Striped Bass Fishing Red Hot!

Hey, that was the message I got from WizTech.  So you know I can't refuse an offer to go fishing in the morning.

I was at the Sac River way before 6:30 AM.  Paid for my parking, and later on was informed by WizTech that no parking fee is accessed for vehicle with no boat trailer?!?!?  Duh!  I was out 8 bucks before the day started.

On the bright side, on the first cast, I landed a fish!!!

Darn!  Not quite a keeper😁

We were joined 15 minutes later by a friend.

For the next two hours, the three of us kept on landing a bunch of little dudes....

Another little dude?

Around 9:00 AM, the friend caught a sucker fish around a foot long.  Immediately, I hooked it on and tossed it out hoping to catch a big whopper!

That's when it happened....  MY FISHING POLE SNAPPED!  This was the second time that I had broken a fishing pole in my 40 years plus of fishing.  Except that the last time my pole broke, I actually landed a 6-pound rainbow in the process.

Mental note to self: Do not use a ONE pound fish as bait from shore 😆

Since I didn't bring an extra heavy pole for striped bass fishing, I went home....

A short time later, WizTech sent me a picture and said that about 20 minutes after I left, he got a keeper!  God is good!

Have a blessed day,
-JU

While I'm Away....

Praise the Lord!

Took my son to orientation and signed up for classes in North Dakota.  We were delayed coming home by a day due to the severe weather in Minneapolis where our layover was scheduled....  But it was a great flight because we made it home safe and sound!  God is good!

Run way was being cleared of snow as we landed.

I am indebted to the State of North Dakota.  Blessed with meeting so many wonderful people there....  And, soon...  very soon...  the State would produce two college graduates for my children.  Yeah, baby, only another four to go!?!?!! 😀😁😂

Hanging out with cousins....

Children were fascinated with the Christmas tree?

My children have affectionately entitled the State as "The Frozen Tundra."  I would not know because I carefully choose to visit when the weather is pretty mild.  😊

It was the second week of April, but the weather reminded me of my last trip to South Lake Tahoe, where some of the smaller lakes were still half frozen.

Not so frozen.

Fish?  May be a walleye that I have never caught....

I visited the nearby waters and saw many boats; however, I did not get to fish, may be in the near future....

This video shows a chunk of snow/ice floating down the river.  I believe this may be the very first time that I witnessed this....

Meanwhile, one of my friends sent me pictures of success from the American River, back home in California:

Steelhead #1

Steelhead #2

WizTech, best friend since High School, sent in these pictures:

Lake Shasta, CA

Sacramento River, CA

 
Until next time...

Peace,
-JU

2018 Easter Break

We had a very solemn Lent this year.  Thus, when Easter Vigil came, it was party time!

Before the Easter Vigil Mass

He is risen!  Alleluia!

Compliments of my sister, we got to stay at Harrah's at South Lake Tahoe this year, very spacious accommodations with a beautiful view.

Sister, left & wife, right

Front entrance

Nice room

View from our room

Because the view of Lake Tahoe was so beautiful from the hotel window, I decided to take a closer look by walking to its shore.  On the way there, I met these beautiful students from the Philippines.  They are here on working Visas.  Welcome to the States....  I wish you well.  What a pleasure talking with you.

Welcome to South Shore

Let's get silly 😀

Da boys found a court to play hoops.

This wouldn't be a fishing blog if I didn't find a place to fish 😁  How about this place for fishing?

I was so mesmerized by the lake's beauty that I forgot to catch fish?!?!! 😎  Kidding aside, I did fish for an hour and didn't catch anything....

Then I went to another fishing hole with the same result: ZIP.

How come no one is watching the poles?

Did see a fish jump & one bait got stolen.

At least we ate well...

Let's go eat.

Vegetarian pho aka "Pho Chay."

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord let His Face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace.

Have a blessed Easter!
-JU

Too Busy For Fishing? Not!

I was busy with preparation for Holy Thursday when my dad called.

"Hey, they just stocked the local pond.  Come on out.  It's fun."

I confess.  I didn't want to go, but it's hard to say "No" when your awesome dad calls....  So I took along with me my lovely wife and my youngest daughter.  We spent an hour there and caught a couple of trout.

Here's a picture of my daughter with one of her two catches....

Happy Holy Week!

-JU

New Fishing Pond

At least for me, this is the first time I fished at this local pond.  I heard that SMUD stocked big trout here.

Decided to be lazy after awhile and sat in the shade 😀

I arrived around noon and saw a bunch of fly fishermen on float tubes.  There were a few boats too.  Since no gas motors are allowed in this pond, it is pretty quiet.  I saw a fisherman fishing from shore to the right of the dock, so I went left.  I had a pole with power ball and another with spinner.  I worked along the shore an hour without a hit, so I went back and talked with the local fisherman.  He said he didn't get any hits either.  Then I went to the right for another hour and a half before calling it quits.  Came back and talked with the local fisherman again.  This time he said he caught a small one and asked if I want it.  Does a pescotarian want fish?  "Yeah," I said after seeing that the "small" fish he caught was a 16-inch rainbow!!!  He said he caught some four pounders a few days ago and he didn't want this one.  There you have it: after fishing for two and a half hour, I caught ZIP.  My new friend caught one and gave it me.

A "small" 16-inch rainbow.  Wow!

I am living da dream.

Have a blessed day!
-JU

In Between Storms...

We have been getting a lot of rain on and off here in SacTown.  However, there are small windows of opportunities for fishing if you put in the time and effort!

Here are recent pictures that were sent in to me.

Grandmaster Fisherman

Two limits!!!

Have a blessed day!
-JU

Little Great Things in Life

Oh, yeah, eureka!!!  Last weekend,  MM and I went searching for a local brown trout "secret lake."  If it's so secret, how come there were already fishermen there when we arrived😂😁😇!?!  Now, I can't reveal what this lake is unless I want to loose some dear friends....  But, I will, however, post one picture of the lake.

Don't see anyone catching fish.

Finally, Tuesday, March 6th, I got hit with a 24-hr flu!  Is there such a thing?  Haven't been blessed with one for a long time, I have forgotten what it felt like: headache, body ache allover, chills, congested, and the works!!!  Now, you know JU loves to hug everyone to pass on God's love; so, it was befitting that he would have to carry some of that love back to know what it's like to be sick.  So, if you are sick, I pray that you will be well soon.  Like I said, just as quickly as it came, it went away just as quick.  I was pretty much well the following day.  God is Good!!!

Because I got better so quickly, I decided to take my 90-year-young dad fishing!  I took him to the Hagan Community Pond on Friday, March 9th.  We arrived around 10 AM and there were a bunch of fishermen there.  The word was that the pond was stocked with trout.  We found a spot removed from everyone.  First cast from dad: fish on!!!  I now know how it feels to find joy without catching a fish! I was overwhelmed with joy just looking at my dad fishing and having a good time.  I wonder if this is the feeling he had looking at me when I was little playing around and he pretended that he wasn't looking....  Or may be this is just my excuse for catching no fish while dad landed three half pounder.  He said that "they" stocked 'em big at this pond.  Just to clarify, this "half pounder" is each fish weighing 0.5 pound as compared to the American River steelhead "half pounder," where the term is used to describe juvenile steelhead weighing between 1 and 3 pound each!  Anyway, all is well.  God is Good!!!

Not in the picture, we were fishing to the left of these fishermen.

Finally, yesterday, MM and I went up the mountain to have a picnic at Pollock Pines and check out fishing conditions.  Here is the picture to inform you whether it is fishable 😁

Fishable?  Next month?

Have a blessed day!  God loves you!
-JU