One Last Effort for 2016

It is a double blessing when your children grow up to be fishermen.  So it is the case with my two oldest children.  They want to get the last usage of their California fishing license before heading back to different states for schooling.  I took them out to my salmon hole along the Sacramento River.  I tried my homemade spinner to entice an unsuspecting steelhead, while they used hair raisers for striped bass.  After half an hour of unproductive fishing action, we went to the local shop for some coffee and donuts :-)

Super high and murky water.

Happy fishermen :-)

Proud daddy in the middle.

At least we caught a doughnut :-)

Fishing Summary for 2016

There were many blessings for 2016 fishing for JU and the Miracle Squad.  There were many firsts as well: first steelhead in the Sacramento River, first fish in Montana, first fish in North Dakota, first time limit for salmon, and others....  Following are summary pictures.  Enjoy!  Have a fantastic 2017!!!

Gaudette in Domino semper!

American River @ 30,000 CFS

This morning, I had an opportunity to drive my lovely wife to work.  What a great occasion to swing by Watt Ave. American River access to checkout the river conditions when the access is closed to the public.

Here are a bunch of pictures to "wet" your appetite.

Neat art work that I did not notice before.

Looking West - Boat ramp and parking lot are under water.

Looking North - Parking lot is under water.

Looking East

Looking downstream from the Watt Ave. Bridge.

Uh...

Still looking downstream - The island in the middle is submerged.

On the East side of the river looking West.

Upstream from the East side.

Upstream from the West side.

Upstream West side parking lot is under water also.

Just a week ago, December 10, when the rain started, I woke up at 3 AM thinking about fishing at Gristmill Access, but the rain was pouring and I went back to bed.  Now my brother Dave aka "Fish Whisperer" braved the rain and gave us this awesome report!!!

"We all know that rain makes cornJ But not all know that rain equals fish…at least this is what I was telling myself as I found myself on the banks of the American early Saturday.  I’ve never fished the south side of Gristmill & was all grins to find it all to myself.  I did see a guy walking his dog in the rain with young son & he was kind enough to tell me all he knew about the drop offs & where the fly fisherman like to hang out.  Given that I had two rods(fly & spinning),  I decided to start off with my favorite new obsession…Fly Rod baby!  The info from the guy really payed off as I was quickly in a nice looking spot.  With recommendation from Diplo I fished an indicator & worked the entire drift to perfection.  All my casts where looking great & feeding exactly where I wanted.  Even though the water looked trouty I couldn’t get a bite.  After a good hour plus I switched over to spin rod & worked the same entire run of water with no luck.

So I went down river to Watt Ave & things got much more interesting.  After crossing over to the island downstream of the bridge I got a strong take down on the indicator, but missed it.  Very next cast I got another one in same location.  Had this one halfway in & then lost him.  I spent the next 30 minutes hooking into these small steelies, but couldn’t manage to bring one to hand.  Due to the heavy rains the current was coming down on me in 3 different directions.  This is all I could figure as I kept losing them in the same area where the current changed(I was also fishing flies that were barbless).  Anyhow as a new fly angler I’ll be quick to take part of the blame(if not all of itJ).  Anyhow it was so fun getting all this steelie action on the fly rod(they were small fish, but who cares!).

As the rains increased and leader getting stretched like a child’s Christmas list, I ended the day by switching back to a spinning rod.  Wasn’t long until I hooked into something that took me down stream quickly thrashing the surface.  Given the weight I believe it was a spawned out salmon.  Ended up losing him in rapid which ended a great day of action.   This was the most back door action I received in a while, however I’m still in lingo…fly rod or spin rod?  Well at the moment I say both(got to have the best of both worlds!)."

Fish Whisperer - Gristmill Fly Fishing

Fish Whisperer - Gristmill

Fish Whisperer - Watt Ave. before flooding.

Early Christmas Gift for JU

I have mentioned many times in the past regarding Grandmaster Fisherman and PRO, two of my favorite fishing brothers.  Today, Christmas came early for me as I got to fish with both of them in the San Joaquin River.  I am like a kid in a candy store....

We used swim bait, spoons, and drifted live bait....

Grandmaster Fisherman landed three fish; PRO got one fish on / fish off; and I got, may be at best, a fish brush my fishing line....


Two 17 inchers were let go and I got to eat the one we kept....

Tight lines!

Salmon Fishing Log: 2016

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING!!!

As I mentioned previously, you gotta enjoy fishing NOT catching, to go where I fish....  With that being said, I am tremendously successful and blessed for the 2016 season:

2016: Note, 1008 MILES for six salmon.

2015: Note, 1326 MILES for three salmon.

Wednesday, 11/23 - Fished for 2 hours

Today the current is very fast and the water is very muddy!  I tried out eight different lures, each at 15-minute intervals.  No bites today, but I am very encouraged by the way the spinners worked.  Can't wait for next season, God's willing.

2017 salmon season, yet?

Ready for action.

Tuesday, 11/22 - Fished for 1 hour and yak for an hour

Today, I met another fisherman with the same name as me (JOHN).  He said he only got 6 salmon for the season, but he had to pay for a guide to get one in the Smith River.  I believe he said he got 4 from the Feathers River and only one from the Sacramento River.  I will be seeing him more next season.

Monday, 11/21 - Fished for 4 hours with Calvin

No success.  Calvin took me to the "dock" about 1 mile downstream in a small town, named Walnut Grove.  At this location, the river narrows and during the peak salmon run, it is crowded with fishermen.  Today, it was just Calvin and I trying out a couple of casts....

This is the very first time that I fished at the "dock."


Friday, 11/18 - Test out 20 lures in 2.5 hrs.

My brother Fish Whisperer asked if I tried using other fishing rigs for salmon besides spinners.  After today, I can say, "Yes!"

I found a big Z-Ray, so I had to do it.  Also, I used a 1-1/2 oz. Kastmaster.  Out of the twenty lures tested, three did not spin well and needed some adjustments.

My heart jumped when near the end of my fishing trip, I got one grab while retrieving a 7/8 oz. Pink Flying C.  However, the fish did not stick :-(

Once again, got the whole river to myself.  To put into perspective of how blessed I am to be at the Sacramento River by myself, you have to note that the population of Sacramento County is around 1.4 million!!!

Yes!  There is a big Z-Ray in the mix!

These three didn't spin right.

Modified Spinners for Salmon

I can't believe it!  I was about to donate all my light spinners because they were collecting dust in my garage.  Thanks be to God, I figured out an inexpensive way to modify them for catching salmon in the Sacramento River from the shore.

Items needed:

1. Round nose or thin needle nose pliers (just about any where for less than  $5).
2. Wire cutter pliers ($5 or less).
3. 20-gauge galvanized steel wire (Lowe's $5 per 175-feet roll).
4. Bullet weights ($1 at Walmart for 7 per package of 1/2 oz. weights).
5. Beads (Find some from your girls' toys or go to Hobby Lobby and buy some).
6. Split rings ($3 at Walmart for 300 per package?  Get them at the fabrics area).
7. Big 2/0 treble hooks (scrounge around for some or $20 for 50 Eagle Claw 4X @ Cabela's)
8. Light spinners that need a facelift.

Items 1 & 2: I've got a few :-)

Items 3 & 4

Item 5

Item 6:  All those split rings came in one package @ Walmart.

Item 7:  Any big SHARP treble 2/0 hook will do.

Item 8:  I actually have 20 more that can use a facelift!

Step one:

Cut out the wire holding the light spinners together.

Step two:

Cut out a piece of steel wire around 5 inches long (Item 3).

Step three:

Make a loop at the end of the wire.  Use your tools from items 1 & 2 to do this.

Step four:

Put the pieces back together with the bullet weights and beads to make the total weight slightly under 1 oz.  The combinations are endless.  Check the Regulations for the maximum weight allowable!!!

Step five:

Make a loop at the top.

Step six:

To complete your modified lure, add two split rings and a treble hook.  The two split rings allow the fish to turn 360 degrees, making it more difficult to shake off the hook.

Step seven:

Rush out to the nearest river, hopefully, the one with aggressive fish searching for something to bite!  Test the NEW lures out in the field :-)  You may be blessed by God during your testing process.  I'm a firm believer!

Disassemble the existing lures.

Assemble new lures in any combination with ADDED weights.

Use two split rings and a hook.

Old School vs. New School

The old way, you would use a sliding sinker with a leader to attach your LIGHT lure.  The new way, just attach your modified lure directly to a swivel.

