American River 2/7/13

Had a short bit of free time to spend and I haven't been to the river in a while so I went down to see if there were any fish in my honey hole. Brought My friend Brian down with me. He doesn't have his license yet, but wanted to get out of the

house so he came to tag along and enjoy being outside. Ran down to the river and saw a few fish milling around in the area. Not after too long I hooked into my first fish.



Nice big wild buck.

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Put him back and watched him swim away to fight another day. Kept at it for a bit longer and after missing him several times I managed to get one more fish for the day.

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Pretty good work for an hour's worth of fishing. Took off from there pretty happy with the day. Thinking I might start checking out some new holes for better looking fish. I'll have to see if I can find something, but its hard to strive away from a hole that has been constantly producing fish for me. We'll see what happens

Till next time
Mark.

Amador 2/7/13

Took the boat back out to Amador with my dad to try to boat some more Cutbows. Ever since I fished with my friend Harry at New Melones and he showed me up trolling powerworms with his mini fly hook my dad has been dying to try it. He finally got some and we were going to try it on a side by side comparison today. He trolled powerworms with the smaller fly hooks while I just trolled with my usual size 8 octopus hooks. We trolled chartreuse and pink power worms for over an hour around the lake for absolutely nothing. Saw an open bank spot where I've seen people doing well on powerbait in the past so we stopped to give it a try. Soaked powerbait off of the point casting 30ft out into about 8-10ft of water.

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30 mins. or so after being here one of my rods goes off and I stick and land the first fish of the day.

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Nice chunky

little fish. I was looking at him and I wanted to get a measurement on him real quick. I laid out the tape measure saw him out at 18 inches. The second I looked up from the ground though my second rod was going off. Picked that up and got my second fish in.

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Two fish in under an hour, not too bad. We stayed for another hour without any more bites though so we took off and went back to trolling. Finally outside of the mouth of the Jackson arm my dad hooks up on his pink worm.

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We got that fish in the boat and now neither of us were skunked. We made a few circles around the mouth of Jackson and Doney bay for a few more quick strikes, not no crazy action. My dad decides to hold his rod to try to get the stick the next bite before it lets go. Not long after he picked it up his rod loads up and he is hooked up again. Way back out behind us we see this huge flash just roll on top of the surface, oh shit we got a hog. I slowed the boat down reeled in all of the other lines and then threw it in neutral to make sure we got this fish in. As we got the fish close we saw a tangled mess coming in with my dad's line. Thought he got tangled up in one of our other lines, but no there all in. This fish had a line hanging out of its mouth and my dad happened to catch the line. Cool thing to hook up on but with the extra line out it was hard to get it into net range. Eventually it tired out enough my dad could grab the line safely and pull it in net range. Barely got the net around him but I did and we landed our first hog of the season from Lake Amador.

My dad hates getting his picture taken so he had me take a picture with the fish.

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28 inches and 9.36 pounds. This is what Amador is all about right here. Doesn't matter how the rest of the day goes were happy.

Trolled around in the same circle for a couple more hours for a few more hits a one more fish. All action for my dad though on the smaller fly hooks. I wasn't getting anything.

Nothing else was happening here so we headed to mountain springs and see if anything else was happening there. Right as we got to the mouth of mountain springs both of my dad's rod's go off and we got a double. Then when I was trying to net his fish my rod went off and I couldn't get to it in time before he left go. Got his fish in and it looks like were doing pretty good for as slow as it has been here.

I tried trolling a tube jig just for the hell of it and it ended up getting slammed once.

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Defiantly my PB Crappie. Way cool by catch.

Trolled until 1630 for a few more short strikes and a couple of farmed fish. Headed back to the ramp after that. Back at the ramp there was a boater that came up and cut us off at the ramp who had been doing nothing but running laps around the lake all day making wakes everywhere and throwing tons of debris off of the banks into the middle of the lake making trolling a bitch and a half and all of the crap getting on your line. He flew into the ramp slamming himself into another boat that was already on their trailer and ran his boat up onto the cement of the ramp!!! this guy was an out of control mess. I just tried avoiding him and working around him. Idk how but my dad saw something in him and decided to help him out.

Turned out that it was this older guy with his son and it was their first time taking the boat out and the first time either of them had ever even driven a boat. Plus the dad was smashed. If my dad didn't help them they would have backed their trailer into the boat, busted a hole in the boat and bent his trailer. I'm glad my dad helped them out because I honestly had no sympathy for them, and was ready to watch them screw their boat up. Luckily someone called them in and the sheriff came down and stopped him from driving home drunk. Luckily for him the sheriff saw something in him too and and told him to wait an hour before he drives home instead of giving him a DUI.

