BajaNomad

HOG shots

baitcast - 3-19-2008 at 06:23 AM

Except for those who live full time down there the rest of us have to go home,but that doesn,t mean we have to stop fishin,with that in mind I thought I would share a couple of pics of a few hogs taken right off my dock until the weather drove me south again.
Rob

Iflyfish - 3-19-2008 at 08:52 AM

Those are some great bucketmouths!
Iflyfish

BMG - 3-19-2008 at 09:19 AM

And further north...

lingcod_July_2007.jpg - 49kB

TonyC - 3-19-2008 at 10:49 AM

I want to ask what lake those largemouth came out of, but I can understand if you don't want to give it up. Nice catch.

baitcast - 3-19-2008 at 11:52 AM

Well Tony that was Long lake down stream from Spokane Wa.,the Spokane river fed into it,most people didn,t realized what a great fishing lake it was,which was fine with me:biggrin:

I was 50' from the water,a neat set-up,my dock was maybe the best on the lake,every year during the draw down I would work on the structure around it,rock piles,christmas trees,tires and piles of water logged wood,great fishing poor swimming.

A great mix of fish,state record northern pike 36#,browns and rainbows,both large and smallmouth bass,a few kokeanee,and quess what,some salmon which would get washed down from lake Coeur D Alene during the spring run-off,I,m looking at one right now as I write this:biggrin:
throw in crappie and perch and you have a good time,loved living there but my old bones finally coundn,t take the cold and snow anymore:rolleyes:
Rob

Skipjack Joe - 3-19-2008 at 01:43 PM

Nice pictures baitcast, and very well timed.

The bass around here should just be starting to bite now. I'm going to find out this weekend at some of the ponds in the Monterey area. I always look forward to this time of year as it's the first decent fishing after about a 3 month down time.

For Igor

baitcast - 3-19-2008 at 04:25 PM

A couple of tips on bass I learned while living there,I had always heard that bass held in deep water in the winter time,not always I found in fact they feed on a regular basis all winter long and heavy at times.

Example,new years day at half time watching the Rose Bowl,we went out a caught 7 or 8 in front of the house in very shallow water 2' or 3' deep all nice fish:biggrin:

Best times were on south facing shore lines on sunny days,up north where it gets cold as hell an is dark alot all the weeds die back and the fish lose much of their cover that is the time you break out our K/M,s 1/4# or rootbeer grubs no one could believe I was getting fish all year long,this applies to smallmouth as well.

Everything slows down,when you think your going slow,slow down some more,with the lack of cover they will stage on anything.

That fish on the top right was caught in Jan:biggrin:
very cold,we caught them in snow storms.

Enough tips for today Rob

Skipjack Joe - 3-19-2008 at 04:47 PM

Thanks Rob. I just haven't had that kind of experience in January - February. Once the rains come the ponds turn to coffee and nothing bites.

Anyway, I like to get them on top. Nothing seems to attack a popper like a bass. Drop it with a loud splash, make a single pop, and wait. About 20 seconds later all hell breaks loose. Water spraying in all directions. What a thrill.

I taught Alex to flyfish at this one pond with bluegills. Well, you guessed it. The larger bass would attack the hooked bluegill sometimes. With a 5wt rod you had the sensation of being hooked to a whale. Of course, he was never hooked. Eventually he'd let go and everything would settle back to normal. After a few minutes we were back to talking in normal tones.

Poppers

baitcast - 3-19-2008 at 05:13 PM

Love poppers for anything,if you haven,t tryed poppers for corvina you haven,t lived:lol: spooks and pop-R,s

Coffee stained water,your right wont work,Long lake was a very clear lake in the winter,funny thing most people put their rods away in the winter except the icefishermen,it was only when I took them out in the very late fall,winter and early spring did they realize what fishin they had,and that was when the trout made their move,some nice browns in there also,it was a great lake!!!!!!!! some 15" 16" silvers were on the menu also.
Rob

Al G - 3-19-2008 at 05:37 PM

Great thread...tomorrow the winds here will be quite (I hope) here in Todos Santos and I am hungery...need some kick back time, but might pull out the crocks...hope I don't have to stop at Ana San's for YT at 960 mn a kilo...:lol:

Martyman - 3-20-2008 at 10:43 AM

When fishing poppers in baja...what is the technique? Usually I pop it and let it sit for maybe 1 second. Should I leave it longer like in the above post from skipjack joe (20 seconds). I've only had a few bites on poppers but they sure are exciting when they happen.

