NCKA invades Mendo 6/17

We hit the lake at 0530.  We were not alone!  Dustin and Bob were there, Andy and Dan were there, Erik was there, and my neighbor and his dad were there...sweet!  I found a monster school of bait in just seconds and I had enough bait for the whole world.  Everyone else had an ez time as well.

As soon as we hit the zone they were up and going at it AGAIN!  Will this bite ever stop?  Pretty early I look over and see that Erik is on.  He had come up to pick up his second gen Marauder (since his first one was a chronic leaker  ).  He took the skunk off his new boat right AWAY!  Kunz is a fishy dude...



Local Mendo master Andy Cash fished the outside and he was next with a nice 6 pounder on the troll.  His first on bait...



We played cat and mouse for a while after that.  Me and Rockhopper were closing in on a boil when it shut down.  I looked to the left and saw bait on the run.  I switched directions and ended up in the jungle.  I was stoked because I was trying to get my daughter Paige her first "big" fish, she was ready to graduate from bluegill and bobbers.  A few seconds later her rod got slammed and she was getting a work out.  Its always a gas to see a little kid with a strong fish.  She was REAL usure about the 0445 wake up and wetsuit, but another junkie was born today,  Paige with her first striper...



We continued to work the area and a while later I had a weird take down.  After getting our gear sorted out I could tellit wasn't a striper, but it was frisky.  Got it to color and it was a nice fat 16.5 inch smallie.  I have been looking to fill that category...woohoo!  Paige can even take good pics!



We were all riding a good buzz when Jelly came over and told me that Dan's (mahimahi) new boat was taking on water.  We paddled over and it was indeed leaking like crazy.  I felt cursed. Out of all of the boats we have sold we have only had 3 that leaked.  2 of the 3 were in one place today!    Everyone was very cool about the situation, but it really bumms me out.  I trailered up Dans boat for the ride back.   Still a great day, but a little bittersweet.

BTW-after all of the times it was just me and jelly and maybe another yak or two, its so cool to see a whole yak flotilla out there on a "regular" day.  We actually managed to dominate the lake enough that the annoying house boat from hades left.  I love  NCKA!

NIce job, looks like a lot of fun.  The fish looks almost as big as Paige...

Almost...



I was also able to find Mahi's leak...simple. The seat plug wasn't sealed...an EZ fix.  Today is good again!

Hey Sean, fellow 'yakers, I saw you guys out there this morning. I was in the North River jetboat. What a flotilla!
We ended up in front of Barn's Cove, lots of BIG boils, caught them on many types of lures, (Zooms still rule!). I even tried a buzzbait, to no avail. There's always tomorrow...
Nice smallie too! Good pic.
The bass were biting later in the channel. Saw shad everywhere but I don't know 'bout the stripers in the channel.
Fish on!

I love Mendo! Good job guys.  I can't wait to get back.

Jason

Juan- I 'm a Zoom devotee thanks to you!  That was a nice North River, those are sweet boats.

 
cool picture of the small mouth bass!

Go Paige! 

There was a LOT of MANGO Yaks out today...  Glad to see you got Dan's Lime Wedge back up to snuff.  He was lookin a bit misty eyed.

BTW, When I was cleaning my Striper, I counted 6 shad.. BIG ones, and a crawdad!  So does that mean I caught 7 fish today, not counting the shad I stuck in my mouth to freak out Paige?

Nice fish guys. Sean I think you have been holding out on the smallies last 2 fish 18" and 16.5" nice job.

Mike-After todays smallie I can see why you enjoy them so much...he was a nut.  The fish even cleared the water a few times, very fun to catch.

Andy- Definitely a lot o mango out there!  Paige's fish was also stuffed with shad.

Dude,

That smallie is a TOAD!

WTG!!

Love the pics of your daughter and her fish.

MolBasser

Too bad I got skunked today.  At least my yak was a quick fix.

Is it ready for pick-up? Call me if it is, or I may just slide by on the way to help out Darren with his fresh keg of Sierra Nevada.

CHEERS!