Anyways back at the cleaning station with today's line up.

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Best day in a while here at Amador. Hopefully with the weather warming up it will get better.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

American Weekend 2/2-2/3

Was scheduled to work 0800-1600 both Saturday and Sunday, but I got switched both days to work 1200-2100. Figured I could hit the AR in the mornings real quick before I went in to work. Saturday I ran down solo to my little honey hole. Found several fish hugging the bank. Threw my beads all morning and had a hell of a time out there. Within 15 mins. I landed my first fish.

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I tried letting this guy go because he is pretty gross looking, but he worn him self out in the fight and he just went belly up in the water. Didn't want to let a fish go back just to die for no reason so I threw him on the stringer. He should still smoke up ok.

Second fish I got about 20 mins later

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Wild fish, let him go. Biggest of the day so far. Never got a measurement on him.

Both of these fish I got now are dark beat up fish. Trying to look for a cleaner/chrome fish, which I haven't seen all season. I haven't even see anyone out at the hatchery pull any chromers out yet.

I managed to stick and land one more fish before I had to go to work.

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Not a chromer, but much cleaner and I'll take it. Limited out off to work. Both of my keepers measured out at 30 inches.

Sunday, one of my friends I know Nikolay asked me to show him out to the honey hole so I brought him and another friend Paul. Instead of the several fish I usually see hanging around the bank I only saw 2. Figured it was because I hit them pretty hard the day before. Either way were here lets give it our best shot. Paul managed to hook up once 5 mins. in, but it popped off after a couple of seconds. We all gave it a good 2 hours for nothing else though. Paul and Nikolay kept telling me how this magic honey hole was nothing but a fish story, lol. We did see a few swim by us every now and then, and a fish would rise every 30 mins or though. We just couldn't hook into em. 0900 Nikolay and Paul take off to make it home in time to relax and get everything together before the big game. I still didn't have to be at work for 3 more hours, so I stayed to hopefully get into something.

Saw a few fish

move in after they left, thinking maybe the small crowd of people a long the bank had the fish spooked and moved off. Not many came back, but enough did to keep me entertained enough for me to keep wanting to try for them. 0945 I finally connected into one and landed my first fish of the day.

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My smallest, but by far the prettiest fish I have caught yet. Feeling Accomplished with my one fish, I packed up and left to get some breakfest before work.

Spent the rest of my day working through a crazy rush of people shopping before the game, but luckily I was able to cut out early enough to catch the forth quarter to see my Ravens take the Super Bowl Championship!!! Been a great weekend. I'll give my honey hole a few days rest to come back before I hit it again. I'll have to start exploring the AR more for more steelie spots. Hopefully I can find a few chromers out there.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

American River 1/31/13

Back at the hunt for Steel head again. Brought my friend Steven with me today. Same area I found them at on Monday. I started with throwing roe and Steven threw a Cleo for a while. 20 minutes into it neither of us had even a hit yet, so I went back to beads. Hooked up 3 or 4 times to only have the hook pop a second or two into the fight. Pretty common occurrence with this method. I did finally stick one good though and brought this beauty onto the bank.

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Never got a weight on him, but this guy measured out 31 inches. Steven and I kept at it for another hour, but the fish here learn to pick up on you after a while. After so long they learn your there, what your trying to do, and they move off. After they did we took off to leave them for another day. Hopefully my buddy Steven can hook into one soon. He is still learning a lot, I'm teaching him what I know, but I have to give it to him. Trying to learn

how to fish by fishing for steel head is not an easy task. He sure has the patients of a saint and my hat is off to him for that. We'll be back at it again soon.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

American River & Cache

Don't want to write two separate reports so I'll combine two here.

I've been hitting the American a time or two each week now trying to get a few more steelies. My friend steven and I have made 5 or so trips now up to the hatchery mostly throwing spoons.

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Out of 5 trips I managed to foul hook a salmon, Steven missed a hit, and I'm pretty sure I foul hooked a steelie too that popped off after 2 seconds. I decided in that many trips we should have had caught atleast one more fish. Fish are here, but they are just to pressured from the crowds in my opinion.

