04-10-2004, 11:42 PM
[cool][blue][size 1]TubeBabe and I are tired of making our plans based on weather reports. Too often a forecast for calm and sunshine gets windblown and washed out. Just as often we stay home and watch the evening news shots of boating and fishing on calm waters.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]All this past week the weekend forecast has been for unsettled weather, including lots of wind and some rain. And, everything has been as promised...wind and rain. Almost ruined a backyard steak grilling Friday night, as wind blew the flames out on my gas grill and rain clouds moved in shortly after.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Got up at 4 AM and found clear skies with no breeze. Loaded the Super Fat Cats in the Jimmy and headed for Saguaro Lake. We were surprised to find the gate open when we drove up at 5:20. Good day so far.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Air temp was about 60 and the water temp was 67.7 when we launched. About the same as when I fished it with Southernman two weeks ago. We have had some wierd cool weather since.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]We started casting and bottom bouncing small jigs about 6 AM, but did not have a hit for a long time. We did see quite a few fish on the sonars, but they were suspended and seemingly inactive, from all the weather fronts going through. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]A few big carp splatted the surface and some little shad started hitting the surface, picking up the remnants of last night's insect deposit on the water. I was surprised there were no largemouths or big yellow bass picking off the oblivious shadlets.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]After tossing larger and flashier offerings with no results, I deduced that this would take some finesse. I put on a very small flat head bait bug and began working slow and low. I got several tentative nudges before hooking and losing two yellow bass in a row. They were just not taking it well enough to get a good hookset.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I finally brought the first yellow bass to my basket about 7 AM. Fishing in the same area, and using the same tiny baitbug, I got another hit. This time when I set the hook, the rod tip stayed where it was. Then it bounced a couple of times as a large catfish shook it's head.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have posted a couple of times about the escape techniques used by the catfish Houdini family in this part of Saguaro Lake. Last trip my escape artist rode around all morning in my basket, and feigned being all tired and wore out. Until I laid him out for a picture and he leaped back into the water, and to freedom. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If the big cat I hooked was not the same fish as last time, it was a close relative. As soon as he realized that I had perforated his lip, he put the light 4# line over his shoulder and screamed line off the drag. He made a beeline for the bank and went around what was probably the only snag along a hundred yards of shoreline. I felt the line make contact with something besides my fish and it went slack...cut off as neatly as you please. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I saluted that smart and noble fish. I didn't say I used all the fingers on my salute hand.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Tube babe had made it to the apparent holding area and was now getting some taps too. She also lost a couple of yellow bass before finally getting the skunk out of her craft. A nice yellow bass went into the evening fish fry fund.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]on a hunch, I tried tossing a light Roadrunner jig and bringing it slowly up through the water column, in which most of the inactive fish were suspended. I began getting several bumps on every cast and just waited until I felt weight before setting the hook. I love "touch" fishing, and I scored several more nice yellows over the next hour.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]TubeBabe had a lot of hits but managed only three for the table. I think I ended up with about a dozen or so. We could have been off the water by 9 or 9:30 without messing up our fish count. It suddenly just went from slow to STOP. Although, fisherfolk that we are, we maintained hope eternal that they would turn on. We were off the water for good about 10:30.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The wind was picking up as we left and by the time we drove out of the parking area there were whitecaps on the lake. Good timing.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]We were glad we braved the odds and got in a quick trip. It was made more memorable by the typical wildlife excursion. A very young jackrabbit ran into the path of our car on the way between the gate and the lake. We were going slow and being young, inexperienced and disoriented by the headlights, he kept running ahead of the car. I got tired of the race and passed on the left. I'll bet he had a good story to tell also.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]When we got to the lake, it was just getting light. We heard our first white wing dove calling for this year. Then, we first heard and then saw our first cardinals. Any day we see cardinals is a treat.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As I paddled over to my first fishing spot, I was greeted by a mama duck and her new brood of quacklets. They posed for one of the attached pics. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As the sun topped the hill on the east side of the lake, it bathed the hills on the west in warm morning sun. A large group of turkey vultures hangs out in this area all summer. They get up on the hill and spread their wings to absorb warmth before lifting off to soar on the updrafts and breezes. A little later I had a strange sensation and looked up to see one of them perched on a rock and looking down at me. I did not feel like I was dead or dying so maybe he was just curious.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]A final note, all of the yellow bass we kept for the table were egg-laden females...except two males. And, as we suspected, only one of the fish we kept had any food in its gut. The fish were not feeding and it was definitely a finesse fishing situation that had to produce a reaction bite.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Nobody else we saw caught any other fish...either from the bank, the pier or from boats. We at least got dinner and had a nice day.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yeah, the wind came up as we got home, clouds blew in and we had lightning, thunder and rain. That is just about everything in one day except snow. It just goes to show that the best time to go fishing is whenever you can get away.