GONE FISHN’ II HAS BEEN LAUNCHED-FEB 27, 2005

THE QUEST FOR A NEW BOAT HAS ENDED AND THE A NEW ERA OF FISHING HAS STARTED. TODAY I LAUNCHED GONE FISHN II FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS AN EXCITNG DAY. WE GOT STARTED RATHER LATE, BUT MY FRIEND AND FORMER BOAT OWNER RUDY ZAMORA HAULED THE NEW BEAUTY OUT TO LAKE ILOPANGO. WE TOOK A QUICK SPIN TO CHECK OUT THE BOAT AND THEN RUDY HAD TO LEAVE, BUT RESERVED THE RIGHT TO FISH ANOTHER DAY.

PAUL HOLLINGWORTH ARRIVED FROM NICARAGUA ON FRIDAY NIGHT, SO SHORTLY AFTER, WE HIT THE LAKE FOR A FEW HOURS OF FISHING. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED EITHER. WE FISHED A LITTLE COVE FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR WITHOUT ANY LUCK AND MOVED TO ANOTHER COVE TUCKED AWAY AT THE SW END OF THE LAKE. USING A ROOSTER TAIL ON MY FIRST 2 CASTS I HOOKED INTO 2 GUAPOTE’S. WE FISHED AROUND THERE FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES OR SO AND THEN HEADED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO HOYA GRANDE (BIG HOLE). THERE I HOOKED A MUCH NICER FISH BUT YOU HAVE ONLY MY WORD BECAUSE IN ALL THE EXCITEMENT WITH THE BOAT I DIDN’T GET ANY PICTURES OF THE FISH. NEXT TIME…..THE THRILL OF BEING ABLE TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE FROM THE MARINA AND THEN ACTUALLY GO THERE WAS JUST A BIT MUCH.

WE FISHED UNTIL ABOUT 3:00 PM AND THEN PUT THE BOAT AWAY FOR THE WEEK, WITH VISIONS OF NEXT WEEK ALREADY IN MY HEAD. THE LAKE HAS REALLY CHANGED AND FOR THE BETTER. IT APPEARS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF TIME CLEANING IT UP. I REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO THE LAKE WAS CLUTTERED WITH TRASH, PLATIC BOTTLES AND WHAT EVER ELSE PEOPLE COULD THROW IN THE WATER. I DID NOT SEE ANY OF THAT THIS TIME OUT. IT WAS CLEAN AND THE WATER WAS VERY CLEAR. THE TEMP WAS HOT AND THE WATER TEMP WAS IN THE LOW 80’S AS WELL.

WELL THIS WEEK WAS MORE OF A BOAT STORY, NOW THE FISHING STORIES WILL REALLY BEGIN AND I WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE ON THE WATER AS WELL AS THE CHALLENGE OF CATHING FISH AGAIN IN LAKE ILOPANGO.

I HAVE ADDED SOME PICTURES OF THE DAY SO YOU CAN ENJOY MY BOAT AS MUCH AS I DID AND THE TRUE BEAUTY OF THE LAKE. TAKE CARE AND KEEP READING. THINGS ARE GOING TO HEAT UP NOW. GONE FISHN’.

A Fishing Story

SOMEONE SAID THAT IF EVERYTIME YOU WENT FISHING IT WOULDN’T BE CALLED FISHING, IT WOULD BE CALLED CATCHING. WELL TRUER WORDS HAVE NEVER BEEN SPOKEN. I HAVE BEEN OUT THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SKUNKED. THE CLOSEST THING TO CATCHING A FISH WAS A GOOD STRIKE AND I MISSED IT. IT HAS BEEN SO WINDY THE LAST FEW WEEKENDS; I HAVE HAD TO FISH FROM THE SHORE. THE LAST TIME I TRIED FISHING FROM A CANOE IN THE WIND WASN’T MUCH FUN AT ALL. I SPENT MORE TIME ROWING THAN FISHING. NEVER THE LESS, IT DOES BEAT THE HELL OUT OF JORDAN. I HAVE GOTTEN MORE SERIOUS IN MY PURSUIT TO FIND A BOAT. WITH THE RAINY SEASON OVER, THE TIME IS RIGHT.

