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Jay Murakoshi
09-26-2006, 12:18 AM
Got up this morning and called the "wind lady". She said that the temperature was 61 degrees and the wind was from 0 to 3 miles per hour out of the north. Then she said "COME ON DOWN". So I filled the tank and headed over for a day of fishing. Heck, I didn't even stop in Los Banos for a Starbucks.

Got to the Forebay around 9am. Dead flat, glassy water. I drove down the washboard dirt road with a big cloud of dust trailing behind me. Pulled into a campsite that was right next to the water. The pram was in the water within two minutes, battery hooked up to the trolling motor and was off. First stop was a big old clump of weeds 30' from the bank. My very first cast was a HUGE boil and fish on. He ate the top water Dalberg like he was hungry. Off and running through the weeds. I was thinking I had a big LMB just by the way it ate the bug. The fish kept running through the heavy weeds and my 7 wt was doubling over from the weight of fish and weeds. I finally got him under control and brought him to the boat. I was excited to see how big this LMB was. Pulling the fish up and
stripping off the grass to my amazement it was a striper about 5lbs.
Boy, I thought it was going to be a barn burner day. I ended up with 4 more diaper stripers before 10am. Then it shut off.

Around noon, I decided to take a break and get some water, so I motored in but stopped and the weed line and made a few top water casts.
A big boil and FISH ON. A LMB around 4lbs. Not a bad fish.

Went back to the bouy line and started drifting around the area. I was searching for the HONEY HOLE which is off the third bouy. After triangulating, I found the 20' hole. There were fish down there but not eating. Made three or four passes without any success so off to another area. My main fishing area was between the second and third shoal bouy. I finally found a school of stripers and they kept me busy for a while. Then the cell phone rings - it was Ken. While I was talking to him, I had a couple grabs but missed them so we kept the discussion short and back to fishing I went.

I only saw one bass boat and a Boston Whaler with two guys fly fishing. Didn't see them hook up but they were scoot'n around the lake quite a bit.
Finally, around 4pm I went back into the shallows between the weed line and the shoal line. No weeds there or at least heavy infested weedy area. Went back to top water and started picking up a few here and there. Around 6pm, I was getting pretty darn tired. Actually, I know I was tired. I got my leader wrapped around the shaft of the trolling motor.
So I spent some time trying to figure out what the HELL to do. Tipping the trolling motor up, I started to unwind the leader from the prop and shaft. But I accidentally hit the handle and turned on the motor. Smacked the crap out of my finger (glad it was a plastic blade) and sucked the leader all the way to the fly line. Now I had a real mess.
Tired and pooped out, I decided to call it a day. Cut the leader off and trolled back into shore and headed home.

So I ended up with 5 LMB and so where around 25 stripers ranging from 14" to 5 pounds.

It's only going to get better


Jay

Flyjunkie
09-26-2006, 10:10 AM
Very Good report there JAY... Certainly an Enjoyable Day....

"Los Banos".. my favorite town in California :wink: ... you gotta Love a Town that's Spanish name translates to "The Bathrooms"... :D


DEAN ~~~ 8) 8)

Jay Murakoshi
09-26-2006, 10:50 AM
Hey Dean,

Ya gotta love it ! I never understood how they came up with that name.
Maybe some spanish/american history buff can answer the question

Are you at the shop yet.\?

Jay

lee s.
09-26-2006, 02:05 PM
Buff.....? :? You sure you want it answered so? :lol:
....lee s.

Hairstacker
09-28-2006, 03:56 AM
Jay, GREAT report! Full day but sounds like you got your share of the action and fish. 8)