Haunted by waters

"I am haunted by waters"   - Norman Maclean, author of "A river runs through it".

                 Fishing spots are timeless places. Every body of water holds precious memories. Still today, when I'm arriving at favorite local haunts, I can vividly recall the very first time I ever rolled up at each place, as well as the friends whom share those  memories. The excitement, the hope, the adventure, the fun, all come flooding back into my mind upon the headlights telling me I have arrived at each fishing destination. I can almost smell the sweet exhaust of my dads pick-up truck and the comfort I felt when I was with him. He used to jokingly say, "you guys are "F-n" crazy for wanting to be dropped off way out here!" and telling us to be careful and that he'd sound the horn when he came back after sunset. (I was about 13 at the time) 

Some of these reservoirs look to be likely places a stolen car or dead body would be found, as they still do today. Back then, you'd likely see a group of "real" bikers drinking beer out there, but they were always cool and dad felt better about leaving me there when other people were present as opposed to  being alone. I have never been harassed or felt threatened by anyone while fishing. Oddly enough, I've found the only people out there looking to violate somebody are some of the park rangers, law enforcement and sex offenders (Go figure!) 

All body's of water seem to exist in places un-effected by time. The sun goes up and down but time itself has no place there, only the seasons. The rat race of humanity is still furiously spinning all around it like a tornado. ( If you listen carefully you can still hear it) Every visit is a break from that vortex. I have aged but the waters always remain the same as in my memories. 

I am always thinking about, and sometimes talking to, lost loved ones when I'm out there. It's not uncommon for me to catch myself blurting out words of angst or looking to the skies for approval. I'm always thinking to myself, "I hope they got to see that!" after a nice fish is released. 

Sometimes the nights moon can be as bright as day. (only its in black and white) It can be so calm that I'll wonder if perhaps I'm dead and I just don't know it yet, destined to wander the earth until I uncover the truth of this life's existence. 

People whom know me find it hard to understand that I would even enjoy fishing. I've always been an ADHD type personality. Impatient, bored easily, controlling and cannot sit still. Everything they say is required to be a successful fisherman, I am not. But, I am also a Gemini/multitasker type person whom needs to occupy my right brain, to get any depth out of the left. Numbers or pounds have little to do with a "good" day, and there is no such thing as a bad day fishing. Each time I go, I have worked out a little bit more of my own personal "issues", enabling myself to perhaps someday finally grow up. 

Even when faced with bad weather, you still go anyway. You never can tell when a storm will break into an epic day unless you are out there. Either way, a rainy morning spent reading a book, listening to the rain tapping on the roof of the van as I fall asleep, is another "fisherman's" well kept secret. Remember, time has no effect in these places. You can get years back in a short nap.

I trip out when I think about these reservoirs after I die. They will still be here but all the stuff I've done or experienced there will be unknown to the person who "discovers" these places next. They might set their gear on the same rock I set mine or discover there's more going on under the water and feel like it is their discovery. I wish I could pass it all on to the next fisherman who needs the water to fill a void in their life. The names like "big John Cove", "the Bass Hole", "Old Mans", "Lizard Rock", "Shit Rock", "rock slide","the Pump House" they'll get new names for different reasons, never knowing about the people who grew up and even died at these places that were special to us. My friends and I have to carve something in the rocks to leave behind when we're gone.

When I think about the first time I visited each place, it's amazing how they have stayed relatively the same. When I took my first bike ride, on my sisters ten speed, I could hardly reach the pedals. I was in fifth grade with Gallager and Tony Belbenni we rode to Almaden Res. It was like we rode across the entire state to get there. 

Eric Duran showed me how to use a spinner bait at Uvas (there wasn't any cover then too) and the old house at Uvas was still old looking back then. Jumping off Coleman bridge for two summers before they put a stop to it. The rock behind Guad. And the safe we found brand new that's still at the bottom of the res today. Rubba's tree at Calero and we can't forget the brand new handicap bathroom we partied in all those nights. The Bowl, And Echo lake, ah the girls whom I secretly loved that lived in that neighborhood. Swimming with Levon Vanderlie in Uvas after high school. The date where Yvette and Sherri were covered in Guad mud. The Quail Inn at Chesbro. The hamburgers at the Calero Inn, they were the best.

All of these reservoirs are a part of me now. If I became an un-dead zombie, I'm sure I could be found at one of these places, stuck in the mud, not knowing why. 

I live today just for another trip. I still haven't gotten enough of these places.

You can believe that after I'm gone, if possible, I will still be out there. Doing what I do. All of these places are forever etched into my mind. I care immensely about these waters and their natural habitants. They've been my stomping grounds, my sitter, my teacher, comfort, my muse, my therapist, my escape. I have vowed to do what I can to keep these waters like I remember them. 

I cannot fathom the type of person I would be without these waters effect. As a matter of fact, I'm gonna go right now.

