UFC Fishing Blog

Here you can read about some of the UFC Team's fishing adventures. We'll include pics and movies when we can. Check back here often for updates.

NOTE: We are now posting our fishing blogs on the Freshwater and Saltwater sections of our UFC Fishing Forums. To read about all our latest fishing adventures, please click the appropriate link. Thank you for your understanding while we strive to make the UFC website a better experience for all.

5-22-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "Almost Too Much" by Caveman
One of MikeyB’s and my favorite things to do is get our lines wet with fellow UFCers. That’s why we were so stoked to hear that Technifish (aka Mike) was going to make the drive up from San Diego for a day of fishing in our neck of the woods. So, we planned a day that would include fishing, both, Lake Sherwood and Westlake.
The fishing forecast wasn’t predicting a stellar day, though I had a feeling the changing weather patterns might put the fish on the chew. The recent heat wave was giving way to a cold front that not only would end up spurring the bite, it also spurred some tornadoes in So Cal!
I met up with Mike and Mike at Westlake who were already dunking some drop-shot Roboworms to no avail. At this point, the skies were clear, winds calm and water like glass. I decided to Malibu-rig a 4” Mad Melon Kinami Flash - it had really done the trick there recently. I began working a small dock near a weed patch and got no love on the deep end. However, my first cast to the shallow side of the dock was quickly taken by a waiting Largemouth. On the hookset, this smart fish immediately dove toward the dock’s anchoring pole, wrapped my line, then jumped and spit the hook with a shake of her head. I lost the fish, but I found the pattern! They were shallow and tight to bank structure.
Technifish soon followed the first landed fish of the day. A nice two pounder that took his drop-shot in tight to the shore. Mike quickly followed that up with his second fish of the day (pictured here).

I started working my casts as parallel to the bank and as near the reeds as I could. BOOM! This two pound fighter got my day started.

MikeyB got going with a dink and I landed one more 2+ pounder before we decided to head over to Sherwood and leave Westlake until the late bite started.
Though, Lake Sherwood is only about a five minute drive from Westlake, the weather conditions between the two couldn’t have been further apart. We left behind the beautiful day we had been enjoying only to arrive to a lake wind-whipped into white caps, with threatening skies and much cooler temps. Often these conditions will shut the bite down at Sherwood, but today it was the leading edge of a weird front moving through southern California that was about to set things wide open.
After munching on some great sandwiches MikeyB had picked up for us we went to work. MikeyB and I working Malibu style Senkos and Kinamis while Technifish went with a drop-shot brushhawg. Within 20 minutes we each were able to land several fish. That was when we started experimenting. I threw on a new color of Kinami Flash - Black Gold. While MikeyB went with a Junebug Senko and Mike with a Malibu-style tube bait. Again, the action was nonstop. I even threw on a color that had previously never worked for me at Sherwood (Red Shad) and the fish just couldn’t help themselves from attacking it.
As you can see here, MikeyB even had a crowd going as he passed on some local knowledge while landing fish at the same time!

Though the stiff winds messed with our casts and presentations we were able to score so many fish that we actually lost count. At one point, the wind suddenly stopped for about twenty minutes, only to resume their intense speeds but in the complete opposite direction! This was definitely a weird front.
Finally, as the winds died and the skies cleared, we decided to head back for the dinner time bite at Westlake. We were joined there by UFCer Hilltoppersare#1 (aka Jeff, pictured here)

and we proceeded to each take down several quality fish on Drop-shots, Tubes, Malibu-style Senkos/Kinamis, and creature baits. I even saved my best fish for last. This 3+ pounder slammed my Mad Melon Kinami on the sink and even peeled some of the 8 pound Yo-Zuri Hybrid line off of my Daiwa Exceller spinning reel.

When all was said and done, we were well over 50 fish to our collective credit and probably near the 60 fish mark. The voracity and tenacity of the fish was quite impressive as was the variety of baits and colors we were able to successfully use. It’s always special to be able to fish two or more bodies of water in the same day. But, when you get to combine it with action that is hot and heavy it almost becomes too much ... ALMOST!
Best of all, we found a new fishing buddy. Technifish is certainly an accomplished fisherman that anyone could learn a few things from. More importantly, he's a great guy to hang out with. We're looking forward to more fishing tales yet to be created with Mike.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

5-08-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "A Blessed Day" by Caveman
It started out in disappointment, but ended in glory. Yes, it was a fantastic day on Westlake. Though, before I get into the glory, let me set things up with the disappointment.
MikeyB and I had planned for an afternoon of fishing at Lake Sherwood. However, upon arriving there, we found our ability to get onto the lake had been put on hold by administrative changes. It looked like our fishing plans were about to be put on hold, too. But my lifelong fishing friend wouldn’t be deterred. He insisted it was going to be “a blessed day”. I wasn’t quite as optimistic.
After a couple of phone calls, MikeyB got a hold of new UFC member Hilltoppersare#1 (aka Jeff) who lives nearby at Westlake Village near Westlake - a private lake where neither I nor MikeyB had ever fished. We met Jeff at the lake and quickly learned that MikeyB was actually eligible to get passes to fish the lake. SCORE! Yep, we now can fish Westlake anytime. It will all be from shore for now due to the lake’s ban on outside boats because of the Quagga Mussel scare. But, that’s a whole other Oprah.
After a quick jaunt to the management office to get our passes from Anna, we returned to find Jeff tossing a a rattle-shad near some docks. He was anxious to show us some of his favorite spots. But, before we moved on, I said we should try fishing the docks in front of us. Jeff said they were all fished out, but I didn’t buy it. So, I threw a Malibu-rigged 4” Kinami Flash in Mad Melon toward the front side of the dock, planning a second cast to the back part. Before I could finish working my first cast, our “guide” decided to toss a drop-shot worm to the backside - ignoring his own concerns the area was barren. Sure enough, after a couple of twitches, Jeff nailed the nice 2.5 pounder you see to the right.
We worked a couple of more areas holding fish, but they weren’t on the chew at all. We got a couple of bumps but no follow through. Then jeff and I spotted a male guarding a newly made nest in search of a mate. I tossed my Kinami Flash past the nest and worked it back towards the waiting fish. I didn’t even get it back to the nest before I saw the bass take off to the right, in the direction of my bait. He picked it up and quickly moved back to the left ... BAM ... I set the hook. After a nice little tussle, I had my first Westlake Bass - a stout 2.5 pounder.
MikeyB soon followed suit when a three pounder rocked his 5” watermelon/black flake Senko. But, the action was still on the slow side for us. I suggested we move to the other side of the lake where there was an entire bank lined with tullies.
We made the trek and found ourselves back near the management office. After tossing drop-shots, Malibu-styles, spinners and a few other things with no love for any of them, we saw the fish starting to come up to feed on some of the baitfish in the area. That was when I threw on a shallow running baby Bass BPS XPS crankbait. I worked it back and got nailed just a few feet from where I was standing. MikeyB and Jeff quickly changed over to cranks of their own, though not before I landed a couple more school sized fish. Both my fishing partners followed with several nice fish of their own before the hardbait bite died down.
Darkness was starting to set in which made me think it might be time to try the Kinami Flash again. The KF is a Senko type of bait also made by Yamamoto Enterprises and is a cheaper but equally effective alternative to it’s cousin. I casted it just outside the line of tullies, worked it back a few feet, and BOOM! A 3.5 pound bruiser (see picture on the right) gave me a nice battle before we finally got her out of the water.
Once again, MikeyB and Jeff clued in quick and began fishing Malibu-style Senkos and Kinamis. That was all it took ... the bite went off! We kept catching 3-4 pounders that were full of fight and leaping abilities. Then, MikeyB hooked into one that jumped in the darkness. We couldn’t see it, but we heard the splash ... it was a big fish! A five minute battle ensued on the six pound line he was using. Finally, the nearly five pound post-spawner you see to the right agreed to be landed, photographed and released.
We ended the day with 28 fish between the three of us. We also got to meet and fish with a UFC member - something we always love to do. Plus, we ended up with the ability to fish this fun little impoundment anytime we want. MikeyB was so right ... it truly was a blessed day!

