Cookies?????..Japanese Hooks and still can't get a kicker..WWN11
Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2024 8:07 am
Thanks to those who responded to my inquiry about lodging for Don Pedro, but unlike the WHO, I got fooled again. Thinking I'd chat with the "Chicken Ranch" guys at WWN as to whether the resort has electricity in the lot to charge the boat, they were a no show. Ah, the best laid plans 
I also chatted (through text) with John Chiarpotti of California Reservoir Lures. He hadn't made the toad thrasher in years and didn't have any old stock. Darn it. BTW he says the fishing in Arkansas is not as good as here. Thanks for the help John. Still have plenty of his jigs, so guess I'll be bottom fishing.
So after the usual superstitious stops I make my way to Ladds without incident. Is it the moon? Are the stars aligning to surprise me? I arrive and there's no Josh. Hmmm? There are already several boats in line. The problem I have is with everyone checking in and then moving to the launch area, there's always a few who decide to screw everything up by going the opposite way against the launch crowd. Let me explain. At Ladd's , everyone knows that you get in line on the Stockton side of the ramp, and pull out on the riverside after launching. Except on WWN, when the line usually prevents you from launching the regular way. So, pretty much everyone knows to go down the riverside to launch and pull up the riverside to park. Usually is fast and easy, until you get the I'm special guy who because the line has moved passed the blocking stage, goes down the Stockton side and screws everything up. First one then another and before long you have guys waiting patiently to launch and being cut off by Mr. Selfish. I just don't get it. What happened to courtesy?
So after parking the rig, Josh and I head out to our first spot. It isn't long before we start catching fish. Not big, but a start. Josh is chatterbaiting away, and I'm throwing my Dog X, when I catch a no help keeper. Now I will preface this by saying I'm not a fan of 9 hooks on one bait, but they do keep the fish pegged. The problem is they also peg fishermen. While attempting to remove the hooks the fish squirms and buries one of the trebles deep into my thumb. Now does the fish come off? No I have squirming fish, bloody thumb with embedded hook and only two hands . Fish is still flopping and I've got her by the mouth. I ask Josh in a polite scream "Grab the fish". Josh takes the fish and I grab the hook that's in the thumb and it falls out like a thread going through a needle eye. Couldn't believe it.
Dump the fish and put the top water down. Oh yeah had the choice of cartoonish band aids or regular. I chose regular. (In case you're wondering crankbaits do the same thing )
So ointo the next spot. When we arrive there is no one there. This is unusual as last week there were at least 4 or more boats all over the spot. Community hole I think they call it. Anyway as time is runnig short, I power pole down and Josh whaps a 4lbr. Think we're onto something., but it wasn't meant to be. A short time later we see another team who cashed a check tonight in there too. Time done and so we dump our 12lbs and head back. Weights were down as it took 16.03 to cash a check. Congrats to Rob and heather for their bF 8.00 and the win with 24.13. Its not that often someone beats Christian and Mark or Phil and Aaron. Make sure you see the bearded ones vid on Friday for some exciting action.
TL
FE
PS Josh shows up with a bag of cookies. I'm not mentioning the brand cause they haven't sent me a royalty check yet, but here's a photo.
I also chatted (through text) with John Chiarpotti of California Reservoir Lures. He hadn't made the toad thrasher in years and didn't have any old stock. Darn it. BTW he says the fishing in Arkansas is not as good as here. Thanks for the help John. Still have plenty of his jigs, so guess I'll be bottom fishing.
So after the usual superstitious stops I make my way to Ladds without incident. Is it the moon? Are the stars aligning to surprise me? I arrive and there's no Josh. Hmmm? There are already several boats in line. The problem I have is with everyone checking in and then moving to the launch area, there's always a few who decide to screw everything up by going the opposite way against the launch crowd. Let me explain. At Ladd's , everyone knows that you get in line on the Stockton side of the ramp, and pull out on the riverside after launching. Except on WWN, when the line usually prevents you from launching the regular way. So, pretty much everyone knows to go down the riverside to launch and pull up the riverside to park. Usually is fast and easy, until you get the I'm special guy who because the line has moved passed the blocking stage, goes down the Stockton side and screws everything up. First one then another and before long you have guys waiting patiently to launch and being cut off by Mr. Selfish. I just don't get it. What happened to courtesy?
So after parking the rig, Josh and I head out to our first spot. It isn't long before we start catching fish. Not big, but a start. Josh is chatterbaiting away, and I'm throwing my Dog X, when I catch a no help keeper. Now I will preface this by saying I'm not a fan of 9 hooks on one bait, but they do keep the fish pegged. The problem is they also peg fishermen. While attempting to remove the hooks the fish squirms and buries one of the trebles deep into my thumb. Now does the fish come off? No I have squirming fish, bloody thumb with embedded hook and only two hands . Fish is still flopping and I've got her by the mouth. I ask Josh in a polite scream "Grab the fish". Josh takes the fish and I grab the hook that's in the thumb and it falls out like a thread going through a needle eye. Couldn't believe it.
Dump the fish and put the top water down. Oh yeah had the choice of cartoonish band aids or regular. I chose regular. (In case you're wondering crankbaits do the same thing )So ointo the next spot. When we arrive there is no one there. This is unusual as last week there were at least 4 or more boats all over the spot. Community hole I think they call it. Anyway as time is runnig short, I power pole down and Josh whaps a 4lbr. Think we're onto something., but it wasn't meant to be. A short time later we see another team who cashed a check tonight in there too. Time done and so we dump our 12lbs and head back. Weights were down as it took 16.03 to cash a check. Congrats to Rob and heather for their bF 8.00 and the win with 24.13. Its not that often someone beats Christian and Mark or Phil and Aaron. Make sure you see the bearded ones vid on Friday for some exciting action.
TL
FE
PS Josh shows up with a bag of cookies. I'm not mentioning the brand cause they haven't sent me a royalty check yet, but here's a photo.