Lake Stripers

[Rancanfish]

Well I had to test my upgraded drags on my Stradic 1000's so I headed to a local lake here, in a search of a little dinner.   

I was first to launch, just as the light from sunrise was still a few minutes away.  I wasn't 30 yards out and 'bloosh', a striper popped a minnow near me.  I was thinking that may be a good sign.  Then it happened.
Bloosh, bloosh,bloosh, bloosh.....I was in the middle of the school!

I cast out a small hair raiser and 'bam', first fish, 17" striper.  Released.  Then another.  Then the school moved off.

I then proceeded to have some kind of weird spinner backlash going on that took out 3 of my 4 spinning reels in huge tangles.  I was down to the last and it only had 4lb test!  So when I got near the school again, I tossed out a small plastic curl tailed fish.  Bam! It took awhile but I brought in another schoolie. By this point I was smiling.  I have fished this lake since the late eighties and this was the first time I had been able to catch multiple stripers, and only caught my first a few weeks ago.

I then noticed that the water was absolutely boiling about 100 yards away.  I ignored it at first because I figured they would be long gone by the time I got there in my little battery powered boat. But then it kept going for what seemed like 10 minutes, so I headed that way.

Without exaggeration, I proceeded to follow what appeared to be three different groups for the next 3-1/2 hours.  Now I was laughing out loud.  I never went more than about 7 minutes between catches.  I had stopped and straightened out one of the Stradics, and had put the jig back in business.  I even gave a keeper to a guy anchored using bait, that suffered while watching me hammer them.  I handed him copies of both baits I was using and said good luck.

I am an all day fisher type, but after a half day I called it quits, I was hurting everywhere.  I got two big shouldered 22" inchers for dinner. On the way back to the launch ramp I caught three more just casting off opposite sides of the boat playing around.  The last one was lipped and as I was reaching for the jig, he shook hard, and I dropped him.  Line snapped and my 'Lucky' jig was gone! 

A day I will never forget. I only got one pic and it was at the fish cleaning station. You've seen a bag of meat before right?   

The Stradic drag upgrade worked fine.

[Steve-O]

Great report, Randy!  And yea....most have seen a bag of fillets before. That kind of hurting everywhere is the best kind.

I learned from some hard river muck slogging Alaska fishing trips to take the Ibuprofen BEFORE you fish...and then again afterwards. sore smile muscles need no medication, however. I bet you had bass thumb too, didn't ya?

[Rancanfish]

Thanks. I forgot that part.   

Off to the Giants vs San Diego day game for Sunday.  Still hoping the Dodgers choke while swimming in AZ's pool.   

[Dominick]

Thanks. I forgot that part.   

Off to the Giants vs San Diego day game for Sunday.  Still hoping the Dodgers choke while swimming in AZ's pool.   

amen brother...I hope they choke also.  But it looks like Mattingly has pulled the "stars" together.  I still am rooting for my guys.  Go Giants.  Dominick

[Rancanfish]

We won!  Dodgers were ahead last I saw.......

[HOLEINTHEWATER]

WHAT LAKE YOU FISHING ? SOUNDS LIKE SOME DAYS WE HAVE HAD ON LAKE POWELL. 
STRIPPER BOILS ARE A RUSH.

[bluefish69]

Thanks. I forgot that part.   

Off to the Giants vs San Diego day game for Sunday.  Still hoping the Dodgers choke while swimming in AZ's pool.   

amen brother...I hope they choke also.  But it looks like Mattingly has pulled the "stars" together.  I still am rooting for my guys.  Go Giants.  Dominick

The Brooklyn Boys NEVER CHOKE

Mike

[Rancanfish]

Guffaw Kershaw.  Go mets.