Randy, Mike (Dangerous Trebles) and I put in at Russos Sunday at 7:00 AM.

Delta dawn

Russos 7:00 AM.

I love this time of year on the delta. Wind lays down most days, sunrises and sunsets are often spectacular, wildlife on the move, what a precious resource. Russos is a throwback  to a gentler time. A family owned and operated marina. Very cool people.

Cali Chemtrails

Randy calls for a bold ( and slightly cold) run way out west so we flew to a point west of Broad Slough known as the Steel. Halfway through outgoing tide, no wind to speak of. Not a great low tide spot but there was a seam of current there that kicked out a decent fish on the Big Hammer.

My first striper of the fall season. Very hot fish.

Smug mug, blood on the rug

Worked this area for a bit while the tide drained out but knew we had to stay with current and depth so we hit a  dozen spots between Sherman and Grizzly Bay.

We fished Lucky Craft Pointers, Big Hammers, Rattle traps, Poppers, Punkers and spooks. Theme was run and gun, f the fuel bill.

Poopwater

Slow going overall. Worked our way back east to Mildreds and numerous points on the San Joaquin River. Tons of hydrilla everywhere in the river. Ended up in Franks with the usual dusk pop of bait and diaper stripers on top. Bone super spook made things easy but we could not get the bigger fish to go.

North end of Franks

Beautiful sunset.

South and east

North and West

Off the water at 7 for a 12 hr shift.

The runs is not here yet but I am now on the clock and should be fishing this bite regularly until Mid September.

Just got back from a 4 day houseboat trip to Shasta.

Good times.

I drove up with brothers Mike and Carl McG. We met our host Mel, and his crew Anthony and John who had been on the houseboat for 3 days already.

Holiday Harbor

We launched my tin can and tethered it to the mother ship with Mel’s 26 foot Regal strapped to the other side.

Spent the first night west of the 5 bridge.

Fishing was ok for rainbow trout and easy for spotted bass. A fair amount of fuzzy trout in the mix, water temp 72-75.

Pikeminnow

A few of the trout we caught managed to slip out of our hands and bounce into the water and became part of the food chain themselves

One baldy hit the water hard and failed to grip and go. We figured he was a young one who was practicing.

Sunset in the McCloud arm

Company, food and drink was off the charts. Don’t mess with the brothers, they are armed.

Mel and I with help from all ran lines all day and night. We ran stacked downriggers and various surface runners on the troll, minnows under bobbers, minnows and crawlers on the bottom tied up. At night we ran 2 floating crappie lights and chummed all of the moldy bagels. We found the mother lode where the McCLoud dumps in with bait by the acre and fish going apeshit on top. I tossed blue and silver kastmasters for hours with all the spotted bass I wanted to catch with a few bows mixed in.

The bass were puking buckets of 1 inch shad as they joined me on board. Blue/silver anything worked. White worked, all silver worked. Kastmasters, Little Cleos, Wee Tads, Shad Raps etc.

As we staked off to shore each day a few rounds were fired from some interesting iron replete with master machinist mods. No pics of this ordinance.

Bagel Target Tree

Was tough to push off the Mothership Wednesday as it made its way to the Pit Arm.

Shasta. Go there now.

No shots of the big boys but some cool shots of the mosquito fleet

I got an invitation to join fishing legend Bev S. and Kayaking champion Sin Coast to fish Stillwater near Carmel. I don’t have a lot of ocean kayaking experience so I was amped/bugged. Up at 4:30 AM after a fitful night sleep. Stopped for coffee and notice trailer lights nonop but I am on a mission. . On the road at 5 but had to turn around 5 minutes later. Forgot my FF battery and radio. Light fog coming into Monterey and absolutely no wind. P town to Stillwater 1 hr 50 minutes Paid the tithe at 17 mile drive and wound my way through the incredible opulence of Pebble Beach down to the mighty exclusive launch at the Beach Club. Bev and Pat were mostly rigged and we were on the water at 8.

Braving the shorebreak

MIss Pebble Beach 2013

Sin Coast
Our Host

Eye candy

We rounded the corner and and saw some birds and whaleage out about a mile but the guide  herded us out to 90 feet of water working the kelp edges. Lots of live around with harbor seals, leapord seals, sea otters, pelicans etc keeping me company.  I was doing ok in maybe 3 ft swells every 10 seconds but not entirely comfortable. Drift was moderate and I stayed right on the kelp edge. Huge jellyfish everywhere.The AI with one AMA and tramp was very stable if not particularly agile. I picked away at some bolinas and blacks. Pat and Bev headed out around the point. Lost a Pline jig and tied another on in white and caught a couple more small ones. Heard my compadres on the radio but they could not hear me. Around 11:00 I had had enough with full bladder and feeling very tired.

