, but during that brief look he didn’t appear nearly as big as he fought. After a few more minutes I had him to the boat again, briefly, and he took off once more. He was a tough customer! Finally, minutes later, he was to the boat and nearly in submission. After a couple halfhearted attempts to escape, he was ready for the net. I had planned to just grab him by hand as I do most stripers. But after seeing how big he actually was, I grabbed the net. He was a fine striper! He measured 31 inches and weighed in at 13 pounds! My largest striper ever was about 14 pounds, so this guy was nearly a record fish for me. Wow! My willingness to continue to fish really paid off! I had a very nice limit of stripers.

It was at about this time of great success that I tuned my VHF radio to a NOAA weather channel and learned that the wind was gusting to 35 mph at Travis AFB. Geez, I knew the wind seemed to get worse as I was busy catching stripers, but I hadn’t noticed how hard it actually was blowing.

I stowed the fishing gear, weighed anchor and began weaving my way across the bay via the course I have marked on my chartplotter. As I slowly motored my way through the area known as Suisun Cutoff, into more open water, the waves grew to three and four feet. Suisun Bay would be among the last places that I’d choose to be caught in a windstorm, yet there I was! The bay is a wide body of water and wind waves have a lot of room to build.

I dealt with a quartering sea for much of my journey across the bay. I had to fight constantly to maintain my course as the larger waves could have caused my boat to broach which would have put me sideways to the rolling waves and subject to capsizing. I donned my lifejacket as I made way, realizing that I was in very risky conditions. Waves smashed against the port side, sending sheets of water over the cabin and down the starboard windows.

As I finally approached the Sacramento River, I was able to motor nearer shore, through smaller waves. As I approached Rio Vista, four-foot waves rolled downriver, directly at me. On a couple of occasions, my C-Dory’s high, flared bow was nearly covered by rolling waves. I was not having a good time.

Eventually, after nearly two hours at the helm, I tied up to Rio Vista’s muni dock. It was a wonderful relief to be at the ramp and out of the storm.

How bad was the windstorm that day? I monitored channel 16 during my grueling trip upriver, as usual, and heard Coast Guard Vallejo broadcast that a boat was capsized in their area. I also heard Coast Guard Rio Vista broadcast that a boat was capsized on Cache Slough near Liberty Island. It was not a good day to be on the Delta in a small boat.

Adding to the chaos of that day, as I was tying my boat down to the trailer, a sheriff’s cabin boat tied up to the dock. Five or six uniformed Fish and Wildlife Service employees emerged and walked to their two pickups, both of which had empty boat trailers attached. Something was very strange about all that, and I walked over to them and asked what was going on. After a bit of hemming and hawing, they told me that both of their open aluminum boats were swamped by following seas on Cache Slough and were beached on Liberty Island. They added that their two swamped boats were in addition to the boat mentioned in the Coast Guard Rio Vista’s broadcast! That was a total of four boats swamped or capsized in one day on the Delta that I heard about first hand. There may well have been more such problems that day. I wouldn’t be surprised.

I had way too much excitement for one Delta trip! But sometimes, in spite of planning and attention to weather forecasts, things turn worse than expected. Even so, I’m anxiously planning the next Delta Adventure. Surely, next week’s weather couldn’t be any worse!

A perfect day on Suisun Bay

March 15, 2005

After missing the prior week’s fishing entirely, it was important to me to get out on a serious sturgeon safari this week. I shuffled my schedule around and planned on launching at Rio Vista on Tuesday. Then the winds came with a vengeance. I chose to wait a day and on Tuesday I monitored winds on Suisun Bay that gusted over 40 MPH. The weather guessers predicted nearly calm winds for Wednesday and Thursday. I took them at their word.

Early Wednesday morning I dug a frozen lamprey out of the freezer, loaded up the boat with a two day supply of provisions and headed to Rio Vista. If the winds permitted, I planned to cruise down to Suisun Bay to try my luck at my favorite sturgeon hole.

And the winds did cooperate. As I cruised down the Sacramento River towards Suisun Bay, the river had a light chop, but the chop gave way to glass-like conditions as I entered the bay. The sun was bright and warm and, for once, I had timed my trip just right.

I dropped anchor at my favored sturgeon hole, weaved a couple of chunks of lamprey onto the hooks and tossed the smelly stuff out over the transom into an outgoing current.

The tides were working well for me this trip, also. The ebb tide was predicted to drop pretty deeply as the afternoon passed, and knowing the sturgeon activity at my favorite sturgeon hole, I expected a better than average chance at taking home a keeper.

Sure enough, in less than an hour, I had a sturgeon on! Well, he wasn’t much to brag about, but as I checked my line for tautness, I felt a slight pull – and set the hook! A very small sturgeon of about a foot and a half charged off the bottom of the bay, jumped clear of the surface of the water by about two feet and spit the hook in the process. Wow! What an exciting show! I reeled in, checked the nearly indestructible bait and tossed it back out. And waited.

Within another half hour, I set the hook into another small shaker and reeled him to the boat where I released him. Both fish were very small shakers – but sturgeon were certainly in the area.

After the catch and release I checked the bait. It was, as lamprey usually is, as firmly attached as when I first weaved it on. I tossed it back once more.

During the next two hours or so I had three distinct sturgeon bites. The first two consisted of the usual click-click-click taking of the bait in a very gentle manner. Both times I set the hook with a mighty heave – and missed. The third was another typical sturgeon bite – and that time I set the hook into something very substantial!

After setting the hook a couple more times, I leaned over the engine well and raised the main engine out of the water. I knew a good fight was brewing.

He was a strong fighter, and managed to keep his distance from the boat for about ten minutes or so. I thought I had a bigger fish on, but when I finally got him to the boat, I couldn’t convince myself that he was big enough to keep. I dug out my little garden tying strips that are attached to a handle of about a foot long. One strip is 46” and the other is 72”. On the occasions that I am not sure if a sturgeon is legal, I set the tapes alongside the fish and try to get some idea of it’s length. This little guy required about four measurements as he rested belly up at the boat. I finally decided that he was indeed longer than the 46” minimum. I administered a proper whack, grabbed him by the gill plate and lifted him aboard the boat. He measured an accurate 48”. I reached for my little electronic scale from its place in a cabin drawer… and it was gone. Apparently it was another casualty of the recent break in that I hadn’t noticed before. Rats. Another item I have to replace. But I referred to a weight chart and estimated his weight to be in the low 30 pound range. He fit into the fish box just right!

So there I was, anchored on Suisun Bay on a perfect day with my limit in the box. It was still early afternoon of the first day of this planned two day trip. I thought about just staying put and trying for some stripers, but I had no bait other than lamprey. One of the reasons I buy lamprey is that it doesn’t seem to attract much striper activity. I could have done some striper trolling, I suppose. But no, all my tackle had been stolen and I have yet to replace the striper lures. Hmmm, what would I do? I polished off the brew that the little sturgeon interrupted, cleaned up the boat, weighed anchor and headed back upriver to the Rio Vista ramp and home. While I missed that second day of fishing on a perfectly calm Suisun Bay, I had no complaints. There will be many more such trips if I have my way and I’m looking forward to them all.

1st Sturgeon of 2005! 

