Explosive Big Bass Action

Right now I am in a Junior Guards program. It takes place five days a week for five weeks. During that time I have to swim to the end of piers and run dozens of miles. What does this mean for my fishing? It means,  I cannot fish!   I am either too tired or I do not have enough time. So now I am relying on other people like CC to supply me with fish to put into my blog.

CC (carnivorous crank bait) has been hitting Boronda lake almost every day. There was eventually a period of warm spells in Palo Alto. At the tail end of the warmer weather CC put some quality time into fishing with his KVD shallow-diving crank bait. His reward was a five-pound fish and a three-pound fish on the first day. Elated, he went home and came back to Boronda. At the end of the day he held a four-pound bass in his hands. After some conversation, I found out what he was using. His reel was spooled with twelve pound test, and he was using a shock rod. The lake had occasional gusts of wind blowing across it, but it was usually placid. Temperatures were about 76 degrees. Lake visibility was about six feet.

Five-pound bass caught on KVD crankbait

Three-pound bass

Four-pound bass

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Awesome Trout Fishing At Yosemite

Summer has brought some great things to me. One of those is my grandparents and aunt. They are visiting from Hawaii for the first time in three years. My parents have been planning activities, and one of those plans was to go to Yosemite. We drove for five hours to get to the park, through winding roads, and sweltering sun. Finally we arrived at the park, and proceeded to view the spectacular waterfalls and the looming, ominous cliffs. Unfortunately, I ate too much food at the Camp Curry buffet, and felt very ill. My dad and aunt went to take pictures of the sunset, while I tried to overcome my nausea. Then my dad called me on my cell phone. Trout were blowing up the surface of the Merced river less than half a mile away from the tent. It was time to shake off my nausea and catch fish.

A thirteen-inch brown trout caught at Merced River (# 3)

We neared the Merced River around 7:45 P.M. I had already rigged up my pole with a silver and blue Kastmaster attached to four-pound test. From forty feet away, I could already see the trout breaching the surface, eating insects. They were all near the middle of the river, inside a current that flowed in a circular motion, bringing the food to them. I cast in my line and hooked a nice fish on my first cast. When I brought it in, I had a nice fourteen inch wild rainbow trout. That may not sound like much, but a fish that big in the wild is massive. There is little food, so wild trout grow very slowly. After the rainbow, I proceeded to catch two more trout. One was a thirteen-inch brown trout, with a small kype.  Then I handed my pole to my father, because his pole remained unproductive. As the time neared 8:30, and the light began to dim my dad hooked into a massive fish. After five tense minutes, I netted an eighteen-inch rainbow trout. The biggest wild trout I have ever heard of being caught in Yosemite for years. As the sun disappeared we walked back with smiles on our faces. 

The first rainbow trout of the day 

This massive trout hit a Kastmaster, 

What I drew from this experience was the randomness of this fishing expedition. My family had not gone to Yosemite to fish. We had gone there to look at scenery, and observe the wildlife. Instead, we ended up with the biggest wild trout of our lives. Had my dad not seen the trout in the river, we would never have had this experience. Usually organized planning results in more consistent success. This means that you should plan your events. However, sometimes you find  yourself in a situation that you never would have expected. At those times, you need to get over your shock and seize the opportunity. The best things happen when you least expect it.

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Fishing: Preparation for Life

I really put my time during the last trip. My reward was this nice bass
at Lake Boronda. 

In my earlier post, you will see that I fished at Calero earlier this morning. But as evening approached I got the Boronda bass itch, the unstoppable urge to fish at Lake Boronda for a chance at a bass. So I put down my Xbox controller and my TV remote, and rode down to the lake. The drive along winding Foothill Road built up the suspense within me.

As soon as we got to the lake I jumped out. I already held my weapon of choice in my hand, a four-inch Rage Craw, pinned on a shaky 1/8 ounce jig head. The evening temperature was a balmy 76 degrees, and the lake was placid. I began my routine lap of the lake, but after one and a half hours my hope was flickering. A friend of mine (not CC) caught a frog, but that was about it. Just as we were about to leave, I pitched in my Rage Craw, and dragged it along the bottom of the lake. A nice fish picked it up. An exhilarating fight commenced, and I netted a hefty bass. Soon after my catch, CC caught a decent bass and a massive sunfish using a KVD crank bait. Though the action was still quite slow, the fish were warming up. Soon, I expected violent surface action from big bass.

A friend of mine caught this bullfrog while buzzing a soft-plastic on top of the water

Fishing is often rewarding when you catch fish, but there are times when you don't. I have talked to the adults and they say that fishing is "preparation for life." If someone only cares about catching fish, they don't really understand what fishing is about.  In fishing the exciting part is perfecting your bait's action, and thinking about the bass's movements and patterns. The actual fish is just a reward. I don't completely agree with this idea, but fishing is something to enjoy. It helps me get away from the Xbox, and enjoy the outdoors. If you only live for the fight of the fish, you will miss the opportunity to enjoy many moments in your life.

