Del Valle, SI 10/14

I had half a day to play with my 797 again on Del Valle. I chased around striper schoolies, up to about 20". I was able to see schools/individual fish on the SI when they were mid-water up to 60', which was useful in deciding which way to cast and paddle. The fish were moving around a lot. I've been running mostly with the split bottom/SI view, and I have to admit that I usually pick up fish first on the 200KHz bottom view, so I'm still working towards my goal of being confident enough to see fish on the SI only. I got some great shots of fish simultaneously on both, but alas I forgot to put in the SD card, so no pics

BTW, all this was with the transducer shooting thru the hull, sitting in a few spongefulls of  water between two bulkheads I caulked in. Kayaks might be the only craft that can realistically do this (and maybe only narrowish ones with enough draft). Or else they'll have to start designing PBs with codpieces.

I'd like to acknowledge some considerate PBers who came up on me while I was on a school. I fully expected them to roar up into the middle and put everything down, but they drifted in motor off, eased down the anchor. At the takeout I told them how much I appreciated that.

The water level is still high, the temp is down to 67 or so. $3 for the kayak inspection, good for 30 days. Boats off the water by 6PM. I was fishing smelt-sized Clousers on a T-11 shooting head mostly <5' when the chew was on, down to 20' when it was slow.

mikechin

Nice report. Thanks for posting it.

I've always been wondering about Del Valle Stripers ever since I did a sea kayak overnight to a boat in campground last September and saw boil after boil long into the moonlit evening. I so wished I had brought my fly rods that evening.

You fish a 7 wt I assume because you are using T-11 instead of T-14? Sounds like the same rig that works in the Bay, Delta, and San Luis only maybe the files vary a bit in size. What is teh biggest Striper you've boated out there?

Took the English Springers out last weekend there for some swim and fetch in the off-leash dog area--they love water and then finished up at the pumpkin festival near the park entrance with the wife and kids. Talked to the inspector. It's $3 for the inspection but the park requires $6 for a car $4 to fish and $3 for boat launch permit I think-so thats $16. I have a state parks pass so the Forebay is free. I do need to try it some time though--it is a lot more aesthetic than the Forebay and there are no jetskis and water skiers.

Talked to the inspector. It's $3 for the inspection but the park requires $6 for a car $4 to fish and $3 for boat launch permit I think-so thats $16.

You're having a laugh; they charge for the inspection as well!?

Whoas, had a look at the EBMUD site; seems they charge 7 bucks in Santa Clara County.

Mike,
How many did you catch? And how big is a "smelt-sized" I'm guessing 1.5"?
I'm gonna play hooky one of these days dammit.

You're having a laugh; they charge for the inspection as well!?

Oh yeah they do indeed. It seems every year there is another reason to throw another hurdle in front people who just want to enjoy the outdoors instead of sitting as couch potatoes watching canned entertainment on the boob tube like little docile consumers holding their wallets open for the taking while fattening up due to lack of exercise. I am getting so stale on the Bay Area.

You're having a laugh; they charge for the inspection as well!?

Oh yeah they do indeed. It seems every year there is another reason to throw another hurdle in front people who just want to enjoy the outdoors instead of sitting as couch potatoes watching canned entertainment on the boob tube like little docile consumers holding their wallets open for the taking while fattening up due to lack of exercise. I am getting so stale on the Bay Area.

I was very surprised at the cost when I launched there. BTW - I know that it says the inspection is good for 30 days but they will beg to differ with you every time you show up within that window of time. I have had to pay for the inspection every single time. They also state (on the web site) that the inspection paperwork is good at other lakes as well. Not true. I am not even going to attempt to launch there when it rains because they won't let in a wet boat.

I am not trashing these local lakes but those costs opened my eyes to other bodies of water to fish in.

The sad part of all this is that the Quagga Mussels are going to win and intrude anyway no matter what they do to try and stop them. The Mud Snails permeated our waters despite all the programs to stop them. Nature rules over man eventually despite all our attempts to dominate it. Man reaps what man sows. And we'll have to adapt. We'll find bacteria, viri, and other natural predators to keep them in check eventually. Life goes on. We kayakers will just suck it up and smile as they tighten the vise in their futile attempts to win over nature and take our business elsewhere. I have stopped visiting lakes that require fees for this--why should I? It is not my fault and it is inevitable. They'll lose but we'll win if we move on.

