Shadow Cliffs, May 1, 2015

I'm in for sure...

Let me know if there is anything you need help with Don, even last minute...look forward to meeting everyone!!!!

Wow, May 1st already!!!??? 

end of the week,,, Yikes!!!   

                                                             Naw, alls well…. 

The issue we have is I'm not sure how we should set up for fishing? Need it simple, throwing plastics for bass would be my choice, but if someone wants to get fancy and go for trout, we will figure it out. We have lots of live worms. Just show with your gear and extra yak if your bringing one. I'll be there around 7:30ish…

Food and all that stuff is with the fly fishing people and as far as I know, just say your a volunteer when you get to the gate and you should go right in. Any problems, pay up, let me know, I'll pay ya back and I'll take care of it with the gate…   

Our gig is to deploy kayaks, fishing poles and get waivers signed…. big deal always those damn waivers...

The other Big Deal here is Safety ,,,

 I think were stretched a little thin for the size of Shadow Cliffs and having control of what people are going to do.

Many here may not even want to go fishing, they may just want to go out on a kayak…
 
  This may be a big show, it may be small, I really don't know, but I do know we control who goes out on the water…

if we have boats and where not comfortable with our "span of control…", we don't launch people…   

WE need people on the water and we need communication …  please bring your radio's if you have them for your personal use as were going to a

 Zone Defense on this one…

Many people are going to want to go on their own, and that should be alright, we just need to know we have an area covered, and if not, we advise participants not to go into those areas we cannot visualize … anyway, more on this when we get there and we'll come up with a plan at the launch ramp..

Oh, and do plan on staying after the event, as

1. traffic is going to suck

2. They lower the trout pen and let all those puppies go free and for some reason, they really go on the bite for a small spinner, cast master…

but the real show is the Bruiser LMB's that come to dine who have been looking at dinner the last few days and the bell has rung …

 Ciao Bella!!!     

Shadow cliffs is tiny, I doubt we'll have a problem. Its smaller than San Pablo or even Lodi lake and back rivers.

I'm trying to prep my stuff now. Trout fishing should be good, they're still planting. Haven't had much bass luck in the main lake other than small fish. 

Bait fishing is very good here.  I was there on 4/8 and met a Dad and son fishing Mice Tails on an inflatable in front of a the swim area. They had a nice limit up to 5 lbs. 

I only trolled and did well too landing 4 trout.  The surface water temp is between 66 to 67 degrees. I found using a deep diving lure or a downrigger works best.  I pull mostly Rapala's. 
 
I went back last Saturday 4/25 and landed 2 and lost 3.  All hit my DR at 20 ft. 

Good Luck!!

yikes…

  carnage!!!  we have a couple dozen or so different shad raps and stuff we could rig,  it might be a tall order for first time kayakers, and maybe first time fishing in a while, if ever, to kayak troll.  Many of the kayaks we will be using do not have rod holders… I believe…

 Do you think it might be successful to drop power bait and worms from a yak?

yikes…

  carnage!!!  we have a couple dozen or so different shad raps and stuff we could rig,  it might be a tall order for first time kayakers, and maybe first time fishing in a while, if ever, to kayak troll.  Many of the kayaks we will be using do not have rod holders… I believe…

 Do you think it might be successful to drop power bait and worms from a yak?

Yes, may be try drifting with mice tails/egg.

yikes…

  carnage!!!  we have a couple dozen or so different shad raps and stuff we could rig,  it might be a tall order for first time kayakers, and maybe first time fishing in a while, if ever, to kayak troll.  Many of the kayaks we will be using do not have rod holders… I believe…

 Do you think it might be successful to drop power bait and worms from a yak?

Yes it will work.  They need to make sure their bait is floating and off the bottom.  There is a lot of weed growth now.  The regulars there do well with Power Bait and Mice Tails dipped with your favorite scent.  I like Procure Trout Gel myself. 
Those trout have never seen any of this stuff growing in a hatchery.  I guess most of your trout baits should work.   

All three of my kayaks have at least one rod holder they can troll with.  I don't have much deep diving stuff, just a few of them, but bait fishing should work, lots of guys do well there bait fishing off the boats.  But it is supposed to be 89 degrees and sunny so it could be a bit brutal out there if they are sitting there for bait fishing.

90 degrees….  oh boy…

well that takes care of anyone being out there too long, oh boy, that's going to be intense for us moving all that gear around..

stay hydrated everyone ...

Here's some pics on my 4/25 trip.  Great Bass 2 was there too.  It was windy and overcast that day.  Bait fishing was not doable due to the strong winds even with an anchor.  I saw several inflatable boats give up doing this. 

I stuck to to trolling all day.  The 2 fish I landed (biggest was 18 inches) hit my DR at 20 feet on a Rapala J9.
I lost one that broke my line and took my lure.

Looks like the forecast is way better this Friday.  You guys should kill them!!

Ok, so I got word that my work should be supplying me with 6-8 hobie yaks, a few should be tandems. I will have paddles and mirage drives for all of them, as well as lots of life jackets.

We have our own waivers, so I will bring those. What I dont have is fishing gear for them... and i am also lacking someone else to help me unload/load/organize all the gear..

But yaks a plenty i bring!

Ok, so I got word that my work should be supplying me with 6-8 hobie yaks, a few should be tandems. I will have paddles and mirage drives for all of them, as well as lots of life jackets.

We have our own waivers, so I will bring those. What I dont have is fishing gear for them... and i am also lacking someone else to help me unload/load/organize all the gear..

But yaks a plenty i bring!

Kool, we'll play it by ear on how we want to deploy the yaks…

  Thanks Again,

I know, it's a lot of work, our focus should be to get the yaks deployed as we also have Kathy from Delta Adventures showing up with a trailer of yaks too…

There is a launch ramp that is easy to drive/back into to deploy the yaks...
 
I think I'm getting there between 7:30 - 8:00… depending on traffic, I'm not sure what to expect southbound 680 from 24 to 580...

not sure what were targeting…  hot, maybe a little wind, can we bait fish and how would we rig…. simple is good…   

Crappola, two guys got hired away from us by Calfire (very cool for them) which means I (management) have to cover some shifts until we hire some new guys.  Looks like I am out. 

From 8 years of driving ambulances in the area
Traffic on 24 east is a piece of cake at that hour now 680 south from 24 to Diablo is going to suck big time after 6:30 am( 30 to 40 minutes ). 580 east will be fine, Isabel(84) can be wide open or totally hosed but its usually fine up to Stanley, Santa Rita can be a mess with school traffic down past Stoneridge to Valley trying to get to Stanley

Crappola, two guys got hired away from us by Calfire (very cool for them) which means I (management) have to cover some shifts until we hire some new guys.  Looks like I am out. 

From 8 years of driving ambulances in the area
Traffic on 24 east is a piece of cake at that hour now 680 south from 24 to Diablo is going to suck big time after 6:30 am( 30 to 40 minutes ). 580 east will be fine, Isabel(84) can be wide open or totally hosed but its usually fine up to Stanley, Santa Rita can be a mess with school traffic down past Stoneridge to Valley trying to get to Stanley

Ouch and Ouch!!!  Thanks for the heads up, that's what I was looking for…

catch ya next time and stay safe !!!

Tomorrow is a Friday morning. Traffic shouldn't be too bad.  Go home traffic can be bad but if they leave early should be OK.  I'm happy to stay around later since ya know, I live there.