XJ15 (??) with jmairey and boys

I met up with jmairey and his 2 little bright-eyed boys for a couple of hours on the water. We got there kind of late and launched kind of later. It was a beautiful day out with a mirror like lake surface and clear water!. It was at least 8'-10' of clarity and about 57* warm.

The Airey crew


I really was not expecting much going in, but the conditions changed my mind.  2 hours was not enough to get the proper feel of a lake. I missed one bite an hour into the day and I though that was going to be my one and only. As I was going back in, my 4" senko got slammed while I was almost back to the launch site. I set the hook into a nice fat 17"er and made it worth my while after all.

Nice fatty, and that would be the perfect yak for kids and looks like it is!

Jeff

compa, I had to check the x-files myself using the secret xj-ncka search utility, but that one is listed as xj-19.

I just search on 'xj', 

xj-14 and xj-15 are two ocean spots, and xj-19 is a freshwater wannabe-lake but heh, who is going to quibble over a couple secret numbers?,  .

I had a feeling you would hook up, when we paddled by the second time, I could sense the zen power building
in you! Nick (kid in the back hatch) told me too, he is going to catch a fish soon. We could feel the compa power,  .

Last year my boys paddled out together and caught fish 3 weekends running, but we only had a few hours this morning, and being the first day of the year at that spot, figured we would do some exploring more than fishing.  No hits on our unscented, unbaited trolled offerings, trolled a little too fast.  We went right up to the inlet of the lake to see clear warm water and a monster of a dead floating carp in the 20-30lb range.  Saw a banker land a fish part way up there too, looked like a trout.

He was fishing right by a spot I would have picked using the skills learned at your seminar, a dual drainage area in a corner of the lake.

That boat is the new-to-me double hatch tarpon 160 I got when thornely got his. That was the maiden voyage although I got that think back in october. took my time rigging it and very pleased with my rigging job. Went all-pro and did not mcGyver anything for that boat, except for the seat pad, from mini-cell foam. the cabelas quickdraw rod holders behind the seat are really nice. Also, I am trying out waders for the first time ever in my life too. kids had wetsuits and pfds, plus they can swim pretty well, and it's a small lake, I don't recommend two kids in open hatches. Do as I say, not as I do,  .

Compa, and thanks for the customization of the secret weapons, very nice, I am stoked with those!

Well, I will hit that lake a few more times this spring as prep for the ocean season. who knows, maybe I will even catch a bass on purpose?

John

John-

The water out there looks great. A lot better than the last time I was out there. I was a mud hole then. Are they stocking that place now? My boys are getting the itch to set the hook on something. I guess I can always paddle around looking for some bass.

Freddie

thought you looked different John?  it was the waders!
Thanks for the report and pics Compa!
but the kids look very happy in thier hatches.

John-

The water out there looks great. A lot better than the last time I was out there. I was a mud hole then. Are they stocking that place now?
Freddie

Some people get it, but I don't.  I guess I am still a newbie.  What is the name of that place?  Or is it really a 'secret'? 

Nice fatty

Thanks Jeff! Hey, when are we going to see that shiny new yak of yours in Silly Valley! 

Some people get it, but I don't.  I guess I am still a newbie.  What is the name of that place?  Or is it really a 'secret'? 

Sumo,
It's Stevens Creek.

And Freddie,
They planted it at least once that I know of.

He was fishing right by a spot I would have picked using the skills learned at your seminar, a dual drainage area in a corner of the lake.

I caught that fish in a drainage area also. 

Compa, and thanks for the customization of the secret weapons, very nice, I am stoked with those!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do mine. I am about to transform My old Lightning Rod to increase the sensitivity on it as well. It will be fun! 

Well, I will hit that lake a few more times this spring as prep for the ocean season. who knows, maybe I will even catch a bass on purpose?

Let me know next time you go and if we have nore time then I'll take you up on the offer of using your spare yak. See if I can use Da Mooch's trooching method to get a few fish off those submerged trees. 

He was fishing right by a spot I would have picked using the skills learned at your seminar, a dual drainage area in a corner of the lake.

That whole area is ripe for fish. With the water level apparently up to full capacity, there should be some sweet cover in the 6-8 foot depth range. Now I'm wishing I'd taken the boat out last fall to take pictures...

Scott

Compa and john -

Nice report and pics. Love those pre-spawn LMB's. I would suggest the following secret code structure...

XJ - Jmairey Secret Spot
XC - Compa Secret Spot
Even number = freshwater
Odd Number = saltwater
10's Monterey, 20's Santa Cruz, 30's South Bay, 40's East Bay, 50's Santa Rosa/Bodega, 60's Mendocino, 70's Eureka
first letter of the location

So if Compa's secret spot was del valle it would be XC -42 D

or if John's was loch Lomond it would be XJ - 32 L

Scott

Compa and john -

Nice report and pics. Love those pre-spawn LMB's. I would suggest the following secret code structure...

XJ - Jmairey Secret Spot
XC - Compa Secret Spot
Even number = freshwater
Odd Number = saltwater
10's Monterey, 20's Santa Cruz, 30's South Bay, 40's East Bay, 50's Santa Rosa/Bodega, 60's Mendocino, 70's Eureka
first letter of the location

So if Compa's secret spot was del valle it would be XC -42 D

or if John's was loch Lomond it would be XJ - 32 L

Scott

or if John's was loch Lomond it would be XJ - 32 L

Careful Scott, I think you might upset some people by saying that Loch Lomond is South Bay (and I'm not one of them by the way 'cuz I'd like to claim it).  Technically one has to go up and over the hill from the south bay.

Loch Lomond would be XJ - 22 L

BTW, I love the idea of the system - very creative!

Michael

Sumo,
It's Stevens Creek.

Thanks, Compa

I had a feeling you would hook up, when we paddled by the second time, I could sense the zen power building
in you! Nick (kid in the back hatch) told me too, he is going to catch a fish soon. We could feel the compa power,  .

You guys are scaring me now. You are the second person that tells me that and I have no clue of that zen. But you called it almost to the exact time I caught that fish!

I had a feeling you would hook up, when we paddled by the second time, I could sense the zen power building
in you! Nick (kid in the back hatch) told me too, he is going to catch a fish soon. We could feel the compa power,  .

You guys are scaring me now. You are the second person that tells me that and I have no clue of that zen. But you called it almost to the exact time I caught that fish!

I think it is just when somebody starts to really focus in on what they are doing. Nothing scary! It's a pretty well documented mental state, a kind of happy concentration.

But don't worry, when I lend you a yak, it will go out the window cause on the yak will feel all different and you will just end up fishing like the rest of us.

Personally I am starting to see the advantages of the float tube. it seems ideal for silli-valley bass fishing.