1/28/13
I decided to try my riffle I know below Rossmoor, since the hatchery hasn't been treating me all that well. Steven had school so I was running solo. Got to my spot and started tossing my cleo. 5 mins after being there I saw one swim right past my feet, at least I knew they were here. Took a closer look and I saw a few more holding pretty much right in front of me. I reeled that spoon right across all of their faces and had a few turn on it, but couldn't get one to hit. 30 mins into that I accidently foul hooked one and spooked a few of em off. That fish popped off of course, luckily there was still a couple fish hanging around though. I kept at the spoon for a while longer and I had one fish swipe at the spoon and barely tap it, but he didn't really grab hold of it for my to be able to stick him.

Finally decided to switch over to beads, and first cast and hooked into a nice one. I managed to get he fish to the bank and I was able to see it was about a 8lb wild hen. Since I knew it was wild I didn't want to drag her up on the rocks and bash her up, so I left it in the water and when I went to reach to and grab her for a quick picture my hooked popped and she took off. Kinda bummed about not being able to get a pic, but as far as I'm concerned that's a caught fish! Right on

I try a few hours longer for two more hook ups that came unbuttoned a second or two after I stuck em. Good recon today and finally had some decent consistent action.

Today 1/29/13
Mikey hooked me up with some rod balancers for my boat and I have been dieing to try them out. Took the boat back out to Cache for another sturgeon hunt. On the water around 0800 and I ran back to the area's where I marked fish last time I came out. Ran all up and down Cache though and I didn't mark fish anywhere! I ran around for a while without seeing anything. Made my way up into Prospect and finally started consistently marking fish. Dropped down roe/eel and shad today. Popped a cold one and waited for that bite.

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On a quick side note I found this video on youtube the other day, thought it was pretty funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGSN7JVg1yQ

The rod balancers fit perfectly in the boat thanks again Mike!!!



I tried here for 45 mins, and a few other spots for the same amount of time or longer for only one quick nibble on roe and one on shad.

With the lack of bites and everything I just kind of had a bad mojo feeling and decided to call it a day and head back in to have some free time before I have school. Good call two because on my way back the wind really kicked up and the water was starting to get pretty choppy. Nothing I couldn't handle, but I'm glad I got my little boat back before it got any worse. Off of the water by 1200. Gave it a good try, hopefully the fish will want to play next time.

Till then guys.
Mark

American Steel 1/22-1/23

Plan was to go back out for Sturgeon Tuesday, but plans changed and that didn't work out. I told myself I wasn't going to buy a Steelhead card this year because I usually only go 3 or 4 times a year I didn't think it was worth it, but I found myself in Rancho with nothing to do so I caved in a got it. My friend Steven who I took fishing twice last year really loves the sport so he got his fishing license this year and I hit him up to come on out with me. Got on the water around 1200 at the hatchery. Plenty of fisherman out today, found a spot between em and tried throwing beads for a while. Saw tons of fish swimming by and there were some hogs in the ladder so my hopes were high. We tried for a couple hours though without hooking into anything besides a few snags.

Steven did manage to pull up some dead line with a silver and orange Little Cleo on it, pretty nice score. Figured why not, had Steven tie it on and give it a shot. He had a few followers come real close to it, but they never hit it. Moved on down to try another area with a little less crowds. After two hours there we still had no luck.

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We fished until 1600 saw maybe 5 or so fish get caught around us. Not as many as I would have expected to see with the amount of fish and fisherman out there, but that's how things work out sometimes.

Today Wednesday I don't start work until 1400 so I figured I could give it another quick shot before I had to go and punch in. On the water today around 1000. A little less crowded today which is always nice. Took a spot that I saw a guys doing pretty good at the day before. Started with beads again, hoping to get at least one hook up. Gave it a couple solid hours of trying for still nothing. Saw a few fish get landed around me, but still no crazy action happening. I started seeing a few fish cruising right at my feet next to the bank, so I figured I'd try the spoon to really work the shore line and try to entice a bite that way. After about 20 mins. of tossing that, my spoon stopped dead literally inches off of the bank. Not feeling like a normal rock I slammed that hook had a fish on!

Fish was heavy as heck on my 7ft bass rod I decided to keep this Cleo on. I immediately regretted that decision about 2 seconds into the fight when this fish wanted to show me his power by going on a 50 yard run straight down river. I wasn't really worried about my line snapping, but I didn't think I was going to be able to pull him

back up the rapids with the lighter rod. I didn't do anything except hold on and did a lot of praying for the first 4 mins of the fight before I got on turn of the reel on him. After a while of keeping pressure on him though I was slowly able to pump him back up the river towards me and after roughly a long 10 min. fight I beach him and got my first steel head of 2013.

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Didn't have a scale and I forgot to measure him so lets guess him at close to 10lbs and roughly 30 inches or so. First steelie I've ever gotten on a Cleo too which was awesome.

