Lopez 2007

calincalif50 · January 08, 2007, 08:36:55 AM

Went to the lake Sunday, temperature was a nice 48 deg, water temp 50 - 51.6, water level down even more, the reeds up by the bridge are now showing thier tops, and instead of it begin 29-32 feet deep near the bridge its now only 20 - 21ft. winds 15-20 knots...very rough, of course there was no where to get out of the wind, just as I moved to another spot and start fishing the wind starts blowing in that direction. You know Lopez....wind dosen't know which way to blow except hard. Fishing in the Whittenberg arm and Lopez arm were nearly impossible, then it died down for about 20 minutes then came back full force. Gave the new motor a good testing though, and seemed the extra 3 lbs thrust made some difference as did having a new motor reduced the drain on the battery. Hit all the main lake points in water 60-90, metered tons of fish caught nada. Didn't see any fish on the main lake shallower than 50ft. Went to the bridge where I at least had a couple of strikes/nibbles at the drop shot. Nada in the boat. Fished until 1pm, left still no fish. Not a good begining for the new year. try again this coming holiday break.

calincalif50 · January 08, 2007, 02:03:07 PM

oh and just you all know, the fees have been hiked up to $14 per day use, but still get not much for the money

Stan · January 08, 2007, 07:26:19 PM

Can't wait to got to Naci!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 Might need a loan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Dean · January 09, 2007, 10:40:09 AM

Wow, I guess they think the economy has grown by 16% in one year? I know they don't plan to make a 16% improvement in the management or resources!

calincalif50 · January 09, 2007, 12:37:39 PM

You can count on that for sure. has Cachuma gone up, how about SM, or Naci. Anyone heard?

TomG · January 09, 2007, 07:58:12 PM

Not sure about Cachuma since my pass last until May or June of this year.

Cal, just think "field of dreams" Fish the jig and they shall come...............

calincalif50 · January 09, 2007, 08:46:55 PM

Jigs and I have an understanding....leave me alone, gotta just pack the jigs one day and practice

TomG · January 09, 2007, 10:35:44 PM

Dean,

You should look at Ranger's Contingency award program, they are the same as Skeeter for the Ranger Cup or one of those your boat has to be 2004 or newer. I think all programs are set-up that way.

I did find out I was wrong about 60 teams for Skeeter's Real Money program, its 60 competitors so 30 teams which can be doable for some tournaments depending on time of year and the region or division you are in.

Stan · January 11, 2007, 10:15:44 AM

Jigs weren't the ticket yesterday! Threw them most of the day and saw some guys from the club out there and they said all their information was saying jigs too. They called me last night and said they were skunked. So much for listening to your fellow angler. I did manage two nice keepers though and they didn't come on the jig. But with all that said, don't give up on the jig completely, the tournament is still two weeks out and alot can change. Water temp upper 40's, visibility about 3 ft but it lookls like the lake is turning over.

calincalif50 · January 11, 2007, 11:30:55 AM

I'm going to head out there tomorrow, and again on sunday, Since my wife is now working tomorrow and its my Alt work day off, thought I'd use to full advantage. Maybe the wind will coooperate. What was the winds like yesterday Stan? What depth were you fishing.

Texasd · January 11, 2007, 01:32:10 PM

How are you guys doing? Don't complain to much about California and all the fees. You have one advantage, the weather. Although it has been a mild winter I have yet to start fishing. I got a new ff/gps to naviagate the Potomac and I will start fishing here in the next couple of weeks maybe.

I tried registering my boat here in DC and when I got all my paperwork together and ready to go to the office I call them and was told that DC does not honor sales taxes paid to any other state and to register my boat I will have to right them a $900 check. Thankfully, there is only a little water that I will fish in DC and only a couple of lakes in MD allow gas outboards on the lake even if it is not being used. Therefore, most of my fishing will be in VA so I am trying to register my boat there.

I don't miss the wind at Lopez and I don't miss the drives. I am 3 minutes from the Potomac which will allow a lot of fishing during the summer since I get off of work at 3:00.

Dean · January 11, 2007, 03:04:20 PM

Quote from: TomG on January 09, 2007, 10:35:44 PM
Dean,

You should look at Ranger's Contingency award program, they are the same as Skeeter for the Ranger Cup or one of those your boat has to be 2004 or newer. I think all programs are set-up that way.

I did find out I was wrong about 60 teams for Skeeter's Real Money program, its 60 competitors so 30 teams which can be doable for some tournaments depending on time of year and the region or division you are in.

