• Vegas 2007
This was Lunchbox's debut in our annual Super Bowl tradition. An amazing impromptu day at Lake Mead, catching fiesty rainbow trout until we had to pick up Spencer at McCarran started the festivities. The nights consisted of dressing up, and instead of acting pretentious at some generic club, we spend it having a pricey steak dinner, sharing some good wine, enjoying our winnings, compliments from the sports book at the Luxor.
• Havasu, Trip 1
This was my first visit to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and it surely was not my last this year. The 4 and a half hour drive from Los Angeles through the repetitious desert landscape that lines the 40 East was well worth the drive. The fishing was everything I expected. and the fact I caught some pretty big small mouth (my favorite freshwater game fish to pursue) made it even better. More importantly, quality time spent with others makes road trips all the worth while.
• Diamond Valley Lake, Spring Time is in the Air
I was introduced to Diamond Valley Lake last year, but never got the opportunity to fish the lake hard until after winter subsided this year. Not only did I catch my personal best small mouth bass from shore, a few days later, I hooked what would be the biggest largemouth of the year. Those 3 or 4 minutes when the fish first took my bait, to when I landed her, got replayed often through the last part of 2007, when consistent action was far and between.
• Phoenix Phun
Watching Cy Young Award Winner, Brandon Young pitch while eating hot dogs while scratching one less major league stadium from 'the list?' Fishing the scenic lakes around Phoenix? Taking some needed time and rest from work? Priceless.
• San Diego Excursions, 1 & 2
I was posted to my computer on Thursday, 6:55 pm, sharp. When tickets became available to Lake Barret, I snatched up a date in April and a day in May, both turning out to be one of the most enjoyable times I've spent on the water. Rarely do I get to joke around and set hooks at the same time, but with both of these guys on the water, I'm surprised we stayed in the boat and didn't fall out from laughing so hard. The 2nd time out, although a tad slower, was still met with a good quantity of willing fish ending up on the day's fish count. The spinnerblade bite was amazing both days, and although the topwater bite never developed all season long, Barret showed signs of coming back from a few years of less than average fishing.
• Castaic and the Spinnerblade Bite
It was a pretty hot summer this year, and what better way to spend the days than on the water at my 'home' lake of Castaic. The Barret lake spinnerblade bite gave me confidence to throw the blade at other lakes, and the pattern was nothing short of fantastic at Castaic during the water fluctuation periods of the summer. With copious amounts of bass fry on the shoreline, the blade fished closed to structure brought much success to what normally is a slow summer doldrum bite. Even though the live shad bite was incomparable to what it was last year, I enjoyed baking in 100º heat while bending my spinnerblades back into shape from the abuse they received from these fish all summer long.
• Float Tubing at 6000' in 32º Weather
I caught smallmouth from a float tube this year too. Thanks to LargemouthMitch, I was able to meet up with him and his boy WBDS at a rarely fished private reservoir, 6000' above sea level in the little mountain town of Arrowhead, California. We met up at lower elevation to make sure I didn't get lost for my first trip on the backside of the San Bernardino National Forest. After driving for 30 minutes and having the visibility of about 10 feet in front of you, I gazed at the temperature reading for my truck and it read 32 degrees at 6 am by the time we reached 3000'. We pulled off on the side of the long winding mountain road so Mitch could let me know that he wasn't lost, and in fact, knew where he was headed. Another 20 minutes or so later, we're at the parking lot of a small condominium complex and we're in the water 10 minutes later, chest high in breathable waders and 34 degree air temperature, and surrounded by a Fat Cat float tube and fog so thick, you could cut it with your hands. Setting the hook on smallmouth after smallmouth, all the while we could not see 5 feet in front of us, was an experience to remember. The kick all the way back to our launching spot was probably the most strenuous activity I've ever been part of; nothing like paddling 2.3 miles back to where you started from with 10% less oxygen that you would have at sea level.
• San Diego Solo, Part 3
After socializing quite a bit, I met a few fisherman who actually liked my company. One of them was able to score another Ticketmaster ticket to the infamous Lake Barret and after countless phone calls, I was not able to get anybody to go with me. Then again, not many people can just randomly take a Wednesday off. I fished alone off the boat that day, the first of many firsts of the year. I was able to handle the trolling motor and the main outboard and manage, 2 big fish for the day. Even though my outboard ended up having start up issues, and I spent an hour and a half getting towed back to the marina, only to get a new outboard and haul ass back to the spot 3 miles up the lake that I was fishing. Setting hooks on big fish while you're by yourself holds a special sentiment in my heart. If you could only hear the conversations I have myself when I'm on the water...
• Havasu II, The Colorado Boogaloo
As I mentioned before, Lake Havasu called me a second time after my trip during March. This time, I spent a windy weekend Lake Havasu City, enjoying time with nature while I kayaked down the Colorado. The wind was at our backs so it made the paddle less strenuous. The carved canyon walls and crystalline waters of the Colorado are what I'll remember when I think of 2007.
• Hiking L.A.
Winter comes along and so does the lethargic bite, especially from shore. Our mild winter this year gave me the chance to do some hiking around the Angeles National Forest. Armed with a yearly Adventure Pass, and my Timberland Cadion XCRs, I re-acquainted myself with waters that I had not fished since I was a kid with my dad and brother. I made the mistake of not packing my camera during a particular hike that traversed a portion of the old alternate Ridge Route (California State Highway 99), that who's scenery was damaged by the old "Day Fire" that occurred a few months ago. Take away a few bug bites and some poison oak encounters, and I'm glad I got out on the trails again.
• Tool and Vicente, Aural Nirvana
Vicente's concert was amazing as ever. More than just a concert, it was a celebration of my heritage, successfully interpreted by an artist, dressed in charro regalia from head to toe; a black suit with red embroidery topped off by a sombrero, finished by a large, silver pistol on his right hip, and a 10 piece mariachi who complimented the singer as well as the Patrón tequila complimented our night.
The Tool show was amazing, as expected. For those familiar with the band and the live performances, you already know that there are few words to describe the catharsis felt after the show. Although Maynard and company did seem tired after an excruciating and busy tour, the concert was the best musical performance I've ever been part of.
Setlist:
Jambi
Stinkfist (extended)
46&2
Schism (extended)
(Rosetta Intro)
Vicarious Jam
Flood
Intermission Effects
Wings For Marie
10,000 Days
Lateralus (w/ Big Business drummer Coady).
Vicarious
Special Shoutouts:
Tweaker05, and his new kid.
Spank05, for returning back to the Southland for the continuing debauchery.
Bacon05, a few more steps closer to passing the bar.
The Dean, The Jizzard of Oz, for getting engaged.