Middle of the week and closing in on opening day of the general trout season this coming Saturday.Yesterday I worked outside. First day that it's not been cold, raining, or snowing in a long time and I took advantage.
Out yonder (yonder can be anywhere in a 5 mile radius), a Cedar broke off during one of the past storms. I noticed it a while ago, but it was just too wet to get down there and see what wood was available. I backed the truck about 100 feet off the drive and walked the last 50 feet or so to where the top of the tree was. The part that was still standing was about 30 feet high and approximately 18" at the base. The rest was in a pile on the ground. After breaking off, it took out a pine and part of an oak on the way down. What I faced was a big pile of tree, branches, and brush. Why was I even messing with this? Cedar smells very nice burning in the wood stove. Besides, I need wood for next winter. I cut and stacked brush, cut and stacked, cut and stacked. I ended up with a truck load of wood and there is still more to go.
So, what does this have to do with today? Remember, I've mentioned that my mind is
35 and my body is 64. Well, I just not smart enough to stop before I do too much. Which brings us to the pain in my body yesterday afternoon. Yup, I hurt. I decided that instead of continuing today (since I still hurt this morning) and if I stayed home, I would be out there again. Stupid me who doesn't know any better.
So, I went fishing. Packed a turkey & cheese sandwich, couple of chocolate granola bars, and 3 bottles of water in the ice chest and drove out to Lake Camanche. I waffled about Middle Bar Bridge, Lake Pardee, or Lake Camanche and ended up at Camanche because I can park right next to where I fish. The convenience factor. Arrived at 0830, set up my chair, put out two rigs with Rainbow Power Bait on a slip sinker rig, stuck the ear buds of my MP3 in my ear and listened to a Lee Child/Jack Reacher book on MP3.
The shore at Camanche is very rocky and the pole holders I have will not go in the ground, so I got a bucket out of the truck, put a couple of big stones in it, and set my rods against it. By 10:30 I was still listening to the book and the rods were still sitting there. I changed one to a Brook Trout Kastmaster and started casting. All of a sudden, the rod against the bucket slapped the ground and started out into the lake. I dropped the rod I had and grabbed the other one, reeling in an 18" Rainbow. On the stringer for Bob since I've having been bringing him any fish lately, I figured he needed a few for his freezer.
Back out with the Power Bait and back out with the Kastmaster. Again, the rod slapped the ground and was on it's way into the lake when I grabbed it, thi8s time reeling in a 16" Rainbow. It too when on the stringer for Bob. Both came in less than 15 minutes. From then until I left at 1:00pm, I got two more hits that pulled the rod off the bucket, but this time I was ready. I missed them both. Go figure.
Saturday I'm off to Angels Creek in the little town of Angels Camp. Place will probably be a zoo, but I'm going anyway. Besides the editor at the paper wants a story from there. I must comply. So I'll let you know how it turns out.
Till then.
Mark
I can't count high enough to relate how many times I grabbed a rod on it's way to the water. Then when you're paying attention, nothing. Funny. Have a blast at Angel Camp.
ReplyDeleteYou know you have a decent fish when it can actually take your rod in the water! Sounds like you did well to me. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNice fish, Mark! Glad you were able to control multiple rods. I will have to get that "Rod Slapping" technique down!
ReplyDeleteTough when you *have* to go fishing, even if to write a newspaper story... I feel your pain, though. I've spent most of all of the last three weekends whipping the yard into shape so that I can spend the week after Opening Day fishing guilt free. (Not that it matters…any guilty washes away after about fifteen minutes on the water.) Guess I’ll have to look up Angels Creek, can’t be more than 40 minutes from the cabin.
ReplyDeleteI know only too well the mind/body thing but at 65 I am finally learning! Don't do those things that it is going to take me three or more days to heal up from!
ReplyDeleteSomething odd too about being all attentive and watching and feeling that pole for those strikes...my wife leaves her pole in the holder and sits back and enjoys the ride oblivious to the fact that the end of her rod is frantically dancing...and when she finally comes to, pulls in that fish. I sit all attentive watching for the tell-tale interruption in the steady beat of the rod tip as I troll along...and miss! Go figure.
Mel - All it takes is not holding the rod and getting a big fish to bite.
ReplyDeletePat - Angels Creek is right in the middle of Angels Camp. Runs right under the road, can't miss it.
WDSTK3 - I've had times when you "have to" hold on to the rod with a finger on the line or you'll miss them all together. Then there are time likes yesterday when they just yank it off the bank.
Mark
Sounds like a fine day of catching to me. Good luck on your next fishing adventure at Angels Creek. Tight Lines.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could handle more than one rod. Heck I have trouble enough justing catching fish let alone using two rods.
ReplyDeleteTight lines
Nice story,good luck this week end,tight lines.
ReplyDelete