Good Morning at the GOMH/Lost the Plot in the Evening in the Trophy

17.5" Chigger Craw breen

6:30-7:40AM GOMH SW
Conditions: 60-50 degrees, Mostly sunny, Calm

Didn't get a hit on the NE side.  I got this 12" on the LiveTarget Frog on the SW side.

12" LiveTarget Frog

I then got 3 jumpers on the Chigger Craw (17.5", 15.25, 12).  I decided not to fish out of the Trophy desite the fact it was dead calm.  Fish just didn't seem active this morning.

"Sunburn" Pad Chasers

The Booyah Pad Crashers I got on Ebay finally came in the mail today.  I tied one on the Tatula Rod.

6:00-8:30PM Trophy at the Lake PLace
Conditions: 60's, Mostly sunny, Light NW Wind.

I started by throwing the Pad Crasher off the dock for no bites.  I then got in the Trophy and got 3 bass (11, 9, 16.33) throwing the Yum Dinger around Sherman's dock.

11" Yum Dinger

16.33" Yum Dinger

Got some bites between Sherman's and Beaver Point Dock on the Dinger that didn't hook up and I also missed the first strike on the Pad Crasher.  I landed the second hit on the Pad Crasher in the rice on our side of the Beaver Point Dock.

14.5" Pad Crasher Sunburn

Four fish in the first hour of fishing, not bad.  I missed a hit on the Pad Crasher on the other side of Beaver Point out towards the lake.  I then followed through on my plan to fish out in the reeds.  There was some fish activity, but they just wouldn't hit the Crasher.  I did miss a couple of fish that halfheartedly went after it.  I should have stayed shallow.  I'm going to put a rattle in the Pad Crasher.

Two 14's In the Trophy Tonight

14.5" LiveTarget Frog

7:20-8:25PM Trophy at the Lake Place
Conditions: Mid to high 60's, Mostly sunny, Light NW wind turning calm

I started out fishing off the dock.  Had two eagles fly by, pretty cool.  Didn't get any bites so I headed out in the Trophy.  There were a couple of deer up the hill at Beaver Point Dock.  I got the bass in the picture just off the East end of the dock.  I had a fish strike hard at the LIveTarget Frog but not get it in the first opening to the SE of the point.  It was getting dark when I decided to throw the Yum Dinger in a smaller open area that pretty much goes up to shore.  Sure enough a 14" bass picked it up.  The skeeters got bad so I headed in.  I should have thrown the Dinger a little more.

Three 15"ers at GOMH This Morning

15.25" Yum Dinger

9:00-11:30AM GOMH NE SW, Jenny's, Dock at Lake Place
Conditions: 74-70 degrees, Wind out of the SW calming down by the time I stopped, Cloudy to mostly sunny, some sprinkles.

15.5" Yum Dinger

Due to thunderstorms and a short power outage I didn't get out when I wanted.  Tried a few baits with nothing, then I went to the Yum Dinger and caught 4 jumpers (15.25, 14, 15.5, 10).  Basically fish I would never have caught otherwise.  I cast to the far side of the tube then let it drift back.  Got the bites when it got to the near wall just letting it sit.  There was a parade of various side grass clumps going under the bridge.  I went to the SW side and had a fish miss the small Plopper.  I went back on the NE side and got a 15.5" on Mad Maxx.

I then went to Jenny's and had Mad Maxx get bit off by a pike.  I went to the lake place and had a small pike go airborne after the LiveTarget Frog.  The sun came out and I decided to leave rather than go out in the trophy and fish in the calm conditions.

3 Bass On Mad Maxx Tonight

17" Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

7:25-8:30PM Dock and in the Trophy
Conditions: 70's, Wind out of the E, Mostly sunny

Mmmm Mushrooms

Three deer were eating in the driveway when I arrived.  The one ran off as I drove up and stopped.  The other two went back to eating mushrooms as I grabbed the camera.

I started out fishing off the dock.  The East wind was a little annoying and caused me to not get the greatest hook set on the first blow up I had.  It was a good fish that buried me in the rice and got off.  I then got this one casting towards Sherman's.

14.1 " Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

Next I got in the Trophy and headed East.  I should have headed EAst out deeper then drifted back with the wind.  I eventually got in front of Jenny's neighbors.  I cast back to the SE in the slop with a couple of holes and had a pike attack Max when I got to a hole.  It buried Max in the junk.  It was now getting dark and I took the boat farther South closer to the big open holes.  I got this fish in the rice to the North of a big hole.

