Mendo Saturday 11/11/06

I made it to the lake about 10:30 or so to find Joel and Marmite already out and about looking for linesides. 

A little before noon, mooch paddled over to me in front of crappie cove saying "Hey... Erik... you got your camera?" and pulls out a nice 30 inch striper.  Just after we get done with photo session number one, his rod goes off right there and he takes forever to land his second fish... a 31 incher that went 10 lbs (with one rock in the stomach, we'll let mooch explain that). 

After that, it was a long afternoon.  I had a few smallmouth type hits that didn't stick and finally landed a scrappy 17 inch smallmouth out by the island in front of crappie cove. 

Troll troll troll.... then comes Mickfish at about 2:00 or so... he paddles out into the area I had been trolling all day and hooks up a schoolie striper and as soon he lets that one go, his second rod goes off... something like a 29 incher or so.

I paddle over... troll... troll... troll... nothing.  Then my FF battery craps out. 

Mickfish gets his line back in and heads south along the shorline from crappie cove and wham... wham... double... one breaks off so  he manages to land the other one... and this one is a cow... 32" and 10 1/2 lbs (with no rocks in the stomach). 
 
By this time it's close to 4:00... I'm down to my last two minnows.  I put my line out and wham... a schoolie 19 incher.  Throw it back and keep going along the shoreline... few minutes later I see my rod tip bouncing... minnows going ballistic... then bendo... FINALLY... a nice 7 pounder in the boat after a fun prolonged battle with my 6# test noodly trout trolling rod.   No more minnows. 

I hightailed it back just as the sun was starting to set.

Nice day on the water though rather windy for most of it.  Lots of bait and fish outside of crappie cove in the 30 foot depth range.  No boils.

Marmite had a heck of a nice LMB when I last saw him... looked to be approx 4 pounds or so.

Here's some pics.  Mooch has more.

Nice job. Still waiting ti hear about the rock.You guys didn't get rained on?? Rained here all day long.

Nice fish Erik/Mooch!

Z

  

Not a drop of rain all day... sunny and clear and cool.  Was about the same in Santa Rosa... maybe a few more clouds but no rain except for early morning.

way to go guys making me jealous

chef aka Jade Pirate

Nice!         

      Mooch, you need to smile!  I hope you were warm last night. I woke up to frost in my back yard. I'd hate to have been in a tent at the lake.

CHEERS!

DOH!!!

I shoulda, coulda, woulda gone up there....argghhhhh

Glad you guys found em...nice fish!!!

Nice smallie Erik  Wow great trip Sunday was great also I hooked 6 stripers landed 5 two dinks one on a Kastmaster from the only boil we saw  one on a fast troll  3 others all Nice fish 2 at 28 "1 just under 30" all caught drifting or slow trolling. Ben landed 3 two pigs at 30" and 32" one smaller Doug landed a nice one also got another on Friday night. Mooch landed 1 looked about 28 and a nice largemouth also broke off a huge one from the boil. The weather was perfect little chilly but I think the stripers liked it water temp dropped 4 degrees over night. Most of the fish were in the top 15'. FAC most of the day started sprinkling as we loaded up the cars. Fishing was off the hook can't wait till Sunday. I'll post a few pictures after dinner. It was nice we were all fishing in the same area Mooch' private hole so there was a lot of joking around and laughter      Thanks Guys I needed that.

Sean thanks for the intel and letting us fish in your backyard, I will send you the #s on Moochs Private hole so you don't fish there by mistake it gave up at least 8 fish today.

Ben with a couple of pigs  Mooch, Doug coming in, Mooches Camera, and the road home

I made it Sunday at 8. It was going to be here or for crab/rf, I love the ocean, but swayed the way of the seasoned majority and stuck to the lake. Besides were running low on striper meat. And Im still a newbie, hasnt been a year yet.
Met the usual suspects, had a little MBFs going on ( Mooch can fill in the details...). Water tuned into glass. Fun, fun day.
Stopped at some friends in Healdsberg and got in a hot tub for a good hour soak, I envie anyone with a hot tub.

                                                                    ><(((*>   Ben

Holy mackerel!  Good thing Mooch's camera had a float on it!!

MolBasser

I just want to say, Mendo is pretty speacial this time o year! Got on the water around 9:30 this morning - kinda windy & grey - landed 3 of 4 hooked ( one from a quick boil ), by noon. All on live bait. One went 10-12bs. The water flattened out beautifully, real nice by mid-morning and the skies stayed grey all day, (which I like). Nice to meet a few more guys from this board, Guitarzan, Sailfish & Mooch, I already met Marmite. Thanks for the tip on the cove Mooch, I finally got one on the fly in there before it was time to go. A really great day on the water. Tom

well done! I basically 'slept' in this weekend, wife loves those rainy mornings!

J