Long Beach Fishing

We finally picked out a new outfit for the Okuma truck and trailer.  It was long overdue since we've updated our logo a couple times over the past few years.  But we finally got it done.

The Expedition is all cleaned up and the Parker 1801 looks pretty good as well.  

We have been out a couple of times over the past couple weeks doing some filming and "Product Testing" on some upcoming gear.  Can't really give any sneak peaks that stuff at this point, but there will be more to come.

On Friday I took out a couple of old friends for a run down to Long Beach harbor to work the wall a little bit, and do a couple of drifts for halibut.  We were right on top of the "Super Blood Blue Moon" which made fishing a little difficult.  We had about an 8' swing in tide, which is awesome, but the fish just didn't want to cooperate.  We decided to fish only artificials for the day. We thru Savage Gear baits like teh TPE Shrimp, Sand Eels, and the new 3D Baitfish.  I did manage one pretty nice Sand Bass inside at one of the oil rigs, but of course, didn't get a picture of it. Oh well.  We drifted around for a few short bites, and managed more short bites on both the inside and outside of the wall.  We even made a run to one of the outside oil islands for nada.

Heck, we had mid 80's weather while the rest of the country is freezing.  I guess we can't complain too much.

Until next time!
Dave

Prado Running Gun

Here is a short article that I wrote and was recently published in Western Outdoor News in California.  I love to shoot competitively, and and PRG gives everyone that chance.

As the holidays pass, and the thermometer has finally dropped back into the normal range, a lot of people feel that their outdoor activity options are limited.  If you are a fisherman, you might be out throwing big baits at big fish. If you are a gun guy like myself, you might be getting a little tired of heading to the range to shoot at static paper targets week after week.  If so, this is a great time to get involved with some fun match shooting with a club at a local range. 

I’ve been shooting for what seems my entire life.  Over the past couple of years, I have been getting more and more involved with my local club called Prado Running Gun out of Prado Olympic Shooting Park in Chino Hills California.  Conveniently located off of the 91 and 71 freeways, this park offers a wide variety of shooting options for the local enthusiast.  Whether its Skeet or Trap, or long guns and hand guns, they have a variety of options for you, as well as a nice pro shop for all of your ammo and gear needs.  One day a while back, I was looking at local flyers and postings in the pro shop and saw something about Prado Running Gun.  For more information on Prado Olympic Shooting Park, please visit www.shootprado.com.

Prado Running Gun is a fun club that holds monthly matches for all experience levels.  The matches are held on the first Sunday of every month and are a great opportunity to hone your skills, and meet some great fellow enthusiasts drawing from 60-100+ competitors at each event. 

These matches are a lot of fun, and a great way to learn some valuable skills.  Each match opens with a new shooter orientation.  If you are new to shooting, or new to match events, this is the perfect opportunity to learn the rules, and to give you an overview of what is ahead.   Once you are through your orientation, you will be put into a squad, or you can join a squad with your friends.  Each squad has a variety of skill levels.  From very beginner, to expert.  You’ll see everything from right out of the box production model pistols, to some very high tech, high dollar, competition firearms.  Some matches even include shotgun and AR style divisions.

Most of the matches are set up in to five or six stages.  Each stage has a different set of objectives and target arrangements.    Some stages will have as many as 20 targets, ranging from static steel, to paper, to pop ups.  These are all fun and engaging, and it is a great experience to watch how other shooters tackle each of these scenarios differently.  You’ll be prone, kneeling, standing, bent over, and even have some hands up, hostage type scenarios.  On an average Sunday match, you may have the opportunity to fire off close to 200 rounds in a fun, exciting atmosphere.  Much better than standing at a range at 10 yards firing at the same silhouette.  Everyone I have encountered have been very supportive, offer encouragement, and give advice if you’d like.  If you happen to be at the range on one of these weekends, swing on by and check it out.  These are a great group of gun enthusiasts, and you might just make a couple of new friends.   The best part, a match only costs $30 for the day.  Considering this is about the same price as a range fee, it is well worth the experience you will gain from the different scenarios.