I GOT STARTED A BIT LATE AS WELL. THE TRIP OUT TO THE LAKE TAKES A BIT LONGER NOW, WITH THE COLLAPSE OF A MAIN BRIDGE, AND WITH THE LITTLE ONE, IT MAKES LEAVING EARLY A BIT MORE DIFFICULT AS WELL. THE BOAT AND JETSKI ACTIVITY AROUND THE MARINA IS ANOTHER PROBLEM AS WELL.

THE WATER IS STILL VERY HIGH AND VERY CLEAR, BUT SHOULD START DROPPING SOME NOW WITH NO RAIN AND STREAMS MUCH LOWER THAN THEY WOULD BE IN THE RAINY SEASON. IT IS GREAT TO BE BACK IN EL SALVADOR AND ENJOYING THE WATER AND MOUNTAINS.

I CAN’T HELP THINKING EVERYTIME I LOOK ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE HOW MUCH I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET OVER THERE. I KNOW THAT GUAPOTE IS OVER THERE MAKING FACES AT ME AND GRINNING THROUGH THOSE SHARP TEETH. WELL HE CAN TAUNT ME NOW, BUT SOONER OR LATER, HE WILL BE TRYING TO SHAKE THE WRATH OF MY HOOKSET.

WITH THE HOLIDAY SEASON RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, I WILL BE HEADING HOME FOR A WHILE TO ENJOY TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND DO SOME FISHING AS WELL. I WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY AND A GREAT NEW YEAR.

GONE FISHN’

First Day Back

THE EXCITEMENT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN I COULD HANDLE. I WAS UP AROUND 6:30 AM SUNDAY OCTOBER 10 TH. I HAD XINIA AND THE BABY MOVING BY 7:30 AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO ILOPANGO BY 8:15. THERE WASN’T MUCH FOR ME TO DO IN THE WAY OF ROD AND REEL SELECTION SINCE I HAVE ONLY A COUPLE HERE. BUT NONETHELESS, I WAS GOING FISHING AND REALLY COULDN’T CARE LESS IF I DIDN’T CATCH A FISH. WELL, THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN EITHER. I DID CATCH SOME FISH, 4 IN ALL, NOT WHAT ONE WOULD CONSIDER A GREAT DAY. THAT DIDN’T SEEM TO MATTER MUCH EITHER. JUST BEING NEAR WATER, THE SOUND OF IT, AND THE MOVEMENT OF IT WAS WORTH IT ALL. I HAD FISHED THE BANKS FOR A WHILE, WADING UP TO MY WAIST IN WARM CLEAR WATER. I CAUGHT A GUAPOTE AND A 4 EYES. WE CALL THEM THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE EYES IN THE FRONT AND BACK OF THEIR HEADS AND SWIM ACTUALLY ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. LATER I RENTED A CANOE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AT A WOPPING $1.25 AN HOUR. I CAUGHT 2 MORE GUAPOTES. I WAS USING SEVERAL BAITS, BUT CAUGHT ALL THE FISH ON ROOSTER TAIL SPINNERS.

I HAVEN’T REALLY STARTED LOOKING TOO MUCH YET FOR A BOAT. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT TO DO GETTING FULLY MOVED IN. IT IS THE LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER AND WE JUST RECEIVED OUR PERSONAL THINGS FROM JORDAN. WHEN NOTHING IS BROKEN THAT’S A GOOD MOVE.

I NOTICED THAT THE WATER WAS VERY HIGH ON THE LAKE THIS YEAR AS COMPARED TO OTHER YEARS, AND THE LOCALS WERE QUICK TO POINT OUT, THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF RAIN FALL THEY HAVE HAD. WELL, IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS THE DRY SEASON WILL START AND THINGS WILL BEGIN TO TAKE ANOTHER COLOR. IT IS EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL HERE RIGHT NOW, WITH THE MOUNTAIN SIDES, AND SHORELINE ALONG THE LAKE AS GREEN AS I HAVE EVER SEEN GREEN. THE LAKE WATER WAS IN THE MID 80º’S AND CLEAR AS I HAVE EVER SEEN IT.

