Starvation Sweet & Sour

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Normally I would have slept in today. Weather forecast was "iffy" and Starvation is a long drive to go to watch whitecaps. But it looked doable for a few hours in the morning and I wanted to meet up with TopH2O to discuss details of our upcoming trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands. Also wanted to do some more testing on my "No Name Lures".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I launched to calm conditions, after a loverly sunrise. Air temp 60 and water temp 67. Water level about the highest I remember seeing it on Starvation and the lake is still spilling.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Us kids from Salty City were just settling in to a perch search when we were joined by TopH20 in his boat. His wife was supposed to be with him and we were gonna do a shore lunch later, but she had something come up that kept her home. But Mike was up yesterday afternoon and camped there. You woulda thunk he would have the fish all tied down for us...but NOOOOOOO. We were all in search mode.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The light breeze at daybreak increased to a stronger breeze and some clouds moved over and started spittin on us about 9:30. I figured our day was over already but it layed down then and we had a few hours of fairly calm fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe stayed pretty much on the south side of the lake...to make a quick run if another storm moved in. She had some sparkin' on her rods during the first little cell and it was good she was already sitting in the water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Mike and I worked in and out and up and down the channel. We eventually found an area in about 15 to 25 feet of water that held a lot of fish. Too bad most of them were dink perch. But my little no name lures started producing for both of us and we each got a few larger than 8 or 9 inches. No toads.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I also brought in a half dozen or so small wallies...a couple of underfooters, a couple of footlongs and a couple of teen-inchers. Better than dink perch. I also scored 3 "Starvation steelhead"...feisty rainbows from 15" to 19". Two came on the no name in pale perch. The other came on a silver spinner with red spots. So did a couple of nasty chubs. One was 15" and UUUUUUUUGHLY.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe went through a lot of worms, just like Mike and I did. But she only caught a bunch of dink perch and a couple of underfooter wallies. No trout for her today. She usually hits them if they are around.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We had one serious looking storm cell that passed us to the west and turned around to the north. It looked ugly but we dodged it. However, about 1 pm I heard thunder and looked directly south...the direction from which the weather was coming. There were some DARK clouds and some flashes in the middle...followed by thunder that got louder in a hurry. Mike observed "That storm has us right in the crosshairs". I agreed and we parted...he heading back to the state park ramp and me motoring across the lake to our launch spot. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe didn't need much of a hint. She got up and walked on water back to the vehicle before the storm got very close. I wasn't so lucky. I was still a hundred yards off shore when I got caught in a downpour...interspersed with flashes and thunder that were downright scary. I was not holding onto my rods. I don't like electric fishing poles.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I hit the beach and we ducked inside the car to wait out the hissy fit being thrown by Mama Nature. But she was cagy. She would let up enough to give us false hope and we would get out of the car and start packing up again. Then down would come the rain again. She had really been storing it up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Eventually we got all our soggy gear stuffed in the car and headed down the road. [/#0000ff]
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[TopH2O]

There's a little more to your saga of our adventure today at Starvation. I made it to the ramp just ahead of the downpour and got my boat out of the water just as Ma Nature cut loose. It was raining so hard I did the same thing you and the TubeBabe did, I jumped in the truck and decided to wait out the rain. Big mistake! I'll bet it rained about .50 inch in 10 minutes. My boat and all it's contents got soaked. I headed home with the cover off since it was too late to keep the inside dry.
Indian Canyon was a challenge. The heavy rain hit the canyon and nearly every small side canyon was dumping debris on the road. I had to use my four wheel drive to cross one debris field on the road. I don't think I would have made it at all if a semi hadn't been right ahead of me cutting a path through the muck.

We probably stayed out about 15 minutes too long. You'd think we would have learned by this late date in our lives. No guts, no glory.

Once again it was a treat to fish with you guys. I'm looking forward to our adventure up north.

Mike
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[Funchy]

Great post as usual TubeDude. Very entertaining!

Couple of Questions:

Do you make and sell your "No name" lures? I Might be interested in taking a few home to the land of Ozz when I head out of here. Do you have some photos (a catalogue?)


Keep up the great reports mate!
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[catfish-logic]

[#0000ff] I wasn't so lucky. I was still a hundred yards off shore when I got caught in a downpour...interspersed with flashes and thunder that were downright scary. I was not holding onto my rods. I don't like electric fishing poles.[/#0000ff]

Yeah good thing I would not want to see a pic of a over roasted hot dog in a float tube.[:p]

Congrats on getting away from the unwanted "Benjamin Franklin fishing-rod-test-for-electricity-experiement." I know thats not funny, but I couldn't think of any other name to call it. Hows about overly brave(just to be nice).

And by the way I'm glad I'm not your mother.[:/]

By the way I'm surprised at your over the ramparts tube enthusiasm, you haven't gotten you a "lighting proof float tube". Or some other device that could minimilinilize your chances of getting struck by lightning.

