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CHASING STRIPPERS IN THE DELTA

By: Ron Wilson

May 5, 2009.... For the last 3 weeks its been mostly striped bass fishing for me. Mike Monschein of Monschein Industries in Riverbank and I have been following the stripers from the Antioch Bridge up to the Mokelumne River.

This has got him in trouble with his dad Frank Monschein who is a 7 day a week work o’ holic no nonsense business owner and expects Mike in the office almost daily.

Mike is a personable type guy that likes to get out and meet people to try to drum up jobs for the business. With the economy in the toilet I think Mike’s new idea of getting out and spending time meeting other people who have money to spend is just as good a way to advertise to get business. May be the best form of advertising especially now that most of the newspapers are going broke. With the tough times most people don’t even bother to subscribe to them anymore. I see TV and internet as the best tools of advertising from now on as our computer educated citizens get older and want their news instantly.

I know that when I need to hire work done I look toward somebody I have fished or hunted with or been to some type of dinner with to spend my money, I have more faith in the friends that I have made in the fishing and hunting world than somebody that I see in a newspaper ad or phone book.

Sorry I got off the track again, old age I guess. Anyway last weekend Mike and I fished the 13th Bruno's Island Striper Derby put on by the Escalon Sportsmen’s Club.

Mike and I pre-fished and found fish at different times at the Bedroom, New Run, Patio, Peacock and down around the Antioch area. Lots of small fish 2 to 5 pounds, but there were a couple nice fish we hooked at Peacock. One was around 17 pounds I played with and wouldn’t let Mike net her.

On the opening morning of the tournament Mike and I headed toward the Antioch Bridge to shallow water trolling with rebels. Mike used a single rebel while I used a spreader with a short leader and a white buck tail jig on one side and a longer line with a rebel on the other side.

We soon were catching fish after fish. Doubles, triples it was high fives and yahoo. Mike couldn’t have been happier as it was a fish catching slugfest like you would not believe. I was culling and culling and soon quit as all the fish were the same size. We had 4 in the box live and kicking and all were in the 5 pound or so class.

I told Mike we would not make any money here as they were all aggressive males (schoolies) and Mike said who cares “Hell I will give you $300 dollars if you want it” we are staying here and hammering them while we can and enjoying them.

The fish were in the 8 to 10 feet depth on a sandbar surrounding the females and they were so aggressive that the bigger females never got a shot at hitting our baits.

A guide boat soon came by and saw us hammering them and the five of them joined the action I got a kick out of watching the guy as it looked like he never had a clue as what was going on. They caught a couple but nothing like they should of!

After 4 hours of combat fishing Mike and I called it a morning and headed in for lunch and to get ready for the sparerib dinner that was being put on by the Escalon Sportsmen’s Club that night. Live music and camaraderie and more Vella’s than you could stir with a stick!. The night before Guide Gary Vella had spiced up 80 racks of ribs for the 150 or so people coming to dinner Saturday night. I know because I opened them and got to know Gary a little better. I haven’t fished with him yet but I have watched him and he seems pretty successful. We had a great dinner and most attendees won door prizes.

Sunday Mike ran down to Peacock and I lost two good fish in a row there before we ran down to Antioch Bridge to find the fish were gone. They were not above or below the bridge.

We ran back to Santa Clara Shoals and there was nobody there. Mike caught a small shaker immediately and then had a few missed stripes. I don’t know how they can not get hooked on one of the three hooks on the baits but they can knock the crap out of them and never get hooked.

I was trying everything in the book and not having any luck. Mike was using a P-Line green back lure and they were clobbering it. His next fish was one over 10 pounds that he got right at the boat and just as I was about to net it the fish threw the lure at us. On the next pass Mike had on the fish were had been after for two days. The line screamed off the drag and as Mike cleared the rod hand over hand pass his canopy high sticking the rod I could see the fish going across the top of the water and when a sea lion grabbed the fish tearing it off the hook and then held it up so I could see the 20 pound hen before he slammed her sideways tearing out her eggs for his first bite. If I had a gun the dam thing would have been shot right then!

That pretty much killed our spirits but we made a couple more passes before calling it a early day. The event was well run by Bob and Genie Lackey and I found out that Bob could play a mean guitar.

A 23 pound Striped Bass caught by Pierre Leautier took a check and rod and reel for 1st place. Second place went to Jim Vella, 15.3. 3rd to Mark Sisco, 14.5. 4th to Bruce Vella, 12. 5. John Kronty 11.5 and Vince Vella were in the top 10. How did Mikey do, well with a 6 pounder he was about 12th.