Fishing out of J.G. park Friday = almost fish bait !

[john from md]

Played hooky from work @ 1300 and headed down to the park. The wind was still coming out of the NW so it slowed me up getting to Weems Creek. I didn't miss anything though 'cause nothing was bitting.

I moved around in and out, tried trolling and jigging, no dice. By now the wind shifted and I headed into it to the East side of the river. I fished from Manressa down to the park and caught many, many small hardhead but they were all 5 to 6 inches long. (Come back next year )

During my paddle from West to East, I ran the channel as fast as I could. (4mph gps against the wind) as it was a busy boat day. As I hit the 22 foot line, a fast boat coming up river, swung to the right trying to pass two slower boats. He was moving fast, with a bone in his teeth, and I dug in the paddles. When I knew I couldn't beat him, I stopped, got out my whistle and an aerial flare. Just when I thought I was going to start whistling and shooting, he pulled his power back and turned a few degrees to port. Then I saw it was the damned Coast Guard!

He must have seen that I was getting upset as he kept his trottles closed until he was well past me. Then he opened it up again. This was not the smaller zodiac that normally cruises around with a SAW swinging around in back. This was three times as big and a hell of alot faster.

How appropo, I'm about to become fish bait on the 100 anniversary of the SSB while Old Glory is so gallantly swinging from my yak attack pole. What an epitaph.

Saw two other guys in yaks, they didn't seem to interested in coming to Snagged Line. Too bad.

Regards,

[Southerly]

the wind definitely has a tendency to change the game for fishing and i haven't figured out its secrets any better than most. it moves surface waters and the surface-feeding baitfish, it jumbles small crabs and other stuff in shore break, it messes with the tides/currents, it muddies waters, and makes fishing some areas and some techniques difficult to mostly impossible.

fwiw - i generally avoid open water, especially on weekends. i think a lot of boaters' attitudes is that they are recreating/relaxing, not in a potentially dangerous situation and their guard is down. so, i keep one of those aerosol airhorns from west marine in my cupholder now. i knock it overboard every other trip but it floats and i get it back. i think they may be loud enough sound to have a chance of rousing a 1/2 drunk powerboater from their inattention, or signal coast guard that you're concerned their course is on top of you,...

[john from md]

I used to carry one of those portable air horns but it cracked so I went to buy a new one. I have tried three, two from Bass Pro and one from Walmart and they were all junk! The air mixture would come out of the front but they didn't make much noise. I decided to take one apart to see if the diaphragm was stuck or something. I found that they no longer have a metal diaphragm but some sort of plastic which looks as thin the wrapper on a pack of cigarettes.

That old Falcon horn that I used to have was really loud. I guess I try some other brands, maybe from online sources to see if I can find another good one.

[Striper_MIKE]

Saw two other guys in yaks, they didn't seem to interested in coming to Snagged Line. Too bad.

I was out there from 7am thru around 9:30am and think I saw one of those guys (asian dude in red Tarpon) unloading his yak in the parking lot. Nice guy but also seemed uninterested in this site. Too bad, indeed.

I'll be there tomorrow AM and will hope for a few larger fish!