California Aqueduct Fishing
January 30, 2010
On line I had reading a lot of reports of some very nice Striped bass coming out of the California Aqueduct in the Antelope Valley area so I did some searching on Google Earth thanks to suggestions from a couple people I had met online. After seeing some likely looking spots I decided to take a ride and see if I could locate some stripers for fish tacos.
For those of you who are not familiar with what the California Aqueduct is its a system of canals, tunnels, pipelines and reservoirs that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the California Aqueduct. It’s basically a huge cement canal that supplies drinking water for the Los Angeles area that runs from northern California to southern California.
I got several good tips after talking to several people that live as well as fish in the area. I was told that if the water was flowing the bite would be better. I was also told to not bother spending too much time in a spot, if they were there they would bite. Just be sure to try a variety of lures and retrieves, if nothing was happening pack up and move on.
Seeing how I live north of the Antelope Valley I started at the northern end, or at least what I thought was the northern end and worked my way south. I found out later that there are more spots further north of where I started. Maybe next time.
So, I’m driving along thinking that I probably should have arrived at the first spot when I see a couple people riding bikes and figure I’d ask them where it was. They told me that I had just past it. For some reason I thought it would have been exposed but as it turned out where the main road crossed the duct it was under ground.
I turn around and go where the bike riders told me to go and low and behold, there it is. I pull into the parking area and notice that they have handicap access which is good for me because I’ve been having some ankle and knee issues lately. As it turned out all of the spots had very short and easy access to the water. So I hop out and take the short walk to the water. Remember how I mentioned that the bite would be better if the water was moving? Just my luck, the gates were closed and the water was dead calm. Oh well, gotta try it anyways. As I’m getting the rods rigged at my truck up comes a welcome very friendly visitor.
I later find out from several locals that this dog visits everyone that fishes the spot. I continue working the area for about 1/2 hour throwing several different lures at different speeds without getting any bites so its time to move on.
Heading south its onto spot 2. The water is still not moving but I have to try it anyways. After about 1/2 hour and what seemed like a couple hundred casts with no bites it’s once again time to make a move. Spot 3, spot 4 and spot 5, still not feeling the love, nothing happening except for multiple casts and retrieves.
So its time to take a break. The wife has been talking about trading the Monte Carlo SS for a 2010 Camaro SS but we needed to know if there is enough head and leg room in them for me to be comfortable on long drives and since our local dealer no longer sells Chevrolets so I had not had a chance to check it out. Detour time to their local Chevrolet dealer, which was maybe 1 mile out of my way, to take one for a test drive.
They had a very nice Red with Black Rally Stripes SS/RS but they would not allow me to take it for a test drive. The dude told me that people who buy them don’t want many if any miles on them, which makes sense to me because the SS/RS will be collectors items. Anyhow I took a regular SS for a test drive and I must say, VERY NICE! I’ll be taking the wife back there within the next few weeks and if she likes it as much as I did, if so maybe we will be driving one home. As I talked to the salesman I found out that he was a fisherman as well and he told me of a couple more spots to try.
By now I’m getting pretty hungry so it’s Lunch Time. Onto In and Out for my favorite burger the 3×3 with grilled onions, no sauce with ketchup and mustard, yeah buddy, that hit the spot.
Feeling good its onto spot 6, after about 15 casts I finally get bit and it feels like a good one. Drag screaming, its making runs up and down the duct, OH WHAT A FEELING! Then all of the sudden the line goes completely slack, DAMN, she came unbuttoned! Because I finally got bit I continue to fish the spot for a little over an hour to no avail.
Onto the last spot I go. After about ½ hour there I decide to call it a day but “I’ll be back” Hopefully the next time I head down the water will be flowing and then maybe the bite will be better. I talked to several locals online afterwards and was told that I actually did good by getting the one bite, especially seeing how it was my first attempt fishing there.
Also, as you may have noticed I purposely negelected to mention any exact spots or lures used during this outing. I did this for a reason. I was given some tips on what to use by friends I have met online and was asked not to make them public knowledge.
Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
Fishing Arizona
January 23, 2010
Hi everyone, its been a few weeks since I was on the water, at least in the Champion. I have however had a couple opportunities to wet a line, so I’m not going through withdrawals, yet. The week between Christmas and New Years Cindy and I went to Phoenix AZ to visit our grandson Daveed, a grandson, damn that makes me feel old. HA!
I knew that while I was there I would like to get some fishing in however due to gas prices we decided to take the car instead of the truck so of course I didn’t take the Champion, besides that my step son Brian didn’t have any place for me to park my boat. Guess what that meant? Yep, I would be shore bound, or would I.
3 days before we were scheduled to leave I posted a “Looking for open back seat” request on a popular Arizona bass fishing site hoping to find someone that might be able to take me out fishing for a day on Lake Pleasant. The reason I chose that lake was because of how close it was to where my step son lived.
The day before we were supposed to leave I got a response from a fisherman named Jim who just happened to live about 1 mile away from Brian, what luck! He was going to go to Canyon Lake, just outside of Phoenix, to prefish for an upcoming tournament. I gave him a call and set it up to meet him bright and early the following morning.
As it turned out we ended up leaving town later than we had anticipated so of course we arrived in Phoenix later than I had hoped so I didn’t have enough time to get a license that night so the plan to go fishing bright and early was not going to work. I called Jim to let him know that I would not be able to make it and thanked him for the offer. The following day I went to Wal-Mart and picked up a license so I could do some fishing.
Arizona has an Urban Fishing program where they stock city lakes and ponds to allow people to experience fishing. The following is from the Arizona Fish and Game Web site;
“Arizona’s Urban Fishing Program is recognized nationally as one of the best in the country. The Program is a
partnership with the Game and Fish Department and local Parks and Recreation Departments to intensively stock and manage park lakes for fishing recreation. Simply put, the Program operates on the premise that “if people can’t get out of town to fish, we will bring fish into town for the people.” The Program provides convenient, affordable, accessible and fun fishing for anglers of all ages and abilities.”
So off I go. My first stop was at Rio Vista Ponds which is located in Peoria, about 3 miles from Brian’s house. I ended up catching and releasing 4 bass, nothing of any size but still fun. I also caught 7 trout while targeting crappie with a Road Runner, 2 of which I gave to an elderly gentleman and the other 5 I gave to a little boy named Steven. He put them on his stringer and asked me if it was OK to tell his dad that he caught them. I laughed and said, sure, no problem. Next I took off to Cortez Lake which was about 7 miles away. While there I caught and released 3 bass with the biggest being maybe 2 ½ pounds, again, nothing big but still fun. I also caught 2 trout. It was getting late so I decided to call it a day.
The following day we went to Cabelas there in Glendale, not only to spend the gift card I received for Christmas but to see several FLW pros that were there for the day. I got to talk briefly with John Murray and Brett Hite, a couple nice guys. While there I found a few discontinued lures on the Clearance rack that I had been searching for so I purchased all 6 that they had left, What A Find!
The next day I took a drive up to Lake Pleasant, which is about 40 miles away from Peoria to wet a line. I tried several different lures but was unable to get bit. Then I tied on a Silver Buddy cast it along the dock and got one heck of a bite, the drag was screaming on the 8 pound Maxima. I believe it was probably a big striper but it came unbuttoned before I could see exactly what it was. What a rush! That was my only bite there but any time spent fishing is a good time.
Hopefully you enjoyed reading this and I didn’t bore you to much with this post
Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
Boating Questions
January 22, 2010
Recently I was asked several questions by a person looking to purchase a boat. His first question was how many people can I take out in a boat at a time? This is kind of a loaded question because it varies from boat to boat. Of course you can take out more people in say a 20 foot bass boat than you can in a 16 foot aluminum one, which is common sense, but there are ways to be sure.
You can check the owner’s manual of the boat if it is available of course. Also, the law requires that a Maximum Capacity plate be posted somewhere on your boat. Its usually located somewhere close to the drivers seat. This is the easiest way to check and verify the number of people you can take on your boating trip with you. Never exceed the specified capacity, not only for safety reasons but because of the legalities. I have personally heard of boaters actually getting a ticket because they exceeded the passenger count.
