# Got a couple



## LDUBS (Nov 21, 2017)

On the water today at Lake Berryessa just as the sun was coming up. It looks colder than it was. That sign you see in the water way ahead of the boat is the end of the no wake zone. Beyond that, go past the point on the right and you are about 1/2 mile from Monticello dam. Go left and you are about 5 or 6 miles through a narrows to the main body of the lake. 

Anyway, I managed to put a couple in the boat. At 12" to 14" there are no records here. Got these trolling 2.5 mph at 8' to 10' deep. Probably should have been shallower. Well, that is why there is a next time. 

OH, and to be sure there will be no use of eels as bait on my boat. :LOL2:


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## SeaFaring (Nov 22, 2017)

I need to get after some trout... I doubt eels would be helpful in that pursuit. Not sure a trout would know what to do with one. 

Beautiful photographs btw. 


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## KMixson (Nov 22, 2017)

What if you catch an eel? What do you do? Abandon boat and swim to shore? :LOL2:


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## LDUBS (Nov 23, 2017)

KMixson said:


> What if you catch an eel? What do you do? Abandon boat and swim to shore? :LOL2:



I would cut the line! :shock: . Honestly I don't know much about eels, other than I don't like them. I saw Mike Rowe on that Dirty Jobs show harvesting eels and that was a slimy mess. You can see the clip by searching "Slime Eels" in YouTube. 

After reading about using eels for bait in the Bait & Tackle section, I did some google checks to make sure we don't have them in my neck of the woods. Apparently we do have lampreys that migrate from fresh to salt water (kind of like Salmon). I've never encountered one and don't plan on looking for them. They aren't very big. I guess back in the 1800's they tried to stock the larger American Eels out here but they didn't survive. I'm OK with that. 

It might sound silly but the idea of eels just gives me the creeps. Fish (including trout) like nightcrawlers. I'll use those instead. They are just big worms. Haha


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## SeaFaring (Nov 23, 2017)

The slime eels from dirty jobs and lampreys are both agnathans - super primitive fish that pre-date the evolution of the jaw. Slime eels are really hagfish. They are both much slimier and creepier than true eels. 

That said, it’s unlikely that there’s enough difference to matter to you 


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## LDUBS (Nov 30, 2017)

Like deja vu all over again.

Got out for about 3 hours this morning. Got two trout and a ditch pickle. Lost three. Same as before -- trolling pink/silver Speedy Shiners behind a sling blade dodger at about 2.5 MPH @ 10' OTW. I'm told folks are doing much better on the main body of the lake which is about 6 to 8 miles from where I was. I didn't want to take the time to run the boat that far. Next time I'll have to use a ramp closer to where the action is reported to be.


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## SeaFaring (Nov 30, 2017)

Ditch pickle - that’s a new one to me. I like it. 

You know, I used to want a big comfy sport fishing boat. But for coastal fishing, I really can’t imagine not being able to trailer to the bite anymore. If you’re going offshore where there’s no alternative to a long run, ok. But being slip-bound in coastal or inland fisheries has no appeal to me. 


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## Jim (Dec 1, 2017)

Thanks for sharing! :beer:

I'm jealous! :LOL2:


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## SeaFaring (Dec 4, 2017)

So, I was frustrated today when I got skunked on probably my last striper trip of the season, but I made up for it by adding “ditch pickle” to the list of colloquial names for LMBs on Wikipedia, along with the comment “used derisively by California trout fishermen.”


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## LDUBS (Dec 5, 2017)

SeaFaring said:


> So, I was frustrated today when I got skunked on probably my last striper trip of the season, but I made up for it by adding “ditch pickle” to the list of colloquial names for LMBs on Wikipedia, along with the comment “used derisively by California trout fishermen.”
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Haha. Google the "ditch pickle classic". This is a catch & release bass fly fishing tournament held in Vermont at Lake Champlain. Not sure of the origin, but these guys have been using the term for years.


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## LDUBS (Dec 6, 2017)

Got a couple (18" & 15") more this morning. This was the first time I've had hookups on both rods at the same time. I bungled the net with the first of the two. Probably too worried about what was happening on the other rod. I managed to catch the second one -- the 15" pictured below. It was a nice bright sunny day but the wind came up and chased me off the lake. 

I paid a fee to launch from one of the campground ramps. I was wondering why I was the only one in the parking lot. Leaving I learned that there is a free BLM operated ramp about 2 miles down the road. And it looks like a nice paved ramp/parking lot unlike the mud/gravel one I paid to use. Shucks. Next time I will know.


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