S-Waver

             

              I'm so into the River to Sea S-Waver, lately, I barely use anything else. I bring tons of lures with me but I always end up starting and ending with one on the line. Since you can almost steer it on the retrieve, it's fun to use. Well maybe not "steer" but alter the length of the "S" either tight or wide. So when retrieving past an object, you can make it swerve at it, away from it, or just buzz it close by. Once you get the hang of it, you can visualize its movements even when you can't see it. With It's almost suspending, slow sink, action it takes on a life of its own. 

I didn't "get" the lure at first and had zero confidence that a fish would even like the action. I thought it might be another lure that catches fisherman, but not fish. But I would keep hearing about people who love them, so I kept putting time in it. Though I did manage to get a few fish to strike, they would miss it right as it was coming out of the water for the next cast. When I finally checked it out in my pool, I realized I was going a little too fast. Being a hard bait, I assumed it was like a Crankbait and expected a little vibration resistance from the tail. And to achieve that, you're going too fast. But just by memorizing the optimum reel speed you just gotta trust and visualize what it should be doing until you can get a feel for it. Go as slow as possible without losing its slalom. I'll use more stops and pauses in a Swimbait retrieve, as opposed to jerks or twitches, because of the slow and steady nature of a SB. 

I made a custom top hook version where a magnet holds a treble hook on the back of the bait, in the spot where the dorsal fin would protrude. And by doubling some 40 lb. knotted braid, the hook is secured to the front line tie. I use some "Mend it" on the knots to keep everything tight and perfectly aligned. I remove the two bottom trebles but leave the split rings on and add a small piece of lead tape. This keeps it from becoming top heavy and rolling side to side. The hollow plastic, bottom weighted body, keeps it upright on the fall and at rest. With the hook on top, it can now be fished on the bottom, Probing, tailing, pausing. It's got an action all it's own.  I still would like to improve upon the top hook somehow.

I've read that no two S-Wavers swim the same. I'd have to agree. Some just seem to be a little livelier than others. My best swimmer happens to be the bone white model. I think that the more cosmetic components each version requires in its finish,   adds a bit more weight, dulling the action ever so slightly. I could be wrong but in my collection it seems that the bone, Bluegill, rainbow trout, sexy shad, and then abalone, swim in that order. So the less paint that is used the lighter and livelier the action seems to be. I'll know more when I get a new bone one.  Mine's getting well worn and beat up. We'll see if the new one swims the same. Perch is another favorite. The gold seems to work well around here. Perhaps it mimics a Grass Carp.

Giron is a glide bluegill that is proving to be a deadly bait. If retrieved too fast it doesn't swim right and It's hard to keep down in the water column. You just have to go hella slow. Stopping during a retrieve, to let it sink, has been triggering vicious strikes lately. I don't mention this lure too much. It's not very popular and I'd like to keep it that way. Post spawn, I'll likely have this tied on before I go. It's been that deadly.

The new 8" Wavers come out this month! I ordered the perch and the ararari (?) it looks like a carp or koi with that Japanese touch.

Got the new 8" it's not exactly the same. The joint is different. It's big and heavy (3 1/2 oz.) it waves good but the weight keeps it from suspending like the 6. Still a cool bait. More on this after I've got some time into it.

I picked up a Savage Gear glide bait. I don't think its as good as the S Waver. It looks good and has rattles but Fish don't seem to like em. I'd recommend passing on this bait. Stick with the Waver.

I'm starting to like fishing with braid using an s-waver. The floating aspect helps it suspend, which lends itself to super slow retrieves. You can't have your drag set too tight or you'll straiten out hooks. Upgrade the hooks the first chance you get. You won't regret it. Wave on!

Winter Bass Fishing. 02/07/14

                Winter bass fishing can be incredibly frustrating at times, but it can be incredibly rewarding as well. A real fisherman has no choice but to fish regardless of weather. It's a time to gain confidence and lose the B.S.

Wintertime can cause you to rethink every aspect of your fishing. Action can be "few and far between" at best. When weeks go by without getting a single bite, you start to question if you are as good a fisherman as you believe? That's when you really start digging deep into the knowledge you've acquired through time, studying and questioning it. 

All of the sudden you need bass magazine's and youtube to confirm some of your ways of thinking. You ritually dial in your gear, fine tuning it, to be ready at all times. You're out back checking and adjusting your lures' actions and times in the swimming pool. You finally do look back into your journals of the previous years. You find yourself monitoring the weather, wind, and moon phase religiously. You now 'go' at the peak times instead of just reading it after the fact to see how accurate it was. You're more aware of your every movement, minimizing, stalking quietly and blending into the environment. Your senses heighten, looking for the slightest scent, ripple, or shadow that may hint your prey is in the vicinity. You fish hard and long in hopes that It will all come together, the planets align, and the Gods smile down upon thee. 

Then, when you finally do hook into a fish of quality, you respect and admire it more than ever, then slide her back into the water. There's no celebrating, nobody is out there to witness anyway. The knowledge you gained from this experience will carry you through the toughest times on or off the water. 

On your way home, you analyze the key components to your success and think of ways you could have done it better. 

All of the time and effort you spent translates into confidence acquired. You look forward to getting out there again....

That is why you must fish in the wintertime. Even though winter bass fishing can be incredibly frustrating at times.

Outcast