American River 6/28/11

Well I recently got a job title change and have now been working full time. I love working now and the pay check that comes with it, but man does it cut into my fishing time. With my one day off this week I needed to back out and try for Mr. Striper on the AR. With thunderstorms in the forecast I wanted to head out early to fish in some clear skies. I left my house at 0420 hoping to make it to the water at 0500. Not even half way there though my car ended up over heating and I had to pull off at a gas station to let it cool down. I filled up on some water and topped off the radiator. Process took near a half hour before I got back on the road and I thought I was going to miss the bite. I did make it on the water by 0530 though in time for me to still hopefully get something.

I bought a new set up for myself I plan on using next month for salmon season, but its work perfect out here too.



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Shimano Curado 200 E7 on a Shimano Clarus rod 8'6" medium action weighted 8-17lb test line with 12lb Triliene XT low vis green

I feel in love with it after just a few cast. Very smooth and just feels nice.

I get on the water and I see a few swirls out there so I get my spook on and start working the topwater. I saw a few jump here and there, but nothing really looked big today. Not after too long I get a boil on my spook and I've got a fish on =)



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Nothing big, but man its top water and there is nothing else like it. I keep casting, but nothing was really happening after that. Stopped seeing boils after that, so I moved up river to a spot I know thats better for throwing swimbaits for whatever reason. I toss a 5 inch white trophy bait swimbait on a half ounce head, and first cast I get a couple short taps for a swing and a miss. Few minutes later and I get a second shot at it and I stick him this time.



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Right on! I've got my limit of shakers now! Haha I still need a keeper though. They've got to be out there. I keep throwing the swimbait for some more taps and 2 more shakers.



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They just couldn't resist it today. I start seeing the fish jumping again so I put the swimbait down and pick up my spook. After a few cast throwing to jumping fish I see a swirl behind my spook and another shortly after. Fish went for my lure twice and he just couldn't get it. I do two more cast for nothing then I pick my swimbait back up and cast to where I had the boil and I just burned it about 5 inches under the surface, and sure enough half way through my retrieve I got slammed. I fought the fish for a while. Definatly felt like the biggest fish of the day, idk if he was legal or not, but he was bigger then anything I've caught so far today. I get him 5 feet from the bank see his tail flop and right then and there he popped off on me. Probably my one shot at a keeper and I screwed it up. Oh well it happenes.

Its getting later and the sun is up I realized I didn't eat break fest and it was about food time. I look around and I see mother nature has provided me with break fest!!!



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Couple berries for me to munch on while I fish. Always cool to have. The morning went on and the fish stopped biting. 4 Stripers all shakers, 1 on top water and 3 on swimbaits. Not bad for being a half hour late and thinking I was gonna miss the bite. I decided to pack up shop and head over to my girl friends house where I got some real break fest =)



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Man was it good too. I got some food and took a trip to the store to buy some things for a boil. I wanted to get a bunch of crawfish together and have a big boil with some friends. I knew though with the current water level and todays weather it wasn't going to be easy. The task of getting the crawdads is hard enough with the high flows and cold water, but I don't have any friends that are crazy enough to jump in with me and help.

I went anyways though. Took me a while to adjust to the cold water, but after a while I was able to stay down for close to a minute to get myself some crayfish.



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Who needs traps? Goggles and gloves is all you need, and I have fins as well to help me out in the tuff current. I was in the water for about an hour before I couldn't take the cold anymore. Ended up getting close to 40 crawdads to throw in the pot.



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Got some red potatoes, garlic, onion, along with some Johnsonville Brauts and some Ball Park Franks to add to the pot. Called the friends over, had some food and just had a blast hanging out together.



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I wanted to get back out for my keeper striper in the evening, but the rain came in and I didn't feel like dealing with it. I'll be back out for him another day soon hopefully. For now though I caught some fish and just had an all out great day. Can't wait to do it again in some better weather!

Till Next Time Guys
Mark