Kept fishing for a while longer, but I have to admit my arm was sore as heck, I didn't know what I would have done if I hooked another. Stayed until 1230 before I left for work.

I've never been a big fan of steelies, but if days like this come around every now and then I can defiantly learn to love it.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

First Sturgeon Excursion

Alright so many of you know I've had an itch to get my first legal Sturgeon lately. Its just been something I've been wanting to add to my list of species. Debated on going out today to either the Sac or Cache. I knew I would have a better chance at getting into a fish at Cache, but it can be sketchy going out there in my small tin can. I watched the weather and all of the conditions for a few days before and saw that it was going to be a nice calm day so I went. Slept in a bit and launched from Vierra's around 1000. Armed with Pile, Ghost, Eel, and Roe I'm ready. Running solo today, Sturgeon is still really new to me and I like going solo when I'm doing something new. It allows me to experiment a little more and I can act more freely on gut instinct. Plus going solo in my boat I can get my boat going at 20 mph! Haha

Got into Cache and I noticed a group of a half dozen boats all anchored together, as I passed by I saw one boater net a lower slot sized or just short fish. I usually try not to follow crowds, but I figured if I stuck close-ish to the rest of the fleet I can't go too wrong, plus I can learn more from watching other guys. Ran up above the crowd to stay out of everyone's way and give me a good view on whats going on with everyone else. I started with Pile and Ghost and started getting a few taps on Pile, but no serious pull downs. Gave it an hour and then made a quick move, saw another boat fighting what looked like an over sized too me. They later came over and anchored right next to me and said it was 56 inches. I saw they were throwing Ghost as well.

20 mins. into my second spot my Pile worm gets nailed and I swung hard on it. Hooked up, but didn't have the weight of a Sturgeon behind it, got him boat side and saw the most screwed up striper I've ever seen in my life.

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It was all healed up so it wasn't from anything recent, but idk if this fish lost an eye in a fight with something or maybe poor C&R. I had to crack up with the hook placement though. Tacos tonight!

Skunk off got that monkey off my back now time for the target fish. The hardest things I used to have in my boat sitting on anchor was just comfort, but today I thought I'd bring out a lawn chair use up all the space in my boat since I have it and I was pretty freaking comfy all day out there.

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Great beautiful day on the water. Gave this spot another hour without a bite so I picked up and made another move. Kept working my way up river trying to find some fish away from the crowds. I marked fish everywhere for the most part, but with the outgo going strong my anchor kept slipping and whenever I got it to hold 12 ounces of lead was barely staying on the bottom. Did I ever mention that I hate the outgo? Like seriously with a burning passion. For the next hour I tried several spots just frustrated with the tide thinking I missed my window opportunity and was thinking I might just head back and fish the sac near Isleton. I had a feeling though that things might get better if i kept going up though so I ventured further and found a whole other fleet of boats. Didn't seen anyone fighting anything, but I ran up above them and saw a lot of arch's on the FF so I thought what the hell lets try. Current was just slow enough my anchor held, so I dropped in both lines set up my chair and sat down. I grabbed one of my rods to set it a little closer to me and right as I picked it up it got hammered! Haven't even been here a minute and I'm hooked up! That's what I'm talking about.

Knew this one was my Stug, he didn't feel huge but they still put up a hell of a fight. Got him boat side, and of course no net, can't use snares anymore (not like I have one anyways), and I forgot my gloves at the truck. Damn, well hopefully he wont tear me up too much. Tailed that fish and pulled him in the boat as carefully as quickly as I could and I got my Sturgeon!!!

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Oh yea I also forgot my tape measure at the truck as well. I am guessing this guy around 30 inches though. He may only be a shaker, not even my PB, but I've never felt so accomplished. My first Sturgeon in my boat and my first successful sturgeon outing as a Captain. I've caught a few before, but never by myself, so this was a successful moment for me.

Running off of that high I stuck this area out for 2 more hours hoping for a chance at that keeper.

Snacking on some smoked trout via New Melones to help pass time.

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It still looks pretty fishy down there.

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The rest of the weekend fleet.

Nothing else was happening here though. I didn't even see anyone else hook up. I made two more moves until I decided to call it a day. Got back to the ramp around 1630. I talked to few fisherman back at the launch and they all said they had a shaker, but didn't see any slot sized fish get pulled up.

Freaking fantastic day on the water and I'm very excited for my next outing. Can't wait for that keeper.

Got my fish today on roe/eel btw.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark