Bass Pundit: Platte Open And My Tackle Warehouse Open As Well

Bass Pundit: Platte Open And My Tackle Warehouse Open As Well: It got to the mid 70's today. 2:30 Today Public Access Whitecaps were blowing across the lake as far as the eye could see to the North. ...

I stopped and fished briefly at the bridge on my way home from the lake place.

Skunked Because I Got Bit Off

 I went up to Baxter today to pick up my new Garmin Striker 7SV. It just so happened that Frabill Minnow Buckets were on sale, so I picked up a new one. I also got a Kalin's Tickle Tail and B-Fish-N swimbait to try out. Watched a video yesterday of a guy whacking eyes on the Tickle Tail. It is supposed to be a cold water smasher, as is the B-Fish-N. For some reason, I had never tried a B-Fish-N lure even though they have a cult following among walleye fisherman. Talked with Snatcher Chuck on my way home. The rents went up to the Brothers for dinner. I got into the Garmin unit and read the instruction that I needed an SD card to download the latest software. So I wasted a bunch of time trying to figure out a way to do that. Turns out those instructions are obsolete; it doesn't take SD cards. I found that out after I got back from fishing.

I got to the GOMH a bit later than I wanted with all the screwing around. Fatso was up in the tree again. It looked like things were open to the south shore of the Big Island. It was getting dark, and I wanted to hit the NE side, so I made what was going to be my last cast on the SW side.  As I was bringing my bobber slowly in, I thought to myself, I've got fish in this exact situation before. About 5-seconds later, the bobber went under. I set the hook, and my line broke. It could have been because I didn't re-tie from the other night, but I think it was probably a toothy. I then fished another 20-minutes or so on the SW side with the lighted bobber, nothing. I thought I saw an eyeball swimming along the SE side when I was headed in. I fished until about 8:20PM. A nice bright full moon showed up around 8PM.

Skunked Tonight

 

 Open water was all the way up the west side of the small island and the Intersection on Sullivan was all the way open. There was light rain from early in the morning until about 5PM today and it only got to about 40-degrees. Didn't get a bite. Fished for about a half hour as it got dark.

Lost A Bullhead Because Of the Cable

 

Open about 50% to the Small Island.

Kayaker When I Arrived

7:00-8:15PM GOMH SW, SE, NE

42℉, MC, 3mph SE

I dropped off garbage at the lake place then headed to Rock, which is in a holding pattern. I then went to the GOMH. Fatso was up in the tree when I took a picture of the Kayaker. I was going down on the SE side, but before I could head there, he pulled out and headed somewhere else. I went down on the SW side. I started fishing with THE Jig with a crappie minnow. Much to my amazement on about the fifth cast, the Rocket Bobber stood up then went under. Bullhead on! It was a jumper. When I was getting off the steps, I lost focus on fighting the fish, and the darn fish swam under the cable. When I tried to reel her back through, she got caught up and got off. Luckily I got THE Jig back; it was snagged for a bit. That was the only bite I got. Not happy I missed the fish due to a fluke of bad luck. 

Skunked Tonight, Checked Bulldog, Rock, and Sullivan Inlet

 

GOMH Tonight

Open 20% to Small Island 

C-130 Over Platte

Sullivan Inlet

Sullivan Inlet

Rock Lake

Rock Lake

Bulldog Lake

In light of how the lakes were looking tonight after yesterday's rain, I now think ice off by Easter is inevitable. I briefly fished the NE and SW side of the GOMH and got skunked. 

 

 

Skunked Tonight

 

South GOMH Bay is 95% Ice Free. Just some on the East Rim

North GOMH Bay May Be Ice-Free Tomorrow

Two Eagles on the ice at the Base Of Eagle Perch Tree

Very Little Progress At Bulldog

Checked out Bulldog, North Platte Lake Drive, Rock Lake, and the GOMH tonight. A little pulling away from the shore along North Platte Lake Drive and the Rock Access, but not much. Eagles, Swans, Canadians, and Red Wings at the GOMH. Didn't get a bite, no surprise.

It was in the mid 40's when I was out. I got to 53℉ today.

