Windy day at Mendo...04-19-08

Well guys...

Melissa and I had some time to kill and thought that it would be a good idea to check out Mendo for the weekend before the CSBA tourney. So, we headed up and tried to put the hurt on some stripers. Instead, the hurt was put on us by the wind. We met a couple of newbies at the North ramp, Bob and I didn't get his friends name, then, Rory paddled up and later, we were joined by the Dynamic Duo, Otbepelagic and Holytoledo. When we launched, the winds were down and it was looking like a great day. About an hour later, a light breeze picked up... not too bad. Another hour goes by and it's getting worse... hour later, and I'm watching Melissa paddle as hard as she could and she's going backwards... Bye Byyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... hahahahaha I guess we've all been there before... Anyways, some really big gusts blew through and she took as much as she could. So, back the the barn we went. She's a trooper but I don't think she likes the wind too much. I would've taken some pictures but that would mean I had to stop paddling and get blown into the thistle bushes... not good. Man, Little Bo Peep lost a whole flock of sheep and they were running all over the lake big time. Crazy stuff... Oh, BTW... I guess you guys want a fishing report too... Well, we drove up by the light of a full moon. Not a good sign. A front was coming in and we had the BIG winds to show for that. The fish were there but, not that hungry. With that said, Melissa did her very best in those crappy conditions to boat a couple of hard fighting stripers and a LMB. I boated some typical Mendo sized stripers, LMB and a smallie kicker. I saw Rory paddle and paddle and paddle for nothing that I could see being caught. Way to put in the effort Rory. I hope you hooked up after we left. I know you knocked'em dead the day before. Patrick caught some fish too. On our way out, we passed him as he fought a nice sized smallie. Way to keep climbing on that board. And the story of the day... well, I guess I'll let Allen tell it but I must say this. I got a great laugh and kick out of watching him fight this fish... or should I say... FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH.

All in all... a pretty windy day on the lake. Fishing was sllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooow... hope it picks up in a couple of weeks and the winds die down.

Sorry again for the lack of pictures, I've never been a great photographer anyways. Hopefully, Allen and Rory will make up for my laziness here.

Tight lines,

Freddie

Freddie -

Way to stick with it in the wind and bag some decent fish. I was really glad I wasn't on the bay yesterday. On the downwind legs I was drifting at over 2 MPH. My wife hates paddling in the wind. Was thinking of getting her a Hobie. 

Scott

Brutally cold and windy up here yesterday too - a little thunderstorm rolled through, it hailed a bit, the sun came back out and I stepped out onto the back patio to see it was 39 degrees, and I live near sea-level!     I still wished I was on the water somewhere... 

Thanks for the report - I'm looking forward to hearing more about that FIIIIIISH...

 

Hey Freddie. Good to meet you and Melissa.
Yup, it was very "WINDY" but the fish were there and we had a great time  I was able to get some pics of you and the better half. Plus a nice looking fish you pulled in. So without further ado, here they are, Rory
P.S. the one shot that looks kinda dark, was the two of you after Melissa caught a fish. Can you beileve it, she caught that many fish in that short of a time. Tight Lines to you 

      Wind........Wind .......and then REALLY COLD WIND! Had a great weekend fishing and meeting up with others on the water, Melissa, Freddie, Angela, Kyle, Rory, Juan, and a couple of others Bob and his buddy, I don't think I got his name. If Bob PM's me, I will send pictures of the two of you on the water. 
      Lots of SMB's  but nothing over 16 3/4 for me. A few LMB's but nothing like the beasts we caught at Clear Lake. For me the stripers were the action with a few that bested my previous catches. Saturday afternoon I was slow trolling next to Melissa and Freddie when my minnow gets a tap.....tap.... so I wait a bit and real it in to discover most of it's scales were missing. Surprisingly the minnow had plenty of wiggle left so down it went for another round. Minutes later my pole doubled over and that's when I caught the "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish" that Freddie was referring to (36" +16 lbs). I raced to the bank to get a few photos prior to the release for some other lucky angler (preferably kayaker)  to re-experience.
     Sunday we continued to catch lots of smb, lmb. and stripers some of which were almost as big as Saturdays fish. The cold wind kept most of the anglers and pleasure boaters off the lake. We hope to meet everyone at CSBA in a couple of weeks.......see you there.

You're gonna be hard to beat, Allen!  Nice one!   

Nice job guys.  I've been there many times in that mendo spring wind and it is no fun.  But you guys caught some fish.  Congrats to otobepelagic.  I haven't yet had the pleasure to meet you, but when I do I might have to hurt you!  , Just kidding.  WTG over 1000 points and it's not even May.

Jim

Solid fish Allen, that is a Mendo trophy.

Even in the evil wind you guys and gals did great, the Dynamic Duo! LOL, good for "yall!

Thanks for the report.

Good job to all of you for working threw the wind and cold to catch some nice fish.




S.

Nice fish there, Allen. I'm curious about how far you had to paddle to shore with fish in hand and not flopping all over you?

The wind didn't seem to matter...you guys/gal were on them hard! 
SMB,LMB and Stripers?!..That's IT?!  must have been tough. Thanks for the port&pics.....love that place when the TOP Apex-Predators are hungry!

  Congrats to otobepelagic.  I haven't yet had the pleasure to meet you, but when I do I might have to hurt you!  , Just kidding. 
Jim

You take him high!, I'll take him low!....will he fit into his own hatch opening?

Solid fish Allen, that is a Mendo trophy.

No doubt! And good on you for the C&R.

Z

Sorry for my late post... 

Yeah, Freddie and I went to Mendo last weekend to scout the lake out.  It was soooo cold!!! I had to borrow Freddie's waders and layered the sweaters!  I caught my first striper in less than an hour out on the water.  Caught my second (and last) striper within 15 minutes of the last one.  It was all great until the wind picked up.  Oh, I hated it!  I was getting really frustrated.  I kept padding forward but I managed to end up behind where I started from.  I guess Freddie saw me struggling so he stopped fishing to paddle to me and tie my yak onto his. I had a free ride from there.  At least I managed to get a 29 3/4" striped bass while I was out there. 

Rory-
It was great meeting you.  Thanks for the pictures.  I'm glad someone had a camera out there.  All I had was my camera phone. Thanks!

Bob-
If you read this, can you email that picture you took of me and my striper?  Thanks so much!!! 

I look forward to seeing you guys at the tourney!  I hope the conditions will be much better then.  (I'll be camping there so it better be!!!)

It was soooo cold!!!

HEY! that's my line!

SweetDealeo' on the Stripers!  a little different than that Sturg' felt huh?
that wind is a nastything when your trying to paddle or fish and I hate it with a passion!

see you guys in a few! I'll bring MY tow-rope in case it's windy too!
FREDDIEcanHANDLEit!