San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Guys who forgot that Otay is closed the second Wednesday of the month like clockwork usually end up this day at Murray. I thought to myself, I could fish Murray this morning and post a report(like you guys haven't seen them before...ha ha), but decided to venture out to the SD River for a few hours where it would be a little more peaceful. I went down weeks ago to check things out and the water that they have been releasing from El Cap really flooded many areas of the river. I decided to take a chance and it is better to fish than stay at home.
Tossed an assortment of reaction baits from jerk baits, under-spins, crank baits and a fluke and no takers. I then went to the Tokyo rig and started working stick-ups. The water is a little higher than normal so some new areas for bass to explore. Not much was happening and as I was daydreaming a bass picked up my black senko/Tokyo rig and started moving through the stick-ups and I set the hook hard but not hard enough as he leaped out of the water and came unbuttoned. Well that sucked, but at least I finally got a bite and had one even though I lost him.
I worked lots of cover and felt a little tap on my Rage Craw/Tokyo rig and my line headed away from the cover so when I set the hook it was just straight line to the bass. It fought hard as many of the SD River bass do and this bass sure had been eating well as it was short and fat and weighed exactly 4lbs. Did not stay much longer as I had things to take care of in the afternoon.
At least no Pepe Le Pew.

The only other highlight was finding a Whopper Popper that was attached to a stick up ...and probably will end up in one of my tackle boxes to rest for several years...ha ha

Stout fish, Vinny!

Very chubby.....the fish of course! Good job buddy! .....S.D. river, have you had your hepatitis shot....?? I'll try to ignore that yellow tint to your skin..I'm sure the water is fine..

I just remembered...that's my Whopper Plopper...yeah...that's it!

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:39 pm Very chubby.....the fish of course! Good job buddy! .....S.D. river, have you had your hepatitis shot....?? I'll try to ignore that yellow tint to your skin..I'm sure the water is fine..

As you know @McFish, my mouth is usually open because I tend to talk a lot so I breathe mostly through my mouth.
Although there was a few odors from the river that found their way into my nose. Let's just say that I would never eat the fish out of the river.

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:41 pm I just remembered...that's my Whopper Plopper...yeah...that's it!

So now you’re gonna tell me you lost that bait at El Cap years ago and somehow it found its way over to the dam and traveled where they’re letting the water out and ended up down the River where I was fishing. Sounds logical. Just send me $20 for postage and I’ll mail it to you.

Tokyo paid off again....

VinnyBass wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:59 pm

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:41 pm I just remembered...that's my Whopper Plopper...yeah...that's it!

So now you’re gonna tell me you lost that bait at El Cap years ago and somehow it found its way over to the dam and traveled where they’re letting the water out and ended up down the River where I was fishing. Sounds logical. Just send me $20 for postage and I’ll mail it to you.

Checks in the mail! Do they still make those???

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:57 pm

VinnyBass wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:59 pm

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:41 pm I just remembered...that's my Whopper Plopper...yeah...that's it!

So now you’re gonna tell me you lost that bait at El Cap years ago and somehow it found its way over to the dam and traveled where they’re letting the water out and ended up down the River where I was fishing. Sounds logical. Just send me $20 for postage and I’ll mail it to you.

Checks in the mail! Do they still make those???

It might be my buddies. We were both throwing them on the point just left of the island at Cap three years back, and his went a country mile breaking off and landing in deeper water. A bit of a breeze made a simple job of just heading in the right direction and getting it into a one hour search of constant sweeping looking for it. What bass caught in the next hour would be more valuable than that lure I figured, and kept on looking. Funny how some chop can hide a floating lure, and after awhile it became personal trying to find it. Like getting on a bed fish and not giving up after you've put a lot of time in it already! Even the next week I fished the east bank expecting/hoping to see it up on shore, but nooooo.

Seems it found it's way to the other direction, to the bottom of the dam, stuck in the rocks until this Feb., when high water released it from it's prison and sent it down river for the BIG V to find. Congrats buddy, may it help you get your limit next time out, it cleaned up well -probably would have worked better dirty ;/).

otaymichael wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 9:47 pm

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:57 pm

VinnyBass wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:59 pm

Mcfish wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:41 pm I just remembered...that's my Whopper Plopper...yeah...that's it!

So now you’re gonna tell me you lost that bait at El Cap years ago and somehow it found its way over to the dam and traveled where they’re letting the water out and ended up down the River where I was fishing. Sounds logical. Just send me $20 for postage and I’ll mail it to you.

Checks in the mail! Do they still make those???

It might be my buddies. We were both throwing them on the point just left of the island at Cap three years back, and his went a country mile breaking off and landing in deeper water. A bit of a breeze made a simple job of just heading in the right direction and getting it into a one hour search of constant sweeping looking for it. What bass caught in the next hour would be more valuable than that lure I figured, and kept on looking. Funny how some chop can hide a floating lure, and after awhile it became personal trying to find it. Like getting on a bed fish and not giving up after you've put a lot of time in it already! Even the next week I fished the east bank expecting/hoping to see it up on shore, but nooooo.

Seems it found it's way to the other direction, to the bottom of the dam, stuck in the rocks until this Feb., when high water released it from it's prison and sent it down river for the BIG V to find. Congrats buddy, may it help you get your limit next time out, it cleaned up well -probably would have worked better dirty ;/).

I will honestly try it and maybe I should have left it roughed up and dirty like you said. It's funny how I will throw the same beat up Sammy, IMA Skimmer or Gunfish when I have a number of clean unscratched ones. I often stick to the used and worn ones because they worked for me for several years so why change....ha ha
I be you have lots of special topwater baits in your collection that are your favorites and lots of frog favorites. You are MR. TOPWATER.
Tight lines always Michael

Slater wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 5:10 pm Tokyo paid off again....

Actually your tip on fishing the river is what really paid off. Thank you.

I knew I saw Vinny at the River..