I'll make this one short since it's just another bug hunt.

Went to the SD bay for the first time in a long time!  There's a lot of hazards moving in and out of that inlet!



We're used to seeing 12-50 bugs in every net and having to weed out the one or two legals.  The SD Bay is different.  Mostly blanks with a couple of keepers.



SO MANY WRIGGLING ROUND RAYS!!!!



A lot of Sheeps Crab along with a good amount of Rock Crab were also in the nets.

We picked away at the lobster.  Not many but the ones that were there were big!



The f@cking dogs were unbearable!



We should have made one more set drop, but we decided to pull and call it, only 3 short of double limits.





The livewell was looking good!



Funny.  We usually have 200-350 bugs on the white board a night with maybe double limits... but in the SD bay, we only had 21 lobster for the night with 11 legals.  What a difference 7 miles of separation are....



Thanks for reading!

My shoulder is starting to really hurt and getting the boat out would be tough.  I'm still looking for work, but need to get my fix in somehow.... enter Santee Lakes.

$10 and a half a mile away fit my current budget.

The Plan... 

-Fish in the morning
-Run home to job hunt and meet with career coach
-Grab lunch
-Job hunt more
-Fish in the afternoon

I get to the Lakes at opening.  Somehow there were people already fishing where I wanted to be, so I made a move  to another decent spot.  It wasn't long before the "bombs away" went off! 

A Beautiful "Steelhead"!  Biggest of the season for me so far.



Just then, my second rod gets bit and I run over to only lose it since I was fumbling with my other fish.  Well, that was it.  They passed by and I had my 2 opportunities.  I also had another one swimming along the shoreline trying to escape the cormorants, but he wouldn't go for my spinner.  He was too freaked out from the birds trying to eat him.

I saw one other guy catch a decent trout on the other side of the lake, but that was it.  Time to go home and get something accomplished.


PM Session

I move to my old go to spot since the lake is PACKED by this point!  Confidence was low here since this lake only had 2 stockings the last 3 months.  I was in my truck when I saw the strike indicator shoot straight up!  That only means catfish, but I was trying to wish it to be a big trout!

Nope, Big Cat instead!   Still super fun on the ultralight gear.



I only have about 30 minutes left before they close when I get another big bendo!  This one came up to the surface so I envisioned a big trout!  Nope, but a big fat Cat!  I could barely get my hands under its belly!



As I was trying to get the hook out and a picture so I could release him, I hear splashing!  I look up to see a trout splashing around on my other rod!  I drop the cat and run to fight the trout!  I get it in half way and the hook pulls.  I should have used a treble according to Dave....

I get the pics of the big cat and release it.  Now I only have 10 minutes before I'm pushed out.  I decided not to use the strike indicators but just watch the rods instead.  As the Rangers came by on their final pass, I reel up to leave and notice my line was slack in the water!  I reeled up almost all of my line before getting to the hook right at my feet!  Friggin had one on the entire time and lost it because I didn't notice my strike indicator!  Ugh!  Damn trout!

Well, no worries.  I'll try again soon.  In the meantime, I'm taking the morning off fishing so I can update my resume and call the surgeon to work on my shoulder.  I might try again this afternoon....

I wanted to nourish the garden but also keep some of the crab and lobster shells for the museum.  I figured I would peel off the shell whole and just plant the bottom half and let the worms eat the guts below.  The hot wire hopefully would prevent the critters from getting in.



So far so good... I'll keep you posted....

With my most recent lobster trip under my belt, I have a lot more lobster.  This means the wife would have to deal with an all lobster and crab dinner.

The hard part was getting all the leg and body meat out of the crab and lobster for the "side dishes".

I was sure to eat lunch before doing this so I wouldn't eat everything as I was plucking the meat out.



I was working on lobster bisque and used the shells to make a great bisque!  I even threw in some chuncks of lobster meat to bring it over the top!



I then made a "white Lobster Mac-n-cheese" as the side.... I actually used half and half lobster to crab meat for this and it was unbelievable! 



