Ice Bassin 2006

I headed out this afternoon about 2PM to try and catch some bass. Lo & Behold I actually caught 3. I was fishing almost right out front of our place.

I got this first one on a Fat boy and maggots. I saw him come in on the camera and take it. Up to that point I'd been seeing and catching numerous medium to small sunfish and little Perch.
This next Bass hit on a small red Angel Eye with a red plastic attractor. Both this and the first fish were about a pound. Caught over bear bottom in about 10feet. When this one came in I first thought it was a bigger sunfish.

This last bass, both pictures, was about 2lbs and also hit on the Angel Eye. I had moved in a little shallower and saw a mark come in and hang there, I let the spoon sit and sure enough it was my third bass.

A little later I got a small pike.

I went out after Crappies on Sullivan at Dark, caught 1 8"er and missed another bite and that was it.

I need to do something about getting another camera, obviously.

BP's 2005 Fishing Goals Review:

Crappie:
1. Catch 14inch or bigger Nope
2. Find the Crappies this spring on Platte Nope but I did do pretty good at the Grumpy Old Man Hole.

Dogfish:

1. Repeat as MN Bowfin Grand Champion Nope
2. Catch a State Record Doggy (Current Record 10lb15oz 32"/15"- 31"/14.5") Nope by biggest doggy was caught at Mille Lacs and was only around 5lbs.

Walleye:
1. Catch a 30inch fish. Nope, but I had a hot and cold Fall Trolling season, once again catching an 8lb, 27.5" fish.

Pike:
1. Win or place in the money in Hillman Lions Platte Lake Pike Tournament (August) YES! I think it was 4th or 5th place. I got the big fish and Mike Davis got the numbers. We won all of $25 or $50 dollars

Bass:

1. Catch a 21plus inch or 7lb Largemouth Yes! on the 21 incher. My last big bass of the season.
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth Nope, I did get 2x19.5"
3. Catch 40 Bass@ or over 19inches or 4lbs. Not even close, my total was 29 which was 3 better than 2004.
4. Catch 50 Smallmouth. Yes! I managed to land 52 total smallies.

Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe) Nope, my best finish was 2nd at the Guy/Gal w/ Partner Erin Sutter-Maas. Beyond that I had 5th place showings at Koronis and Horseshoe #2.
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times Nope, my best fish was a 4lb Smallie at Koronis.
3. Place in the Money 7 times Nope, not even close, in the money once and that was unexpected.
4. Never Finish below 10th place Nope, I had dismal finishes as Bone, N/S Center, Platte/Sullivan, and the TOC.
5. Limit every tournament Nope, that went out the window at Bone.
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish Nope, but close at 2.17.

New Lakes to Fish for Bass:
Lobster (Team Bass) Yes. This a tournament I let slip through my fingers. Liked the Lake.
Sauk (Team Bass) Yes. I like the lake even though it kicked my butt in TOC day #1.
Bordon Nope!
Erskine Yes, not impressed.
Camp Nope
South Long Nope, only from shore.

Fishers of Men Ice 1

Today I went out fishing with a group of guys from the Fishers of Men Fishing Club (Twin Cities) . In the most recent newsletter, I wrote an article proposing that we get out fishing more as a club and so we went fishing. It was a modest turn out of 7 guys and 1 daughter on this cold February morning. Cold mornings like this one, below or at zero, have been a rare thing in Minnesocold this winter.

We met at Eddy's on Mille Lac's at 8AM where I found out we would be fishing in an Eddy's House with, Launch Captain and Pastor of Onamia Alliance Church, David ________ I forget his last name. Maybe I'll have pictures later. The fishing was slow with only a few medium sized perch brought up. Frankly I didn't care, I was just glad to be in a warm fish house and to monkey around with my underwater camera. We had the house till noon.

At noon the group split up with myself, Tom Goodrich, Tom Hayes, Mike & Abby Cummins going to Platte Lake to try for Pike and Panfish. Although cold the sun made fishing bearable. In the afternoon, we managed to get 4 Pike, 1 decent Crappie and a couple little one's, and the same with sunfish. At one point I was jigging for two pike on the Aqua View, but I got neither. I also spent some of the time riding around the lake on Mike's snowmobile. Overall Goodrich went home with a mess of fish and I unloaded two slabs that had frozen solid in the cold weather we've been having.

Over all Fun Day!