16.75" Mad Maxx

And I got the 17er in the slop casting to the South.  The skeeters drove me off.

4 Hours Only 3 Bass, But They Were Pretty Good One's

17.75" Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

Choked It!

6:45-10:45AM Trophy at the Lake Place
Conditions: 64-60 degrees, SE Wind, Cloudy to Mostly Cloudy, Some light rain and drizzle

Because it's Saturday I decided not to hit the GOMH.  I got out about half an hour later than I wanted to.  I started out drifting to the West.  I caught the first fish casting Maxx towards Jim's direction.

15.33" Mad Maxx

I didn't get another hit until I was past Beaver Point fishing the rice.

16.5" Mad Maxx

Same Fish

I saw a fish movement out by where I got the big one last night.  It didn't go for Maxx, so I casted in the Slither Rig.  The fish nailed it.  I crossed it's eye's and it cut my 65lb braid.  I had just taken off the wire leader because I wasn't getting any bites, figures.  I tied on the Hack Attack Jig with a Chigger Craw.  I cast out into the reeds and pads and had a good fish porpoise, but not get the frog.  It didn't go for the jig unfortunately.  I got the 17 incher about 5 minutes casting in the other direction.  It was a fish that didn't get it the first time, but hit it again.  It started to rain harder and I didn't get a bite the last two and a half hours. The rain stopped and the sun made an appearance.  Fish were still making there presence known both near and far.  They just didn't want Maxx or the jig.  I will bring Senko's with from now on.

Good One Out of the Trophy Tonight

18.75" Sweet Revenge

7:30-8:30PM Trophy at the Lake Place Beaver Point Area
Conditions: High 60's, Partly cloudy, calm

Had a couple of what I'm guessing were small pike swirl on Maxx; One in front and one by Beaver Point Dock.  I got on the other side of Beaver Point and had this fish hit me.

15.25" Mad Maxx

Fish came just a bit above center as I was getting to the pads

 I moved into where the rice started there on the left.  I was casting out toward the lake near an unusual object when the big one blew up on me but I think I set the hook to soon.  Luckily it hit me again and I stuck her.

18.75" Mad Maxx

I caught one last 14" bass on Maxx in an open area back in the rice.

Got A Few At the GOMH This MOrning

Arrived a little before sunrise

6:30-8:15AM GOMH NE SW, Culvert, Inlet
Conditions: 65-58 degrees, Mostly Sunny, Wind out of the SW

A deer and her two fawns were thinking of crossing the bridge when I arrived this morning.  Me parking changed her mind.  I got 3 jumpers this morning 1 on the NE and 2 on the SW.

10" Monsoor Swim Jig w/Swim Fluke Jr

This fish was way up under the bridge.  On the SW side I got a 12" on the small Whopper Plopper that hit a couple times before getting it over the rocks.  Last jumper was on the Chigger Craw.

13" Crazy Legs Chigger Craw

I also fished the Culvert and INlet without a hit.

Good Morning And Pulling the Dock Up

20" ZHT

6:30-8:00AM GOMH NE, Culvert, Inlet
Conditions: 64-54 degrees, Mostly Sunny, Wind out of the S

I arrived at the GOMH about 5 minutes after sunrise.  A fish lightly tapped the Whopper Plopper.  I had an OK sized hard fighter throw the Chigger Craw back at me as I got it to the rocks.  I then caught two small jumpers.  I got the Chigger Craw stuck on a rock.  I went up on the bridge and got it unstuck then stuck a 14.5" jumper while vertical jigging off of the bridge.  I didn't think to take a picture of a jumper.

I went to the Culvert and had the pike wake to Horny Toad and take it when I paused it.  I also got a pike at the access at the Inlet.

In the afternoon we pulled the dock in about 10 feet and got it out of the water.

While we were doing that a couple of times something got tagged off to the West.  I couldn't get a bite.  Was unable to fish at Jenny's due to the deer fly's.  I went to the GOMH and punched the rice mats that floated in.  Didn't get a bite.

Platte Lake Tonight in the Trophy

16" Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

7:35-8:45PM Lake Place out of the Trophy
Conditions: Mid 60's, Calm, Mostly sunny

I should have gotten out earlier.  Conditions were excellent and the fish were snapping.  I got the first one next to Sherman's dock just out of view to the right.  Didn't even have the trolling motor in the water yet.  I had a nice bass jump over the frog 8 feet in front of me at Beaver Point.  I then had another fish miss the frog, think it was a pike.  I got a 13.75" out of standing rice on Maxx.  That was my last bite.  Felt very Sept like today.  

