Blue Blood Moon Eclipse Fishing

9" VMC Fly/maggot

5:50-7:10AM Bulldog
Conditions: 23-15℉, Partly Cloudy, Windy WSW
Depth: 27'

I was the only one on the lake this morning.  When I arrived the lunar eclipse was just beginning.  I didn't think to take a picture of it.  My moon pictures generally aren't any good anyway.  The fish were down there and fairly cooperative for about 45 minutes.

Then I caught a surprise sunfish and they were done.  Temps were now down to 15℉ and I didn't feel like trying anywhere else.

4 Glow Demon/minnows
14 VMC Fly/maggots
1 Sunfish VMC Fly/maggots

18 Crappies

269 Crappies for the winter so far.

Long Shot, Not Much Happening

10" VMC Fly/maggot

5:30-6:40 Long Lake
Conditions: 15-10℉, Partly Cloudy, Light NW Wind
Depth: 32' fish marked about 1/2 way up.

I slept way in today.  I didn't get headed out until right around 5PM.  Word on Long is that the fishing hasn't been any good.  There was only 1 house on the lake.  I went to the area where houses had been.  I drilled single holes.  I spotted fish in a couple of them, but they quickly swam off.  Eventually I did a few more holes.  Nothing.  I spotted a fish in one of my first four holes, so I put in a second hole and did one more set.  I caught the fish in the first of those two sets.  I also missed one other fish that came through.  I don't know if I will go back or not.

1 Crappie

Slow Night on Bulldog

10" Glow Demon/minnow

4:45-7:00PM Bulldog
Conditions: 23-20℉, Cloudy, Flurries, Windy West
Depth. 28'

8" VMC Fly/maggot

I got more minnows at Bear Trax. I set up to the North of where I have been fishing.  I didn't catch anything for the first 45 minutes.  Fish were down there, but extremely skittish.  All the traffic on the lake has them shut down.  I missed the first 4 bites or so.  I caught 6 crappies and also got my Rippin Rap all tangled up to the point I had to cut my line.  I think I'm going to give Long Lake a try tomorrow.

6 Crappies

250 Crappies for the Ice Season

Morning & Evening Trip To Bulldog

6:45-7:15AM Bulldog
7:45-8:15AM Sullivan
Conditions: 23-26℉, Partly Cloudy, Windy ESE
Depth: 27'

10.33" Glow Demon/minnow

I decided to see if there might be a morning bite.  There was a group of people already over the hole when I got there.  I set up to the North of where I had been fishing.  There were fish down there in my first set of holes.  It was a good bite, but didn't last long.  As soon as it started getting light out the fish disappeared.  I packed up and headed to Sullivan, but I didn't bring the GPS so I was flying blind.  The wind was nasty so I didn't stay long.

10 VMC Fly/maggots
4 Glow Demon/minnow
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9" VMC Fly/maggot

4:45-7:15PM Bulldog

Conditions: 40-30℉, Partly Cloudy, Windy W

Depth: 26'

There were a number of people out fishing when I arrived. I didn't get more minnows.  I set up in the area I had been fishing, but a little farther to the East.  Turns out it was about a foot shallower.  The wind made me not want to roam around.  I missed the first 5 bites on a minnow.  I ended up getting 6 crappies on the VMC Fly and 4 on the Glow Demon and minnow.  Just not a lot of fish around tonight.  I think all the activity got to them.

16 VMC Fly/maggot

8 Glow Demon/minnow

24 Crappies for the day

244 Crappies for the Winter so far.

Same Lake Slower Bite

9.5" Glow Demon Spoon/Mayfly/maggots

5:15-7:15PM Bulldog
Condtions: 23℉, Cloudy, Wind ESE
Depth: 26Ft fish about 1/2 way down

A couple more little guys tonight

I was feeling kind of sluggish tonight.  The wind didn't help. I set up about 15 feet from where I was last night.  There were a few guys out fishing when I got there, but were all gone after 45 minutes. There was noticeably less fish going through tonight. I almost moved a couple of times, but fish pulled me back in.  The fish were sluggish as well.  A number of nippers.  I also had probably too much stuff on the VMC Fly/not enough hook.  It could be that it was those mini-crappies as well.

10 VMC Fly/Maki Jamei/maggots
6 Glow Demon/minnow
1 Glow Demon Spoon/Impulse Mayfly, maggots

17 Crappies

220 Crappies for the Winter

Same As It Ever Was On Bulldog

10.5" VMC Fly/maggots

5:00-7:30PM Bulldog
Conditions: 23 degrees, Cloudy, Light S wind
Depth: 27'

I finally felt good enough to go out and do some fishing. There are fewer houses on Bulldog now.  I was able to keep my bearings.  There were two other guys out fishing.  I drilled three sets of holes and never left the first set.  I was in a little shallower water than I had been fishing. I was really on my game and didn't miss a whole lot of bites.  They mostly wanted the VMC Fly/maggots.  Action finally slowed down around 7:10PM.  I brought home 9 fish to give to Jan.

26 VMC Fly/maggots
8 Glow Demon/minnow
34 Crappies

203 Crappies For the Winter (Goal of 200 Achieved) 

Whack And Stack on Bulldog Lake

10" VMC Fly/maggot

4:45-7:50PM Bulldog Lake
Conditions: 35℉, Foggy, No wind
Depth: 28ft

I got minnows at Bear Trax.  Drilled two sets of holes and never left the ones I started at.  I forgot my iPod again, Doh!  The foot warmers I got on eBay worked well;  How long will they last?  Started kind of slow.  As it got dark the bite got going.  Missed a bunch of bites on the Glow Demon/minnow.  Pulled up more fish with the VMC Fly.  First and last fish came on the Demon Spoon.  Was warm enough that I didn't need the heater.  I kept 10 to give to Jan.  Got stuck for a little bit on my way off.

21 VMC Fly/maggots
14 Bear Trax Glow Demon/minnow
2 Demon Spoon/Impulse Mayfly/maggots

37 Crappies

169 Crappies for the winter so far.

1st Trip of 2018

4:30-6:30PM Bulldog
Conditions: 39-36℉, Partly Cloudy, SE Wind
Depth: 29ft

8.75" Vmc Fly/maggot

Seeing that Bear Trax is closed on Tuesday I didn't have any minnows.  To bad because I think I would have slain them on minnows tonight.  There were about 8-10 houses over the hole and maybe 5 houses on the eastern shore.  There were maybe 5 groups fishing the hole tonight. I put the small Rippin Rap down and had lookers, but I didn't feel any bites.  Then I put the Demon Spoon down and had more lookers.  The fish didn't really start getting active until 5:30PM.   The wind got to be annoying with the way I had the Fish Trap sitting. The fish ran smaller than before for the most part.  My feet were getting cold, so I gave up.

22 Crappies