For Marty

baitcast - 3-20-2008 at 12:09 PM

Joe was fishin for largemouth with a fly outfit I believe with that in mind these are small poppers so the long pauses will work just fine.

But when fishin Baja from the beach use larger poppers such as a Larger Pop R,s,Skitter-Pop,my favorites in choppy conditions,pop,pop pop pause wham:o short pause.

When the water is flat such as early morning late evening then a Zara Spook works great "walking the dog" what makes these fun things to use is the visual experience it gives,be ready to miss a bunch till you get the hang of it,you will be early on the hook-set because of what you see and hear,wait till you feel the fish,its easy to swing away when the explosion takes place:biggrin:

Everything down there will hit a popper or spook!! even a trigger:lol:
Rob

baitcast - 3-20-2008 at 01:06 PM

A Mad Mouse??

Skipjack Joe - 3-20-2008 at 01:17 PM

Marty, I've used Pilipoppers in baja with some success. From a boat you just cast up tight against a rocky shoreline and just reel in as fast as you can crank it in. It creates a pocket of bubbles around it and large leopard grouper show up out of nowhere trying to smash it. Stop the retrieve and they lose interest. Look for good areas though: rocky points jutting out, areas where pelicans are sitting nearby, small baitfish in water always has leopard groupers nearby.

Guys, I was thinking last night how every good gamefish has some quality about it that is the very best thing about it. For me the top water strike of a largemouth bass is what it's all about. The water erupts in a boil and you set the hook. The following fight is secondary and nothing to get excited about. It's the topwater strikes that's the essence of bass fishing for me.

The best thing about troutfishing for me is the gentle take of a dry fly after your 'perfect' drift. You can also get them with nymphs or swinging the fly on the end of the line imitating a caddis. There are so many ways to catch trout (e.g. streamers), but for me the very best is stalking an individual with a dry and seeing that nose come out to take the imitation. That single moment is the apex of the sport. I never tire of it.

Skipjack Joe - 3-20-2008 at 01:36 PM

Hope I live long enough to experience fishing for muskies.

baitcast - 3-20-2008 at 01:54 PM

What a stupid looking thing a mad mouse is:lol:

Which reminds me of the time my wife and were sitting under the trees watching the world and boats go by when I saw a mama duck and four little babies come swimming by the dock,I pointed them out to mama and she says " O aren,t they the cutest things you ever saw" :o a loud scream the water explodes and then there were three.

What a great idea:light: I tried to make one after that feathers and what not but alas none ever worked:lol:
Rob

Iflyfish - 3-20-2008 at 02:48 PM

I fished the Coeur d'Alene Chain Lakes out of Spokane Washington one summer. Surfaced fished with poppers for bucketmouths...at night....pop...pop....pop....CABANG! and off it would go. What a blast! Like a submarine emergency surfacing and blowing air at same time.
Also fished for Steelhead in the Little White Salmon in southern Washington State at night, rod tipped with glow lights, slooooowly trolling wiggle warts. Slow thumping of the green glow stick taped to the rod tip…thump…thump….thump, till they go down like they were anchored and then the fish leaps in the air and most of the time throws the plug! Then if you are able to hook them you must find them with your flashlight in order to land and release them. In the early morning light one can see as the water passes by the snout of the steelhead a blue/green glow hallo the color that you see in Baja when the plankton in a red tide explodes in luminescence as it hits the sides of bait fish fleeing your exploding footsteps as you walk the sand beaches of Baja. Magical.
I love reading these posts!
Iflyfish

Martyman - 3-20-2008 at 03:34 PM

Thanks for the popper tips. I also fish for pike up near Soo Saint Marie in Ontario. I'll try sneaking up on em next year rather then trolling weedless lures (which does work sometimes)

Fishing at night

Skipjack Joe - 3-20-2008 at 07:01 PM

... in the baja surf is really good. As long as the tide is right. The fish seem to feed in shallower water and are more agressive (sp?) than in daylight. The experienced anglers wear those miner's lights over their heads to help with baiting and hook removal. All you have to do is step ankle deep into the surf and heave a 20 foot cast and you're in business. There's a sense of mystery about it. That's the draw.

baitcast - 3-20-2008 at 07:21 PM

Poppers at night in Baja,aah yes,fishin on a full moon on a high tide I had some of the best,with poppers and spooks,the water is generally flat and you can hear a pin drop,you can,t see the take much but you can sure hear it:biggrin:

The larger models will come in much closer at night,hooked some real nasties at night in the Gonzaga and BOLA area,s,warm water,full moon and sand between your toes,doesn,t get much better than that.
Rob

Skipjack Joe - 3-20-2008 at 10:01 PM

Have you ever caught a bat by accident?