A troublesome back and a couple of doctor visits nearly axed this week’s Delta adventure. While I wasn’t fit for much physical activity, I figured that I was up to a couple of days on the Delta. After all, sturgeon fishing is mostly taking it nice and easy, sitting in the cockpit and tipping a few brews while enjoying Merle and Dolly and the gang. Unless, of course, I might actually hook into a big ol’ river monster that wanted to brawl. Considering my recent luck, how the heck was I to know I’d actually catch a sturgeon this week!?

Before launching at Rio Vista, I bought some shad, a few ghost shrimp and, for the first time in a couple of years, a lamprey. When I used lamprey in the past I wasn’t all that impressed with it. While it’s a tough, theft resistant bait when nippers are around, it didn’t seem to attract much sturgeon activity. But with all the recent reports about sturgeon being caught with the stuff, I decided to give it another try. Since it’s neither live nor fresh and can’t be nipped away, it’s a very long lasting bait. I’d say that it’s about the cheapest sturgeon bait one can buy because of its durability.

I began by fishing near Light 25, then moved down river and gave Decker Island a try. After six hours of soaking ghost shrimp and shad the fish continued to ignore my offerings. It was becoming apparent that a cruise downriver to Suisun Bay might be my best chance to hook into a sturgeon. Suisun Bay is, in my opinion, the best bet on the Delta for sturgeon. But Suisun can also be the most hazardous water on the Delta. I generally avoid Suisun unless weather conditions are calm. Wednesday turned out to be a very calm day and the weather folks promised about the same for Thursday. I finally gave up at Decker Island and headed downriver for Suisun Bay.

About 4:30 in the afternoon I dropped anchor at my favorite sturgeon hole near Garnet Point, rigged up some lamprey for the first time in ages and slung a lamprey/shad combo out over the transom. And waited.

Suisun Bay, when calm and flat, is a splendid place to anchor - especially over night. The quietness of the place is interrupted only by an occasional distant train whistle and a seemingly endless procession of airplanes droning overhead. I happened upon a perfect time to be fishing Suisun Bay. The water was flat as a mirror and the warm sunshine was nothing short of delicious. It has been a long, gray, cold winter and I really needed a good dose of sunshine. And the beer was cold, the music was honky-tonk and I was as happy as an old river rat can be. Life is good!

As the afternoon turned to evening I fired up the cockpit heater to keep warm. A sliver of a moon set sometime after 9 O’clock. It was a short time later that I caught and released a shaker sturgeon of about three feet. That was a good omen; I had confirmation that sturgeon were in the area. And I learned, too, that offered lamprey on one hook and shad on the other, he chose the lamprey. I was encouraged.

The tough strip of lamprey survived the fight with the little sturgeon just fine. I threaded a fat ghost shrimp onto the other hook and tossed my offerings back out over the transom. And waited some more.

An hour or so later I felt a very subtle bump – just enough to alert me but not quite enough to set the hook. I waited just a few moments more… and the reel clicked off a few inches of line again. Humph! I set the hook with all my might, set it again, then muttered to myself “This is what I’ve been waiting for!” I knew by that hook set that I was, finally, hooked into this season’s first keeper sturgeon!

The big fella began the fight by breaching. I did not see his jump in the darkness, but I heard the water splash and felt the line slacken as he jumped. I took up the slack at once and the fight was on.

Now, I’ve had my fair share of sturgeon on and I like to think I can guess the size of fish I’m fighting. But I sure was fooled by the tough fella I was brawling with that night. He fought like a seventy pounder, making me work for every inch of line. My Penn lever drag is set at the stop to give up line very grudgingly. I’ve never had to go past the stop to a heavier drag setting while fighting a sturgeon, but this bad boy sure had me thinking about doing so.

For fifteen minutes he refused to be reeled near the boat. He was very strong – not unusual for a sturgeon – but he was also very durable. He fought against that heavy drag for much of the quarter hour, giving up very little line during the struggle.

And there I was, struggling with a hellion of a sturgeon with a sore back. He was exacting a high toll of pain from me in return for his hard won submission. My aching back became so sore that I actually spent some of the fight sitting on the gunwale in an attempt to ease the stress on my back. That is no way to fight a sturgeon!

Finally, after nearly twenty minutes, I had the tough guy in the net. I was amazed by his small size! He measured just 58 inches and weighed in at only 43 pounds. That’s not a small sturgeon, certainly, but it sure wasn’t a huge one, either. But he was a slim, gnarly, experienced old grandpa of a sturgeon and he went down very hard. Pound for pound, I think he was as tough as any fish I’ve ever reeled in.

I was about whipped. I was hurting. The boat was a mess. The sturgeon was on a line in the water, bleeding into the outgoing current. But first things first: I grabbed some pain pills for my aching back. Had I known that I was going tie into a brawler like this guy, I’d likely have listened to my wife and stayed home with my sore back. Yeah, right! Sore back or not, it was a grand and glorious way to spend an evening under a moonless sky on Suisun Bay.

It was midnight by the time I crawled into the V-berth for a well earned sleep. The water remained flat, the winds never kicked up and Suisun Bay was as lovely a place that night as it ever could be. I slept well. After breakfast the next morning, and placing a few phone calls to brag on my fish, I stowed the gear and headed for the ramp. This sturgeon trip was my fifth this season and I was due for a keeper. This is the time of year I really look forward to heading out for the next big sturgeon adventure and if this old back can handle it, I’ll be back out there next week! 

Al's Big Sturgeon!

April 20, 2005

This past week my old high school buddy, Al (Class of ’58 - yeah, I mean old!), drove down from Oregon to go fishing with me. Our plans included a visit to the Delta for a couple of days to get him onto a big ol’ sturgeon. We towed the boat with the motorhome and spent the night at Brannan Island. The motorhome adds a very comfortable dimension for us old graybeards and I may have to start using it more often. There’s nothing quite like having all the conveniences of home available when the day’s fishing is done. A hot shower and a soft couch is quite an improvement over the V-berth after a long day of fishing.

We launched at Brannan Island State Park near Rio Vista on Wednesday morning. We headed directly to nearby Decker Island and anchored near the edge of the ship channel. I have caught several sturgeon at that spot over the years, but haven’t had much luck recently. I very seriously considered cruising down to Suisun Bay, but since we planned to stay at Brannan Island that night, it seemed a waste of fishing time to do so much cruising to and from the bay.

We began fishing a bit before noon as an incoming tide was well underway. The tide would begin to turn about 3 O’clock and we planned to fish ‘til nearly dark if necessary. We tossed a couple of lines out over the transom in hopes of catching Al’s first ever striper or sturgeon. My hope was to get him onto a mighty sturgeon for a fishing memory he’d never forget. One line had my usual lamprey chunks on both hooks as our best offering for attracting a sturgeon. The other line was baited with shad. This was Al’s first sturgeon trip and while the odds of getting someone onto a sturgeon in one trip were pretty slim, we had high hopes.

Predictably, the shad were high maintenance as the little nippers kept stealing them. The lamprey attracted only a few nips but the thieving little nippers couldn’t steal it. Occasionally I added small bits of lamprey to the hooks to keep the scent fresh and strong. Al managed to snag one very small striper with the shad and we tossed it back. He was pleased to have actually reeled it in. He’d “caught” his first striper. I had much higher aspirations for him.

Finally, about 4 O’clock, after the outgoing current became just strong enough to turn the boat, there was a gentle sturgeon nibble on the lamprey. And… we were hooked into something of substance! At first the fish seemed to swim toward the boat as the hook was set and we thought we had just a small, shaker sturgeon on. But soon it was apparent that this was no small fish.

