Bad Plan Tonight, What Was I Thinking

I eventually put a few in the boat

Almost threw Camo to the sharks tonight

I was in Turtle mode tonight. Spent the first 40 minutes in Platte according to my plan. I should have just sent it to the South end of Sully rather than using docks in Platte for my "trigger" to go as was the plan for tonight. I had one pike hit the jig between docks, and slop in Channel Inn Bay was worthless. As I was done pulling weeds off the motor while preparing to leave Platte, the tree frog jumped on my hand, starting me, and I flipped him into the water. I assisted him in getting back in the boat, which is where he wanted to be. I ended up running to the NW access in Sully and missed my first five or six bites and hit a reed backlashing the reel so badly I had to cut it. I did eventually get my head in the game, putting 5 bass in the boat and losing two more close enough to count. My final two bass came at the NE INT Reed PT tip. 11.11 lbs for my best 6 bass, pretty amazin, seeing as how I only landed 5 bass.

5Bass 2Pike 

Night With Todd Froggin' It

 

6:40-9:40PM SW INT, S SPRO, N SPRO, NE INT Reed PT Tip

72-79℉, Mostly Cloudy, 0-5mph SSE

76-79℉, Low Rising

Getting the boat loaded went smooth, but Todd had gremlins. We started at the SW Channel of the INT. I got a pike and bass on the Terminator Poppin frog on the rice/reed line. We made our way to the eagle sitting on Yertle's Perch. Todd got finally got a bass in the boat casting his frog out onto the rice. He lost a fish at the cat edge. I got a bass or two, missed some bites, and got dogged before Pike Pt. Right before Pike PT was when the eagle finally flew away. I went outside the rice, then back in at Jaimen's School Area. I had a blow-up that didn't go for the craw tube follow-up. We worked inside the rice line and I got a PLS, as did Todd plus a lost fish for Todd. Then that area went dead as we headed North. Todd got a pike and lost something at the Far Boat Lane Delta. He got one bass in the rice as we worked toward the Point, but that was it other than me getting a pike at a boat lane. I took us back to the SW INT Reed/Rice. I missed two bites in short order in the rice. Todd had a pike rip up his frog. I lost a good bite on the TOadZ, then things died. We ended the night with a double at the tip of the NE INT Reed PT. with Todd getting Big Bass (2.75) as the last fish in the boat. Todd got to meet Mr. Tree Frog who jumped in my lap after I raised the motor out front; silly frog. 14.28 lbs for our best 6. A good night on Platte Lake Specials.

Todd: 4Bass 3PIke

Me: 6Bass 5Pike  

DNF

 In spite of a long restful night of sleep, I felt run down and just didn't feel like hitting the water tonight. The success I had catching fish in the tournament yesterday and the wind today did play a role in my enthusiasm level.

I did use the time off to get my tackle detournamentafide and things back in their proper place.

Overnight into Monday I got my backed-up Fish Swami Notes finished except for tournament day.

Snatcher's North Long Tourny Recap

 

Caught Me A Good Speck on a Dark Sleeper

Tourny Champ Keith Tuma

Conditions: 60-78℉, Cloudy with occasional light rain, 3-15mph SE 

The Day:

We started on the South end of the Lake to the West of where Nate started fishing cabbage beds. We stayed in the same 150-yard or so stretch until about 11 AM. I had my limit in the first hour and forty minutes. Al put the first 3 bass in the boat. I'm pretty sure my first fish was a pike on the Big Blade Chatterbait. That Big Blade Chatter was my hot bite in the morning. I think I lost one quality bass after it buried me in the weeds. After I got my limit. I struggled to get bites from keeper bass, getting pike, and a couple of dinks. I should have thrown the Dark Sleeper as the fish Al was getting on the Craw Tube were better quality on average than my Chatterbait fish, with one or two exceptions.

