Lake Sonoma 4/6

I was just gonna add this to the other LS thread goin', but thanks to the wind today I never made it up the lake to see if any campers were around.

Right after launching this morning the wind started kickin' up pretty good.  I stuck to exploring the coves, leapfrogging from one to the next.  Sometimes even they could not protect me from the frustrating gusts that made covering water tough.

I threw jigs, senkos, jerkbaits, and crankbaits all day long with no success.  Finally, I decided to succumb to the wind and let it push me back to the ramp while dragging a brush hog (a la scwafish).  It was tricky with the wind at my back trying to maintain a speed that would allow the bait to stay in contact with the bottom, but not impossible. 

On the way back, I managed to catch three smallmouth.  The first one was tiny, and I only thought to measure it after it had been released.  The second one was about the same size as the first.

And the third was a small upgrade.


They were a bit smaller than the fish I was dreaming I'd catch last night, but wha'eva.  It was my first time trying to catch smallmouth and I managed to get three.  Fine with me!

Thats how to get it done bro!...TARGET!  you went for Smallie?, you got smallie!
on the HAILMARY DRIFT!  another classic MOMENT in MADNESS!
....a special feeling, when never doing and then succeeding!


just how it went for me up there...LAST YEAR!    we were up by camp til noon and left at 1;30.  Ben and Frank stayed longer.  wind was not bad in the coves.   

 

Nice fishing with you Nate say Hi next time That was me in the Mango X.
Thought that kayak looked familiar did you say it was windy.

Good job Nate. A bit of info try a Carolina rig when you drift to fast. You can get a way with a bigger weight an ounce or more if you want and if you want to keep the weights physical size small use tungston.

Victims worth points! AND the draggin hog technique strikes again.
way to go Nate. It seems to be challenging times to catch fish in the 707 right now.
alot of inconsistant weather seems to be keeping things in flux and the wind goes without saying.
Soda bay was breaking yesterday.

Good job there buddy.  Where da sturgeon now? 

Nice fishing with you Nate say Hi next time

Ha!  I thought that might've been you, but the kayak threw me off.  When I came around the corner and you were on shore I almost cruised by to confirm, then decided against it incase you went ashore for some "alone" time

By the way, thanks again for the bar sink stopper.  The difference between my new shrimp pump and my old one is like night and day!

Where da sturgeon now?

Sturgeon.  Meh.  I hate that fish.

the draggin hog technique strikes again.
 It seems to be challenging times to catch fish in the 707 right now.
alot of inconsistant weather seems to be keeping things in flux and the wind goes without saying.
Soda bay was breaking yesterday.

I'm gonna be DH'ing from now on! at EVERY lake and body of water i hunt!
I've been dragginCrawJig around w/o success....the creature will be drudged!

Nice fish and report. The fishing at lake Sonoma has been tough the last couple of weeks, good job on the Smallies.