Marley
12-28-2013, 08:17 PM
Found myself with a Saturday off and wanting, actually needing, to go fishing. It would be only my third trip out since Memorial Day weekend, counting the bluefin slay in August, and I was almost beginning to worry about me. But knowing that the slow season at work would come has kept the juices flowing. And so it was that I headed out to Corona Lake this bright, sun-shiny day.
I must say that a trip to SARL crossed my mind but, even though it has a special and nostalgic place in my love of fishing, I can't handle any more the big crowds that Saturday derbies there bring. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see the River Lakes fishing well and drawing crowds again and I credit learning to fish successfully in those crowds with countless fruitful days on other waters. It's just that fishing a crowd wasn't in the game plan for today. Heh-heh.
Hit the gate around 9:30 or so to a warm welcome from lakes staff. By the time I bought the customary dozen nightcrawlers, cold soda and rental it was 10:00 or a bit after before I hit the water. Or what is left of it. Someone call the sheriff, folks, 'cause someone stole half the lake! I knew the lake was low, not only from seeing it from I-15 but also from all the reports on FNN, but it sure has a different meaning when you're dropping anchor mid-lake and getting only 11 feet of water under you. Not that I could have come anywhere near the edges because of all the boats and float tubers. This place was packed, too!
So I put out the offerings, the beloved blown half-crawler dripping with Pro-Cure garlic on one line, with the second rod rigged with a slip bobber set to hold the wiggler a foot off the bottom. The stiff morning breeze from the south gave enough motion to the garden hackle to entice a feisty pound-anna-halfer to chew it up and go airborne on the hookset. It was quickly followed by a pair of crappie. There are crappie everywhere out there, even the midgers were catching them.
To make an already long story short, I tried a different spot and tried trolling, neither of which produced anything. The final move into what was actually a little deeper water yielded the rest of the day's limit of cookie-cutter, hard-fighting Sierra Bows. Say what you will about the others; these fish are the best. Off the water at closing and then home.
I saw a lot of big fish caught after I arrived, even though it was late. I saw one boat take what looked to be a seven-pounder and one that went double digits while trolling just outside of my location. Took them on back-to-back passes. A group of tubers had their way with a spot of larger-than-average fish, and a couple of guys on the back shoreline killed two beasts while I was watching.
Green was the winning color if you were throwing or trolling anything colored, and the 'crawlers had to be garlic-flavored and floating. Tip from the tackle shop was a short, 8-10 inch leader, but my last four fish all came on leaders of about 16".
Good luck when you go!
I must say that a trip to SARL crossed my mind but, even though it has a special and nostalgic place in my love of fishing, I can't handle any more the big crowds that Saturday derbies there bring. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see the River Lakes fishing well and drawing crowds again and I credit learning to fish successfully in those crowds with countless fruitful days on other waters. It's just that fishing a crowd wasn't in the game plan for today. Heh-heh.
Hit the gate around 9:30 or so to a warm welcome from lakes staff. By the time I bought the customary dozen nightcrawlers, cold soda and rental it was 10:00 or a bit after before I hit the water. Or what is left of it. Someone call the sheriff, folks, 'cause someone stole half the lake! I knew the lake was low, not only from seeing it from I-15 but also from all the reports on FNN, but it sure has a different meaning when you're dropping anchor mid-lake and getting only 11 feet of water under you. Not that I could have come anywhere near the edges because of all the boats and float tubers. This place was packed, too!
So I put out the offerings, the beloved blown half-crawler dripping with Pro-Cure garlic on one line, with the second rod rigged with a slip bobber set to hold the wiggler a foot off the bottom. The stiff morning breeze from the south gave enough motion to the garden hackle to entice a feisty pound-anna-halfer to chew it up and go airborne on the hookset. It was quickly followed by a pair of crappie. There are crappie everywhere out there, even the midgers were catching them.
To make an already long story short, I tried a different spot and tried trolling, neither of which produced anything. The final move into what was actually a little deeper water yielded the rest of the day's limit of cookie-cutter, hard-fighting Sierra Bows. Say what you will about the others; these fish are the best. Off the water at closing and then home.
I saw a lot of big fish caught after I arrived, even though it was late. I saw one boat take what looked to be a seven-pounder and one that went double digits while trolling just outside of my location. Took them on back-to-back passes. A group of tubers had their way with a spot of larger-than-average fish, and a couple of guys on the back shoreline killed two beasts while I was watching.
Green was the winning color if you were throwing or trolling anything colored, and the 'crawlers had to be garlic-flavored and floating. Tip from the tackle shop was a short, 8-10 inch leader, but my last four fish all came on leaders of about 16".
Good luck when you go!