Castaic Lagoon Night Fishing 10-8. A Learning Experience...Skunked AND a $60 Ticket!

[MichelleBedore]

Last night for the 1st time, I went to try some night fishing. Korin from FNN and I were to meet there and "buddy up" for the 1st time. I'd planned on taking advantage of the free parking after 5:30pm at the lower lagoon.
I pulled into the lower lagoon parking lot at 5:27 pm and chatted with Ronnie (the booth attendant lady) at the booth until 5:37 pm. (Yes, this is significant, lol)
Ronnie told me to park in the other parking lot, above her parking lot for the free parking area. I parked at the farthermost space by the lagoon's launch ramp and excitedly unloaded my stuff.

Checklist:
*2 fishing rods.
*15 lb tacklebox
*Bag of drinks & snacks, camera, fishin license, phone, etc...
*A padded, insulated Trader Joe's bag to put fish in that I may catch
*Jacket
*One of those cool old lady 4 wheeled "shopping carts" to stow everything in

I tried rolling the cart down the stairs, then sort of had to half carry, half roll it. "What a pain! I wonder how other people do this??", I thought.
I noticed other anglers along the rocky shoreline and realized I couldn't take the cart down there. The "rocks" were actually boulders you'd have to hop on, and go from rock to rock to get down to the water. I have a bad back, so I went down to the dock to talk to the 2 lifeguards who were just motoring in from the lagoon. After greeting them, I noticed "NO FISHING" painted on the dock. I wheeled my granny cart up the dock to them and said I'd never been there, and asked where I could fish from. They were very nice and directed me to the pier, just up the ways a little. We talked a while about what types of fish are in the lagoon, and how you drive out when you were done, "since the gates get locked after 5:30 PM " (!!! failed to compute this!!!) and since I admitted I was a nube and hadn't been there before. I kerplunked my embarrassingly large cart all the way up the stairs again, feeling sure that I was a hilarious spectacle to anyway within sight.

Finally reaching the top of the stairs winded, I dragged the cart over to the pier, where I was relieved to see a smooth gangway to roll the cart down. I set up shop at the left end of the pier, and got both rods going.

Shortly Korin arrived and merrily waved and said "Hi Michelle!" I noticed she had 2 small rods in one hand and very sensible small nylon pouch for her gear in the other hand as she nimbly strolled down the gangway. (Why must I be so..."prepared" for everything and anything as if I were going on some sort of week-long expedition?!", I snarled to myself disgustedly...LOL)

Korin had actually gotten there a few hours earlier and fished the upper lake's shoreline near the west ramp, but drove around to the lower lagoon parking lot at about 6 pm to meet me at the pier. She too, spoke to Ronnie (the booth lady) earlier when she came through and paid for parking @ the lower lagoon toll booth. Since Korin had never been to Castaic, she 'd asked Ronnie about how to drive from the upper to the lower lake parking lots. In fact, Ronnie told me she had "talked to Korin earlier and seemed like a really nice gal"....<------*evidence*

Korin and I had a nice time getting to know eachother and had fun casting and fishing...and untangling lines for what seemed like an inordinate amount of time, lol. Korin's good people, easygoing and happy....just the kind of people I like. :Smile:

Korin bid me farewell around 8 pm to head over to Mammoth Lakes, where she had planned a tube-fishing camping trip. A few minutes after she departed, my cell phone rang and it was Korin saying we BOTH got parking tickets, and that we were also LOCKED IN. :EyePop:

Anyway, she managed to squeeze her honda through a narrow path and 4-wheel her civvic off a curb, and went on her way to Mammoth. I figured I'd be able to do the same with my narrow Jeep Grand Cherokee, and decided not to let a ticket ruin my night. Shoving "husband-scolding chew-out scenarios" out of my mind, I regrouped and soon forgot all about the ticket. Until the cops showed up, that is.

Some people scattered as the 4 sherriff officers approachedI guess there was a report of alcohol consumption somewhere....but thinking of my ticket, I walked right up to them and enquired about why I got that ticket and what to do, how to get out, etc... Apparently, the booth lady Ronnie -who had only been working there 3 wks, misdirected both Korin and I through that lot that gets locked up after 5:30. The officers told me how to squeeze through a gravel path (meant for official vehicles only) to get my jeep into the right lot, where there is an UNLOCKED exit to get out onto the main road. WHEW!

Upon leaving later that night saw a sign at the mouth of that gravel road 50 ft from where my car was parked that said NO VEHICLE ENTRY...so...I feel that I will successfully be able to fight that ticket. You with me on this KORIN???
Sheesh.....I couldn't afford to buy an annual pass for my boat and car ($260), and in the last week, between the ticket and going fishing on tuesday upper lake, it's cost $84.00 so far.
I TOLD hubby we should just put an annual pass on a credit card!! Woulda been cheaper at the rate I'm goin;. :Angry: Ok, so now I know my way pretty well around the Lagoon. Legal Ingress/Egress. lol

So anyway, I stayed fishing until about 1:15 AM with no fish caught. It was cold, I'd spilled all my pretzels, and had to pee the last 3 hours. I knew there was a restroom somewhere, but I didn't dare leave, lest I miss out on that one bite that would have prevented a skunking. Despite not catching any fishies, I met a whole bunch of neat people that were fun to talk to. One of them, it turns out lives right around the corner from me. (hey J.R., LOL). I met a young boy of 13 who had been fishing one month (Hi Allen!!) and had obviously been reading A LOT! He could cast like a pro, wayyyyyyyyyyy out there farther than anyone on that pier! lol...He re-tied a swivel and a hook for me, a snell and a clinch, both of which I don't know how to do yet. At least not without a step-by-step diagram in front of me!
A guy named Mike was with his girlfriend and sat next to me the whole time. He was the only angler who caught any fish off the pier last night during the time I was there for 7+ hours. He caught a fat green catfish but didn't want it, so he have it to me. He didn't have a camera with him, so I offered to take pix for him with my camera and email them to him. :Wink: He also caught 2 small bluegill. His success was using this method: dropshotting nightcrawlers 18" off the bottom and then sitting comfortably in a camp chair just talking with his GF.
I didn't have any nightcrawlers and had forgotten to get the anchovies out of the freezer...so here I was trying every kinda lure and technique I had thus far, hahah....But I repeat: It WAS fun!

