San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

While sipping my 2nd cup of coffee around 8:25 trying to stay warm, I suddenly decided I wanted to go to the SD river. As I was gathering gear pretty quickly , I knocked over the box of terminal tackle loaded with tons of different size hooks, all types of weights, Tokyo rigs, Ned rig jig heads, split shots, O rings, etc that were perfectly organized, now were scattered all over the garage floor. After what seems like forever crawling around on my hands and knees, I put everything back in place. That delay caused me to quickly load all types of gear into my truck and kayak. Then rushed out the door and as I was a few miles on the freeway, I looked back in my mirror at my kayak and saw that I left my dang rods back in the garage. OMG! Lots of bad words came out of my mouth as you can imagine and I exited the freeway and came back home. By now it was after 9 and was just gonna stay home. Then nutty as it sounds, changed my mind and grabbed my rods and started my trip again. I did not get on the water till after 9:45. A little out of whack, but what else could go wrong? Yep.....I missed my first bite on a plastic worm which was a bummer. Then I finally had a few positive things happen as I finally landed a bass on a Texas rigged ribbon tail worm which relieved a little stress I had built up. Then a little later in the morning I landed a long bass that weighed just over 4lbs on a plastic worm who looked like he was eating well. Then while tossing a Junebug colored(sound familiar?) craw bait towards shore, the line started moving toward me and I landed a nice healthy bass that weighed 5lbs on the button which really made my morning a heck of a lot better. I was so glad I didn't decide to stay home after such a bad start to the morning and was pretty lucky to land some bass with a couple healthy ones to boot!

Something tells me you know what you're doing! Must be your early start!

You know when it's going that badly, nothing beats a good fishing session. Nice work Vinny.

Very nice! It's tough finding that size in the lakes this year! You might need one of those internet memory classes to help you remember your rods next time! You might want to make a list...and be checking it twice....

Mcfish wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 8:20 pm Very nice! It's tough finding that size in the lakes this year! You might need one of those internet memory classes to help you remember your rods next time! You might want to make a list...and be checking it twice....

I usually strap my rods on my kayak but I was in such a hurry I figured I would just put them
in the truck and put them on the kayak later. The next thing I know I was back in the house getting some drinks and some snacks and then out the front door I went. Crazy eh? I’ll blame being too much in a hurry and old age helped. Speaking of memory…do you remember the last time you went fishing? Ha ha
Just messing with you.

Nice job out there. I love the days with good rewards on the back end. Cheers!

Senior moments and great angling. What would SDFish be without you?

Big C wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 4:38 am Senior moments and great angling. What would SDFish be without you?

SDFish?

Early release wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 6:45 pm You know when it's going that badly, nothing beats a good fishing session. Nice work Vinny.

Have you had any bad starts before going to Barrett?
Just asking for a friend
I bet all the bass you caught later probably made you easily forget them eh?..ha ha
Just messing with ya....
Hope you are doing well and tight lines always!

Full confession, I have a checklist taped to my garage door that I always use before I go anywhere. My last brilliant move was NOT on a checklist. I had a brand new baitcaster all spooled up with some nice braid and a leader tied on, which takes me a while to do, because I get nuts if the knot catches in the guides at all. However, I was paddling out early with a buddy and made my first cast which turned into a modern art masterpiece. I had forgotten to set the tension on the spool and to say I got punished is an understatement. 20 minutes later, I was cutting line. 30 minutes later I was fishing with more than half of the line missing because I had to cut it out. It took a few fish to erase that start.

Early release wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2024 10:05 am Full confession, I have a checklist taped to my garage door that I always use before I go anywhere. My last brilliant move was NOT on a checklist. I had a brand new baitcaster all spooled up with some nice braid and a leader tied on, which takes me a while to do, because I get nuts if the knot catches in the guides at all. However, I was paddling out early with a buddy and made my first cast which turned into a modern art masterpiece. I had forgotten to set the tension on the spool and to say I got punished is an understatement. 20 minutes later, I was cutting line. 30 minutes later I was fishing with more than half of the line missing because I had to cut it out. It took a few fish to erase that start.

