Loch Lomond 3.16.08 (with pics)

Went to santa cruz and picked up our new WS Pamlico 135T and turned tail to Loch Lomond to meet up with Great Bass 2 for a midmorning paddle and shore lunch.

We got there pretty late at about 1130.  It was going to be the maiden voyage of the Pamlico, and also the first time this year that I paddled with the dog.  Three mammals is a lot of cargo in a new boat.  Long story short, we geared up the boat, got the dog in, then shoved off.  I think the dog got nervous (he's only been on my adventure with me once at lexington during a super calm day).  It was windy and we weren't so stable starting off.  So SPLASH!!! Dog figures he'd be better off on his own, jumps out of the boat damn near tips us over and heads for shore.  It was pretty funny stuff, that is, if the Park Staff wasn't watching.  we paddled alongside the dog till he got back to the dock. Got lectured by Park Staff about how its a no contact lake, then tried again.  This time, we successfully launched.

The wind was blowing!  Gust 20 to 30 mph, i mean it was up.  We made it to Trout Island, and as we rounded by the eastern tip, who do we see but Great Bass 2 and his lovely wife Karen.  We planned for lunch at 1pm, and it was only 12:15, but with the wind, it was pointless to troll around.

We parked the boat and walked over to GB2's picnic spot.  It was on the leeward side of the island, but still was taking lots of wind.  Still, it didn't deter us from having a great noontime repast with some great company.  I had a blast (literally and figuratively).  GB2 cooked up a mean shore lunch of spinach salad, marinated garlic tiger prawns, and some other tasty chow.

Great food, company, and paddling.  I couldn't ask for more on a Sunday.  So satisfied in fact, that I didn't even bust out my trolling rig.  Thanks again Scott and Karen for the wonderful lunch.

Fishing wise, I knew it be a scratch bite b/c I called the ranger before we left and she said that they last trout plant was on 3/6.  I saw only a handful of trout on stringers, 12-14 inches.  GB2 was among those who scored, picked up one trolling a lure up top.

NOTE:  They are doing boat inspections for moisture to curb xenobiotic proliferation.  So gauge your time and patience accordingly.

good job guys, especially GB2.

I took my older son, Sam, 10, to XJ-14, he had his own boat today. We battled the wind and cold for a bit, which pretty much meant not enough fishing time and no fish. good practice tho, he operated his own GPS, VHF and sonar, and did deploy a yozuri snap bean (tiny crank), modded with a single barbless hook, more or less properly. I did have to tow him back up the lake at one point, but at least as far as experience and practice goes, it was good, and as usual, fun.

J

Thanks for the report, Martin.  Sounds like a great time.  Way to go on the trout and the chef-skills, Scott!   

Hey, John - get your own report!  Are you hiding here because you didn't get any pics?     Admirable that you got one of the little Airey's out there.   

Are you hiding here because you didn't get any pics?     Admirable that you got one of the little Airey's out there.   

Yes, and thank you,    In theory, they can tie uni-knots now too.  and someday I will find kayak fishing easy enough to take pictures while I fish. someday...

Well as Martin said it was more WAF and wind than fishing but the shore lunch was awesome.  Launched at 930 and fished till 1130 before seeking refuge on the island. Barely passed the zebra inspection because my trident had a few drops of water in the hull which leaked in from the rain. Found out that Martin and I grew up in the same hood (just 20 years of separation) and went to the same college, small world. Did manage to dredge up a nice 14 inch trout on a Daiwa Shiner north of the island. Karen wasn't that happy with the wind so we headed to Santa Cruz after lunch for some R&R. Martin's new tandem ride is really cool, especially the canine seat. Joel, sorry you couldn't make it, we had a ton of extra food. 

scott

Wish I went....ended up staying home dealing with a vicious allergy attack

Great pics, Scott.  Loch Lomond looks like a sweet spot.   

don't know why all the pics didn't post the first time round.  Here's some more.