I noticed something very consistent about anglers. They seem quiet at 1st, (probably sizing you up)...then they really bend over backward to help you, freely giving tips and advice on things like tackle and technique. I told all of them about FNN. One guy already knew about FNN but wasn't a member. I hope there's no age limit for this forum, because that 13 yr old boy I met named Allen wants to come here to learn more about fishing! :Smile:

Now...about the gift catfish. When Mike gave him to me, the thought occured that I didn't have a basket and rope to lower him back into the water. I had a stringer, but then I'd have to scale those treacherous rocks below the pier to get to the water. Momentarily, I thought about throwing him back in the water. I held him up and announced a public vote-Keep, or throw back?" People were saying "Ohhhh he's a perfect size to eat, keep him"...then I thought about how I'd keep him until I was done fishing. Probably sick of waiting to know his destiny, the catfish BIT me hard. Suprised, I dropped him on the pier deck flopping and gaping, staring me down with his beady eyes and his whiskers wiggling eerily. When he bit me, that's when it was decided that he was gonna be eaten. I tried to kill him with Mike's direction, by stabbing him in the brain. After 3 times, he seemed subdued.

When I got home at 2 am and that dang catfish was STILL alive!!!! How the heck do you kill them humanely when you're up on a pier???!! He started bleeding and I felt kinda gross after impaliing his head three times trying to hit his brain. (Mike helped hold him down for me so I could do it) Anyway, when the blood began to pour out of him, I threw him in an insulated trader joe's bag and tried to forget about the grisly act I'd commited, hoping he'd bleed out in the bag and be dead next time I looked in there.
You'd think stabbing a fish in the head 3 times would do it after he was found to still be alive after 45 min out of water would kill it, right?? But.....
Later, even after repeated head stab wounds and and being out of the water for like 4 or 5 hours, he was still alive.LOL...They really are like crazy prehistoric imortal freaks, aren't they?!
I felt bad that he was STILL alive, so I took some water out of my fishie's aquarium and put it in a large bowl and put that poor catfish in it headfirst. He was breathing my Oranda Goldfish's water gratefully and seemed to be revivving while I read online how to finnaly kill him properly. Turns out it was actually good I did put him in water because then he started bleeding out as he breathed and his heart started to pump more blood. I took him out after about 20 minutes in the bowl. The water was red with his blood, but that was good--because accoring to what I read, you want to bleed them out while alive so the meat will taste better.

Things I learned last night:

1)NEVER forget my basket and some rope when I go fishing.
2)Bring my camping chair (my back was killing me later)
3)Never trust officials implicitly
4)Always bring anchovies and night crawlers for night fishing
5)Bring a lantern; I gagged and almost puked several times trying to hold a flashlight in my mouth
6)Do not wear sandals when fishing.
7)Know the actual depths of everywhere you are throwing bait!! (that's it, portable depth/fish finder is in order!)
8)Throw away one of my reels and buy a nicer one, fer crying out loud--it doesn't even have a DRAG!:Shocked:
9)Learned how to kill and clean a catfish properly. Nail head to a board (or hang tail down) and cut off their tails so they will quickly bleed out, leaving meat whiter and better tasting.
10)You must have a "2nd rod stamp" on your angling license if you want to have two rods in the water at once. oooops. Luckily, the cops didn't seeme nor ask to see my lic. which was under my coat! :Embarrassed:
11)Bring good munchies and offer to fellow anglers who will then cheerfully share advice, info, and even fish!

Thank you for readinig yet another one of my mega posts.

Here's pix of me Korin and I, and of Mike's catches. I kinda feel did not get skunked because I was able to fish vicariously through Mike. Thanks Mike, if you ever see this! hehe

[SDDave]

Bummer on the ticket, they lock that gate at closing,
You forgot about the court acessment fee, that doubles the ticket...
Go to the Castaic website and read about the park it will help.

[Marine_Michael]

Sucks about the ticket, hopefuly you'll be able to get it dismissed because of the misinformation. It sounds like you already found the correct parking lot for the after hours fishing. If they haven't changed things you are technicly supposed to have a Wilderness adventure pass to park in that lot after the park closes and you may be ticketed for not haivng one.

It sounds like you have a bit too much gear to be lugging around.

Catfish are super hardy as you already found out. I usualy put them on my stringer and then cut their throat. If you hold them belly side up, about an inch back from where the gills come together forward of the pectoral fins slice with your knife. Depending on the type of fish you will either cut the heart in half or at the verry least sever an artery and it will bleed out in no time. Soak your catfish fillets in milk for an hour or two before cooking or freezing them to remove any foul taste from the meat.

[MichelleBedore]

Bummer on the ticket, they lock that gate at closing,
You forgot about the court acessment fee, that doubles the ticket...
Go to the Castaic website and read about the park it will help.
:EyePop:

OMG:Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry:
What the $#@!!!! definitely I will fight this ticket. The booth lady should not have let me in that way then...esp. since she KNEW I was going the the lagoon for "after hours" fishing...nor did she collect any $$ from me to park, either, further proving my claim.

And thanks for telling me about the wilderness pass! Marine Michael. ! I don't have one of those either. I guess there's no way around paying fees of some find to have any sort of fun.

Cognitive Brain Therapy technique= "Lessons learned the hard way are often learned best".
Repeat 20 times and breathe. There must be some positive in this somewhere, lol :Rolls Eyes:

[Troutman65]

Great read. Thanks for taking the time to post . Keep at it and before you know it you will be a pro :Big Grin:

[AngryAgent]

I am almost positive you don't need a wilderness permit to park in the lot after hours, I could be wrong but I have talked to the cops numerous times at the lagoon and there has never been any mention of needing a permit to park..

[MichelleBedore]

Great read. Thanks for taking the time to post . Keep at it and before you know it you will be a pro :Big Grin:

Thank you troutman. I'm glad you liked to read all that. After I posted it, it seemed too long and I wondered if I was being totally disgusting. lol
:)
I actually was thinking about going back to the pier tonight as I was leaving the grocery store around 10 pm. But I didn't. Instead, I read ALL the rules on the Castaic website/ Nowhere does it say you need a wilderness pass to park in the 24 hr fishing area. See what I mean? They really need to clarify the parking and educate the employees how to direct new visitors.

[MichelleBedore]

lol, angry agent...JINX

[stg68]

:EyePop:

OMG:Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry:
What the $#@!!!! definitely I will fight this ticket. The booth lady should not have let me in that way then...esp. since she KNEW I was going the the lagoon for "after hours" fishing...nor did she collect any $$ from me to park, either, further proving my claim.

And thanks for telling me about the wilderness pass! Marine Michael. ! I don't have one of those either. I guess there's no way around paying fees of some find to have any sort of fun.

Cognitive Brain Therapy technique= "Lessons learned the hard way are often learned best".
Repeat 20 times and breathe. There must be some positive in this somewhere, lol :Rolls Eyes:

You do not need wilderness pass to park there. It's 24 hour parking.
you only pay $11 fee on time when Lake opens.

[trail blazer]

Fantastic post!!!!

Sucks abought the ticket,,,,BUT,,

You definately got what it takes to get r done,,,,,IM IMPRESSED!

Hope myself and Cutbait< the bako boys,lol,, get to meet and fish with you sometimes down there,,IT WOULD BE AN HONOR!.


CASTAIC lake is one of the best places to learn the finer arts of fishing,,,,

again WTG

TRAIL BLAZER

[crappiemike]

thnx for the report ,, you'll get'm
next time...........




cm

[Optimist]

Nice report, but lots of reading tho. Sucks for the ticket. Hope you will get a fish from the pier next time.

[MichelleBedore]

Fantastic post!!!!

Sucks abought the ticket,,,,BUT,,

You definately got what it takes to get r done,,,,,IM IMPRESSED!

Hope myself and Cutbait< the bako boys,lol,, get to meet and fish with you sometimes down there,,IT WOULD BE AN HONOR!.


CASTAIC lake is one of the best places to learn the finer arts of fishing,,,,

again WTG

TRAIL BLAZER

Golly!! Thank you, man! I think we should go fishing.

[Ray Lopez]

The ticket is not worth the fight in my honest opinion. You have to park in the upper lot for the 24 hour fishing. She did tell you that and i'm guessing she thought you were gonna turn around and go up the upper lot. Either way it is up to the person to know the rules and regs for the lake. They have them posted online and the cops drive through and announce to people they need to move their cars.

FYI the fishing pier is not the place to fish on the lagoon. You can catch fish there but it is slim pickings.

Your best bet for catching fish on that lake you need to move to the north and fish the shoreline. Not sure if you are a meat angler or a C&R angler. If you are not about keeping Large mouth bass i can throw you some great advise, but i don't give out info to people that want to keep the LMB.

I know the lagoon like the back of my hand, and have caught thousands of bass from that lake in the last 4 years. Including the unofficial lake record bass at 19.4 lbs.

Best bet on catching bass on this lake would be to use the drop shot method with plastic worms. Learn this and you will own on the lagoon.


Ray Lo (your local goonie)

[Biggerbass]

hey sux about the ticket. i'm from wi and visit cali a bit for bass fishing.... came there and learned the lagoon pretty quick. i was too warned by a disrespectful lifeguard that b1tched and was about to ticket me about getting off the water before the issued time limit. even the sheriff came by and both of them contemplated to issue a citation, but I told them it was my 1st outing there and i'm from wi...so they decided to let me go free of citation. i know it's my responsibility to learn the rules, but was so in rush to fish.....hehe!!! but this particular LG had something in his ahole...crying and b1tchn w/o any respect. anyhoe, last 2 outings there have been successful, but please practice catch and release. very important to sustain the bass population there. lots of tips we can share to get on them, but like ray said it's cool to share only if it's C&R.

good luck on your next outing.

26046

[cutbait]

Great post.. sucks bout the tiicket. But we all live and learn. Dump all unnecessary gear and get a f@g bag (fanny pack) like feel the steel wears. Careful bout raylo too, he's a bass nazi!. I just let catfish live until its time to filet em, I filet em up alive and they will still live for along time. But I reallyy don't ever catfish. Like trailblazer said, hope to fish with ya one day. I would imagine the next striper fest but it seems that the bako boyz victory in the last one has the" striper fest" planners scared for another bako beat down

[MichelleBedore]

The ticket is not worth the fight in my honest opinion. You have to park in the upper lot for the 24 hour fishing. She did tell you that and i'm guessing she thought you were gonna turn around and go up the upper lot. Either way it is up to the person to know the rules and regs for the lake. They have them posted online and the cops drive through and announce to people they need to move their cars.

Actually, Ronnie (the booth attendant) was telling me how to get to the lagoon night parking area, but after we chatted for over 10 minutes (waiting for it to be AFTER 5:30 pm for the free parking!!!) she said to just go on up to the area from her booth, waving me through her toll booth and through her parking lot, but not to tell anyone, since she'd only been there 3wks, etc." I wish she hadn't waved me through, because it would have been very simple for me to turn around and drive less than a minute to get to the correct parking lot. Since she waved me through her booth and said to "park up there all the way", I trusted that she directed me correctly. I went as far up as I could, parkiing next to the building there and a sign that said "No Vehicle Entry"...If I had been told I had to drive past that sign, and onto a narrow gravel access road, I would have--and not gotten a ticket. However, after brooding awhile about it, I'm thinking of just paying the ticket because if I dispute it, Ronnie, (the new toll booth lady) could lose her job or be reprimanded in some way) and would be pretty dang uncool. I'm more gracious than that, fer cryin' out loud.

