104 Fish!!!

I got an opportunity to fish with dad, brother, and brother-in-law on Friday in the Delta.  We launched at Eight Miles Road in Stockton.  The launching fee was $15.00.  My objective was to catch a big whopper of a striped bass.  But, first we must catch bait 😀

We left my home at dark thirty (That's 5:30 AM!).  I didn't watch the time after that.  We got to the first fishing spot to catch bait, which was blue gill.  Dad and big bro were at the back of the boat, while myself and bro-in-law were at the bow.  Within a short time, dad and big bro had TEN blue gill in the bucket; at the front of the boat, there was NONE!  We were all using the same setup (hi-lo rig); so "What's up?!!??!"  I decided to use the bait that dad and big bro. were using; then, "Fish on!"  As it turned out, at the front of the boat, we were using dead Canadian crawlers and the blue gill weren't having any of it.  When we switched over to live red worms, we all started getting some.  Big bro. even got himself a cat fish!  Haven't seen one of those in a very long time....

We moved location because dad was impatient that the action was not constant.  At the second location, at one moment, to my surprise, my ultra lite rod went bonkers!  I was struggling to keep the four pound test line from breaking.  It was a good thing the drag on the reel worked to perfection!  Finally, I saw the fish...  and, there were two of 'em.  The cat fish was on the upper hook and a blue gill was on the bottom hook!  I got a two for one!

TWO fish at once

Another short time later (Remember? No time?  Only God's time), I landed a huge blue gill!  It was the biggest blue gill of the day, a 10.5-incher!!!  That's a biggie for me, because most of the blue gill only average 5 inches.

Fattest Blue Gill ever for JU

God is good!

We went on to a third location to try to use the blue gill as bait to catch a big whopper striped bass.  While we were waiting for striped bass action, we loaded up on the blue gill action.  In between, we even got a bass and another cat fish!

At the end of the day, SKUNK on the targeted fish, the striped bass; however, we had four limits of blue gill; three bonuses on the cat fish; and, one extra on the bass.

All in all, it was a very blessed fishing day!

Ultra lite fishing poles are the way to go.

Clay pot cat fish for dinner.

Let's change location.  It's been a minute and no bite yet😂

Can you say: "Fish fry!"

May God bless your day!
-JU signing out

Back On Track... Well, Not Quite.

Last year we skipped the Annual Camping Trip (ACT).  This year, we decided to do it again.  Modern technologies would have us booked our camp sites using the computer!  How I missed talking to a live person when reserving the group site at Indian Creek Reservoir (ICR).  As it was, I couldn't reserve the group site fast enough and have to resort to single and double tent sites.  Thankfully, friends came through, and many sites were booked.  We got sites 2, 7, 8, 10, and 11, with camp central at site 8.  Truthfully, I may not go back to the group site in the future.  Site 8 was so cool to dock the canoe.  We caught fish everyday!  But not the kind that we want!?!?!!?

No thunder storms to worry about this year.  The weather was rather warm.  However, the day trip up higher elevation helped us cool down.

Friday, we setup and I caught my first fish from ICR!  It was not the fish to be bragging about!  As a matter of fact, I gave a rather truthfully unpleasant review at the Anglers' Review Drop Box.  For our entire camping trip, we caught nothing but bait fish at ICR!  On the positive note, with so much bait fish, I can't wait to catch a real fish in the near future.  There must be lots of monster trout in the reservoir with such abundant food.  I must be rusty from skipping last year, because I tried plugs, spinners, and spoons from the Ave Maria and didn't get ONE nibble!!!

Good thing there were other lakes nearby.  Half an hour away from camp central were Lake Kirkwood and Caples Lake.  We caught trout at both lakes.  More important, the children enjoy swimming, float tubing, swinging off a rope tied to a tree into the lake, and jumping off a 20-foot tree into the lake!!!

It was a very pleasant trip that ended too quickly.

God is good.

-JU signing out.

Oh, oh, the shape of my tummy is the same as the fish :-)

!?!?!?!

!?!?!??!?

I got a super cool Samurai Fisherman shirt as a present

First Fish for Sharkboy

 

One crayfish?!?!?

Little "j" with the biggest rainbow of the day

Artistic Fishergirl with the biggest and only Brook of the day!

Wait, are adults allow to have fun on float tubes?  Apparently, yes!  Here's a video:

First fish for Sharkboy captured on video:

Jumping off a 20-foot tree into the lake is lots of fun, even if you manage to slightly dislocate your shoulder and was sore for a few days....  Here's the video:

How Many Fish?

Last Friday (6/29) we went to Ice House for some fishing.  This time it was really fishing and NOT catching.  We fished from 9 AM until 1 PM with 6 rods in the water and no bite!  I went around the entire dam with a Kastmaster and saw only three fish looking at the lure.  I didn't count, but I am pretty certain I cast over a hundred times...

There were lots of minnows and a straggler big trout cruising by every now and then just to frustrate all the fishermen.

We presented just about every technique we know, but could not entice a bite!  We decided to pickup and head down the mountain at 1 PM.  Just as we were about to leave, a nearby fisherman screamed out indicating that we got a "fish on" on the pink pole.  Of course, Mrs. Miracles and the children were fighting over who get to  land the fish.  Master Fisherman ran towards the fishing pole and set the hook.  He battled the fish for a while before learning the drag was too loose and the fish would not come in.  But come in, it did.  It was a nice 15-inch hold over rainbow.  It was the lone fish that saved us from being skunk!

Ice House Reservoir

Lots of minnows

The one that didn't get away.

Same fish...