Lake Sonoma Fish n Chill Goodbye to Mooch Tour 2010.....Jan 21-24

Looks like you guys had a great time
Thanks for the pics and report!
Tad
 

Thanks for the pics and info
Looks like a great time was had by all.
Unfortunatley it was a little far from Fresno and I only get 1 day a week.

Yup, its a Lions Mane mushroom, cooking it up tonight. Mmmmmm, thanx Chuck!

    Funny Thing....Chuck spotted the shroom and I was reaching out to touch it when he blurted "HEY"! I jerked my hand back like it was a snake or something...Chuck got a good laugh out of it.
     I carried my radio around in the hills when I was hiking solo and was able to pick up you guys on the water...sounded like a lot of fun was happening. Back at camp the food was off the hook! Wish I could have stayed longer....

A few asked me about the Sinker Dropper here is the Link http://www.sinker-dropper.com/

    Funny Thing....Chuck spotted the shroom and I was reaching out to touch it when he blurted "HEY"! I jerked my hand back like it was a snake or something...Chuck got a good laugh out of it.
     I carried my radio around in the hills when I was hiking solo and was able to pick up you guys on the water...sounded like a lot of fun was happening. Back at camp the food was off the hook! Wish I could have stayed longer....

EK got it right, its a lion's mane.  I used to find these up in Washington in the cascades along with another similiar mushroom that grows on dead or downed trees, the bear's head mushroom.  My wife and I loved to cook these with scrambled eggs, just cook a little slower to cook off excess water.  Another great way to cook is to add to stir fry in chunks.  You can marinade these if you want as well.

One bonus about finding one of these, they usually grow back every year in the same spot.  Nice find in Sonoma County.

Lotsa bs'n, chillin', eatin', laughin', drinkin', huntin', hikin', fishin'.... it was the SNAPS!!
Memorable lines, "Hey Blondie, want a beer?"
Many thanks to Andy for providing the shelter from the rain, the fire pit, and tables.
Next stop on the FTMT (Farewell To Mooch Tour)..... Clear Lake!

I made a last minute drive up for the night on Saturday. Didn't end up paddling but got a lot of good hang time with the crew that was there & got the Mooch his AK swag.
The hatchery was a great stop before the drive home.

excellent way to shake off the cabin fever!

This was definitely a fun day!  Got to meet a few more NCKA'ers.., watch an eagle taunt us with his catch.. troll through a mix of rain and dead flat misty calm.. hard to beat a day like that!

Mike, that sinker dropper is the best, not to mention far cheaper than the standard barrel type.   I am  ordering some today!

i got there on Sat morn and the crew was just gathering up to take off to the water. It was kinda raining, so i took my time(an unusual task for me) By the time we got to the launch, the rain had passed and it was nice to be on the water. I saw one fish on my FF at 30'down and it did not want my offering of a dropshotted worm. I hit the whole dam and then the area to the left of it. Every point and cove was sonared at the depth of 30-40 ft. = I HATE THAT LAKE!  
If it were not for by best buddies and my need to hang out in the cold, rain?, i may have just made up a reason to stay home&dry, but my wife to me to MAN-UP and get out there with the crew......SOiDID!
When we were OTW and getting pelted for that 15min, i just thought about the drought and how much this little bit of rain was not gonna upset me.
The BaldEagles were the hilite of the wkend, along with AlHobies'DumpCake!!

pic1: calm before the pour

pic2: two deer eating

pic3: people on kayaks in the water

pic1~Cappie for one

pic2~BaldEagle gawkers

pic3~ back attop camp

on stsnd by for the next leg of tour.

Had a great time hangin with the crew. In honor of Mooch we had to endure the rain but the food made up for the rainy conditions. Sounds like I was the only one to spot a wild boar by the side of the road Saturday morning but I didn't step on the gas hard enough to make a kill (oh well). I also saw someone harassing a bald eagle with sardines. Too bad they only bite on crappies.

It's such a pretty lake, and the misty clouds accentuate it.

The highlight for me was definitely the hatchery...  I could have fed those little fish all day, and the monsters at the ladder/glide were amazing.

Also Andy's grill...  once the onion hits hot oil the drool starts flowin.

And we saw the sturgeon!

It was so much fun hiking the hills, checking out pig sign that I'm setting a goal to go pig hunting next year.

So I get there a day early (I thought it was Friday already but it was only Thursday...according to the rest of the world ). I can only blame my addiction to NCKA "fish n' chills"  As soon I get to the camp grounds, I was greeted by men in yellow suits cleaning up debri (the outsourcing of work to local repeat offenders). I made my round and did not see any vehicles with kayaks on top.....in fact, I did not see any vehicles at all . It was noon and so I waited for another hour till I made a call. No reception  I drive a few miles down towards the overpass and as I was listening o the weather report, and I hear "Thursday"  . I get some signal and make the embarrasing call to Eric B.
"Hey Eric.....guess where I'm at?" 

Anyway, there was no way I was going back so I made camp, had some hot soup and did some scouting around. Saw a sign  by the porto potties about mountain lion sightings    so I head back to base camp and "arm" my self. Saw a tent spike and turned it into a home made prison shank. I figured that if I get mauled to death during my walk about, I'd leave that cat with a hole some where in it's body It's just the warrior in me 

My Thursday pics....

...did some more hiking and came across more signs of life..