Rabbit Lakes Snatcher Tournament

17.33" Craw Tube Grn pumpkin/brown

7:45AM-3:55PM
Conditons: 65-59 degrees, Cloudy to mostly cloudy, Windy to very windy N, Light to heavy rain

Pre-tournament thoughts:  Rabbit Lake has always given me fish and my boater Dennis' confidence had me pretty confident I would get a limit.  Turned out getting there was more difficult than we thought.

The Day:
The last two boats waited until 7:30 to put in, which annoyed Dennis and me as well.  Conditions were perfect and we easily could have been fishing by 7:30, but as it was we blasted off at about 7:45.  We went straight to one of Guy's spots with Dwight right behind us.  We fished it for about 20 minutes and didn't get anything.  Dwight caught a nice one, but we didn't see it.

Next we went to a spot that was protected from the wind where Dennis got some good fish pre-fishing.  I put on the small Plopper and immediately had a 11.75" bass on.  I think Dennis first fish was a pike. He then got a couple small keepers.  I had a couple fish not get the Plopper, unfortunately all I have is the one color.

Next we  headed to the wood and Dennis got a little better keeper, but that was it.  We got to the spot where I got my best fish in pre-fish and I got an even bigger one (17.66) on a Lake Fork Craw Tube.  Unfortunately that was all we got.  We followed the road out and I got a 15.33" by where I got one in pre-fish.  I also got a pike on the Craw Tube as well and Dennis got a walleye.

I think we then went to the island and didn't get anything there.  We went back to our starting spot and Dennis got a quality fish that came off just as I got the net under it.  Dennis was quite thankful.  We spent quite a while there and Dennis got one more keeper.  I just couldn't buy a bite there except a pike that bit me off.

We left to go to the numbers spot.  Dennis forgot to put the trolling motor up and we got drenched.  We had a good laugh.  I missed a hit right away on the Craw tube and Dennis had a fish on pretty quickly as well.  I think it might have been a pike.  Dennis got a keeper and then he got his big fish.  I got bit off.  I started throwing a white spinnerbait and got a pike. Then I got a 14" and 12.75" pretty quickly as we worked back over the area.  I think Dennis got a couple more keepers and missed some bites as well getting a nice walleye.

We went back to the island and I got a big dogfish.  It put up a great fight.  Unfortunately my attempt at a selfie with it failed.

Dennis got himself a cull.  A rain storm was moving in on us, so we went to our second spot.  I missed a fish on the Craw Tube right away.  Then it started raining.  I had a bass hit the Craw Tube as I was reeling it back to the boat and I landed it (14").  It started pouring.  Dennis missed a few more bites. We got out in the wind and I cast out the Craw Tube and had an over run.  When I picked the bait back up I thought I felt a fish, so I set the hook.  My line cracked as my line broke just above the rod.

We headed back to where Dennis got his big fish.  I got a nice pike on the black blue Piranha and I got a dink on the jerk shad that was only a couple inches longer than the bait.  We got up by the pads and I got 15.5" on the white spinnerbait; the fish really thumped it.  I got my limit with about 2 hours left

We went back to our starting spot and I discovered I didn't have enough line to fish on the craw tube rod.  We didn't get anything.  We went back and tried to expand on our numbers spot, but came up empty.  We finished expanding on our second spot.  Dennis had a fish that would have culled get off just before I could reach it.  My last hit didn't get the spinnerbait and the day was over.

Results:
My limit weighed 11lbs 4ozs and put me in 12th Place out of a field of 16.  Dennis was one more big fish short of contending for the win.  His 15/11 put him in 5th Place.  Dwight "Hammer" Hammermeister took his very first Bass Snatcher victory with a 16/8 limit.  Paul Ruff had a 4lb 3oz smallmouth that took Lunker.

My Thoughts:
I wish I could have gotten rid of the 12 incher.  I would have moved up 1 spot for sure and possibly 2.  I tried a number of lures that came up empty: Super Fluke, Swim Jig, Rattlin' Rap, Baby Minus One, Fat Free Shad, Chigger Craw, Jig and Chigger Craw, KVD Sexy Dog, and RI Vixen.  For whatever reason I just cannot get in sync with the fish, it's frustrating.  I should have been able to catch more than 6 keepers.

