4 of the 100 Fish Guarantee (Del Valle Report)

After a two second inspection (I told the inspector it was brand spanking new). I finally got the new ride wet!!!! (Pic 1).



I was on the water by 7:45. I figured I should hit up the launch area to guarantee at least a fish or two. I spent the first hour (or two) anchored up with the rest of the 'fleet' an managed to catch a DF&G planter (Pic 2).



After watching the PB next to me catch 8-10 I figured it wasn't going to be my day....So I snapped a few pics...WOW what a great weather day! (Pic 3, 4, & 5). 







I Figured I should try and really paddle the new ride so I tied on a fire tiger rapala and headed for the damn. Again WOW!!!! This thing paddles and tracks great. After a year plus on my OK Scrambler "AKA the BARGE" this thing is a cigarette boat! I expected to see Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice! I made it about half way to the damn with no take downs and recalled the old adage...NEVER LEAVE FISH TO FIND FISH! So I headed back to the launch area. I go t there and most of the flotilla had left so I anchored up again and tossed out the nightcrawler rig....BAM, BAM and BAM...I managed three more hookups in the next hour (Pic 6, 7 & .







I figured lets bail one short of a limit. I can only eat and give away 4 fish. So lets leave the 5th for another day....I did manage to cut the hell out of my middle finger cleaning the fish which ended up being the only downer of the day. Ironically, as I was putting the knife back into the blade guard

Pic 9 is the full stringer.



Thanks again to Mooch and the crew at Aquan for setting me up with the new ride!!!!

Can't wait to get out again.

-Eric

Nice stringer and report!

Sorry guys....I wanted to make them all images within the post. I forgot to click the 'image' link

E

Thanks for the nice report and pictures Eric. WTG on the trout.

Jedmo

Way to go.   

You're the man!!! congratulation!!!



Kiel

EWD that's the way to break in your new ride did you get her all pimped out the way you wanted to.

Pat R

That damn thing is almost perfectly rigged from factory! I just needed to set up the fishfinder, add a center rod holder (on the rod pod) for bait/drift fishing and install a plano box with three holders for the net, extra rod, etc. Oh and most importantly slap on a big ol' NCKA sticker it.

It's kinda nice not to have to do all the pimping.

Thanks. Plan on hitting some body of water this week. I got the entire week off!

E

good on you for sticking with the plan, then sticking a couple, of a couple of trout! Bait or trolled is always a challenge for me. 

Fishing on a day off seems to fly by faster than it normally would. I think the less boats, people, interactions you have, makes the day seem shorter.

I too have left fish to find fish...only to return to NO FISH.
I get very distracted after a couple of non-producing trolling miles and start to toss for bass.
Thanks for the pics&port......DV is my Devil lake.  

Very nice.

I feel ya fishunter. I have been on that lake a few times in a PB with not a single bite. This was my first trip there in the yak and low and behold...FISH! So that must be the trick. Anyone have any advice on trolling? Lures? colors? Location?  I gotta get one on the move.

Bass is my devil fish. I have no clue how to fish them. I need to get with one of you masters to learn the ropes

Happy new year to you all!!!!

-Eric

I was one of the bankers in the narrows and watched you cruise on by.
What a beautiful day for a maiden voyage!! And fish too!

As for the bass situation, a heads up for ya (and others)...
The infamous Compa now has a yak!! Now way! WAY!!

He needs some pointers on control, paddling pace, set-up, and such...so ya might be able to trade him for some spots, and technique!

He has half a clue at DV, which is worth GOLD!!

Nice fishies and pics ewb!
(Hook up with Compa in the south bay, or DV, if'n ya want some basses!)

Congrats on the fish but where is the pic with the finger, you know we want to see it unless it's the middle one. 

Eric,

If you're in Campbell, the Perc ponds are a good place to learn the "how to" on catching bass. Also Calero in Spring is real good. You'll find me out there in late March going for the prespawn.

As for Del Valle, I got most of my know how from the guys on the fishsniffer site on how to go about fishing at Del Valle and with what.

I have trolled there in my yak using F-5 rapalas in brook trout, fire tiger and silver as well as kastmasters and two inch grubs. They usually drag behind me almost 100ft.  So far I have getten three big boys well over 2lbs this year and just yesterday drifing bait with my wife we got 5 stockers right in front of the boat launch. She got 3 to my 2 . I swear since she got that tuna in Cabo she'll be schooling me from now on

Hey Splashdown, I have never heard of catching Bass in the Perc Ponds.  Tell me a little bit about this!  I have always thought of this as a Trout "Put and Take" situation.  Bass (especially out of a Kayak) sounds like a great local thing to do.