Fun Anniversary Trip (FAT 30)

Yes, I am blessed to be married to my best friend for THIRTY YEARS!!!

This year, for FAT 30, we decided to visit our oldest brother in the East Coast.  He and his wife had planned out our entire trip.  What a great blessing.

Since Mrs. Miracles (MM) likes the City life, there would be visits to crowded life with lots of people.  But I, on the other hand, prefer the quiet soothing sounds of water, river, ocean, and mountains; so, my trips would include peace and quiet... and fishing!

First, we gotta get to the East Coast.  MM and I both have two carry-on bags for our planned air trip.  At the checkpoint, I was scanned and both of my bags were checked.  MM, on the other hand, was NOT scanned and her bags were NOT checked!  What's up with that?  The security guard told me that it's because I have food and fishing lures in my bags....  Sounds reasonable....

At Sac AP waiting for take off.

After the long flight with one short lay over in South Carolina, we were picked up by Big Brother and his wife in Rhode Island.  MM was tired and went to take a nap.  Meanwhile I got a tour of nearby rivers and streams in Rhode Island.  It was awesome!

Our gracious hosts for the week

When MM woke up from her nap, we got a chance to see the nearby beach and get some intel for fishing.

Nothing like getting fishing info from a local.

The following day (8/1), we went to New York.  It was a three-hour drive; that's nothing when you live in California and is used to the traffic.  We checked in to a hotel within walking distance of Central Park.


We had excellent sandwiches at Zabar's (local New York deli) before catching the Subway train to a ferry that would give us a glance at the Statue of Liberty.  This was a very first trip on the subway train for the both of us.  It was exciting to see all the people coming and leaving the train.  It brought back memory of our commute to work using the light rail train in Sacramento, CA.

First time on the subway train.

As soon as we exited the train station to walk to the ferry, we were approached by "friendly" staff that offered their services to get us to see the Statue of Liberty!  Fortunately, we were with Big Brother, who knew their tricks.  Those friendly staff turned out to be scammers trying to get some $$$ from unsuspecting tourists.  The ferry that goes past the Statue of Liberty is a FREE ride!!!  It was super fun to go on a ferry ride and took some pictures of the Statue of Liberty!

On the way back, we walked to the One World Trade Center (One WTC).  We visited the Twin Towers Memorial where the names of those who died there during the tragic 9/11 event were scripted. Colorful plastic flowers were placed by the names to commemorate their birth dates.

We visited the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.  It was closed, so we said a little prayer outside before heading on....

Some where along the way, we managed to have a beer at a Sport's Bar named Patrick's.  We ate dinner at a Chinese's restaurant that supposedly served "pho."  We ate good.

Then we took the subway once again to the Big Apple, where the New Year celebration took place.  From there, it got very interesting!  We decided to walk back to our hotel several miles away, thereby, visiting lots of tourist sites including St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Ed Sullivan's Theater, Times Square, Radio City, and Lincoln Center for Performing Arts.  We were tired and rested well at the hotel.

Friday (8/2) morning, we went back to Zabar's for a quick breakfast before visiting Central Park.  We walked towards the side with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.  Afterwards, we headed back to Rhode Island.  Due to traffic, it took us five hours to get to home base.

We didn't stay here, but took this picture for little "j"

Saturday (8/3) evening, we enjoyed an event called WaterFire Providence.  According to goprovidence.com, "WaterFire centers around a series of nearly 100 bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence. The string of fires illuminates nearly two-thirds of a mile of urban public spaces and parks, as residents and visitors gather to stroll along the river, listening to music and watching performances. Boats pass quietly before the flames, as black-clad performers tend the fires from sunset to midnight."  Another super fun event of listening to soothing music and seeing street performers.

Sunday(8/4) evening, we were treated to a night on a secluded beach in the camper.  The goal was for me to catch a big striper.  I was armed with bucktail jig and squid as bait.  I fished for an hour up and down the beach with the bucktail, but did not get any takers.  Just before sunset, I switched to the bottom rig with the squid as bait!  Immediately, I got a hit.  I was doubting that it was a hit, so I reeled the line back slowly to check the bait.  Sure enough, the bait was gone!!!  Thus, the next time I threw the line out, the same thing happened: I got another hit!  I instantly set the hook!   The miraculous thing is that MM had the cell phone camera on and recorded the whole thing!!!  I took my time cleaning the fish.  Big mistake!  The fish bites were super hot!  When done with cleaning the fish, I cast out for the third time and instantly got another hit!  I was too slow in setting the hook and the fish got away.  At that time, the wind died and mosquitoes and biting flies came to life!  I was not prepared (only short pants and short sleeve shirt with no bug repellents) and had to run for the camper or get my blood sucked out of me.  LOL.