Final Ice Trip/1st Open Water Trip

9" VMC Fly/Wax/Polli (Pink)

 7:30-9:30PM 5 Tul Hole 26' 

42℉, PC, 10-20mph SE

Amazingly enough, I was able to get up. Pete beat me to the lake by about 20-minutes. I set up in my spot and had a pike show up about 10' down. It loitered for a while then left for about 10-minutes then came back. I started seeing stuff near the bottom so I lowered the camera. There were crappies, sunfish, perch, and shiners down there. The crappies seemed more enamored with the barrel swivel. I had several of them hit it. I only caught one 8-inch crappie that I didn't take a picture of.  I released that right after I released it. Think I had the same pike come back around 9:00AM. Didn't see tullibee, neither did Pete who fished all over the place. Called it a morning at 9:30AM. One other guy came off with us.

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7:00-8:10PM NE SW GOMH

53℉, Cloudy, 3-4mph S

I got to the GOMH and there was a guy and a lady fishing off the bridges Southside. I went down the NE side. He asked me which side was better. I told him right now it probably doesn't matter much as it would probably be a couple of weeks before anything showed up. But I did tell him that indeed the Southside tends to be the better option. They left at about a quarter of 8. I switched sides. Nothing going on.  The water is low, but not as low as last Fall. It is probably going to be a week plus before anything shows up.

Last Ice Trip of 2020/21???

9" VMC Fly/Wax (Glow)

4" VMC Fly

5" VMC Fly 

8:10-9:00AM 26' 5 Tul Holes

30-33℉, PC, 6-14mph SSE

I didn't wake up from my nap like I wanted, so I got a late start. Didn't mark anything for the first half hour. Started marking stuff toward the bottom. Lowered the camera to 7' off the bottom and caught the perch, crappie, and sunfish; bing, bing, bang. Had some small perch and spot tails come through. Nature was calling so I packed up at 9AM. Pete tried the West access and it was trash. He was fishing to the South of me in old holes. He fished till dark getting a couple of crappie and gills. Talked to a guy that got some tullibee this year. I talked to some guys getting off the ice and they told me the CO was out last night.

This may be my last ice trip of 20/21. 

I went home. Cooked some spam and eggs and watched the Pickwick Elite. Took a nap, watched the weigh-in, and ate walleye dinner cooked by mom. I nearly burned the rice because I thought mom had turned the heat off when she hadn't. Oops. I took Kaylee for a drive around the lakes.

Rock Lake

 

Sullivan with Pete

3:30-8:00PM 6'-26' Out from the NE Access On Sullivan

41-53℉, Sunny, 2-9mph S

Pete didn't want to listen to my plan. I should have shown him what I thought on the Navionics app. We drilled our way to where I wanted to go. I first saw a sunfish in 24' of water. We wasted a bunch of time out deep with perch. Finally, we reached the flat. I spotted a walleye and had a pike come through a couple of different times. Pete went to the South and caught a nice crappie and called me over to the area. Saw a pike down in a tuft of weeds and a sunfish. Hole hoped for awhile seeing a few sunfish and one last pike. Pete hole hoped getting a few gills, mostly little guys. I set up shop far too late and caught the one gill. Pete found some bigger gills and called me as it was getting dark. He kept the one crappie and four gills. I was done fishing at about 7:45PM. 

 

Saw Tullibee AM/Got A LMB PM @ Rock

1st Bass of 2021

 

6:00-9:00AM 26' (5 Tul Hole) Sullivan

27-33℉, Sunny, 0-4mph NE

I was the first one at the NE access this morning, but not by much. Talked for a minute with a sunfish fisherman. Headed out didn't mark anything the first hour. Should have got the camera down soon as something came and inspected my waxies. Put the camera down. Saw tullibee come through 5 different times, all loners no groups. Had one guy bite at my spoon, but it missed it. They wanted that flashing spoon this morning. I packed up at 9AM. GOMH pics are from this afternoon.

