Going there this week. Anyone ever fished it this time of year?  Any tips?

On a hobie, (I have an outback) i can see no reason why someone wouldn't want a downrigger.  As far as I'm concerned having a lot of weight and drag and your line sucks.  Fishing for me is all about the fight.  Maybe on a paddle yak downriggers would be a problem, I really can't say.  Downriggers put you at the depth you intend to fish... period.  If you are marking fish at 45ft. and you are pulling a lure that runs at five feet, set your DR at 40ft. and be confident you ARE FISHING where the fish ARE AT. 

It's a bummer you guys down south have to deal with so much of that kind of crap.  Not too many places up here in Sonoma you don't feel comfortable leaving your rig. 

At least the water finally cleared.  Another week of warm weather and the lake is gonna blow up.  The water level is a bummer though.  Mendo is low too.

I have my battery in the rear hatch, i use a carved out gear bucket to store it in.  I'm sure this thing is a response from Hobie because I'm sure most people do the carved out bucket method.  I like the clean factory look.  I hit a rock and jacked up my Mirage Drive the other day and bent the rods, so I'm headed to Sunrise Mtn Sports in Livermore today.  I'll ask them about the new parts.

I hit a submerged log in the Russian river one time and bent the leading mirage drive mast.  You can straighten them out if you have a bench vise and a big pair of channel locks.  If nothing else, you can get them pretty straight and save them for spares. 

When I am freshwater meat hunting I generally target panfish, which I prefer to bass taste wise.  Of course bait fishing for redear and other panfish you will occasionally gut hook a large mouth (I pinch my barbs down) However if I hook a bleeder I will keep it so it doesn't go to waste.  Not my favorite.  They don't taste anything like a striper unfortunately.  They are plenty edible, and not "bad" at all, just not my favorite. 

LOL!! 

Seriously though... what a crap way to go out. 

That has to rank up there with Steve Irwin getting a stingray barb to the heart.  What are the odds of it hitting an artery?