The following morning (8/5), we woke up to a fantastic sunrise!!!  This time I was prepared for the bugs and caught more fish.  Unfortunately, the fish bites slowed down when the sun was out.  I managed to land a sea robin while targeting striper with the bucktail.  I even got a crab trying to steal the squid bait.  What a fun fishing trip!

Sadly, the FAT 30 had to come to a closing!  But not before a trip to visit the sea cliffs at Newport, Rhode Island.  We took a fantastic walk along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and had lobster roll for lunch!

On the trip home, I put fishing lures in MM's bags.  However, at the airport checkpoint, the security guard again checked my bag, but neglected to check my wife's bags?!?!?!

God is good!

Until next time, may God bless you always.

-JU

ACT 2019 - Fish Fry, Anyone?!?!

For the Johnny United Nation, another successful Annual Camping Trip is behind us.

With these, no fish can escape the frying pan.

I'll just net the fish if they don't bite.

No leak yet, let's go have fun.

The trusty Ave Maria.

The weather was fantastic for the first four days (Sunday through Wednesday).  Fish were caught throughout the day.  Then came Thursday and Friday...  out of nowhere, fishing was super HOT, HOT, HOT, on Thursday before the storm at 3 PM!!!  Rods were bending all day long on the west shore of Indian Creek Reservoir.  We were landing trout three feet off the bottom with mice tails.  Thus when the rain came, we were hesitant to pick up.  Unfortunately, when the rain came this time, the fish stopped biting.  We thought the rain would only last 10 minutes to half an hour, but it lasted until 8:30 PM.  We picked up at 3:30 PM and went to a nearby town for dinner 👍  What a life!

I had forgotten how fast and furious the rain can get in the Sierra.  A trickle became BIG BUCKETS of rain drops within seconds!  A mental reminder for next time is to have a poncho packed in one of our pockets.  LOL.

Although, we saw two trophy sized rainbow (5.5# and 3#)  landed this week, they did not came out of our group.  However, we caught rainbows and golden shiner ALL DAY long.  Lots of first time campers and first time fishermen landed their first trout.  It was the American Dream to be there to witness the joy on the kids faces.

The children and adults had a blast paddling the Ave Marie (16' polyethylene canoe) for recreation and fishing!!!  Over many years of usage, the canoe developed a 2" leak on the bottom of the bow on Thursday night.  So when I went out for my morning dark thirty run, I had a difficult time paddling.  When I arrived near the other side of the reservoir, the canoe was filled with water.  I was considering if I can make it back to camp, when it happened.  My fishing pole fell into the water; the canoe capsized; and I found myself under the canoe.  I felt for the side of the canoe, ducked underneath and swam to the surface.  I was only less than twenty feet from shore, so I was able to easily swam to it.  In the process, I lost two poles, gopro with all the footage for the week, sunglasses, and jacket.  I then hiked to the nearest and only fisherman at the reservoir for a ride back to camp.  WizTech and I came back and retrieved the canoe after I had breakfast and coffee.  God is good!

All in all, it was an amazing week full of blessings with family, friends, and lots of fish fry.

See video here:

Until next time,
-JU signing out.

2019 Salmon Season in California, but I Digress...

Hello Family and Friends,

It's been awhile since I last blogged.  But if you are proficient with videos, you may have noticed that I have been busy with updating and editing the YouTube Johnny United Nation Fishing channel.

Lots of good things happening in my life right now and I will be slowing down with blogging, but increasing videos for the YouTube channel.

First off, last week, I got to visit my friend Sifu Jody Perry at the Marinoble's Martial Arts & Kickboxing School located at 188 Cirby Way #110, Roseville, CA 95678.

Sifu Jody is releasing his book, a training manual for wrestlers, grapplers, and mixed martial artists.  I was very honored to be invited to this event!  Additionally, while I was there, I met up with Dave Marinoble.  What a fantastic individual and an all around great guy!  It turned out, we both learned Wing Chun Kung Fu from the same teacher, Sifu Eddie Chong.  What a small world.

If you are interested in the Martial Arts, check out the Marinoble School.

Now back to fishing....

The salmon season opened on July 16th here in Sacramento, CA.  I was busy making more salmon spinning lures.  Can't wait to show you guys when I land a salmon with these new lures.  I retired the four prototypes that caught the four salmon last year.  To be honest, I didn't want to donate those lures to the river since I have proof that they worked!

I have been fishing for the last three days in the Sacramento River near the Walnut Grove areas with local fellow salmon fishermen.  So far, no one has landed while I was there.  We did see some salmon rolled, so that's a good sign.

I will be on vacation for the next couple of weeks, fishing in the Sierra...  and yes, fishing in the East Coast!!!  Stay tuned for future info.

God loves you.

