That hook jaw one is especially good looking. Nice stringer for the day.

Really nice looking specimen.

Hopping into interview in your pajamas, even if it was just audio call, sounds like a nightmare. You're probably an interview pro at this point so it was automatic.

Looks like they didn't get around to finish painting that trout back at the lab. Solid one though.

Good luck with the procedure!

Many a bite on the countdown.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do in the morning, but was planning or at least hoping to fish for an hour or two.  5:55am and my phone starts ringing!  WTF?

I see the number and it looks familiar so I answered.  Turns out it was a recruiter (from the east coast) having a potential job opportunity out here in San Diego!  I had to go from "Dead Asleep" to "Interview Mode" in seconds without a cup of coffee!  This was way more stressful than you think!

Interview done and now I'm a little stressed.  Trying to get interviewed in that scenario is not easy but I think I did well so it was time for a cup of coffee!

I grab my rods since I was wide awake now and head down to the puddles.

I started bass fishing at first but went back to trout fishing right away since I haven't seen a bass caught in a month around here.



I switched lakes and started soaking baits for a quiet morning... until a group olf old betties were walking by and blocked my view of my rod.  They were all turned at the rod, so something was going on.  I parted the "Gray Sea" and saw my rod doubled over!  I was hoping for a trout, but realized it was most likely a cat.  The ladies were more stoked than me!  LOL



I wasn't keeping this one so I let it go after a quick picture and hook removal.

Then it was as quiet as ever or possibly even more.  I did a last cast and set my 15 minute timer...

10 minutes... Nothing

5 minutes and I see my SI out of the corner of my eye get thrown into the lake!  UGH, that means a cat but Fish On none the less!

As I was fighting it, I started to change my mind about it being a cat.  It was making blistering runs and going apesh!t!  I then got eyeballs on it and it was a REALLY nice trout!  I took my time and there were no people or birds that could have messed it up so it was a really fun fight!

In the net and onto the scaled Lip Gripper!



Friggin beauty! at ~4.25# on the spring scale!



Funny thing it was a Cut Bow (What they were calling Steelhead)!  What a fun fis indeed, even though it looked like a normal triploid trout.



Well, I made one more cast and headed home.  My granddaughter is coming over tomorrow for the weekend, so I'm going to be Papa for the weekend and probably means no fishing for me.  I do plan on cooking a huge Super Bowl dinner though, so it'll make up for it.

Thanks for reading and I'm contemplating heading down for the final two hours today before the park closes.  I need to clean these lakes out of trout!

Well my parking permit expires today and I have to go in for my PRP shots.  No better time than to get in a quick lake session.

It was S-L-O-W!!!!  Basically 3 hours of nothing until at the very end.  My only action in the beginning was a Green Heron flying into my line and tangling up!  I reeled him in and untangled him.  My first Green Heron ever and one amazing thing about it...  It never ONCE tried to bite or peck me.  I was a little dumbfounded since I've never caught a bird that wanted to draw as much blood as possible!



Well, my 15-minute timer went off (old Sasquatch move to make sure we left at a decent time)...  5 minutes later and my SI dropped like an anchor!  Trout on!

Nice one, but weird coloration on it.  Looked like he might have been in these lakes for a while.  In any case, more meat for the smoker and another carcass for the lobster pots!



I got home to shower and head off to get my PRP injections.  Not a terrible procedure but not comfortable either.  Fingers crossed this holds me over until the end of the year so I can start working and get some more fishing in!

Thanks for reading and until the next Puddle Excursion!

Quote from: Chris on February 04, 2026, 10:02:10 PMHow do you like it now? I've been beating on the Komodo's in hopes Okuma would recognize me but no such luck. Lol. Iike them but always open to new gear.

I haven't really had anything to test it yet except for a few larger grade bonito and had to back down on the drag to make it a little more fun. I would totally have no issue throwing artificials at big yellows and tuna with it, although I'm not sure "how big" is to big yet.
Feels solid. Not as smooth as the Tranx 500, but $100 less so good trade off to me.

How do you like it now? I've been beating on the Komodo's in hopes Okuma would recognize me but no such luck. Lol. Iike them but always open to new gear.

Well, I postponed the surgery until later this year, but I go in for PRP injections today.  It should improve the tear by 25-35% and most of the pain in about a month or so, but we will see.  This is going to be an expensive experiment, but I've talked with people who have had it and they swear by it.  I only wish insurance covered it.

Is this a Netflix Series ?