4-24-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "Malibu-style Fun!" by Caveman
I fish because it’s fun. Though, fishing for pure fun hasn’t been on my agenda lately. It’s all been about filming for “Time To Fish!”, taking the kids out for some fishing, or giving out of town guests a taste of Southern California’s many angling opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, I had a blast doing all these things. But, I hadn’t gotten my line wet recently without some ulterior motive ... until today!
MikeyB and I headed out this afternoon to our favorite local fishin’ hole, Lake Sherwood, for some post-spawn Largemouth Bass action. We arrived under sunny skies and 82° temps with winds that were blowing 10-15 mph, though they quickly died down to a slight breeze within an hour or so. We each came armed with 3 spinning combos and a variety of baits. However, unbeknownst to my fishing partner, I was conducting a little experiment by spooling one of my Daiwa Exceler reels with some green 8# Yo-Zuri Hybrid line I had recently won in a raffle ... more on that later.
We started the day fishing from shore in an area we have appropriately named Goose Poop Beach. Each of us began throwing the tried and true Texas-rigged Senko and quickly found that the bottom dwelling moss and weeds had really begun to bloom since our last visit to the lake. So, MikeyB quickly moved to a Malibu style (weightless T-rig) 5” Senko in Green Pumpkin and immediately landed the nice Bass you see to the right. He landed another smaller bass before I finally clued in.
This is where the experiment kicked in. I Malibu-rigged the Yo-Zuri spooled setup with a red Gamakatsu EWG 2/0 hook and the same style Senko and went to work. A couple of 2+ pounders found my new rig irresistible. Then, BAM, a 3+ pound post-spawn female wasn’t happy about the fact that I wanted a snapshot with her. She jumped, swam into the weeds, shook her head, and even tried to run deep ... all to no avail. She begrudgingly posed with me for this picture and eagerly returned to her hunt for a post-spawn meal.
When I checked my line for frays, I was quite impressed that the Hybrid line was showing no sign of wear. In fact, I only had to retie twice the entire afternoon on the Yo-Zuri line! Once when I finally felt a small nick just above the hook and the other time when I couldn’t extricate my Senko from some submerged structure. The Fluorocarbon lines I have used previously couldn’t come close to that kind of abrasion resistance. By the way, when I finally tried to break the line after getting hung-up, it was harder to snap off the eight pound test Hybrid than it was to do the same on my 12 pound Trilene XL.
During the next thirty minutes I nailed five more Bucketmouths while MikeyB managed just one more. Again, I began to see some results from my experiment as he and I were fishing the exact same setups with the same test line save for the type of line (he was using traditional mono). That was when we decided to head to another part of the lake we have dubbed “The Secret Spot”. I decided to spend the next hour fishing anything but the Yo-Zuri to see if I could see any more of a difference - and, boy did I. I got one little bump the entire time! Meanwhile, MikeyB was able to land three more fish including a nice 3.5 pounder (I was out of camera range at the moment, unfortunately).
Once again, I picked up the rod and reel equipped with the Hybrid and started throwing another Malibu style Senko. It wasn’t long before I nailed three more fish and “farmed” two more. Leaving me no doubt that today the Hybrid line was outperforming the various mono lines we had spooled up. It’s too soon to say I have a new favorite line, but the toughness, sensitivity and apparent stealthiness of this line has definitely peaked my interest. My experiment will certainly continue next time I’m on the water.
Bottom line for today, we caught 17 fish and every single one was on a Malibu-style Senko - not that we didn’t try just about everything in the ol’ tackle box. As for my day of fishing for fun, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. A gorgeous day, plenty of fishing action, and spending the afternoon with one of my favorite people on the planet. It just doesn’t get any more fun than that!

4-03-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "Golden State Jewel" by Caveman
Well ... I finally did it! I finally got to fish Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, California!! The marketing folks at DVL bill themselves as “The Jewel of California’s lakes”. I have to agree that it certainly shines as one of the best fishing impoundment's in the Golden State. A lake that offers endless chunky Largemouth and Smallmouth, trophy Striped Bass, quality Trout, and abundant fat panfish has to rank high on any fisherman’s list.
MikeyB (who was also a DVL virgin) and I made the nearly two hour drive quite easily during the wee hours to meet up with Josh Moreno from Last Chance Bait & Tackle at the shop. Josh came prepared with an 18 foot Skeeter matched with a 115 HP Yamaha that easily got us up to the lake speed limit of 25 knots. He also had a bag filled with some of his custom, hand-doctored baits that truly helped us put some of the 30+ Bass and several Trout we caught in the boat. Having his knowledge of the hot spots didn’t hurt either.
We started the day making a run across the lake and hitting a couple of points and breaks with a variety of baits from customized Scroungers, to T-rigged worms, to Malibu-style and Wacky-style Senkos. MikeyB scored the first fish of the day when a 3 pounder jumped on his scrounger. I farmed one when a nice fish undressed my T-rigged custom worm. Josh showed us how it was done with a nice fish on one of his secret setups that we were asked not to detail here since it was still in commercial development.
We then moved over to the West Dam area and began to do some serious damage. MikeyB tossed out a watermelon/black flake Senko rigged Malibu-style toward the bank and worked it painfully slow back to the boat. About halfway in, BAM, a five pound beast inhaled his stick-bait and the battle was on. Five minutes later, MikeyB was smiling for the camera with his personal best Largemouth.
MikeyB and Josh each scored another fish before I finally got into the game when a nearly four pound Bass fell for my Malibu-style Senko. I then switched over to a green melon BPS Stacey King tube bait T-rigged with a red 2/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and was quickly treated to a feisty 2.5 pound Bass. I tossed the tube back out, got nailed, but missed the hookset. Though, instead of reeling it in, I kept working the bait allowing the fish to come back to the bait ... WHAM! I set the hook on what I instantly knew was a big fish.
Quickly, I realized from the fight that it wasn’t a Bass. When we first saw some color MikeyB thought I’d hooked into a Striper. But, as she came closer to the boat Josh yelled out, “It's a HUGE Rainbow Trout!”. That’s right ... a big Trout had slammed my tube bait! I’d never heard of a Trout going for a big tube before. After a few anxious moments trying to land her by hand (we hadn’t brought a net), we finally got that behemoth into the boat and I had my personal best Rainbow (7 lbs. 3 oz. on the digital scale) in my hands.
The funny thing is that I KNEW we were going to get PB’s that day. I had even said something about it to my wife the night before and to MikeyB in the car on the way down to DVL. I just didn’t realize mine would be a Trout instead of a Bass.
We spent the rest of the day having Josh show us some new techniques for sight fishing as well as some other tips for wacky-style and drop-shotting. We promised not to share them here as long as he promised to show them to any UFC member that stops by Last Chance Bait & Tackle to see him. Perhaps, we can get him to start posting some of his proprietary stuff on the UFC Fishing Forums ... we’ll see!

3-31-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "What A Show! Reprised" by Caveman
After the amazing time we had at the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle, Boat & Travel Show in Long Beach, California I felt sure that the reprise in Del Mar two weeks later would be a bit of a let down. I couldn’t have been more mistaken!
Of course we have a wonderful time with the usual suspects from the RBFF’s TakeMeFishing.org (Susannah, Chris and Erin), Ronnie Kovach and Curt “The Bassmeister” Strutz. But, we also met some new friends like Helena Basche form the RBFF and their pro ambassador, 2007 ESPN Redfish Cup Champion, Al Keller.
Again, the booths and exhibits were top notch. The deals plentiful. The crowds friendly and eager. Yet, there were many differences that made Fred Hall San Diego unique and memorable.
First and foremost, was the fact that we secured nearly 1300 pledges (we had over 1500 in Long Beach) for RBFF’s Angler’s Legacy program. If every one of the promises to introduce someone new to fishing is kept we will have over 2800 new anglers in Southern California this year! If you stopped by the booth at the show and took the pledge we, thank you.
Secondly, the outdoor exhibits were laid out a bit better in Del Mar. This made for much better viewing of the Dock Dogs show, the Wave Boarder exhibition, and even the Fly-casting pond.
Plus, the outdoor food vendors not only gave the Del Mar show a different flair, but also made for a much better eating experience. Al Keller got hooked on the Bratwursts ... but, I was partial to the Hot Links and the Tri-Tip.
I must say that the show wasn’t all work for MikeyB and I - we did get some fishing in. In fact, we went down a day early to fish Lake Miramar. It was a tough day on the lake as few anglers landed anything. So, we were very happy that we each landed decent sized Largemouth that day. Mikey got his on a drop-shot Roboworm while I stuck mine with a rootbeer speckled BPS Stacey King tube rigged with a Tender Tube jighead.
We also got out to Mission Bay one morning with Big Al and The Bassmeister for some Spotted Bay Bass action. We ended that short session with seven fish including one four pound beast. San Deguito Lagoon was another spot we hit. MikeyB and Big Al each tagged 7+ pound Halibut while I scored a short White Seabass.
These saltwater experiences also gave me my first opportunity to fish with Berkley's GULP baits. I have to say I was impressed with the lifelike feel and looks of the baits. We used 4” Sardine baits in the Sardine green and New Penny colors in the Bay, while we opted for the 3” Shrimp in New Penny and Molting colors for the Lagoon. We just mounted them to 1/4 and 1/2 ounce jigheads, worked them in varying medium or slow paced retrieves and had plenty of action even in the off tides that we were forced to fish in.
If you couldn’t make the Fred Hall Shows this year, do yourself a favor and mark your calendar for next year’s events. You won’t be disappointed!