-JU signing out

2019 First Shad for JU!!!

Yes, I am told that it's too late for shad.  But hey, better late than never 👍

I kept dreaming about shad in the American River since I last fished with Kong.   I got all my rigs ready this time: pink and chartreuse.  These are the HOT colors for shad.

I arrived at 6 AM and ready to go.  I was the only brother out there.  I used pink grubs first, and on my third cast...  BOOM!  FISH ON!  I  was so excited, but the fight was short lived.  The fish got off 😒  My first solid hookup, and the shad got off!

However, a few minutes later, the tug was repeated.  It's not even 6:15 AM yet.  Opps, I forgot my net.  Shad have super soft mouths and they're nicknamed "Cotton mouth."  So I finessed the shad and was rewarded with the first shad of 2019 from the American River, from the bank.  Actually, this might even be my very first ever shad from the bank or at least it's been such a long time that I can't remember the last time I got one from the bank.  My shad fishing have been mostly from the boat with the Captain or PRO-Fisherman.  I was super jazzed to say the least!

JU's First Shad for 2019!

At around 6:30 AM, I was joined by two of Kong's friends.  The more fishermen, the merrier.  They fished with me for an hour and then took off.  They were not able to catch any today at this location.  They believe the shad are higher up the river, perhaps, at the Harrington Access.

Anyway, I continue fishing until 8:00 AM.  For two hours of fishing, I got FIVE solid grabs and landed THREE!  What a great way to start the weekend.  God is good!

Here's the video:

Peace out,
-JU

Scouting Fishing Trip to the Sierra

So on Friday and Saturday before Father's Day, the Missus attended a Women's Retreat at Zephyr Cove, NV.  This was an excellent opportunity for JU, Striker, Litter "j," and Lion to go fishing.

Well we couldn't go Friday because it was late when we were free.  However, we were treated to a spectacular sunset at Zephyr Cove:

Then on Saturday, the Missus attended the retreat from 9 AM to 5 PM.  This gave us the opportunity to check out some fishing holes in the Sierra.

We went to Hope Valley.  There were some fishermen there... but no one caught any.

Then onto some locations at the West Carson River.  "Nada."

Locations at East Carson River resulted with nothing also.

We checked out Caples Lake; it was still half-frozen.  About half a dozen fishermen were at the dam, but no one caught anything....

Finally we went to Indian Creek Reservoir (ICR).  The group camping site was packed with campers - the most that I have seen in the past 30 years!  Now that ICR can be reserved online, it's gonna be tough to make reservations for the group site.

Through out the reservoir were fishermen.  We fished to the east of the boat ramp.  We thought we might be skunked for the entire weekend, but that was not the case.  We used worms 3-foot under a bobber and landed fish left and right!  Unfortunately, the fish were not trout and we didn't want to keep them.  Lion and Little "j" had a blast catching and releasing fish for the rest of the day.

On the way out, I met a fisherman with a kayak.  He gave me the "intel" that he and his dad limited out on trout!  He said the trick was to get beyond the weed lines.  He and his dad were using power bait with a Carolina rig.

This is good to know for next month when we will revisit this reservoir.

Have a blessed day!
-JU

Video:

Bank Fishing for Shad from the American River

I saw a YouTube video last night showing shad on the American River at a location that I recognized.  So when I woke up this morning at 5:30 AM, I decided to go test it out.  Unfortunately, I was not prepared like I usually am because of an impulse decision to go shad fishing 😂

I got to the location at 6:30 AM and there was already a fisherman there.  I only had two split shots with me and lost it due to a snag about half an hour into fishing.  It was a good thing my new found friend had extras to give me.  He had been fishing since 6 AM.  He saw one shad swam by earlier, but had not gotten any bites.  The next hour or so both of us were taking turn tossing out our rigs....  Then there was a boat that sped by.  I got a hit right away, but miss the fish.  My friend caught and landed his....  He took off around 8:30AM

Catch and release: Lone fish of the day...

I tried for a total of three hours with a couple of hits, but couldn't land any?!?!?!  I lost about four or five rigs and decided to call it quits.

A fantastically beautiful day for fishing....

Here's the video:

God is good!

Until next time, peace out.
-JU

Two Simple Techniques to Put Bass in Your Live Well

Yes, there are probably many other ways to fish for bass from a boat.  That is why fishing for bass is a multi-billion dollar industry!

Grandmaster Fisherman (GMF) showed me two very simple techniques that consistently produce, i.e., using live minnows and roboworms.  I have shared with you all how to rig up from my previous blog posts and videos.

Once again, today out at Folsom Lake the wind was around 16 mph.  The water was very choppy.  However, we fished for three hours and were blessed with two limits!

God is good!

Chunky bass

From left to right: Smallmouth, Spotted, and Largemouth Bass

Video: