Got A Few At The GOMH

17" Hack Jig/Craw Fatty (Sunfish/GP)

6:45-7:15PM GOMH
Conditions: 62℉, Partly Cloudy, SE Wind

I had to drain water out of the boat.  I fished at the GOMH on the way home.  I caught 1 Toothy and 3 Jumpers on the Hack Attack Jig.  I also missed a few hits.

3 Jump
1 Toothy

Long Slow Day On The Water

17.5" Bobby's Perfect Frog

7:30-8:00AM GOMH
8:30AM-6:00PM NW Bay, Big Bass Point, Double Cane to Inlet Bay, Across from P.A.
Conditions: 48-66℉, Sunny to Cloudy, Light WSW to WNW Wind, water level rising
Water Temp: 63℉

15.5" Craw Tube (Brown/GP)

When I arrived at the GOMH the panfish guy was there fishing the SW side.  I told him what I had been catching here lately.  I then went down on the NE side.  Missed my first 4 bites, then had my white Pure Poison get bit off.  I did manage to catch the one jumper on the craw tube.

   Conditions seemed favorable, but the bass didn't agree as I struggled to catch 'em.  I caught pike though. I had a true monster gator miss the Rat Ta Tat Plopper twice on Double Cane Point, thinking it was 36-38".  I was a knuckle head and didn't think to throw the Mag Fluke after it.

16" Bobby's Perfect

I didn't feel like taking a break, so I didn't.  I should have put some sunscreen on as I got a little burnt.  I also got a bit mentally and physically fatigued.  I missed several bites that I really should have landed after 4PM.

16.25" Outkast Swim Jig/Swim Fluke Jr. 

I kept hoping I was going to run into a concentration of bass.  That didn't happen until I made my last move of the day and then I only caught 1 of the 6 or so that bit.

I actually probably had a little more weight than this, but I forgot to put the 17.5" on the scale before I put it back.  The 2.53 was the weight I put on the scale for it.  If I could have the day over I would throw a lot more sim jig and a spinnerbait, which I didn't throw at all.

22 Pike
7 Bass

Caught Some, Lost Some

3.06lb/18.25" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr. (White/DV)

3:30-4:00 GOMH
4:30-7:45PM Chuck's Point, Green Cabin Bay, Big West Bay Slop, Across from P.A.
8:30-8:50PM GOMH
Conditions: 65-60℉, Partly Cloudy, WSW Wind, Water level high and rising
Water Temp: 65-63℉

25.5" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr.

So once again I started at the GOMH. I caught a dink jumper on the SW side and two toothy's on the NE side. I also missed a hit on the blue/black craw tube.

15.75" Spro Shad Sprinker K.O.

I was out in the Trophy by 4:30PM and I stopped at West Point first.  I missed a hit on the craw tube and then I was off to Chuck's Point.  The fish did't seem to be in the reeds today.  There was some activity in the pads in GCB and I got my first bass (14) of the trip in the rice towards shore on the yellow Terminator Frog.  I then pulled the one in the picture out of the pads on the SSSKO and lost one that was similar in size.  I also got a 15" on the Terminator Frog in the pads.  Missed a couple of other hits.  I decided to head to the slop in Big West Bay where I saw activity a few days ago.  There wasn't as much activity going on tonight, but there was some.  I had several hits by the tree on what must have been a small pike.

17.25" Terminator Frog

  I got my only fish there out towards the end of the reeds.  Was lucky to catch it because it hit swimming towards me at a 100mph.  I was shocked it wasn't a pike.  I headed across the bay to where I was catching them the other night and I got a 16 incher right next to the cattails.

I had a good size fish just suck the Terminator in.  I rolled the fish on the hookset and it came off.  Bummer deal.  That was the last bite I got out in the Trophy.  I decided to hit the GOMH up on the way home hoping to maybe get a golden bullhead.  Instead, I got that 18 inch jumper, which turned my night from disappointing to at least respectable.

14.28lbs for my Best 6 Bass 

7 Bass

4 Pike

And Then I Found Them On Chuck's Point

3.50lb/18.25" Terminator Frog

3:20-3:45PM GOMH
4:30-7:30PM West Point, Green Cabin Bay, Chuck's Point
Conditions: 59-56℉, Mostly Cloudy some light drizzle as I went in, Windy WSW WNW
Water Temp: 65-63℉

16.25" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr. (White)

I caught a dink jumper (11.75) on the SW side and the jumper in the picture on the NE side, both on the Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr.  That was it for bites at the GOMH. I briefly stopped at West Point.  The Juice Dock is out of the water. I got a couple pike on the Poison.  I then headed to Green Cabin Bay. I started along the South shoreline.  I missed one hit, probably a pike on the Spro Shad Sprinker.

