Mendo On My "old ride" 4-12-08

         HOLY TOLEDO made the call to fish Lake Mendo this morning and I went along. My rump has been in the saddle a little too much lately so I decided to mix it up a bit and take the old ride out to see if a different platform would sooth the ills. We arrived at the North ramp to find a contingent of NCKA'ers already geared up and ready to go. Welcomes were made all around and with that everyone paddled off to enjoy what turned out to be a very hot day on the water.
         Patrick and I headed across the cove and worked the opposite bank trolling minnows. At one point a small bass came flying out of the water and three feet up onto the bank flopping around and ended up back in the water still jumping and carrying on. I sensed something was up so I slow trolled my minnow past the spot and bam...an eighteen inch LMB was C&R'd.
         Continuing up the channel I met up with Sean and Paige (still smiling ear to ear) and was told of her striper encounter. Trolling two rods I worked the north side of the channel and minutes later it was fish on.......wait make that two fish on.  The crafty linesides did their best to work as a team but to no avail, as both of them ended up in the same net. Working quickly the fish were un hooked  and dumped in my lap to see which one might be larger. One of them was about one-half inch smaller than the other so it was released and the other stuck around for a little photo shoot before it rejoined the other. I put the call out on the radio but only Patrick responded and he too got in on the action.
          About and hour later I was working a steep bank and my pole does a tiny twitch and then all heck broke loose. I did not see the fish for a minute or two.......but when it came into view I yelled out to Patrick "it's a smallie" so this fish joined the other images on my camera and was set free as well.
          A little while later we joined up with Hydrospider and he and Patrick took off while I went to go find some shade as my sunblock had started to fail me. Another beautiful day on the water with family and friends.
         

Nice job.  But when I said yesterday (after your halibut report) that all you needed to do was hit up Mendo for a smallie and a striper, I didn't mean you had to do it the very next day.   I bet you can't wait for rockfish season.

Brian

We'd better get more species involved so you guys don't get bored!

Way to go   

Wow... I'm in awe of Allen.  He's racking up AOTY points in record time.  Last year, I was solo in getting all 10 species.  I KNOW that won't be the case this year.  Allen could have all of his ten fish by first week in May, then he can leisurely upgrade the rest of year.

Allen, CONGRATS AGAIN!!!!

 You have to love it when a good day comes out of nowhere when you need one the most.
The trip came together the night before and it was my job to stop off at the recruitment center.
I had to stuff 36 agents into a bucket and then race from lakeport to mendo for new water. A few were looking ill but recovered quickly after the refill.  I was really hoping for a solid smallmouth and nabbed a victim early but it left me still in desperate need of an upgrade. Sometimes its just nice to see some points up there. After everyone else left the water it was just HolyT and I and we decided to blast off from the east fork inlet to barn cove. We got over there and found Juan and lurkerCraig in a jet boat working the same area. Caught a few largemouth but didnt get a bigger smallie,  yet. Another great day with the NCKA and friends on the water.

Oh yes, on the drift back I did manage to get a nice picture of my feet and another of my chins.

WOW Terry, what were the dimensions on that hog?  It has to top your 28.5", no?

Michael

Yep it was an upgrade for me. Called it 30.5
the fish was released unHarmed. (thanks for the spell check D.)

Hydro, glad to see you released without any weapons I would hate to get runt up on...

Wow, great looking fish, last years were so skinny.

DUDE(S)!  Allen~ you are already in the four-digit club and still more to CLUB!   Great report and well pic'd......you guys know how to DO IT UP!

Terry~ You SPIDER!   what a day..and what a FISH! 
          i remember when you were still a Mendo Striper Virgin.
          ..yourUPtoHOOCHIEstatusNOW!

Thanks for the COMBO report!......i sure hope it OPENS UP WIDE in the next few weeks!     
         

          i remember when you were still a Mendo Striper Virgin.
               

mother mendo sure took her sweet time before showing me any love.
all those times I got taken to striper school by the NCKA may be helping.