We then went to 371 Bay when the wind was howling around 11AM. I got my big bass (2/15)  in 371 on the Dark Sleeper on our first pass in 371, I was a bite machine with that Dark Sleeper pulling in small pike, rock bass, dink bass, and I culled up a couple of times and one nice crappie on our second pass. We went back to the starting area. The wind calmed down considerably shortly after we arrived. Nate showed up shortly after and thought we had been there the whole time. Not much was going on until I put on a Neko Rigged Dinger, which caught me 5 bass in about 15 minutes. I culled with  3 of the fish putting all, but one fish over 2lbs on my scale. I could have sworn the second to last fish I got on the Dinger was three plus when it wallowed on the surface, but it buried me in the weeds, and when I got it in, it didn't even help me. Al got us out of there to head to Merrifield Bay. I got a dink on a buzzbait and on a Dark Sleeper, along with a couple of pike in Merrifield. We fished for about 15 minutes in 371 Bay to end things, and I got a pike or two, maybe a rock bass as well. I was hoping my fish would go 14 lbs, and indeed they did, right on the nose.

18Bass 16Pike 3Rock 1Crip 

Results: My fish weighed a respectable 14lbs, but on this day that was only good enough for 13th Place.  The winner was Snatcher Tuma with 18/05; Second Place went to Snatcher Dennis with 17/01 and Lunker (4/08), which edged out Snatcher Fields who also had 17/01. Everybody caught a limit today and the average bag was 14.94lbs.

My Thoughts: Should have gone to the Dark Sleeper at the first stop. A couple of lost fish cost me in this one I think.

Grade: B

Sure 13th Place out of 17 Anglers is C-/D+ territory, but I was just ounces behind my boater on a day when Co-anglers got stomped on and I was only one quality cull away from a Top 10.

  

Fishing With Pete

 

Pete, with the first of two LMB's
I didn't get any.

7:00-9:30PM SPBI, SPSI, E of GOMH, SW Channel INN Bay, N CIB Reeds, Loon Bay

70-73℉, Mostly Cloudy, 3-6mph ESE

Water Temp: Low 70's

Started at SPBI. Pete got a bass of all things on the Junebug Hammer. Pete chose his own rod, not the two I had for him rigged up with chatters; Pete. He caught a couple of pike as we worked our way toward the point. Pete thought Jackhammers were a rip-off when I told him what I paid. I don't think I mentioned they retail for $17, and when they were in short supply sold for $50 to $75. Why? Because they are a superior rat trap. I got a few pike as we rounded the point. Next, we went to SPSI. Wuss Weed is where cabbage and fish were last year. Pete wanted to go to Reeds across the way, where submerged weeds are always an issue. I missed a bite at SPSI, and that was it. We drifted a little to the West on the flat. No bites. Headed to 16 Hole. Pete wasn't feeling it like not even two minutes in. What? Perfect conditions for slow drifting through the rice with a history of holding fish, this year even. A couple of minutes later, our frogs nearly landed on one another, and a PLS busted on his frog. Other than one pike chasing my ToadZ, it was dead. We moved to SW CIB but too much wind. I did miss a blow-up that hit when I was reaching for the troller. Went to N CIB Reeds. Pete got a couple of pike follows, and I lost a couple of hits. We ended in Loon Bay. I lost a bite because the hook was buried in the ToadZ; if that isn't my 2023 season, I don't know what is. It was dead other than that one bite.

We stopped at the bridge on the way home. Peter W. Matt W. were just getting set up. We didn't fish, which was fine with me.

Pete: 2Bass 7Pike, 

Me:5 Pike 

Fishing On the Slow Side Tonight

7:20-9:50PM SPSI, E of GOMH, S SPRO to SW INT, NE INT PT

68-72℉, Hazy, 0-2mph SE
 

Late start because I was moving like a turtle after I got up this afternoon. I stopped at SPSI first. No, go on top and on a Chatter. The last call was a TurboFattyZ. I had a "come to Jesus" talk with myself before throwing the TF; I have been missing almost all my bites on this lure. I caught my biggest bass of the night on the first cast. I also got a small pike. 