3-23-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "Easter Sunday Bass" by Caveman
My four year old son, Michael, has been itchin’ to go fishin’ for some time now. As recounted in the 8/4/07 blog, he went fishing for the first time and had a blast. But now, his two year old sister, Karissa, who believes she can do ANYTHING her big brother can, wanted to go along for her first time fishing and use her new Barbie fishing rod, as well. So, my wife, Dianne, and I decided to pack up the kids on this beautiful Easter Sunday and head over to Lake Sherwood for a lakeside picnic and some Largemouth Bass fishing.
Before we left, the kids and I went on a “bait hunt” for some nightcrawlers in our front yard. Unfortunately, today we were much better hunters than we were anglers. While I am usually a proponent of using artificial baits, I also subscribe to the notion that you should always give a first time angler the best opportunity possible to catch a fish. That usually comes in the form of Nightcrawlers on Sherwood - you are usually guaranteed to get bit. But not today.
Karissa didn’t get one strike on the live worms. NOT ONE! Michael, who now refuses to use live bait (though he willingly dug them up and put them in the container for his sister), wasn’t faring well either with his Carolina-rigged Roboworm. But, boy was I proud of the way both of them were casting out their rigs. They were definitely serious about their fishing. Though, after an hour and a half of no action they were getting a little bored and a bit discouraged.
That was when I decided to rig up a pole and try to hook some fish for them to reel in. Apparently, the fish had other ideas. I T-rigged a Senko and got one little bump but no follow through. I tried a Tube ... but, nada! I went back to the Senko in different colors, but again nothing.
Finally, I switched over to Texas-rigged Roboworm in Aaron’s Magic. On my, sixth cast to the weedline the streak was finally broken when I set the hook on a little 1+ pounder and tried to hand the pole off to Karissa. She refused it, so I quickly got Michael over to take on the tough little fighter. When he landed the fish and I unhooked it, he eagerly wanted to learn how to hold the Bass. I showed him how to grab the bottom jaw and he immediately lifted his catch in triumph for the camera.
We released our catch and resumed fishing. But, now that her brother had done it, Karissa was more than willing to reel in the next fish. I tried a cast over to the dock on my right and put it just under the pontoon boat moored there. I didn’t have to wait long for my Roboworm to be inhaled. Disappointingly, my hookset didn’t take. I quickly redressed the worm and slung it back to the same spot. Again, he took it ... this time the hookset was sure and Karissa was shortly reeling in her first fish. A nice one pounder that gave her a couple of ariel acrobatics. What amazed me was her willingness to try and hold her fish up in victory, too. Though, she couldn’t quite pull it off solo. We proudly lifted it together, took a snapshot and sent the fish back on it’s way.
Shortly thereafter, we decided it was time to head home. Even though it was a very slow day on the lake, our kids couldn’t stop talking about it on the way home. Well, at least until they fell asleep in the back of the van. But, when they woke up, it was the first topic of conversation. They really had a blast! The funny thing is, I think Di and I had an even better time. I know we couldn’t be prouder.
If you are looking for ideas on how, where or when to take your kids fishing, be sure to check out TakeMeFishing.org. They are a great nonprofit organization with plenty of free resources for anglers young and old, new and experienced, alike.

Karissa's first fish!

3-11-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "What A Show!" by Caveman
Where do I start? The show was so massive. The displays so numerous. The stories so varied.
I guess I should begin by thanking all the folks at the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) for inviting us to help represent them at the 2008 Fred Hall Fishing Tackle, Boat & Travel Show in Long Beach, CA. RBFF is the parent organization of TakeMeFishing.org and AnglersLegacy.org, the two national campaigns aimed at getting more people fishing. Their representatives Jeff, Erin, Susanna, Chris and Heather joined forces with husband/wife FLW Touring Pros Hector and Diane De La Garza, Southern California fishing icon Ronnie Kovach, Curt “The Bassmeister” Strutz, and the UFC - Unemployed Fishing Club to secure over 1500 Angler’s Legacy pledges - where anglers promise to introduce at least one new person to the sport this year. It was RBFF’s best response ever at a live show.
If you didn’t realize, 80% of every fishing license sold as well as a portion of every tax dollar garnered from bait, tackle, and even boat fuel goes towards funding programs for resource management and conservation; parks and recreation; and fish stocking. So, getting more people fishing means more money for programs that benefit us all. If you can’t make it to one of the shows, take the pledge online at AnglersLegacy.org.
Besides the fantastic people we worked with, we also got to meet some of the biggest names in fishing. For instance, the De La Garza’s arranged a surprise introduction to their friend, the legendary Bass fisherman Hank Parker. Hank could not have been more engaging, making us feel like an old friend and sharing his quick wit. When told the name of our band of fishing fanatics he laughed and said, “That’s funny. Because, when someone asks me what’s the one thing they can do to become a better fisherman, I always say, ‘Leave your job!’”. I don’t think we stopped laughing the entire time we talked.
Another highlight was meeting the Godfather of finesse fishing, Don Iovino. He was gracious enough to come to the TakeMeFishing.org booth and meet everyone there. We also arranged an interview with Don that we shot at his booth. Our chat with Don, which includes a detailed discussion of the latest techniques he is using, will air in an upcoming episode of “Time To Fish!”.
The Fred Hall Show wasn’t all work. On Friday, MikeyB and I took Jeff, Erin, Diane and Hector to Lake Sherwood for some Bass fishing. We only got a few hours in before the show opened and the fish were quite finicky. But, we still managed 14 fish, with nine of them coming from the pros. It was such a pleasure watching Hector figure out the right pattern for the conditions. He started out the slowest, but came on strong to lead the day’s catch with six. Like the commercial says, these guys are good! Of course we have some footage that will also be showing up soon on “Time To Fish!”.
If you missed the Long Beach show, we'll be doing it all over again in a couple of weeks when the Fred Hall Show moves down to San Diego (March 25-30 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds). It is the greatest collection of fishing and boating manufacturers and retailers in the West. If you are into fishing and/or boating (which is highly likely since you are reading this) you will be amazed at the vast displays and great deals available at the show.

Hector De La Garza, Diane De La Garza, Hank Parker, Caveman, and MikeyB

Ronnie Kovach signing autographs for fans

2-29-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "I Had No Answer!" by MikeyB
Caveman and I went to beautiful Lake Sherwood for what turned out to be one of the most stellar Bassin’ days ever! The weather was in the low 80's, few clouds and light wind. In other words, perfect!
As promised over a lunch bet, that I lost, Caveman said the bass would be pre-spawn staging between 6-10 feet and would also be foraging in the shallows getting ready for “The Big Dance”. (I hope you enjoyed your free turkey sandwich dude)
Water temp. was up to the low to mid 60's after several weeks in the high 40’s to low 50’s.
We went out around one to catch the afternoon bite, which was amazing! Cave started the day off right by hooking and landing (and releasing as we always do) the first 4 fish of the day. All of these fish were fat, colorful and full of eggs! Averaging 2-3 lbs. each. They were very spunky too, they showed more muscle than they have in the last couple of months.
Cave was using a 6 inch Roboworm in "Aaron's Magic", Texas rigged. This also proved to be an incredible bait at Lake Irvine for bass (yes, there are Bass in Lake Irvine, too ... not just Trout!) And now, at Lake Sherwood Aaron WAS magic, too!
I on the other hand was using a Texas rig, baited with a 5 inch watermelon with black flake Senko. While watching Cave kicking BASS I was getting a little discouraged with my fishing skills, prowess, bait selection, etc. Yes, I was feeling a little insecure. (heehee)
But soon after, I was on the board, I hit a nice bucket mouth about 10 feet deep after casting to the weed line and using a slow retrieve. Then, boom another one, and another. Between the two of us we landed 20 fish this wonderful day. I had 8 and Caveman had 12. (Not to mention our farms: I farmed 5 fish and I think Cave missed a couple).
My only beef of the day is with BIGDADDYMOMMAMONSTERLUNKER! At about 4 pm, I was casting horizontal to a weed line we were drifting, and to my excitement, and eventually demise,I got HAMMERED! No taps, no nibbles, no bumps, JUST A FREIGHT TRAIN GRABBING MY SENKO! My drag was set just right for the 8lb. mono on my Shimano spinner on my G.Loomis 6ft 6in rod. This fish, this immortal being, took my worm and that was it. I didn't have to do anything. I couldn't do anything, All I did was raise my rod tip and the hook was set. Line was peeling out off my reel like an Albacore would do taking a live Anchovy in free spool! Let me tell you folks, this was, at a minimum, a 10-12 pounder.
But, just as the fun started, it ended. About 15 seconds later my line snapped. I HAD NO ANSWER, I HAD NO ANSWER, I HAAAAAAAAAAAD NOOOOOO ANSWER!!!!!! I threw off my hat in complete discussed and sulked for a good 10 minutes. All the while, Caveman was trying to cheer me up as he kept catching his Aaron's Magic Largemouth.
I slowly regained my composure and retied and began to fish again. Soon after, I was catching fish. But, I was still so disappointed by what MIGHT have been. Our biggest of the day was about 5 lbs. All were very nice fish. But I can not reiterate enough how truly saddened, humiliated, and down I was about losing this big, bad fish. I never even got to see him/her. But, I sure felt it’s unbelievable strength.
Anyway, it feels better to get this off my chest. Thanks for taking your time to read about the trials and tribulations of a true and dedicated angler.
Peace.

1-18-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "Winter Bass" by Caveman
If you are a UFC member chances are you are a diehard fishing fanatic. Which means it doesn’t matter what the conditions are, if there are fish in a muddy three foot puddle you’re fishing it!
I guess that’s why UFC Co-Founder MikeyB and I have been lifelong fishing buddies. Wind, rain, darkness, sluggish fish, broken equipment are all reasons other anglers forgo a day on the water. But, they have never been ones used by either of us to abstain from our favorite pastime.
Thus, we found ourselves out on Lake Sherwood to shoot some footage for a new episode of “Time To Fish!” with cold water temps (49° on the surface), muddied conditions from the recent rains, and sluggish fish holding near bottom structure and anomalies in 20-28 feet of water. To top things off, our suddenly temperamental trolling motor decided to take the day off. Not what you would call the best conditions in which to catch fish!
Thankfully our Humminbird PiranhaMax 240 was still ready to rumble. So, we decided to find some deep structure and humps holding fish and then drift with drop-shot Robo Worms over the fish. MikeyB tied his hook about a foot up from the environmentally friendly tungsten DS sinker, while I went with a two-foot stretch of line between the two. This allowed us to give the fish two different presentations of the same bait to the fish.
We weren’t even 30 seconds into our first drift when MikeyB got slammed by a 2.5 pound Largemouth. After a nice arial tussle, picture, and release. We set up for another drift on the spot that promised to hold several other fish. Sure enough, MikeyB quickly hooked up with another 2+ pounder!
That was also when we realized the fish were truly hugging the bottom and we needed to put the baits right in their face. I quickly shortened up to only a 10” leader on the drop-shot. On our first drift on our next spot, BOOM! A three pounder inhaled my purple Robo Worm.
We ended up landing five more fish, all but two on the short drop-shots. One other coming on a 5" Texas-rigged watermelon Senko and the other on a black/blue Booyah Boogee Bait. Not too shabby given our circumstances.
If you’ve got the itch to get out there but the conditions are less than ideal, just do it! Even if you don’t catch fish you’ll sharpen your skills, at best, and enjoy a day outdoors, at worst. Just find the fish, and find a way to get the bait to them. For Bass holding deep, I highly recommend you give drop-shotting a go.

1-08-2008
UFC Fishing Blog - "Cabo-Wabo Marlin On The Rocks" by MikeyB
My father in-law turned 70 this year, so the whole family decided to take a cruise in celebration. We wanted it to be affordable for everyone so we chose a Carnival cruise out of San Diego to Mexico for 5 nights. On the 3rd day we stopped in Cabo San Lucas. You know what I was thinking, right? "How the heck do I get on the water and go fishing?"
Well, I was in luck as my nephew, Jack, wanted to go with me! He had NEVER gone fishing. The only problem was children needed to be at least 12 years old, according to the rules. Let's just say Jack is under age. But, Uncle MikeyB pulled one off. I got Jack a ticket and nobody said anything about it.
We reached the docks in Cabo at 8 am. There were two groups of 4 that were ready for a day on the "Mar De Cortez" (Sea of Cortez). The first boat came up and we snatched it. We boarded "THE BANDIDO" a 33 ft. CrisCraft - a seemingly perfect boat for Marlin fishing.
We had Luis as the skipper and Juan as our crew. Also on board, were Jeff L. and his pal. Jeff lives in Nevada and is, apparently, the Striped Bass king. He has a boat on Lake Mead and kills them on a daily basis. I hope to be fishing in the boils with him soon, as he plans on becoming a UFC member.
We cruised out to the Rocks (see photo) and threw out some of the crew’s favorite jigs and started trolling at around 4 knots. Within 15 minutes one of the reels started zipping away. I yelled "HOOK-UP!" But, it was to no avail. The hook didn't set. Juan threw out a live-line Mackerel and put it right where the jig was ... but, nothing.
So we started up again, and right away we saw a jumper. And then about 100 yards from that one we saw another jumper. We decided to stop the boat and throw out a couple of live-line Mackies and let them soak. Five minutes later, we were in luck! Jeff's line started peeling of his reel. Juan picked up the rod and set the hook. BOOM! We had Jack sit in the fighting chair and start his battle! (see photo) Jeff and Juan were coaching Jack (remember this was Jack's FIRST time fishing). When Jack got tired Jeff took over and finished the fight off. We landed a very nice 130 pound Striped Marlin (see photo), took a few pictures of it, and let her go back into the beautiful Sea of Cortez).
We ended up seeing about a dozen more jumpers after that but had no more luck on hooking one. Anyway, we tipped the crew and they gave me their card. I definitely plan on fishing on "THE BANDIDO" next time I am in Cabo.
All in all, I would have to say it was a VERY productive 4 hours of fishing and one of the best experiences for me personally as I was able to fulfill my Angler's Legacy oath for 2008 to introduce fishing to at least one person per year. Now, the only problem in that Jack is totally spoiled for fishing! I mean, how do you top a 130 lb. Marlin on your first ever trip?! he he he Here is Jack's "book report" on his first ever fishing experience:
“My name is Jack F. and I would like to tell you about the first fish I caught. My Uncle Mike took me out for my first time. The fish I caught was a 130 pound Marlin in Cabo San Lucas. It took about 20 minutes to reel in. It was very long. Even though that was the only fish I caught we saw many other people catch Sailfish and Marlin. There were many Marlin jumping that were not even hooked. We were deep sea fishing when this happened.”