His next question was concerning life vests. How many life vests do I have to have in the boat? As to PFD’s, Personal Floatation Device, you must have 1 for every passenger on board. I know that regulations vary from state to state or even lake to lake so be sure you check your laws. I believe in California the law states that anyone under the age of 16 must wear the PFD when under power. Personally, I feel it’s a good ideal for everyone to wear their PFD at all times but especially while under power. Every fishing tournament organization that I have ever fished in requires this as well as having a line connected to your kill switch in the event you go over board.
During the colder months of the year it is very important to wear one at all times, even id you’re an experienced swimmer for a couple reasons. First off, the water is cold. It does not take long for the cold water to make your legs start to cramp up thereby making it more difficult to climb back into the boat if you happen to fall in the drink and it does not take long for hypothermia to set in.
Next, think about the fact that chances are you will be wearing more clothing to stay warm. I konw that I personally layer my clothing during the winter, that way as it warms up I can remove a layer as needed that way I stay comfortable. If by some chance you happen to “go for a swim” the layers of clothing absorb more water thereby adding more weight, making it more difficult to climb back in.
As to which type of PDF, I like this one myself. Its a tournament grade vest made by Mustang. They are very light weight, comfortable and if you get thrown out while going across the water and God forbid you happen to get knocked unconscious they automatically inflate which will save your life.
His final question was what other safety stuff do I need? I don’t know about your neck of the woods but in California need a flotation throw cushion, some kind of sounding device like a whistle or a horn of some type and an oar. I know people that carry a flair gun but I don’t believe it’s required by law, at least in fresh water.
Hopefully I have given you some information you can use. Please be careful out there and have fun.
Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
Lost a Good Man. RIP PWBuilding my friend.
January 22, 2010
Jim Levandoski, aka PWBuilding, PDUB and Pdub. I don’t know how many of you knew Pdub but he was a gentleman that I, as well as a lot of others, met online at various fishing forums and he had a gift for finding and catching crappie. I never had the honor of talking to him in person but I had seen him in his red Tracker on Lake Isabella more than once, just didn’t know who he was at the time. After meeting him online we never crossed paths on the water but we were both looking forward to meeting at the lake.
He always was willing to share everything about his trip, right down to the exact spot and color of lure used. He was a man of God and from what I saw whenever attacked online he would always turn the other cheek, instead of getting defensive he would reply with kind words. I remember one time someone didnt like something in one of his reports and he edited it as to not offend them.
The following are a couple comments that were posted on another forum. As you can see, I was not the only one he touched.
“I will miss Pdub, very much,
This man was one of the best crappie fisherman i knew, always eager to help anyone that that needed it, and shared all
of his success with his fishing reports at Lake Isabella with all of us, he had no secrets he shared all of them, he walked the path the good lord put in front of him. he will be truly missed here.
Rest in peace my friend, know that i will try to carry your torch to light the way you did so very well.
I will never forget you!
Your friend always!
Cherokee”
“RIP PW…………….. didn’t know the man for long. what i do know about PW is he had a true passion for god,family,friends and fishing. PW will be missed………..my next crappie ill be thinking of him and all the help he has given all off us.”
I wondered for the longest time what his screen name PWbuilding meant. Jim’s company Shedtoy.com built custom wooden sheds that he would deliver, Portable Wood Buildings, hence the name.
Most of us closer to Jim knew that he was battling cancer and was undergoing treatment. He never once complained, he kept a very positive attitude about his treatments and was looking forward to getting back on the water
.
It had been awhile since seeing him post on any forums and I started to wonder how our friend was doing and if anyone had heard from him lately so I posted on the KRVVB forum asking if anyone had heard from him and how he was doing.
After a few days of replies like, I was wondering the same” I remembered the name of his web site, shedtoy.com. I called the number listed on it and talked to his wife. As it turned out Jim lost his battle with cancer and the good lord above took away his pain and suffering and took him home on November 23, 2009.
