Cabin Fever!

Finally, after a long winter I thought would never end on March 15th we launched the Jen Wren Torrance for the coming season.

On our first shake down trip it didn't take 16 year old Lasandro Cota long to hook our first stripped marlin of the year. He baited the fish with a rigged ballyhoo using a Boss BX-500 .

Fishing was a little tougher for Herb Lamb of St. Helena. Seemed on calm days when the there was not a breeze the bill fish were no where to be found. We shifted gears and he was able to land the beautiful golden grouper bouncing a chrome jig on a high spot off of Punta Pescadero.

17 year old Bryanna Antle had loads of action. She landed her first dorado ever and released our first Sailfish of the season after we snapped a few photos.

This marlin was so full of humbolt squid we found a tentacle hanging out of it's gill plate

I was a little apprehensive when our friend Larry cooper ask if we could pull his 37 foot Egg Harbor "EL Caliente" on the Jen Wren trailer. He wanted to do some boat work without making the 50 mile run to the closest marina. I said what the heck, let's give it a go. It was very exciting to see we could pull a boat this size over the beach without a problem.

Mark Rayor

www.vistaseasport.com
www.thejenwren.com

Rudd & Roach, something different

I decided after last weekend that the water temperature was still to low and that I was probably, at best about another two weeks away from a realistic chance of a Bass on a lure.

A friend called me on Friday night and suggested that we could have a try for some Roach, Rudd with the possible chance of some small Carp. Never having caught any of these fish in Scotland off we set armed with poles which was another first for me.

The fish here is a Rudd, beautiful little fish. I also caught Roach and Perch but no Carp unfortunately. I can see why people can get addicted to this style of fishing. A Carp would be fun on the elastic…maybe next time. I will need my specs when I try again, light lines, tiny knots and pin heads floats!

I also discussed some coarse fishing tactics which will be useful when Mullet fishing come May.

02/04/10 - Cuckoo's Rest

Weight – 11lb 12oz
Catch – 70 Roach, 8 Skimmers, 1 Rudd, 1 Perch, 1 Gudgeon
Weather – Rain & wind. Rain later cleared, but still windy
Match – Knock up - 4th overall

Mark asked if I wanted to fish a knock up at Cuckoos Rest today where they expected 10-12 anglers. However come the morning it transpired that no pegs had been booked, there was only 8 of us and we would have a rover match. Not impressed, because there was already 3 pleasure anglers of the lake, 2 of which were on the better pegs.

Personally don't like to rover match, because you tend find everyone crams into the best areas of the lake, which is often counter productive. The main lake at Cuckoos Rest has a centrally island, from which you fish. The best pegs tend to be on the right side of the island, where you cast to the far bank, whilst on the left side the bank opposite is pegged.

I drew 7 from 8, so effectively I had to wait and see were everyone else would go. As expected all the pegs on the right side of the island were taken, I had considered fishing the left side of the island, but the wind was likely to make life difficult. The left bank was sheltered, but options were restricted, because wooded posts meant you couldn't cast beyond halfway. In the end I decided to fish the right hand bank, 2 pegs pegs before the bridge. I would have the wind off my back and I could cast towards the far bank towards a large overhanging tree, which I felt would give me more options, plus it effectively gave me an end peg, although I was closer to the narrower bottom end of the lake.

No one had fished here for a while and some reckoned that 50-60lb would win, whilst others thought 20lb would be enough due the the cold week, so no-one really knew. 6 of us would be targeting the silvers, whilst 2 anglers would target the carp all match on the method feeder cast to the far bank.

At the start I cupped some micro pellet, green swim stim & caster at 13m at 11 o'clock and started feeding caster at 5m. Whilst I let that settle a 20min look on the lead & double corn, produced 1 liner, but nothing else. In fact despite feeding 4mms all match to the far side I never had a bite.

The 13m line produced a few small roach on maggot to start with, but they were small, so a change to caster resulted in fewer bites, but at least on the whole I stopped those tiny roach nipping the bait and if I did manage to hook one, they would drop off when I shipped in.

The problem today was how to top up, I tried using a tosspot and cupping bait, but regardless the fish would disappear for while. Speaking to couple of others after the match this seemed to be problem, which is just as well I had my 5m line to fall back on, because this produced most of my roach up to 12oz.

A decent skimmer from the 13m line was useful, but I could see Mark & Nick at the other end of the lake regularly catching skimmers, plus a couple of proper bream, but no one had a carp yet.

After a couple of hours the rain was really coming down and the wind was getting stronger, so changed from 0.4g jean francios to a 4x18 polar ice which sat better in the tow and I could now see the thicker tip.

A couple of small skimmers followed and I did manage to hook a proper bream, but the hook pulled at the net and at the time I thought it would cost me.

2 new swims at 14.5m in front, fed with 4mms & caster and 13m at 1o'clock dumped a full big pot, but neither really worked. As the match progressed I began to rely more and more on the 5m line. Although I enjoyed catching so many roach, I needed those skimmers to compete.

Mark won the match with 23-14 of mostly skimmers and proper bream on pellet. 2nd was 23-2 from the sheltered left hand bank, again skimmers, roach and a big perch on caster. 3rd was Nick pegged next to Mark with 19-14 skimmers, proper bream and a tench on pellet.

As for those carp, except for 1 which was lost after playing for 45min on the silvers rig, they never showed.