FYI the fishing pier is not the place to fish on the lagoon. You can catch fish there but it is slim pickings.

Your best bet for catching fish on that lake you need to move to the north and fish the shoreline. Not sure if you are a meat angler or a C&R angler. If you are not about keeping Large mouth bass i can throw you some great advise, but i don't give out info to people that want to keep the LMB.

I know the lagoon like the back of my hand, and have caught thousands of bass from that lake in the last 4 years. Including the unofficial lake record bass at 19.4 lbs.

Best bet on catching bass on this lake would be to use the drop shot method with plastic worms. Learn this and you will own on the lagoon.


Ray Lo (your local goonie)

Just so you know, I admitted to eating those two bass last month....I was new to fishing and didnt know much about catch and release and the reasons why. Since that 1st time fishing (and catching those bass) I have read up about the topic of catch and release. Initially, I wondered why fish if you aren't going to eat what you catch, but of course, if a person has an open mind and, the concept of fishing simply for the SPORT of it alone is very satisfying by itself.
I think a lot of these fish are probably quite smart, esp. the older fish who have been C&R a few times become harder to trick into biting, thus making fishing success more and more challenging! I will say I am very interested in catching the *right* fish for eating, meaning size and species, such as panfish and striper. I havent cooked the catfish yet that I was given the other night, so I don't know if I'll even like eating catfish. But I want to fish for them anyway because they are fun to bring in, even if I dislike their meat. Since catching ANY fish is exhilarating, that is reward enough to make me willing to C & R any LMB I might catch. Those 2 I did catch were so thrilling to reel in! I am a forthright honest person with a good sense of right and wrong. I will release any LMB I catch from now, I promise! Now, tell me you secrets! hehe. Ray, if you ever wanna meet to fish sometime, I'm game. I'll bring nummies.

[cutbait]

:Twisted:
The ticket is not worth the fight in my honest opinion. You have to park in the upper lot for the 24 hour fishing. She did tell you that and i'm guessing she thought you were gonna turn around and go up the upper lot. Either way it is up to the person to know the rules and regs for the lake. They have them posted online and the cops drive through and announce to people they need to move their cars.

FYI the fishing pier is not the place to fish on the lagoon. You can catch fish there but it is slim pickings.

Your best bet for catching fish on that lake you need to move to the north and fish the shoreline. Not sure if you are a meat angler or a C&R angler. If you are not about keeping Large mouth bass i can throw you some great advise, but i don't give out info to people that want to keep the LMB.

I know the lagoon like the back of my hand, and have caught thousands of bass from that lake in the last 4 years. Including the unofficial lake record bass at 19.4 lbs.

Best bet on catching bass on this lake would be to use the drop shot method with plastic worms. Learn this and you will own on the lagoon.


Ray Lo (your local goonie)

Lake record???? Bwahahaha. You didn't even weigh it! :EyePop::EyePop:

[Ray Lopez]

:Twisted:

Lake record???? Bwahahaha. You didn't even weigh it! :EyePop::EyePop:

Yea but it was measured, and the lightest wright was 19.4 for a fish of that size. Hence why it is a unofficial lake record.

[Marine_Michael]

Just so you know, I admitted to eating those two bass last month....I was new to fishing and didnt know much about catch and release and the reasons why. Since that 1st time fishing (and catching those bass) I have read up about the topic of catch and release. Initially, I wondered why fish if you aren't going to eat what you catch, but of course, if a person has an open mind and, the concept of fishing simply for the SPORT of it alone is very satisfying by itself.
I think a lot of these fish are probably quite smart, esp. the older fish who have been C&R a few times become harder to trick into biting, thus making fishing success more and more challenging! I will say I am very interested in catching the *right* fish for eating, meaning size and species, such as panfish and striper. I havent cooked the catfish yet that I was given the other night, so I don't know if I'll even like eating catfish. But I want to fish for them anyway because they are fun to bring in, even if I dislike their meat. Since catching ANY fish is exhilarating, that is reward enough to make me willing to C & R any LMB I might catch. Those 2 I did catch were so thrilling to reel in! I am a forthright honest person with a good sense of right and wrong. I will release any LMB I catch from now, I promise! Now, tell me you secrets! hehe. Ray, if you ever wanna meet to fish sometime, I'm game. I'll bring nummies.

Regardless of what the bass Nazi's would have you believe it is healthy for the fishery to take some of the bass you catch legally. Should you do it every time? Maybe not, but you can legally. Having eaten a few myself I will tell you that catfish, crappie and striper are all better tasting than LMB. The regulations for the lagoon is 5 bass over 12" for the upper lake it's 2 bass over 18" The regulations are set by the DFG according to their surveys of the lake. If the bass population couldn't support that, the regulations would be different.

Try cutting the catfish into 3-4" pieces then dip them in flour and fry them in butter or margerine until golden brown adding salt and pepper to taste. Cook it similar to making fried chicken.

[cutbait]

Yea but it was measured, and the lightest wright was 19.4 for a fish of that size. Hence why it is a unofficial lake record.

You do know I'm busting your chops right?

[Fire Ball]

The ticket is not worth the fight in my honest opinion. You have to park in the upper lot for the 24 hour fishing. She did tell you that and i'm guessing she thought you were gonna turn around and go up the upper lot. Either way it is up to the person to know the rules and regs for the lake. They have them posted online and the cops drive through and announce to people they need to move their cars.

FYI the fishing pier is not the place to fish on the lagoon. You can catch fish there but it is slim pickings.

