Los Banos, game refuge

Didn't have any plans to go fishing, but I got a new fish finder. Had to try it out.

I went after crappie, at the game refuge by hwy165. The fish finder seems to work, never found any water over 4' deep. Cold, windy, and rainy nobody else on the water but me, 1hr into the morning I talk to 1 bank angler. He said he caught 15 crappie last week, on the opposite bank , but the wind was so bad today he couldn't cast out from the bank. I headed to that side, let the wind push me into the reeds. The water was muddy, so I set up with a white and red mini jig. I was just about to pull the jig out of the water and the water exploded, I about landed in the water myself, it was a 13" bass. A couple of more cast and then a monster hit, my pole bent into a horse shoe and line started to reel out.     After about 5 min of fighting, I landed a 23" 4-6 lb Carp on a crappie jig

After all that fun I saw a bobber, moving against the wind. I had to see what was on it  . I chased that thing for about a 1/2hr. I'm glad nobody else was on the water, the would have thought I was nuts. I was laughing and zig zagging all over the water trying to grab that darn bobber. I'd get just inches from it and the fish would pull it under and come up 5-10' away from me. I finely snaged it. It was a catfish .

I was off the water by noon.  It was a real fun day... All fish were released, after the pics

craigh

That sounds like a fun and whacky outing...I have seen other free-range bobbers over the years.  Little kitty was probably stoked to lose the float!

craig, great post! too funny. 

Hmmm... I've hunted Los Banos NWR many times. Never, ever thought about fishing it... and on a yak!!! Do you know something that I don't???

Freddie

I was a kid in Los Banos, use to fish those two ponds/lakes all the time. I know theres a lot of crappie in there.. Carp too...

craigh

Looks like the perfect kayak pond. Not bad getting 3 species in fresh water.
Good job on the C&R too.

Triple header!!! Nice!! 

Carp really put up a good fight  - IMO: they fight even better then a catfish.

That looks like a bullhead to me, not a catfish.  In which case it's actually pretty good sized.

Looks like a bullhead for sure. During the summer in the delta, anchor over a clam bed and you can catch them every 10 seconds, nothing big, just little 8 inchers.

Looks a great place for a peaceful paddle. It looks fairly protected also.

-Brian

Good report. It is funny. Where is the place anyway?

The game refuge is a nice place, it's on the east side of Los Banos. It's mostly use for Duck hunting, and nature watching.. It's on Henry Miller rd, off hwy165, just out of Town. You have to register to go in, and they ask that you write down the fish you caught.

I know it's a bullhead, it's still in the catfish family One of these days, I'm going to go To Ark, and try noodling.

craigh

Noodleing is for crazy people :toothy12:just something wrong about putting your hand in the mouth of a big ole catfish

  noodlers!,
Used to noodle for cat's in SW texas lakes (conroe mostly). A friend turned me on to it and it is fun, sometimes a piece of bacon in your hand will bring em to the front of their hole so you can grab em by the lip or stick your fist down their throat and open your fingers. Iether way, hang on! Long sleeves are a must else you get shredded.
The only thing that spooked me is the fact you are in prime serpant water while reaching down till your ear is in the water.
As for the carp, a blast! To make a dough bait for these guys we used to add big red soda to a ziplock baggie with your favorite cheap bran cereal, mix well and let sit to fatten a bit, consistancy is up to you, if possible rig hooks and leaders and  encase the hooks in the dough and let dry a day or so to toughen em up a bit. Fish this dough bait near weeds and brush, usually no weight needed.
For catfish bait we would buy chicken livers from the store and add a pack of strawberry-banana jello to the container, stir it up and put in icebox till ready, smells better than most catfish bait! Works well as the jello toughens the liver a bit.
 Hope this gets you noodling!

Craig have you fished Lake McClure before? I saw a few nice trout pulled out of there on Coastside.

http://www.lakemcclure.com/information_center/directions.html

I've been to McClure a few time lakes and McSwain . McClure's is a Beautiful lake with a ton of freshwater possibility's.
I'm planing on a camping trip there in May. I'd also like to go to Don Pedro Take my chance at those king salmond.
I'll post in hook ups when I do.