Cranker In 2008

BAM- Due to a late-day trip to Brainerd (see "Bummer"), I did not get out fishing at the GOMH until slightly after 8PM. I believe the sun had set by then, and it was just starting to get dark when I arrived. The current was running into Sullivan at a good clip. There was open water as far as the eye could see on the Platte Lake side. At first, I ran the Pink Panther and got nothing. I then switched to a glow Cubby Mini-Mite under a small Wing-It Bobber. The bobber is small and kind of hard to see. I may decide to upgrade the bobber size at some point. I was giving it the old "Thompson Shake" on the second or third cast, and I thought I saw the bobber go under, so I set the hook, but nothing was there. I fished the glow Cubby for probably another 15 minutes without any action. Then one time, when I was bringing it through the bullhead sweet spot, the bobber went down, and I hooked into a hawg. It started pulling drag, and I knew it was no silver bullhead. It didn't take long before it showed itself to be a famous GOMH "Jumpin' Bullhead." It put up a solid fight and even swam under the bridge for a time. Once it got back on the Sullivan side, I was able to keep it out of the shoreline cattails and land it. It was between 18.5 and 19.25 inches and fat; I'll call it a 19". I unhooked the Cubby, which was firmly stuck in the upper lip, and released her ASAP. Unfortunately, no camera for pic's again tonight. I tried the Cubby again for a while, then I tried a new bait which I will call The Pink Panzer; it is a close relative of the Pink Panther. After a few casts with that, I thought I had a fish on for a moment, but then the lure came free. I am not sure if it was a fish, or maybe I just snagged the bottom, but my guess is that it was a fish. I tried the Panzer for about 15 minutes, then returned to the Cubby. It was getting dark by now, and I had difficulty spotting that little Wing-It. I didn't get any more action.