Prado Running Gun also now offers a Wednesday Night Steel match the last Wednesday of every month.  These are an evening event shooting into the dark.  They usually start at about 4pm and run through around 8pm.  During these winter months, you are definitely shooting into the dark hours.  It is a lot of fun, and a great way to experience a whole new sense of adventure. For more information on Prado Running Gun, and the monthly matches, please visit www.prg-ipsc.com/site/

Once you get through a match or two, and realize that you are really enjoying yourself, another fun way to be involved is to join the USPSA- United States Practical Shooting Association.  The USPSA is a great way to find other clubs, events, and matches in your area.  When you register for your events with your USPSA number, you will receive a classification after you shoot a classifier.  This classification is how you are ranked at different events, and amongst your peers out in the field.  It is a fun way to help you build upon your skill level.  The more you shoot, the better, and more comfortable you will be with your firearm.  For more information on the United States Practical Shooting Association, please visit WWW.USPSA.ORG.

Okuma Excel Trip

Been a little while since I've posted.  Torn meniscus has been hampering my running.  The #fishing part has been going strong though! 
I had the opportunity to be the charter master for the recent Okuma charter aboard the luxury sport boat, the Excel.  Good trip with a great crew.  We went chasing the big Bluefin that were around, but only found cookie cutter 40-50lb models.  Here is one of them.

 

 

 

It was a great trip.  Even some Short Billed Spearfish came on board.  And wouldn't you know it, I even made the Western Outdoor News.

Slowly getting back into the running thing.  Been in absolutely pain.  Time to suck it up and get back out there.

Tight lines!

Okuma Sponsored 2.5 day Tuna trip in May

What started off as a 2.5 day coastal trip for Ling Cod and the possibility at some yellowtail, turned into an absolute epic trip for VERY early season offshore pelagics.  After hearing a report a week earlier that the Sportfishing boat, The Eclipse, got into some unexpected yellowfin tuna, our trip aboard the Tribute filled up fast.  With a limited load of 28 passengers, this spacious vessel out of Seaforth Landing in San Diego, was the place to be. Once the reports hit, the boat filled fast. 
When we all arrived down at the boat after work on Friday afternoon, we arrived to overcast skies.  That in itself didn't damper any of the thoughts of tuna and yellowtail that were filling the anglers minds.

Sunset at the bait receiver.

While anglers were getting signed in up at the landing, we took the boat on over and got her filled up with primed sardines, anchovies, and mackerel.

Getting a tank full of primed Sardines, Chovie, and Makeral was key.

Scoop after scoop of cured, primed bait came over the rail.  This was really good looking stuff too!

A nice full scoop of Dines coming over the rail.

Back at the dock, anglers were lined up and ready to get on board and start the journey. As the team of anglers was boarding the Tribute, they were greeted by Dave Brown, Promotional and Events Manager for Okuma and Savage Gear.  He was in the galley handing out swag for the trip.

Hats, Beanies, Rod Wraps, Stickers, T-Shirts were all on tap for the Swag.

 

The time came to shove off, and off we went.  After hearing the reports the plan was to make the long trip down to fish offshore day one, and if it didn't look good, we'd head inside and fish coastal or islands for yellowtail.

Tribute ready to shove off.

The boat departed about 9pm and off we went.  We had about a 160 mile run south to start to get into the fishing zone.  Along the way we saw plenty of sea life.  Dolphin, Porpoise, and even a huge pod of Sperm Whales were sited.  We all got a some rest that first night and when we woke up, well, we still had quite a ways to go.  We were getting some reports of early fish from boats that had gotten down to the zone earlier, and it sounded really good.  We were all getting really excited. 
We dropped the trollers back mid day, and started the official trolling rotation shortly after that.  About 3pm, we found what we were looking for.  A nice pod of dolphin that were holding Yellowfin.  Yellowfin...this is May right?  Crazy!  From that jig strike we only got a couple fish.  No bait fish came up.  Captain Mike Pritchard made the choice to pull the trollers so that we can get on down to the zone and not be stopped by 1 and 2 fish jig strikes.  This was a great call.  Once we got down into the zone it went crazy.  Fish were spotted all around.  Deep sonar marks, breaking fish, etc.

Deep Bend Andros on a Makaira rod.

Jake holding up a nice Bluefin caught on the Andros.

Day one went on and we ended up with a pretty impressive count of about 35 various tuna and a handful of yellowtail.

Days 1 complete.

After fishing was through, we all headed in for a delicious meal prepared by Tommy.

Galley.  Tommy did some excellent work.