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19" Slab Rap (Perch)

9.5" Glow Demon/minnow

5:30PM-8:30PM 7-10' In front of the Reeds

32-45℉, Sunny, 2-7mph  ESE

Went to the hole I saw the sunnies in yesterday. Put a minnow down. Started collecting weeds with the Slab Rap. Had a pike steal the Glow Demon and Minnow. Got a new one tied up. Resumed collecting weeds. On one of the drops after collecting weeds I spooked a small bass. Just looked at the camera on time to see it. I raised and lowered the Slab Rap a couple of times and a big momma came out of nowhere and crushed it like a freight train. Got her in. She was hooked in the side of the mouth where the upper and lower jaw meets making removing the hooks a little more difficult than I would have preferred. I ended up forgetting to get a weight. I don't think it was a 4lb, but close. I had a sunfish come through but wasn't interested. Had a couple more pike and bass come through. Then some crappies showed up. I saw more than I caught. When it got too dark for the camera I pulled up stakes and went to the drop-off. Caught 3 or 4 more and missed 6 or 7. They were sniffing and light biting.

7 Crappie

1 LMB

 

Almost a Great Night On Rock

10" THE Jig (O/C)

 

6:30-9:00PM 6-10' In front of the Reeds at Rock

31-34℉, MC, 0-4mph SSE

Stopped at the GOMH on the way out. Almost saw an otter and some swans get in a scuffle. When I arrived at Rock a guy was just getting loaded up. He had gotten a couple of bass but didn't find any crappie or sunfish of any size. I told him about my lack of even seeing a bass this winter. I got unloaded and looked down a few of his holes in front of the reeds. In the shallowest one, I spotted some sunfish in the weeds. I down viewed and didn't drill any more holes. Had a few small sunnies come in and nip at me. Then a nice size bass came in and took THE Jig before I realized that is what it was, could have been a doggy but I don't think so. I set the hook and immediately broke off. Fiddled with a few sunfish with the pink VMC Fly/Polli. Had a slab come in and grab the fly. She was flopping back and forth in the hole. I couldn't get her lip and she came off. I tried to scoop her in, but she slid out of my hand and down the hole. That fish might have been my personal best, had to be pushing 14-inches. I blew it. I caught a 10' several minutes later than it kind of died. I sent the camera down a hole that was in 10' over the break and there were shiners and perch all over the place. I drilled a couple more holes and moved shop. The glow Demon was hot for about 20 minutes, then things slowed down. They loved tiny minnows. One of my lanterns came off the hook and was behind the orange bucket. I thought it went down the hole. I fished until 9:00PM.  One of my lanterns came off the hook and was behind the orange bucket. I thought it went down the hole and only found it while I was packing up to leave.

Bust Hunting Bulls On Sullivan

 

3:00-7:00PM 7'-26' out from the NE Access on Sullivan 

45-54℉, PC, 0-5mph N turning SW

I went and took pictures at the GOMH. Made the executive decision to go to Sullivan in search of bull gills instead of Rock. Should have chosen Platte instead. All I found was perch. The depths on Sullivan on the Navionics App burned me again. I went and tried for crappie in the Tullibee Hole the final hour. Had one looker that didn't bite at 12' over 26'. With the weather forecast being what it is. I suspect this upcoming week will be the last for ice fishing this year. I'm guessing shorelines won't be safe by next Saturday afternoon. Bonus weather

Morning at Sullivan/Evening Skunk At Rock

 I got a bit of a late start this morning because of the truck acting up yesterday, so I took my first trip using the Kia Soul with the Fish Trap. I was the first person at the access and it was 18-degrees out. Colder than I expected. I decided to try closer to the saddle in 25'. When I was getting my rods ready there was something down there that was gone by the time I was putting lines down. Didn't mark anything until it was light out and I had the camera down. Had a crappie show and track into view, but then a wheeler was motoring by and the fish spooked. Had the exact thing happen a second time. Had a 9" sunfish come in and suck in the pink VMC Fly with Polli. The line got tangled with the Glow Demon line on the way up. Because of that mess, I mishandled the fish when I was trying to get the camera out of my bibs and I dropped the fish right in the Aqua-Vu hole. I saw a few small shiner and perch near the bottom. Had a couple of possible tullibees come through quickly. I left at 8Am. Started fishing at 6AM.

