Got out on the sand for an hour sunset session, 1530-1630.

Wind was 5-10 in your face, swell was way down. Not much structure or signs of fishy life.

Threw the 1oz MORF c-rig with cheater sauce going down the beach several blocks and got 3 small bites. Changed to LCFM, then unsatisfied with casting distance, switched to a 1oz sniper jig. No bites on those. Can't wait for some swells to carve up that beach again.

Got out of work a couple hours early on some kind of holiday schedule.

Went to Mile Square Park where there was an alleged trout stocking in the morning. This lake really sucks as far as fishing goes (I've been at least 5 times and skunked out), but it's the closest to my house and easiest on the way home from work, so maybe one day I crack it.

First I dropped off the department's gingerbread house(boat) at my coworker's house for him. We were pretty stoked on all the details that went into this so enjoy:




I arrived at the lake around 1400. First time trying the new 3# japanese braid on my UL, so very thin. Forgot to bring 2-4# leader so I used 8#, less than ideal but I'm just throwing spoons anyway.

I walked up and found the water up maybe a foot. There's normally a 4' wide rough concrete sidewalk around the edge of the lake but that was just underwater. That would make for a much easier time landing a big trout without a net.

Noticed the gloss on these little guys and did a double take. White faced ibises:



The fishing sucked so I'm gonna keep talking about ibises. I also notice a couple of these moved into my neighborhood recently where there isn't a body of water nearby, which also gave me some whiplash.

Anywho, I started with a 1/4oz KM and broke off during my 3rd cast. Great start to the new braid. Tied another leader on and another 1/4oz KM. I saw people where I figured they would be bunched up on the other side of the lake and figured I would take my time getting over there and looking for signs of life in between.

The big white pelicans of the lake were actively feeding. They look like the biggest f@cking idiots when they hunt, holy hell. I'm absolutely astonished they don't starve. The stupid things paddle around with their head high, then upon seeing some prey swimming 4' in front of them, they awkwardly spring forward, like Koga through the curtains and out onto the stripper's stage, and then spearing into the water ahead. They had about a 20% strike rate and I would see the silhouette of a ~10-12" fish in the guler pouch of the idiot bird. I thought that was a little on the small size for stocker trout but that had to have been the prey. I also may have been basing my size of the fish on the size of a normal pelican, and these white pelicans were the size of dinosaurs, so maybe they were nicer fish.

I made it half way around the lake before I saw anyone catch anything. I believe it was a lure thrower who hooked it, and from across the lake looked like a 3-4lb trout, very silvery and healthy specimen, from my 150 yard's perspective.

I tried a crappie hair jig for a very short time, but found the distance on the 1/4oz KM more confidence inducing. Unfortunately I never got a bite, leaving after an hour or so. I am very strongly considering powerbait at this point to wipe the skunk off my hands at this lake.

Ugh... I'm still looking for employment and it's friggin tough as sh!t out there (at least for my field).  I have some good prospects coming up (One interview in particular) next week so I'm trying to brush up on some guidelines.  Working in the house while my wife is working is tough to say the least, so I moved my "office" out to the fossil shed since I have internet out there.

Well. It's too easy to get sidetracked out there.  Instead of doing what I intended to do, I ended up moving and organizing my fossils while labeling them.   Ugh.  I might have to move my work office back inside, but I love the view!



 

Some more updates.  I didn't finish getting the "Mood Lighting" up, but I better organized and labeled my fossils as well as getting some LED mood lighting under some shelves!

You truly are the 6-million dollar man, Steve Austin.... Except you can't jump from building to building!  lol

Heal up Boss!  The bat fight is 3 months away!

 Well, it was time for a Total Knee Replacement so I went in on Dec. 3rd and got busy


The food of choice was a plate of Fries and a Diet Coke but they only had Shasta   (NASTY)



Had to stay overnight cause Vitals crashed a bit so I came home on Thursday.





Can only lay around so long so yesterday was time to conquer the stairs



The walker is getting old and cant wait to 86 that thing, in the meantime I Pimped it out with a cup/rod holder 



PT 3 times a week and living on Oxy, oh boy ! I see the Surgeon on the 16th and then hopefully get the green light to drive (no Oxy )   

I keep mix and matching my brine recipes for the trout and salmon and found a good one.  Unfortunately, I never write it down so always forget the amounts I added.

One thing is for certain, the trout and salmon are better when brined for 24 hours over just short brines or just marinading.



Another thing I'm working on is getting it off the smoker at the perfect time.  I realized the color and char was the key to identifying when it's done and not by time or temp.



A little Honey Mustard dressing on a fresh salad and some smoked goodness make for a healthy dinner!

With Homa and I no longer working together, I definitely don't get my fill of Persian foods.  Homa would make some incredible BBQ dishes and something I've never really tried cooking before.

My family is not down with much middle eastern food, but she does like Gyros.  I figured I would buy some ground lamb and make some Kofta Kebabs.

I didn't have all of the appropriate spices, but many of them and tried to mimic what I learned from Homa.

I didn't use a charcoal grill... but it works in a pinch.



While it didn't meet up with Homa's standards, the family loved it.  I think if I had some Naan bread, it might have made it better, but the pita worked.  I also needed some ground sumac which would have really made it better, but ceste' la vie.

I have been eyeballing float tubes or a small kayak for The Sierras. Did The Bad Pig Build Out last month so that would also go well with a Pontoon

I'd like time and opportunities to fish.
Maybe a "fishing day pass" from my wife.

- Keith