Inspired by Muddy Waters in his timeless classic “Hoochie Coochie Man,” the term “Hoochi Koo” symbolizes a state of pure rock and roll euphoria and liberation. That’s precisely how it felt today as I ventured out to fish the Trash Racks at San Luis.  My spirits were high, riding the wave of a rock and roll mood that had been ignited the night before when Gina and I attended a concert at the Mountain Winery. The stage was graced by none other than Oingo Boingo and The Tubes, both iconic rock bands from our youthful days – and they provided the perfect soundtrack for today’s fishing adventure.

Last night’s concert was nothing short of spectacular, with the original band members, now in their 60s and 70s, delivering an unforgettable performance. Fee Waybill of The Tubes, a legendary punk rocker, held a special place in my mosh pit memories since my freshman year in college back in 1976.

For my wife, one of her all-time favorites is the classic “Deadman’s Party,” released by Oingo Boingo in 1986. The concert last night was a nostalgic journey through time, featuring the “Untouchables” as well. It was heartwarming to see the audience, mainly comprised of AARP members, rocking out and reliving their youth.

I had high expectations for today, especially after my recent fishing trip with Dan Blanton. I was eagerly anticipating revisiting the same fishing spots we explored last Friday, armed with different flies and presentation techniques. My hunch was that the stripers had been herding the baitfish down towards the dam and into the shallows of the Bay of Pigs, making them more accessible targets.

I began by focusing more on the shallow shoreline, but initially, luck eluded me, and I couldn’t seem to entice any bites. It was only after a while that I stumbled upon a school of stripers feverishly feasting on minnows in the shallows. I managed to hook a couple of smaller fish before the school darted off into deeper waters.

I then shifted my strategy, working my way up from the Bay of Pigs to Guardrail, employing the same method that had served me well over the past couple of weeks: fishing slowly along the rocky terrain while keeping my fly down near the bottom using a T14 Outbound short sinking line. Additionally, I opted for flies that suspended rather than jiggled. This year, I’ve had great success with threadfin shad Clousers featuring a hint of pink and light brown (Steve Farrar SF Blend in Rainbow) over white. Interestingly, I’ve noticed that on certain days, lightly weighted Clousers tend to outperform their heavily weighted counterparts.

By noon, my tally stood at 18 fish caught along the rocky shoreline. At that point, I decided to make a detour and try my luck at the racks before calling it a day. As I circled the racks, I spotted only one pillar holding a school of fish. These fish were tightly hugging the cement wall, approximately 30 feet below the surface. With a well-placed cast and a patient countdown, success was virtually guaranteed today. I managed to hook another dozen fish at the racks before finally heading home.

During my outing, I spotted Rod in his Whaler fishing the racks as well. We had a pleasant chat, during which he mentioned that he was still recovering from Covid, having contracted it twice, and consequently hadn’t been able to get out on the water as much this year. Despite this, he shared an incredible story of landing a 40-inch, 25-pounder near the causeway’s hump just last week using a fly. Truly remarkable! Rod also informed me that he had netted around 20 fish at the racks today. Rod is undoubtedly one of the seasoned veterans out here, and his tales never fail to amaze.