The wife didn't want extra dishes, so I decided to try something.  I took the meat swords for kabobs and threaded them up the lobster tails. 



I didn't want the lobster tails to curl when the cook and this was the perfect solution!



The damn lobster tails were huge all coming off 2.5-3 pound lobsters!  Damn, it smelled great on the grill!



Well, I actually was stuffed.  I'm not sure I've ever been stuffed with crab and lobster before, but it sure hit the spot!  I actually had a garden salad also, but there was no room for greens.  LOL



Now I just have to put the actual lobster post up.  LOL

Quote from: jrodda on January 08, 2026, 08:45:15 PMYou really filled that thing out!

Wind looks like it's gonna rip tonight. Glad we got all that rain to so we don't have another perfect storm like last year.

That wind sucked by me, but it was nice not having to worry about fire!

And he brought a fossil donation!

Chris stopped by to see the shed.  He just got back from a petrified wood dig and donated a couple of pieces.



He had a few fantastic pieces he showed me before tucking them away back in his truck since I almost didn't want to let them go.  LOL



He left with some Cali Crabs and Trilobites and it was a nice visit. 

The wind is starting to kick up now so I need to make sure those museum windows are closed!  I don't need a mess to clean up!

Man, that's impressive healing Tim!  That first picture is nasty!  LOL

I wonder if we could draw some blood out of you... and add it to the chum line.... if the bats would magnetically head to your rod? 

I have a bunch to do, but the wife wants me out of the house in the morning so she can get some work done.  I guess I must bug her being home all the time and my shoulder is not allowing me to take the boat out.

I get to the lakes when they open and not a sole there yet... well one person apparently and they were fishing right where I planned on fishing.  I had to figure out what the hell I was going to do now, so I went to the lake that hasn't been stocked in a month. At least there's no one fishing in that puddle right?

I get there with no one remotely around.  I was ready to move because there wasn't a sign of life until I saw 3 big trout surface in the center of the lake!  Not Carp, but definitely trout!

I then get bit just before I was about to make a move and lose it.  I have to recast now.

Next cast and I'm on!  Nice trout and I get him in the net and immediately cast out the spare rod to make sure I have a rod soaking at all times in case there was a few of them.

Soon as I get the hook out and was going to take a picture, my rod goes off again!  Another trout!  So I get to have a quick double picture!



I then retie my rigs and recast.  No one around and that was awesome!

Then I get picked up again, but lose it.  After a quick bait change and recast, this time it's on and feels like a good one!  I'm pretty sure it's a big trout since it surfaced and was fighting hard!  Just as I grabbed my net I saw it was a nice Channel Cat... and heard a couple of trucks roll by and put it in reverse... Oh no...

Yep, they set up right next to me...  Bent rod invitational....

I talk with Dave and get bit but it drops it pretty quick.  The bites weren't aggressive so you had to be on your game.

So far, all of the strike indicators that dropped were trout and the one that went to the guide was a Cat.  I was ready to leave for the morning when I see the indicator drop again, meaning it should have been a trout.  This one fought really hard and never came to the surface so it had me convinced it was a cat and not a trout!  Then I see it... a trout.  The Strike Indicator doesn't lie!

Ended the morning with 3 trout, a cat, and 3 missed bites.  Not too shabby of a morning and 5 guys on both sides of me by the time I left.  I didn't get my limit, so that means I may have to go back to finish it out.  LOL

Get your fishing license, Squatch!

Thanks for the report boss.  Trust me, I totally appreciate it.

I ran down to the puddles in the morning and went to a lake that hasn't been stocked in a while.  It didn't take long before my strike indicator started bouncing!  Pretty much the cookie cutter stocker for these parts at about 2-2.25#.  Problem was soon as I was netting it a guy in a truck started driving by and parked right away setting up right next to me with his kid.