12-16-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "The Best Laid Plans ..." by Caveman
Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. At times it seems like the more you look forward to something, the more likely “it ain’t gonna happen”.
That was the case this week for me. I had planned a day trip with UFC Co-Founder MikeyB to get our boat onto Lake Sherwood for the first time on Thursday and an early morning trip on Sunday with UFC member Brushhogxxx on his sweet Ranger with an eye towards Lake Piru. I was VERY excited about both. Yet, neither happened.
Instead I had to “settle” for a couple of hours of late afternoon shore fishing at Lake Sherwood with MikeyB on Thursday. If you didn’t already know, WINTER IS HERE! We got to the lake and it was a beautiful, calm, sunny 64 degrees. By the time we had rigged up our rods the wind started to pick up. Two hours later, it was dark, cloudy, windy and 47 degrees - and we had bagged nine quality fish!
MikeyB got things rolling with a feisty 2+ pound Largemouth while slow-swimming a pumpkin Senko Malibu-style. I soon followed with a pair of similar sized fish using my favorite Texas-rigged junebug Yamamoto Kinami Bait Flash.
I then decided to try out the new XPS Rattle Shad Kit I had recently gotten on my first excursion to a BPS Outdoor World (see “The Mother Ship” blog, 12-10-07). My second cast with the Green Shad pattern induced a jumping 2 pounder to literally inhale the bait. Unhooking him from both treble hooks deep inside his mouth was a challenge. But, we got him safely back in the water and on his way to his next meal.
When we finally called it a day, I don’t think I have ever been so excited about, and thankful for, heated seats in the car. It was cold and my three light layers of clothing weren’t doing the trick on that windy water. But, as soon as we warmed up we were making plans for “next week” to get our sled out there. We’ll see ... I’m not going to get too excited, yet.

12-10-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "The Mother Ship" by Caveman
I have been a customer of Bass Pro Shops for many years, now. I started purchasing from their mail-order catalog around the age of seventeen. In more recent years, I have utilized their online site to shop for and buy much of the fishing equipment that I currently use. Though, with all the business I have given BPS, none of it had been through one of their retail stores. I had heard all the stories of how incredible the BPS Outdoor World megastores are, even seen some pictures. But, I had never seen one first hand ... until yesterday! All I can say is, ?OH, MY LORD!?.
Driving up to the massive structure I felt a sense of being pulled towards the ?Mother Ship?. As I entered the Rancho Cucamonga superstore with my family in tow my jaw must have hit the floor because the BPS greeter just started laughing as she welcomed us.
I glanced to the right and saw the boat section loaded with over 25 different Trackers and Nitros. Yeah ... an entire boat store within the store! Beyond that I could see camping and climbing supplies. I looked to the left and saw apparel and accessories as far as the eye could see. I looked straight ahead and saw a rock climbing wall, and what appeared to be a glass wall. I looked up and saw a hunting and shooting section that is rivaled by none I had ever seen before. Yet, I still hadn't?t seen one fishing item ... no rack of rods, no walls of tackle, no counter cases with reels, NOTHING!
As we walked toward the center of the store I saw that what I had thought was a glass wall was indeed a huge aquarium. I?m not sure if my kids or my wife and I were more enthralled by the collection of Largemouths, Stripers, White Bass, Catfish, Bluegill and others that inhabited the tank. Several of the them obviously well into the double digits on the scale! We must have stared at these fish for a good 10 minutes without blinking.
Finally, I pulled everyone away from the watery menagerie only to manage a few steps more before being amazed by the indoor stream they had stocked with lunker Trout. The only Trout I had seen indoors, previously, was in the seafood case at the market! I was truly impressed.
It was only then that I looked up and realized that I was finally at the entrance to the fishing section of the mammoth store. Once again, I glanced to the right - saltwater equipment and tackle as far as I could see. When I looked to the left it was the same, but for the freshwater set. It was the biggest collection of fishing items I have ever witnessed.
It was here that we split up by gender. The girls headed for the apparel, while my son and I browsed the massive angling selection. Every row of tackle was topped by rack after rack of rods. The reel counter, which was about 50 feet long, had an example of every reel they had in stock mounted to a rod-butt section so that you could judge it?s feel in your hand. There were numerous bins loaded with lures, accessories, and other tackle. An entire 30 foot section of wall was loaded with every brand and type of line you could imagine. It was simultaneously amazing and overwhelming.
I knew I couldn't?t see it all in the time we had, but I had to get some shopping in. My basket was quickly loaded with a new 1000 yard spool of 12# Trilene XL, several Pfleuger topwater plugs on sale for $1.79 a piece, and a variety of the XPS hardbait kits they had on sale for an incredible $9.88 each. How do you say no to an assortment of five quality Rattle Shads, or Jerk Baits for less than two bucks a piece?!?
After a quick jaunt upstairs to see the Hunting section and enjoy some family fun in their shooting arcade, we headed to the checkout lines. That was when we realized that there was also a huge seafood restaurant attached to this goliath emporium. Circumstances didn't?t allow us a chance to sample their culinary delights, but they sure smelled and looked delicious.
Obviously, we only scratched the surface of this outdoor enthusiast?s Mecca. What amazed me most, though, was when walking back to the car being informed that we had spent two hours there! That?s when I came to the conclusion that you probably couldn't?t experience it all even in an entire day. Best of all, my wife (who doesn't?t care for fishing or hunting) was so impressed with the whole experience that she is looking forward to going back! That?s how you KNOW this is an incredible place. In the words of California's Governor, "I'll be back!".

11-30-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Sometimes, Farmers Find Fish" by Caveman
I love fishing for Largemouth Bass in fall/early winter in southern California. The fish seem to be a bit more voracious and full of fight. The cooling water just seems to wake them up a bit. Which leads to better battles and more arial acrobatics than the warmer months.
Also, submerged weed beds in slightly deeper water near their usual shallow cover areas usually hold good numbers of hungry Bass at this time of year. Bringing numerous strikes from a single area. If you locate one fish, chances are there are plenty of others nearby.
That’s why I was especially excited that MikeyB and I were going to take our Sun Dolphin Pro 120 onto Lake Sherwood for the first time. Thanks to The Oracle, we had just “blinged out” (as MikeyB put it) our 2-man Bass boat with a permit to fish the private lake. But, a sudden severe rain storm put a damper on our plans. No rain in So Cal for nearly 10 months and it pours the day we plan to launch for the first time! We were bummed.
But a quick check of the UFC Fishing Conditions page on the website showed that the storm would pass the Sherwood area by 3pm - about the time the bite was scheduled to start according to the Fishing Forecast feature. We decided to drive over there and see if things cleared up in time to do a couple hours of shore fishing. Sure enough, we were fishing right at three o’clock and my first cast brought a strike!
In fact, five of my first eight tosses with my Texas-rigged 5” Yamamoto Kinami Flash in junebug brought a solid pickup. The only problem was ... I missed them all! Yep, I “farmed” five straight fish. Call me Old McDonald, Farmer John, Farmer In The Dell. Because I have never done that before!
Undeterred, my 9th cast brought our first fish. In about twelve feet of water, just off a weed bed located 5 yards from some shoreline reeds, the 2 pounder picked up the bait three times before finally eating my offering. That’s when I realized that the fish were hungry, yet very wary. They were picking up the worm short of the hook and running with it a ways before committing to it. We needed to be more patient before setting the hook.
Armed with that info, MikeyB soon followed with a nice 2+ pounder of his own on a Malibu-style 5” watermelon Senko. But, after I had landed my third of the cookie-cutter fish in the 2-3 pound range with a junebug Texas-rig, he quickly changed over. His first cast with it brought a 3 pound jumper to the dock. Shortly thereafter, we had a double hookup on twin 3 pounders.
We ended our day, after two and a half hours, with eleven fish - all full of fight and willing to take flight. That number easily could have been over 20 with all the missed strikes and the one big fish MikeyB lost in the reeds. Though, we still came away happy just to have made it onto the water and that our UFC Fishing Conditions information had nailed it on the head. The only question that remains is why the pictures I took of MikeyB came out so nice, while the shots he took of me are quite blurry - with the same camera! Coincidence or supernatural?