Next tournament is at Whitefish Chain on Sept. 24th.

Skunked

7:15-8:15PM
Just a quick shore trip to the Lake Place, Jenny's and the Grumpy Old Man Hole.  Didn't get a bite.

The water level was possibly down just a little bit from yesterday.

On the Slow Side This Morning, But I Got a Dog on a Frog

18.5" Mad Maxx

Just as I arrived at the GOMH 

6:25-9:25AM GOMH & Trophy at the Lake PLace
Conditions: 74-60 degrees, Humid, Calm, Mostly sunny

I arrived at the GOMH just as a boat was going under the bridge and the sun was rising.  Didn't get a hit on the NE side and had a toothy miss Sweet Revenge on the SW side.

15.66" Maxx

Next I headed to the lake place and took out the Trophy.  The bass hit Maxx in open water right out front.  I tried to duplicate the pattern heading West.  That was a waste of time.  Next I headed to the Beaver Point.  I got the dogfish in some rice and pads.

I made a cast into some tall semi thick rice.  A fish that sounded like a monster by the way it hit missed the frog.  It didn't hit again.  Fish were definitely in the area, but didn't want Maxx, a craw tube, or Horny Toad.  It was getting too warm so I headed back and put the battery on the charger.  And that was my morning.

Evening Misses
7:15-8:30PM Trophy Lake PLace
Conditions: 74 degrees, Cloudy, W wind, Humid

I decided to head out East of Jenny's and got a good fish right away.

16.5" Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

Nothing after that so I started heading towards Jenny's.  I got distracted by a fish hitting something and a fis sucked my frog in.  I didn't get a good hookset.  I made a cast along Jenny's West neighbors boat line and missed another one.  I think I missed another one on the West side of the boat lane, then caught an 18" pike. I got to where I got them last night and got a 17 incher.

17" Sweet Revenge

 I missed two solid hits in the same spot.  I headed in about 15 minutes early to only find out Teddy wasn't going to play.  The Vikes looked good and beat Seattle anyway.

Eventually Got Into 'Em Tonight

19" Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

7:30-8:45PM
Conditions: Mid 70's, Mostly Sunny, Calm

After taking a few casts out front, I ran across the reed point over to the entrance to Jenny's neighbors.  Did get anything as I worked my way down.  Got a pike in front of Jenny's.  At about 8:25 I started heading back.

Big one came from the left of center.

I was just on the other side of the boat lane when the toad hit.  It's mouth and shoulders had me thinking 20 incher, but it only went 19".  The fish made my night.

I made a cast to the far side of the open area on my left and got a 14".  I then fished around not getting anything for about 5 minutes. It was getting dark and skeeters were coming out.  I made a cast into the open area to my left and about half way across it a 17" smacked me.

17" Maxx

The mosquito's were getting bad and I was just about to head in when I caught a fat 17.75" that also smacked it hard.

17.75" Maxx

 I had the other camera with me on the selfie stick, but the Canon is so much easier to use for taking pictures and retrieving them.

Morning & Evening Trips

15" Piranha 

6:15-7:45AM GOMH NE, Culvert, Inlet
Conditions: 68-64 degrees, Partly cloudy, Light NW wind

I decided not to fish out of the Trophy this morning.  I got 2 jumpers on the NE side of the Grumpy Old Man Hole.

17" Craw Tube Pump/Red Flk

Didn't get a hit at the culvert.  At the Inlet I missed two hits on the Horny Toad.  I wasn't ready for the first one to the right of the access about 8 feet out.  I was ready for the second one out of the reeds but still pooched the hook set.

7:45-8:40PM Lake Place, Jenny's, GOMH NE
Conditions: 70 degrees, Calm, Partly Cloudy

I went to get the charger so I could charge Pete's batteries.  I decided to throw a few casts.  I cast across the dock towards Sherman's when a fish smoked Mad Maxx.  I had to jump into the Trophy to land it.

15.75" Mad Maxx Sweet Revenge

I then went to Jenny's and got this toad on Maxx.

18" Sweet Revenge

I also had another fish hit me twice but not get it at Jenny's.  I then went to the GOMH.  Put the first cast with the Whopper Plopper 90 against the wall on the NW side and a jumper was on it the second it hit the water.

14.5" Whopper Plopper 90 bluegill

That was my first hit on the small Plopper.  Unfortunately the camera was not wanting to give me color.  That was the only hit I got.  The skeeters got really bad when it started getting dark.