I reeled in the other line and commenced shouting instructions to Al as he began the fight:

“Don’t give him any slack, man!” I hollered. “Don’t let him rest! If he isn’t taking line, pull up, reel down!”

“Whatever you do, do NOT get the rod tangled into those raised motors! Reach way out over them if you have to!”

“If the line suddenly feels slack, reel like heck – he might be running toward the boat!” 

“Aw, shut up, Dale”, I said to myself. And no doubt Al had the same thought. But Lord knows it’s hard to remain calm and collected in the middle of a battle!

Al’s face showed his disbelief at the power of the fish he was suddenly battling – he’d never fought such a mighty fish before. He was completely awed by the fish’s ability to peel off line against a strong drag. The Penn’s lever drag was pressed forward to the stop and yet the fish ran at will, taking line with wild abandon. Al has fought his share of steelhead and salmon and knows how to fight fish, but nothing could have prepared him for the raw power of the mighty sturgeon. He traded the rod from one hand to the other and back again, his muscles aching from the stress of the battle.

Al’s sturgeon was unusually strong! He refused to come to the boat and remained unseen for nearly twenty minutes. Al was beside himself as he fought the fish of a lifetime! For twenty minutes the battle wore on, taking its toll on both fighters. Eventually the big fish began to tire and came nearer the boat. When the monster first surfaced, Al nearly dropped in disbelief; he had just reeled in the biggest fish he had ever seen!

I had the net in hand and as the tired beast laid in submission by the boat I gave him a poke with the handle to see if he had any more fight in him. It was about this time that things got dicey…

The big sturgeon did not react to the poke, and I attempted to net him. In the process, I snagged the second hook in the netting when the big sturgeon was only about half netted. It was about this time that I gouged myself with the hook and ripped my finger open. %*$#@&!!!

So there we were having the time of our lives, one hook firmly attached to the net, the other firmly attached to the fish, the fish out of the net and me bleeding like a stuck hog. The only things in our favor were the very firm hookup we had and the fact that he had nearly given up the fight. We were living a Keystone Kop movie! Somehow, while bleeding all over the net and the fish, I managed to get the sturgeon stuffed back into the net. I then grabbed the fish knocker and administered a few righteous whacks to the fish’s broad head – and I bled all over the fish knocker. I heaved the net and the fish over the gunwale and onto the deck. I bled on the gunwale. I bled on the deck. I was ecstatic! Al was wide-eyed in amazement at his huge catch.  I bled on Al. I splattered blood everywhere. We were having a ball!

I grabbed a smelly old fishing rag and wrapped my finger, trying to stem the flow of blood. I then grabbed the tape measure from a cabin drawer and bled on it. We had to turn the fish diagonally on the cockpit sole to get him flat and straight for an accurate measurement. He was an unusually large male, tough and lean and long. He measured 68 inches, the largest male sturgeon I’ve ever seen. Ol’ Al and I together struggled to weigh the big guy with my fish scale. With a small portion of his tail still lying on the sole, the scale read 65 pounds.

We nearly doubled the fish over to get him into the big ice chest that serves as my fishbox. The monster was so big that we had to tie a line around the fishbox to keep the lid closed.

After securing our big catch in the fishbox, Al and I sat heavily on the gunwales and took a break from all the excitement. I grabbed a beer and drank deeply and I don’t recall a more refreshing brew! If the afterglow of such a thrilling, rowdy fish fight as we’d just had wasn’t Miller Time, nothing would be!

When us weary, old graybeards recuperated, we cleaned up the mess in the boat, weighed anchor and headed for the ramp at Brannan Island. It had been an amazing day and we still had a big fish to clean.

I called Audie at Hap’s bait, hoping that he’d be willing to clean our big catch for us. Sure! He would get the fish cleaned for us by the next morning. We drove over to Hap’s Bait where Audie cranked the monster up onto his scales and weighed him properly. He weighed in at 67 ½ pounds. Having been bled in the water, we decided he would have easily weighed 68 pounds when he was caught. 68 inches by 68 pounds! Al had over 30 pounds of sturgeon meat to take home to Oregon along with what certainly had to be his best fishing story ever. He was a happy fella. Last year’s fishing adventure for Al and I was three days of trolling Lake Almanor in the wind and cold for one little trout. It was not a memorable trip but Al has never let me forget it. This year’s Delta adventure turned out to be our most memorable fishing trip ever. Al experienced the excitement of a great fight with a big, tough sturgeon - the fish fight of a lifetime. Now the tables are turned on ol’ buddy Al and I’ll never let him forget!

The Toughest, Most Tireless Sturgeon Ever!

March 16, 2004

Sturgeon fishing is as unpredictable as fishing gets. One can spend weeks chasing the mighty sturgeon only to come home empty handed every time. And so it has been this year for my efforts. But one week can make all the frustration worth the effort. It was just my turn for a payday, I reckon.

I launched at Rio Vista with a couple dozen lively and angry ghost shrimp. My “desperation plan” was in place this week, which meant that I would head down river to Suisun Bay. I make that 24-mile cruise when I’m really serious about catching a sturgeon - when the weather permits.

My repaired GPS/Chartplotter/Fishfinder was bolted back to the helm and working properly. Suisun Bay is no place to be without proper instruments. While a good skipper can usually keep out of trouble there with just a depth finder and a paper chart, nothing helps navigate the shallows of Suisun Bay like a GPS/Chartplotter. With proper charts, in chip format such as C-Map, which I use, a skipper can see his position clearly on the screen relative to the actual NOAA chart. The depth markings and contours are shown clearly, and avoiding the many shallows is simply a matter of keeping an eye on the display. The magic electronic boxes that are available these days, and have been for several years now, still amaze me.

As I cruised downriver towards Suisun Bay, a somewhat choppy river gave way to flat calm conditions and a very warm sun. My cruise was a wonderful boat ride past the now green, rolling hills that frame much of the West Delta. Weather such as we’ve been blessed with recently sure makes up for all the cold, grey days of winter. There really is nothing quite like springtime on the Delta. Springtime? We’ve been having near summertime conditions.

As I neared my fishing hole, I idled slowly across some shallows to get above my “honey hole” without advertising my presence too loudly. I then dropped anchor, the chain rattling through the gypsy loud enough to be heard a hundred yards. I set about rigging up for a big sturgeon with high hopes and good cheer. I baited up with a couple of fat, wiggly ghost shrimp and cast them out over the transom into a slow, incoming current. As time went by, the current slackened and turned. I was soon fishing the very top of an outgoing current that would lead to a minus tide. With a little luck, I might hook into a monster during the ebb tide.

I stripped down to shorts as I laid back in my deck chair, absorbing the warm sunshine and a few brews. My sturgeon hole is far removed from most boat traffic and wakes and noisy motors. Very few distractions can disturb my solitude while anchored there. The only sounds usually heard are the songs of birds, a distant plaintive train whistle and the drone of an occasional airplane passing overhead. On my boat, the sounds of Merle, Willie and Dolly also add to the ambiance. If there is much more to life than fishing, cheap beer and country music, all mixed together and served up on a boat, I don’t know what it would be.

For three hours I awaited the visit of a mighty sturgeon. I freshened the bait on rare occasion; nothing disturbed it either. Not nipping, little stripers or abominable mitten crabs or sturgeon. Nothing. But things were to be greatly disturbed in a few moments.

