Jackpot at Lake Mendo 10/8

Gidday Gang!

                    What a blast!!!!! Vic and I decided to head out to Lake Mendo with the kids on Sunday - hoping for some Striper action.  With at least a 3hr drive ahead of us we got a very early start(3.00am) . The kids were loaded into the truck still in pj's and sleeping bags.

Arrival at the lake 7.30am - unpack the yaks - Vic off to buy minnows and we are on the water trolling live ones by 8.30am.  It did not take long before I hooked into a striper.  Catch and Release and keep paddling.  Water is quiet - no boils.  All of a sudden Jordynn's rod starts screaming and she yells " Mom I have somethin!!!!! "  Oh yes she has something alright - her little cobra yak is being towed and her reel is screaming .  20 minutes and she is still fighting  - I paddle close to her to lend a hand and some advise when my minnow gets hit hard.  Haul in a nice bass and then its back to helping Jordynn.  She cannot gain any line on the fish and after a mighty effort, her 8lb line cannot hold out anymore and the line snaps

Vic and Rayne on the other hand have come up empty handed.  11.30am - we break for lunch and I use this time to convince Vic to stay for the afternoon fishing.  We head out for more minnows and by 4.00pm we hit the water.  By this time we are not alone, Juan and a friend have joined us.  Juan tells me that the stripers have been boiling on the previous afternoons.  I am thrilled that we have stayed.  Juan, friend, Vic and Jordynn head out to the opposite side of the lake where the stripers were feeding the day before.  I opt for the side that we had hooked fish the morning.

All of a sudden all my world becomes a happy place .  Right in front of me the lake errupts.  Stripers on the boil - first time I get to witness the event let alone get to fish in one.  I frantically start calling on the radio for the guys to join me when I my reel starts screaming.  "Fish on"  I yell into the radio.  The fight is on and the fish is winning.  I gaiin a little line and it takes back more. By this time Vic, the kids and Juan have spotted the action and are paddling like crazy to get to the boil.  15 minutes and I am still on the same fish - when all of the sudden it turns and runs straight at the yak - I am caught napping  and I reel in as fast as possible.  I get the line taught and it turns and makes a hard run back down under the yak - I feel the shake and it is gone!!!!!   No time for remorse because behind me the water has turned into a washing machine - Stripers leaping out of the water, bait fish tailwalking to get away. 

We paddle to the boil and zing Vic and Rayne(fishing from the same kayak- x factor) hit a double.  Rayne's drag is not loose and snap goes his line - Vic loses his fish.  The hits are hard and fast - man this is fun!!!  In the meantime Jordynn spots another boil and sets off.  By now everyone fishing is getting hit. Rayne manages to boat his first striper with Dad looking on - I am being wet by the thrashing striper feeding all around me.  It is hookups for all.  Isn't life SWEET ?

With all of us in the thick of things - we have forgotten about Jordynn who had chased down her own fish about 10 yards away.  All of a sudden her rod goes BENDO - and screams of delight errupt from her.  Again the little yellow cobra is in for a sleigh ride.  This time she determined to stay with it. Vic and I are thankful that the fish is at least heading toward the car park - or we were going to be in for a long paddle home!

Another long battle and finally Jordynn is rewarded with a great Mendo Striper Vic helps her land it and with darkness fast approaching we leave Juan and friends still chasing the boils, and head for the ramp.

With adrenaline still pumping through her vanes - it is hard for us to keep up with Jordynn as she paddles for home

What a day!  What a place!  What fun!!!!!

Nice fish, good story and way to get the kids in on the action!

Very cool report!

Sounds like a blast.  I live in the wrong area....

MolBasser

Happy place indeed!!!!  What a great way to spend a day....in every way.  Thank you for sharing it.  I am all smiles reading your tale.

Great times with pics.to prove it! thanks for letting us know"thats how it should ALWAYS be!"

Elderay, it was good to meet you and Victor at the BAM 2. (I hope I spelled your name correctly). Great report and great fun I am sure. I hope to take my daughters up there in a year or two while they still think fishing is cool before they become teenagers.

MolBasser is right. We live in the wrong part of the state although many people drive twice that long just to go skiing which I don't find nearly as much fun as catching Stripers from a kayak  .

Fun time with the fam.  Great report!   

Waking up early... fishing hard... hooking up and losing multiple fish... finally landing some nice ones near sundown... AWESOME!  Those kids will always remember that day... bet they slept well that night too...

Great report... there's nothing like experiencing the thrill of a youngster laying into a big fish. 

Good work!

EK

very nice report guy's

Great pic's and report, I'm hoping to get up to Mendo after the 20th. Hope there still hitting.

Craigh

Awesome day! BTW that's a hog of a LM you got also!!

Z

Awesome!!!  I am soooo  glad it paid off.  Paige got pooped, so we had to head in, I was curious how you guys did...this is fantastic!

Wow, great report!!!

I'm camping up there next weekend, hope it keeps up.

Thanks for the kind words guys!  You bet those kids slept well last night, when I checked in on them, I could swear there were still smiles on their faces .  Hey Sean we were planning to stop by after fishing but as you could tell we got a little tied up .  Hope to catch you and Leah next time.  For all those planning on making the trip down to the lake - enjoy!

Cheers!

Great stuff!!!!