Your best bet for catching fish on that lake you need to move to the north and fish the shoreline. Not sure if you are a meat angler or a C&R angler. If you are not about keeping Large mouth bass i can throw you some great advise, but i don't give out info to people that want to keep the LMB.

I know the lagoon like the back of my hand, and have caught thousands of bass from that lake in the last 4 years. Including the unofficial lake record bass at 19.4 lbs.

Best bet on catching bass on this lake would be to use the drop shot method with plastic worms. Learn this and you will own on the lagoon.


Ray Lo (your local goonie)

I agree with just about everything Ray said as far as fishing advice, plus the advice not to fight the ticket. The attendant at the booth told you specifically to park in the other lot. You even said so yourself: "Ronnie told me to park in the other parking lot, above her parking lot for the free parking area." You will lose if you try and fight the ticket.

[Btbdodgers]

Yea but it was measured, and the lightest wright was 19.4 for a fish of that size. Hence why it is a unofficial lake record.

lol u have no unoffical lake record, the only name i see in the books is the name Butch Brown not you

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

I know the lagoon like the back of my hand, and have caught thousands of bass from that lake in the last 4 years. Including the unofficial lake record bass at 19.4 lbs.



Awww man, I really don’t want to sound like I’m busting your chops but to make a statement like that you’ll at least need to possess a decent photo of the catch with your body in it for scale w/o the arm at full extension.

Not saying that whatever catch your reffering to wasn’t a hawg of sorts, I’m sure it was but self proclaiming an unofficial lake record is a stretch, sorry man, I know you’ll hate me for saying that but that’s the case, you should back that statement up with some photo proof at minimum, let alone weigh the fish, those length to weight ratios are not as accurate as the general public boasts anyways especially given the unnatural dimensions of the lagoon bass, let alone I am getting the impression you didn’t measure it either.

Sorry man, I’m not trying to hate on you at all OR to take an ounce of your victory over that fish in any realm, but saying it’s the lake record without any real solid backup is hard ta process.

Awww man…..come on Ray….a camera with a timer is all it takes and a scale if your worried about weights or records..


Michellebedore:
As for getting the ticket, sorry that happened, the 24 hr parking lot is where to park and then hike...travel light and use a fanny pack as Cutbait said....

but know the lagoon is tuff right now till the water temps cool, you'll do better with more oxygen in the water at a cooler water temperature if your just learning.

good luck and don't give up

[Hitts0n]

LMFBAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOO!!!
Well I guess thats it for butch brown...lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooo



Do not fight the ticket.You will lose,and have to pay double at the end.Just pay it,plead no content and get it over with.
California DFG reads this board and you have already lost now.
Im sure they copied this thread....

[MichelleBedore]

What?? DFG reads these forums?? You gotta be kiddin.
Then I guess they've already read about a page ago that I decided to pay it, and not contest it or make a fuss. :Cool:

[Ray Lopez]

lol u have no unoffical lake record, the only name i see in the books is the name Butch Brown not you
hence why i say unofficial.


Awww man, I really don’t want to sound like I’m busting your chops but to make a statement like that you’ll at least need to possess a decent photo of the catch with your body in it for scale w/o the arm at full extension.

Not saying that whatever catch your reffering to wasn’t a hawg of sorts, I’m sure it was but self proclaiming an unofficial lake record is a stretch, sorry man, I know you’ll hate me for saying that but that’s the case, you should back that statement up with some photo proof at minimum, let alone weigh the fish, those length to weight ratios are not as accurate as the general public boasts anyways especially given the unnatural dimensions of the lagoon bass, let alone I am getting the impression you didn’t measure it either.

Sorry man, I’m not trying to hate on you at all OR to take an ounce of your victory over that fish in any realm, but saying it’s the lake record without any real solid backup is hard ta process.

Awww man…..come on Ray….a camera with a timer is all it takes and a scale if your worried about weights or records..




No i did not weight it, but it was measured at 30" long and i have a pic with my arm fully back behind me not in front of me because that was the only way i could get most of the fish in the picture. I also have a pic of the fish with my foot in it to prove size. Believe me or not i could care less. But i stick to what i said, i checked multiple websites for size to weight ratio, and went with the smallest weight i found. Just so i did not look like i was over sizing the fish.

for those have not met me i'm 6'4 230lbs, with the head the size of a watermelon with size 14 foot

here is a size comparison of a 5 foot leo that i caught:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/Rays_Pictures_0021.jpg

here is a 12.6 that was weighed out on my digi being held the same way as my 19.4
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/kdk_0938.jpg

here are the pics of the fish in question
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/P1010121.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/P1010122.jpg

fyi my shoe is 14" long
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/P1010123.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/P1010124.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/RayLopez/Fishing%20Photos/P1010125.jpg

So think what you will, tell me I'm lying and just trying to puff my ego. I don't really care. I know what i caught and i have yet to lie about anything i have caught. All that matters to me is that i caught these fish and i'm proud of it and they will be in my memory till the day i die or get dementia. Also fyi the WON paper this was posted in showed another guy who claimed he caught a 17 pounder that same week and everyone said mine was much bigger, that was the reason i decided to look into the size to weight ratio guides and boy was i surprised when most were saying it could be from 19.4 to 21+ pounds.

[radray]

Nice fish bro regardless of whether it is official or unofficial. All I know is that you put your time in at Castaic and got rewarded for your efforts. Regardless of the weight, she is a beauty and you should feel damn proud you caught her and even prouder you let her go to get even bigger. I am sure many would have kept her to eat or mount on a wall. I am not into all the hating and politics. I am here to learn from others and share what I know. I enjoy fishing. I am sure others are here for the same reason. I know some of the people here and I respect them. I have fished with them and learned from them as well. I would like to think we are all friends here sharing what we know and at the same time learning from each other. I am happy for you bro! A very nice fish indeed! Let's not forget why we fish people. It's for the love of it. Now go catch more big ones.