I was standing near the balance beam that held my rod and reel when the clicker ticked off a few inches of line. Such is the typical sturgeon bite and I grabbed the rod at once and set the hook with all my might into something that did not budge! Oh yes… I know that feeling and it had been a long time. I set again and then again, doing my best to be sure that the hook was set deeply. My sturgeon began to move away from that strange pull in his mouth. He took a leisurely stroll, not particularly alarmed that something was not right. As he moved, I knew I had hooked into a big, strong sturgeon. I was soon to discover how tough he actually was.

He was in charge from the start, continuing his leisurely strolls first this way, then that. Back and forth he swam, going where he pleased, seemingly not too concerned about his plight. Still, he refused to come to the boat. He was strong enough to keep his distance for an unusually long time and seemingly smart enough to save his energy. Perhaps I had hooked into a sturgeon too large to keep.

After about twenty minutes or so, I worked him near enough to the boat that he saw it and quickly dashed away, again peeling off line that I had struggled to reel in. For the first time, he had indicated a bit of displeasure at his predicament. Twenty minutes!? Most sturgeon I’ve caught are to the boat and in submission by that time; this big, bad boy was just getting started.

I saw him pretty clearly as he came briefly to the boat. He certainly was not oversize, but he was big and thick and heavy. Many sturgeon of his length and power are males, although they are usually slimmer. I had hooked into a tough, old veteran of many trips to the spawning grounds.

As the battle of wills wore on, his power diminished. I had him to the boat another time or two, but he was not anywhere near ready for the net. He continued to fight for distance, but not aggressively. He seemed content to move away in a very leisurely manner. After the third visit to the boat, I prepared to net him. By then, I was getting him to the boat about every five to ten minutes. I tried to net him several times, but each time his bulk was too much to net using just my one free hand. I could not see the hook; he never came to the boat belly up so that the hook was visible. I very well may not have had a good hook set, and my chances of losing him or fouling the second hook in the netting were very good. He had been to the boat five, six, seven times and I had failed to net him each time. He was, in fact, winning the war of attrition. One thing for sure, the hook was not getting set any firmer as the long fight continued.

Finally, on his eighth visit to the boat, after 45 minutes of a very smart fight on his part, I got his big, thick, long body in the net! He was finally –- finally -- captured!

And I was toast! I administered a couple of proper whacks to his big, broad head and tied a line through his gill and mouth. I lowered him back into the water and bled him for a spell while I recovered. It had been a long, well fought battle.

After a rest, I brought him aboard. He measured 64 inches and weighed in at 60 pounds! While that is not a huge sturgeon, it was a huge male sturgeon. He was heavy set for a male, more so than other males that I have caught in the past. He was no doubt very experienced and successful; an old hand at fighting for his share of the action. He was a fine specimen.

After just four hours of fishing, I had my limit of sturgeon. Now what? There was little reason to continue sturgeon fishing while enjoying the pleasures of a calm, sunny day on Suisun Bay. I had my limit! I put my big sturgeon in the fish box, cleaned up the mess the battle had created and set the pointy end of my boat towards the Rio Vista ramp and home.

That trip was one of the highlights of 2004's Delta adventures. It is yet another great Delta memory and I am anxious to make more. Life is good!

The Last Legal Monster

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March 8, 2006

Having ranted about the coming reduced sturgeon slot last week, it was time to head out for another Delta adventure and do what seemed my duty: Catch one last, monster sturgeon and imagine that I was getting some sort of revenge. If I could get lucky with one last hawg, it would likely be the last monster from the Delta I’ll be allowed to take. I’ve just got a hunch that there won’t be another 72” limit during my lifetime. And, after all, it wouldn’t be like taking one of the last big ones; those who actually spend time fishing the delta for sturgeon know that there are good numbers of them out there.

So I loaded provisions on the boat for a couple of days on the river and headed for Brannan Island State Park’s launch ramp. I planned to spend the night on the river somewhere near Suisun Bay - probably in Montezuma Slough if the weather was rough. The weather forecast wasn’t exactly favorable. Winds were predicted to 15 MPH and that usually means higher gusts. And a lumpy Suisun Bay.

I headed downriver towards Suisun Bay on a choppy river. It wasn’t too bad, but the chop was enough to slow my progress as I hammered through it. Some of my most rewarding adventures included sloppy weather and it was time I quit being such a wimp. Few other boats were on the river that day, it was not a day for fair weather cruises in small boats - especially on Suisun Bay.

I arrived at my sturgeon hole near Garnet Point after a 90 minute boat ride. The breeze was blowing out of the Carquinez Strait at about 15 MPH, as predicted, and it was lumpy. An outgoing current was just getting underway. Responding to the wind and the current, the boat settled broadside to the rolling waves. Even so, it maintained a reasonably stable position as it rocked side to side. I tossed a couple of chunks of lamprey out over the transom and waited for that little nibble. Here fishy-fishy...

I love fishing Suisun Bay more than any place on the Delta. Maybe more than any place on earth. But I don’t love it so much when the wind blows. Nevertheless I stayed faithful to the cause, fishing the most productive hole I know of while hoping and praying for one final hawg sturgeon.

When sturgeon fishing in a rocking boat, it isn’t easy to keep the line taut. As the boat swings at anchor, line ticks off the reel and as the boat moves back the line must be reeled in to keep things tight. The tender bite of a mighty sturgeon can only be felt on a taut line, so I spent nearly all my time with rod in hand, tending the line. One hour passed, then an hour and a half, then… 

Something bumped the line and pulled a few inches off my reel. I set the hook with all my might and then… I set it again! And again! Something huge was on! It stripped line from the reel with wild abandon, streaking away from the boat before turning and then breaching. I saw just a portion of her – enough to confirm that I had my hawg on!

Her power was simply awesome! For over thirty minutes we waged our battle of wills as she took line when she pleased and I took line when she tried to rest. I slowly worked her towards the boat and finally caught a good glimpse of the beast I had hooked. She was big enough for me to wonder if she was oversized. The battle continued.

I had her to the boat several times before I thought she might be ready to net. The moving current and her bulk made it very difficult for this old man to pull her toward the net with the rod in one hand and the net in the other. But I managed to get her into the net – about half way. She then bolted, clearing the net and peeling line as she streaked away.

Again I worked her back to the net and managed to get her about three quarters in when – dang it all! – the sliding sinker got wrapped in the net and I couldn’t free it. I managed to grab a knife, cut away the netting and unhook the weight. And she took off again!

The fight was not going my way and I knew I had to get her into the net and put an end to the long fight. Finally, over half an hour into the fight, on the third try – and the fifth or sixth time to the boat– I got her fully into the net!

She was huge! Was she over the 72 inch limit? I decided that she wasn’t. I administered a couple of righteous whacks and tried to lift her into the boat.

My C-Dory has a high freeboard for a small boat, and I struggled mightily to get her up and into the boat. My first couple of attempts failed; I simply wasn’t strong enough. Finally I pulled on the netting, hand over hand, ‘til I had the fish and the net high enough to clear the gunwale.

I was completely exhausted. I had to rest a few moments to regain some strength. Such exertion is not prescribed for old heart patients like me and I realized that I was beginning to feel the familiar pain of angina. Or was it simply sternum pain from the long fight? I hoped for the best and continued with the task at hand. After all, I’ve always said that when they carry me away feet first, I’d just as soon they carry me off my boat. But not yet!

I managed to measure her and was surprised how very nearly I had mistaken her huge size. She measured just half an inch below the limit! That was too close for comfort. She was too big to fit into the fish box, so I soaked a couple of towels and placed them over her for the trip back upriver to Brannan Island.

