Fun at Quarry Lakes

Having missed out on the fun at Del Valle, I headed out to Quarry Lakes since I had a few hours to spare Sunday afternoon.  Being a lazy Sunday I didn't get there til around Noon, and the sun was popping out from behind the clouds.  Passed inspection without a hitch, and got on the water with a couple tubers and a couple electric boats and a slight rippling breeze...  perfect fishing weather!  Things are feeling right... 

Instead of my usual rapala troll I decided to tie a kastmaster to my trusty trout rig, (Mitchell 308 on a cheap mitchell 7' trout rod, 6lb big game line).  I was in the mood to do some casting.

After paddling/drifting over to a likely spot while rigging up, one, two, three casts towards shore and bam: I'm hooked up!  Carefully worked it clear of the submerged Christmas trees and splash, he jumps and I know for sure it's a trout, and a decent one too.  Having been skunked there so many times I didn't bother bringing a net, but luckily I landed the fish without incident and got it on the stringer with visions of smoked trout in my mind....  But after towing him around he made a miraculous recovery and I decided to release him to lick his wounds, (note the booboos on his tail and belly, maybe from being hauled around in a trailer?). 

I decided to drift along the shore and try a few more casts before hitting my usual spots...  two more casts and I'm hooked again!  MAJOR bendo this time!  He jumps and I see a white belly...  largemouth, I'm thinking....  He's going ballistic, first peeling drag straight away from me, then I'm reeling frantically as he charges straight towards me, then he sees the yak and heads straight down for deep water peeling drag again!  It seemed to go on for 15 minutes but I'm sure it was more like 1 or 2.  Finally I see him come up and it's a perfect little smallie, with beautiful colors and a fat tail.  He wasn't very big but it was a fun fight!

The rest of the day was non-eventful, but even though it was only two fish, it was still a multi-species day.   

Nice fishys there Eric ive always wanted to fish that place.. WTG...Andy

Sweet. "in & out, nobody get hurts" kinda day!

Sup, Andy!

I don't recommend it, really, unless you happen to be close by.  But if you do hit me up, I live a coiuple miles away.  

Wayyy more fish than I caught this weekend!
(I actually did do a drive-by at BH, I'll try & post some pics of how messy it was)

Nice job Eric! Those are both nice specimens of their respective species.

Great job on the lake Eric. I miss my fresh water gear. I think I'll try Lake Berryessa after the rockfish season is over.

Jedmo

Sounds like a fun day.  That's a fine self+trout portrait.   

Sup, Andy!

I don't recommend it, really, unless you happen to be close by.  But if you do hit me up, I live a coiuple miles away.  

Dude, I will drive up there just to chill and fish with you ...Cant wait for freshwater season.....Andy.

Eric, what was the approx water temp?

Nice fish Eric B!  That smallie does indeed have a larger than normal tail, which must have been a great fight for its size.  Thanks for the excellent report.

Bryan

I love me some smallies. Hardest fighting bass pound-for-pound.

I love me some smallies. Hardest fighting bass pound-for-pound.

Word!! How cool would it be if smallies got as big as stripers? 

-FF

So how big do they get??

Sorry, Howard, I had my temp turned off, so no idea on the water temp.  The water is diverted in from Alameda Creek, though, so it's generally nice clear cold water.

So how big do they get??

How big? How's this for a trophy smallmouth? Same fish caught by two different people within 10 days of each other. So close to a state record

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id226.htm

-FF

Nice smallie Eric Fall Smallies  are the bomb look at the power in that tail. I need a fix I'm going Friday