Being alone now ,means getting to Ladd's early so that you can launch unmolested. It also means coming back early to trailer up the same way. But that's not the way it works for ole Eddie. To begin with yesterday while driving to get the Ranger, the touch screen "locked up" on the Roush. I'm in Livermore and it indicates I'm in Milpitas. What!!!!??? There are more fingerprints and DNA on that touch screen now then at a major crime scene. Even restarting the Roush doesn't. So the question becomes If the screen won't turn off when the truck is off and parked will I have enough battery at the end of the night to start? 
But, an I deterred? Nope, but an idea to see if the back up camera works so I press the camera button which is not on the screen and when I shut the camera off, like David Blaine on the streets of New York the screen works. Disaster avoided. Whew. Now this is unusual because I have to stop for gas.....twice. Once in Livermore to feed the Roush, and once in Discovery Bay to feed the Ranger. 18 gallons. (Better enjoy it now, because the price is about to spike up to 65 cents a gallon on July 1) What I don't understand is how Safeway can be up to 30 cents cheaper in one location, and yet in another it's more expensive. You'd think it would be all the same at each Safeway. Costco does the same thing. 
Then of course there was the Bridge closure on Highway 4. Traffic backed up to Discovery Bay. One way for 10 minutes, then the other way for 10 minutes. Can't do it at night when there is hardly any traffic, Nooo, we have to have 2!/2 mile long traffic lines. Any way, there goes to early arrival. Luckily, I'm #5 to arrive. I join the Pow Wow and the conversation goes from 9-11 to Worlds Fair. (anyone remember the Worlds Fairs?) with many other topics in between. Fried chicken was on todays menu. Gerry and Richard roll in and it's almost time to go, when Angelo mentions there is a rumor that you can win an extra thousand dollars if you beat Christian and someone else. Everybody laughs. Ok time to launch. The launch was uneventful. Uh oh, something bad is going to happen teal soon. So as I glide by the 5mph (Why is it markers are in MPH when speed on the water is measured in knots?
Just sayin. 
) First stop, good current and a stiff breeze. Start fishing the outer edge of the weed line in a 5 zone. Here comes these 2 guys in a blue Phoenix pass me and about 25 yds up pull in front of me and start fishing. Well that sucks, but then again some of these guys are ..........well you know. Move on to the next spot. Nothing. Now to the third and boat one on a buzz bait in a howling wind. OK off to the next spot, but going to take a short cut through Mildred.........opps.....who is in the middle of the cut but Dennis and Jake. Sorry guys, just passin through. (So recently I've been playing with the Atlas, trying to find the "sweet spot". Well I still have more to learn, because right in the middle of Mildred.........beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep the alarm goes off . No water pressure. But then it clears right away and off we go to the next spot. Now in a tidal situation, I've learned that the fish face into the current, so with 2=3 ft rollers coming down the slough do the opposite. Yep, good ol FE is fishing into the wind and against the current. Oops, the power pole is stuck in the mud, why won't it free up? at last pops free, lets move on. Oh crap, the motor is banging the bottom, lift the jack plate dummy. Ah! so much better. Bouncy Bouncy Bounce through the rollers. (reminds me of the old Big Break days ) Now with the wind at my back and current coming toward me, Wham! A 10lb striper eats my crankbait, then a 2lb bass, than another 5 lb striper, in a matter of minutes I have 20lbs......but in stripers 
Ya know that vicious strike you feel and can usually instantly recognize it as a striper? I had one of those. Disappointed, the fish is taking drag and heading out deep, but imagine my surprise when a 4 lb largie breaks the surface. Wholly crap. Now I'm struggling with 3 ft rollers, a bouncing boat, trying to set the net up and a struggling fish. Finally in the well. More stripers and then another largie, not as big as the last. Got about 12 + lbs, but out of time. Dump em and off to Ladds. But as you know, they close the restroom at 6 or so, so before I go I go behind the building and come back get in the truck and the truck tells me I'm sorry Eddie NO Key Has Been Detected. Where the heck is the key. Apparently stealthyness doesn't come into play when you have a 200 lumen flashlight. There they are. now off to the barn, content with the fact that not only did I catch a limit, but that had I been in my right mind I would have been fishing correctly in the gale. Oh well sucks gettint old.Took 16 and a half to get paid. Basically there were 4 20lb sacks (Yeah I know Chris and Hunter had over 19 which is close enough in my opinion. Congrats to Dan and Vince with 20.78 with a 2nd bf of 7.02. BF honors went to Logan and Colby 7.86.
TL
FE
PS Next week starts the 6hr rule. Launch at 3 pm.
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