Other than that you seem to carry with you a divine luck whenever you go fishing. Now I need to get out and go fishing. I hate the wind though. Seems to always be where I want to go. I know excuses excuses......
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Great sharing some water with ya Mike. Always.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was hoping that you had time to get out of the water and on the road before Mama Nature smacked you too. I noticed that she was hurrying past us to find where you had gone. Sorry about the soaking...and the hairy ride down the canyon. That can be nasty in foul weather.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The picture reminded me...I caught that fish twice. As I held it up in the net and dropped the net down to give you a better photo op the trouski flopped skyward and into the water. But my skillful backhand scoop bagged it again before it had a chance to complete its escape.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good times. Even better on tap for next week.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. Glad you liked it. Cheers mate.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Yes, I do sell some of my stuff. Would be happy to provide my address and directions by PM if you would like to come for a look-see. I can also send you a large PDF file full of pictures and descriptions of most of the jig-based stuff I make. It is not a "catalog" as such but is designed for folks I help to get started in making their own things. Not really a commercial operation. But I do help out a few fishing buddies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I haven't made up a lot of the "no name" lures yet. Still in "bait-a" testing. So far they have worked very well on several species. Thinking of giving them the title of "Spliced Lead" lures. Greatest thing since spliced lead. Ha ha. (Two lousy puns in one paragraph)[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

"By the way I'm surprised at your over the ramparts tube enthusiasm, you haven't gotten you a "lighting proof float tube". Or some other device that could minimilinilize your chances of getting struck by lightning."

[cool][#0000ff]One of my favorite sayings is "My mama drowned all the dumb ones...except my sister." And I am usually the first one to head for shore when there is an inkling of potential lightning. But that storm yesterday moved very fast from first showing to full fury. I was clear across the channel from take out point but my electric motor moved me fairly quickly back to home base. Just not quite fast enough. [/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]"Lightning proof"? I doubt there is such a thing. But an air-filled urethane tube is much closer to the water and less conductive to electricity than a boat with electrical wiring and a lot of metal parts.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Still, the best policy is to stay off the water when Mama Nature gets freaky.[/#0000ff]
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[lavaman]

I'm glad you got some fish but even more glad you didn't become 'electrified'. Be careful out there buddy.
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[WaveWolf]

[#500000]Looks like you had a good time in spite of the thunder bumpers.[/#500000]
[#500000]I got my truck all fixed up now from the deer head-on, so I'm ready to head out again. I might have to hit Starvy while your up north.[/#500000]

[#500000]Let a few of those blackmouths at Queen Charlotte slip through your net, so I can have a whack at them when they hit Buoy 10 in Astoria.[/#500000]
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[#500000]Oh by the way, that speed control handle that you made me is as good as sliced bread. It sits right over my shoulder, and is real easy to operate ..... Thanks.[/#500000]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Glad you like the handle. Wish you could have tried it out on our last trip. Glad you got your truck fixed up. Got a new deer tag?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck if you get over before I get back. Otherwise we will try again.[/#0000ff]
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[WaveWolf]

[#500000]If you live in Morgan, you patch a little deer decal on the drivers side door whenever you hit a deer ...... I have five kills, so that makes me an ace.[/#500000]
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[#500000]Yeah, Let's make another attempt ........ I've been making this stuff that I have got to try out.[/#500000]
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[SatanLBZ801]

Looks like a purdy little storm you guys found yourselves! Wind on Starvation is one thing, storms are just a riot! Hear the sarcasm. Glad you guys were able to make it back to the truck okay. Getting a little wet in fine when it's still fairly warm outside. It's when it's close to freezing and it starts raining that it really sucks!

Your making me get the itch BAD to hit starvation again! Congrats again on the mixed bag!

How fast does that motor get ya going? I don't think if I was across the bay that I'd be able to make it back just by my Chevralegs! Impressive!
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[CoyoteSpinner]

So instead of a dream you ran into a nightmare?

But - least you found some fishies firstly. Was wondering on the first jig - do you pour a wire through, then attach the spinner behind? Kind of a back-asswards way at it. But I can imagine they do a nice little dance and wiggle on the drop and jig.

So these no-names - can't quite tell from the photo - do you have a swivel holding the blade, or a clevis hooked in there somehow? Looks like they work well - on all species! Even a Chubby-Bunny. That's a fat fish alright!

Gotta get some of my new lures wet. Looks like tomorrow afternoon gets me a hallpass.

Keep living the dream!

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]No idea on the exact speed. Didn't get a speedometer on my sonar (for a tube?) and I don't have GPS on it either.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, it definitely moves me much faster than I can kick and usually only takes a few minutes to get across that channel. Helps if you leave a few minutes earlier though...before you get caught in the downpour.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I have been playing with several different designs...some with simply a blade wired to the same loop as the hook...some on clevices with beads...like weight forward spinners. So far they all work. Need to play with the actions and how to work them more and I will know better what the plusses and minuses of each are...for various fishing conditions.[/#0000ff]
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