The father and son were really impatient and after 30 minutes of not getting a nibble, they took off.  Soon after a lady dropped off her old dad right next to me and he set up his snoopy rods close by while telling me how I need to fish.  He had that terrible cast with two hands that went into a one hand "hold the bottom of the rod" at the end.  It was tough to watch.  He was so loud when he talked, I realized I wasn't going to get any P&Q so I packed up and moved to another lake while he said "Quitting already, huh? Quitters".  I didn't have the heart to tell him it was all because I didn't have the patience to stay there another moment.

Funny thing was the next lake I was at and the Ranger pulled over to check my permit.  I mean I had it, but I wasn't on even a lake that was stocked for the last month plus.  I'm assuming the Rangers had a bet I was not buying my permit and was ready to get me.  The Ranger actually looked relieved to see it was from today.

I decided to call it quits and get home.  At this point it was "The Walking Dead-Santee edition" with all of the retirees and birders walking in herds around the lakes.  I'll be back later though..

I went home and went on the job hunt.  Not sh!t out there and it's getting really depressing.

I headed back to the Lakes with 2 hours until closing and went back to where I got the trout in the morning.

Two missed bites as I had to run to my rod, and running isn't what my body does anymore so of course they dropped the bait soon as I grabbed the rod.

As I was casting out, I saw a light colored fish coming straight up from the murky water.  I realized it was a dead catfish and I think I saw the moment where the gasses reached the buoyancy point!  I drug it over to shore and it was pretty nasty!



It was pretty nasty smelling, so I cast out and went back to the truck.  The Ranger was driving around letting people know to start packing up when I saw my strike indicator head straight to the guide!  That only means catfish!
It was a great fight compared to the trout and wow!  Another Blue!  I've been catching a bunch of them these last few months!





That was it.... I headed home with my first two fish of 2026.  Not exactly monsters, but not bad either.

Thanks for reading and until next tide!

Quote from: Dark_Knight_9C1 on January 01, 2026, 10:24:48 AM....it's been strangely warm and not windy the entire time. Ocean has been a lake with ankle slippers too.
- Keith

Yeah, it was weird.  With that east wind it was nothing close to land, but get out 5+ miles and the wind touches down on the water.  Weird heading in and having the wind in my face rather than at my back.

I hope you catch them up while you're there Keith!

Quote from: jrodda on January 02, 2026, 05:48:20 AMNice trip! Interesting to get that mako flurry going. Happy new year!

I'm guessing they were following the bonito.  Every year I've caught little makos, I was fishing for bonito.  Seems way too coincidental.

I was going to scrap the last trip of 2025 because the weather window was pretty tight.  I couldn't get out Monday or Tuesday and Wednesday was supposed to be flat in the morning but small craft warning by the late afternoon.  I know how that weather predictions goes on the morning you're supposed to head out.

The morning was rainy and storm clouds were on the horizon.



On the way out I had to do a slalom through all of the tumbleweeds in the bay.



Well, I'm glad I went.  The seas were only about a foot with no wind.  I was cruising on the open ocean at 39 mph and got to my spot pretty quick!  There were a few other boats out there past the 50 fathom line.

The spot was loaded... but with decent sized reds.  I caught my two in no time.



Thankfully I caught other stuff in between.



I had to reel up really slow and the reds would look great at the surface.  I probably descended 8 or 9 without any issue.



I haven't seen a Greenstripe in a while



Then I get SLAMMED!  I actually had a body cam that I turned on and fought it around the boat for 20+ minutes!  It was just heavy and soon as I started getting it close under the boat, it would shoot back down to the bottom in one hard long run.  Because it was slowly going around the boat and felt super heavy, I'm pretty sure it was a 7-gill.  As I finally had it about 50 feet under the boat, the line broke.  Ugh.

It came up with nicks in it, but didn't feel sanded like shark skin.  I'm still certain it had to be a Seven...



Then the water became alive!  3-4 pound bonito came up and started crashing hard but would sink out too quick for me to get to them.  I also kept seeing crazy splashing and was pretty sure they were sharks thrashing fish at the surface.  I also had some rockfish ripped off on the way up and knew it had to be sharks... until I saw a mako come up with my red and rip it to shreds!