After a bit more rest, I cleaned up the messy cockpit and stowed the fishing tackle. I popped the top off another cold brew, raised anchor and headed back upriver.

Only someone with a similar experience, having caught a mighty fish while all alone on some remote body of water, could possibly know the heady jubilation I felt as I cruised home that afternoon. That was likely the last Delta adventure for me to take a monster sturgeon before the regulations lower the limit. And, by gosh, I did it! The timing was unbelievable and the whole afternoon seemed surreal. But yes, it was all very real!

On the drive home I stopped at a friend’s business where a forklift was available for a photo op. Before lifting her from the cockpit, I asked my friend to measure the fish so I’d have independent confirmation that she was, indeed, a legal take. He measured her at 71½ inches, just as I had done. Whew.

I now have another grand Delta adventure to remember for the rest of my days. All the effort and reward proves once again that it just takes a lot of time and patience to reel in a truly memorable fish.

How to Fish for Sturgeon (I think...)

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The Balance Beam:

Setting the hook:
When the soft nibbling sturgeon actually does take bait, the grand scheme of fooling the monster is complete and everything next depends on the hookset.

It takes a mighty heave to set a hook in a sturgeon's leathery, tough mouth. I lost one at the boat, and since that time I have made it a practice to set the hook not once, but several times. I try to set it very deep, very sure, hopefully clear through the mouth. After three or four hard sets, I begin the battle. Of course, if the sturgeon is peeling off line in a hurry, the extra hook sets will likely have to wait.

And if setting the hook again and again results in pulling the hook loose, it wasn't a good hookset from the start. The sturgeon would likely not have made it to the boat.

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Skunked again on New Hogan.

It's a long walk up from the dock at Hogan these days. The lake is very low, approaching the low water of 2004. But wouldn't that mean the stripers have less room to hide? Well, yes, and the same applies to the shad. And the stripers are at a 24 hour shad buffet just now. The feeding must be incredible there and the stripers are not interested in bait I offered this week. I tried mostly shad, but also some anchovy. All for a big zilch. Nada. Not even a bump. Maybe next week! (Sorry - the photo of the long ramp and low water was lost during the site transfer.) (This week's video, such as it is, is here.)

September 4, 2008

This was my 11th trip in a row to Hogan this summer, and I finally had some better luck after two weeks of zero. The 3 1/2 lb.catfish took a large shad on the troll, as did the two four pound stripers.

The lake is now at just 643' elevation. That is the lowest since 2004 when it was 641'. I just bought a couple of Cannon Mag 5s to replace the manual Cannons that were just killin' me! I sure like the electrics, they are fast and easy to use - and my shoulders don't hurt every time I go fishing. I reckon I'll be back at Hogan next week again - it's much nicer now that the lake lice are pretty much gone, at least they were this week! 

A video of this week's trip is here.

August 27, 2008

Hogan is Still A Mystery

A bit of wind early, but the day was hot and the breeze light. I thought the hotter the weather, the better the fishing - but not this day. I saw one guy reel in a small striper using a minnow, and that's all the action I saw or heard about all day. Maybe next week. 

The old dam stands higher out of the water than I recall seeing it in the past, even higher than the boat trolling along the dam. I keep thinking the shallower the better for fishing, but I guess I still haven't got this lake figured out! (Photo of the dam was lost during the transfer.)

August 20, 2008 After eight productive trips to Hogan I suppose it was time for a skunk, although the fish seemed to do their part.

The short story: I had three good strikes that stuck long enough for me to begin working the fish to the boat. Every single one came undone within seconds. That is very frustrating – especially when I was using the exact same rigs I had used the last two weeks and reeled in five stripers. And I don’t remember a single fish coming unbuttoned the past two weeks. I’ll blame it on the unusually heavy amount of bait in the water; perhaps the fish were not striking to feed, but were hitting so lightly that the hooks just didn’t stick deeply.

Incidentally, the hooks are barbless on my new Pro-Troll rigs. I changed them to barbed hooks since this trip and I hope that will correct this problem.

I’ve never seen more bait balls than I did this trip. They were everywhere it seemed, and when I did find the stripers they were just inside the mouth of the river arm feeding on the abundant bait – which I believe are shad. I marked the bait everywhere I went. And there was a 3/4 moon this trip as well, so the stripers had been very well fed during the night and not exactly on the prowl for the anchovies I offered.

Perhaps next week, with barbed hooks, I will do better. I sure hope so...

August 13, 2008

Another Hogan Stringer!

 Just since last week the ramp with two docks was closed due to low water. The ramp with the single long dock and two lanes is still open but one of those lanes is pretty muddy. The good news is the kids are going back to school now and there should be fewer lake lice to deal with.

I was on the water at 0600, and back to the ramp at 1100 to beat the crowd at the single ramp - and to avoid the afternoon lice infestation!

A feisty six pounder hit about 0800 at 30' on the Pro-Troll RotoChip lure with an anchovy attached. He put up a grand fight; I couldn't keep him on the right side of the boat, and struggled to keep him away from the other downrigger which still had a line attached. He insisted on staying deep and getting him up that last few feet was a real chore. But after about 10 minutes or so, I had him netted. He was a male, full of milt and made quit a mess in the boat.

The next striper hit about 0930, again on rolled anchovy in a RotoChip. He also put up a good fight, but I had him in the box in less time than the first. He weighed in at five pounds and I had a total of 11 pounds in the box.

I met Wacky D as we prepared the boats to go home and he reported seeing boils upriver. I assume the fish are in the main lake this time of year, but I guess not! He and his friend had (I think) three stripers in the boat.

I fish Hogan with my kokanee rods which are very light. They make for real sporting fights from the Hogan stripers, most of which average around four to five pounds. Those kokanee rods bend very well and that works best with downriggers. Because of the deep bend, they snap up line quickly when a fish hits, and that takes up more of the slack line which is inherent in fishing with a downrigger.

With the ramp closure and essentially one lane to launch from for now, I may be done for awhile at Hogan. I'm due for some bait fishing - and it's a lot easier. Just sitting at anchor is a wonderful change from the busy-ness of trolling with two manual downriggers. I think I'm due for some lazy, kicked back, bait slinging...

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August 6, 2008

Finally! A Stringer of Hogan Stripers!

Three beats one, and after six trips of one just fish each, this week's catch was very satisfying. The only thing I did different was to give up the Kripple Lures which I string together myself with treble hooks. I bought four RotoChip rigs which are like RSKs (Rotary Salmon Killers) into which the bait is placed, and is already rigged with two single hooks. These rigs also have the "chip" which is supposed to put a small amount of voltage into the water to mimic scared or wounded bait fish. Well, all I know is that I tripled my catch with them this week, and will be using them for the forseeable future.

More and more of the old dam emerges as the lake drops. The lake has dropped about 12 feet since February 1, and seems to have dropped over a foot in the last week. And those finicky stripers have less and less room to hide...

Only ONE Striper for 6th Trip in a Row!

And yeah, my sixth straight trip in a row with only one striper to show for it! The good news is that this is six trips in a row and no skunk! This little guy was just 19" and 2½ Lbs.

I wish I'd have taken a photo of all the smoke from the Yosemite fire that is clearly visible at sunup. The lake wasn't smokey, yet, but it's time to try something different next week, anyway.

