Pre-Fishing With Mark

Mark with a quality fish

8:30AM-1PM Platte/Sullivan
Conditions: 54-76℉, Partly Cloudy, SW wind,
Water Temp High 50's

I got a later start than I wanted to, so I was only able to fish the GOMH for around 15 minutes.  I did get one 15 incher on the Poison from under the tube.  When I arrived at the access. Darren Kiefer was just about ready to drop his rig in.  We talked for about 5 minutes and then Mark showed up and he brought his dog Taylor along.  After some small talk, Darren put his boat in and was gone.  When I was parking the truck Al Steinbauer showed up with that beautiful Phoenix boat of his.  After a little bit of small talk, we were off to my suggested starting area.

I got the first fish. A Pike.  I think Mark the got a pike. Nothing was at the tree. We headed East  I got another pike and Mark got the bass in the picture.  He missed a good blow up on a frog.  Mark suggested we go to the South and drift back through the area with the wind.  We started to do that Mark got another quality fish and I lost a pike or two on the Grass Pig.  He had seen enough so we went and tried some docks on the point.  I think Mark caught a good one there.

We were then off to the NW corner.  I lost a fish in that stand alone cattail bed.  My juice didn't produce anything.  We were then off to try a weedline.  I suggested the Fall Weed Flats NE corner along the reeds.  Marks fish locator wasn't working right so we quickly scrapped that.  We went to try the docks across the bay.  Mark got a couple of good fish doing that and 17 or so off of a Pine Tree.

We then went to the reeds across the way.  Mark got a couple of quality keepers and I had a pike steal two Hack Attack jigs.

We were then off to Sullivan with a quick stop along the SE shore of the Big Island to let Taylor do it's business and play a little.   Once we got into Sullivan Alan and Tim were where we wanted to go.  Mark said he wanted to see the Lake so I suggested the docks on the South end.  As we were just beyond the channel buoys an alarm went off on his engine.  The curly leaf pondweed had clogged up on his intake.  It took a while, but we got that straightened out and were at the dock next to the inlet in no time. Mark quickly got a good fish there.  We worked our way to the NW.  I actually caught a few 14' bass and missed some bites as well.  Mark saw a 3lb plus fish cruising between docks.

Alan and Tim went to the dock we started on.  Mark and I were heading to the Eastern shore to try the docks there when his engine quit.  It wouldn't start.  I flagged down Alan as they were heading back North.

     They towed us to the NE access on Sullivan.   They then took Mark and the dog to get his truck.  While I was waiting for them. I think the Bullhead Boys Dad, one of the Bullhead Boys, the one who likes to fish bass, and the hyper kid showed up and fished for a little bit.  They had been at the GOMH, but it got to weeded up.  After 15 minutes and not getting anything they left.

We got Mark's Ranger back on the trailer easy peasy and he drove me back to the Kia.  Chances are Mark's boat won't be ready for tournament day.  So it looks like I'm fishing with Chuck Steinbauer now and Mark will be with Mick.