I pride myself on not hardly every getting backlashes or when getting them... untangle things pretty quickly. I always heard about
wind knots with braid and been very, very lucky. Anyway, I don't know how I did it, but when I set the hook on a bass recently, I set
it hard and must have hit the release button at the same time and it backlashed! I then just started winding the reel forward quickly
and landed the bass. Then I went back to where it was backlashed and got so frustrated not being able to fix it...I cut the line like
crazy and then finally restrung the line through the rod. Thank goodness I did not lose much line.

Good fish! Especially after starting the day by emptying your hooks and sinkers and stuff on the garage floor.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to manage all my gear but have not been able to.

Perhaps I just need to get a bass boat and have all my gear just thrown in there, and that way nothing ends up anywhere but the bottom of my compartments.

But, when you do various types of bass fishing, there is not one best way to manage all your gear it seems.

DarkShadow wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2024 10:18 am Good fish! Especially after starting the day by emptying your hooks and sinkers and stuff on the garage floor.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to manage all my gear but have not been able to.

Perhaps I just need to get a bass boat and have all my gear just thrown in there, and that way nothing ends up anywhere but the bottom of my compartments.

But, when you do various types of bass fishing, there is not one best way to manage all your gear it seems.

If you have seen all the different types of tackle bags, boxes, folders I have owned...it would amaze you!
My boat is packed with gear I mostly use, but In recent years, I fish also out of couple of kayaks and then
started buying various bags, boxes to take with me when I am going to fish out of my kayak. I used to
just take stuff out of my boat and garage, and put it in carry-ons for my kayak, but found it easier(and more expensive)
to create separate boxes/folders/bags just for my kayak. I have even bought a separate net for my kayak.
It sounds crazy, but I then organize some of my baits I am going to include based on where I will be fishing next.
Lets just say that I havea lot of time on my hands to customize what I am bringing even down to what rods I will take.
My name is Vinny and I am a tackle-holic.

Frickin' Vinny! Awesome brother!

I can surely feel your pain. Many years ago I bought a huge Plano that was compartmentalized with separate slide out boxes. Its as big as a damn tv. And thats pretty much what i called it. I had terminal tackle in top and 4 full boxes , jigs sencos and one for cranks and the last for craws. At Perris lake my not so much of a friend was handing me the tv set when the handle broke and the damn thing flew open but unlike a garage floor it was at the launch area. Need i say more? since i learned my lesson I bring 2 hooks a weight one crank and 5 worms in a paper sack.

So, i fish for bass in various methods, and none have allowed me to retain any level of organization.

1. Co-angler on my buddy's boat. There is nothing worse than someone who brings 2 bags, a cooler, 9 rods, etc. on someone else's boat. I have a buddy who no longer will fish with my friend simply because he has no semblance of what it means to be a respectful co-angler. This is the guy who will throw a 20 ounce bait when we're trying to focus on being silent approaching a group of fish pushing up 2 inch shad. Has no self awareness.

2. I also fish my local pond. I usually take a sling pack with a few baits and a small Plano box. These fish never bite anything, so what's the use of bringing the kitchen sink. Yet, there are dudes that bring 7 rods in those plastic rod carrying cases, which makes me laugh. They bring 7 rods and can't focus on which one to throw.

3. I also do shore sessions on bigger lakes. I usually carry a Camelbak since it allows me to bring hydration with me, but that also limits me to 1 or 2 small Plano boxes, and a handful of plastics, including some snacks, since I'll be hiking a bit.

4. I also do sessions in uh, other bodies of water, that require a bike in. That means I can't carry an entire backpack filled with shit, as I have to carry that on the bike ride in, plus the hike in.

Needless to say, my room and my fishing closet looks like TackleWarehouse exploded.

Unless I literally came back home after every trip, and put every hook, weight, bait, lure, plastic, etc back to where it belongs, shit is all over the place. That's why i just leave it where it is and call it a day, without being diagnosed with OCD.

I am still waiting for the method to be able to handle all situations.

....golf clap...

I cant believe your catch rate. Insane!

Fishtricks wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2024 4:50 am ....golf clap...

I cant believe your catch rate. Insane!

I am guessing "golf clap" is a positive comment as I do not golf and not sure...if so...thanks.