Great day for a limit of smallies
Jan 20, 2021 16:05:02 #
About 70 today with 2 mph wind and on my way home from town I decided to break in the new hat with a limit of smallies fishing the brush piles (zoom to the far bank in the first picture to see) that are all up and down the bank of the river by my house. Was getting excited about trying some new baits in timber with current breaks. Decided to take a look first before coming back with the boat. Nothing but bad news. Those brush piles are supposed to be mostly underwater. The boat ramp ended three feet (if that) into the river. The boat dock was in six inches of water on top of a sand bar. Pretty darn discouraging to have this kind of weather but no water to fish in. Guess I'll go take the cover off the boat, put the electronics in demo mode, tie on some rubber weights and fantasy fish in the sun. I'm going to call it the NorCal visualization fishing technique. I can already see a 26lb smallie limit today. Would have been 30 lbs but that 11 lber spit the lure right at the net! A heart breaker!
Jan 20, 2021 16:23:03 #
TomTrack44
Loc: Petaluma, CA
I like your sense of humor, had almost that bad today myself, beautiful day to get some things done around the house, would rather be fishing!!!
Jan 20, 2021 18:38:57 #
NoCal Steve wrote:
About 70 today with 2 mph wind and on my way home ... (show quote)
That brush looks awesome Steve, just add wawa. Cnt launch da boat wit no wawa!!! I ran into that a couple times last year, it sucks.
I like the virtual tour idea, the fish are always biting!
Jan 20, 2021 19:00:33 #
Jan 21, 2021 04:36:19 #
Fredfish wrote:
That brush looks awesome Steve, just add wawa. Cnt launch da boat wit no wawa!!! I ran into that a couple times last year, it sucks.
I like the virtual tour idea, the fish are always biting!
I like the virtual tour idea, the fish are always biting!
I just seem to catch bigger fish to!
You know I really don't want to bad mouth or be angry with the concrete jungle dwellers down South or the Central Valley farms that only get by because of our water. That river in the pic is fed by the same lake that supplies the California aquaduct. More water is going into the aquaduct right now than the river. I've lived here my whole life Fred. How am I supposed to feel now that I can't even go fishing in January? I gotts get my family to move to Texas or SC!
Jan 21, 2021 06:20:26 #
NoCal Steve wrote:
I just seem to catch bigger fish to! br You know... (show quote)
Well the song might say "it never rains in Southern California ", but anywhere that don't get rain, gets dry. The weather patterns the last couple years have been out of sync. We have had moderate drought conditions for 2 out of 3yrs.
Jan 21, 2021 09:08:25 #
Fredfish wrote:
Well the song might say "it never rains in Southern California ", but anywhere that don't get rain, gets dry. The weather patterns the last couple years have been out of sync. We have had moderate drought conditions for 2 out of 3yrs.
As you know I often brag on Cali and tease the Texas boys mercilessly but the other night I was thinking about mostly hunting and fishing but, other outdoor activites. I started North to South on the left coast and then South to North across the entire US, one state at a time. I was blown away by the wealth of outdoor opportunities (except for a couple of small states on the east coast where I simply had no knowledge) available to us in this great Nation. I was thinking God truly has blessed the USA. But, I can't help but wonder if we have damaged our planet irrevocably? Is what we see today going to be considered part of an era never to be seen again? What can I do today to help? How can I get my children excited about cleaning up a mess they are not responsible for? A lot of heavy questions....
Jan 21, 2021 14:13:02 #
mike.v
Loc: calaveras county, ca
Which river is that?
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
Jan 21, 2021 14:32:38 #
NoCal Steve wrote:
About 70 today with 2 mph wind and on my way home ... (show quote)
Sorry Steve, but I like the visual technique. It’s happened to me at the lake I fish in. It’s a real bummer.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺
Jan 21, 2021 17:04:59 #
mike.v wrote:
Which river is that?
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
That is the Feather River. The brush piles are on both banks and start in Oroville. The Feather is a little know bass fishery with decent LM population and a huge smallmouth population. It used to not to difficult to catch a limit in the 2 to 3 lb class. A few big ones get caught but not enougj to draw attention to the fishery. Back in the 80's when it was looking like the Salmon run would never come back, Fish an Game had a plan in place to raise the water temp 5 degrees and turn the Feather into a world class smallmouth fishery. I don't mind telling people about it now as fishing for them has been on the decline for the lsst 5 years. Never knew how good I had it when I could eat dinner, launch the boat, catch a limit of smallies and be back home in 1 1/2 to two hours. River born and bred smallies fight like no other fish I've caught.
If you want to have a great kayak day, put in at the Live Oak boat. Go down to the Honcutt Creek area for good numbers on LM's and smallies.
Jan 21, 2021 17:10:05 #
Jan 21, 2021 17:16:38 #
mike.v wrote:
Which river is that?
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
Sorry Mike, i meant to say the brush piles start in Oroville and continue all the way to Verona. Wait till the weather gets in the 80's. Park a car at Verona Joes. Drive to Oroville and drop your kayaks in. Make a two day trip out of it. There is still enough fish to make it a trip you will never forget. The bonus is that you run into micro schools of spawning Stripers. Throw a Zara Spook or a square bill crankbait into the middle of them and you could get rewarded with a kayak ride you'll never forget!
Jan 21, 2021 17:19:35 #
mike.v wrote:
Which river is that?
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
I have a couple of kayaks that would get us over to those brush piles.
Hell Mike I might as well let you know that if you make this trip on the opening weekend of Turkey season it's pretty easy to add a big Tom to your stringer!
Jan 21, 2021 17:21:02 #
mike.v
Loc: calaveras county, ca
Now surf and turf may make me too sick to go to work for a couple of days this spring.
Jan 21, 2021 17:29:08 #
hacksaw wrote:
Sorry Steve, but I like the visual technique. It’s happened to me at the lake I fish in. It’s a real bummer.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺
Thanks Hack. I appreciate that. I've lived about three football fields distance from this river since 1984. I'm depressed as hell witnessing my beautiful Cali with a first class ticket straight to hell.
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