Ok so the first step in dealing with addiction is to admit you have a problem and then seeking help. Well I was getting skunked lake fishing and I went to Bass Pro and talked to the guys in the Fly shop...that counts doesn't it? :B
So for the past three or so weekends my wife has gone up to near Sacramento to ride her young horse and I have taken the Lance to a nearby lake to fish. Needless to say we had fun but the lack of catching fish was pissing me off. I'm a dry fly stream fisherman and wet flies for trout and poppers for bass in a lake is a whole different animal and as I found out comes with its own learning curve. It sort of reminds me of the song...We may be fighting a losin' battle
But havin' a lotta fun tryin' to win.
The views have been great
great campsites
the lake is spectacular
Yet going out and fishing for 5-6 hours per day was driving me batty. Yep this weekend was going to be different.
Friday night we got all spiffed up and went to the Californa Dressage Society, East Bay Chapter 2013 competition year Awards Dinner
and Ruth took home the high point, FEI Level Rider award
so we went home loaded up the truck and early morning headed for the hills, Ruth in her car heading off to the horses and me and the dogs heading for the lake (Ruth would meet us there later). Now If some of her good fortune would just rub off on me
The Dogs got impatient when I stopped for ice
Kozmo says: I got this, you ride in the back.
I don't think he liked it when I kicked him out of the drivers seat
Watson is thinking : hey Kozmo quit moving around
Jake claimed his usual spot "Shotgun"
This is your Captain speaking we have reached our cruising speed of 62 mph
such crowded roads I travel
I hate how they pack us in in the campground lol
(yes the Camper is spot on bubble level, I'm the one that's tilted)
Time to go Fishing
short walk from the Lance to the Lake
it was nice on the water
as the sun went down I realized I had been out there for 4 hours without a bite..damn
At least I whipped up a good dinner for me and Ruth
Ruth giving the doggies some treats
I vowed to quit banging my head against the wall and try the guys from bass pro's suggestion of using a small nymph and an indicator 4' up the leader on Sunday
Started Sunday with a hearty breakfast
Broke camp then drove over to the dog park and let them romp for an hour while I scouted out the far side of the lake to figure out where I wanted to fish.
We ended up here
got the gear ready
and into the water I went
I kicked across to a remote finger and started fishing, first with a bass popper because they were spawning in the shallows but after an hour of nothing I said Nymph and indicator time.
10 minutes later I got a bite, then I caught this fiesty little fella who promptly got tossed back.
still fishing alond the weed line near the reeds I got another hit and another small but scappy fella
I worked further back into the finger still staying along the weed line when I saw the indicator submerge in a soft take so I gently set the hook fully expecting another little fella....wrong. My pole totally bent over and line started striping out..I'm using a 3.4 pound tippet and this fish is way bigger than that. He made a few long runs towards the back on the finger then went zipping for deep water and in the process spun me around in the float tube. After a couple of zig zags I got him turned and near me..oh******this is the biggest trout I have ever hooked He made a couple more good runs and then gently I turned him fearing that if he wasn't tired he could just snap the leader. I Finally got him into the net OMG my eyes were bugging out he was huge. Picture time!!! (Pics or it didn't happen)
I really couldn't get my hand around him so it took a bit before I could grab his jaw and use the forceps to remove the fly. I held him in the water and forced him forwards for a minute to revive him and then with a big grin on my face I watched him swim off to give another fisherman a great fight.
About that time I realized I had been on the water for over 3 1/3 hours, I was hungry, I need to use the Lances facilities so I started the 30 minute kick back to the haul out sipping gatoraid with a stupid grin on my face.
Stripped off all my gear, let the dogs out to pee, did the same ( but in the proper place) and cooked up some Bratwursts for me and the dogs. That's when I started feeling the muscle soreness and stiffness and I realized that I wasn't going to get any better that catching that big trout so lets stop and enjoy the euphoria and end the day on a high note.
Never have I enjoyed so much just letting the air out of the float tube and stowing all the gear back into the shower then taking a nice slow drive home sipping an ice cold rootbeer and scratching the dogs heads.
Too bad I have to work a horse show next weekend. On a good note Ruth said hey lets got to the lake and fish in two weeks taking a 3 day weekend. I love my wife.
