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’.