Geraldlim
11-09-2010, 09:09 PM
Went to sleep early last night and woke up early this morning, could not get back to sleep, so went to the Coachella Canal. Got there at 4-ish and set up a catfish rod as well as trying to catch a panfish for bait. Not a single nibble on the catfish rig with shrimp as bait, or the panfish rig with nightcrawlers.
Started casting my 3" Blaze lipless on and off between tending the catfish rod. At about 5:15am, there was a glow just starting in the east but it was still dark, when I got a hit on the crankbait. I pulled it in and lifted it out. I could barely see the fish struggling and flipping around, and I thought I got another catfish until I shone the light oh it.
A striper! Finally! About 15 inches and slightly over a pound. I was more stoked with this little striper than 30 pounders I have speared!
2688926890
I kept casting at different locations. Got a couple of small hits that felt like small LMB that did not stick. At about 5:45am I was fishing the same area I got the 1st striper. I retrieved the lure all the way to my feet when WHAM! I got hit hard. I almost had a heart attack, jerked back, and the lure flew out of the water. I could see the dark shape of another striper still looking for his intended victim right below my feet. I immediately lowered the lure back into the water in front of the fish. Immediately WHAM! again, and I haul back. &%$# - did not stick again, and this time the fish realizes something is not right and takes off. This one looked slightly bigger than the first (of course, since it got away!)
I got home and took more pictures. It is amazing how perspective changes the size of a catch! LOL.
2689726898
Note that the fish was hooked on the front hooks on the lure. I have switched the treble hook for 2 single hooks to reduce snagging the lure on the bottom. I have included closeups of the rig. Now I know it still can hook fish at least some of the time.
2690326899269002690226901
Started casting my 3" Blaze lipless on and off between tending the catfish rod. At about 5:15am, there was a glow just starting in the east but it was still dark, when I got a hit on the crankbait. I pulled it in and lifted it out. I could barely see the fish struggling and flipping around, and I thought I got another catfish until I shone the light oh it.
A striper! Finally! About 15 inches and slightly over a pound. I was more stoked with this little striper than 30 pounders I have speared!
2688926890
I kept casting at different locations. Got a couple of small hits that felt like small LMB that did not stick. At about 5:45am I was fishing the same area I got the 1st striper. I retrieved the lure all the way to my feet when WHAM! I got hit hard. I almost had a heart attack, jerked back, and the lure flew out of the water. I could see the dark shape of another striper still looking for his intended victim right below my feet. I immediately lowered the lure back into the water in front of the fish. Immediately WHAM! again, and I haul back. &%$# - did not stick again, and this time the fish realizes something is not right and takes off. This one looked slightly bigger than the first (of course, since it got away!)
I got home and took more pictures. It is amazing how perspective changes the size of a catch! LOL.
2689726898
Note that the fish was hooked on the front hooks on the lure. I have switched the treble hook for 2 single hooks to reduce snagging the lure on the bottom. I have included closeups of the rig. Now I know it still can hook fish at least some of the time.
2690326899269002690226901