11-21-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Bassin' In The Dark" by MikeyB
After a delicious lunch meeting at "Dr. Hoggly Woggly's Tyler Texas BBQ" to discuss the upcoming "Adventures of KelpFish and JimmyBass", Caveman and I decided to take a short drive over to Lake Sherwood and see if we could trick a few "JimmyBass" onto our lines.
With darkness setting in around 5pm we knew we only had a couple of hours of daylight to enjoy on the lake. So, with full belly's and a tackle box full of plastics we went right to our "secret spot". Caveman started with a Texas rig using a purple senko and I started with a weightless purple senko - “Malibu style".
Nothing was really happening at first, no top water action to speak of and no bites. I moved over a bit and started working the shallows near shore and got a couple of taps but no strikes. Caveman started throwing towards the docks and he got his line caught around the swim step of the boat near where I stood. He asked if I could unwrap his line to set it free. As I stepped onto the swim step to free his line my line immediately started tightening and with one hand on Cave's line and the other on my pole, I set the hook. YES, the first fish of the day! It turned out to be a nice 2 lb Largemouth (no relation to JimmyBass).

Caveman then changed from Texas style to Malibu style and he hooked into a nice bucket mouth soon after. But, fishing still seemed slower than usual. So, we starting talking about the conditions on the lake and how timid the fish were this day. We came to the conclusion that the fish were looking for a very slow retrieve. That's when we changed our technique.
Soon after altering our game plan, we had much more success. These fish were very wary today, but when we hooked them they seemed to have a little extra spunk in their fight. These fish were fighters, scrappy and strong willed.
It was getting dark and we had caught and released 5 fish, all in the 2lb range. I threw a 6 inch purple Senko right onto the weed line on the island across from our secret spot. Half way down I felt a slight tap and then my line started coming directly towards me. I reeled in the slack and took a chance on setting the hook. I didn't want my boy to spit out the hook before I could set it, but I also wanted to make sure I gave him (or her) enough time to properly swallow it (like I said, these fish were very wary). I set the hook and then I heard and barely saw through the darkness a huge splash! This was a nice fish! When I finally landed this big boy we weighed him and it tipped the scale at 3lbs. YES! a very nice fish.
I decided to call it quits after this exciting battle. Caveman, on the other hand was NOT to be outdone. Moments later, BOOM, he hooked into a lunker too! He was using a 7 inch watermelon Malibu-style Senko. We weighed his fish and it seemed to be almost the exact same weight. Caveman said it was 1 oz. heavier than my fish, but I dispute this fact! hee hee hee
He proceeded to catch and release one more nice fish on his “last cast” in the pitch blackness of Sherwood. At that point, we were fishing with “the force”, tying hooks and casting by feel only.
All in all, I think we landed 8 fish in about 3 and half hours. Not a bad day on the pond. You know we are truly committed “Unemployed Fishermen” when nothing gets in our way of doing what we love most - catching fish!
One more funny thing, on the way home I was driving and had my hand on my lap, I felt a slimy little something on my leg and looked down at my pant leg, I kid you not, it was a half digested baby shad! In the dark abyss of our fishing frenzy, one of our fish must have spit out this shad and it landed on my pants. Here is the photo to prove it!
Enjoy.

11-01-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Time To Fish" by Caveman
UFC Co-Founder MikeyB and I decided to enjoy a day of shore fishing on Lake Sherwood while also shooting some video for our upcoming mini-webcast “Time To Fish!”. Not only did we get some decent footage but the bite turned out to be pretty hot, too.
After checking the UFC Fishing Conditions we expected things to be very nice ... we weren’t disappointed. Partly cloudy, 74°, mildly stained water, very slight breeze. We hit the water at about 3:30 in the afternoon and didn’t have to wait long for the action to start.
I started out with a Texas-rigged 6” Yamamoto Kinami Flash in June Bug. The third cast to the weedline brought no tale-tell tap, just my line moving across the front of the vegetation. He took it on the sink! A solid hookset on the BPS Extreme XPS rod brought a quick but fun tussle with a 2 pound largemouth.
MikeyB soon followed suit when a nice Bass inhaled his 7” Malibu-style Watermelon Senko. He’s been slaying the Sherwood Bucketmouths all season with that weightless Senko setup.
We continued to score regularly with the Texas rig seeming to be the fish favorite. Then, around sunset, the fish started hitting the surface pretty hard. So, I started throwing a Zara Spook. That dog didn’t walk three steps before a fish seemed to swallow it whole.
MikeyB started tossing a Baby Bass mini-swimbait. A cast toward the rocks gave him a quick bump but no follow though. But, a recast to the same spot brought not one, but two bumps before a big bull took his offering. I was busy with my own hookup but just by hearing the splashes of the fighting fish I knew MikeyB was about to land the fish of the day.
I was raving so much about my new Extreme rod MikeyB had to give it a go. His first cast brought a very light tap. He was amazed at the sensitivity and soon thereafter impressed by the fighting power of the medium stick when that Largemouth ate the Kinami Flash. Three fish later, Mikey was making plans to order one of his own!
By then, it was getting so dark we were fishing purely by feel, on the cast as well as the retrieve. In fact, just as a hooked 2+ pound Spottie decided to jump I “horsed” him just enough that he came flying out of the water. Unfortunately, with the lack of light I had no idea he was so close to the surface or the dock. The fish smacked MikeyB right in the kisser as he was kneeling down to pick out a new bait! It was too funny.
It also made us realize it was time to quit even though we were leaving them biting. The day’s tally: 19 fish, most in the 2-3 pound range. And that was with each of us taking turns with the video camera which cut down on our actual fishing time. But, it was definitely “Time To Fish!”.

10-18-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Perfection" by Caveman
You dream about them. Salivate at the possibilities. Yet, experience them all too seldom. I’m talking those times when the weather, conditions and fish behavior combine to create the perfect day of fishing. That was the case today!
After checking the UFC Fishing Conditions the night before I was fairly confident that the day MikeyB and I had planned for some Bass fishing at Lake Sherwood, CA would be a good one (at least, better than our last outing). I had no idea, though, that we would be fishing on one of those “perfect” days.
Perhaps I should have realized it when a phone call on the way to the lake informed me that I would have to leave early in order to make a last minute (and much needed) voice over gig. But, it was very tough to leave in time to make it back to my home studio for the job. Yeah, it was that kickin’!
It was a clear, sunny day around 80º which was keeping the water around 67º. Great for the fishermen, but not conducive to a mid-afternoon bite. On the positive, the water levels had just risen with the recent rain we had gotten, the water slightly stained, and a slight breeze kept the surface from glassing over. As we approached our “secret spot” we saw that the fish were very active chasing baitfish in the shallows, near the docks and along the weed lines. Boils everywhere! Even though it was only 2:40 in the afternoon - not usually primetime on Sherwood. And it didn’t stop the whole time we were there.
We tied our rigs on as quickly as possible. I went with a shad swimbait, a jighead rigged tube and a Texas rigged Junebug Senko. MikeyB went with a Malibu-style purple Senko, Baby Bass swimbait and a weightless Yamamoto Creature. We started throwing our baits toward the weedline where we had seen several big boils. NOTHING! Not even a bump.
When active fish ignore your offering you need to change things up. We were trying six different baits with a variety of retrieves all to no avail. So, we needed to change things even more ... like a new color. I threw on a 5” Watermelon/Black Flake Senko in place of it’s purple sibling. After a perfect cast to the weedline and a couple of twitches, BANG! A feisty 3 pound bass broke the dry spell ... as well as my pole! Nonetheless, it was a great fish to get things going.
In fact, things went so well over the next 1 1/2 hours that I didn’t care about the broken rod. By the time I headed back to the freeway I had landed 6 quality fish out of the weedline, from under the docks and boats, and even just off the sandy banks. We even managed a "double hook-up" before I left. When I split, Mikey had three to his credit and tallied 7 more before he left at sunset when the bite really started kicking in.
While I’m a little bummed I couldn’t stick around to enjoy the rest of our “perfect day”, I couldn’t be happier about the time I did get on the water. As stated earlier, this kind of day is all too rare. I’m just glad that I got to experience some of it. Heck, I’ll take half a dozen quality Bucketmouths in just two hours anytime!

