For those interested in getting GorillaPods (camera tripods) you can order them directly from the manufacturer at joby.com

Coupon Code: SNAPSHOT gives 30% off all items  they charge tax because they are based in california. and free fedex ground shipping.

Go with the eco packaged items - save extra $$

I am ordering a new gorillapod today for my P&S camera to try and mount on my sonar shield.  Was thinking about adding the go go accessory pack but I will hold off on that for now I think.

order total for me:
GP1 Eco-Package 1 Gorillapod Original Camera Tripod- GREEN (eco-packaged)

Item Total $21.95
Discount ($6.59)
Subtotal $15.36
Shipping & Handling $0.00
Tax $1.13
Total $16.49

you won't find them much cheaper than that!!

edit:

btw you enter the coupon code at the very last stage of checkout right before you click the submit order button

Showed up around 9am this morning at OAP launch after dropping off the wifey and in laws for their day in the city.  Met up with Ariel Sea, PeteB, FishFarmer and evoo (?) who decided to stay off the water.

THe 4 of us made the long paddle out to the armada, with around 30 other PBers already out there.  While on the water we found two other yakkers, who had reported nothing but Bat Rays.

Of course we're targeting sturgeon, right?  Or so we thought...

First up was Ariel, with a little batty, then Pete with a little batty, and so on and so on.

Eventually I got one, then we saw the PBer about 100 yards to the south of me hook up and land a legal sturgy, so me and Ariel got excited.

Of course Ariel didn't help much when he said he had some HUGE marks underneath the boat....so I put on my focusing glasses and went to work.

About 10 minutes later, I felt a telltale *pump* and set the hook HARD.  fish on!! the fish immediately stripped off around 25 yards of line and I threw my anchor to chase him down, hooting and hollering all the way since I was sure it was a big fat dino.

the fish turned me around a couple of times and just wouldn't come up.  Ariel came over for the assist..the fish fought hard but just didn't want to come up.  Eventually I worked him up to within leader range...and....frickin BAT RAY again - he must have thought he was a sturgey because EVERYTHING he did made me think he was a sturgey.  Of course FishFarmer had also hooked up at the same time and we thought it was a sturgey too - nope. Same thing.

So final count for the day was
Me - 3 bat rays and the largest bullhead i've ever seen (around 11 inches and FAT)
Ariel - 4 rays
PeteB - 5 rays
Fishfarmer - 1 or 2 rays and a small perch.

well at least the weather was gorgeous and flat calm.  I did hear some radio reports of some guys getting into the sturgeon at the "san bruno shoals" near SFO.

hope you all had as great day as I did.  lots of fun even without mr. dino showing up for a visit.  had a lot of fun with the guys and hope to take another shot at my first sturgeon soon.

I'm planning to head out for my first Sturgeon trip this Saturday Jan 31 after I drop off my wife in the city.

Going to head to Oakland Airport launch at 9AM.  That is right after the bottom of the tide =( but I really dont have a choice but to go then.

Also may be going out super sunday as is an annual tradition, but probably more local to modesto, will post up a hookup when and if I can firm up the details.

I'm going out this sunday with a free pass from the warden

going to hit up either the Merced River below mcswain dam or Turlock Reservoir for trout

McSwain is also a possibility

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa/968591989.html  not mine..seems a little cheap but?

Long story short:

driving to river to go fishing 
lost 
another driver finds me randomly in the fog as I'm about to turn out to figure out where I am
bang, crash, pow! 
hit me in the driver side door...glass everywhere 
i'm fine, just scratches.  kayak is fine too! whew.
but oops, there he goes...driving away into the fog 
car totaled..need new (used) one

I had a bead on a nice volvo v70 xc this weekend but the guy sold it to someone else =(

here's what I'm looking for, see if it makes some sense:
wagon/suv/crossover
capable of being a daily commuter for me (65 miles/day each way) or wife (10 miles/day each way) so mpg is somewhat important
low roof so I can put the *#$^@ heavy marauder on top
factory roof should be able to accept either a yakima or thule j rack
fold down rear seats and long enough to sleep in since i sometimes will drive overnight to go fishing

with that much I've come up with the following:

Volvo V70 XC AWD
Subaru Outback Legacy AWD
VW Passat wagon (??)

any other ideas or fallacies with the above? 

Met up with Dilbeck below McSwain dam this morning at O Dark 45.

We loaded up and made a relatively uneventful launch into the river, and started our way up towards the dam with no action then trolled downstream. 

It was a beautiful start to the day, clear and surprisingly warm:


I missed a hit, then dilbeck missed one, then I was the first to land one:


Unfortunately that was all the action I received for a while. But dilbeck knocked them dead!

First fish for him, sorry that it is fuzzy:


We trolled down below the hornitos bridge, then to Merced Falls.  Dilbeck caught 1 there and lost 1. 

Pics of Merced Falls (notice the fog came in on top of us)



Anyways, total results for me were 2 caught (1 small one released)
Dilbeck - 5 fish caught (1 small one released)

The rainbows were around 13-15 inches from our estimates.  Fairly good fighting fish.

I definitely enjoyed myself out there and was happy to get on some new water to me.  I will be heading out there again for sure!

We caught fish on just about everything we used, I caught one on a grub, 1 on a crawler
Dilbeck was able to catch fish on crawlers, spinner + crawler combo, a dick nite spoon and kastmaster.

Some more pics-
My island - great for cleaning fish:


Dilbeck at work cleaning:


All pictures for the day:
http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f313/bassmanben/Merced%20River%20112708/