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SLOW ON SATURDAY, BUT WIDE OPEN SUNDAY!

By Ron Wilson

March 17, 2005…. Oakdale native Johnny Grub, Dave Wilson and I went to Lake Camanche to catch some trout.

I had boasted to Johnnie that catching a limit would be no problem. All we had to do was find them, figure out what they wanted and it would be like catching fish in a barrel.

We launched and I headed upriver to the red buoy and started trolling. We fished for an hour with just one single strike.

I decided that the fish just weren’t there, so we headed to the main Lake and Hat Island area. I started heading toward the dam and we finally got our first strike, a one-pounder at 20 feet on a gold/red Excel Lure.

Thinking maybe we had a pattern I headed toward the dam. We marked fish here and there on our way, but had no luck.

Then at the dam we nailed another trout at 25 feet on the same lure. They just seemed to want the gold/red Excel lure. On the other rods I was fishing blue-silver, lady bug, firetiger, you name it, but no takers.

We trolled all the way back, almost to the Northshore boat ramp before fish number three finally hit. Six hours of trolling, seven hits and just three fish in the box. I told Johnny, “the trout have beaten me today; I just haven’t figured them out!”

I had three bass rods in the boat so we headed back up river to the mine tailings. We quickly started putting spotted bass in the boat. They were biting Keeper 6 inch red and green flake worms.

In an hour’s time we had 15 fish in the boat up to 4 pounds more than enough fish to last Johnny for a month or two!

Johnny said, “You didn’t show me anything about trout fishing but you’re all right on Bassin!”

Sunday Ron Fisher, Jack Doo, a former Modesto Bee outdoor writer and I went to our private fishing club for some Bassin action.

I told them, “the weather sure is messed up; yesterday it was so hot that you were sweating and here today you can’t even see the sun.”

The fish were on the bite as we started catching and releasing them. Bubblegum senko’s were working for me while 3 inch brown and chartreuse senko’s were working for Ron. Unfortunately nothing was working for Jack.

We started around the lake and I quickly ran out of bubblegum and started trying other baits. I told Jack to try using what Ron was using if he wanted to catch fish. It didn’t take him long to start catching them.

I discovered a 3 inch paddle tail grub with smoke and gold flake that the fish liked and we went down the bank with everyone catching bass. I nailed a 5 pounder and released it before Jack could get his camera out.

Ron did the same and apologized to Jack saying his wasn’t really a camera fish. I had to chuckle at that as Ron has been fishing with me to long. He knows when we get the bite down there will be bigger ones caught to pose for the camera.

Jack scored the first picture fish, one close to 8 pounds by the dam. The wimpy rod took a beating but Jack got it to the boat and lipped it proudly holding it up and declaring; “now this is definitely a picture fish.” I had to agree and took a shot.

As we worked our way around the lake, Ron and I were having a good time, “that’s 20 for me, how many do you have,” Ron replied, “That’s 16 for me.” After a while our numbers had grown to 30 and 21. Ron said, “I knew you would start pulling away once you found the bait.”

The bait was a watermelon candy Brushog. In no time at all everyone was using them and catching fish. Several nice ones at that! Soon we had all boated quality fish in the 8-pound class.

I had two lunkers take my 14 pound test line and run me threw the weeds and bury up enough to shake the barbless hook free! If you don’t keep a real tight line on them they can sure shake it out in the weeds.

As we came upon some fly fishermen, I decided to go back to the dam and work our way back up the other side, giving them plenty of fishing room.

Sierra Anglers owner, Bob Nakagawa, was there with a couple friends and they were doing ok but nothing like we were. I got Bob out with me one day and saw him stick a couple big ones on a fly rod. It can be done but I don’t think they figured out how to fish the weeds yet. With Bob’s knowledge of fly fishing and mine of how to fish the area I think it would be an interesting mix.

How did we do, well Ron sure wasn’t using his fly rod, but he has the knowledge to tie some fly’s that should help the fly fishermen out. I taught him well and he is learning more each trip. He used the knowledge to boat 43 fish for the day. Jack learned a lot and I think his total was 22 for the day. As for myself if my counting was accurate I totaled 63 fish for the day and decided enough was enough.

One of the fly fishermen asked me how many fish were enough for me for one day of fishing. I said when I catch so many fish that my arm cramps so bad that I can’t fish anymore then its time to call it a day. And it was time to call it a day!