Darth-Baiter

What the hell. I’m gonna check out a potential “secret spot” tomorrow. I’ll prob get skunked, but the trip is as much about recon (for spring) as it is fishing. On the delta, anything can happen. I hope it happens at least once.

If I find myself on a lake flat as a swimming pool; I notice bass will congregate on even the tiniest structure. A tiny hump or depression, the most minuscule bush, a stick. Anything different. Look for those.

I haven’t needed a crank bait rod yet.

I took a questionnaire at my doctors office. It was titled “how long will you live?” the first third of the questions was about my sun protection practices. Use of sunscreen, hats, etc. the rest of the questions were about, diet, booze, smoking, exercise, risky behaviors. apparently skin cancer kills a lot of us! It outweighed the other risks. I fish exclusively in long sleeve sun shirts and pants. Floppy hat and a sun gaiter. I look like I’m ready for the Sahara. I wear a hat full time since my hair follicles are nothing but a bunch of quitters.

No problem. People do it all the time. They empty the boat first. Pedal drive out, all the gear, etc into the car. kayak goes on the roof rack upside down, cam strapped down. Sedans are easy because the roof line is so low.

I think I will hold the fish up triumphantly, show my friends, weigh it, measure it, and let it go. I don’t need my name on the record.

This. Plus moisten it.

To fish or drink? That place is not on the lake.

Kayak fishing has been the best thing for me. I use the long cast all the time. I’ve taken my first fall fish of my life. Before, I gave it up when the leaves turned color. a January bass? I have all the confidence in the world. It might not happen tomorrow (that would be awesome) but I have all month. A kayak is quiet. Very quiet.

Just checked my kayak for cleanliness. Hate to fail a quagga mussel inspection because my kayak is wet. hoping to catch 2021’s first bass. Trust me; I’m counting dinks. Anyone is welcome to join up. I’m in the camo Hobie Compass. Launch at the main ramp and checking out the warm-springs arm. any tips? hapoy New Years people! Let’s do this.

I fish solo most of the time. I still talk to myself. my saying (that I noted above); “here we go..”. I mumble to myself for a myriad of reasons. A phone call I’m expecting, a turkey walking into my archery shooting lane, waitress putting down a plate of food, AND the tap-tap-tap of a bass sucking in my bait offering. ”here we go”. It just works for me, and it’s like a signal fir me to get to work (ot something). I’m weird.

I’m like my job and I’m good at it. In looking at retirement, I’m not going anywhere.

Any fish?

I’m so burnt out at work. Tired and ornery. I got furloughed at work, but the work load never let up. I want to burn up my accrued time in one glorious month. I’m thinking of fishing a lot. Me and my kayak. I’m leaning towards March simply because it is here quicker than April. Camp out at some of the further lakes. I have the California Delta, Clearlake... Berryessa! not sure my boss will let me disappear for that long. But I’ll try.

I’m loving my phenix maxim med spinning. Comfy and light. Solid lockup at the reel seat. it has the wire hook at the back of the handle to store a dropshot rig neatly.

Vessel. Car and kayak. 7 footer fits in my truck easily for transport. 7 footer works for my kayak. I can coax a fish from one side of my kayak around the nose. Almost bare minimum. Longer gets entertaining to run the line thru the eyelets.

I’m a kayak guy. I also just got the 704 from TW over the holidays. But I got the Sierra version. I bet I can’t tell the diff between the Fury and Sierra blindfolded. i paired it with an extra Abu RevoSX in 6.4:1 for chatter baits and such. it cast d**n well. No fish yet, but soon. My local bass are drop-shot only right now. My jigs go without love. And chatterbaits, nada.

“Here we go....”

Bethel island /franks tract can be as big or small as you want. It will be my spot when it gets warmer.

I can’t wait until a hot 100 deg day. Seems like it would really limit where the bass will go. I’ll be a punching fool.

Walleye is king of the freshwater fish for me. I cooked these right out of the water in Oregon.

The t-wing is smart. Real smart

I’m running the Nocqua. There were some growing pains with my first battery. It would only charge to 11.99V and it seemed to tick down very quickly running my Hook REVEAL 5. (0.9a per hour) I contacted Nocqua and they sent me a replacement battery asking only that I send in my existing unit. (Honor system). - GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE! Very trusting. I just got the battery yesterday (the replacement). I’m running my FF in Demo mode to run the battery down somewhat - like the instructions state. I hope this new battery works better. I hope it charges to 12.4v like I think it should. My old battery was short five hours of run time straight out of the gate. if it still sucks, I’m buying a local guys battery. 12 17amp hour. He puts it in a battery box with plugs and switches. Saves me the time and money of building my own battery box. I would have and external volt meter, usb ports, and other shanaigans if I built my own. Probably cost me $500 not including the ER copay when I cut my hands, or get a shard in my eye the guy is on a local kayak forum.

I think my first BC reel was a “magforce”. Daiwa?? It had a magnetic brake. I was a kid, and I backlashed that thing a few time to the point of no return. I did get better at casting. Back then I was fishing Elephant Butte lake for white bass. (The Sassy shad!) I assume further back, there was no brake? 100% thumb action? Man! How tough was that?!

I froze my butt this morning. Water blew into my left boot and I spent the morning tapping my foot to remind it to stay alive one fish. One fish for all my shivering. The cover charge was not worth the show. stepping calf-deep into water in 32 deg ambient temp is interesting.