Didn't get to Rock until after 5PM because I wasn't really motivated. On my way out I had 6 swans fly over en route to the RPRO. I went to where I caught them last night. I had a pike down there swimming around for 15-minutes. Had a big sunfish swim through while the pike was still around. Also had a school of perch swim through briefly. The pike came back for one last pass. I pulled the camera up. Had a fish come in and bite the VMC Fly on the Meat Stick. Was a solid pick-up, but I didn't get to see what it was. Nothing was going on so I hole hopped. Nothing going on there either. I packed up at 7PM. 

Back On the Horse At Rock Lake

8" VMC Fly (Pink)

 

GOMH today, dang snow

4:00-7:30PM 15' Rock My Area

32-38℉, PC, 2-15mph WSW

I forced myself to get out fishing today as I just wasn't that excited about going. Glad I went, just wish I would have remembered about the Snatcher Meeting tonight which totally did not enter my mind today until after 9PM. I drove by the GOMH to get a picture. Too bad we had to get the snow. The ice had gone completely gray. It is gonna take at least a couple of days to get back to that.

I started by the access hoping to be able to set up close. The ice is maybe 7" thinner than last Friday, Amazin! I was on my second hole when CO Vang came out to check my license. I didn't see anything but one perch in the 4 or 5 close-in holes I drilled. I then went to the gap and got set up with the camera. Didn't see any signs of life so I drilled more holes and went hole hopping. Of course, I found activity only in the farthest set. I left the camera in place and fished until 7:30PM. Putting stuff back in the truck was a cluster as I parked at too sharp an angle and with a wheel off the ramp. I ended up having to be on my knees to lift the Fish Trap in and popped off the nut that holds the poles to the frame. So I had to find the nut and washer. The Trap slid down so I wasn't at an ideal angle and had to adjust it a couple of times. Eventually, I got it together. The truck started running rough and the check engine light came on before I got to 8. 

Sullivan Morning/Rock Evening

1.54lbs/9.75" THE Jig

7" VMC Fly/maggie (Glow)

Checked Out the GOMH When I Finished 

6:00-9:00AM Sullivan 25' Tul Hole

25-30℉, Sunny, Calm

Got out a little later than I wanted. Not sure why. Parked right by where I got stuck the other morning. Drilled holes more to the west. Didn't mark a thing the first 45 minutes. Had something come through briefly at 15'. Put my jig at that level and it bounced immediately very tullibee-like. About 15 minutes later I had the same thing happen. Started seeing some activity near the bottom. Put the camera down suspended. Was working something on the bottom nibbling like something small. Got a mark at 15' again. Raised the jig to that level and the crappie beelined to it. Whew, skunk off the board. Activity continued near the bottom. I lowered the camera and caught a glimpse of two bull gills. Sent THE Jig down and got it pointed in the right direction. Had a bull suck it in part, but not hook up. I brought the jig up and trimmed it. Fat Albert inspected THE Jig and sucked it in. It really didn't have much fight to it. I pulled it up in the hole and I was like holy crap this thing is a blimp. I figured it was 11", nope not even 10". I had to weigh this thing as I knew it was a pound plus. When it went 1.54lbs I thought that can't be right and weighed it again. I wish I would have thought to take a picture of it in my hand. I wanted to get it back in the water ASAP. I saw a bunch of shiners and perch. Didn't see any more gills. When I got out of my Trap there was a flock of swans flying from East to West across the lake, cool. I went and took a picture at the GOMH on my way home. It is going to be a week plus before any open water, I think.

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Oopsie

5:00-8:00PM 8-10' Sun Spot, 15' MY Spot Rock Lake

34-42℉, Sunny, Calm

I was watching the Harris Chain Open. The weighmaster didn't know how to pronounce Brainerd when Tuma was up. He had 12-6, which put him in 58th. I also watched Josh Douglas weigh-in he was in 68th about a pound behind Keith. I wasn't in a big rush to get out. When I arrived I elected to not drill any new holes at the Sun Spot unless something stood out to me. It didn't. I caught a few perch and sunnies until it got dark. Switched to My Spot at 6PM. Caught 7 crappies.

25 Perch

10 Sunfish

7 Crips