One great fishing day...

[CBoat]

Started out in our usual spot in North Franks. Hit a huge school of striper in the back of this cove and the fish were going nuts all around us. My partner was doing figure eights and stuck fish this way too. All about 10 lbs. with one going 20 lbs.

We continued to catch fish and probably hooked and released some 30 to 40 between 5 and 20 lbs.

Then at dusk, we went back to our hole in North Franks and first cast double hook up. I landed mine that was about 20 lbs. as my partner at that time was still fighting his. I stuck and landed another 20lb + and still my partner was fighting this fish. Finally his fish surfaced and this thing had to have gone over 50 lbs. The tail was touching the ground and the lips were at my chest level. This fish was over 55" long - amazing fish. We released it and ended the day with soar arms and great memories.

AND NOW THE REST OF THE STORY... This is a true story that happened in October/November time frame of 1988. Now you know the rest of the story.

[ppickerell]

I hate you T

[Mike Kontes]

CBoat,

I wish I had a day like that, but until then, will continue to DREAM!

Brother PPickerell, someone has to have a day like that, no better person than CBoat. Hate the devil, he deserves it!

MLK

[CBoat]

I hate you T

I know what you mean. It was to good to be true. But it was true. The sad part was, we were throwing 1/2 ounce rattletraps for them back then along with Rair Raisers. We didn't think of throwing a Zara Spook, Pencil Popper or topwater of some type. I can't even imagine what the topwater bite would have been like. Scary awesome

Oh well, you never know. With time and less fishing pressure and a couple good years of rain, we may see better conditions again. If MT quits fishing and the poachers give up ... you never know. In the mean time, there is still fish to be caught, just less of them. Right Mike!?

[RichThiel]

ROTFLAMO at Mr. "C"

Nice one Tom,,,I did the same thing one day in Dec. when Lil Man was an Island without broken levee's.....Old man Smith was drain'in the fields where the old pump is know. Blasted them Tux in the Brown crap com'in out of the pipe for three days......The limit at that time was 3....Had 77lbs for a limit....55lbs the second day and took the day off on a Monday for 45lb limit.....Hit the tribune in Bill Facit's (sp) colume....Still have pictures of the 77lbs.

Rich

Lure> The old Balsa "B" Yellow and Black. Caught them all on a 5 1/2ft Cotton Cordell Rod that I bought from Frank Hauck when he had the store on Moorpark in SJ.

[CBoat]

ROTFLAMO at Mr. "C"

Nice one Tom,,,I did the same thing one day in Dec. when Lil Man was an Island without broken levee's.....Old man Smith was drain'in the fields where the old pump is know. Blasted them Tux in the Brown crap com'in out of the pipe for three days......The limit at that time was 3....Had 77lbs for a limit....55lbs the second day and took the day off on a Monday for 45lb limit.....Hit the tribune in Bill Facit's (sp) colume....Still have pictures of the 77lbs.

Rich

Lure> The old Balsa "B" Yellow and Black. Caught them all on a 5 1/2ft Cotton Cordell Rod that I bought from Frank Hauck when he had the store on Moorpark in SJ.

Rich,

I remembering telling my fishing partner in those days, "enjoy this while it lasts, this is too good to be true". It was us and one other boat in Franks. We had the place to ourselves.

Unfortunately, that was one prophecy that I wish didn't come true. Well, we now have to enjoy every fish. If I get one good quality fish on my Punker, it makes my day. Nothing like an hungry striper terrrorizing your topwater bait. It is still great to get up early and see the sunrise in the Delta and there will always be fish to be caught. We just have to work a little harder for them.

I think there will be many fish entering the system soon. Hang in there everyone and you too MT.

[Mike Kontes]

As a cartoon character once said, "they''' never make it". speaking of the stripers coming into the delta system this year or any other year.

"They'll never make it, their gone Forever"!

