A soggy day @ SARL 2/5/04

[Gerald]

Hit up SARL for the first time in two years. Fished with Bryan (Lip RipperZ) and it started off really slow. I kept thinking I should have went somewhere else as I was having my usual luck as I have always had at this lake.

Bryan had a free boat pass, so we loaded up the gear and headed to the bubble hole and tied up at the buoy line. We both rigged up a PB pole and casted out away from shore, then started casting Lip RipperZ toward shore into the bubble hole. Bryan ended up with two rats and I got one on the PB poles. We both got a couple bites with the jig poles, but couldnt hook up with anything but the rocks in the current. I must have hung up and broke off atleast 12 times. Now I was really getting frustrated and was wishing I had gone to do something alot more fun with my day, like maybe going to the Dentist or something! Stay there for a few hours and decided to head back to the docks and get something to eat. This is where my day gets REALLY BAD!

We pull up to the dock and Bryan ties the boat up. He stands up to get out and jumps onto the dock. As he jumps, the bow of the boat goes under the edge of the dock and gets stuck there. So now the bow is a couple feet lower then the stern. I didnt think to much about it, and procede to jump from the bow to the dock myself. But as my weight pushes down on the bow, it pops out from under the dock, and acks like a spring board and sends me into to the air and then into the lake! Im here to tell you that the water is cold! Finaly get my soggy butt on to the dock with Bryans help, and all we could do was lay there and laugh for a good 5 mins. Worst part of it was one $200.00 water soaked cell phone. (Which believe it or not worked this morning after drying out all night)

After dripping water all over the tackle shop floor and getting some food, we go hit Chris's pond. About the third cast with a orange Lip RipperZ, BAM, BIG TIME BENDO! This thing has my Loomis folded in half and you could have played a tune on my 2# maxima line, as it was pulled so tight. This thing started taking line and I couldnt stop it. Thought for sure the line would break off. It headed down the shore and crossed about three guys lines, and finally starting to slow down a bit, when one on the guys thought he had one on. He picks up his rod, sets the hook, and breaks me off! DOH! All I could do was stand there heart broken. This was the biggest, hardest pulling freshwater fish Ive ever hooked onto in my life. Dont know how big, but I know it had to be in atleast the teens or more. After that Bryan and I slayed the rats testing and using all the new colors of RipperZ. Fish were caught on all 5 new colors.

What started to be a slow typical wet day for me at SARL, ended up being a great last two hours of fishing before they kicked us out at 4:00
Ive never really been a big fan of SARL, but I gave it a shot, and now after hooking up with a hard pulling LLoyd, I too am now hooked. I will definitely be back!

[Wahoo!]

Gerald, sorry to hear about the big one that got away. I've seen some really big fish come out of that lake. You'll get 'em next time! I wish I could have seen your dive into the lake... That's classic! Anyway, I'm glad you had a good time out there and thanks for the report!

[Bryan]

Happens to the best of us Gerald!!! haha

[DementedFish]

Dont you hate when that happens??? God i have had days like that too. I once fell in irvine lake, at 6 in the morning and holy S**T it was cold!!!