Couple more days on the American River

I keep trying for my keeper Striper on the AR. I went out in the AM 7/2/11. Picked up Garrett and met Daryl on the water at 0515. Right when we got there stripers were jumping a bit. Casting the spook I could get anything close enough to where I was to hit. I walk up river 50 yards or so with Garrett where we see more crashing close to the bank. I throw the spook out there and Garrett tosses his swim bait. On my first cast I get 3 mice blow ups, but the fish missed the lure every time.

After fishing a while longer Garrett manages a small shaker on his swim bait. Nothing else happened that morning though.

Back out again this morning 7/3/11. Got Garrett and we got out on the water earlier today 0430. I myself was so exhausted and tired from helping my friends move all day and night the day before so I sat down on my ass waiting for the stripers to start jumping. Garrett is out tossing his swim bait though. He had a small light attach to his hat I gave him and I told him to shine it on the water in front of him and the stripers will come right to him. 5 mins later Garrett was reeling his lure in and it got 5 ft from the bank and I see him set the hook and then his swim bait come flying out of the water.

He said holy crap that was a bite! He flipped his bait back out just 10 ft from the bank and right when it hit the water BAM! He was hooked up. I ran over to help and right off of the bat Garrett has a keeper striper.



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Nice 21 incher. After seeing that I got off my ass and throw out a swim bait. Nothing happened with that, but shortly after they start jumping so get my spook out there. I end up getting two blow ups and hooking up on both but losing the fish after a 3 second fight. This is getting kind of ridiculous. I've lost so many fish recently on spooks after a 2 or 3 second fight. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if its just the hooks not landing right. Garrett keeps telling me you get a better hook up if you take the middle of the 3 hooks off of the super spook. I don't understand how that would make sense but I'm willing to try it now.

Garrett managed another nice little shaker on the swim bait again of course.



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Called it a day from there. Gonna try to get out again 2maro. We'll see what happens.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark