One with Nature

   After a great weekend in the city with my family I was itching to go twiching.  Headed to Berryessa and in the water at 4:30 pm.   Phone kept ringing, so a bit distracted, but gotz to make a livin.  After that settled down I trolled crank bait for 3 LMB and 1 SMB, and one nice LMB caught throwing the crank bait up against an island and retrieving.   2 of the 4 LMB were nice size!  
  Even better the lake was basically all mine, as I was surrounded by Osprey and Grebes.  The Osprey were active and very social tonight.  4 of them were standing on a small island having a conversation!  The 2 that I always fish near took turns watching the nest and flying over me and checking me out.  
  Right before pulling the yak out there were a lot of moths of some sort on the top of the water and small fish were rolling on them in shallow water.  As I went to get out there was a larger fish in a foot or two of water that swirled nicely as I approached dry land.  
  All in all an awesome evening on the lake!  We are so lucky to live where we live!

Good energy flowing through your report has influenced me here.  Thank you.   

Sounds like a good afternoon on the lake.  Thanks for the report and pictures.

  I have to say that I was enjoying the whole experience so much.  The freedom that kayaking gives you to explore and be connected with the water is really incredible.  I hope my boat isn't getting lonely!

Thanks for the report and pics...you've got a lot of choices within a 1hr drive from your center...I know it's not to zin, but have you ever done spring lake in SR, I've fly fished for some huge trout out of that little pond, don't know why they call it a lake...if I'm not mistaken "eagle lake" trout...

  I have not fished there in many years!  That is the lake (pond) where they guy claimed to catch the 20 plus pound bass as well.  I used to live in Santa Rosa in the early 80's.  It was a great city then, but get the feeling it is going the way of San Jose now!  We used to drag our float tubes up the hill to the lake in annadelle (what was that called again?) and caugh big LMB there.  What I like about Berry is the proximity and the water clarity!  Also, the rangers there keep a good lookout on the parking lot so feel like my suburban is safe. 

  I have not fished there in many years!  That is the lake (pond) where they guy claimed to catch the 20 plus pound bass as well.  I used to live in Santa Rosa in the early 80's.  It was a great city then, but get the feeling it is going the way of San Jose now!  We used to drag our float tubes up the hill to the lake in annadelle (what was that called again?) and caugh big LMB there.  What I like about Berry is the proximity and the water clarity!  Also, the rangers there keep a good lookout on the parking lot so feel like my suburban is safe. 

I lived there in 98 selling for caullgan <-sp? water door to door...in between appointments I'd hang out in a fly shop, and talk to the owner bout the trips he would take all over the world...he showed me how to tie my first fly, than asked if I had a fly rod? said I did not, but had waders and float tube...he lent me a 8 wt and off I went...hooked an 18" trout on like my first cast...guy knew what he was doing...went back all fired up!!! bought a 8wt Scott, 4 pc St Croix and got real into fly...but after Ocean...terminal...The darkside took over...

can't remember name of lake but know it...nxt month my B-Day rolls around I will catch u in age...lost a few brian cells along the way...the big 50 is creeping up 

  hilarious!  was that Brian Wong that sold you the fly rig?  My 50th is early January, thus the 3-4 week baja trip and than back here for the big bash!

Can't remember the guys name...the shop was on the man drag headed east out of SR...he shows me a bent key and says "thats all thats left of the center console" of a boat he was renting doing some fly fishing @ nite for huge tarpon...

  Do you remember if he was an asian guy?  Brian might have bought the shop from somebody else but it was orginally on 4th street heading east from downtown.  He ended up moving it to Santa Rosa Ave. near all the new big box retailers and went out of biz maybe 10 years ago. 

Thanks for the report Zinful1!  Love to get out on the water any time I can spare too!  Curious, I have never trolled for bass before, but have trolled lures for trout with good success.  What do you do differently to get a bass to bite while trolling?  Just need to be closer to shore?

  Do you remember if he was an asian guy?  Brian might have bought the shop from somebody else but it was orginally on 4th street heading east from downtown.  He ended up moving it to Santa Rosa Ave. near all the new big box retailers and went out of biz maybe 10 years ago. 

No the guy that I was talking to was a white guy kinda older...yeah bout my age now... but he was sales rep i believe...or part owner...for the trips he was doing it took some ching...

  I have been trolling the expensive lipless crank baits in different colors, patterns and sizes.  I troll in 5 to 30 feet and vary my speeds.  I also stop and through around structures when I see something that I can't resist!  What I like about trolling is that I can get a great work out, cover miles and once in a while the rod bends in half!  Some days have been 20 fish, most are 5-10 in half a day.   yesterday I put a smaller version of the exact same lure on and instantly got 2 strikes, including the largerst one!   I had never done this until this year myself.   
  Here is a pic that shows the lure that got him!

Do you remember if he was an asian guy?  Brian might have bought the shop from somebody else but it was orginally on 4th street heading east from downtown.  He ended up moving it to Santa Rosa Ave. near all the new big box retailers and went out of biz maybe 10 years ago.

Brian bought an existing Shop on Santa Rosa Ave then he moved to 4th street and went out of business. He had a good shop on Santa Rosa Ave but after the move he got hooked up with Bob Nauhiem who started Fishing International and was more into selling trips than selling gear and never had much in the shop.

I remember the shop Slege is talking about it was on College about a block or two east of Mendo tucked in the back of a small parking lot I think it was called Western Fly shop mostly just fly stuff.

Now I'm gona have to go to that fly shop just to enhance the brain cells...been so long wonder if the dude is still there...he got me so hooked I turned my older bro onto fly fishing, he got so hooked he started guide service out of Oakhurst, He told me his first client paid him like 150 and hooked a steelie and tipped him 100...I said dude u owe my 20 % I taught u how...

micfish seemed like the shop was right on the drag not back in a parking lot...funny how we remember one thing and it's completely diff....