I know the Ranger Cup works that way... the co-angler program is 2000 model or newer, and the pro side is 2004. For the new year, it will change to 2001, and 2005. It always allows you to register ahead of all others though. Even if it is 20 years old, you will get in ahead of a skeeter, or triton owner.

calincalif50 · January 11, 2007, 06:01:47 PM

hey long-horn, good to hear from you. Glad you've almost settled in. Hows that lovely wife of yours. Tell her I said hi.

Good luck in your fishing, stay in touch

Cal Long

TomG · January 11, 2007, 09:50:10 PM

Stan, how big were your two good keepers? I am not fishing the Lopez tournament anyway so you guys don't have to keep me in suspense.

I am pretty confident that a jig would produce some nice keepers.

TomG · January 11, 2007, 10:03:31 PM

Quote from: Dean on January 11, 2007, 03:04:20 PM
I know the Ranger Cup works that way... the co-angler program is 2000 model or newer, and the pro side is 2004. For the new year, it will change to 2001, and 2005. It always allows you to register ahead of all others though. Even if it is 20 years old, you will get in ahead of a skeeter, or triton owner.

Yea, but you won't get in ahead of the 40 pro and 40 co-anglers from the previous years Stren series or the 40 pro's and 40 co-anglers who qualified from BFL, so you are talking 80 pro's and 80 co-anglers that have priority over a Ranger owner. All I am saying is I wouldn't pay extra for a boat just because it would give me a slight chance at getting into something that I may not even fish alot of anyway.

I think the route I will go is going to be to fish the BFL's and the BASS weekend series. They are one day events and cheaper than Stren or some of the others and between those two you are talking alot of tournaments. If you throw in a Team Club like Gold Coast your year would be packed and you would stand a good chance at making some decent money.

TomG · January 11, 2007, 10:05:07 PM

Stan, when are you going pre-fish Lopez again?

Texasd · January 12, 2007, 10:20:47 AM

Thanks Cal. The wife is doing fine. She is adjusting to the whole Washington DC/Pentagon thing. She was ready to leave Vandy but she misses California. I was checking my weather report for this weekend and noticed that you guys are going to have very cold weather this weekend. Are they really thinking it is going to get down to the mid 20's in Lompoc? Wow? It hasn't been below freezing a few times here this winter.

Stan · January 12, 2007, 10:22:57 AM

Probably going out next Tuesday the 16th. Caght 1 LMB about 2.5 and one SMB about 3. Cal's out there right now, hopefully finding us some more fish.

calincalif50 · January 12, 2007, 06:00:20 PM

Cauht 2 today, one 2 lbs in 25 - 30 feet, and he other a dink in 15-20 feet. nothing else

Dean · January 12, 2007, 08:06:51 PM

Quote from: TomG on January 11, 2007, 10:03:31 PM
Yea, but you won't get in ahead of the 40 pro and 40 co-anglers from the previous years Stren series or the 40 pro's and 40 co-anglers who qualified from BFL, so you are talking 80 pro's and 80 co-anglers that have priority over a Ranger owner. All I am saying is I wouldn't pay extra for a boat just because it would give me a slight chance at getting into something that I may not even fish alot of anyway.

That still leaves 120-160 openings that you have priority for, and more if any of the top 40 don't have enough dough to register for all 4 events at a time. For co-angler, a 7 year old boat is still the difference between a boat, plus a check, or just a check. I just looked, and my 2000 model, 16' Ranger still qualifies. Not trying to sell you on Ranger, 'cause skeeter makes a nice boat too, but after watching their (ranger) build video, I am even more sold on them being worth the money... pretty seriously overbuilt.

Dean · January 13, 2007, 09:44:51 PM

Wow, that was tough! Went to blopez today and was 26 degrees early!

Worked pretty hard and VERY SLOW for 5 bites and only 2 fish. About as tough a day as I care to endure in the foreseeable future. Hope it gets warmer... Jig got some good bites on the trailer, but kept missing... ended up using finesse tactics to hook up 2 for 2. Water was 46-50 degrees.

TomG · January 15, 2007, 11:28:54 AM

Stan and I went yesterday and it was 18 degrees when we got to the ramp. We got two fish also.

Dean, if you check out Westernbass and go under Lopez reports you will notice that Bob put up a report about your trip, you might need to have that talk now..........................

I probably won't be fishing again until Feb..............I go TDY next week. I think I may end up fishing that Casitas tournament after all, I sure would like another crack at a very big fish.

Stan · January 15, 2007, 05:40:33 PM

M..m..mmy ha...ha..nds s..ss..ss.s.till hurt. BRRRRRR!

TomG · January 20, 2007, 06:21:39 PM

Who practiced this weekend and how was the bite??

calincalif50 · January 21, 2007, 10:10:21 PM

not me