I've gotta say that even a "crappy" day paddling loch lomond is so much fun.  It is just a gorgeous lake to paddle.  And with the level up so high, man, there's just flooded timber, weedbeds, and all kinds of structure.  It's gonna be a blast with a couple more weeks of warming weather, bass-wise.

I didn't get out of the house until about 1:00pm...  
 
Overslept, then discovered I didn't have a way to secure the kayak to my Jeep Compass.  I normally use my pickup but today I only have the Jeep.  The roof rack is short on the Jeep so my J-hooks don't work with my Outback.  I laid the Outback down on the crossbars but discovered the ends of the ratchet straps didn't have anything they could grab.
 
On my truck, I use handlebar loops in situations like this...but all of my handlebar loops are in my truck so they weren't doing me any good.
 
I tried OSH, Home Despot, and Kragen...all had straps but no handlebar loops.  Finally, it dawned on me that I could make my own ghetto loops using some short pieces of a spare anchor line and a bowline knot in each end.  That let me secure the Outback and finally get ready to head out...but by then, the wind was already howling.
 
I figured by the time I could get to Loch Lomond, I'd get maybe 2 or 3 hours of wind-fighting and probably no real fishing.

So, I headed to Calero instead.  Picked up my annual boat launch pass and car entrance pass.  I work near Steven Creek so with those, I can just pop over any time after work and not have to track down the pay machine.

Sorry I missed the shore lunch.

Wish I went....ended up staying home dealing with a vicious allergy attack

Hope you feel better.  Smart move not going with seasonal allergies kicking in.  All that wind is no good for airway...

My allergies have been bugging me the last couple days too. Yuck.

Thanks for the great pics and report. I was sitting at home thinking that anybody attempting to fish from a kayak last weekend definitely had "the madness" cause it was blowing hard at my house (a few blocks from the beach).

I'm planning a trip up to loch lomond next weekend if all goes well. Not absolutely sure though. I've been really wanting to do some bass fishing and that lake is still pretty cold.

-FF

Yakuza,

Better the dog than you! Atleast he tried to get into the water, last year I didn't and went in anyway-twice! Good practice in getting back into the yak, but there isn't suppose to be any contact with the water at LL. Did I ever hear it from the folks on shore. I Must have really pissed them off when I hooked two fish right after the "splashdown!"

great pictures and the reservior looks great. I'm going to have to get me and my wife down there again and molest those big bluegills.

I wonted to try that lake with you guys but had to work, I am glad you all had fun .

Scott water inside the trident because of rain how would this happen did you live a hatch open. A question about your transducer, your going through the scupper hole does this prevent or slow the water from going out ????
Great pics and way to go on the Trout, no man dogs what’s up with that?

Pat R 

I wonted to try that lake with you guys but had to work, I am glad you all had fun .

Scott water inside the trident because of rain how would this happen did you live a hatch open. A question about your transducer, your going through the scupper hole does this prevent or slow the water from going out ????
Great pics and way to go on the Trout, no man dogs what’s up with that?

Pat R 

Pat

Sorry you couldn't make it, LL is your kind of lake, good scenery and decent trout trolling. I don't know where the water leaked into the trident but it was less than a teaspoon, probably from the front hatch. It was on the roof of my car overnight and it rained pretty hard with the bow of the yak on a downward slope so the drainage channels may not have worked properly. BTW, the 2# downrigger weight worked well, thanks!  Since this was a fishin-WAF outing, I decided to upscale the man dogs to garlic shrimp. Actually turned out OK, will have to bring some next time we hookup. You should plan for the father's day derby at LL and win your new trident. 

Martin - thanks for bringing the great food and your apple jerky, pretty cool. It was nice meeting your great family and cool dog. Aki definitely has some competition.

Scott

You should plan for the father's day derby at LL and win your new trident. 

I think Janice posted earlier that this is a no-go!  Really has me bummed.      The last two years I've fished it with my father and father-in-law.  It's a great way to get them into yaks.

I've been thinking about setting up an informal derby with the family at either LL or Del Valle just to keep the tradition alive.  Hopefully I'm wrong or the powers-that-be change their minds and it still happens.

Michael