A Perfect Day to Get Out

I've had enough of this sitting around watching TV and being afraid of who or how close I could be to someone else I don't know.

For the last month or so we've all been imprisoned by this corona endemic thing and forced to maintain a new buzz word called social distancing. Well, I've had quite a few projects at home to keep me busy while isolated so to speak. I've put in a new plank floor throughout the house, I've put in my garden of snow peas, and now tomatoes and veggies, and I've run out of things to do.

And the worst part of all this mess is IT'S STRIPER SEASON up here! April is the start of the season and so it was, corona or no corona. Several of my friends got to Tisdale and so did a lot of other folks from the area around here. For weeks now Tisdale was red hot with stripers. So hot in fact you couldn't find a place to park if you weren't there in the dark. The parking lot was full and people coming late would have to park on the levees. Then the police / sheriff show up and start enforcing this social distancing and family relative thing and guys would be turned away. All in the name of controlling the spread of this virus. So I stayed away.

This morning I couldn't take it any longer. The sky was just starting to get light. Not a breath of wind and the boat's ready to go. Boyd's Pump here I come.

I got to the parking lot and it's almost empty. Only four other trailers in the lot.? Maybe they're all over at Tisdale ? I quickly launch and head over to one of my favorite spots looking for dimpling or a splash as the stripers would chase bait. Not this morning. It was smooth as glass.

The water is low and I have to watch the depth and follow what little channel is there to get upstream. Cast, and cast, and nothing.
It's too beautiful a morning to complain. But I would like a little tap or grab or something to get my juices going. Like always I move and repeat the drill for the next couple of hours with only one small tap and a bit-and-spit. That's where a fish takes your fly and spits it out before you can get a good set.

For the last week or two the smolt have been coming down and I'm sure the stripers have been gorging on them. Maybe they're full ? The moon has been really bright this week and I'm sure most of the stripers that are still here are feeding or spawning then or both. And now the shad have started to arrive and they'll be feeding on them too. There's always a million excuses for why they aren't biting.

But, it really felt good to get out, by myself, and get a little exercise and casting practice. Beats the hell out of sitting and watching that damn tube.
Tony

That is a pretty good story for a no fish day. It makes me want to go striper fishing. I have been doing some bass fishing and staying away from people as much as possible in doing it.

You did the right thing all those weeks. Chose the right river too. It's not very relaxing or even fun arriving at Tisdale in the dark and launching solo because you technically are not supposed to share boat with non-housemate. Not much fun doing that even without a pandemic.

Maybe I've become an old fuddy-duddy, but dealing with the spring-run hoards at the mid-river ramps just isn't my cup of tea anymore. I think it's gotten way worse with 'social media'. I hear it's a 8PM to midnight bite, anyway.

You can wait for the crowds to thin and then go cherry-pick your favorite spots with out the crowds. You'll be rewarded.

The thumbnail picture of my fish is from the Sac, in July, if I recall. It was definitely off season and we were the only boat on the river. So much nicer.