Duct Action Mid Day

[yolo]

The smoke was finally not stinking up the the AV and since it has been awhile since I fished, I decided to go out around 1:00pm in the heat of the day. It was hot out there. I only hit one spot. water was moving slightly and there was no floating moss. I would guess gates about 1/4 open. This time I took a bait pole with me and chucked that out while I worked the lures. It didn't take long before I hear my bell ringing and see my pole bending and bouncing up and down. I was about 50 yards away from it working the lure. I had to run back to it and set the hook and it was on. Not a fighter at all. I bring it in and it's a channel cat. I get it to the edge and I am trying to lip it with the gripper but the stupid or rather smart kitty won't open its mouth. It keeps flopping around at the edge and gets unhooked and takes off. It was about 22" long.

No biggie. I beat the skunk and cast in the bait again and start to walk and work my lure. Nothing happening for like 15 minutes so I go up to the car to change lures. As soon as I am about to change lures, I hear the bell again. I look at the pole and it is once again bending half way and bouncing up and down. I run past the walk in opening and down the dirt bank to the pole and set the hook. It is on again but this time the fight is a little better. Not much but a little. It's definitely not striper style. I get it close to the bank and it's another kitty but this one is like a blue or some kind of channel mix. This one cooperates and opens its mouth after a few attempts to lip grip it.

Man this thing was all jacked up. Look in the pics and see the bruised head and mouth, a bruise near the tail, had guts coming out of its ***** and there were some small worms or leaches embedded in the belly, tail and parts of the body. This kitty was a mess. It must have gotten smacked around in a gate or tunnel/siphon when the water was wide open? It was 26" long and weighed 5lbs 10oz. Called my pops if he wanted cause if not, I was going to release it. He said he did so I took it there whole to let him clean it.

I fished for another 10 minutes and nothing so I bailed cause it was cooking and I downed all my water early.

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo144/JetSkiJunkie118/Duct%209-3-09/Kitty1.jpg

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo144/JetSkiJunkie118/Duct%209-3-09/Kitty4.jpg

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo144/JetSkiJunkie118/Duct%209-3-09/Kitty2.jpg

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo144/JetSkiJunkie118/Duct%209-3-09/Kitty3.jpg

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo144/JetSkiJunkie118/Duct%209-3-09/Kitty5.jpg

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo144/JetSkiJunkie118/Duct%209-3-09/Kitty6.jpg

[Cangler]

Man .. That cat is nasty

[yolo]

Yeah this is definitely not representative of duct fish. I have never in my 20+ years of duct fishing seen one this jacked up. I think the worms attacked it while on the stringer at the waters edge. When I first caught it, I did not see those worms on it. It came back to life and that's when I notice them on the tail and pulled it out of the water to take more pics. The worms seemed to be in head first. I could pull them out easily. I am pretty sure it happened while it was floating at the edge. I have seen thousand of similar worms but red in color along the duct's edge about 2 months ago. They have since disappeared. There is a lot of life in the duct I just have not seen this before.

[smokehound]

Wow, that thing is covered in leeches.

[PWBUILDING]

if anyone eats that thing they are waco

[THROWBACK RANGER]

sashimi catfish!!!!! mmmmm!!!!!!

[vagabond]

good going on the skunk beater,ugly looking cat..

[Liteweight]

WOW! You're braver than I am. I live in Santa Clarita and I can't get myself to get out to Castaic if I get up late because of the heat!!! And I know it's usually 5-10+ degrees or more than out here!
At least you beat the skunk.
Nice.
LW

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

WTF ? well theres always a bad apple in every bunch......parasite city !

Duct redemtion will happen soon enough...I went for a little while last night ....only got short struck once....the algae level was not good once the flow went full throttle...

the patterns are ecessively changing with their bite patterns, I'll need to attack out of the box on the next outing...Me thinks it's gonna take 3-4 trips to figure out their patterns right now

get back on them and do some beatin up of your own :)

I will begin saturation attacks next week ....hope you get on the jailbird flavor soon..
good luck
Gary

[Uneekguy27]

will be heading out to 90th and K in a couple hours. will be out there for most of the morning. anyone wanna meet up look for the guy with the USC hat on and holler Louie. hopefully ill see a few of you guys or gals out there!!!
Tight Lines
- Louie

[tpfishnfool]

Oh man , thats a Junk yard Cat there. Hope ya let it go,that is a tough *** fish.