[Ray Lopez]

Nice fish bro regardless of whether it is official or unofficial. All I know is that you put your time in at Castaic and got rewarded for your efforts. Regardless of the weight, she is a beauty and you should feel damn proud you caught her and even prouder you let her go to get even bigger. I am sure many would have kept her to eat or mount on a wall. I am not into all the hating and politics. I am here to learn from others and share what I know. I enjoy fishing. I am sure others are here for the same reason. I know some of the people here and I respect them. I have fished with them and learned from them as well. I would like to think we are all friends here sharing what we know and at the same time learning from each other. I am happy for you bro! A very nice fish indeed! Let's not forget why we fish people. It's for the love of it. Now go catch more big ones.

That's what this site is all about my friend. It's was a awesome moment when she swam away and you could see the hump back bass going back to live another day and get even bigger. Knowing this fish is still around when i caught her in december of 08' makes me giddy because that means she has got to be a record contender by now.

[Biggerbass]

Ray: awesome fish bro....a beauty no matter what anyone says!!!

Those big guns like that one may just be getting smaller now since no more trout stocking. Shads, gils, and craws probably wont get them that huge anymore. The LMB there reminds me more of Lake Fork & Falcon type bass now since they feed primarily on shad only. We all will have to see come winter/late winter/prespawn.

[Ray Lopez]

Ray: awesome fish bro....a beauty no matter what anyone says!!!

Those big guns like that one may just be getting smaller now since no more trout stocking. Shads, gils, and craws probably wont get them that huge anymore. The LMB there reminds me more of Lake Fork & Falcon type bass now since they feed primarily on shad only. We all will have to see come winter/late winter/prespawn.

True on the trout aspect but i have been catching some bass with huge pot bellies. There is so much bait in the water right now it's amazing. I see little fish boiling all over the place on the lagoon more so then when there were trout. But hopefully they bring the trout back so we can go back to catching these monsters full of trout.

That monster toad i caught was on a 5 1/2" curly tail robo worm. So even these big girls eat small fish from time to time. Now even more so then before.

[SDDave]

What ever It weight, it's looks like a teener, so hard to say with out a scale, the formula for length and girth is only that and wouldn't qualify for any records, thats a just a pig anyway you look at it, and he didn't drag all alone the lake on a stringer to get it weight, he did the best he could in the short time he had the fish out of water and got it back in to be caught other day, CHEERS !!!
And if he wants to boast has so many others do on this site, whatever, lets his deal, it's not like it's anything new, so what if he's recognized by someone on the street and they've seen his post or a pic of the fish he's caught.
We all get our rocks off differently, so Me Valle Madre... this threads Dead....

[Ray Lopez]

What ever It weight, it's looks like a teener, so hard to say with out a scale, the formula for length and girth is only that and wouldn't qualify for any records, thats a just a pig anyway you look at it, and he didn't drag all alone the lake on a stringer to get it weight, he did the best he could in the short time he had the fish out of water and got it back in to be caught other day, CHEERS !!!
And if he wants to boast has so many others do on this site, whatever, lets his deal, it's not like it's anything new, so what if he's recognized by someone on the street and they've seen his post or a pic of the fish he's caught.
We all get our rocks off differently, so Me Valle Madre... this threads Dead....
I don't care if people know me or not. One of the reason i stopped posting all my reports was to get away from the drama. I enjoy my small group of fishing pals now because there is no drama, just alot of poking and crap talking and way more fishing then ever before!!!!

"I am what I am, and that's all that I am, I'm Ray Lo the fisherman!"

[SDDave]

I don't care if people know me or not. One of the reason i stopped posting all my reports was to get away from the drama. I enjoy my small group of fishing pals now because there is no drama, just alot of poking and crap talking and way more fishing then ever before!!!!

"I am what I am, and that's all that I am, I'm Ray Lo the fisherman!"

Dude, you'll never stop posting, your heads to big and it could deflate then were would you be...

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

I don't care if people know me or not. One of the reason i stopped posting all my reports was to get away from the drama. I enjoy my small group of fishing pals now because there is no drama, just alot of poking and crap talking and way more fishing then ever before!!!!

"I am what I am, and that's all that I am, I'm Ray Lo the fisherman!"

Ray we're not hatinon you.... just to be clear, but trying to make things a little clearer to you to make sure if you state such things that you have the proper backup to support it, again thats a real fine fish, a hog in any rite....

Thats it...not meant to pizz you off just make you think a little more before you lay claim to things undocumented.

[MichelleBedore]

:Shocked:

Ok then. Who wants ta go fishin'?

[gavin310]

:Shocked:

Ok then. Who wants ta go fishin'?

Yeah no sh*t!!! We need a forum called "Drama Queens" where these guys post ;)

You two are some hard core fisherwomen. You fishing all night long and Korin heading off the Mammoth for some more fishing. I fished the lagoon before and caught 2 trout from shore using a little kastmaster. it was colder then and they were stocking them. tried for catfish that night but no biters. i did manage a small bluegill on a worm piece. you really should just make the drive out to lake isabella and do some nighttime catfishing there. just sit back and relax in a chair on a sandy beach... and get some chunky catfish. it's nice out there. only problem is sometimes it gets some crazy wind.

[MichelleBedore]

Yeah no sh*t!!! We need a forum called "Drama Queens" where these guys post ;)

You two are some hard core fisherwomen. You fishing all night long and Korin heading off the Mammoth for some more fishing. I fished the lagoon before and caught 2 trout from shore using a little kastmaster. it was colder then and they were stocking them. tried for catfish that night but no biters. i did manage a small bluegill on a worm piece. you really should just make the drive out to lake isabella and do some nighttime catfishing there. just sit back and relax in a chair on a sandy beach... and get some chunky catfish. it's nice out there. only problem is sometimes it gets some crazy wind.