Spring has Sprung.....

fly fishing steelhead (root river, wi)

An unexpected after work trip; it’s rare I get co-founder Blake out of work at 3 pm. We came up with a quick game plan: a check of the flows suggests that the Root is our best bet. It’s a quick trip north on I-94 and I’m back at the house to gear up and change from a shirt and tie to a pair of shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt. Ahh…it’s like a super hero transformation from office guy to Neal the spawn sack slinger.
I take a quick drive from the home base and roll into the parking lot, the three cars ahead of me all from Illinois. I start putting my waders on and string up my rod. I finish putting the final touches, gravel guards and tying my laces. Blake finally rolls in - a few quick words we determine our next plan of attack. We make the easy hike to the first pool. Blake heads upstream to cast a bugger while I head down to sling some spawn. I try to offer Blake a few spawn sacks, but he refuses on account that he’s turned into a purest, refusing the live bait tactic. I, on the other hand, have no shame. The previous weekend out on the water, we were spanked by spawn slingers.

I begin to cast after cast at a promising brush pile that has created a very nice pool. ( I’ve caught fish here before so I have some confidence). Nothing…I am now frustrated, disappointed, and a bit perturbed. I decide to move, crossing the slow water in front of me. I climb up the opposite bank to gain a better vantage point. With my should- be guide’s eye, I look north towards quarry park. I spot some enemy activity, a tail in the fast water.

As I get closer peering and straining my eyes trying to cut the water, success! I see a bright flash from a hen cutting a red. My attitude has just changed. I feel a lot better with fish in front of me. After two well placed casts: BAAAAM, a hookup! Ahhh that feels good. The fight ensues; she doesn’t know she’s hooked. She’s headed upstream after some string stretching and some rod bending. She darts back and forth across the river; she tires and I can finally gain control of her. Steelhead rugby ensues. (I had told Blake to leave the net behind; that only ensures bad mojo). Finally after some close combat, we land her. With a careful tail grab, Blake assists in the score. She’s well over 30 inches, over 10 lbs: nice hen.

a nice hen steelhead

My hands are shaking a bit. I see now that the other fishermen are paying notice to the action. My vacant fast water is being invaded by the few other fishermen on the river. I quickly post up on that run and re-bait with another spawn sack. Noticing I’ve not stirred up the red, I see more fish flash and porpoise. With a few more surgical casts and BAAAAM, another hookup! Air born acrobatic flips, f—k slack line, she’s off.

Slightly disappointed, I flopped another spawn sack into perfect position. In an instant something pounded the orange colored spawn sack. That smack was a colored up spring buck. He jumps back and forth across the river, through log jams and over and under boulders. I adjust to this circus jumping fool enough to land him. After another rugby event, we land this buck. I put my hands on him, he’s spurting his steelhead juice. I notice the clipped tail fin. That confirms this fish has been through the weir. Good to know his legacy will live on. We snapped a few pics and sent this spring buck on his way.

spring buck steelhead

swim away to fight another day

With my confidence levels reaching an all time high, I slop another spawn sack on. First cast and BOOOOM, another hookup: another steelhead leaps into the unfamiliar air 2 times. It seemed like slow motion, a matter of seconds seemed like ages. But all for naught, she shakes the hook. That final hookup convinces the purest Blake to ask for a spawn sack. I turn to him and laughed, as I reach in my vest to get the terminal gear he needs. The sun is going down in a hurry, and that part of Racine is not a good place to be after dark. We turn our backs on this very productive piece of water and head for the truck. Very good day of after work fishing, one I will not soon forget. Get your strings stretched to all!

Z Fish Report (4/1/10)

A nice Rooster caught by Piet Heyerdahl from Sweden down at Valentin.

Photo by Mike Buckley

        The 82° blue water is holding at about 10 miles, with most of the action taking place between 12 and 15 miles. The very good striped marlin bite is still holding up, with each boat in the fleet averaging about 2 striped marlin and a sailfish a day.

         Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos told me the jack crevalle action is still slow, but there are a lot of other small game fish around to keep a light line rig very busy. He reports acres of black skipjack tuna, which are not table fare, but very hard fighting machines. And, lots of small "chicken" dorado, who are growing up fast.
         Mike Buckley of the super panga Huntress, with Captain Francisco, emailed me the following:
Fishing was very good inshore. We had only one or two strikes out between the 15 and 25 mile lines. Lots of Bonita and small Dorado inshore off Ixtapa Island.

Ed Kunze

31/03/10 - Fishponds

Weight – 123lb 12oz
Catch – 13 Carp, 5 Bream.
Weather – Cool, cloudy, windy, light showers

Decided to take the rest of the week off work and a have an extra long weekend.

Sue's insurance company Churchill have confirmed her car is a write-off, but the good news is they have actually made a fair and reasonable offer. Just have to find another car now.

Today I could have fished a mid-week open, but to be honest I wanted a lie in and with some wet & windy weather forecast I didnt fancy sitting in the teeth of a gale. So decided to visit my club water, found a peg sheltered from the wind and set about catching a few zoo creatures.

Settled on 3 swims, left & right margins which offered 4ft of water and 9.5m line which was 7ft. Feed was 4mm pellet and corn, plus micro pellet for the 9.5m swim.

Started in the margins and after an hour I had 5 carp, either on corn or soft pellet, with the left hand margin proving to be better than the right. The next hour proved to be slow and I started to feed the 9.5m swim with a big pot of pellet. Due to the tow a 1g rig was required and once I started catching I fed a big toss pot of pellet every put-in.

The 9.5m swwim prodcued 5 carp up to 13lb 12oz and 5 bream up to 3lb 7oz, whilst the margin produced 8 carp up to 10lb 3oz. Corn seemed to be better than pellet, probably because the corn sat better in the tow.

A nice simple 5 hour session.