July 23, 2008

Another Hogan trip, another single striper. I guess a single fish jinx beats a no-fish jinx, so I'm not complaining. I had planned to bait fish this trip, just to be different, but I forgot to include weights when I loaded the boat. Maybe next week I'll do some bait fishing. I'd sure like to overnight on Hogan again, but without the C-Dory, I just can't bring myself to do it.

This four pounder took my rolling anchovy at 30 feet down. I had another one on, and it was a whopper, but I lost it before I got it to the boat...

July 16, 2008

Another week at Hogan = another single fish. I must have a curse on the boat that limits me to just one fish!

I left home again at 0500, when it was still dark. Yes, it's getting noticeably darker in the mornings now. I was trolling Hogan by 0620. This nice four pound striper took my offering of rolled anchovy at 30' during the first hour. And that was it for the day! I had three good hits during the morning - and not one of them stuck. Go figure.

I was off the water by 1100 and gave up the lake to the madding lake lice that love to stir up Hogan.

The fish are generally around the mouth, within a few hundred yards from the launch ramps. One fella claimed to have an eight pounder and a five pounder, but I didn't see 'em. Another boat had about three stripers in the box.

The fishing is best on the hottest days, it seems, and Wednesday was not too hot as Hogan weather goes. Maybe next week will be better. And I may just bait fish for a change. I'll post here as soon as I get home.

June 25, 2008

This week I again headed for New Hogan lake at 0500 and figured I'd be off the lake before noon - and leave the place for the lake lice. And that's just what I did. I had two fish on, this little guy and another, bigger one that I lost.

June 19, 2008

It was time for another try at New Hogan Lake, near Valley Springs. This lake is full of stripers, most all of them 18" to about 25". Larger ones are there, but few are caught.

I launched at 0730 and began rolling anchovies at 20' down and back 140', and 30' down and back 120 feet on the other side. This puts one anchovy just above and behind the first, giving any hesitant striper another quick temptation. It is the shallower, furthest back anchovy that usually gets the bite. The striper above took the shallow one.

There were "mini-boils" all morning, and I tossed a RattleTrap into them a few times - but with no success. Some guys fish only boils this time of year. They wait in their drifting boats 'til a boil erupts, then charge up to it and toss lures into it. It is an exciting way to catch stripers! But for me, I prefer the troll.

The striper limit on Hogan is 10 - and no size limit. The state limit is just two, with a minimum of 18". Only two other lakes have the higher limit.

June 5, 2008

Finally! A Bit of Success at Hogan...

This time of year it takes some luck to hit the water on a relatively calm day. I had cancelled the day before due to high winds, but Thursday was considerably better. So I headed for New Hogan Lake and some striper fishing.

Every striper I've caught on Hogan has been between about 20" and 28". A couple of years ago a vacationing kid from out of state caught a 30+ pounder - so some big females are in the lake as well. The trick is to fish there when the stripers are active, and that's not easy to predict.

The lake is well known for the "boils" of stripers feeding on shad. At any time a boil can erupt as hundreds of stripers chase shad to the surface for a feeding frenzy. I have had them erupt around my boat - and it can be exciting. Some guys will just sit around waiting for a boil, then charge up to it and cast shallow lures into the frenzy.

I prefer to catch stripers by trolling, usually in KrippleAnchovy lures which work much like RSKs, making the bait rotate as it is trolled. I use anchovies that can be purchased in nearby bait shops. I generally troll one at about 30 feet, about 125 feet back, another at 20 feet and 150 feet back. If a striper rises to the 30 foot rig and doesn't bite, the next one comes right over the top - and most often it is the shallower anchovy that gets the bite.

I had two good hits this trip. The first took an anchovy on a rig that I'd assembled long ago. It was old, possibly damaged, and it cost me a fish. The leader broke shortly after the fight commenced. But the second hit was good and I got that fish to the boat. Both hits took place in the area known as the narrows, just off the main lake and heading upriver.

These Hogan stripers hit hard when they're feeding. I've never had a lazy hit there, they all mean business when they strike! It's a great place to fish - when the stripers are in the mood to feed.

A New Hogan Limit in 2004 (The 10th striper wouldn't fit!).  Any summer fishing trip on New Hogan has this potential.

Hogan is a strange, hard to figure lake that lies just outside of the little foothills town of Valley Springs, a few miles east of Stockton, Ca.

Once a trout lake, stripers were planted to enhance the fishing. Whether intended or not, the stripers soon eliminated the trout. It is one of three lakes in California that has no size limit and instead of the state's striper limit of two, ten stripers are permitted to be taken on New Hogan.

I cannot figure out what turns on the stripers. Some days they are fairly easy to entice, the next day may be a skunk. Nobody I have ever talked to seems to have an answer.

This week's trip provided plenty of sunshine and a lovely, calm morning to troll for stripers. After four hours of no action, I reeled in and headed for home. I knew I was too early in the year for much action, but the weather made the trip worthwhile. Maybe next time...

Trout Fishing Spring 2008

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May 29, 2008

Camanche Trout!

After six weeks of not fishing due to one excuse or another, I finally hit Camanche Reservoir with my fishing buddy, John.

We were fishing by about 9:00 that morning, and for a change we had quite a good day of fishing. Our last two outings on Camanche were skunks - not something one likes to brag about.

John's big one weighed in at 5 1/4 pounds, mine weighed  4 1/2 Lbs. I caught one more trout at about 1 Lb., John caught four more.We managed seven fish between us, two for me and five for John. About half the action was on John's frog pattern Needlefish, half on small 2" Fire Tiger BBRs.

The trout are getting pretty ugly now, every fish had sores as the water is getting too warm. This is the last Camanche trip 'til it cools down in the fall.

John's 5 1/4 Lb. Beauty.

There were a lot of fish feeding on the surface most of the day. We caught half of our fish near the surface, the rest down as deep as just 27 feet.

Note: Photos of prior trips during March and April were lost in the transfer to this site.

2008 Delta Fishing!

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November 19, 2008

After the great sturgeon trip to Brannan a week ago, and slow tides this week, I decided to try a place very close to home that I haven't tried before: Mossdale Crossing. This county ramp has a single lane ramp but plenty of parking.

After losing an hour or so of fishing time while poking through the upriver shallows, I wised up and headed downriver. It took me awhile to find a hole that seemed promising. When I finally anchored and tossed out some old lamprey pieces, the morning had warmed up nicely and I settled in for a few hours of fishing.

Ahhhhhh. This is the life! It became so sunny and warm that I shed my sweat shirt and long johns and fished as though it was summertime. The cold beer and country music didn't hurt any.

I fished for a few hours, catching only a couple of small catfish. And that ain't all bad - some days are so relaxing that it seems just fine if the big fish leave ya alone.

After a few hours of sunshine and no fish, and also almost no water movement whatsoever, I decided to reel in and head to the ramp. It had been a good day, including the exploration of a nearby section of the San Joaquin River. It's a fact that stripers, sturgeon and even the rare salmon move upriver through here, but apparently none were interested in my offerings this day. And this week, that was just fine with me. Next week looks like another Brannan trip is in the works if the weather cooperates. Life is good.

My first trip to the Delta's Grantline Canal
(Near Tracy, Ca.)

John's 10 pound striper.

