AnglerBob
03-19-2009, 08:46 PM
OK, before I even start I must issue this disclaimer: the camera flashed the ominous "change the batteries" message as soon as I arrived at the lake. Therefore, I have no way of backing up my exaggerated and highly suspect fishing claims.
But it was the best day I've had at the Vine in a long, long time.
Got to the lake at around 7:00 am and there was about 20 cars ahead of me waiting to get in. Wondering if they open later now, as it's still dark at 6:00 am? Got a rental boat, worms and "Chunky Chartreuse" bait in the tackle shop, and the word on the lake's current Promotional Boutique Fish: the steelhead. I don't think I've ever caught one of those, even in Canada, where they're so populous as to clog rain gutters and flop with abandon through hotel lobbies. I'm pretty sure I didn't catch one today either, but since I don't know what they look like I can't say for sure. Much of my angling success stems from not being able to say with absolute certainty what I DIDN'T catch, for example, a blue marlin. I like it this way.
On with the fishing. I headed straight across the lake to the West Shore, the near portion just past Woody's Point, and set up camp in about 28 feet of water. Surface water temp was 59 degrees and there was much activity on the portable fishfinder. Casting toward shore, I threw a green PB ball on one rod and experimented with a Lip Ripper on the other. The PB was hit within 15 minutes, and I took in a small rainbow. After that, it didn't get hit again.
The Lip Ripper wasn't producing, so I flylined a nightcrawler. Bingo, a nice 2-pounder. Then it slowed a bit as the sun came out, so I tried a splitshot to get the crawler on the bottom. This would be the winning combination: uninflated worm, split shot. Picked up two more and thought it would be an easy limit, but it was getting warm and the bite slowed again. Also, the markings had disappeared from the FF.
I figured maybe they'd gone a bit deeper, so I headed towards the dam and anchored off the steep cliff just before the big cove, casting a little deeper. That did it. Lost one fish, then quickly picked up the last, on the bottom-dragging NC. Skillful finesse fishing, no. But it did put fish in the boat.
At that point I had my limit and it was only 10:30 or so. Considered buying a second ticket, but the boat, lake entrance and baits had come to $86 or so, roughly a month's wages for me, so I figured I'd just fish for bass instead. Switched to a DS roboworm and immediately hooked and lost a small one right in that same spot; after that, I couldn't buy a bass. Fished for 3 more hours, all over the lake: East side, island, nada. Tried Texas rig, backlash-inducing crankbaits, zip. A guy out there was killin' em too, in a bass boat, flipping plastics. Said he'd had a dozen when I saw him, and proceeded to nail many more in front of envious spectators, while I pulled tangles of line from my Citica reel and sent my crankbait into various trees.
All in all, a great day out there—most people seemed to be doing pretty well although trollers were having a tough time with a lot of floating debris. Heard shouting from the Trout Island area and was pleased to read later about the lake record fish! Wish I'd seen it!
By the numbers:
Air temp: cool in the AM, very warm in early afternoon.
Water temp: 59, warming to 62-64 later in the day
Species: 5 trout and 1 lost bass
Size: (3) DFG-sized dinks; (2) 2-pounders
Promotional Boutique Fish (PBFs): unknown, probably 0
Baits: Lip Ripperz, Chartreuse PB, NC, various crankbaits and plastics
Hot Ticket: NC w/ Berkeley Corn Dip on splitshot, right on the bottom
Other: fish are heading a bit deeper as water warms. Action better early AM.
But it was the best day I've had at the Vine in a long, long time.
Got to the lake at around 7:00 am and there was about 20 cars ahead of me waiting to get in. Wondering if they open later now, as it's still dark at 6:00 am? Got a rental boat, worms and "Chunky Chartreuse" bait in the tackle shop, and the word on the lake's current Promotional Boutique Fish: the steelhead. I don't think I've ever caught one of those, even in Canada, where they're so populous as to clog rain gutters and flop with abandon through hotel lobbies. I'm pretty sure I didn't catch one today either, but since I don't know what they look like I can't say for sure. Much of my angling success stems from not being able to say with absolute certainty what I DIDN'T catch, for example, a blue marlin. I like it this way.
On with the fishing. I headed straight across the lake to the West Shore, the near portion just past Woody's Point, and set up camp in about 28 feet of water. Surface water temp was 59 degrees and there was much activity on the portable fishfinder. Casting toward shore, I threw a green PB ball on one rod and experimented with a Lip Ripper on the other. The PB was hit within 15 minutes, and I took in a small rainbow. After that, it didn't get hit again.
The Lip Ripper wasn't producing, so I flylined a nightcrawler. Bingo, a nice 2-pounder. Then it slowed a bit as the sun came out, so I tried a splitshot to get the crawler on the bottom. This would be the winning combination: uninflated worm, split shot. Picked up two more and thought it would be an easy limit, but it was getting warm and the bite slowed again. Also, the markings had disappeared from the FF.
I figured maybe they'd gone a bit deeper, so I headed towards the dam and anchored off the steep cliff just before the big cove, casting a little deeper. That did it. Lost one fish, then quickly picked up the last, on the bottom-dragging NC. Skillful finesse fishing, no. But it did put fish in the boat.
At that point I had my limit and it was only 10:30 or so. Considered buying a second ticket, but the boat, lake entrance and baits had come to $86 or so, roughly a month's wages for me, so I figured I'd just fish for bass instead. Switched to a DS roboworm and immediately hooked and lost a small one right in that same spot; after that, I couldn't buy a bass. Fished for 3 more hours, all over the lake: East side, island, nada. Tried Texas rig, backlash-inducing crankbaits, zip. A guy out there was killin' em too, in a bass boat, flipping plastics. Said he'd had a dozen when I saw him, and proceeded to nail many more in front of envious spectators, while I pulled tangles of line from my Citica reel and sent my crankbait into various trees.
All in all, a great day out there—most people seemed to be doing pretty well although trollers were having a tough time with a lot of floating debris. Heard shouting from the Trout Island area and was pleased to read later about the lake record fish! Wish I'd seen it!
By the numbers:
Air temp: cool in the AM, very warm in early afternoon.
Water temp: 59, warming to 62-64 later in the day
Species: 5 trout and 1 lost bass
Size: (3) DFG-sized dinks; (2) 2-pounders
Promotional Boutique Fish (PBFs): unknown, probably 0
Baits: Lip Ripperz, Chartreuse PB, NC, various crankbaits and plastics
Hot Ticket: NC w/ Berkeley Corn Dip on splitshot, right on the bottom
Other: fish are heading a bit deeper as water warms. Action better early AM.