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Hard Work = First Crappie

My first crappie caught at Calero Reservoir
:)

Yesterday was another episode of epic fishing in the Bay Area. When I woke up in the morning my dad was pushing me to go to Calero Reservoir, and fish in a float tube. After a half-hour drive, we arrived. Unfortunately, I realized that the lake had fifteen mile-per-hour gusts blowing across it. Water skiers blazed on top of the water's surface, leaving rough waves in their wake. In a float tube this can mean a tough session on the lake. However, my dad and I were undeterred. We strapped on our life jackets, and eased ourselves into the lake. On the end of my pole I had a 1/8 ounce jig head, paired with a Berkley GULP Magic Goby. I was bouncing my lure along the bottom of the lake. My dad was using a wacky rigged senko and was fishing it beneath the waters surface.

The beginning of the expedition was strenuous. I braved waves and strong gusts of wind, but it still took me an hour to get to the other side of the lake. So far I had not gotten any bites. However on the way back the wind drifted my float tube towards shore. This meant I could focus on fishing. Then I began to feel taps. It was similar to a bass's bites, but lighter. Setting the hook, I began to reel in my prize. When the fish got to the surface, I was surprised to see my first crappie! The day went on with more bites, but no more fish were landed. My dad and I talked to a few more fisherman, but found that others had come up with similar results to ours.

The conclusion, fishing in general had been slow, but people putting in their time had been catching. The sport is called fishing, not catching. If I had never gotten off the couch at home, or gotten out of bed early I would never have gotten my first crappie. Even at the lake, I kicked with all  my energy to propel myself into the wind. Good things usually don't come to you easily. If it was easy, somebody else would be doing it for less effort. You have to try.

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Fishermen make Friends

This happy fisherman (CC) pulled in a hefty 3.5 pound largemouth bass at Boronda Lake in Palo Alto

Fishing is all about the experiences you have during your adventure. Last night I was treated to an amazing dinner with some of my best fishing buddies. We talked and ate and ate and ate... and then I ate some more. The reason we were eating so much, fishing! As some of you may figure out in the future, fishing is not catching. Quite often you sit at the side of a lake for eight hours and catch nothing. However, I feel enjoying the scenery, and the company of others is more than enough. A fish is just a bonus. It does help to be full of warm, yummy food.

Yesterday was one of those days when the conditions were aligned just right, and success greeted us. When we got to the lake there were three people in the car. Me, my dad, and our friend, CC (carnivorous crank bait) all stepped out ready for action. The lake was a glassy surface, that reflected the hills. A light gust of wind would occasionally stir up the water and the cool air of the evening had the bass jumping. I went on ahead to scout for fish, while CC tied on a KVD shallow-diving crank bait. When I came back to check on him, I was surprised to see a massive bend in his Shock rod. After a vicious tussle, CC coaxed the 3.5 pound bass into the waiting net. We continued fishing.
After I caught a much smaller bass, our entourage piled into the van, and left the lake just as the sun passed over the grass covered hills. Back at the house we were greeted with cake and refreshments, as we sat around the table talking about CC's success.

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Kid's Catch and Release Fishing

September 27, 2009
This beautiful cutthroat trout was caught and released back into Fallen Leaf Lake.

So you may be wondering, what is Kid Fish Release? Well, in essence the blog will consist of a happy kid with a fish that he releases after the photo was taken. However, I do have some goals I hope this blog will help me accomplish. Here's the problem. Kids these days have problems pulling themselves away from high-priced electronics. They need to get outside, to live life with all the opportunities it has to offer. Without knowledge of how amazing nature can be, children miss out on the beauty of the world. Beauty makes life worth living, and breaks us out of the boring cycle of studying and homework. For me, fishing inspired me to leave the house and journey to faraway places that I never would have gone to before. In time, my passion for the sport spread throughout my entire family, causing us to travel far and wide in search of fish. The result was one of the happiest times I can remember having with my dad and mom. I hope that this blog inspires you or your child to travel down a similar path that shows you the amazing surprises the world has to offer.

You know what this blog is about, but to accomplish my goal I need support. All you have to do is to go fishing with your son or daughter, or mom or dad (if you're a kid) and catch a fish. Take a picture of the kid and his/her fish. Then release the fish back into the body of water you caught it from. Give me the picture at KidFishRelease@gmail.com, and your done! You can help me make a difference in the world by enjoying yourself, and enjoying nature.

Me and my carp at Matadero Creek

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