Old school (LEFT); new school (RIGHT)

This is JU signing out...  God loves you!

Not so Fast! One Mo' Salmon for 2016?!?!

I honestly thought that the salmon season is over!

Which one of these modified lures is the winner?

They don't look pretty, but they will do for next season!

Neither!  I donated the winning lure back to the infamous crawdad trap.  Read on my friends....

Many moons ago, when salmon fishing was banned in the Sacramento River, I purchased a bunch of Blue Fox #5 spinners for $1.00 each.  I tried using them earlier this year, but because they are light (7/16 oz.) as compared to the Mepps Flying C's (7/8 oz.) lures, I had a hard time casting them out and keeping them near the bottom where I would like the spinners to be.  Since the salmon season is over, or so I thought, I decided to modify the Blue Fox lures and lighter Mepps Flying C's and make them heavier.  I tested them out in my brother's swimming pool and they spin great.  But I explained to my daughter, "lil' j," that as in an experiment, the swimming pool is a controlled environment because it does not have running current like the Sacramento River.  Therefore, I must now test out my modified lures in the field to see if they work.  I brought one fishing pole with me and all seven of my modified lures to try out.  I thought I would give each one a five minute test run in the Sacramento River.  The first lure I cast out spin to perfection and I put it back in my tackle box.  I then put on a pink modified Blue Fox lure.  I didn't like the way it spin.  It was very inconsistent.  But on the second cast, before it even hit bottom...  I felt that familiar tug!  What the heck, I didn't even retrieve the lure yet.  However, I set the hook, quick!  Oh yeah, I was super blessed!  FISH ON!!!

32" - 13# Hatchery Jill

God is good!

To me, it is truly a miracle!  I thank my Father for blessing me with another salmon for 2016!

Tight lines.  Fish on.  God loves you.

This is JU signing out!

Last Salmon of the 2016 Season?

When I go fishing with Grand Master Fisherman (GMF) or PRO, I just know something magical is gonna happen.

Today, Ace and I met up with GMF at the Port at 12:30 PM to do some bass and striper fishing.  Ace was drifting live minnow, GMF was using swim bait and jigging, and I was using crank bait and jigging.

Not even half an hour in, Ace got a hit on the live minnow and landed a baby striper.  Since it was small, GMF instructed Ace to cut the fishing line and let the fish live.  Another half hour, Ace hooked into a black bass for a second....  The most exciting time of the day was 1:45 PM when GMF hooked into a salmon and boated it!  A piece of the tail of the salmon was bitten presumably by a sea lion.  So the salmon survived a sea lion, but did not get passed the Grand Master Fisherman!

There you have it.  We went bass fishing and landed a salmon instead.  What a great blessing because I'll take a salmon over a bass anytime.

Wild hen ~ 7-8 #

Escaped sea lion, but not Grand Master Fisherman!

Ready for curing.

My assistant.

Drying out.

Come here, steelie, steelie.  Yummy!

Video of Ace landing a striped bass.

Video of Grand Master Fisherman nabbing a salmon!

2016 Salmon Season over for JU

Today, I went out to the Sac. Riv. fishing hole and had it all to myself.  I wonder why?  Perhaps, the salmon season is over at this location :-(.  At least, for me, that was my last trip fishing for salmon in Sac. Riv. for 2016.

Yes, places like this do exist nearby...

Thank you Brother Dan for netting both of my fish on Oct. 20th.  And thank you Brother Lucky One for netting my other two salmon for the season!

Following are stats for 2015 vs. 2016:

2015				2016
Trips:		23		Trips:		18
Miles:		1326		Miles:		798
Travel Time (Hrs):		23		Travel Time (Hrs):		18
Fishing Time (Hrs):		42		Fishing Time (Hrs):		42.5
Salmon:		3		Lures Lost:		5
				Salmon caught:		5
				Cost per salmon:		$208.44
				Cost per pound:		$22.17

In summary:

1.  Caught the most salmon in a season - personal best!
2.  Caught the first steelhead in the Sac. River.
3.  Caught a bass on the Flying C's
4.  Met the most awesome fishermen ever!

Now begins the striped bass/sturgeon season in the Sacramento River and steelhead season in the American River!

 Peace out....  God loves you!