09-26-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "One of Those Days" by Caveman
Summer 2007 has been very good for Team UFC. Besides the website launch, and other club-related accomplishments, our fish counts have been consistently high. So, it was inevitable that we’d hit a slow day. Unfortunately, the lack of fish combined with some other events to make it truly “one of those days”.
UFC - Unemployed Fishing Club Co-Founder, MikeyB, and I set out for a day of fishing on scenic and prolific Lake Castaic near Valencia, CA. We launched our Sun Dolphin 120 Pro with expectations of big Largemouth and boiling Stripers. But, a recent draw down together with a total full moon the night before, ultra-clear water, and cloudless blue skies made for desert-like conditions.
The few fish that we graphed were not interested in any of our offerings ... and we tried EVERYTHING. I managed to get one hook-set on a fish that quickly wrapped me up in the heavy submerged brush, and that was that. I had two more bumps the entire day and MikeyB didn’t fare much better. Getting “skunked” for the first time this year was bad enough, but that wasn’t the end of our lousy luck for the day.
About two hours in, the trolling motor developed a short in the power plug connection. We went from cruising the most likely spots holding fish to being at the total mercy of the increasing breeze. As a result, we decided to change gears: throw out the anchor and settle in for some Striper action. This brilliant move was short-lived, too.
When we graphed a school of cruising Stripers at around 25 feet we dropped our anchor for the second and last time. Yep, it became completely hung up in 35 feet of water. After tussling with our entangled moor for 20 minutes we finally cut the line and headed out for a day of drifting and tying up - neither of which was productive at all.
While we enjoyed a beautiful day on the water our disappointment was only exceeded by our eagerness to get back out on the water. Next time, fish. Next time!

09-19-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Surprise!" by MikeyB
I had been fishing with Russ, "The Oracle", (my dad) at Lake Sherwood for a while, when I noticed the gear he was using. An old beat up orange trout pole with duck tape holding his little spinning reel on. Not only was his rig old and crusty, it wasn't even a bass rig! He was always complaining about the lack of distance on his casts ... I teased him about it all the time. And the reel he was using was so annoying. It made that "click, click, click, click" noise every time he reeled. When he reeled quickly it sounded like an Albacore just bit his black and purple trolling feather. ("Hook up!", hee hee hee).
Anyway, Caveman and I decided to get "The Oracle" a new bass rig - one he could be proud of and actually catch largemouth bass with (and, without annoying me with that "click, click, click"). Caveman got a really great deal at Big 5 Sporting Goods on a Daiwa D-Shock combo (6 bearing, infinite anti-reverse spinning reel; 6' 6" medium action graphite rod with Dynaflo guides) on sale for just $24.99! We planned an afternoon meet up at the lake.
I had my son Ryder there and Caveman had his son Michael there. The "Oracle" met us there with his usual orange and gray duck-taped hobo of a set up. We all started fishing and I told the oracle to go to my car and get this new stick and reel that I just got "for myself".
"Rig it up and give her a whirl", I said with a wink to Cave.
Well, he started using it and he immediately said "Wow, this is smooth" and "Oh my, I can actually cast this guy where I want to". Caveman and I were secretly beaming with a twinkle in our eyes.
After Russ caught his first fish on the new rig we couldn't help but tell him that he was actually fishing on HIS new rig! We blew him away and put a huge smile on his face that made us all very happy.
Now we can all fish together in harmony ... with no more "click, click, click, click"!

Click here for the movie

09-04-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Camp Wasewagan Trout" by Caveman
For our family, Labor Day Weekend almost always means a three night stay at Crazy’s Camp Wasewagan near Angelus Oaks, CA. We join a bunch of other families, some of whom have been making this annual trek for over 40 years, for all types of fun and games.
An added bonus is the fact that the Santa Ana River runs right through the center of camp. Granted, it is more like a creek in summer (especially, with the current drought in So Cal), but it still offers some decent Rainbow and German Brown Trout action. Besides being regularly stocked by the DFG, Big Bear Lake overflow provides both water and fish to the Santa Ana. So, you’ll find the occasional 14+ incher along with the pan-sized stockers.
The numerous activities of family camp combined with a daily afternoon thunderstorm definitely put a limit on the amount of fishing time. That didn’t stop my son, Michael (4), and I from getting in about four hours of trout action over the course of the weekend. We rigged up his Zebco 404 combo with a Mustad #16 gold treble hook, 3/32 oz. split-shot about 7” above the hook (the river was only about a foot or so deep, at most), and a rainbow colored PowerBait Nugget. I took my Daiwa Regal Xi and Mitchell Power Graphite light-action rod and threw a Live Line chartreuse 1/32 oz. mini-jig onto the Ande 6 lb. test.
The low water levels meant we had to work several different small holes that were capable of holding fish. Mostly in front of mini-dams created by fallen trees and behind the eddies created by some of the larger rocks in the river. Add to the fact that those daily storms tended to cloud the water and fishing conditions weren’t ideal. Still, we were able to land six fish overall - four on the jig and two on the Power Bait. One measured 8”, three were between 10” and 12”, and two came in a shade over 14 inches. Best of all, they were all willing fighters and most were avid jumpers - both of which I don’t often experience from freshly stocked fish.
In our efforts to get the fish back in the water as quickly as possible we didn’t get to snap any pics of our catch. But, as the UFC stresses, we only harvest what we intend to eat and circumstances prevented us from preparing any of our catch. Regardless, Michael and I had a blast and there are still several hard fighting trout waiting to entertain the next lucky fisherman/woman to visit this scenic stretch of the Santa Ana.

08-24-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Monster???" by Barry UFC's Angling Esquire for Leo the Lingcod
On my recent trip to Englefield Bay in Vancouver, British Columbia I came across one of the strangest creatures that I have ever seen. It was long, skinny, mean and really ugly. It clearly was very, very old ...

... I should have eaten the son of a b@#*! when I had the chance!

Regretfully,
Leo the Lingcod
(recently deceased)

08-24-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Lake Lopez" by MikeyB
My wife's best friend recently moved up to Napomo, CA - about 10 minutes south of Arroyo Grande. She, her husband Sean, and their twin boys (Jay and Joe, 1 1/2 yrs. old) bought a very nice house in an up an coming residential area. Our family hadn't had a chance to go up and visit them since the big move. So, we set up a play date and packed up the truck with the family - including all the toys, strollers, diapers, formula, bottles etc. Of course, I packed the most important stuff of all....THE FISHING GEAR!
Sean and I planned an afternoon half day trip up to Lake Lopez, about 20 minutes north from their house. We let the girls hang out and play with the kids, and Sean and I went fishing. YEEEEEEHAWWWWWW!
When we arrived at Lake Lopez, we found out that this lake really wasn't a "Fishing Lake", but more of a recreational lake that also had fishing. Most people there were jet skiing, kneeboarding, speedboating, and the like. But, there were a few people fishing too.
We rented an aluminum 4 man boat for 5 hours. We set forth through the lake, past all the noise and silliness going on (I mean who goes to lake to do anything but fish?). We found a little spot that looked nice right off a rocky point. Tried to
drop the anchor, but our rope was only 8 feet long and the bottom was at least 25 feet down. So, we did the next best thing - tied ourselves up on a bunch of tree branches sticking out of the water.
I was thinking that we were going to catch fish on plastics and crankbaits, So, I took out my big ol' 5 inch purple sinking worm and played around with that for a while ... nothing! Then, I tried a Watermelon colored 4 inch worm ... NOTHING!!. I finally realized that today Smallmouth Bass fishing was almost going to be like Trout fishing ... these guys were going for the little stuff. I put on a little #4 hook and a live nightcrawler and fly-lined that bad boy. Sure enough, BAM! I was hooked up and ended up catching 4 fish in short order. All averaging about 1 1/2 lbs.
Smallmouth bass are really beautiful fish, and they fight great, too. But, they are NOTHING like largemouth. Roostertails, superdupers, small spinners, and live bait was the way to go for Smallmouth at Lopez. We caught a few crappie along the way too. One of them pictured here was so small that I wanted to nose hook it and use it for bait to entice a true lunker....but I
released him.
All in all, it was a fun day. Not enough fishing time, but any time spent fishing is golden!