My fishing buddy, John, did real well last week fishing Grantline, while I did miserably on the San Joaquin River. The two locations are not that far apart, both a part of the Delta, and while I've fished the San Joaquin many times, I've never tried fishing Grantline. I asked ol' John to guide me on a Grantline fishing trip, and he agreed. Thanks, John! Of course, he had to outfish me 2 to 1, with him getting the limit of two fish. He also caught the first fish of the day and the largest. Rules aboard my boat require that the Captain gets the first and the largest, but my rules don't mean much to ol' John!

 
I pose with my 6½ Lb. striper 

 
John's 7 pound striper.

Grantline Canal is about a half hour from my home, and I was pleasantly surprised by the size and the willingness of the stripers. On much of the Delta, a fisherman must catch a bunch of shakers (stripers under the 18" minimum) to catch a single keeper the size of these beauties. But we caught just one fish during the entire day that was too small to keep.

These stripers are likely fresh-run from the ocean, making their way to the spawning grounds upriver during this, the fall striper run. Most return to the ocean and may live to make several spawning runs to our fresh water.

We spent just five hours trolling for these fine stripers. We trolled Yozuri and "broken back" (hinged) Rebel lures. The water is quite shallow along the canal, the deepest being about 15 feet, much of it just 7' to 9'.

With a day like this, I'll likely be back to Grantline again - but then again, sturgeon are making their way up the Sacramento River, and I'll surely be trying for my share!

September 23-25, 2008

This week's trip to Brannan Island State Park would change the scenery for me, if nothing more. And I was due for some bait slinging - just kicking back and waiting for the gentle nibble of a mighty sturgeon while listening to my Okie music on XM and downing a few cold, cheap beers. That's about all I ask of life nowadays!

After the busy-ness of trolling all summer, it felt great to stretch back and hurl that nasty old lamprey out over the transom and let it sink to the river bottom. I'd had that stuff in Wifey's freezer for about five months, just waiting for autumn Delta fishing.

I made this week's trip a three day affair. I hooked the little Klamath to the motorhome for the first time and towed it to Brannan where I rented a dry camp site, a berth and use of the ramp - for just $45. But you have to be old and worn out like me for those cheap, senior rates. I spent a couple of nights aboard the coach with all the comforts of home including shower, microwave oven, big comfy bed and satellite TV. Yeah! That's how I like to rough it.

Tuesday was the day I drove over, so I got in just a couple or so hours of fishing. I cruised the short distance from the berth area at Brannan to Decker Island and anchored about mid-river, just off the shipping channel. The wind was non-existent and the afternoon was downright hot. I was fine for a couple of hours as the flood tide moved upriver, away from the sun. The top gave me some shade. But when the tide turned and the boat swung about, I faced the sun without shade and it was just too hot to stay on the river. It didn't take long for me to reel in and head to the berth for the night. Maybe the next day would be more productive.

The weather repeated itself on the second day, getting just too hot to sit facing the sun. Had there been even a slight breeze, I'd have fished 'til evening, but it was flat calm and hot. I fished only about seven hours the second day.

I had plans to meet my cousin for breakfast at Phillips Farms Restaurant (near I-5 and Hiway 12) on Thursday morning, so I was packed, hitched-up and on my way by 8:30 Thursday morning. I had no fish to show for my efforts this trip, but that's how sturgeon fishing is. I will keep on trying! 

The coach and the little Klamath in the Brannan ramp area parking lot as I prepare to head for home.  

This week's video, which I hoped would show a mighty sturgeon in my grasp, but fell short of much excitement, is here.

A couple of sturgeon trips to the Delta in October were posted with photos, but with the photos lost in the transfer of the site, there's not much point in posting the trips without photos.

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September 25, 2007

This is a sad announcement, but due to my aching bones and advancing age...
FishWisher the boat has been SOLD!

The new owners of FishWisher, father and son Mark and Austin Edwards - who are as likeable and active in the outdoors as a family can be - wave as they prepare to tow their new boat home. It is a bittersweet time for FishWisher the guy, but times change as we get older and I know this is what is best for me at this time.

I miss my baby, there's no doubt of that. But  I don't regret selling her as it was the right thing to do at this time of my life. In March of 2008, I bought a smaller Klamath boat, FishWisher II, that was easier for me to maintain and handle at the ramps, but was just too small for Delta use. I now have the stout North River boat, but I'll always remember the great adventures I experienced aboard my beloved Fishwisher I !

 

With canvas in place over the cockpit.

 

C-Dorys are wonderful little boats built with economy in mind. The dory, by definition, is a boat with a narrow, flat bottom, high bow, and flaring sides. The flat bottom is the opposite of a deep V boat. There is little substance to push through the water, so it is an economical boat to power.

It has been likened to a "water Jeep" by some owners. They are rugged, built for hard use and very economical.

C-Dorys are built in Washington State. The very first one was delivered to Alaska - via water! They are quite common in Alaska due to their cabins and ability to handle pretty rough water.

Here's more about my baby, FishWisher:

   Stern view at Vieria's dock.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FishWisher

 


The Helm

 

Two more sturgeon!

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Monday dawned foggy and cold at home, a typical December day in late November. The kind of day that would normally find me inside by the fireplace. But late November is the end of my fishing year, and I just had to make one last trip to the Delta for the two remaining sturgeon tags I had yet to use.

Having done much of the prep work for this trip already, I had to do just a few more jobs, such as load food on the coach for my trip and get the boat hooked up to the coach for the drive to Brannan Island.

I arrived at Brannan at mid-morning. After launching the boat and finding my RV space, then paying my fee for a two night stay, I headed for my favorite sturgeon spot off Decker Island and began fishing at noon.

I was busily putting up my canvas cover and side curtains for protection from the cool breeze when my first sturgeon of the day took my rotten lamprey and sped of on a suicide run with it. This is a very rare occurrence when sturgeon fishing; most sturgeon gently mouth the bait and it takes close attendance to the rod to note the visit. But this sturgeon took off with a vengeance, creating the much-anticipated screaming reel that all fishermen love to hear. I stopped setting up the canvas at once and grabbed the rod. I set the hook with a mighty heave - and once again knew that I had a pretty decent fish on.

He wasn't too feisty 'til he saw the boat - other than the big, acrobatic jump he made right after I hooked him. When I finally worked him close enough to the boat that he saw it, he made another mighty jump and was off to the races! He put up a splendid fight, refusing to come to the boat. He chose to go deep instead of taking off on a wild run away from the boat. Nevertheless, after about 15 minutes of fighting, and a mighty good fight it was, he quickly ran out of gas and came to the boat belly up.

I measured him with my green plastic tape, and knew that he was legal, about 48 inches or so. I struggled against the current while netting him, and at one point had the weight snagged in the net. After getting things sorted out, I got him over the gunwale and into the boat. I administered a few righteous whacks, then measured and weighed him for an exact size. He measured 49 inches and weighed in at just 22 pounds. He was a tough male sturgeon.

After resting for a few minutes, I called my buddy, Willie, in Stockton and asked if he wanted another sturgeon. Heck yes! And Willie was at the ramp ASAP to take possession of my sturgeon. I love to catch 'em; Willie loves to eat 'em. It's a good thing.

My fishing day was over; one sturgeon is the limit. By mid-afternoon I was back at the coach and doing the final set up work for spending a couple of nights. Maybe the next day would find me catching my third and limit sturgeon for the year!

Day two came with rain clouds and cool, flat calm air. The river was like a mirror. By 0900 I was back on my sturgeon hole off Decker Island, still fishing with the same old lamprey eel. I had the canvas top and sides in place before I left the dock, and was ready for some sturgeon action. It didn't take long.