Hardcore, lol...More like obsessed crazy person! But thanks..I think. hehe
I got a message on my machine from Korin...she said to call her to hear the "saga"...so sounds like she'll be writing up a report here pretty quick. Korin's hardcore, tubin' in the Mammoth Lakes this time of year...solo even. hell yeah, Korin's hard core. You meet her, you wouldn't think "hardcore" at all though. More like sweet lil thang. But yeah....Come to think of it, I can't imagine her stabbing a catfish like I did, lol.
C'mon Korin, spill your guts! Did ya get your trout????:Envious:

[Korin]

Hi All,

If you read Michelle B’s post about our meeting at Castaic, you all know that we each left with a $60.00 parking ticket. No fish but a new fishing buddy.

I left Castaic at 8:00 heading to Mammoth Lakes. I Turned off the road near Tom’s Place at 12:30am for some sleep. In the morning I woke up to find that I had a flat tire (hole), I flagged down a father and son and they changed my tire . They also informed me that there was some really good fishing along the side of this road and a really nice lake about 6 miles up.

Now was not the time for fishing, I needed a new tire. I headed up to Mammoth and $123.00 later I had a new tire. A few days before this trip I was a victim of identity theft, so all I had with me was the cash I thought I would need. (I did not plan for the tire)

Now it’s time for fishing, I headed to my favorite spot bears and all. The last two times I’ve been here a bear has come looking for fish stringers. I fished for about an hour without even a bite, so I headed to Upper Twin Lakes for some float tubing.

The weather was perfect, I unloaded by gear a set it down next to the launch, when I realized that I had locked my keys in the car. Well it just so happened that I had fallen in the lake in August, when I rented a row boat for the fist time in my life. The woman that runs Twin Lake Store remembered me and loved my excitement over trout fishing and the fact that I laughed about the cold plunge that she called AAA for me and then told them to meet me at the boat launch because I would be fishing.

The woman fishing next to me caught 4 trout in about an hour and then she caught a big Alper. Her husband also caught a few. By the time Triple A came it was too cold to float tube but by then another
Float tuber recognized me from my previous trip. He said I bumped into him with the row boat. I fished a little longer not catching even a bite however Wendy, the woman that caught the Alper invited me to have dinner with her and her husband Mike. It was the first time I’ve ever eaten trout with pink meat (Alper). Tasted like a light Salmon, it is now a favorite.

Day 2 - I decided to float tube Lake George, saw lots of fish and they saw me. Skunked!

Went back to Upper Twin armed with the locals secrets. I caught 3 and was so excited that I dropped my pole in the lake, it disappeared into reeds. I still had one pole left so on with the fishing. I left with 3 really nice trout and used snow to ice them down. One of the locals wanted to teach me how to properly gut fish so he cleaned them. I would never recommend what this “Dr”. did, all I can say is he does not fish humanely.

Day 3- I headed back to Upper Twin, unloaded my float tube and gear. Where are my waders?. How can anyone lose waders?. I checked with the store and she did not have my waders but she had the pole I lost in the lake, 2 guys fished it out for me.


I checked out a few more places and still did not find my waders, so I headed back to the area where I had the tire blow out. I went up to the lake and can I just say TROUT HEAVEN! Caught 5, all over ¾ lb and then it started to rain. Time to head back to Santa Monica with only $20.00 cash left and that is $8.00 short for gas. Monday was a bank holiday and I was now stressed. What am I going to do?. All I can say is thank God for Vons in Bishop, I was able to write a check and get cash back.

I made it home to cook, smoke and freeze some trout. Can’t wait to go back.

Korin
Lady Loves to Fish

[Ray Lopez]

Dude, you'll never stop posting, your heads to big and it could deflate then were would you be...

hahah sure. I don't look for praise from fishing sites. I don't need peoples praises, nor the drama. I persoanly think it's childish.


Gary the proof is in the pictures my friend. What am i claiming? The *unoffical* record. That means it might possibly be the record but since there was no way for me to prove this seeing as I did not have my digi scale that night therefore it is not the offical record that is held by butch brown respectivly. It's just like anyone else claiming a big fish without a offical scale to prove it. All you can do it take me on my word and look at the pic with my shoe in it. A 30" bass is quite impressive and then to think of the girth on that big girl there is no way it is below 19 pounds. If anyone wants to measure that shoe i will let ya if it means that much to ya hahahaha.

[Optimist]

Hi All,

If you read Michelle B’s post about our meeting at Castaic, you all know that we each left with a $60.00 parking ticket. No fish but a new fishing buddy.

I left Castaic at 8:00 heading to Mammoth Lakes. I Turned off the road near Tom’s Place at 12:30am for some sleep. In the morning I woke up to find that I had a flat tire (hole), I flagged down a father and son and they changed my tire . They also informed me that there was some really good fishing along the side of this road and a really nice lake about 6 miles up.

Now was not the time for fishing, I needed a new tire. I headed up to Mammoth and $123.00 later I had a new tire. A few days before this trip I was a victim of identity theft, so all I had with me was the cash I thought I would need. (I did not plan for the tire)

Now it’s time for fishing, I headed to my favorite spot bears and all. The last two times I’ve been here a bear has come looking for fish stringers. I fished for about an hour without even a bite, so I headed to Upper Twin Lakes for some float tubing.

The weather was perfect, I unloaded by gear a set it down next to the launch, when I realized that I had locked my keys in the car. Well it just so happened that I had fallen in the lake in August, when I rented a row boat for the fist time in my life. The woman that runs Twin Lake Store remembered me and loved my excitement over trout fishing and the fact that I laughed about the cold plunge that she called AAA for me and then told them to meet me at the boat launch because I would be fishing.

