Darth-Baiter

I cant help myself. I was at training the entire week. just got home. learned some new stuff. not so much work stuff. but FISHING STUFF. I was talking to an instructor, a friend. we were talking about Shasta Lake. I said, "my biggest spotted bass is a paltry 1.5lb fish - I want a 3+". him and two other instructors (eaves-dropping) all muttered together. "you need to go to lake ______!" what? apparently they are all buds, and this is their secret lake. they know I dont live close, so I won't blitzkrieg it with my jigs. I googled it and about fell out of my chair. it looks like the JUICE. cottonwood trees, rock piles... I texted my wife, "hey do we have plans this weekend?". "sunday". grrrrr.... I am going out at 2:30 am if I have to..fish, and drive back for a one day trip. Saturday. 146 miles. this is pushing my limit. Shasta is further, but I camp overnight. I promised to go solo, to keep it kinda on the down-low. I learned stuff really good training class.

its hot!! 28 degrees over normal. I just loaded my truck for tomorrow's fishing trip and I am juicy. I bet the bass are confused. hope they are hungry. hahhaha... taking huge bladder of water. and a insulated bottle in the truck for the drive home full of iced water.

I am in great company with this group. honored. hahah..

I think I read something about being exempt in OK if you are born before 1923!! hahah...

^^ I think so. my friend keeps sending pics of big smallies

my home state, check. Oklahoma Check - plus the one for Lake Texoma Alaska, check. will need a Minnesota one as well. gah..I'm poor now.

I balked at the price. Then they sold out.

^^me buying myself an electric leaf blower was a monumental improvement.

almost here!~! found some untapped BLM land loaded with birds. and a friend told me I can hunt his ranch. choices. I love me some choices.

I went old school with the money belt. haha. I just estimated my tips and got denominations I thought would fit.

I'm actually surprised that so many bass boat guys around me play music. I love music, but I have never turned the radio on in a boat. having said that; an audiobook playing quietly within earshot is kinda my thing now. I'm casting and doing my thing. the phone in my PFD is reading a great book to me. I used to play it louder so I could hear it, but now I just hang the mic up in the open PFD pocket and play it only for my ears. wake boats dont play music..they have concerts..hahah..

I am not exaggerating. Worst work week ever of my career. I triple checked my retirement numbers even. I was this close to reacting to my surroundings by removing myself from the situation. I love solving engineering construction problems. People problems go against my very nature. I rallied and loaded my kayak and gear last night. In my distraction, I left packing zero food. Oh-o. I checked. I at least had water. I wouldn’t die 😀 I pulled up to my secret lake in the dark. Pit toilets were still locked from the off season. O no. I got this. Hahaha. Anyways the wind came up fast, but I whispered to whomever was listening. Please keep me safe, and maybe two fish? I chuckled and eased out into the semi turbulent muddy lake. Two fish! Let’s do this. I got my two fish. One shallow and one deep. A 4.5 and one I tried to will into a 5. It was just an ice cube short. So fun and therapeutic. I hooked a few hard slamming pike-minnow and realized waves were capped w white and I got the occasional slap of water into my kayak. The last straw was my stomach growling. Two fish. And I’m so happy and grateful. I love March.

My bud swears by JB Line One.

Wind sucks. I have a no-go limit of 10mph. It’s awful even then. I just let mild wind push me. I have no anchors.

Dang. Sweet tour

Thanks @BigAngus752 !! the bass boat guys were, "hey, what book are you listening to?" we dang near started a book club out there. the group skunking, was a nice team builder. ha.

water was up to 62 in some spots. I assume muddy waters heat up quicker because of the darker color. dirtiest water ever. zero vis. my cranks would come back with the hooks loaded with tiny sticks. moving my kayak thru the water was like bobbing for apples. I was clunking on semi-submerged stuff. the parking lot was flooded. I parked on dry land, and eased my kayak into the water directly from the asphalt. total skunk for Me..and all the bass boats around me. I took the opportunity to catch up on an audiobook. hahahha

gah. I cant believe it is march already!! I am loaded up and headed out tomorrow to my lake that I have affectionally nicknamed, "my kryptonite". the lake is full, and looking beautiful. I am going to get there early and hammer the coves, and shallow waters looking for bass feeding to pre for a session of hot bass loving. it is my most difficult lake. its deep and deep. I skunk there often. bums me out. but unfortunately, it is my closest big lake. it is a short drive. Water getting into the upper 50's = Pre Spawn?

I vote kayak. I feel like I am up close and personal to the fishing experience. it's more challenging, so I think it's making me a better fisherman. going out with a group of kayaking buds is a highlight. I cant imagine a group of friends going out in a Jon-Boat armada. I like how it's so raw really. I could actually flip and eff myself up. keeps me on my toes. I love it.

the 5" worm. learned it as a young person on a lake in Mexico.. total strangers on that trip gave us hooks, sinkers, and worms and some instructions. never fished a worm before then. that tick of a bite became an obsession. I wish they still make that old school motor oil color.

sunday. it was crowded and I am an inexperienced crowd runner. I was very very polite and never pushed through the crowds. the amount of people walking the 10k was staggering, and apparently the strategy is to walk into the bottle neck corners 4-wide. hahah.. my friend was, "move over!'........he left me in the dust. after he left me unceremoniously: I picked a tiny young college lady to pace me. we were kicking butt...until we weren't. she apparently is a polite runner as well. as the race progressed and we spread out, she found running room, and left me mouth agape. she was like a gazelle. oh well. lone wolf running it is. I found my comfy place and just ran my run. my goal was to NOT STOP and take a knee anywhere. my lungs were pulling their weight...my legs were the suffering part. I could breath easy, my legs. sore. never loved the sight of a finish line more. haha.. crossed it and found my apologetic buddy waiting for me. I am happy he got to haul ass...I wouldnt have been able to pace him anyways. he is always the better runner. I jogged my morning routine the next morning and it was tough. I made it. legs sore. I am thankful it is raining this morning. taking an off day!! next run? the hedonistic Bay to Breakers run. longer, and much hills. it is going to be gross. :D thanks to all this running. I am going to start putting in for archery elk tags. time for one more backpack elk bow hunt. arguably the most difficult thing I have ever participated in. it will be nice to be able to breath while hunting...my lungs are vastly breathier.

definitely a kayaker. sitting in a boat seems so lux. I agree, the guy in the Everglades on a kayak.

Dang. Be safe sir!!

I'm 90% on the water fishing. kayak-boat. having said that: my favorite trip of the year is my annual run to Lake Texoma fishing from the shore for stripers. casting distance contest with the circle of buds, hard hitting topwater bites. it is so much fun!! some trips we do so much better than the boats just trolling beyond our casts.

Kill switch around the ankle is good. I’ll try it. Right now I have a long lanyard permanently tied to my pfd. I can stand