The first dinner was pork roast.  It looked and everyone said it tasted absolutely delicious.  You couldn't even get these guys to look up for a picture they were so focused.

Reflecting on the days fishing over some grub. 

After the amount of fish we saw around the area, capt Mike made the decision to stay in the same spot.  We put out the sea anchor and drifted the area until dawn. 
When the sun finally came up, we started fishing.  We trolled around a bit for jig strikes that came fairly regularly.  Some jig strikes would turn into a 10-20 fish stop.  The decks were getting pretty bloody, and the fish hold was filling.

Bloody Decks!

On occasion, we would stop on some deep meter marks.  The Bluefin would come up charging the boat.  Some of these stops went on for a good while. 

Big Bluefin putting on the hurt.

Andros getting it done again.

After getting a few fish in the box, it was time to have a little fun.  I got some fish on bait and some fish on the slide with Savage Gear Sand Eels. It was time to take out the Komodo 350's and put a whoopin' on some Bluefin.

Okuma's Dave Brown (The Running Fisherman) with a nice Bluefin caught on the low profile Komodo 350

The fishing just went on and on.  We took every second of that extended trip to take advantage of MAY tuna fishing.  It was incredible.

Cortez 5 and Cedros Coastal Rod making easy work of this tuna.

I had some raffles, gave away some prizes, and even had a contest.  Biggest fish caught on one of the Okuma set ups won a new Cedros Coastal Rod.  Lots of anglers tried out the gear, and from what they said, we even have a couple of converts. 
Here are two winners of the Cedros Coastal rods.

Lucky Winners

After stretching it out as long as we could, Captain Mike made the call that it was time to start the 17 hour journey home.  But...after two days of looking, we found our first kelp patty.  And wouldn't you know, it ended up being a stop for right around 60 yellowtail. 
Once all of the gear was packed up, anglers cleaned up and headed to dinner.  Chef Tommy had a delicious Tri-Tip dinner ready for everyone. 

Tommy back there doing what he does.

Concentration.

It was a great trip all around.  The crew of the Tribute really takes good care of you.  From keeping the boat clean, to the care they take in processing your catch.  Not to mention Captain Mike Pritchard for going the extra distance getting us down on the fish. 
I mean hey, this is May still right?  Crazy!

For more information on upcoming Okuma and Savage Gear sponsored trips aboard the Tribute, visit www.tributesportfishing.com.



Next week, the Vashon Ultramarathon.  31 miles of bliss.  Or blisters.  Not sure which.


Happy Fishing!

Bass Pro Shops Lake Havasu Open and Running the London Bridge

Had the opportunity to spend a little time out at Lake Havasu for the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Festival and Lake Havasu Open.  This was a bass fishing tournament that we sponsored.  It was a great event, with lots of fun things to do and see.  We had some great deals on Okuma and Savage Gear, had the chance to fish a little, and even got out for a fun little run.
The run was probably the best part of my trip.  I haven't been to Havasu since I was pretty young.  having just spent some time in London, I was excited to get back out to the lake and see the London Bridge.  it is a very beautiful spot.  Very scenic, and luckily, I only caught the tail end of some of the residual spring breakers (no pun intended).
I started off at my hotel and ran toward the bridge.  One you pass the casino, there is a nice stairway that leads you up to the bridge.  At the top you get a pretty nice view of the channel.  Here is a shot of where I am just about to start to enter the bridge.

 

Here is an actual shot of the bridge itself from up above.  Nice clear running space, and this day, there were quite a few runners out.

I ran across the bridge and down a block or so, then I turned around and headed back over the bridge.  Once on the other side, I headed off to my right down the stairs and down toward the water front.
There is a great little pathway that runs along the waterfront.  It wasn't too crowded this day, so made for easy running.

I guess you'd call this southbound.  I ran this direction for about 3/4 of a mile.  I got to a little point, then decided to turn around. 
As you run along the channel you see all kinds of fun things.  This day I caught a few of the left overs from spring break.

Loud music, beer, boats, bikinis, and did I mention beer?  Lots of that going around.  This was mid afternoon, so they were all pretty wasted by this time. Hope they all had fun.
I am now going northbound back toward the bridge.  Once you pass the party boats, you get your first glimpse back at the bridge.