Loaded up quickly and was home by 1:00. Thank you Bev and Pat for the invite, my apologies for not hanging around and hope you guys got into them.

Stillwater is a very special place. Perfect for a beginner oceanaut.

Made the annual pilgrimage to Laguna Seca for the Historics.
Stopped at Phils in Moss Landing for a double order of Cioppino for Friday night dinner. What followed was 2 days of man and his marvelous machines. Enjoy!

Stacks

Set up camp and headed into Monterey for some scenery scouting. Rode the waterfront for a relaxing afternoon with my son.

5 rods in the water from 9 to 3:30. 2 trout. Fished Dux, muir and the middle grounds. Saw a few nets swinging but no love for the Peridotians.Spectacular weather with views from Russian River to Linda Mar north to south and Farallones to Diablo West to East.

Dux to the gate

Double Pt

Tam

South Island

Diablo from the channel buoy entrance

Chert and Serpentine

Diving Pemican

Bait up tight at Muir

Home Port

The Bird and I hit up South Lake Tahoe first of August. HOA was in town. Buncha old people LOL. Wurnt no furrin kerz, thay zall murkin

Neo and Stellarman met Dangerous Trebles and yours truly at South Beach harbor at a leisurely 8 AM and flew (in relative terms) out the gate. We took a look at Muir but Jerry makes the call for DR1. Radar lit up and we found the fleet in a stately dance around the green can. I believe Steve was up first and Jerry joined him in a menage a deux.

Paso Dobles

Not many birds and spotty signs of bait. Mike gets hit west of the bouy.

17 lbs

35-40 pulls 2 lb balls. Crippled anchovy with watermelon worked. FBR worked, RSK worked. Mike helpfully reels in my fish.

4 in the box

Plenty of people out there. Great weather, point and click was right on.

Stellmans $40 cabelas rod goes off again.

Nice grade today

Solid crew today, I stayed on the bridge and took pictures. One early net mishap but other than that crew was spot on.

Killers

2 drivebys

Some good runs today

My good friend Mel G was on the C-gull and reported 15 fish for 8 people up to 30#. We went 5 for 4. Radio was strangely quiet. At least 12 party boats in the area and lots of nets flying

Contact averted

Easy ride back in. Giants losing in the background as soundtrack while Jerry cleaned the fish.

5 spot

Dinner guests

Jerry gets some head

If you want to catch fish take Jerry fishing. He is en fuego.

In the pink

Eggs were not quite ripe

Ovum

Should be crazy in the next two-three weeks out the gate.

Made our annual trek to Spicer July13th-15. 8 of us rolled down the road to the lake Friday  noonish. Lake was stunning as usual but down a fair amount so we knew it would be a trek to carry the beer up to our island camping spot 3 miles up the lake. I Peddled/sailed there with a fair load of gear while my bro ferried three loads from the ramp to our camp in the tin can. This is luxury camping in a jaw dropping setting at 7500 ft surrounded by higher peaks.

We found a natural harbor below our spot. Set up the all important kitchenAnd prepared for the burning Below is the view looking north from my tent Little Brother Luz D’Alma Room with a view The Cook Athena and the Cook Tribal offerings ensued Things got a little fuzzy Saturday AM too beautiful for words. Time to Climb Stonedmasonry Skeeter nursery and Opsrey Condos We group climbed about 1500 feet for the long view I love scrambling the granite domes. After pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw and bean salad I hit up the sailing for a while. Had 7-10 MPH winds that were  erratic but fun. Had Debra ride the tramps for a while and she now knows what my new obsession is about. Back in the harbor for wine tasting You can never have enough wood Freekin off the hook Wedding soup, spinach salad and  garlic bread off the O grill Packed it up early Sunday. Sailed back to the launch but had to peddle a bit. Slice o heaven

Gallery here

http://s280.photobucket.com/user/ppicker/slideshow/New%20Spicer%20Meadows%20Reservoir%20July%202013?sort=2

Dangerous Trebles and I hit Russos at 6:30 AM to find trolling motor batteries kaput. We ran over to the Hook in Oakley and $400 later were in the water. We ran down to Holland and commenced to Froggin at low tide. Thought I heard some noises from the motor so ran back up to Franks so that if something happened we would be close to the marina. Ran the tules on the west side of Franks for a steady frog bite. Best 5 maybe 20 lbs with some nice size blowups missed. Some action on the spinner bait as well.