Next, I headed to the 16"Hole, but it was dead there. After 10 minutes, I had enough and headed for Sully, hoping to find a school in the SPRO rice. That did not happen, not even a lone wolf.  I had a pike attack a couple of times. I had a good pair of blow-ups from the same fish at pike point, but they didn't hook up. Did get a couple of pike. I finally got into a few bass in the reeds. I lost the only one that bit that was over 2 lbs as I was boat-flipping it. Had a few fish dog me in the reeds. Hit NE INT and SPSI quickly to no avail. 

There were a couple of kayakers fishing the INT boat channel. The one was a woman who talked loudly. Apparently, she caught a walleye and quite a few pike. She called her mom, who was babysitting the kids, to find out what the walleye regs were. She thought she was on Platte, but they were in Sullivan.

4Bass 

6Pike 

GOMH Works/Trophy Really Didn't

 

5:00-5:30 AM GOMH NE SW

Water Low Faling

On the way to the lake decided to hedge my bet on the motor firing and head to the GOMH. The current was flowing into Platte, and I thought I had screwed up. I still went to the SW side to keep it honest and got the jumper; it rocked the Big Blade so hard I thought it was a gator.

1Jump 

6:15-8:15 AM Reeds Across to F Flat

60℉, Cloudy hazy, 5-7mph ESE

Was a turtle getting the boat ready. Then the motor didn't eat, so I went across to the reeds. Then the troller needed to be adjusted. I got a gator on my very first cast. I tried a couple of docks, but nothing. I went back to the reeds and had a blow-up that looked bassy, but the fish missed due to the frog being where a pad patch and reed patch met. I threw a jig in there and got bit off instantly; dumb decision. I think I got one more bite along the South bed. I got 3 fish working up the S side of the North bed. Nothing along the outside edge of the N bed. I got a few pike on F-Flat. The sun came out a little bit, so I had good visibility, and I discovered the weeds are trash right now. Very little living cabbage and tons of stringy wuss weed and curly crap. I just gave up and headed in.

6Pike 

Steve had to be in Isle today, and I took a long nap. I ended up doing years work instead of pulling the Trophy and fishing.

I Pretty Much Sucked Tonight

 

Gotcha Sucka!

The fish after the phone call

Taken while contemplating sucking

2.68lbs Terminator Double Buzzer/ToadZ (Wht/Hot Snakes)

Three for 6.15lbs is a heck of a lot better than two for 3.46

Later start than I was hoping for, but my first wake-up today didn't take, and after being up for an hour went back to bed. I woke up at 5 PM. I made the rents some pizza and had some myself. Man, it was smoky out there to start. I think the guys out fishing tonight were pre-fishing rather than it being a league. There was no mad dash to exits around 9:30. I started at NW INT Rice PT, but it was lifeless. So I headed to NE INT and missed my first bite because I reached down for the troller. I still got a wicked hookset, but the fish was moving towards me and probably a pike by the speed it exited the rice; the frog just popped free. I think the next two bites buried me in the reeds. Caught a pike. And a fish gave away its position. I moved within casting range, and Bam. I was lifting the PLS into the boat, and it came off about a foot out of the water. I missed three or four more bites toward the cattails. A lot of poor luck with fish hitting while I was moving or the frog was in a bad position upon landing. I headed East. I had a few fish nips and did not get the frog. Not sure if they were sunfish, doggy's, or bass. Did have a bowfin nip and follow all the way to the boat. Signs of life stopped, so I cruised through the reeds and found SIL where I expected. I missed 3 or 4 more bites; ridiculous. Sat for a couple of minutes and took stock. I got my first bass in the boat soon afterward. Missed another opportunity on a high percentage spot. The wave runner guy started doing his thing, making me contemplate moving. Then Snatcher Al called, and the WR Guy went South. Toward the end of the call, a fish gave away its position. We ended the call, and I caught the fish. I think I missed one more than booked it out toward Steve's Fall Juice, nothing going on. I decided to end the night by throwing a double buzzer in the reeds and was rewarded with a Platte Lake Special that was the best fish of the night. I ended before I got back to the intersection. Slowed down at the bridge. I got up to about 16mph in Platte, then lost power. Unlike previous occasions was unable to get her back up and going. I ended up limping home at about six mph. When I went to take the troller off, I couldn't get the thingamabob to loosen at first. It took me about 10 minutes to get it free. I will just have to see if the motor runs better in the morning; not especially concerned right now.