It's one of the hazards of flyfishing at dusk. Those rascals will target your fly as it's being whipped back and forth. And often they catch up.

It's actually fairly unpleasant. By the time you're aware of it and bring it to the camplight the line, leader, and tippet are wrapped around the rod and the bat is doing his best to chew his way to freedom. Then you're left with the task of trying to untangle an angry snarling bat. You can't help but notice how big their canines tend to be.

Iflyfish - 3-20-2008 at 11:28 PM

Yup, hooked a bat on a remote lake in British Columbia and it is not a pretty sight, there is a reason for the term going bat sh..
Gulls can be a real pita too!

Had a Kamloops Trout suicide in my boat once in BC, jumped right in it did!

Saw an Osprey take a nice two pound trout and then two Bald Eagles who were watching swooped down and one hit him high and the other low, the Osprey dropped the trout and it got away.

I love these fish stories...all true too!

Iflyfish

Flyfish

baitcast - 3-21-2008 at 08:13 AM

My Dad had a thing for Kamloops and lake trout,he hauled me up into BC many times in his quest for these fish.

We trolled streamers for the kams and big spoons for the lakers,he was hell for strong using steel monel line which would take him way down,we also lived on Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho for three years just outside of Sandpoint.

One time while in BC I was trolling by myself pulling a flatfish,we always trolled with no motor just oars,no noise he said,anyway I was using his favorite fly-rod just sitting on it while rowing,you quessed it out of the water comes this big Kam and out goes dads rod:o that big old fish was just hauling ass down the shore with dads rod in tow,caught alot of hell for that.

Dad had tunnel vision when it came to trout,son he said"if it ain,t a trout it easn,t worth your time" :lol:

Iflyfish - 3-21-2008 at 10:09 AM

Landed a ten pound Kamloops two years ago on my five weight rod, had to chase it with the boat. These are wonderful stories and memories.

One of the biggest thrills was a 68 lb bull dorado that broke the rod off at the holder so I had to fight it with just the reel. That thing faught better than the 263 lb blue marlin I landed the year before.

These are wonderful stories and I would like to hear more. You baja boys must have some screamers to brag on....let er rip.

Ilfyfish

Skipjack Joe - 3-21-2008 at 10:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by baitcast

Dad had tunnel vision when it came to trout,son he said"if it ain,t a trout it easn,t worth your time" :lol:


As an adoloscent I remember asking my piano teacher who was the greatest composer. He just laughed. He said he couldn't answer that. One day it was one and another day it was another. Depending on what his mood and what he wanted that day. They don't compare real well.

My friends sometimes press me to decide whether I like the northern forests or the arid deserts more. The only way to answer is to just say 'yes'. Yes to both.

And finally there's a scene from Oklahoma where one of the characters is asked who she likes more Will Parker or the 'peddler man'. She admits 'Why sure, there ain't nobody like Will Parker'. The peddler man, on the other hand, has introduced her to the pleasures of the flesh. Her final response: she likes most "whomever I'm with".

;D;D Your dad was right - the rainbow is a splendid gamefish, but "There ain't nobody like Will Parker".

Skipjack Joe - 3-21-2008 at 12:32 PM

This isn't a very exciting story but it has it's charm to a fishermen.

A sedge hatch would start at our BC lake every day at around 4 and increase in intensity until dark. It was the most anticipated event of the day and our schedule was set up around it.

A couple of loons lived across the lake, usually in a small baylet. We sometimes watched them through our binos. It was a good 45 minute paddle to productive shallows on the western shore of the lake. The minute we got into our float tubes and kicked off we could see both loons start their journey accross the lake as well. No, they didn't swim towards us. They knew where we were going and were not about to waste time just following us.

Upon arrival each bird would take up it's station about 50 feet away and watch. Periodically they would duck their heads under water just past the eyes and we assumed they were looking for an easy meal while they waited.

As soon as you hooked the first fish both birds were gone, nowhere to be seen. If you looked down between your legs at the swimfins below you would see their wide black and white bodies agressively rowing like mad all around you. They were ready for action and knew it would soon arrive.

At some point in time the fish on the end of your line would run out like crazy. Your trout transformed into a bonefish. No, the loon hadn't gotten hold of your fish yet. But it was closing in him. You knew that no amount of shouting, cursing, or jamming your rod into the water was going to have any effect on the outcome. 'Your' fish would soon not be yours. Eventually a black head would pop up close by and you would sit and watch your silver trout slither down it's gullet with backward snaps of the head.

