) We load up the dog and the Roush and head off to a resort where we've been before during our anniversary. Day one is beautiful as are the next four. While idling out of the 5mph zone I notice my HDS live console isn't showing me the chart and 2D like I had it set before. No worries I think as I'll just press the pages button, and select the screen option of chart and 2D on the right. Press the pages button and Voila! They're gone. Except 1 which is 3d and chart. All the others have little plus signs in them. Go back to pages and "Sonar" is missing all together. Yike! I need the 2d for running.(I wind up doing a depth overlay) Call my friend Jay Liu and we can't remember what to do. I have service so I search You tube. Nothing seems to work. After about an hour and a half I give up. Sonar is not showing up in pages or settings. When I get home I post on the electronics board and get one response to my question from Mark......."Yes".
As we round a bend in the river on day two we see a bald eagle cross the river pretty low. Thinking nothing of it, we keep fishing down the bank. Turn around about an hour later and now there are vultures everywhere. We notice a group on the bank and realize there's a big doe dead on the bank. The carcass is still fresh and the birds are feeding heavily. The eagle must have been feeding on it when we first came by. Fishing was great. The wifey throwing a swim jig and me a CB. Lake was down about 70 ft. Had to be on the bank, like 1 -2ft from it. Wife keeps getting snagged, when crossing a point she tells me she's snagged again, but her rod is bowed and bouncing. I tell her its a fish and excitedly she starts to reel. Drag is screaming and she asks are you sure I'm not snagged? I tell her no, keep the rod high and reel. After for her was an exhausting fight we slip a 31/2 lb spot into the net. She has a grin on her face that can't even compare to the Cheshire Cat. Photos and release. Now, whether you're taking a kid or the wife or someone who has never fished, my advice, take them somewhere where they can be successful. A place where they have spots. It'll be a memory of a lifetime.
Two weeks ago from the 19th, when the tides are pretty close to the same, "Yellow Snow" and I go pre fish for the upcoming Christian Bass League Delta Tournament. First stop; I catch 13 fish between 2-4 1/2 lbs. Snow catches 5 more. Place is stacked. Spot 2; Snow catches a 5+ and I a few mote in the 4lb class. By 11AM we've got about 25 lbs. What a morning. If the bait stays around Josh and I are going to have a good day.
Tournament day: I start out to Ladds with the Roush needing gas. There's a bank nearby so I can also get the cash for the tourney. Full tank.....but wait........the bank doesn't have cash? WTH! How am I gonna eat breakfast and get the cash for the tourney? OK where's the next bank on the way. All stupid Google could tell me is where the Banks in Livermore were. But I'm on my way through Tracy. (have I told you I hate computers
) I raided my emergency fund for breakfast and then remember there is one of my banks in Tracy. So stop at Tracy, when I receive a text from Josh that he's arriving. Crap. This day is not going as planned. (surprising Huh?) On my way and lets just say my radar detector keeps telling me "overspeed". (I do not have the boat with me) I arrive and Josh has taken care of everything,(Great Partner 
) but the lot is full. WTH? We launch and we get a late start due to a Nor Cal tournament and a club tournament all going out of the same place. The sun is peeking over the horizon as we get to our first spot and could feel they were gone. Nothing but small fish. I think we leave with 1. Next spot has someone on it. (I think it was the Rossetti's from Nor Cal) Josh bangs a nice one on a top water, and I start catching them on a fluke. We leave spot 2 for spot 3. No luck so its stay here or head back towards the channel. Back we go. Arriving at a usually productive spot, it spanks us. While snacking on lunch I suggest to Josh we head into the mouth of Franks. Its been productive for me in the past, and as the current stuff is failing us why not fish history. Josh agrees and off we go. Third cast, I bang a 4.13. Later a 2. Time for weigh in. What a circus, with 3 tournaments going out of the same ramp. Luckily we're in the first flight and have no trouble. 16th place with 11.72. Congrats to Collin and Brian with 21.56. 2nd was 14.24. Took 13.48 to get paid. Next up McClure, which I haven't been to in 25 years. TL
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