After an hour of patiently waiting, I had the typical sturgeon bite, click-click-click. Wham! I set the hook at once and again I had a substantial fish on. There were no jumps or acrobatics with this guy, but he was strong and durable. After a ten-minute battle of wills, I had my sturgeon to the boat. I measured him with my green plastic tape, and he was a keeper at 49 inches. It was still morning and I didn't want to call it a day quite yet. I released him. After recording my release on my sturgeon report card, I tossed the lamprey back out into the river and waited for my next visitor.

The day grew cooler and cloudier. I put on a second sweatshirt and long johns to keep warm. It sprinkled a bit, but never enough to matter. I stayed at it through the entire incoming current, including both turns of the tide. I did have one last bit of action at few minutes after 4:00 p.m., and set the hook into something big. But the hook broke free almost at once. I waited a few more minutes for another bite before I reeled in and called it a day. Most of the other fishermen on the river had already headed for the ramp. It was getting dark and I decided to call it quits, too.

I spent the night in the warm and comfy motorhome and enjoyed a good, hot meal. It had been my second adventure at Brannan Park in just three weeks.

...Five sturgeon in three days: Priceless!

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The cost of three nights at Brannan Island Park with a berth: $97. Gas to and from Brannan: $35. Five sturgeon in three days: Priceless! As sturgeon fishing goes, this week’s trip was the most productive I've ever experienced!

I had the second week of November marked on my calendar because of good tides for sturgeon fishing – if the weather was right. And it was so right! All three days were flat calm to a slight breeze - and sunny. And warm. So I hooked the boat to the motorhome and headed to Brannan Island State Park for a few days.

Brannan now has electricity at the RV spaces directly above the berths, and although they’re a bit more costly than the dry camping spaces, it’s well worth a few extra bucks for the convenience – and the ability to keep an eye on the boat.

On day one I launched my little Klamath, FishWisher II, then motored over to the berths. After setting up in the RV space, I boarded the boat and headed for Decker Island, but far out past the middle of the river, just off the ship channel. That position is actually closer to the shore opposite from Decker Island than the island.

I dug out the nasty, smelly lamprey eel that has occupied wifey’s freezer since April. The leader, with eel still attached to the hooks from my trip back in September, was still in the container with the eel. It slurped out of the bloody mess and I  snapped it to my swivel. I tossed it far out over the transom.

Eel has become my only sturgeon bait. It is very attractive to sturgeon and nearly impossible for the little nippers to steal. It lasts forever and is easy to keep – just toss it in the freezer after each trip ‘til it’s all used up. While an eel is fairly expensive, it is so long lasting that it is absolutely the cheapest sturgeon bait available.

I waited for only half an hour before I heard the click-click-click of the reel as a sturgeon took my offering. Having the rod in hand when Mr. Sturgy visited, I set the hook with a mighty heave! I knew at once that I had a keeper on. I set the hook another few times and the fight was on. It took very little time for my sturgy to come to the boat, belly-up in submission. He was a wimp. And he was skinny! He measured 62” but weighed just 35 lbs. He was the skinniest sturgeon I have ever caught. He looked more like a snake. Even so, this was my first sturgeon of the year and I administered a few whacks before welcoming him aboard.

My day was over entirely too soon, but I was ecstatic! After filling out my sturgeon report card, I called a friend who loves sturgeon. We made arrangements for him to come get the sturgeon. He met me at the berth an hour or so later and gladly took my prize. We were both happy.

On day two I left the berth and headed directly for Decker Island again. I continued to use the same old eel, and this time it took about two hours before I heard that click-click-click of another sturgeon accepting my nasty offering. Again I set the hook with a vengeance and again I had a sturgeon on! This one was much stronger than the last and gave a good account of himself for about ten minutes. When I got him to the boat I measured him with my little green plastic tape that is tied to a small bamboo stick. It is 66 inches long and has a black mark at 46 inches so I can get a pretty good idea of a sturgeon’s length. He measured about 48 inches and would have been a nice keeper. He was much huskier than the sturgeon of the prior day. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to call off my day’s fishing so soon, and I released him to fight another day. Two sturgeon in two days! Incredible! I continued fishing with the same old bait ‘til mid afternoon - and called it a day around 1600. I headed to the berth and another nice evening with all the comforts of home awaiting me in the coach.

Day three included my friend Doug who joined me for some sturgeon fishing. Ol’ Doug is a former Navy SEAL and is a good boating buddy anytime. His Navy experience is always good to have at hand when on the water. Doug's been fishing since his diaper days. 

First thing, Doug reeled in a small flounder making its way upriver to spawn. He released it to continue on its romantic journey. A few minutes later Doug set the hook into his first ever sturgeon! We were hooting and hollering as he worked his fish to the boat. Three sturgeon in three days was just incredible! As Doug brought the sturgeon along side, I measured it and we agreed that it was a keeper at about 47 inches. Did Doug want to keep it? No, and neither did I; we both wanted to continue fishing and telling lies to one another. We released it to continue its journey upriver.

Doug would have loved to see the day end with me skunked and him out-fishing me. But it was my duty to keep him humble. About three hours later I had a definite sturgeon take down, and missed the hook set. I jumped to my feet and told Doug that I’d just had a classic sturgeon bite. A few minutes later the sturgeon returned and pulled off a few more inches of line – and I set the hook hard. I had the fourth sturgeon hooked – and it was a big one!

My sturgeon went where he darn well pleased. He liked staying below the boat, choosing to stay deep instead of streaking away from the boat in a mad dash. He would not be moved. I told Doug that I had a monster on, and that this was going to be a good fight. Before I had my big fish to the boat, my back and arms were tired and aching – and that’s not unusual for this old man whenever I do much physical work. Finally, after about fifteen minutes, I had the big fish along side the boat and able to measure him. We agreed that he was 69 inches - too big to keep. After the strenuous fight I cut him loose. As he left he whacked me with his tail just to let me know we weren’t exactly friends. Four sturgeon in three days!

About an hour and a half later something clicked off a few inches of line that seemed to be yet another sturgeon. I missed the first hook-set and about fifteen minutes later I missed the second try. A while later on the third try, I set the hook into something very substantial. While this sturgeon didn’t have near the mass of the oversized one that I had just released, he felt big enough to be legal. After a few minutes of battling wills, I had him to the boat. We again set the measure tape in the water and decided that he was legal at about 49 inches. We decided to release him, too. Why stop with a limit of one when the fishing was so good? By this time I was incredulous! That was the fifth sturgeon in my three-day fishing trip! I’d never had such a grand sturgeon adventure.

And there was more! An hour later I had another hit by something that took line much faster than a sturgeon. I set the hook and had yet another big fish on. I remarked to Doug that this one was doing a lot of head shaking and that maybe I had a good striper on. After a few minutes of battle, sure enough a big ol’ striper was at the surface. We decided to keep her, and into the net she went. She weighed in at 11½ lbs, a real beauty of a striper!

It was getting late in the afternoon when I caught a baby sturgeon, just a little fellow of about 20 inches or so. We brought him aboard for a quick photo and then released him back to the river to do some more growing. It was time to call it a day. And what a day it had been! I’ve spent many a day on the Delta soaking bait for hours on end – even days on end – for no action at all. Perhaps the fishing gods are smiling on me this year to make up for the lost salmon season. I don’t know what brought about this unusually good fishing trip, but I will surely be back again when the tides are looking favorable. Life IS good!