There were two bright notes about these episodes. First, each loon would take two of our fish and then just leave. And second, a fish over say 18 inches was left alone as it was just too much to handle.

And then one fine day things changed. A bald eagle had witnessed these events and decided to partake in the feast. We saw him perched on a dead branch just over my right shoulder watching us intently. Eventually we hooked our fish, but this time the loons did nothing. I watched the mighty bird push off and descend toward us. At about 10 to 15 feet from us it spread those broad wings and out came the talons. The first pass was a miss as the hapless fish dived for the bottom. Alex and I just sat there spellbound. It slowly climbed up and circled for a very short time before it came down again. This time he was on the mark and my line shot our from my reel for a split second before breaking.

We never saw him again.

I quit early that evening and kicked back to the camper by myself. Alex showed up a bit later. We talked about the eagle that evening and Alex told me that he had made mental plans as he worked his way back across the lake. In case of an attack he was going to release his float tube belt and sink into the center of the tube thus shielding himself from the bird with the float tube. I tried to supress a smile. It's great to have a young companion along.

baitcast - 3-21-2008 at 12:47 PM

Getting back to Lake Pend O Reille,Dad bought 180 acres right on the lake,2100' of shore-line a old two story house,couple of cows,couple of pigs,chickens you name it for 18000$ in 1946:lol:

In those days the fishing was out of sight,two world records 37# kamloop and 32# Dolly Varden,I think the dolly record still stands,and monster lakers,also had millons of silvers "kokanee" which were the fodder for thr huge trout in there,Dads best fish was a 12# kam and mine was a 7# dolly both fish were taken right in front of our place trolling.

Our dock was a old tree that washed down during a run-off,huge thing,we anchored the thing on the beach and sawed off the roots to make a minnie platform to fish off,I caught alot of cuttthroats an dollys off that thing:biggrin:

I haven,t thought about these things for many years,Dads idea of light tackle was heavy white cuttyhunk line and a heavy metal rod,thats great country,but its my understanding that they had 6' of snow this year,I just could not handle that anymore.

Ken Bondy - 3-21-2008 at 12:49 PM

Wonderful story Igor!!! Loved every word. You are a magnificent observer and describer of nature!
++Ken++

Skipjack Joe - 3-21-2008 at 01:02 PM

Thanks Ken. Speaking of observing nature, have you ever read any of Ernest Thompson Seton? I'll bet you have.

Natalie Ann - 3-21-2008 at 02:43 PM

Gotta tell you guys, I'm really enjoying these stories.
Thank each of you for the excellent entertainment.

Nena

Sharksbaja - 3-21-2008 at 03:02 PM

Fishing central coast of CA. Lopez Lake south of San Luis Obispo. Slow action so decided to dig a big worm and stuck it on my tattered old worn out fly. Tossed it into a 2' round drainage culvert along the shore.
Biggest fight I ever had on my light action Fenwick w/ 3lb tippet. 8.5 lb Rainbow(landlocked)

Iflyfish - 3-21-2008 at 04:50 PM

Great stories, so a combination of fly and bait is the ultimate weapon eh?

I am landlocked now with pneumonia so reading these stories is a great tonic to my itchin arm.

I recall one day on a remote BC lake in our float tube a huge hail storm caught us off guard, there we were, center of the lake, hail coming down in a deluge....We watched in awe as huge trout came to the surface and slurped down these natural snow cones...never knew they did that...well my brother was not having much luck before storm, which frequently come and go in minutes in the spring, so I told him to put on the biggest, baddest fly he could find, in this case a big double humpie, f...ing humpy we used to call them...I told him to watch the slurping and just after the hail stopped to see if he could toss it close to the slurping trout. Just after the last few hail stones hit the water, so did his flie and Kwammm! off went the fly and the biggest trout he landed on that trip....the thing towed him in his float tube... man that was satisfying.

Iflyfsih

baitcast - 3-21-2008 at 05:59 PM

Bait and fly combo,got to be careful using that mix in Montana,we were fishing a river and things were slow,Dad with a fly and me spinners,things were getting ugly so he breaks out a jar of salmon eggs and puts just one on his fly lo and behold catches a trout,smiling he puts on another,up walks a game warden and asks "hows the fishing" well the old man says "just one a few minutes ago":rolleyes: " well sir you aware there,s a law in Montana that says no salmon eggs will be used in Montana":lol:

Don,t know if that law is still in effect,he could have just flipped that egg off and everything would have been fine,don,t know how much it cost him.

No fish was safe with him around,even took one out of a hatchery outside of Seattle :lol: but thats another story.