During the middle of Friday night I am awaken by the sound of someone trying to open the door to my trailer. I reach for my .40 before realizing the door is locked.
I call out who is there? I hear flowers. Flowers for whom? Then the voice says plumber. I didn't call a plumber. Then I hear Candy-gram. Go away. Landshark. Then I recognize the voice as one of the Team Sewer boys. I tell them to get lost, try Cbadmike, he’s in the next tent over.
A short time later I awake to an eerie howl. Then another and another. There are at least three separate voices howling very loudly close by. The howls turn to yips. I am starting to feel bad for Cbadmike when I realize those are coyotes in camp.
The lake fought me hard all day Saturday. She teased me with a quick trout, then beat me up with four back to back lost fish. One broke my Shimano reel’s bail, a big one ripped the treble hook right off the O ring on a new lure right at the net, one ripped the pole out of my rod holder and the other I just blew it.
The wind starts to howl and I notice all the kayaks head for the barn, followed by most of the boats.
I can’t quit with just one fish so I stay out and try to catch another fish or two. I head over to the red cliffs to duck out of the wind. The water is deeper there close to shore. One lure is running at about 4-5 feet, and the other bumps the bottom at 7 feet. As I am hugging the shore, a boat is anchored close to shore up ahead so I have to start heading away from the protection of the cliffs to go around him. Just then I get hit, continue to paddle forward to set the hook, then my kayak gets spun around. Wow finally a nice one. I quickly reel in the other line and get the net ready all the while trying to keep tension on this fish. When I see the fish, I start to wonder how am I going to lose this one! What calamity is going to fall on me this time? I try to net him and my net is too small for the task. Finally get him on board and the lure pops out of his mouth. Look around for another kayaker to get that on-the-water shot of my new PB trout, but none are around.
Paddle to shore and take this picture...
Tried to keep fishing to add another to the stringer, but now the wind is really howling. I am having trouble just paddling in, fighting to stay upright. Finally get upwind of my launching point and rode the wind in using the paddle as a rudder. GPS is showing 3.5 to 5 MPH without paddling. Land in small waves and think to myself, thank goodness Jorge isn’t trying to land in this surf.
Thank you Team Sewer for putting us all together. I was nervous at first as I was the fresh bait new guy amongst a large group of friends. As everyone has already said, food and camaraderie were incredible. I made new friends I hope to fish/hunt with soon. I would do it again in a heartbeat. My only regrets were 1) not entering the Irvine Lake’s Bites On fishing contest as Todd said my trout would have won first place, and 2) staying out on the lake while everyone was woofing down Yani’s Tuna sandwiches. He said he saved me one, but some people had two. Whoever that was – you owe me big time! I also missed Roby’s lunch burgers.
Congratulations Todd on winning 2nd place in the Bites On fishing contest!