2008-2009 Photo Gallery

2006/2007 photos     2007/2008 photos

John Rogers with his first largemouth on a fly, July 29th. The fish inhaled a popper very close to the boat and John had to strip quickly to catch up to the fish. John recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq and was treated to the day on the water by his friend, David Lee. Go Navy!!! Hoorah!!!

I picked this six pound plus fish up myself on August 12, fishing early in the morning. The fish hit a foam head diver right at the weed line after a long pause. It buried itself deep in weeds and I had to drive over to it and lift it straight up. I kissed it good bye and then gave Arnold's warning, "I'll be back!"

Ron Ellis, (Mike Howes' son-in-law) with a three pound bass caught on a Sunday morning, July 27. The fish were definitely on this morning and both fishers caught about a dozen before the late morning sun shut things down.

Jim Lawson with his biggest fish of the evening, a three pounder, July 28th. Jim fished hard in a strong wind to bring about seven fish to the boat. He did a great job casting and it certainly paid off.

Bob Morton, 96 years old, of the Granite Bay Fly Fishers with the smaller of two bass caught on July 25th on poppers. Even though Bob did not start fly fishing until he was forty, he's still been fly fishing for over fifty years!!!

Mike Howes with a medium sized bass who thought itself much bigger. I don't think a full grown alligator could have hit the popper with more gusto. Mike was Bob's partner on July 25th. It was a tough day's fishing but Mike still put half a dozen in the boat.

Bill DeWalt with a healthy 2 and a half pounder caught on July 24th. This fish gave a good accounting of itself even though it wasn't in the record class.

State of California Boating and Waterways water hyacinth patrol. How these guys and girls can operate this craft all day long with the huge amount of propeller noise is beyond me! The guy on the front mans the spray gun.

Mike "Stripermike" McKenzie with a feisty five pounder caught about nine o'clock in the evening,  July 18th. Mike stuck the fish on one of his  divers. It gave the Sage LMB outfit a workout.

Mike's five pounder makes my little three pounder look puny. Then again, we didn't weigh Mike's fish so maybe it was a six pounder and then my three pounder isn't such a shrimp. The fish took a foam popper with enthusiasm.  I caught the rascal on July 22.

Mike Howes with a nice LMB caught in a roaring wind, July 14, 2008. Mike caught over a dozen fish in less than perfect conditions, some on his secret weapon, a "Black Lizard." The fish weren't kind to the lizard however and shredded two of them. The rocks "ate" another two.

Mike's friend, Frank Headley, pulled this spunky fish out of heavy cover, again on July 14. This was one of a number of fish that Frank had to drag out by dropping his rod tip and pulling the fish out, strip by strip. The fish still has a green beard and that's after Frank cleaned off a bunch of of other growth. Frank's casting greatly improved over the day, thanks to the "coaching" of the delta "breeze."

Here's a bass picked up on Friday, July 11. It's about three and a half pounds. The seat is the coolest place to lay the fish on hot days since, with the bimini up, it's probably no hotter than 80 degrees.

This is a Sacramento Pike Minnow. It is the largest fish in the minnow family and native to the delta. This specimen was 26 inches long. The fish took a yellow popper on the first strip right next to the rocks. Pike Minnows put up a good but short fight. I picked up this fish on July 11th on Middle River.

An old friend, Andy Penn, with a nice  3.5 lb. LMB caught on July 8th just before sunset. This fish sucked the big foam popper like a rainbow sucking in a helpless mayfly!

I picked up this five pound fish on July 7th, one of a dozen fish landed in three hours. I missed another six. Fishing had been outstanding the entire week with a dozen fish or more landed each night. Nothing was less than two pounds.