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]All this past week the weekend forecast has been for unsettled weather, including lots of wind and some rain. And, everything has been as promised...wind and rain. Almost ruined a backyard steak grilling Friday night, as wind blew the flames out on my gas grill and rain clouds moved in shortly after.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Got up at 4 AM and found clear skies with no breeze. Loaded the Super Fat Cats in the Jimmy and headed for Saguaro Lake. We were surprised to find the gate open when we drove up at 5:20. Good day so far.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Air temp was about 60 and the water temp was 67.7 when we launched. About the same as when I fished it with Southernman two weeks ago. We have had some wierd cool weather since.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]We started casting and bottom bouncing small jigs about 6 AM, but did not have a hit for a long time. We did see quite a few fish on the sonars, but they were suspended and seemingly inactive, from all the weather fronts going through. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]A few big carp splatted the surface and some little shad started hitting the surface, picking up the remnants of last night's insect deposit on the water. I was surprised there were no largemouths or big yellow bass picking off the oblivious shadlets.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]After tossing larger and flashier offerings with no results, I deduced that this would take some finesse. I put on a very small flat head bait bug and began working slow and low. I got several tentative nudges before hooking and losing two yellow bass in a row. They were just not taking it well enough to get a good hookset.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I finally brought the first yellow bass to my basket about 7 AM. Fishing in the same area, and using the same tiny baitbug, I got another hit. This time when I set the hook, the rod tip stayed where it was. Then it bounced a couple of times as a large catfish shook it's head.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have posted a couple of times about the escape techniques used by the catfish Houdini family in this part of Saguaro Lake. Last trip my escape artist rode around all morning in my basket, and feigned being all tired and wore out. Until I laid him out for a picture and he leaped back into the water, and to freedom. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If the big cat I hooked was not the same fish as last time, it was a close relative. As soon as he realized that I had perforated his lip, he put the light 4# line over his shoulder and screamed line off the drag. He made a beeline for the bank and went around what was probably the only snag along a hundred yards of shoreline. I felt the line make contact with something besides my fish and it went slack...cut off as neatly as you please. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I saluted that smart and noble fish. I didn't say I used all the fingers on my salute hand.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Tube babe had made it to the apparent holding area and was now getting some taps too. She also lost a couple of yellow bass before finally getting the skunk out of her craft. A nice yellow bass went into the evening fish fry fund.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]on a hunch, I tried tossing a light Roadrunner jig and bringing it slowly up through the water column, in which most of the inactive fish were suspended. I began getting several bumps on every cast and just waited until I felt weight before setting the hook. I love "touch" fishing, and I scored several more nice yellows over the next hour.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]TubeBabe had a lot of hits but managed only three for the table. I think I ended up with about a dozen or so. We could have been off the water by 9 or 9:30 without messing up our fish count. It suddenly just went from slow to STOP. Although, fisherfolk that we are, we maintained hope eternal that they would turn on. We were off the water for good about 10:30.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The wind was picking up as we left and by the time we drove out of the parking area there were whitecaps on the lake. Good timing.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]We were glad we braved the odds and got in a quick trip. It was made more memorable by the typical wildlife excursion. A very young jackrabbit ran into the path of our car on the way between the gate and the lake. We were going slow and being young, inexperienced and disoriented by the headlights, he kept running ahead of the car. I got tired of the race and passed on the left. I'll bet he had a good story to tell also.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]When we got to the lake, it was just getting light. We heard our first white wing dove calling for this year. Then, we first heard and then saw our first cardinals. Any day we see cardinals is a treat.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As I paddled over to my first fishing spot, I was greeted by a mama duck and her new brood of quacklets. They posed for one of the attached pics. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As the sun topped the hill on the east side of the lake, it bathed the hills on the west in warm morning sun. A large group of turkey vultures hangs out in this area all summer. They get up on the hill and spread their wings to absorb warmth before lifting off to soar on the updrafts and breezes. A little later I had a strange sensation and looked up to see one of them perched on a rock and looking down at me. I did not feel like I was dead or dying so maybe he was just curious.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]A final note, all of the yellow bass we kept for the table were egg-laden females...except two males. And, as we suspected, only one of the fish we kept had any food in its gut. The fish were not feeding and it was definitely a finesse fishing situation that had to produce a reaction bite.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Nobody else we saw caught any other fish...either from the bank, the pier or from boats. We at least got dinner and had a nice day.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yeah, the wind came up as we got home, clouds blew in and we had lightning, thunder and rain. That is just about everything in one day except snow. It just goes to show that the best time to go fishing is whenever you can get away.[/size][/#0000ff]
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