08-14-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Albacore Galore" by Barry UFC's Angling Esquire
Hi gang!
I am just back from this year's five day trip on the Polaris Supreme
charter-mastered to perfection by Eric Rogger.
We arrived bright and early Saturday morning with great hopes and
expectations for Yellowfin Tuna at Guadeloupe Island. Captain Tommy Rothery informed us that Guadeloupe was still closed for fishing until the Mexican permit process got worked out. "Manana for sure!".
Since the Albacore had been so spotty, we opted for Benitos Island - a mere 30 hour ride. Seven hours later, Tommy got a call from the code group with a report that the Albie bite had turned on near the Butterfly Banks. Tommy did a 180 and back up north we went!
Arriving at dawn, after a short troll, we picked up our first Longfin ... followed by another ... then another. We had a steady pick until 3pm, when the bite turned on and stayed on until dark. First days fish count----100!! Tuesday we topped off our 15-per limits with another 80 Albies. So, off we went back south looking for kelp paddies and Yellowtail. But, not much luck this time.
Wednesday morning we loaded up with quality Red Rockfish in the 3-5 pound category. Rock Cod fishing has gotten to be a lot more fun on straight spectra. Back north we headed hoping for some Yellowtail. And, as time was running out, we hit a hot paddy loaded with feisty 15 pounders ... a nice way to end the trip.
Our Albacore ranged from 20 to 38 lbs and averaged a plump 27 lbs. That's just about 3.6 tons!!! No wonder everyone was so tired! Tommy Rothery is a terrific Captain - he sure went above and beyond the call of duty when he turned the boat around. His crew of six were great, they couldn't do enough for us. And the food, prepared by Chef Pedro, was excellent.
Thanks again, Eric, for putting this trip together.
By the way, Guadeloupe Island is probably going to open "manana".

Keep your rods bent!

08-12-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Take a kid fishing #2" by MikeyB
Hi y'all, MikeyB here.
Well, Lake Sherwood is where my dad, Russ (aka The Oracle) lives.....so, I get the "fringe benefit" of a free pass to the lake anytime I want. I have a son who is 3 and a hook years old and doesn't really understand the concept of fishing yet. But not to worry, daddy's here to enlighten my ittle guy.
I took him out last week at 6 pm. just to try and catch the evening bite for awhile before bath time. Well, we got there and went to a little beach area which I call Goose Poop Beach ... there are so many geese and ducks around (beautiful yet messy).
Anyway, we didn't have any live bait on me so I just threw on a 5 inch salty Gary Yamamto june bug plastic on a #1 worm hook. No weight....it is a sinking worm and there was no wind to speak of.
Well, on my second cast the worm fell to the water just in front of the weeds and BOOM! My lure was suddenly eaten and the fish was taking my line into the weeds (uh oh!). So, I did what every UFC member would do....SET THE HOOK! Now, the fight was on!! I turned him around and he started swimmimg towards me, giving some slack (which is bad). I reeled fast and furiously, finally landing a nice 3lb. largemouth!
Here is the picture of my son (Ryder) standing next to the fish. I took the hook out and let Ryder touch the fish, then I kissed it and let it go back home (where I hope he gains some weight and I catch him in a year).
I hope these experiences are memorable for my son, as I know they are for me. I was lucky enough to have my dad take me out fishing many many times while growing up (both freshwater and saltwater). I hope I can provide the same HAPPY family fun for my crew!

08-04-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Take a kid fishing #1" by Caveman
I had always heard that there is nothing better than taking your kid fishing. So, it has been with great anticipation over the last four years that I've waited to take my son, Michael, for his first fishing excursion. Today, we joined UFC Co-founder MikeyB, his son Ryder (3), and Russ (aka The Oracle) at Lake Sherwood, CA. But, before we left home Michael and I dug up some of the dirt patches around our home and turned over some fat, juicy nightcrawlers so we could almost guarantee a fish for the boys. We had a blast!
Michael had just gotten his first rod/reel combo (Zebco 402 Spincasting combo, pre-spooled 10lb test, various tackle included, $16.99) for his birthday. He was anxious to try it out in the water after practicing casting in the backyard for several days. Sure enough, his first cast brought a big bite on his hook and bobber rigged 'crawler, but the fish was too sneaky for the hook. His second cast, though, did produce Michael's first hook-up! A pan-sized Bluegill was immortalized the moment Michael pulled him from the water. Both Father and son were beaming with pride.
The rest of the worms quickly succumbed to fish too deft for the rookie angler. But, Michael had shown an affinity for casting out his rig and reeling it in. So, I set him up with a wacky-style 5" motor oil flatworm. It wasn't long before he was yelling "I've got one!" while battling a jumping 3 pound Largemouth Bass.
Between my desire to help Michael catch fish, and Ryder's interest in tossing rocks instead of worms as far as he could into the water, I was only able to land two fish. Though, Michael seemed to revel in my catches as much as his own - a trait in him I adore. After all the snapshots, the quick releases and the high-fives I realized how incredibly special these moments were for both little Mikey and me ... ones that we will both cherish the rest of our lives.
So, if you haven't taken your kid (or your niece, nephew, etc.) fishing in a while, do yourself and them a favor by creating a good time and great memories that will enrich your lives forever. For some great tips on where or how to fish with your child be sure to check out TakeMeFishing.org.

07-22-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Idaho Trout" by Caveman
Since I nor my kids had been to my sister-in-law Debby's home in northwestern Idaho, we decided to take a family road-trip this summer to the "Spud State". Two and a half days on the road with a 4 and a 2 year old was sure to be rewarded by a couple of days of great fishing.
My brother-in-law, Mike, sent me the 2007 Idaho Fish & Game's fishing rules and guide to study before our trip. Which only wet my appetite as I read that the F&G had decided to start a new catch and release Steelhead season on the Clearwater River just 2 weeks before our scheduled arrival. The prospect of hooking into my first BIG Steelhead (I had caught a 17 incher on the Klamath River in 2002) was very exciting.
Unfortunately (or so I thought), our timing didn't allow for the trip on the Clearwater that Mike had planned. Instead, we set out for a day of trout fishing on the upper portion of the Palouse River above Laird Park. Because of the current drought in Idaho, water levels were well below normal and the water temp was well above ... fishing wasn't expected to be very good. Plus, as I was rigging up one of my new Daiwa D-Shock rod/reel combos my impatience to get into the river caused me to break-off the rod tip - dampening our outlook for the day. We couldn't have been more mistaken!
The water was indeed warm and low - so much so that we never had to exit the river as we waded downstream in shorts and Teva sandals. But, the fishing action couldn't have been more explosive as my first cast with an 1/8 ounce Rainbow Trout colored Roostertail produced an 8" Brook Trout that self-released at my feet. Mike soon joined in on the action with a 7" Rainbow on a black and red Mepps #1. Every spot we fished seem to produce numerous strikes and several fish. By days end I had landed 24, and Mike 17, native Rainbows, Brookies and Cutthroats - including several over 12 inches.
Wading in the river, at times up to my hip, didn't allow me to bring the camera along for some fish pics. But, without compare, it was my best day of trout fishing ever! Rod tip??? What rod tip?!?!

06-28-2007
UFC Fishing Blog - "Lake Sherwood Bass" by Caveman
Today, UFC Co-founder Mike (aka MikeyB), his dad Russ (aka The Oracle) and I hit up Lake Sherwood, CA for some exciting shoreline Bass action. Plus, I was eager to try out my new Daiwa D-Shock rod/reel combo (6'6" medium graphite rod; 4 bearing, infinite anti-reverse spinning reel) I had just scored for only $25!
Even though we began casting in the heat of the afternoon, the bite was pretty good right off the bat. My very first toss with a Natural Shad 5" Yamamoto Kinami Bait Flash (Texas-rigged) produced a nice 3+ pound big mouth. MikeyB began the day pitching a Carolina-rigged 5" Watermelon Yamamoto and bagged back-to-back 2.5 pounders (I still say they were the same fish!). Russ was going Wacky-style with his 6" Green Pumpkin Gary Yamamoto Senko and took a 4 pounder from off of the boat dock.
We each caught several fish before the action slowed for about 1.5 hours. Then, I had tied on a Texas-rigged 8" Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series Squirmin' Worm in Grape/Chartreuse-tail which induced the fish of the day, a 5 pound jumping Largemouth, to inhale my offering. All in all, we caught and released 22 fish combined (only one under 2 lbs), including a couple of Spotted Bass. We didn't know that Sherwood held Spotties, but you couldn't mistake that smaller jawline, the connected dorsal fins, and tooth-patch.
As for my new rod/reel combo, all I can say is I want another one ... heck, at that price make it TWO! The incredibly smooth reel and a sensitive yet strong rod are perfectly balanced. Long, accurate casts were easily achieved and battling big bass on 6lb test is always fun.
What a day!!