Delta tag team 11-22

This is a fishing website, so get your mind out of the gutter.     I had an obligation this morning, so I met up with HobieBlue in the middle of his day.  He was already off to a good start having boated some stripers earlier in the day.  I'll let him fill in the details. 

The tide was up, so we trolled over to an area we wanted to plug.  The weather was nice, with a very slight breeze and comfortable temps.  I picked up a dink on a shallow red head.  That was the only thing I caught trolling today unless you count the pipe I managed to lose a lure on.  Afternoon plugging was uneventful as well, with a fat zero takers.  Not to make excuses, but we once again saw a sea lion wreaking havoc in the slough.  Every time this guy surfaced he had a striper in his mouth, brutal.

We started picking up a couple fish on topwater later in the afternoon.  Bryan headed in (thanks for sticking around so long) and I set up my lights so I could check out the evening topwater bite.  I started picking up fish in a levee break that had good current flowing out.  It was alot of fun, wound up boating 5 the biggest going 25".  Lots of swirls and misses in there as well.  All of the action came on a spook and a pencil popper.  Only managed to get one photo, all fish released.*

What is the asterisk you ask?  Oh, one fish was released with my rapala lip gripper still clamped on to his grill.     He was badly hooked in the side by the pencil popper.  I had to use both hands to get the hook out which resulted in my donation.  Yep, pretty lame.  I don't know if I'm more bummed for the fish or the loss of hardware.  All in all, it was a good time and I got my topwater fix.  It gets pretty creepy out there after dark though...

That is a beautiful striper XSquid. Looks like all the striper are in the delta now it
seem. Not a whole lot going on here in San Pablo Bay. FYI, I finished my project.
Check it out when you get a chance. Sorry for the highjack.

Jedmo

Great report, X - too bad about the gripper, and way to man up and give the full account of it here so we could all learn the tough lesson you did - not that it should've been done any differently!   

The delta at dark is spooky, cool spooky.
Nice job on the stripers.
I was laughing my @ss off about the lip grip. Still trying to imagine the first word that came out of your mouth when it happened.
Last night I switched all my trebles out on the lures I plan on using today for a single siwash. I hate the havoc multiple trebles cause. I will report on the hook up to miss ratio.
What kind of light(s)? are you using?
I just got these yesterday. They are a lot smaller than I thought but they will do the job.
Waterproof to 300 feet too.
One white and one red.

http://www.night-gear.com/p/Manufacturers_Adventure-Lights/276/Guardian-by-Adventure-Lights.htm

These coupled with a good white/red headlamp and I am good to go.
Watch out stripers!!!

XSquid's account was part 2, so here is part 1 (kinda like the STAR WARS Episodes).  I was the first in the ring for the striper tag team smack down.  Got on the water early, still dark and quite FOGGY.  Threw topwater on all the points and structure I could find, nothing for over an hour.  Started working a weed edge, and my walkingbait gets slapped once, twice, and finally on the third hit it sticks.  Got a good fight out of this 24 incher (pic 1) hooked right in the corner of the lip by the back treble.  After the photo I get it back in, and there were no more there.  A small school starts busting 40 yards to my left, and I pick off a shortie about 15 inches.

I move down the levee and find several fish willing to swirl the topwater plug, but no takers.  So, I switch to a fish trap: Fish on!  Another shortie.  Back to the topwater on another break in the levee and pick up one more 18 inch striper.

Then Kevin showed up and no more fish.  

Just kidding Kevin.  The bite was tough...the calm warm weather this week and the army of sealions roaming the Delta have made things tough for everyone out there.  We tried, but practically nothing.  At the end of a long trip, I got two more on the top as the sun was setting, a 14 and a 17 incher (pic 2).  I headed in and let Kevin have some fun in the dark.

Nice work on round 2 XSquid...Too bad about the lip gripper.  Kevin was trying to impersonate me doing the same thing at Clear Lake a couple months ago.  

Thanks for the fun trip.

Bryan

Yeah, I spiced up my donation with a couple of choice words.  The stern light I use is pictured below.  Basically a $10 OSH led lantern with the handle removed, epoxied to 1/2" pvc.  It gives off the slightest bit of ambient light below.  I also have a head lamp and a mini mag light in the hatch and spare batteries for all 3.

I felt pretty good out there at night, I'm sure it will get more comfortable with experience and maybe a fishing buddy.  Cough, cough, Bryan.  J/K dude, you stayed out for longer than I think I could have.

A couple of observations about night fishing out there;

-I was amazed at how many big motors I heard still cruising around.  There was no traffic in my area though, lots of hazards around.

-Your sense of hearing becomes sharper

-Lower the brightness on the gps before the sun goes down, it was way too intense and killed the night vision.  Not fun to find the settings on the water, I just left the backlight off

-Lots of critters come out.  I saw a couple of bats and noticed lots of eyes in the tules being reflected by my headlamp.  I should have put on some repellant too, skeeters are still around.  Also got the territorial tail slap from a beaver about 5 feet in front of me on my way back in.  Almost soiled trou on that one, but found it pretty funny afterwards.

Nice looking fish guys. Sounds like you guys worked it hard and had some payback. Way to be a trooper Bryan and stay on the water a while longer. I bet you were wiped by the time you got home.

Sorry to hear about the lip gripper X. I have also donated a few items to the drink the last few times I have been out. That definitely gives a new meaning to tag and release though.

I can't wait to try some top water action myself!!

Take Care,
Ray

Nice work, guys.
Next time I'm out there I'm searching solely for the striper with the bizarre lip appendage! 

I'll hook you up with a finder's fee!  I'll probably pick another one up on Wednesday, the clock is ticking......

Nice report guys, looks like the delta has been pretty consistent for you two. Hopefully I can get back out again before the striper run is done.

Jeff

I can't keep up with ALL the LIP Hooking you DeltaSlayers are doing...MAN!
DON'TyouGUYSeverGETskunked?!  
keep up the hard work(i'm thinkin i need to DO THIS SOON!)

  Imagin the looks on the face of the next guy that hooks that lip gripped fish!