Well today was the last day of jury duty for me =( The weather was smoking hot out and after making some serious mental deliberations I decided to go to Chabot this afternoon instead of San Pablo. I was walking the bank and hoping to find some fish that had moved onto beds. Sure enough on a bare bank there was a log with pair on it. The male was about 2lbs and the female 6. I worked the male with a chartruese yamamoto grub but he wasn't too agressive. Threw out the castaic bluegill at him a couple times and that got him going. The female was kind of squirrely at first and wouldn't stay still but as I was working the male with the bluegill and he started hitting it almost every cast, I thought to myself, why not try the female. Started working her with the grub and about 25 pitches later I rolled it in front of her, she turned and woofed it. I had her on 25lb on my calstar 800L and although she fought good it was over quick. She weighed 6-3 and some trout guys took a picture for me. That was cool, I finally got a good one out of Chabot! I went right back and caught the male almost instantly on the grub. Wow, 2 fish in one day after 8 skunk trips to Chabot... Well the best (worst) part was soon to come. I walked down the bank a ways and was walking by some trout fishermen. The one guys says, "hey you want to fish for a big bass." Duh, ok I said. Looked down and there was a 10+ on a bed right in front of these guys. They had been trying to catch it with a nightcrawler with no success. I pitched out and the male started hitting my grub right away. I didn't really want to catch him so I kept pulling it away. I threw at the female about 10 times and suddenly, almost imperceptibly, she inhaled the grub!!! The grub disappeared so quick I couldn't believe it. I set the hook and she was on! She rolled a couple times and bulldogged up and down the bank. I eased her closer and just as I knelt down to get ready to lip her, the hook pulled!!! Ugggghhhhhhh. The most incredible letdown. To FINALLY hook a giant in Chabot and then lose her at the bank. It was rough. I had seen the hook during the fight and it was just barely in her lip, so I guess the skin just tore enough for her to get away. I was bummed but optimistic that I might find some more big ones that were willing to bite. I walked further down the bank and saw another two giant fish on this clump of weeds and junk. The big fish looked 11 or 12 and the smaller one maybe 8lbs. I had a castaic bluegill tied on for the bed fish so I cast it out past them. Reeling it by, the big one turned and followed it slowly with the smaller fish close by. I was by no means expecting it to hit. I let the bluegill fall to the bottom. The fish edged closer and then, incredibly, she pinned it to the bottom and ate it!!! I swung and it was fish on. This fish was one pissed of toad. She made a strong run pulling 20lb off my reel and then got completely airborne. I saw the hooks and they looked solid. As soon as she hit the water she went up again with a huge headshake and she somehow spit the 2/0 gammie hook out!!! I couldnt' believe it. Two ten pounders lost in a single day. Incredible.
It was so hot out I decided I was done for. I walked back but wanted to check on the big bed fish I had lost earlier. Right when I get there, some old dirtbag is putting the male on a stringer. I saw the female and stood off in the bushes and watched this guy. Sure enough, he's using a kastmaster and I'm sure trying to snag the female. I walked up to him and told him it was illegal to snag bass. He says, "oh no I'm catching them in the mouth." "Just watch me I'll show you" and all this crap. I told him ya right you're full of it. Typical tough to prove situation. Hopefully she was still to spooky to catch. I'll never know. Lake Chabot is one wierd lake, but every once and a while you stand a chance at a big one. Today I had 2 but the fish gods were not in my favor.

Here's the 6-3

http://www.calfishing.com/images/daily_reports/4_24_01_rob_6_3.JPG