The woman fishing next to me caught 4 trout in about an hour and then she caught a big Alper. Her husband also caught a few. By the time Triple A came it was too cold to float tube but by then another
Float tuber recognized me from my previous trip. He said I bumped into him with the row boat. I fished a little longer not catching even a bite however Wendy, the woman that caught the Alper invited me to have dinner with her and her husband Mike. It was the first time I’ve ever eaten trout with pink meat (Alper). Tasted like a light Salmon, it is now a favorite.

Day 2 - I decided to float tube Lake George, saw lots of fish and they saw me. Skunked!

Went back to Upper Twin armed with the locals secrets. I caught 3 and was so excited that I dropped my pole in the lake, it disappeared into reeds. I still had one pole left so on with the fishing. I left with 3 really nice trout and used snow to ice them down. One of the locals wanted to teach me how to properly gut fish so he cleaned them. I would never recommend what this “Dr”. did, all I can say is he does not fish humanely.

Day 3- I headed back to Upper Twin, unloaded my float tube and gear. Where are my waders?. How can anyone lose waders?. I checked with the store and she did not have my waders but she had the pole I lost in the lake, 2 guys fished it out for me.


I checked out a few more places and still did not find my waders, so I headed back to the area where I had the tire blow out. I went up to the lake and can I just say TROUT HEAVEN! Caught 5, all over ¾ lb and then it started to rain. Time to head back to Santa Monica with only $20.00 cash left and that is $8.00 short for gas. Monday was a bank holiday and I was now stressed. What am I going to do?. All I can say is thank God for Vons in Bishop, I was able to write a check and get cash back.

I made it home to cook, smoke and freeze some trout. Can’t wait to go back.

Korin
Lady Loves to Fish

Nice report. I hope I will find sometimes to learn the trout fishing. However, I am still learning how to catch striped bass on the top water lure.

[Hitts0n]

Striped bass 0wns more then lmb !! :Twisted::Twisted::Twisted:

[basschaser1]

Thanks so much for sharing, you had me and my wife almost in tears of laughter.Its just that your thread brought memories of a fishing trip we had many many years ago! Keep learning the ropes.Good luck and thanks again!

[Troutman65]

In reply to Korin's report, Wow what a fishing trip. Nice read . Thanks for sharing .

[MichelleBedore]

Korin! :High Five: Fantastic report full of adventure...and FISH!!
And that's awesome that someone got your rod outta the water for you.

Wait.... Did you say you used SNOW to ice down the trout ya caught? Snow already?? Sheesh, you weren't kidding when you said you had to go last weekend or it would be "too late/too cold"!!!

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Hi All,

If you read Michelle B’s post about our meeting at Castaic, you all know that we each left with a $60.00 parking ticket. No fish but a new fishing buddy.

I left Castaic at 8:00 heading to Mammoth Lakes. I Turned off the road near Tom’s Place at 12:30am for some sleep. In the morning I woke up to find that I had a flat tire (hole), I flagged down a father and son and they changed my tire . They also informed me that there was some really good fishing along the side of this road and a really nice lake about 6 miles up.

Now was not the time for fishing, I needed a new tire. I headed up to Mammoth and $123.00 later I had a new tire. A few days before this trip I was a victim of identity theft, so all I had with me was the cash I thought I would need. (I did not plan for the tire)

Now it’s time for fishing, I headed to my favorite spot bears and all. The last two times I’ve been here a bear has come looking for fish stringers. I fished for about an hour without even a bite, so I headed to Upper Twin Lakes for some float tubing.

The weather was perfect, I unloaded by gear a set it down next to the launch, when I realized that I had locked my keys in the car. Well it just so happened that I had fallen in the lake in August, when I rented a row boat for the fist time in my life. The woman that runs Twin Lake Store remembered me and loved my excitement over trout fishing and the fact that I laughed about the cold plunge that she called AAA for me and then told them to meet me at the boat launch because I would be fishing.

The woman fishing next to me caught 4 trout in about an hour and then she caught a big Alper. Her husband also caught a few. By the time Triple A came it was too cold to float tube but by then another
Float tuber recognized me from my previous trip. He said I bumped into him with the row boat. I fished a little longer not catching even a bite however Wendy, the woman that caught the Alper invited me to have dinner with her and her husband Mike. It was the first time I’ve ever eaten trout with pink meat (Alper). Tasted like a light Salmon, it is now a favorite.

Day 2 - I decided to float tube Lake George, saw lots of fish and they saw me. Skunked!

Went back to Upper Twin armed with the locals secrets. I caught 3 and was so excited that I dropped my pole in the lake, it disappeared into reeds. I still had one pole left so on with the fishing. I left with 3 really nice trout and used snow to ice them down. One of the locals wanted to teach me how to properly gut fish so he cleaned them. I would never recommend what this “Dr”. did, all I can say is he does not fish humanely.

Day 3- I headed back to Upper Twin, unloaded my float tube and gear. Where are my waders?. How can anyone lose waders?. I checked with the store and she did not have my waders but she had the pole I lost in the lake, 2 guys fished it out for me.


I checked out a few more places and still did not find my waders, so I headed back to the area where I had the tire blow out. I went up to the lake and can I just say TROUT HEAVEN! Caught 5, all over ¾ lb and then it started to rain. Time to head back to Santa Monica with only $20.00 cash left and that is $8.00 short for gas. Monday was a bank holiday and I was now stressed. What am I going to do?. All I can say is thank God for Vons in Bishop, I was able to write a check and get cash back.

I made it home to cook, smoke and freeze some trout. Can’t wait to go back.

Korin
Lady Loves to Fish

Wheew...that was quite a read.....

Quite an outing..

Golad ya got on some of the trout : )


try 2-4 lb test and flyline 1/2 a crawler next time or a gold kastmaster....OR mini ligs n 2 lb test with an ultra light 7' rod....


Maybe try the upper & lower owens river and Pleaseant valley reservoir.

The last time I was there the trout were on fire.....landed many many each day...rainbows and browns and even a HUGE Alper...

can't beat the fresh trout dinner..

congrats