I asked her if it was OK for me to post a little something online about him, to which she said yes.
On the KRVBB froum the last post he put up was the following,
“Wishing all my fishing friends a great and blessed day.
and many more great fishing days – Pdub”
Rest in Peace Jim, you will be missed my friend.
Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
New World Record Bass?
January 9, 2010
Umm, yes and no. I know I for one have always dreamed about catching the next world record, as I’m sure everyone reading this has also. There has always been speculation surrounding Perry’s record. For years there was speculation if a bass could actually grow that large. Then in 1991 Bob Crupi caught his 22.1 pound monster bass out of Castaic and thus it began.
In 1997 Paul Duclos caught what was reported as a 24 pound bass out of Spring Lake. Even though it was weighed on a verified scale as well as witnessed it was never certified as a world record. Of course the accusations came out of the wood work of cheating, etc. Personally I think the reason it was not certified was because Paul being the sportsman he is released the bass instead of killing it.
Then came the verified 25 pound Dottie out of Lake Dixon CA, see my post concerning her in the archives.
Well all, it finally happened, kind of. On January 8, 2010, after 77 years, George Perry’s world record bass has been
officially tied according to the IGFA. Personally, I feel that the new world record bass is just around the corner.
Below is the official comments from the IGFA:
“Freshwater fishing’s “Holy Grail” now has dual holders; 22 lb 4 oz bass caught by Japan’s Manabu Kurita matches IGFA record held for 77 years by Georgia’s George Perry
DANIA BEACH, Fla. USA, (January 8, 2010) — After nearly six months of waiting, Japan’s Manabu Kurita is taking his place along side Georgia, USA angler George Perry in the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) World Record Games Fishes book as dual holders of the All-Tackle record for largemouth bass each weighing 22 lb 4 oz and caught 77 years apart.
Today the IGFA approved Kurita’s application for the fish caught from Japan’s largest lake on July 2, 2009. The 70-year old non-profit fisheries conservation, education and record-keeping body, received Kurita’s application and documentation on Sept. 19, 2009. The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), was caught from Lake Biwa which is an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto.
Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, was fishing Biwa that July day using a Deps Sidewinder rod and a Shimano Antares DC7LV reel loaded with 25 lb Toray line when he pitched his bait, a live bluegill, next to a bridge piling. It was Kurita’s first cast to the piling where he had seen a big bass swimming. He only twitched the bait a couple of times before he got bit. After a short, three minute fight he had the fish in the boat.
Kurita was quoted as saying “I knew it was big, but I didn’t know it was that big.”
But big it was. Using certified scales, his fish weighed in at 10.12 kg or 22 lb 4 oz. When measured, the fish had a fork length of 27.2 inches and a girth of 26.7 inches. The IGFA only has line classes up to 20 lb for largemouth bass, so Kurita had no chance at a line class record as well.
IGFA rules for fish caught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit their applications from the date of their catch. The documentation was received through the IGFA’s sister association the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA). IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said Kurita’s application was meticulously documented with the necessary photos and video.
Kurita’s fish ties the current record held for over 77 years by Perry who caught his bass on Georgia’s Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia. That 22 lb 4 oz behemoth won Field and Stream Magazine’s big fish contest and 46 years later, when the IGFA took over freshwater records from Field and Stream, it became the All-Tackle record now one of over 1,100 fresh and saltwater species the IGFA monitors.
IGFA All-Tackle records are now free for viewing by the public by clicking here. Kurita’s name is now on the IGFA Web site with that of Perry’s and will appear in the 2011 edition of the World Record Games Fishes book…. unless that record is broken this year.
The IGFA announced the decision at its headquarters with a live video feed carried on Bassmaster.com, one of the most popular fishing Web sites in the world and the official site of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS).
In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record. That fish undoubtedly helped to spawn a billion dollar industry that today makes up a significant part of the sport of recreational fishing.
Schratwieser said, “The moment Kurita weighed his fish, word spread like wildfire. We knew this would be significant so we immediately contacted the JGFA for more information. Established in 1979, and JGFA compiles and translates all record applications of fish caught in Japan before forwarding to the IGFA.
