7 minute read
Heat, weeds take over Novato bass fishing trip
SEAWEED AND SIZZLING TEMPS
MARIN COUNTY BASS FISHING TRIP GOES AWRY IN THE HOT SUN
By Chris Cocoles
NOVATO–The longtime Bay Area urban trout angler in me knew an early July fishing trip would have to be adjusted as a heatwave was forecasted for just about everywhere in California outside of the coast.
Temperatures were forecasted to hit from the mid-90s well into triple digits, so trout fishing in those conditions seemed like a fool’s errand. Catfish are always a good backup plan, but I wanted to try something different and hit a lake I'd never been to.
I zeroed in on Marin County, since I’d never fished there and figured the weather might be slightly cooler than in the East Bay, which usually gets the brunt of the 100-degree blues when
The editor’s July bass fishing trip to Novato’s Stafford Lake Park was peaceful but sabotaged by hot weather and a lot of weeds. (CHARLENE KING)
Only in San Francisco could the Golden Gate Bridge be blanketed in fog while other parts of the Bay Area would be cooking throughout the day. (CHRIS COCOLES) A small bridge and short walk from the parking lot took us to a mostly empty shoreline. (CHARLENE KING)
Stafford Lake Park offers a quaint destination for locals seeking a place to fish, hike, picnic or mountain bike. (CHRIS COCOLES)
We saw almost as many deer as people on our way into the park. (CHARLENE KING)
the region’s normally temperate summers heat up.
I decided on Stafford Lake Park (marincountyparks.org), which is on the small side – the entire park covers only about 139 acres – but it offers fishing for bass, catfish and bluegill. I haven’t targeted bass very often in my angler existence and decided this was going to be the time to check it out again. (Plus, I figured if I kept busy casting and retrieving, the expected baking sun wouldn’t feel as overwhelming compared to just sitting and roasting in a lawn chair.)
But since my tackle box has plenty of tools to set up for a trout or catfish outing, I went over to a local sporting goods store and picked up a couple crankbaits, a spoon and a topwater buzzbait.
My sister Charlene, who I was visiting on my trip to Northern California, agreed to take an early Saturday morning ride with me from her San Mateo home. I promised her that the predicted hot weather meant we’d likely be home early.
In typical San Francisco fashion, the early-morning fog blanketed the Golden Gate Bridge, while 30 miles away residents were grateful for air conditioning. But as Bay Area natives, we knew it would quickly heat up.
By the time we came out of the Robin Williams Tunnel – the beloved late actor eventually settled in Marin County – the sun was out and my sister’s car thermometer rose quickly from a 50-degree low.
WE WERE GREETED BY more deer than
people by the time we’d exited in Novato and drove a quiet road just outside the park. We saw two sets of does and fawns scampering in front of our path. We even arrived at the near-empty park just before the park ranger pulled in. He did direct us to a pedestrian bridge where many anglers would fish from the shore (no boats are allowed on the lake).
We found a nice point to cast from, not far from two other fishermen who were among the few other humans
The editor didn’t have many bass tools in the tackle box, so a trip to Big 5 Sporting Goods
was in order. (CHRIS COCOLES)
In more mild conditions, these hammocks would be a sweet place to
Despite the lack of action and abundance of murky, weed- and algae-infested water, hopefully the newly purchased lures will get another opportunity to catch a bass sometime. (CHRIS COCOLES)
around that morning. I tied on my Strike King crankbait, and on cast No. 1 I knew it wasn’t going to go well.
I felt tugging on my retrieve and knew it wasn’t a fish. My lure had about 2 pounds of algae as a passenger on the way back. And that’s how the next couple hours would go. I’m guessing eight of 10 casts and retrieves were hijacked by the weeds. I moved to the spot where the two other guys had fished. Nothing. I switched to the topwater buzzbait. Nothing.
By 9:30 or so and with the sun getting brighter and brighter, we’d had enough. Still, it was hard to argue with the peaceful morning we’d enjoyed. The park remained mostly empty save for a small family setting up a birthday party in the picnic area and a couple of joggers.
I salvaged my lures, so I’ll give bass fishing another crack. Hopefully with cooler weather and less algae sabotaging my chances. CS
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