Blown Opportunities

With our free Irvine Lake tickets expiring today, I took my pontoon out for the first time in something like 8 years.  The original intention was to fish here on Sunday but Chul and I decided to cancel that idea and head down to SD to fish the bay with Joseph and Tuck.  I arrived at about 6:15 and after waiting in line and assembling the boat I was on the water by about 7am.  Armed with my Scott S3S 7 weight loaded with a Rio Clouser floating line and red and black deerhair popper I tied over 15 years ago I started working the weeds.  It was not long before I had my first take.  The fly simply vanished, the bass just inhaled it.  I set the hook and the fight was on.  After a headshake or two the fish came off.  I suspect the culprit was the weedguard and it prevented a proper hook set.  Now amped I blew my load early on my next rising bass a few casts later.  I pulled it right out of it's mouth.  With the sun burning off the overcast sky I switched back and forth from floating line and popper to a 150 grain sinking line.  I managed a few bumps but was unable to get any fish to stay hooked.  By 11am I quit and headed back home to get some work done.  Frustrating.  Chul choose not to come after work when I gave him my morning report.