Del Valle 12-16-07

Too many WAF duties kept me from fishing Del Vale Saturday as planned, so I made it out today for about 4 hours on the water. Right when I got on the water at @10:30 I saw several boats hooking up to the left of the boat ramp so I started trolling in that area. Water is about 10-20' deep throughout that area and I was marking fish, but no love for the J-5 Rapala in Rainbow. After about 30 minutes the bite died and for the next 3 hours I saw no fish landed and everybody I talked to was saying that for some reason the bite just stopped. 

So, I trolled J-5 Rapalas in Gold, Fire Tiger, Silver, and Rainbow with no luck. Then I switched to a flasher set-up and trolled with a black wooly bugger also with no luck. Then I went to a Yozuri Crystal Minnow in Rainbow, still no luck. Next I tried a J-7 Rapala in Firetiger, again I got nothing. Finally I switched to a J-7 Rapala in silver. At this point I had been trolling for about 3 hours and 45 minutes. It was getting cold and windy so I trolled back to the boat ramp. About 150 yards away from the boat ramp I go bendo and bring up a chunky rainbow. He was about 16" and was shaped like a football. I'd guess he was about 2.5 - 3lbs. The last minute hail mary fish saved me from a skunk! 

Way to stick it out Jay    Nothing better than being rewarded with a hail mary fish

Nic job dude!! Way to get the last minute fish. That is best way to end a slow day. 

FF

WTG Jay!!! This time of year the fish are often feeding on shad or minnows so the silver rapalas sometimes work better along with the SR5 and JSR5. Would like to have joined you but my 2007 WAF is all used up.

Scott

Would like to have joined you but my 2007 WAF is all used up.

Scott

Yep, that was my last trip for 2007 too. 
And it just now donned on me that before I go fishing again I'm going to have to fork over $$$ for my '08 fishing license. It's a cruel season that forces a person to choose between a fishing license and buying WAF building Christmas gifts. I sure hope my wife likes the flowers and the coupon for the free oil change she's getting! 

thanks for the report....awisemanoncesaid "better ONE at the end of the day, than ONE at the begining".    guessin who that wiseman be?...ME!
trolling for trout is tough, no matter what. It seems that the lure (of thier choice) has to be put "RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR FACE!" and then MAYBE it might take a look at it.
getting any is a WIN for you.