Next red and he's on!  I slowly reeled it in and was about to tail grab it since it wasn't hooked but just wouldn't let go of the rockfish!  I grabbed the tail and it didn't like that and bolted.  I then noticed about 6 or 7 sharks circling my boat!  I just cast the iron out with a piece of squid on it and hooked up right away!



I tried using the lip gripper on him but message to everyone out there... A lip gripper doesn't work on lipless grinner.  LOL

I tail grabbed him to make sure I got my lure back and it almost flew out of my hands trying to take a picture!  One good shot and over the rail it went!



I was trying to get everything straight and looked out to see all these baby makos around!  I'm not exactly sure if it was the bonito or bait or chewed up rockfish that brought them in!  I cast a bare iron out and slowly reeled it in and other one grabbed it!  It was a little smaller and much easier to handle.

I had my phone set up to try and keep dry so I couldn't take any cool shots up at the bow.  It was raining pretty good at this point.



I threw him back and the sharks were still all over!  I cast out the iron again, but should have retied in retrospect...  Another mako on! 

I get him next to the boat and as I was grabbing his tail, he shook and busted the line!  There goes my custom lure!  Oh well.

I tied on a different lure but didn't want to lose that so I would cast and rip it in.  If a shark came close to grabbing it, I would yank the lure away from him and consider it a catch since I definitely would have kept catching them.  Then I had one beat me to the lure and I lost it... Ugh... I decided to stop at that point and limit my lost lures.

The bonito were gone and I just called it the morning since the winds started picking up... from the East which was really weird! 

Deepwater Rockfish limit!  Well, one was a whitefish...



I have to say, with that whipping rain in my face on the way back, it stung really bad!  I almost felt like I needed a face shield!

Anyway a successful way to end 2025.  Too bad I lost 3 jigs and would have loved to see what that big mystery fish was.

Anyone else get out?  I'd love to see your posts!

It's been a while since I've been down to the puddles fishing, so I thought I'd give it a go.  They usually stock little stuff between the big stockings so I had no urge to get down there but there are still big Lightning Trout to catch from the last plant!

They just stocked lake 2 and you could tell from all of the people fishing that one.  Lake 3 had the next most recent plant, but there still was a few people on that one.  I decided to try the next lake and see what it had to offer.



I didn't get a single bite on the bait rods, but saw a boil within casting difference.  I didn't know if it was a trout, bass or Red Ear, so I cast my spoon out there and got bumped!  Two casts later and I was on!

Not huge, but a legit 2.25# trout!



I watched a kid catch a bass and some guys down the shoreline from me lose a trout but otherwise it was quiet and nothing going on.  I think the Pelicans and Cormies got most of these fish.

I was ready to leave when I saw another boil and re-deployed the micro spoon!  It slammed it on the first cast but gave me a shock when I netted it!  It looks like it might have been grabbed by an osprey.



I went home to grab some lunch but would be back since I paid for a permit and I was literally right around the corner.

I tried another lake to get a feel what was going on.  It was really slow until about 30 minutes before closing.

I got picked up and the strike indicator was in the water, but no one was home.  I put a new inflated crawler on and recast to get bit almost immediately!  Definitely a typical stocker that was under 2#.



But this one had a weird foggy colored head.



I think these guys are the weird ones that don't get all of the genes for whatever strain they are shotting for.

I then have another hit.  I get him all the way to the net and breaks the 2# test right at the shoreline and I consider it a Sportsmen's release.

Now the Rangers are saying last call and pack up so I slowly start reeling in my one rod that's still out there.  Well, I felt the trout hunt it down and slam it!  Last minute stocker!



This one also had an off-colored head.  Apparently, this last stocking was all of Santa's misfits!



Well, I say it was a limit with the C&R broken line, but I had 4 fish for the smoker... or actually one for the hoop net.  lol

I was planning on going back this morning, but decided to sleep in instead.  Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!