18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange (and a jump in the lake)

By
Sean Glumace
 – July 3, 2009Posted in: Fishing Photos, Fishing Reports, Freshwater, Park Lakes

Good day today! Got my first park lake fish, and got to take a swim, read on…

Had Friday, July 3rd off so I decided to get in a little fishing today. Tried to get out on the water on a 1/2 or 3/4 boat but could not get anyone to go with me and Jonathan. So my step dad picked up Irvine Lake passes for us yesterday and we decided to head up there. Got a late start and did not get to the lake till 8:30am, and it looked busy with a festival going on. My step dad meet us on his motorcycle to hang out with us for a while. Talked it over and decided to use the passes another day. Thought about it and decided to head down to Eisenhower Park near our house to try my luck again there.

Got there and a few other people were fishing, mostly for bass throwing lures. I had planned to pick up some Macs up at Irvine, so all I had was some Charlie Blood B that I had picked up along with some Mealworms that night before. My stepdad showed up on the bike and we found a bench on the west side of the lake, the water was clean and full of small bluegill, also saw a few larger bass swimming around. Rigged up my 6lb test rod with a #10 trebble hook and 1/2 sinker and put some of the stinky stuff on and casted it out.

From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange

I brought my 2# tiny rod with me so I set up a very small trebble under a bobber and put a mealworm on and threw it into the bluegill. Jonathan ended up catching a total of 6 small bluegil, with a non stop bite going with them. Most were small, but it was still fun for him. I think I will bring him and my little girl back to play with the bluegill again. Got a total of 6 caught, lost a bunch too.

From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange

Now to the good part of the story. While we were playing with the bluegill I notice my rod go bendo out of the corner of my eye. I had it in my bucket with stuff in the bottom so I thought it would be ok, next thing I know the bucket goes in the water, rod as well and it starts taking off for the middle of the lake. DAMN!!! So I make a quick decision, I want to keep my rod, so I quickly take my shoes off, pull out the digital camera and phone in my pocket, jump in and catch up with the rod. Up to my shorts in wonderful lake goo and water I grab the rod. Got it and jumpped back up on dry land, with messy wet socks now. The rod and reel are full of weeds and muck. I can feel its a nice fish, fighting hard so I start working him slow cleaning up the rod as I go, hey I got all wet for this with stinky water so I want to enjoy this. I look up behind us and I have 5 or 6 guys watching and laughing at me. Hey I yell, I was not going to lose my rod to a cat. Some of the guys fishing for bass wave and and are watching as well. For once I get a photo of myself, my step dad grabbed my camera and took some pics. Got wet up to my shorts, thank god no farther than that.

From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange

It was a quick fight even though I took my time. Nice catfish, stocker good color around 1 1/2 to 2lbs.

From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange

At this point I was wet and smelled and it was about 11:30 so I called it a day, needed to take a shower luckly I live close. My step dad got a kick out of it, how fast I got my shoes off and everything out of my pockets to jump in. Like he said it was worth coming out just to tell the story.

Decided to keep the cat for all the trouble I went through, clean fish when I cleaned him up at home. Mother in law loves the fish.

It was great to get my first park fish around here, and so close to home as well. Next week we are going out on a 3/4 day and a private boat as well, so hopefully my luck holds out :)

From 18th Trip: Eisenhower Park, Orange
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

About the Author

Sean loves to fish in Southern California and this site is his journal of his adventures in fishing. He started fishing when he was a little guy with his dad David, and has continued to this day with his family. In his day job, Sean has been a graphic designer for over 15 years, designing everything from in-store displays and signage for supermarkets to e-commerce auction sites for an online consumer electronics company. He was a web and graphic designer then later an art director for McMullen Argus Publishing (Primedia), building and working on sites for Lowrider Magazine and Super Chevy, plus 30 other automotive magazine sites. Sean seized the opportunity to teach other aspiring designers - a passion that took him first to Learning Tree University and then to Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA, where he has been an integral part of the renowned digital arts department for more than ten years. Throughout his teaching career, Sean maintained a freelance business, designing for clients including the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards), Image Comics and many more. See his work at http://www.glumace.com.