06-25-2008, 04:18 PM
"If you want to give the devil hysterics, tell him your plans"
I had been making plans to go to the gorge from 3 or 4 days in pursuit of kokanee, but something happened yesterday that changed all of that.
Sunday while fishing Yuba for walleye we caught a 15 lb Northern that was a nice fish to say the least, but we didn't connect with any walleye.
Yesterday (tuesday) I headed back to Yuba in search of walleye once again. The wind came up early, around 7 AM and filled the lake with chop and 2 foot waves making it impossible to hold and cast to the walleye so out came the trolling rods.
We rigged for walleye or northerns using med/heavy rods, 12 lb Ande line w/80 lb mono shock leaders (northerns) in front of rapalas and lucky craft lures.
We worked in close to the shoreline in about 6 to 20' of water close to the bank at about 1 1/2 to 2 MPH depending on what the wind would let us do and still be able to steer the boat. working west and north from the painted rocks to north beach where we turned and trolled back still fighting the wind.
There is a beach that allows boat in only camping that has a long slopping sandy bottom that terminates in about 25' of water. We were close to shore in about 5 to 6 foot of water when an absolute monster of a northern appeared in the prop wash five foot behind the boat. I was so shocked to see him there I didn't think to grab the camera and he only stayed a few seconds but enought to get a good look see. Minimum of 48 inches, the head was 6 or 7 inches with a wide, wide back. I would estimate his weight at 20 plus pounds.
It is not unusual to see predators in the prop wash. The prop is stirring up the bottom which sometimes means food for the fish, but it still suprised me to see a fish that big so close to the boat.
After that, I changed my plans. Instead of the gorge where I know I could catch a boat full of nice fish I am going to foresake that for 3 days of Yuba in the HOPES of getting 1 shot at a huge northern.
For some reason right now Yuba is producting a lot of northern from small 12 to 16 inchers to monsters. I'm going to dig out the biggest Rapalas and spoons that I own, tie on a heavy shock leader and give it a few days of very hard fishing. The big net will be in the boat and the camera at the ready position. I'll let you know how I do or better yet come on down and try your own self. Plenty of good fish have been caught from boats and several big ones from the shore using minnows. I don't think you will catch many, unless they are perch but there is the change of a monster. Tight lines
I had a picture of Sundays Northern but it didn't show up. I don't know what the deal is I shrunk the picture size so small it shouldn't have been much bigger than a postage stamp. Sorry
[signature]
I had been making plans to go to the gorge from 3 or 4 days in pursuit of kokanee, but something happened yesterday that changed all of that.
Sunday while fishing Yuba for walleye we caught a 15 lb Northern that was a nice fish to say the least, but we didn't connect with any walleye.
Yesterday (tuesday) I headed back to Yuba in search of walleye once again. The wind came up early, around 7 AM and filled the lake with chop and 2 foot waves making it impossible to hold and cast to the walleye so out came the trolling rods.
We rigged for walleye or northerns using med/heavy rods, 12 lb Ande line w/80 lb mono shock leaders (northerns) in front of rapalas and lucky craft lures.
We worked in close to the shoreline in about 6 to 20' of water close to the bank at about 1 1/2 to 2 MPH depending on what the wind would let us do and still be able to steer the boat. working west and north from the painted rocks to north beach where we turned and trolled back still fighting the wind.
There is a beach that allows boat in only camping that has a long slopping sandy bottom that terminates in about 25' of water. We were close to shore in about 5 to 6 foot of water when an absolute monster of a northern appeared in the prop wash five foot behind the boat. I was so shocked to see him there I didn't think to grab the camera and he only stayed a few seconds but enought to get a good look see. Minimum of 48 inches, the head was 6 or 7 inches with a wide, wide back. I would estimate his weight at 20 plus pounds.
It is not unusual to see predators in the prop wash. The prop is stirring up the bottom which sometimes means food for the fish, but it still suprised me to see a fish that big so close to the boat.
After that, I changed my plans. Instead of the gorge where I know I could catch a boat full of nice fish I am going to foresake that for 3 days of Yuba in the HOPES of getting 1 shot at a huge northern.
For some reason right now Yuba is producting a lot of northern from small 12 to 16 inchers to monsters. I'm going to dig out the biggest Rapalas and spoons that I own, tie on a heavy shock leader and give it a few days of very hard fishing. The big net will be in the boat and the camera at the ready position. I'll let you know how I do or better yet come on down and try your own self. Plenty of good fish have been caught from boats and several big ones from the shore using minnows. I don't think you will catch many, unless they are perch but there is the change of a monster. Tight lines
I had a picture of Sundays Northern but it didn't show up. I don't know what the deal is I shrunk the picture size so small it shouldn't have been much bigger than a postage stamp. Sorry
[signature]