Did Fish Tonight

Why couldn't I be full send tonight?

Low 70's, PC, Calm

Todd did not come up today and won't be up this weekend. I didn't get up to the lake place early enough to take the Trophy out tonight but I did get it ready for a trip in the morning with Steve's help. I fished for about 10 minutes off the dock, and the frog got attacked by a small pike a couple of times. 

I then went to the GOMH and fished the SW side for maybe 15 minutes before the skeeters got bad. Maybe missed a bite (50/50). I then sat in the car until after dark. I went down on the NE side and quickly left without a bite. The skeeter level was on the high side, or I would have given things more time. I didn't have the H2O or X-Rap boxes with me.

DNF June 8th

 I mowed the lawn, which really needed it.

Todd may be coming up tomorrow. If he does, I'll set a time limit and tell Todd how long I'm giving myself and then have him hold me to it.

DNF

 Will not be fishing for a few days so my incision can heal. I did reverse the line on a couple of my frog rods. And three or four of my frog rods, all on SV's I think, will need more/new line soon. I can cast into the backing on all of them right now. Also, with those shallow SV spools, I will now go minimum backing. Don't know why I didn't already know that, but now I do. 

Fishing With Pops and Peter At The GOMH

 

Dad took me to the bridge as I had the ICD replaced today. Peter W was there along with a dead dear on the NE side. We started on the North, but the wind was too much. I got a jumper. Dad had two small jumpers jump him off. Peter got a few oranges and small jumpers. Peter left. Dad went to the car. I tried the NE side again and had a couple of gator hits and had a jumper jump off in the tube. On the way home Dad just missed a small deer. It may just be that the pain medication wore off, but I regretted my decision to go as the pain level increased a bit after I got home. I will now be taking it easy for a couple of days and heal.

Papa: 2Jump 

Me: 2Jump 1Pike 

Some Froggin' Success And Then I Sucked

  

7:45-9:30PM Sullivan

74-80℉, PC, 0-4mph ENE

I started late due to not taking my meds when I originally went to bed instead of 4 AM. I got out of bed in the afternoon but was at turtle speed through the time I headed to the lake. I decided to fish the NE INT in Sullivan. I didn't get a bite for the first 15 minutes. Then I had two fish boil and not get the frog. Put the next three bites in the boat. I then had my next 4 bury me in the reeds. They shut down at the NE INT. I tried the SW INT, but too much wind. I quickly ran to the N SPRO, which was almost entirely dead. I finished at the River Mouth, where I missed a boil. The motor got bogged down as I headed out. Then it didn't run right until I got to Platte, where I got her up to speed. Dad suggested new spark plugs.

3Bass 

1Pike 

Snatcher Tourney At Bay Lake June 4th

2/8 on Jackhammer/GOAT (Purple/Black/Blue)

The small of Nate's two smalls
(Pretty sure he weighed this one as his lunker as well)

Conditions: 

70-84℉, Mostly Sunny to Partly Cloudy, 0-5mph ESE 

Water Temp: Low 70's

The Day:

With only 6 boats and it being a Sunday, everybody was in the water in no time, and we blasted off early. We went to the spot that won the last couple of tournaments, and it was slow. I picked up a few dinks, rock bass, and hammer handles. Nate got a few small keepers on a craw tube and maybe a jig as well. He had me down 5-0 when I got my first small keeper on the KVD 1.5. I got bit off and caught a couple of dinks, pike, and rockies on a craw tube. We fished some docks. Nate got one quality 2lber and a few dinks. I got dinks and rockies on the Dinger. We went west of where we started, probably known as an altogether different bay. I picked up a couple of keepers, including my big (2/8), and some dinks, rockies, and pike. I got two pike in a row, and the skirt on my Jackhammer came off, killing the bite for me. We returned to the starting area, where I got another keeper on the Craw Tube.