I HAVE BEEN OUT 1 OTHER TIME SINCE THE 10TH AND IT DIDN’T TURN OUT TO BE PRODUCTIVE AT ALL. BUT, I ENJOYED FLOATING AROUND IN THE CANOE, FISHING SHORELINES OF KNOWN FISH CATCHES IN MY PAST. THEY’LL BE THERE ANOTHER DAY JUST AS SURE AS GOD MADE MANGOS. LIFE IS SWEET. I AM BACK WHERE I LIKE TO BE. A LAKE THAT I ENJOY FISHING AND HAVE FISHED FOR YEARS. I DID MANAGE TO BUY 2 NEW REELS, AND I MUST SAY THESE ARE GREAT FISHING REELS. THEY ARE MADE BY QUANTUM, A NEW SPINNING REEL & BAITCASTER.

IF THE FINISH ON THE SPINNING REEL LOOKS STRANGE, WELL IT IS. THEY HAVE PUT A FINISH ON THIS ALUMINUM THAT IS BEAUTIFUL. IT HAS 10 BEARINGS WHICH MAKE THIS A VERY SMOOTH REEL. THE BAIT CASTER AS WELL HAS SOME PARTS WITH THE SAME FINISH, AND IT HAS 7 BEARINGS. THESE ARE VERY NICE REELS TO FISH WITH. WELL, THAT’S ABOUT IT FOR THIS TIME.

GONE FISHIN

Gone Fishin' is Gone Fishin'!

WELL I HAVE TO SAY IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I CAN REALLY SAY I HAVE A FISHING TRIP PLANNED THAT I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO. I CAN ALSO SAY, THAT BY OCTOBER THE 10TH I WILL HAVE GONE FISHING AND I WILL HAVE CAUGHT SOME FISH. WHY CAN I SAY THAT, BECAUSE I AM MOVING BACK TO EL SALVADOR AND I WILL BE FISHING ON LAKE ILOPANGO BY NOT LATER THAN OCTOBER 10, GOD WILLING.


THIS IS ALL GREAT NEWS FOR ME, BAD NEWS FOR THE FISH. SEE THE THING ABOUT EL SALVADOR AND LAKE ILOPANGO, I KNOW WHERE EVERY ROCK, IS, EVERY SUBMERGED TREE, ALL THE WEEDBEDS. THEY CAN SWIM AWAY, BUT THEY CAN’T HIDE. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH, A BOAT, AND SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT I PRACTICALLY GAVE AWAY IN NICARAGUA, BUT THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THE WHOLE THING, TIME IS ON MY SIDE.

I CAN SEE IT ALL NOW:

7:00 AM: I’M AWAKE, HEAD FOR THE KITCHEN, RUSSLE UP SOME GRUB.
7:30 AM: LOAD THE CAR, THIS TIME I WILL HAVE ISABELLA, BUT SHE’LL BE READY TO HIT THE ROAD AS WELL. SHE LIKES RIDING IN THE CAR.
8:00 AM: ARRIVE AT THE LAKE, DROP OFF THE FAMILY AT THE POOL AND HEAD DOWN TO THE DOCK, AND GET MY STUFF LOADED AND OUT ON THE WATER.

8:30 AM: I AM GOING TO FISH THE PLACES CLOSE TO THE CLUB THAT I REMEMBER WELL AND TAKE MY TIME. AFTER ALL IT IS MY FIRST TIME OUT AND I AM GOING TO ENJOY THE TIME ON THE WATER. I HAD JUST COME FROM A DRY, SANDY AND HOT ENVIRONMENT AND I AIN’T GOING TO RUSH THIS DAY. SO I WILL MOVE AROUND A GOOD BIT FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND PROBABLY FISH TILL ABOUT 2:00 PM THEN HEAD BACK IN.
2:30 PM: I AM SUNBURNED, HOT, SWEATY AND HAPPY AS PIG IN S- - T. WHY SHOULDN’T I BE? I HAVE JUST HAD THE BEST DAY I HAVE HAD IN THE LAST 7 MONTHS.

IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER IF I CAUGHT ANY FISH OR NOT. I WILL HAVE SPENT THE DAY REMEMBERING ABOUT THE PLACES I USED TO CATCH FISH. I WILL THINK ABOUT ALL THE GOOD TIMES I HAD FISHING AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I KNOW I WILL BE COMING BACK.