25.9"  Mann's Buzzbait/Horny Toad

I got the one good pike over towards the inlet in the pads and reeds.  I got a couple more pike in the area.  I had the yellow Terminator Frog get bit off and I was unable to find it.  Good thing I had another one with me.  I missed some thing big as I was fishing in the pad fields.  I got over by Chuck's Point and finally had a bite from a small bass around 6:15PM.

The stretch of water they were in.

I then got a the 18.25" on the Terminator.  Then I had another good hit.

16.25" Terminator Frog

I thought it was going to be a bigger fish from the way it hit. I then had a 18-20 class fish jump all over the Terminator Frog, but get off in the reeds.  I was quite bummed.  I missed a hit in the shallow rice and had a big fish swirl on the Terminator, but not hit it.  Didn't want the craw tube either.

16.75" Zoom Horny Toad (Black/White)

I then caught 5 bass (16.75,16,15.33,12,10.25) on the Horny Toad.  At 6:50 I moved to the NW Bay juice.  I missed one fairly weak hit there and then it started drizzling and got dark.  I headed in at 7:30.

6 Best Bass Tonight

10 Bass
7 Pike    

Great Day In the Trophy & at the GOMH

4.69lb/19.5" Terminator Frog

3;00-3:30PM GOMH
4:00-7:45PM Across from Public Access, Double Cane Point
Conditions: 57-55℉, Cloudy some light rain, North Wind, Water level rising
Water Temp: 65-66℉

15.5" Pure Poison

I started at the Grumpy Old Man Hole tonight.  I got one jumper on each side (15.5NE, 14.75SW) on the Poison.  I then headed to get the Trophy.   The wind came up some while I was putting stuff in the boat, which I wasn't happy about.  I headed across from the Pubic Access in Big West Bay.  I put myself in a bad spot for dealing with the wind.  I moved a little ways to the East and wasn't getting anything, so I motored closer to the point and the reeds.  I quickly got a couple of pike and a 15" bass on the Horny Toad.  Good I found fish.  I had been out half an hour at that point and was a little concerned.  I moved a little to the east and started throwing the Terminator Frog when a hog jacked it.

4.14lb/18.25" Terminator Frog (Yellow)

About 5 minutes later I got another quality fish.

3.24lb/17.5" Terminator Frog

Why couldn't I get a couple of bites this size on Saturday at Little Boy Lake.  I then worked my way back to the West and got this fish:

3.28lbs/17.25" Terminator Frog

Along with 16.5, 16.25, and a 16.  I also missed a few blow ups.  Some I think were pike.  Then the area went dead.  It was now after 6PM, so I headed to the North Bay and Double Cane Point.  I went farther North in the Bay than I have been fishing.  I had what I pretty sure was a big bass hit the Terminator, but not hook up.  Out on the now almost nonexistent pad/rice point I had another hit that I didn't hook.  I got around the point and I was getting a bit concerned that I had mad a bad move when the big one of the night was all over the Terminator.

Same fish as the top of the blog

  It was now getting pretty dark out and I was making my way out of the reeds throwing the Spro Shad Sprinker knock off when I heard a fish miss the lure.  I cast back and boom another good one on.

3.57lb/17.9" SSSKO (bluegill)

21.64lbs for my best 6 bass

 This is my best limit since buying the scale.

11 Bass
4 Pike

Dock & GOMH

Spro Shad Sprinker Knock Off

I was tired from yesterday's tournament, pumped after the Vikes did in the Bucs and Famous Jamious at home.  I also wanted to take advantage of the warm weather today and get out and do some fishing.  However thunderstorms were moving into the area.  I went up to the Lake Place and got the Trophy pumped out from last nights storms.  I caught the one pike and a rain storm moved in on the Spro Shad Sprinker knock off I won on eBay.  The maker says they have a better hook up ratio than the Sprinker.    I then headed to the GOMH and a real gully washer happened while I was there.  I didn't hear any thunder, weird.  When the rain lightened up I headed back to the Lake Place to pump out the boat again. Then I headed back to the GOMH.

15" O-Bait Craw Tube (b/b)

 I got three jumpers at there.  One on the NE side and two on the SW side.  I also missed a bite or two.

