The Fall Notebook
by
Gerrod Winkler
September 22, 2023 and Fall has finally arrived…
After struggling a good portion of the season fishing different areas on the river, It was nice to make the trip back to the lake with Triton my trusty Pit Bull companion.
Unfortunately, Northern California was impacted by a handful of storms that made certain areas almost impossible to access but one thing I've learned is to always have a backup plan, just in case your local fishing spot is no longer an option.
Normally around this time of year I would be covered in winter clothing and finding ways to keep my hands from freezing but at the time of writing, It was currently 105 degrees with no signs of fish.
The day had quickly passed. Spending most of my time under a small tree looking over motionless rods. I eventually made the decision to fold up the dry net, give Triton his last dog treat and then made plans to returning the following weekend.
September quickly passed with only a handful of fish landed. A few photos were posted online to show for my efforts.
I was getting a bit discouraged to be honest. Would October be any different?
I decided to focus on one area in hopes of finding a pattern and potentially land some quality fish. With multiple low teen commons hitting the net, my expectations for October was fading.
October 1, 2023.
Clouds lingered in the sky with a noticeable temperature change. The trail to our bank spot was now covered with mud from the storm that had passed in the early hours of the morning.
With a fully loaded barrow and a Pit Bull ready to explore, getting to the spot was a challenge to say the least.
Looking over at Triton, I whispered, "Going to be a blank session today buddy."
Grabbing the right rod to start reeling in for the day, I hear one of the bite alarms ring off. I must have bumped the other rod, causing the alarm to sound. Nope! The left rod had a massive take! Thankfully, the net was close by and the first carp of the month was inside. Smiling as I look back towards Triton, "I Told you I was going to land a fish.
I thankfully grabbed the camera, took a quick picture before releasing it back into the water. I decided to toss a few ACS boilies in the area to see if baiting up would make a difference for tomorrow's return then finished packing up the kit, loaded the barrow and started the long walk back to the van.
October 2, 2023.
Having the right kit to make a session smoother is key. I decided to upgrade some gear from BCT and prepare myself for those 'longer sessions'. Spending only a few hours on the bank was not enough time to develop a pattern. My goal was to devote at least 8 to 10hr minimum on the bank but having said that; Not soon after the bivvy was pegged, the left rod went off with another angry common taking tons of line.
First carp of the day was inside the sling. With three prior hookups on catfish, this common was rewarding. I landed a second common later that evening minutes before packing. Having two carp hit the net was a good sign. More time invested on the bank was slowly paying off.
I managed to hook a few decent fish throughout the month. Not many photos were posted but I did really enjoy my time on the bank.
October had quickly passed and the beginning of November was in full swing and I decided to keep fishing the lake in hopes I would eventually land a few of the bigger commons that I know this untouched lake has to offer.
November 22, 2023.
Working a half day made for an unexpected fishing session. With my good friend, Jeff Kramer helping out by keeping the area baited, I had a good feeling… Rushed home from work to grab my gear and I was off to the lake. Not soon after arriving and placing the baits on the spots, I noticed the left pole bent with line rushing out of the spool. 'Note to self' turn the bite alarms on next time Gerrod.
Thankfully after a nice and long battle this beautiful dark colored common was waiting not so patiently inside the sling for me to gather and set up all the camera gear. Itook a couple photos and the biggest fish of the campaign was back in the water.
I had lost a similar sized common the weekend prior so this time I made sure to take it slow and not rush the experience. With family gatherings and the bizzy work schedule I wasn't able to fish the rest of the month but had plans on returning soon.
December was in full swing by now. I was eager to make up for lost time. Tons of fish hit the net during the fall campaign but sometimes hooking into a new PB doesn't always go to plan.
The weather seemed to be in our favor besides the annoying winds. Adjusted the delkims to accommodate the breezy conditions, wiped my hands clean from the sticky pack-bait and made my way back up to the bivvy where Triton was patently waiting for his doggy treats.
It didn't take long for the first bite. FISH ON! Netted the small teen common and quickly unhooked without taking the fish out of the water. Decided to toss fresh ACS ground-bait on both roads and cast right back on the same spots. A nearby bass boat sped right towards us thinking the splash of carp were striper boils. Choosing my words carefully, the bass angler frustratingly turned around and left our swim.
Walking back towards the bivvy the bite alarm screams off by surprise. Grabbed the rod and began playing the fish. The angry common surfaced just long enough to notice it had some size to it. All I could think about was the fish I lost in the same exact spot a few months ago. Thankfully the beautiful common was safe inside the net after a mega battle with no issues.
Jeff grabbed his camera gear and was able to capture this amazing photo. Definitely not a bad way to spend Christmas Eve… A lot of valuable notes scribbled on this notebook about fishing during the fall and early winter months.
My next campaign will be located a few miles out of town on a narrow pond I stumbled across while walking the dog one morning.
Just like any Delta river location, I'm sure this new body of water will have its own challenges. If the pond campaign goes to plan you may see a new blog about the experience I encounter and hopefully a few pictures to follow.
Tight lines to all!
Gerrod Winkler.