“It works out well because they not only translate applications but can also contact the angler if more documentation is needed.”
It turned into a lengthy process
“Since the IGFA requires three months from the time of capture before a record can be approved, the official word would have to wait until October 2,” said Schratwieser.
“However, almost right away rumors began to circulate that Kurita may have caught his fish in a ‘no-fishing zone’. In response, the IGFA immediately corresponded with the JGFA to speak with the angler about this issue and to gather information regarding the legality of fishing where Kurita caught his bass. Official word came back that the location of the catch was not a no-fishing zone, but was an area where anchoring or stopping was prohibited. This spurred more correspondence with the JGFA and the angler, including affidavits asking the angler if he stopped his boat at anytime. Again, the testimony and affidavits that came back indicated that the Kurita did not violate any laws and that his catch was indeed legitimate.”
It didn’t end there.
A considerable amount of time and correspondence was to continue between the IGFA, JGFA and Kurita, a primary reason it took so long to come to a decision.
During this time, the IGFA was also besieged with letters and emails from the bass fishing community, said Schratwieser.
“Many were incredulous that the All-Tackle record could be tied from a fish in Japan. Others beseeched the IGFA to approve the record and give Kurita the credit he deserves. Still others wanted to know why the entire process was taking so long. It soon became clear to the IGFA staff that this would be a contentious issue no matter if the record were approved or rejected.
“The IGFA was also sensitive to this particular record because in past years there have been several attempts to sue us over largemouth bass record claims. Although none of these claims have been successful, they have resulted in considerable legal fees for the IGFA,” he said.
In the end, the IGFA staff concluded it would be both in the best interest of the IGFA and that of Kurita if he submitted to a polygraph analysis. The IGFA reserves the right to employ polygraph analyses to any record application, and this is explicitly stated in the affidavit section of the world record application form.
Again, more correspondence was issued to the JGFA to request that Kurita take a polygraph test.
He immediately agreed.
On December 15, Kurita was examined by a professional polygraph analyst in Japan. The many questions he was given included if he was truthful about the information reported on the application form and if his boat ever came to a complete stop while fighting his fish.
The results from the polygraph concluded that Manabu Kurita answered the questions honestly and that the catch was legitimate.
George Perry’s 77 year old record was officially tied.
Due diligence pays off
“Six months may seem like a lot of time to determine if a fish ties a record,” said Schratwieser. “Hopefully, people now understand the amount of due diligence the IGFA conducted on this record. Although we treat all records with equal rigor, the All-Tackle largemouth bass record is nothing less than iconic and the bass angling community deserved nothing less.”
Schratwieser added, “The IGFA wishes to applaud Kurita on his outstanding catch and would also like to commend him on his patience and candor during the entire review process. We would also like to thank the JGFA for their diligence and tireless assistance in corresponding with Kurita and fisheries officials.”
Biology and bass across the globe; where will the next record come from?
Largemouth bass have also been introduced in many countries but in Japan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. In addition, because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculated that the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists in Japan examined the ova of the big female, Schratwieser said they concluded that the fish was not triploid.
For over 77 years the record stood as bass fanatics theorized when and where the record would be broken. Over the years there have been rumors and unsubstantiated reports of bass that could have tied or eclipsed Perry’s record, but nothing ever passed IGFA criteria. Some anglers did come close, however.
Schratwieser said the closest came in 1991, when Robert Crupi caught a 22 lb bass in Lake Castaic, California USA, that still reigns as the 16 lb line class record and the third heaviest approved bass record in IGFA history.
“Most people thought that the next All-Tackle record would come from California. Until Kurita’s tie the seven heaviest bass records behind Perry’s came from California lakes. Although not native to California, it appears transplanted bass have adapted quite well to the deep, clear lakes and reservoirs and the abundant trout forage found in some of them.
“Little did people know that introduced bass grew big in places besides California, and that there are true monsters swimming on the other side of the world in Japan.”
Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
-
Latest Headlines -
-
-
-
Subscribe to Fishing Tips By BassnMan