On a larger note. I just watched "The Happening" and although its a bit extreme in its characterization of the problem, the main theme has a point. Man can either be a virus and kill its host, the earth, or live in symbiosis. To date we've done the former and time is running out. Most of us alone cannot do great things--but we, as a whole, can do great things together a little at a time. Think about it.

those costs opened my eyes to other bodies of water to fish in.

You got that right; looks like the delta for me this winter!

Most of us alone cannot do great things--but we, as a whole, can do great things together a little at a time. Think about it.

 

I haven't seen you around much in a long time, SM.  Thanks for the glimpse of philosophy, and Bravo.   

Nice report.   

Abking,

Yeah, it's good to be back and see you folks fishing away. What great community you all have built here. Heck, life intervenes but in the end we find a way to make our way back to what we love. Between my wife and I working, our 10 & 11 year old daughters and two lively English Springers I am working on training for upland bird hunting, I don't know how I find time to sleep let alone fish. But fishing comes before sleep...uh...I think...maybe..?

Good to see you still at it strong. Hope I can wet a line with you one day up there.

SM

I hope so too - just drop a line when you're heading this way.   

You fish a 7 wt I assume because you are using T-11 instead of T-14? Sounds like the same rig that works in the Bay, Delta, and San Luis only maybe the files vary a bit in size. What is teh biggest Striper you've boated out there?

I use a TFO TiCRx 8wt and 3-4" sparse clousers on light bronze wire hooks for Del Valle stripers. I admit I'm more into #'s of hookups, and don't really target big fish with this setup, my biggest is probably 24". I have seen caught pig-fat stripers at DV that looked >20lbs. In the Bay I use slightly bigger flies on 413 jig hooks, and in the Delta I'll use bushy 6" flies.

BTW, the boat inspector guy at DV has been very courteous to me, gave me no hassle when I showed him valid 30-day paperwork for a free entry the previous time. I did have to pay $3 this last time since I was expired, and he did a very quick check, remarked that he remembered me from last month, and asked if I thought the inspections were onerous (not at this time I said). I will have to remember to ask what they're going to do when it starts to rain, tho...

I do get out to enough EBPark lakes that I pay for the $50 12-mo entry pass, so normally I only pay for fishing and boat launch. It's great, I tell my wife "Gee sweetie, I need to go fishing again to get our money's worth from the pass" <snorts, rolls eyes>

Between my wife and I working, our 10 & 11 year old daughters and two lively English Springers I am working on training for upland bird hunting, I don't know how I find time to sleep let alone fish.

Tell me it gets better as they get older, I feel since the birth of my 2.5yr old that my fishing/kayaking life has become geriatric.

mikechin

Tell me it gets better as they get older, I feel since the birth of my 2.5yr old that my fishing/kayaking life has become geriatric.

Dude, it does indeed get better. My girls are 10 and 11 now and they are pretty independent. And they are into fishing too having limited out three straight days at the East Carson River last month. My lack of fishing these last couple of years had more to do with my stint at a prominent software company and all the pressure of Silicon Valley high tech jobs.

But then I went and spoiled it and got two English Springer Spaniels which are intelligent (meaning easily bored), high energy and stamina (meaning lots of exercise time), and intensely loyal (meaning lots of Alpha Dog (me) attention). I love those dogs and look forward to hunting with them but man its like a small child all over again--with more energy, bigger and stronger teeth, they run faster (a lot), they need training, and they don't speak human. Wouldn't trade it for the world though

Hey. Mike -

Good report!

You probably dont remember me but we exchanged some messages years ago from the Blanton board, after I wrecked my kayak and nearly drowned under Nimbus dam.    I think you found my torn up kayak downstream later.     

Good to see you on this board.

Del Valle was my first trip with members of NCKA and my first introduction to kayak fishing.   That trip, a couple months ago now, I was also throwing T11, but on a 7 weight, and landed a 23" striper and a couple LMB's on clousers.     On hindsight, i wised i had used LC13 or T14 to get down faster.   Seems most of the stripers were pretty deep, which seems less suitable for T11.   Just wondered what others experienced. 

Lawrence

I need to go there and sling T-14 from my 7-weight. Seems like a good alternative when the Forebay is being blown out. I really don't know where to go to find the Stripers there though so it's a new water to learn. Only saw them boiling once last year when camping.