WELL THIS IS JUST A SMALL PREVIEW OF WHAT I EXPECT TO HAPPEN AND FOR WHAT IT’S ALL WORTH, THERE COULD BE SOME MORE GOOD, “FISH STORIES” OUT OF ALL THIS. I DON’T HAVE ALL MY STUFF HERE. MOST OF MY RODS AND REELS ARE STILL IN THE STATES, SO I WILL MAKE DO WITH WHAT I HAVE. WHEN I RETURN BACK TO EL SALVADOR AFTER CHRISTMAS, I SHOULD HAVE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I NEED.

SO, STAYED TUNED BECAUSE GONE FISHN, IS REALLY GONE FISHN!!

I JUST GOT A NEW BOAT FOR MY WIFE, GOOD TRADE DON=T YOU THINK?@

Hooked by Desperation

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN AS MANY WEEKS, I HAVE LOADED MY RODS AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO WET MY LINE. AS THE BLUES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE MY FISHING EXPERIENCES. YESTERDAY WE RETURNED TO THE KING TAJAL DAM ONLY TO FIND THAT ALL ACCESS HAS BEEN SEALED OFF. WE FINALLY FOUND OUR WAY DOWN TO THE MAIN BODY OF WATER ONLY TO BE STOPPED BY A GUARD WHO SPOKE NO ENGLISH AT ALL.

WE HEADED OUT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAM AND FOUND ANOTHER ROAD WHERE IT WAS DECIDED TO HAVE A BITE TO EAT “KFC”. WE SURVEYED THE AREA WITH PRECISION, AND FOUND ANOTHER ENTRANCE TO THE DAM. THIS TIME WE THOUGHT WE HAD IT LICKED. WHILE WINDING DOWN THE ROAD, WE WERE QUICKLY DEMOLISHED AT THE SIGHT OF STILL ANOTHER ROAD BLOCK. WE COULD ONLY DRUEL AT THE SIGHT OF THE WATER BEING SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR AWAY. WE GAVE SOME THOUGHT OF HIKING IN, BUT QUICKLY RULED THAT OUT AFTER CONSIDERING THE HIKE BACK. IT WOULDN’T BE SO BAD GOING DOWN, BUT CLIMBING BACK UP QUICKLY DISCOURAGED US.

WE SAT AROUND A WHILE TALKING AND DISCUSSING OUR NEXT ATTEMPT AT GETTING DOWN TO THE DAM AND DECIDED, WE NEED A JORDANIAN TO HELP US. WITH SOMEONE WITH US THAT COULD SPEAK THE LANGUAGE WE THINK WE WOULD HAVE A CHANCE OF GETTING IN. WE MIGHT HAVE TO LEAVE A LITTLE TIP, BUT IT WOULD BE A SMALL PRICE TO PAY JUST TO BE CLOSE TO THE WATER.

I AM ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT THIS PLACE HAS FISH. IT IS A LONG AND WINDING RIVER TO THE DAM. THE SHORE LINE IS CLUTTERED WITH FALLEN TREES, ROCKS AND POINTS JUTTING OUT FROM THE SHORE. I GOT THINKING, THAT IF THERE WERE NO FISH, IT WOULD SURE BE A WASTE OF WATER.

THIS MORNING I SPOKE TO OUR MAINTENANCE MANAGER, ABU YAZAN WHO HAS GOOD CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, WHO WILL JOIN US NEXT WEEK IN WHAT WILL ONCE MORE BE AN ATTEMPT TO DO SOME FISHING. EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS TO BE BLEAK, I AM CERTAIN TIME IS ON MY SIDE. ONE OF THE VIRTUES OF A FISHERMAN IS PATIENCE. IT IS PROBABLY THE ONLY THING THAT I DO HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR.

MY THINGS WILL FINALLY BE ARRRIVING NEXT WEEK AND IF I CAN’T FISH I WILL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME FISHING LURES AND HAVE THINGS HERE I NEED TO MAKE STORIES OF MORE SUBSTANCE. I THINK I SHOULD CHANGE THE NAME OF THE COLUMN AT LEAST FROM GONE FISHIN’ TO I WISH I COULD GO FISHIN’.

SO UNTIL NEXT TIME ENJOY THE NEW PICTURES OF A PLACE IN MY DREAMS.

GONE FISHIN’