Lake Natoma Willow Creek launch Sunday/Tomorrow

Planning to enjoy the mid 70's weather with a bit of fishing on Lake Natoma tomorrow, Sunday morning.  I'll be launching at Willow Creek about noon and also bringing the wife for her maiden voyage on her new (to her) Predator 13. 

Gotta leave by 5pm as I will have a large chunk of pig in the smoker ready to come out by 7pm. 

Lots of car theft there. Don't leave anything out where they can see it...

Lots of car theft there. Don't leave anything out where they can see it...

Where ISN'T there lots of car theft at a launch parking lot? 

Haven't heard of any problems at Negro Bar but had a friend essentially get his truck stripped last summer at Willow creek
with a full parking lot there. "Nobody noticed".. But you're mostly right!

What a shame!  Willow Creek is such a pretty place too.  Well, maybe I'll go to Negro Bar instead then. 

Arrived around noon, and just got home at 5pm  This is just a beautiful little spot!  The parking lot was 2/3rds full; about a dozen vehicles or so.  Everyone was having a great time.  I can't imagine a weekend problem with vandals here.  First,  CCK is set up big time renting out kayaks.  That alone would cause some trepidation for a would-be thief. 

There was a light breeze and the water temperature was very comfortable for launching in water shoes and shorts.  Wife took well to her kayak.  There was a class going on about how to paddle that she sorta eves dropped on. 

Fishing sucked, but I did catch a hen mallard duck!  I was tossing a crawdad pattern crank bait and she dove for it out of the sky!!  I had to reel her in and use pliers to release.  Several bunny huggers were saying mean things to me until they saw that I knew how to hold the bird and that she calmed right down.   Some work with the pliers and a toss to the air, she was off and on her way again.   No harm, no fowl.  (Now that's funny!!!) 

Temperature was about 77 degrees.  Just a nice day with a lot of nice people paddling around out there. 

That's great Jerry!

Fishing sucked, but I did catch a hen mallard duck!  I was tossing a crawdad pattern crank bait and she dove for it out of the sky!!  I had to reel her in and use pliers to release.  Several bunny huggers were saying mean things to me until they saw that I knew how to hold the bird and that she calmed right down.   Some work with the pliers and a toss to the air, she was off and on her way again.   No harm, no fowl.  (Now that's funny!!!) 

Great report!  But it begs the question... what's the proper way to hold a bird?

Fishing sucked, but I did catch a hen mallard duck!  I was tossing a crawdad pattern crank bait and she dove for it out of the sky!!  I had to reel her in and use pliers to release.  Several bunny huggers were saying mean things to me until they saw that I knew how to hold the bird and that she calmed right down.   Some work with the pliers and a toss to the air, she was off and on her way again.   No harm, no fowl.  (Now that's funny!!!) 

Great report!  But it begs the question... what's the proper way to hold a bird?

Great report!  But it begs the question... what's the proper way to hold a bird?

Tuck it's wings in close and folded to it's body and hold the bird with it's back down, belly up. Like cradling a baby.  The duck completely relaxes.  I was easily able to hold the bird with one hand this way while I used my pliers to remove the trebles from it's foot and from it's wing.  The duck never indicated the barbs were hurting it as I pulled them out.  Both were deeply imbedded, but I watched youtube videos on how to remove barbed hooks from flesh in the past, they came out with no problem!

Adam;

I prefer COLA duck. 

http://www.nancyskitchen.com/coca-cola-recipes/coke-baked-wild-duck.html

Place the duck on a raised rack in the pan fist though, so it's out of the cola.  Pour some inside the body cavity too.

Tuck it's wings in close and folded to it's body and hold the bird with it's back down, belly up. Like cradling a baby.  The duck completely relaxes.  I was easily able to hold the bird with one hand this way while I used my pliers to remove the trebles from it's foot and from it's wing.  The duck never indicated the barbs were hurting it as I pulled them out.  Both were deeply imbedded, but I watched youtube videos on how to remove barbed hooks from flesh in the past, they came out with no problem!

Adam;

I prefer COLA duck. 

http://www.nancyskitchen.com/coca-cola-recipes/coke-baked-wild-duck.html

Place the duck on a raised rack in the pan fist though, so it's out of the cola.  Pour some inside the body cavity too.

Awesome!  Thanks fot the intel on both counts.