Lake Berryessa Salmon Slam 4/2

I figure I would start the post with our group picture and let the rest of you add to it. I'll add more pics. soon and so will Ricci along with the list of winners.

WOW! What a crew! You guys did good.

It was an absolutely beautiful day.  Finally got the mojo working again!  Thanks Ricci and all who helped put this together NCKA ROCKS SOLID!!  ----Jeff

Looks like a great group - WTG!

I hope the fishing was good. 

First off I would like to thank Ricci and Gary for putting the event on, I had an awesome time.  Fishing was great, the catching was a little slow! However fish were still be caught and it was a great day on the water.  this was my first fishing event I attended, and I hope to be at many more.  Thanks again.

John

Big big thank you's to Ricci & Gary for putting on the Salmon Slam! You guys did a fantastic job.
Congrats to Scott GB2 for first place with the biggest salmon of the day.
 I finally managed to catch my first salmon ever!    Even if it was just a little guy I'm always stoked to catch a new species.
The weather was pretty epic today. FAC, a little breeze that came & went, and then it got pretty warm. Workin on my tan. 
Kokes did not come out to play today but there was enough radio fish, all salmon, to keep hope alive throughout the day. Looking forward to chasing down some kokes now before it gets too hot.  Great seeing all of the NCKA folk today!  jim

Many thanks to the people that set this up (Ricci & Gary& Family).  I had to leave early and missed the celebration.  Great people as usual and weather was perfect.  I am stoked about the Salmon (King and Kokanee) fishing at Berryessa.  Another great option for kayak fishing in calm waters.  Can't wait for it to break wide open when the conditions are right.

Thanks,

Luis

Awesome event. Zach and I can't thank you guys/gal enough for the epic day. Our first trip to Berry and we got skunked (like a few others  ) But I think I have a new favorite destination and am gonna be watchin closely for the koke bite to start. (I feel a cough coming on) Great to finally attend an NCKA event and put faces with names.

Thanks also to our GREAT sponsors. I feel like I made the podium and went o-fer.

Hope you're feeling better Mooch. It was a great day on the water.

Deake (aka Camp)

 My first NCKA Event , Ricci and Gary , EXCELLENT JOB ! Lots of generous sponsors , thanks to all ! Quite the day , lots of  faces to put to names , nice to meet all of you that I talked to . The food - fantastic as I knew it would be , no dinner last night and still not hungry .

The fishing , a bit slow but fish to be had . My second time on the water ( bet you could tell , always using my paddle for a rudder ) and first time fishing  from a yak , I'm stoked ! No skunk on my yak this day . 

The weather could not have been better , we dodged the forecasted showers . Perfect timing , this morning  20 degrees cooler and 30 mph winds just off of 505 , probably not much better at Berry ?

Great Day!  Ricci and Gary - thanks so much guys.  Top-shelf event fellas! 

Christina and Rick Sr. - thanks to you both too!

Good seeing everybody and meeting some new folks.  FAC and overcast at dawn, cleared mid-morning and was warm in the afternoon.  A little wind mid-morning and then died.  Just getting over a month long battle with the flu so took it easy and stayed in the main Markley Cove area.  Ended up with a limit of "green salmon" (3 spots, 2 smbs).  Caught 4 of the bass around 20-25 ft depth, one spot suspended at about 40 ft in 85 ft, couldn't really figure out a pattern, just a fish here or there throughout the day.  Usual great BBQ and potluck spread. 

Congrats to GB2 and the other winners. Good times.

Pic 1 - Nice spring conditions.
Pic 2 - spot
Pic 3 - Ran into these two characters OTW hunting turkeys and Canada geese.

I, too, will start by thanking Ricci, his family, and Gary.  This was a top notch event with great prizes!  Hope a tradition has been started.

Congrats to all 6 participants that placed, especially to Scott/GB2.  His fishing knowledge and prowess never ceases to amaze me.

Fishing was great, the catching was a little slow! However fish were still be caught and it was a great day on the water.

John/Fishball summed it up.  I was one of the many that didn't catch anything but that was OK.  I had a strategy to fish deep based on my research and that strategy proved to be faulty as most fish were caught shallow.  Oh well.  I've still got quite a bit to learn when it comes to king and kokanee fishing.

And the weather was outstanding too.  I can't remember the last time I fished in such beautiful conditions.

What a real motley crew in that photo!

this was my first fishing event I attended, and I hope to be at many more.

Next weekend we'll be at CL.  You should join us.

  I was one of the many that didn't catch anything but that was OK.  I had a strategy to fish deep based on my research and that strategy proved to be faulty as most fish were caught shallow.  Oh well.  I've still got quite a bit to learn when it comes to king and kokanee fishing.

Dilbeck , nice meeting you . You were on the right track , mayby the wrong area , looked most of the fleet was fishing fairly close to shore . My fish were caught mid lake with 2 oz of weight and lots of line out . Was using my go to , a Seps 4/0 watermelon dodger and a  gold / red  Cripple lure . No depth finder so no real specifics , just a guess probably 30-40' down ?

You'll get em next time , as was obvious the bite has not started yet .

I had an awesome time fishing in the 1st annual (i hope) Berry Salmon Slam on Sat.
NCKA'ers hit the lake hard in hopes of Kokes and LL Salmon.

Fishing was tough for most, I didn't catch 1 Salmon or Koke, and didn't see many of them caught!
A big congrats to all who were able to score a target fish!(especially if you were on a cool yellow scrambler)

The gathering afterwards was classic NCKA with much carousing, great food , and even some spectating
as young bass pros made their debut at Markley cove.
It was fun to meet some more of the NorCal clan and BS about yaks and fishing

Stayed after to fish the evening bite with Naoaki and Rob, but it never happened for me.
Was on the water at dawn and off the water at dark.
Ended up thankful for the only solid hookset of the day, at 8am, a 16" Spot - bit of an AOTY upgrade.

What a long day at the Berry!
Even though fishing was tough, it still was great time!
Thanks Ricci, Gary, Christina, and Rick - Great job!

Some pics:

Great job Ricci & Gary; very well planned and organized!

Had a great first time on the water! Didn't catch any fish, not even a bump; but was not really there for the fish. Just wanted to get the boat wet and paddle with my NCKA brothers!

Now i can fully understand the 'madness'; not so much for the actually fishing sensation on a kayak, but the dedication and determination it takes to get up at the wee hours of the morning, spend excessive time settingup/breaking down and then to expend countless amounts of energy to hunt down small ellussive fin creature that wouldn't feed even the hungriest wife....please note, I did not even touch on the cost subject involved to capture this fin creature. But after i left, I fought the whole way home to stay awake; when I got home, I parked the truck, kissed the wife and passed out on the livingroom floor from exhaustion. WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!

Nice getting on the water and paddleing with HobieDave, Jedmo, Victor, Luis, Allen (Isda) and the rest of the NCKA gang.... thanks for the support on the water!

Now back to the back to the drawing board for re-mods on the kayak....

here's a few shots from the W90 (plus my trax):