Date: November 29, 2001
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Songslinger
Subject: Montezuma Slough Redux
Yesterday I timed my excursion so that I'd be in the water at Red Barn right as the tide topped. Unfortunately, I was situated directly in front of all those submerged automobiles--they must have moved to the left since last year! In any case, it was misery, cold windy weather and lost tackle each time I threw out. I was targeting sturgeon and let my line sit for 20 minutes each cast, so it was an hour of three lost rigs before I sped off furiously for the refuge of the salt gate. (Not to say I drove recklessly. Just ask Stinkyfingers: I am the soul of driving discretion on gravel roads, heh heh.)
At the salt gate the wind was howling and bitterly cold, yet in the opposite direction as the day before, so I got off some pretty spectacular casts. At my spot I caught 6 catfish and a striper right away, and then the water ripped and all that remained were mitten crabs. I know this for a fact, because I could feel them crawling on the line as I held my pole. I recoiled on a tug and snagged one of the bastards by its oily carapace. This was one of the largest mitten crabs I've ever seen, and man was it aggressive! Given a choice between skittering towards the water and attacking me, it charged my feet with full crustacean pithiness. Stomp! End of crab. And I was just about out of bait. Time to go. But I am a believer of Last Cast, so I threw in one more time and--wham! Sturgeon! Only 30 inches but it gave a damn good account of itself on my little catfish rig. Immediately after I released it (and all the other fish, too) the sky fell and the rain came down hard.
But a good day, I think. A good two days in a row, 20 fish. Now I am officially ready for the long wait we call Sturgeon Fishing.
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All I Want Is A Fair Fight
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Name: baitfish
Isn't it amazing how on a bitter, cold miserable day you can suddenly feel like you’re sipping a Mai Tai on some exotic beach when you hookup and land what you were after?!?!?! Nice catch Slinger! Adam Will work for fish!
Name: jason chin
Good show! and what were you feeding em’ my man? I'm coming! either tomorrow if off or this weekend, time for a trip. I'll hit Cache and Sherman and all around there by Rio, maybe stop in where you been hiding also. Jason “Bayrunner”
Name: Songslinger
Grass shrimp all the way. I don't find mud or ghost worth the cost in this area--or in faster running sloughs, for that matter, but that's just me. If you are in your boat, the outside of Montezuma Slough through Roe Island has been a good zone early on in the game—and is decent right now.
Name: jason chin
Thanks. No boat, problem I haven’t fixed, no hassling with the small one either. Shorelinen’ it all the way, and tomorrow I do have off so I'll be out there. My partner who I first started going to delta with years ago was telling me he wouldn’t mind rolling out there like the old days (pre-boat era) and doing some bank fishing. I'm looking forward to it haven’t been out in a while, ahhhhhh the memories... Probably gonna head to Cache first for a try and then work my way back if nothing happens. I'll let you know... Jason "bayrunner"
Name: Ed
Slinger, you're my idol! You fish during the week while the drones like me work. I'm in awe. Ed
Name: Songslinger
Ha! I do prefer fishing during the weekdays when summer is over. All that water and only a few fishermen per square mile. Peace and tranquility, and even some quiet on occasion. Scarce resources in California. I’m lucky because I'm married to a woman in retail, which means days off during the week instead of the congested weekends. (My own schedule is somewhat flexible but mostly based on my son’s routine.) It does make it difficult to fish with those with more “normal” work schedules. But I take the good and bad together and seem to get in some regular fishing. This last week was tough because events caused by the storm forced me to stay housebound (PG&E, PacTel, furnace, computer, car), with neither the ability to go online (cyber-jones!) or get out and get my line wet. I took it all out on the guitar rather than my family, so peace reigned though I seethed within. Thank God for rock and roll.
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Songslinger
Subject: Montezuma Slough Redux
Yesterday I timed my excursion so that I'd be in the water at Red Barn right as the tide topped. Unfortunately, I was situated directly in front of all those submerged automobiles--they must have moved to the left since last year! In any case, it was misery, cold windy weather and lost tackle each time I threw out. I was targeting sturgeon and let my line sit for 20 minutes each cast, so it was an hour of three lost rigs before I sped off furiously for the refuge of the salt gate. (Not to say I drove recklessly. Just ask Stinkyfingers: I am the soul of driving discretion on gravel roads, heh heh.)
At the salt gate the wind was howling and bitterly cold, yet in the opposite direction as the day before, so I got off some pretty spectacular casts. At my spot I caught 6 catfish and a striper right away, and then the water ripped and all that remained were mitten crabs. I know this for a fact, because I could feel them crawling on the line as I held my pole. I recoiled on a tug and snagged one of the bastards by its oily carapace. This was one of the largest mitten crabs I've ever seen, and man was it aggressive! Given a choice between skittering towards the water and attacking me, it charged my feet with full crustacean pithiness. Stomp! End of crab. And I was just about out of bait. Time to go. But I am a believer of Last Cast, so I threw in one more time and--wham! Sturgeon! Only 30 inches but it gave a damn good account of itself on my little catfish rig. Immediately after I released it (and all the other fish, too) the sky fell and the rain came down hard.
But a good day, I think. A good two days in a row, 20 fish. Now I am officially ready for the long wait we call Sturgeon Fishing.
**************************
All I Want Is A Fair Fight
**************************
Name: baitfish
Isn't it amazing how on a bitter, cold miserable day you can suddenly feel like you’re sipping a Mai Tai on some exotic beach when you hookup and land what you were after?!?!?! Nice catch Slinger! Adam Will work for fish!
Name: jason chin
Good show! and what were you feeding em’ my man? I'm coming! either tomorrow if off or this weekend, time for a trip. I'll hit Cache and Sherman and all around there by Rio, maybe stop in where you been hiding also. Jason “Bayrunner”
Name: Songslinger
Grass shrimp all the way. I don't find mud or ghost worth the cost in this area--or in faster running sloughs, for that matter, but that's just me. If you are in your boat, the outside of Montezuma Slough through Roe Island has been a good zone early on in the game—and is decent right now.
Name: jason chin
Thanks. No boat, problem I haven’t fixed, no hassling with the small one either. Shorelinen’ it all the way, and tomorrow I do have off so I'll be out there. My partner who I first started going to delta with years ago was telling me he wouldn’t mind rolling out there like the old days (pre-boat era) and doing some bank fishing. I'm looking forward to it haven’t been out in a while, ahhhhhh the memories... Probably gonna head to Cache first for a try and then work my way back if nothing happens. I'll let you know... Jason "bayrunner"
Name: Ed
Slinger, you're my idol! You fish during the week while the drones like me work. I'm in awe. Ed
Name: Songslinger
Ha! I do prefer fishing during the weekdays when summer is over. All that water and only a few fishermen per square mile. Peace and tranquility, and even some quiet on occasion. Scarce resources in California. I’m lucky because I'm married to a woman in retail, which means days off during the week instead of the congested weekends. (My own schedule is somewhat flexible but mostly based on my son’s routine.) It does make it difficult to fish with those with more “normal” work schedules. But I take the good and bad together and seem to get in some regular fishing. This last week was tough because events caused by the storm forced me to stay housebound (PG&E, PacTel, furnace, computer, car), with neither the ability to go online (cyber-jones!) or get out and get my line wet. I took it all out on the guitar rather than my family, so peace reigned though I seethed within. Thank God for rock and roll.