One Last Open Water Trip

7:45-8:30PM Center Jetty
40℉,  Cloudy, 8mph South

After two weeks of temps well below average temps we got up into the 40's today.  After the disappointing Gophers loss today at Iowa.  I thought what the heck, I'll see if the Jetty is fishable.  The Jetty was rimmed with ice and snow, but there was open water to cast too. I decided to fish off of Center Jetty.  Don't know how I would have landed a big fish had I hooked up, but I didn't.  Not even a bite.   I'll probably get out ice fishing by Thanksgiving.  I'm pretty sure I could get out on Platte, Rock, and Bulldog right now.

I doubt out from Eddy's will have safe ice by December with the temps taking an uptick in this half of the month.

Possibly Last Open Water Trip of 2019

4/7, 25" Crackle Jerk Shad

12" Smallest Eye caught thus Fall

I thought it was a walleye, nope T-Shirt.

20" Tomato
Possibly last open water fish of 2019

5:30-8:30PM North Corner
30-34℉, Partly Cloudy, 2-4mph ESE

When I arrived at the Jetty the launch captain I met the other night was fishing at Pete's spot.  He hadn't gotten any bites.  I set up on the North Corner.  I think I missed one bite on the Grass Pig.  He left after 20 minutes so I moved my stuff to the Harbor Mouth.  I got my first bite around 6PM on the Crackle Jerk Shad.  It was 19.5" eye at the North Corner.  I added it's twin about 5 minutes later.  Then I went at least half an hour between fish catches.  I did miss a couple of bites.  I switched to the small Rage Swimmer and had a 19.5-inch eye take it immediately on the first cast.   Then that was it, so I switched back to the Crackle and got 4 quality sized eyes (25, 3x24.5).  I also caught the T-shirt at the Harbor Mouth.  I was debating most of the time after I hooked it as to whether or not it was a walleye convincing myself a few times that it was.  The joke was on me.  That was the only bite I got a the Harbor Mouth, but I didn't fish there very hard either.  Then the action tailed off so I switched back to the small Rage Swimmer and had a 24/25-inch fish get off just as I was bringing it up to the rocks.  I ended the night fishing the Tomato Jerk Shad catching that little cigar and three 20-inch fish.  When I first started fishing the Tomato a boat full of muskie fishermen came into the harbor.  One of the guys started casting a big muskie plug off of the North Face and brought in a walleye on his first cast.  I think he said it was about 24-inches long.  My guides started freezing up so I left.  The guys didn't get any muskies.  This may be my last open water trip of the year.  However, if it's above freezing tomorrow at dark then I will probably get out one more time.

12 Eyes
1 T-Shirt

Good Night On The Jetty

26" Crackle Jerk Shad

26" Pike Crackle Jerk Shad

3/7,22" Grass Pig Jr.

3/9,25" Crackle Jerk Shad

6:30-9:30PM Harbor Mouth and North Corner
30-34℉, Partly Cloudy, 2-7mph NNW

Finally, a night above freezing before dark so I headed over to the Jetty.  The wind blowing in on the Northside of the Jetty was cold. It took me about half an hour to get acclimated to it.  I got a walleye (22.5) right away at the Harbor Mouth on the Grass Pig.  The second fish was off the North Corner on the Grass Pig.  I then switched up to the Crackle Jerk Shad and the eyes were all over it.  I got 13 eyes (25,25,24.75,24.75,24.5,23,23,22.5,22,22,21,18.5,18.5) and 1 Pike on the Crackle with fish coming at the Harbor Mouth and North Corner.  I had a Eddy's Launch Captain stop and talk for a little while.  The last fish of the night was 20.25" eye that bit the small green pumpkin Rage Swimmer at the Harbor Mouth.  The fish really quit biting by 9PM.

16 Eye
1 Pike