[JustinD]

Last year followed a school for nearly a month.......First day had a limit close to 100# with pics......caught fish for nearly 90 mintues before Lunker Punker showed up and caught himself a limit close to 100# also. Thank god for Bogs Grips and lots of beefy split-rings and heavy gauge wire hooks. Oh yeah limit of two fish.......

[nelsonlui]

People on this forum are really generous in sharing information to the weekend angler and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped me in my endeavors to become a better angler like Rich and Dan.

I started fishing for stripers 6 years ago in the delta. I went out with Bobby Barrack for the first time and was hooked. Last year, on Thanksgiving, I was having the itch, so decided to take off for the morning before the gobble gobble festivities of the evening. Someone from the forum gave me a couple of pointer. I got onto the river with the fog still thick and was able to maneuver my way to the mouth of a slough. Started throwing a pencil popper, and hooked up after 10 cast… then out of the corner of my eye about 200 yards down, I see fish murdering shad on top. I idle over and for the next hour, it was non stop action. I must have had a bite every other cast. Fish were between 4-6 lbs. In that hour, I probably caught 15. As the fog lifted, the bite stopped.

For the remainder of the day, I fished around, and before heading home at 3:30 decided to check the slough. First cast 10lber, 2nd cast 12 lber, 3 rd cast 12 lber. For the next hour every cast was a bite. And every fish was over 10lbs. Must have had 12 fish out of there before I got the phone call.. “Are you coming home for dinner yet?â€

[nelsonlui]

PS.. the only thing that would have made the day better was if I could have shared that day with someone else....

[JustinD]

Rich

It is still great to get up early and see the sunrise in the Delta and there will always be fish to be caught.

Damn Rich I couldn't agree more. Thats why I fish.

[Papa T]

You guys don't know how lucky you've been to have had days like these! We may never see fish in these numbers again ...very sad situation.Let's see some pix so others will know what once was

[ppickerell]

2 yrs ago in Sherman mid December I messed up in my scheduling and ended up with 4 guys on my boat including me. We fished from dawn to after Sunset for NONSTOP action and put close to a hundred fish on the carpet including many over 10#'s. Doubles, triples and one special fish on a sammy in some real skinny water that went 30+. Have pix and video from that trip. There still out there. Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ricvan#p/a/u/0/srqjVfd0i-w

[CBoat]

2 yrs ago in Sherman mid December I messed up in my scheduling and ended up with 4 guys on my boat including me. We fished from dawn to after Sunset for NONSTOP action and put close to a hundred fish on the carpet including many over 10#'s. Doubles, triples and one special fish on a sammy in some real skinny water that went 30+. Have pix and video from that trip. There still out there. Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ricvan#p/a/u/0/srqjVfd0i-w

Classic video. Awesome Patrick! Hey do you have room on your boat???

[acm95301]

[quote="nelsonlui"]People on this forum are really generous in sharing information to the weekend angler and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped me in my endeavors to become a better angler like Rich and Dan.

I started fishing for stripers 6 years ago in the delta. I went out with Bobby Barrack for the first time and was hooked. Last year, on Thanksgiving, I was having the itch, so decided to take off for the morning before the gobble gobble festivities of the evening. Someone from the forum gave me a couple of pointer. I got onto the river with the fog still thick and was able to maneuver my way to the mouth of a slough. Started throwing a pencil popper, and hooked up after 10 cast… then out of the corner of my eye about 200 yards down, I see fish murdering shad on top. I idle over and for the next hour, it was non stop action. I must have had a bite every other cast. Fish were between 4-6 lbs. In that hour, I probably caught 15. As the fog lifted, the bite stopped.

For the remainder of the day, I fished around, and before heading home at 3:30 decided to check the slough. First cast 10lber, 2nd cast 12 lber, 3 rd cast 12 lber. For the next hour every cast was a bite. And every fish was over 10lbs. Must have had 12 fish out of there before I got the phone call.. “Are you coming home for dinner yet?â€

[Papa T]

A 30 on top water! What dreams are made of!Thanks for sharing.