Mendo, 9/19, solo trip (kind of)

Got to Mendo about 630 or so and conditions looked promising.  Greebes everywhere, pretty well defined bait balls in the top 20 feet of water in front of the now closed south ramp.  I can only say i saw for sure one boil, and some questionable type that were probabaly birds diving.  Spent some time around the birds for nothing.  I was sure the surface was going to erupt at any moment, but it was not to be.  Most of the bait balls did not appear to have fish marks under or around them.  The one exception was the photo of the graph below.  These were some nice marks just after a rather large and tight bait ball went by on the screen.  The wind blew me off the spot and as I was snapping the photo of the graph, the cord from the camera snagged my spoon..... , so I didn't get to drop anythign on them.  Other than that, it would appear that things were just getting ready to explode, maybe over the weekend.......

After not finding any feeding frenzies, I paddled over by the dam, around the tower and saw just a few marks.  With the water so low, the usual bait and fish were not concentrated in the normal dam area places.  I got one fish behind the tower on the drop, using a kastmaster.  He was a little guy, just about 22 inches and 4 pounds.  I released him and could not locate any others in the area.  Went over to the south shore to fish for smallies and got one nice bite on a big jig, but had my head turned as a fish (or bird) made a splash and i missed it.  About then the rain started coming and it looked worse toward the West, so I headed in.  Just in time getting back to the car to really get dumped on as I loaded my gear. 

I got on this morning to post this and found that I had been seen by the local neighborhood stiper patrol who posted before me looking for a report.  They even had the make and model of car and the color of my kayak!!  I was thinking on the way home how nice it was at the lake with no launch ramps open and the feeling of being alone was a nice change......so much for my spidey sense....

You guys could have hailed me on 69, at least to say hello......   Good luck this weekend, it sure looks ready to bust open........I am off next week and can head up if anyone is going.  Later,

Norm

Big Brother is watching, Norm.  Nice report, too bad you didn't hook up more.  See you sunday for diving.
Dave

Thanks for the PresureReport.....Rain?...like water falling from the sky?   
I love to see those marks below me......BAMIV here I come!

I did a solo trip yesterday and the weather was "GREAT" I glassed out the area before I got there, to make sure nobody was watching.  I too also marked a lot of bait balls, but could not get anything to bite. I was even using the local favorite!!! Most of the fish I seen were in line with the bouy's at about 40 feet of water going south from the ramp. The only thing I did have a trouble with was three ski boats and four jet ski's. How the heck they launched the big boats, I don't know. I did see trailer tracks leading to the water. If they keep going they will loose the whole thing in the lake. It drop's off pretty fast right there, so it will be pretty soon that they will not be able to launch because of the cliff that is coming up. And that is my 2 cents worth. 

hey, Norm - thanks for the good report!

Lawrence