Snatchers Little Boy/Wabedo

2/13 Hack Jig/Craw Fatty

Conditions: 63-66℉, Cloudy to Mostly Cloudy some light rain, Light Wind SSW to WNW.  I think the water level had come up some from the day we pre-fished.
Water Temp: Mid 60's

The Day:  For the last part of my drive up it was thunder and rain.  I loaded my stuff in the boat in the rain.  I believe the rain quit by the time we blasted off.  We headed North to the inlet.  Within the first 15 minutes we both had a two plus pound keeper in the boat.  I got mine throwing a 1oz Hack Attack Jig along the thick inner reed wall.  The fish really smacked it.  I think Alan then got a fish he culled out later in the sparser reeds.  I had a fish hit my frog and not get it along a cattail wall.  I kept casting back with a black blue Lake Fork Craw Tube and eventually a 1.63lb bass hit it.  I then got a 1.38lb pitching the 1oz Hack Jig in the deeper reeds.  We got over by the closest dock.  I pitched the Hack Jig into the boat lift and caught my biggest bass of the day (2/13).  I had to play it up and over the boat lift frame.  It was barely hooked in it's upper lip.

We then moved to the West side of the upper lake to some reeds, pads, and rice.  While I was putting together my Double Magnum Fluke Alan caught two quality fish on a spinnerbait.  I was fishing again and Alan got at least two more fish before I got bit again.  Alan had just caught a fish in a boat lane.  I cast my Terminator Frog across the boat lane and a 2lber grabbed it.  I then rolled two small fish on the hookset.  I got a 1.78lb fish on the Frog.  I missed a couple of bites.  who knows if they would have helped.  We started  working our way South.  I culled my two smallest with a 2.53 and a 2.31 on the frog.  Alan caught his big bass (4/10) in the pads and reeds on a swimbait.  I thought it was only a high 3lb fish.  I caught a fish or two that didn't help me on the frog.  We got over to where Chuck and Nate were fishing and got out of there.

I think we then went farther south to an area where we got some fish during pre-fish.  Same kind of stuff: reeds, pads, and rice.  I think Alan got maybe one that helped himself and I got one or two that didn't and missed a coupe of hits on the frog.  I think the one's I missed were probably pike.

We went to a weedline spot off of some reeds.  I missed a bite, before getting one that didn't help me on the Craw Tube.  I then missed a couple of bites.  The second one I got a great hookset on and it felt like a really good fish and then it just came off.  The same thing then happened to Alan a couple of times.

We then went back and re-fished our second spot.  I think Alan got one or two more culls and I got one that didn't help.  There was now just a couple hours left.  We went to make a move and the starting battery didn't have enough juice and Alan couldn't get it to jump.  While Al was messing around with the batteries I missed a hit on the craw tube.  We decided to throw traps over the large weed flat/point we were on.  Alan had a big something get off and caught a small bass and I got a pike.  We then headed off at full speed for Little Boy Resort.

   It started to sprinkle a little bit.  We fished a little bit along the way.  Alan picked up a small smallie of a dock.  I think that was the last fish landed for the day.

Alan with the 1st Place "Wood_

Results: My fish weighed 14bs 7ozs, which put me in 10th Place out of 21 anglers. Alan's fish weighed 19/06, which put him easily in 1st Place.  2nd Place was Keith Tuma with 16/3 and Darrin Kiefer got 3rd with 15/14 beating Bill Ludenia on the tie breaker by an ounce on his big fish.   Tyler Czech had a 5lb Lunker.

What my scale said.

Thoughts:  With the weights packed so tightly above me losing the last couple of hours because of the dead battery probably cost me a higher finish.  After the way the last couple of years ended for me I can't complain too much though.  At least I was culling fish and I got a front row seat to see how it was won.

To make the Top 10 in Angler of the Year I needed to finish in 2nd Place.  I ended up in 13th Place for the year.  I fished much better this year and got to fish with 4 boaters I'd never fished with before.  All in all it was a good year for me even if I didn't reach any of my goals in terms of finishes.  I had the smallmouth on at the Mississippi that would have gotten me "wood" had I landed it.  Oh well, those are the breaks.  On to next year.

Fishing Was Only So So Tonight

17" Hack Jig/Craw Fatty

4:00-8:00PM Reeds and Docks Across the way, Inlet Bay
Conditions: 77-72℉, Partly to Cloudy, Windy SE diminishing around 7PM
Water Temp: 66℉

13.5" Hack Jig 1oz/CF (Ok Craw/GP)

The plan tonight was to work on my reed fishing game as that looks like a likely scenario for the Little Boy/Wabedo Tournament in a couple of days.  I started out throwing a 1.5oz Strike King Slither Rig with a Rage Space Monkey trailer for my first two drifts through the reeds.  I set the hook a few times, but on got 2 pike.  I changed to 1oz Hack Jig on the LTB rod and went to the inside reed line that was protected from the wind.  I got the one small bass doing that and missed another bite or two.  I got 4 bass (17,13.75, 11x2) and a pike on the sunfish Hack Jig fishing docks.   I also got one dock bass (12.75) on the Magnum Super Fluke.  It got dark and looked like it was going to rain, but didn't.  I had pretty good size pike rip up the bottom of the green frog Spro Sprinker pretty good.  I then had a pike steal the yellow Terminator Frog, so I tied on a brown frog Terminator Popping Frog.  A bass knocked it out of the water over by the cane, but didn't get it.  I pitched 1oz Hack and it nailed it, but I didn't hook it.  It calmed down.  When I got to the North end of the reeds, I decided to run around the point to Inlet Bay.