It is a really pretty structure, and feels pretty out of place out in the middle of the desert.
There are a few street vendors selling glow sticks, beer, and souvenirs.  Lots of boat and wave runner rentals are found along this path as well.  As you pass all of that you actually get to the bridge.  Here is a look up at the bridge from down below.

Here is a look back underneath and toward the rental area.

Empty pathways made it pretty nice.
As you continue north past the bridge, you eventually come to the end of the pathway.  From here it turns to sand.  A good little leg workout ensued from here for a bit.

Way at the end of the point in the above picture is where we were holding the Bass Pro event.  From here, I doubled back and made it back to my hotel just in time for a little evening float tube fishing session.
The smallmouth bass fishing is said to be excellent, and i did nail this little guy on my first cast.

Lots of largemouth followed over the next couple days, but only that one smallie.  Kind of strange.

Fishing was fun, and I got out as often as I could before the event and after.  I'd get on the water by 6am and fish until 9, then back on at 5pm after the event finished.   I'd fish until dark and saw some pretty incredible sunsets.

As I mentioned, the event went very good.  I hope this is something they choose to do every year, and let Okuma be a part of.  Here is a quick look at my office for the weekend.

All in all it was a lot of fun.  Some great exposure for Okuma and Savage Gear, fish were caught, and a great run was had. 
 

Happy Running...and Fishing!!



#Fishing, #LakeHavasu, #BassFishing, #Running

FLW Forrest Wood Cup Shreveport Louisiana Run

FLW Forrest Wood Cup Shreveport Louisiana Run

Last month I was in Shreveport Louisiana for the FLW Forrest Wood Cup.  This is the Superbowl of the FLW bass fishing tour.  After a year of fishing various rivers and lakes throughout the country, the whole season culminates at this event.  Its really a good time and well attended.  I was there with Okuma and Savage Gear displaying all of our fun new stuff in our booth.
Here is a shot of our booth at the show.

 After each day of the show, I would squeeze out a little time to get a run in.  It was actually a fantastic, 3.5 mile jaunt that ran over, and around the Red River and into Bossier city. 
I would start at my hotel, Sams Town.  From there I would head up to the main street, then over to Texas Street which is the street with the bridge.

There is a nice wide, guarded walkway that leads you up and over the Red River.  From what I can tell, it was about a 1/2 mile up and over.  Once you hit the top, you have a spectacular view of the surrounding area.
Here is a look at the actual iron structure of the bridge. 

 

Looking down to the river, you can see for miles.

Once you hit the top and start your way into Bossier City, you can start to see the Louisiana Riverwalk shopping area.

Once I cross the bridge, I would make a quick right and head on over to the Riverwalk area.  In the shot above, you can see a few of the running areas. The shops and restaurants go on for about a half mile on each side of the bridge.
The Riverwalk is a nice little area with lots of restaurants, bars, and entertainment.  And as the name states, it also have a Riverwalk that you can run along.
Here is a shot looking back up at the bridge that we just crossed.

Of course being in Louisiana, all of the casinos have to be on water.  Here is a look over to the Sams Town hotel and Casino.  You can see the riverboat in front.  The riverboats up and down the river are all permanent fixtures and don't do too much river boating.

And one more looking back at the bridge from farther down the Riverwalk.

One of my favorite parts about Bossier is the Bass Pro Shops.  At the midpoint of my run, I come across the Bossier City Bass Pro Shops.  Of course, being in Louisiana, the Bass Pro Shops down here has Gators in front.  Big suckers too!

From the Bass Pro Shops, it pretty much a wind your way back sort of thing.  Back through the Louisiana Riverwalk, and up and over the Bridge.  Its a fun little run for a good 3.5 miles.  It was in the mid 90's that week and HUMID.  Probably typical for that time of year, but a little miserable for a California boy.
As I usually do, I like to follow up a run with a meal that I probably should be eating.  Being Vegan, I always try to at least make the most appropriate selections, but when in Rome!
One of my favorite places to eat when in Shreveport is The Blind Tiger. 

Good Cajun food, and the beer is always cold!

 A southern favorite, fried dill pickles!!!  These were very good, and probably not totally vegan.  Oh well.  They were awesome with the cajun honey mustard.  One of the other nights I opted for the faux turkey veggie po' boy.  It was actually very good too. 

Keep on runnin!
Dave

#running #Louisiana #Shreveport #vegan #therunningfisherman #okuma #okumafishing #blindtiger