We then ran some beautiful docks and a slop bay and only ran into something once we came out to the docks on the other side of the bay. Nate was getting bit on almost every dock, and I picked up a keeper out on the inside weedling on the Bagley Crank. All I got on the docks were rockies and dinks. We ran into Nate's dad, Snatcher Chuck, and he spilled the beans that he had a good bag anchored by smallies. We returned to where we started seeing fish on the docks, and I quickly picked up my limit fish. After about 15 minutes of nothing notable as Nate looked for smallies. He asked me if I knew of any areas smallies might be in. I told him about a large sand flat with reeds, so we headed there. We saw beds but no fish. Next, we went to the rock area, and Nate hit pay dirt, getting two quality smallies on a dead sticked Senko. We ran another rock area and got some rockies and dinks. We tried a couple of other areas, getting the same. We went back to where we got the smallies. I got a rock bass and about a half-pound cull with a largemouth that fell to the Dark Sleeper. We finished on a point off an Island by Rutgers, where Nate made a small cull. I had a pike-like feeling hit that didn't hook up and got a rocky. Day Over!

Results: My fish weighed 9lbs 11ozs which put me in 8th Place out of 12 anglers.

 

It was a massacre for Snatcher Chuck

First Place and Lunker went to Snatcher Chuck with 19/01 and 4/03

Second Place went to my boater Snatcher Nate with 12/13

Third Place went to Snatcher Tuma with 12/06

My Thoughts: If Nate's Plan A had worked, I think I would have been right up there, but the quality and quantity were not there on this day, so we had to scramble. Me losing that Jackhammer skirt to the pike didn't help matters.  Not having my dock-skipping game on point was an error on my part as well. One would have thought on such a nice day, the fish would have been on fire, but it was just a mediocre bite for Bay.

Grade: C, Another pound would have moved me up to 5th Place. It wouldn't surprise me if I lost the fish that would have gotten me another pound on the Jackhammer, Dark Sleeper, and Craw Tube. Any way I slice it, not getting at least 10 lbs on Bay Lake is a disappointment.

 

DNF

 Did Not Fish

Doing Uncle Dave stuff, got back home just before midnight. Will be at Bay Lake before sunrise.

DNF

 It was my intent to be on the water this morning, but the bed monster got me. I didn't get to tackle prep until later in the afternoon, and then I got frustrated because I couldn't remember what I did with my Dark Sleepers. I took them out of my room this week and put them in a tote downstairs. Just dumb. Didn't get all my tackle prep done. Sheesh, David!

Morning And Evening Trips June 1st

8:40-5:00AM GOMH NE

Water level; Normal Falling

Skunked (Skeeters were vicious, I bailed for the Trophy.)

5:30-9:50AM SPSI, GOMH, INT NE, NW INT, SPRO, River Mouth 

I got the boat ready quickly and I was off. A bunch of missed bites yet again. Nothing at SPSI; I got a pike on the Jitterbug on the N side of the GOMH. I missed a bite on a frog on the  S side of the GOMH that left me saying, WTF Dave set the hook. I got bit off several times in a shallow pike fest along the shallow INT reeds.  I got a couple of bass, finally throwing the Turbo FattyZ. Under perfect conditions to score post-spawn girls, I figured out the puzzle and put some fish in the boat, but I really should have landed more. I stayed out longer than I had planned, by an hour.

6Bass 

12Pike 

7:30-9:30PM Channel In Bay S SPRO

75-80℉, PC, 3-6mph SE

Water Temp: 74℉

I got a late start due to a long nap. Headed right to Channel INN Bay. Traded off bass and pike blow-ups, but it was slow, so I headed to the SPRO and got more of the same. Blow-ups were nice, but once every half hour is slow. Nothing at the River Mouth, but it was fairly dark when I arrived. I landed my bites tonight, which was nice.

4Bass 

4Pike

 10:50-11:30PM GOMH NE

I decided to hit the GOMH on the way home. Skeeters weren't terrible. I got gold on my very first cast and thought this would be good, but all I got was one more jumper, and that was it. Tried a few different lures and left.

1Jump

1Gold

I didn't weigh fish for some reason.