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jlmelend
12-06-2007, 03:07 PM
Thanks to the Kiene's message board, I got to use a G. Loomis spey rod I bought from the magnanimous Anne Vitale and an Orvis LA Battenkill reel from "neo" Tristan. Thanks y'all! :wink: Aside from casting practice, my spey rod was getting lonely up here in the valley.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/IMG_5351.jpg
I had a weekend meeting in the central coast so I decided to bring my 8 weight and my spey rod with me for some surf fishing. I heard from a friend that some anglers use two handed switch or spey rods for surf, ocean or delta fishing to overhead cast longer. So I pm'd "the oracle" Adam Grace, to make sure about this. Thanks for the pointers Adam!

There was red tide in Monterey Bay for the past month, so that left the Carmel Beaches as possibilities. Conditions were tough at Carmel River State Beach during high tide due to some seriously high swells, particularly near the northern and southernmost points.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/th_December2007062.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/?action=view&current=December2007062.flv)
Ocean Beach was more manageable surfwise but still no takes. I used every red and orange fly I had in my arsenal in the dropoffs and cuts with both my 8 weight single handed rod and my Spey, but nada.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/th_December2007066.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/?action=view&current=December2007066.flv)
The views of the coast and the sunsets were incredible. I really enjoyed the surf fishing even if I didn't hook a fish. http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/IMG_5326-1.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/IMG_5325.jpg
It was well worth the trip from the valley.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/IMG_5311.jpg
To get the skunk smell off me, my boss Donn invited me to hit the delta for some striper fishing the following week. He too got skunked last week. :oops: On this day, it was overcast and rainy, so it was worth a try. If the rain didn't wash the skunk smell off of us, maybe falling off the boat would! :lol:

We hit the Delta on Donn's beautiful boat aptly named "Marina". Below is some footage of me and the "skipper" looking for a place to catch some stripers. As you can see it was cloudy and nippy out, but this was nothing for two duffers from the midwest! Donn's from Minne-SODA and I'm from Chi-CAAGO.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/th_December2007069.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/?action=view&current=December2007069.flv)
Here's Donn getting into a schoolie at one of the sloughs with his 7 weight and a chartreuse clouser. Fish on, eh Donn?!....then Uff-Da! I was so impressed with how calm he was with a fish on!
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/th_December2007070.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/?action=view&current=December2007070.flv)

Never fear, here's a beauty that he landed as it was getting dark. He hooked it perfect right in the side of the mouth and got him to hand fast!
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/Donnsbeauty.jpg
Casting the spey rod really helped me cast a tight loop through the wind with minimal effort compared to my single handed rod, and it kept my clouser from hitting Donn's head even though we are both right handed! I was casting over the shoulder with ease.
FISH ON!!
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/bendingthespey.jpghttp://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/StriperOn.jpg
I was fortunate to land a nice one with the big stick. Combined with the Battenkill reel, I was able to tire that beastie quickly without it tiring me. Got him into the boat effortlessly in record time.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/December2007056.jpg
When I fished in Hawaii, I found it helpful to have a stripping basket for fishing off a boat or for explosive swimming fish. My William Joseph Stripping basket is basically a utility belt with a net that still caused my line to tangle. To make it more functional, I took a plastic planter and drilled some holes in the bottom...then screwed some flexible pegs from some sprinkler risers into the bottom and fit the thing into the net. I didn't get any tangles with this outfit!
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/December2007059.jpghttp://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/IMG_5349.jpg
So thanks to my boss Donn for a great day on the Delta. Can I say YA...YOU BETCHA?!
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/Stripereh.jpghttp://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z180/jlmelend/schoolie.jpg

Anne Vitale
12-06-2007, 04:16 PM
OK Joe....it is time to give me that rod back :( :( ... Darn....I never caught a striper on that thing. I never even thought of using it on a boat in the Delta #-o .

All kidding aside, it really tickles me to see you having so much fun with it. I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures of you, the rod and a big ol winter run steelhead :D before the season id over. Nice fish and a great report! \:D/ \:D/ ......Anne

Adam Grace
12-06-2007, 10:56 PM
Thanks for the report Joe, nice pictures. I'm glad that had fun playing with the spey rod.