11/11/11 Cast and blast!

I just got done with some research, and the Consumnes River Preserve off Thornton Rd, is fair game for duck hunting from kayaks. There are some great stripers out there too. What I am thinking, is hit the river at daylight, paddle up river trolling rapalas, and pass/jump shoot ducks and geese. Drift back down and drift bluegill for bait, or whatever, and smoke ducks, geese. Should be a great shoot, the birds are thick in there right now, and it is just going to get better as weather up north moves in. I got lots of room at the house, and can use it as base camp, and hit the water in the morning. This really is the last chance for me to do this as a group, pheasant opens the next day, and so does turkey.  For the opener, I dont have a spot for pheasants, they are harvesting the rice at the farm I hunt, and I have to wait for them to finish, before I can hunt it. But on Saturday, I have a type C spot, that is where I got the wood duck, and after that morning shoot, scoot across the valley to a great spot for quail, and the place is loaded with wild turkey.  There are a million little ponds that hold mountains of woodies, mallards, and teal. Some honkers from time to time too. I buy steel #7 for quail this time of year, so you can switch out ammo when you get close to a pond, so you can legally shoot ducks-no lead shot in the vest. I also take some goose loads, and use them on turkeys too or on flushed honkers or pass shooting a flock of honkers.  Should be fun, oh, the type C spot is very kayak friendly to get away from the people, and get out on the channel and set decoys. Any women or JR hunters that want to hunt I will most definately take them!

Bump. Plan still to put in and float the river Friday, pass shoot ducks and geese at the bypass, and wait for 8! Then pound out some ditch chickens. Then off to round out limits of quail, a wild turkey, and scrape the last of a limit of ducks. Sunday I have an invite from a club owner to come out, but it is a solo thing. Fri Sat public land hunts. We will be driving some miles, bring a dog, I have one, but will hunt your dog on Saturday, pepper can rest for Sunday. No biggie

I may be in for sat. Not sure on fri.

Let me know. Planning on hitting the bypass, then putting the dog down the levees, then over to the dredger ponds. Be easy to meet us there!

Let me kayaks, fishing poles, shotguns.  Make sure Dick Cheney is not around.

Be careful not to get your fishing rod and gun mixed up.

I am a "seasoned veteran!" if it has fins, fur, feathers, or freckels, im eatin it!

This is Galt/Elk Grove area right ?

What time you think you'll be getting off the water ?   Any idea ?   Im supposed to work, but may be able to go in a little later....

Yep, prob off water no later than noon.

If my stuff gets here in time, I may meet you there...
...come on UPS !  lol

Change of plan for Friday, there aren't as many birds there as I thought. Need some weather up north. I am going to hit the port, and troll out and around the turning basin, and hunt birds past Cemex Dock. I have been wanting to do this for some time now.

Would it be easier to launch closer down there and walk over the levee?

I also saw someone parked just to he east of that dock the other day. I looked at google maps and it looks like you can drive in to that area on a dirt road. Not sure if legal though. I may drive out that way today and look for access.

Yeah, there is a dirt road, but the warden I talked to said it is a no-no.  We could go down further, of Marshall? and go up and over the levee, and quarter mile to the water, not too bad. Call the ball.

I looked at Marshall today. Not bad walk. Path to the water. Several boats out there today. Few on shore too. I don't think I can do tomorrow, but Sat is ok for the bypass and ponds.

I'm in for this when ever it goes down, will be shooting sac nwr Sat and Sunday,but look forward to some NCKA  yak duckin'!