DC18FT
Active member
Had not fished Berryessa since August of '06 and since I had the day off my Dad, we decided it was time for a reunion with a old friend!!!!
Day started off rough... Got to my Dad's house, loaded up the boat and discovered I had forgotten my license....went back to my house(10 min away), grabbed my license, drove back and finished loading the boat.
Got on the road around 6:20. Hammered down I-80, took the Hwy 113 exit and then proceeded to miss our next exit !!!!
Finally arrived at Markley around 8:00. Payed our fee, launched and headed straight for the Big Island.
At 8:30, we dropped our lines on the east side of the BI right in front of the floating porta pottie. Within the first 15 minutes, my Dad and I managed to lose 4 fish. Finally landed the 5th fish that decided to visit
For the next 4 hours, we stayed within sight of the porta pottie and managed limits of fat kokes. Lost at least 8-10 fish throughout the day. Also had numerous drivebys and short strikes. Very steady action.
Odd observations from today:
1. ALL fish that made it to the boat, along with ALL the lost fish and ALL the short strikes came of a pink RGT with a short 6" leader. I trolled another rod with various other setups/ dodgers for 3 hours or so and they did not even get sniffed!!! Once I swapped it out for a pink RGT, it got a few hits.
2. 90% of the time when trolling for landlocked salmon(kings,cohos, kokes) my Dad and I use straight silver dodgers either hammered or with some reflective tape on it. Started this trend a couple years back when we talked to a very successful fisherman at New Melones who swore that was all he fished. Today, by chance, my Dad grabbed a SEP's Wonderbread dodger. This dodger paired with a pink RGT accounted for almost all our action today!!!
Weather was great Pretty breezy in the AM.....almost flat calm when we pulled the plug. Only 5-7 other boats made up the armada. Till next time.....
Bryon
Day started off rough... Got to my Dad's house, loaded up the boat and discovered I had forgotten my license....went back to my house(10 min away), grabbed my license, drove back and finished loading the boat.
Got on the road around 6:20. Hammered down I-80, took the Hwy 113 exit and then proceeded to miss our next exit !!!!
Finally arrived at Markley around 8:00. Payed our fee, launched and headed straight for the Big Island.
At 8:30, we dropped our lines on the east side of the BI right in front of the floating porta pottie. Within the first 15 minutes, my Dad and I managed to lose 4 fish. Finally landed the 5th fish that decided to visit
For the next 4 hours, we stayed within sight of the porta pottie and managed limits of fat kokes. Lost at least 8-10 fish throughout the day. Also had numerous drivebys and short strikes. Very steady action.
Odd observations from today:
1. ALL fish that made it to the boat, along with ALL the lost fish and ALL the short strikes came of a pink RGT with a short 6" leader. I trolled another rod with various other setups/ dodgers for 3 hours or so and they did not even get sniffed!!! Once I swapped it out for a pink RGT, it got a few hits.
2. 90% of the time when trolling for landlocked salmon(kings,cohos, kokes) my Dad and I use straight silver dodgers either hammered or with some reflective tape on it. Started this trend a couple years back when we talked to a very successful fisherman at New Melones who swore that was all he fished. Today, by chance, my Dad grabbed a SEP's Wonderbread dodger. This dodger paired with a pink RGT accounted for almost all our action today!!!
Weather was great Pretty breezy in the AM.....almost flat calm when we pulled the plug. Only 5-7 other boats made up the armada. Till next time.....
Bryon
