) wants to fish last Sat. because his canoe is down. OK, so on Friday I take the wife to the boat to prep for Sat. She suggests I replace the lost sweatshirt so off to the Basshole we go. Rob's wife is there manning the ship and so the sky begins to fall. They don't have the license plate in gold and black, but she promises me she will try to make one. Then she tells me Rob's not fishing the MLF and will be there Wed. so I can pick it up on my way to WWN. I also order some chatterbaits, and buy the wifey the reflective sweatshirt. (now if y'all haven't tried these sweatshirts, they are the warmest and heavy and keep you extra warm. I loved mine 
) Anyway, I'll pick up my stuff on Wed. on my way (which is not really on my way 
) to WWN. Back to the boat, and prepped for Sat prefish.4:50am I roll into RE to pick up the boat and Yellow Snow follows in a few minutes. Were on the water by 5:10. (Here it comes!) First spot fishing top water when a huge explosion take the bait.....the rod doubles over and the wind is pushing us down the bank. The fish heads for deep water and I tell Snowflake to get the net. Flake responds we don't have a net. (Flake is one of those guys who never carries a net usually because his boat is too small) I tell him its at his feet. He grabs the net, but as he's grabbing the net the fish makes a run under the boat between the trolling motor and bow..........I can't get the rod under the trolling motor so the rod is bending under the boat. (spot lock is not on so the propeller is not moving and the wind is pushing us down the bank) when "POP" my veritas breaks. OK so fish is still on and now I'm lifting the trolling motor to free the line. Free the line and start playing the fish and...........its about a 6lb..........striper? WTH??? (that's 2)
A few minutes later were catching 3s and 4's in a short flurry, then 1 lbrs. OK locked away. About 2 hrs later we're cranking a bank and flake (I mean Yellow Snow) hooks his BDS about 6 inches from the levy on some fishing line. We've all been ther, a bank fisherman gets hung up in the rocks and cuts his line) So we go in to save it. I position the boat so he can retrieve his bait , were in shallow water in a spot that blocks the wind. As he's cutting the line I hear that gut wrenching sound of fiberglass on rock. Yep #3. Now were catching fish all day but nothing big. Around 1 we call it a day. I check and sure enough here's a scratch on the port side and it don't look like its gonna buff out.
Now Wed. rolls around and I need a new rod, frogging reel so I figure Rob will have what I need especially after watching Steve Coopers recent interview with Rob. So off I roll. Get to Bethel Island and don't see Robs truck. Hmmm! Is thus #4. Can't be I'm picking up my order. I pull into the lot and there are 2 guys at the door. They say a sign on the door says they'll open at 2. Nice! While I'm there, another 3 customers show up and are surprised. Even though this is #4 for me I'm comforted in the knowledge that others are suffering with me
(Is that wrong?)OK fine, its early enough I'll go get a burrito at that taqueria in the safeway lot at discovery bay. Get there and WOW! Must have changed owners. The whole set up has changed. Not even sure the food will tast the same. It was the same though.
Now to WWN. I arrive and there is a car parked in the lane which will force boats into one lane. Great! So again Josh shows and we're 8 or so. (Some must have read my post about delay
.....but wait, not all. Depth perception must be a problem with some fishermen as after paying (and saying hello to Richard.....who had his back to me ) off we go around to the launch when Mr. I'm in a hurry blocks the whole travel lane to the launch. Realizing his mistake instead of backing up (which is kudos to the guy behind him for recognizing the problem) this guy tries to maneuver between the two lines to no avail. All you can do is laugh. So off to the first spot and I'm beginning to relax. Relaxing is good when you my age When Josh decides to stick a wake boat wake and a ton of water floods the boat. (now this is in the same area where the sweatshirt went missing last week, so in anxious anticipation I expected the sweatshirt to be on the deck as we took in a lot of the river. #5 
)Now soaked and cooling in the 100+degree temp, the first spot gives up an immediate 11/2, then a 3 on Joshs crankbait. Off we go to sot 2. Nada 3 success. Wholly crap........we have a limit. Is there light at the end of the tunnel. Let me say this again "We have a limit".
OK so its 7lbs......its a limit. Move spots again and cull up. We now have 8 1/2. Uh oh! Time is running out. Last spot a big swirl smashes through a mat but turns out it appeared to be after a duckling who escaped. So we dumped our 8 1/2 lbs and called it a night. What a downer the last few days were.Congats to Mike and Mike for their 17.65. But wait! The weights then drop to 14.39. AJ & Landon. Tool 11.76 to get paid. Wait were we just 3lbs out of a check.
Close but no cigar 
Maybe next time.TL
FE
PS Rob actually decided to fish the MLF and was in 3rd after day 1. This was trhe last day of school and his wife was with the kids. Store is open regular hours again.
nothing worse than the sound of your hull getting scratched, especially the very first scratch!
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