24" Terminator Popping Frog (Brown Frog)

I caught the one pike there and had a couple other slash at it.  Kind of a disappointing trip seeing as how conditions got to be ideal for the last hour I fished.

9.17lbs Best 6 Bass

7 Bass
8 Pike

Frustrating Clown Showing In the Morning And Evening

7:30AM-12:20PM GOMH, West Point, North Point Channel Inn Bay, 3 Loon Docks
Conditions: 58-67℉, Cloudy to Sunny, Windy out of the West, Water level about the same after an inch plus last night.
Water Temp: 63℉

On way way to the GOMH I had to go on the shoulder of the road just beyond Richardson Corner because a big tree got knocked over in last nights storm. They were pretty quick about getting it cleared as my picture shows.  I was only at the GOMH for about a half hour.

10.5" Craw Tube (Brown/GP)

I got the one dink on the SW side and got a toothy on the SW side on a white Pure Poison.  Then it was off to the Trophy.  It took maybe 15 minutes to get most of the water out of the boat.  I then fished my way to West Point.  I got a couple small pike and one bass on the Mag. Fluke

14.25" Mag Fluke (Disco Violet)

I also missed some hits on the craw tube.  I switched the blue/black after missing a fish that jacked the brown/gp one. I missed a hit on the blue one as well.  I then headed across the lake to the docks on Chanel Inn Bay's North Point.  I got a couple small pike on the Fluke and a 12.75" bass off the docks on the Hack Jig/Craw Fatty.

15.75" Hack Jig/CF (Sunfish/GP)

I then fished the reeds getting my biggest bass of the morning.  I then turned things into a clown show as I tried to fish Channel Inn Bay in that wind.   The combo of wind, weeds, and weak trolling motor made sure I couldn't fish effectively.  I got totally frustrated.  It didn't help that I went for about an hour and a half without getting a single bite.  Finally I pulled the plug on CIB and headed to the docks on 3 Loon Flat.  I missed my first couple of hits there. I got a couple of pike and a 15 inch bass on the Fluke.  I gave up around 12:15 or so.
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Evening Trip

16.3" Terminator Frog (Yellow)

4:45-7:45PM West Point, Big West Bay, Across from PA, Double Cane Point
Conditions: 71-60℉, Mostly Sunny, Lighter SW Wind diminishing
Water Temp: 64℉

I didn't get a hit on West Point, so I was off to the Big West Bay and went right into the slop/reeds/dollar pads.  Once again I was frustrated by the weak trolling motor and weeds.  It was fairly protected so the wind wasn't much of a factor.  There was fish in slop, but I missed the only hit I got.  I think it was a pike.  I then fished the docks and weed flat, nothing.  I then headed across from the public access into what now is a pretty sparse rice field.  I picked up the Horny Toad and got hit by a small pike immediately;  I then had a big fish wake on it and crush it, but the dude buried me in the rice and got off. Don't know if it was a bass or doggy.  I had one decent bass knock the Horny Toad in the air as it jumped out of the water after it.

It was now after 7PM and I had yet to land anything.  I made a move to Double Cane Point.  At about 7:20 I finally caught a bass (15.6) right next to the point on the blue/black craw tube.  I got the last fish of the night and my biggest one of the day about 10 minutes later on the Terminator frog.  I think my best 6 for the day went a little over 14lbs.  I either forgot to take a picture of the scale or erased it.

8 Bass
7 Pike

Caught A Couple Tonight

6:30-7:45PM Inlet Bay
Conditions: 73-70℉, Partly Cloudy, Very Windy ESE
Water Temp: 66℉

16" Mag Fluke (Disco Violet)

I got a late start tonight due in part to spooling up the Tatula SV 8:1 I just got in the mail today.  I put it on a Legend Tournament Bass Carolina Rig Rod.  I got both of my bass tonight on this set up.  I started out on West Point and didn't get a hit.  I started on North Platte Lake Drive Point docks and worked my way into the inlet bay.  I missed one hit in between docks out on the point.  And missed one hit off of a dock I caught one on the other night.  I got both bass (15,16) in the slop close in to the shore rushes. I had a couple fish show themselves out by where I got the fish the other night.  One just gave it's location away, but didn't hit the Fluke.  The other one I think was a pike that went for the Sprinker KO and I had it on briefly.

2 Bass