Yes I am a Fly Fishing addict. Now if I can just stay out of Bass Pro or Camping World for a few weeks....
Oh yeah the little guy that the fish liked
So for the past three or so weekends my wife has gone up to near Sacramento to ride her young horse and I have taken the Lance to a nearby lake to fish. Needless to say we had fun but the lack of catching fish was pissing me off. I'm a dry fly stream fisherman and wet flies for trout and poppers for bass in a lake is a whole different animal and as I found out comes with its own learning curve. It sort of reminds me of the song...We may be fighting a losin' battle
But havin' a lotta fun tryin' to win.
The views have been great
great campsites
the lake is spectacular
Yet going out and fishing for 5-6 hours per day was driving me batty. Yep this weekend was going to be different.
Friday night we got all spiffed up and went to the Californa Dressage Society, East Bay Chapter 2013 competition year Awards Dinner
and Ruth took home the high point, FEI Level Rider award
so we went home loaded up the truck and early morning headed for the hills, Ruth in her car heading off to the horses and me and the dogs heading for the lake (Ruth would meet us there later). Now If some of her good fortune would just rub off on me
The Dogs got impatient when I stopped for ice
Kozmo says: I got this, you ride in the back.
I don't think he liked it when I kicked him out of the drivers seat
Watson is thinking : hey Kozmo quit moving around
Jake claimed his usual spot "Shotgun"
This is your Captain speaking we have reached our cruising speed of 62 mph
such crowded roads I travel
I hate how they pack us in in the campground lol
(yes the Camper is spot on bubble level, I'm the one that's tilted)
Time to go Fishing
short walk from the Lance to the Lake
it was nice on the water
as the sun went down I realized I had been out there for 4 hours without a bite..damn
At least I whipped up a good dinner for me and Ruth
Ruth giving the doggies some treats
I vowed to quit banging my head against the wall and try the guys from bass pro's suggestion of using a small nymph and an indicator 4' up the leader on Sunday
Started Sunday with a hearty breakfast
Broke camp then drove over to the dog park and let them romp for an hour while I scouted out the far side of the lake to figure out where I wanted to fish.
We ended up here
got the gear ready
and into the water I went
I kicked across to a remote finger and started fishing, first with a bass popper because they were spawning in the shallows but after an hour of nothing I said Nymph and indicator time.
10 minutes later I got a bite, then I caught this fiesty little fella who promptly got tossed back.
still fishing alond the weed line near the reeds I got another hit and another small but scappy fella
I worked further back into the finger still staying along the weed line when I saw the indicator submerge in a soft take so I gently set the hook fully expecting another little fella....wrong. My pole totally bent over and line started striping out..I'm using a 3.4 pound tippet and this fish is way bigger than that. He made a few long runs towards the back on the finger then went zipping for deep water and in the process spun me around in the float tube. After a couple of zig zags I got him turned and near me..oh******this is the biggest trout I have ever hooked He made a couple more good runs and then gently I turned him fearing that if he wasn't tired he could just snap the leader. I Finally got him into the net OMG my eyes were bugging out he was huge. Picture time!!! (Pics or it didn't happen)
I really couldn't get my hand around him so it took a bit before I could grab his jaw and use the forceps to remove the fly. I held him in the water and forced him forwards for a minute to revive him and then with a big grin on my face I watched him swim off to give another fisherman a great fight.
About that time I realized I had been on the water for over 3 1/3 hours, I was hungry, I need to use the Lances facilities so I started the 30 minute kick back to the haul out sipping gatoraid with a stupid grin on my face.
Stripped off all my gear, let the dogs out to pee, did the same ( but in the proper place) and cooked up some Bratwursts for me and the dogs. That's when I started feeling the muscle soreness and stiffness and I realized that I wasn't going to get any better that catching that big trout so lets stop and enjoy the euphoria and end the day on a high note.
Never have I enjoyed so much just letting the air out of the float tube and stowing all the gear back into the shower then taking a nice slow drive home sipping an ice cold rootbeer and scratching the dogs heads.
Too bad I have to work a horse show next weekend. On a good note Ruth said hey lets got to the lake and fish in two weeks taking a 3 day weekend. I love my wife.
Yes I am a Fly Fishing addict. Now if I can just stay out of Bass Pro or Camping World for a few weeks....
Oh yeah the little guy that the fish liked
