04-18-2003, 04:52 PM
Hey TubeDude...
I agree, the Delta is a [size 1]phenomenal[/size] place with SOO much fishable water and tons of sloughs going off in every which direction. I'm glad to be here in CA now to fish it more. It'll be a fun place to concentrate on this next year and start to figure it out a little more on my own. Of course, I've fished it quite a few times before, but always out of the back of a boat and just kind of gone along with whatever my boater is doing usually. It always feels good and reassuring when I know I can get out on a body of water and figure out a pattern all by myself, and since I don't quite have the boat yet to do that...my trusty little float tube is the next best thing. LoL.
Ya, yesterday for some reason, the fish always seemed to know when I had a bunch of slack in my line...LoL. Pretty much every hit I had yesterday, I found myself quickly taking up the slack so I could try and get a good hookset, and most of the time I just wasn't ever able to catch up to them quick enough. But it is indeed days like this that make ya pay a little more attention the next time out. No more of this slack business! LOL
As for your questions...1) Yes, they've still got the restrictions on Contra Loma, so I've still been limited to just bankin' it when I can. However, I've been trying to get around it by taking my waders with me and wading out just to the outside edge of the tules in water about 6" shy of the top of my waders and gettin' some flippin' in. LoL. I think most of the bigger fish in the lake have already spawned now though. Senkos and jigs are still the ticket but I haven't stuck anything more than 3lbs in the last couple of weeks there...the fact that they're constantly screwing with the water level really doesn't help either. One week it's up higher than ever, and the next it's down 10ft. That has kind of really screwed with the bass spawn, and has left many beds high and dry. When the water is down, I've found quite a few obvious bass beds left up and out of the water. So, if there are still any big fish spawning, I think they've learned not to make their nest too close to shore, so they've most likely positioned their beds off shore. 2) As for the boat, well, I'm pretty sure that I told you my dad has kind of backed out on that deal a little. My mom though is still trying to be supportive and has been keeping her eye out over there in Vegas. Her and my step-dad are really my best bet in helping out with a boat right now, but it's hard because they're pretty strapped for cash. They don't have much right now and won't have much until the bankruptcy thing gets settled in UT (that's why they moved...LOL). My mom says though that if it goes how they want it to go, they may get lucky and end up with some extra money that could go towards helping with a boat. Right now my dad is telling me that he'll pay my entry fee to fish as a non-boater in ANY tournament (BASS, Everstart, etc) and then any money that I win will go directly towards a boat. However, since I've been here I've really been focusing on the school thing and getting that over with and out of the way ASAP. I just got back from my friend's house though watching ESPN2 BASSMASTERS on the Delta seeing Robert Lee kick butt with his insane Delta 4-peat. So that's got me pumped, and I'm going to look around today for a tournament to fish. Plus, you know how fishing as a non-boater is...it's tough and unpredictable seeing as to how you're often left at the mercy of your boater and the luck of the draw.
Glad to hear we got some more young blood joinin' in on the board here. I will make sure to check in and offer tips and suggestions when I can. Thanks for the good words, TubeDude, and hopefully I will make it big in this bass fishing thing sometime soon...
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I agree, the Delta is a [size 1]phenomenal[/size] place with SOO much fishable water and tons of sloughs going off in every which direction. I'm glad to be here in CA now to fish it more. It'll be a fun place to concentrate on this next year and start to figure it out a little more on my own. Of course, I've fished it quite a few times before, but always out of the back of a boat and just kind of gone along with whatever my boater is doing usually. It always feels good and reassuring when I know I can get out on a body of water and figure out a pattern all by myself, and since I don't quite have the boat yet to do that...my trusty little float tube is the next best thing. LoL.
Ya, yesterday for some reason, the fish always seemed to know when I had a bunch of slack in my line...LoL. Pretty much every hit I had yesterday, I found myself quickly taking up the slack so I could try and get a good hookset, and most of the time I just wasn't ever able to catch up to them quick enough. But it is indeed days like this that make ya pay a little more attention the next time out. No more of this slack business! LOL
As for your questions...1) Yes, they've still got the restrictions on Contra Loma, so I've still been limited to just bankin' it when I can. However, I've been trying to get around it by taking my waders with me and wading out just to the outside edge of the tules in water about 6" shy of the top of my waders and gettin' some flippin' in. LoL. I think most of the bigger fish in the lake have already spawned now though. Senkos and jigs are still the ticket but I haven't stuck anything more than 3lbs in the last couple of weeks there...the fact that they're constantly screwing with the water level really doesn't help either. One week it's up higher than ever, and the next it's down 10ft. That has kind of really screwed with the bass spawn, and has left many beds high and dry. When the water is down, I've found quite a few obvious bass beds left up and out of the water. So, if there are still any big fish spawning, I think they've learned not to make their nest too close to shore, so they've most likely positioned their beds off shore. 2) As for the boat, well, I'm pretty sure that I told you my dad has kind of backed out on that deal a little. My mom though is still trying to be supportive and has been keeping her eye out over there in Vegas. Her and my step-dad are really my best bet in helping out with a boat right now, but it's hard because they're pretty strapped for cash. They don't have much right now and won't have much until the bankruptcy thing gets settled in UT (that's why they moved...LOL). My mom says though that if it goes how they want it to go, they may get lucky and end up with some extra money that could go towards helping with a boat. Right now my dad is telling me that he'll pay my entry fee to fish as a non-boater in ANY tournament (BASS, Everstart, etc) and then any money that I win will go directly towards a boat. However, since I've been here I've really been focusing on the school thing and getting that over with and out of the way ASAP. I just got back from my friend's house though watching ESPN2 BASSMASTERS on the Delta seeing Robert Lee kick butt with his insane Delta 4-peat. So that's got me pumped, and I'm going to look around today for a tournament to fish. Plus, you know how fishing as a non-boater is...it's tough and unpredictable seeing as to how you're often left at the mercy of your boater and the luck of the draw.
Glad to hear we got some more young blood joinin' in on the board here. I will make sure to check in and offer tips and suggestions when I can. Thanks for the good words, TubeDude, and hopefully I will make it big in this bass fishing thing sometime soon...
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