Slow Start, But I Got On 'Em at the GOMH

 

3.04lbs TurboFattyZ (Houdini)

6:54-9:30 PM Channel Inn Bay, GOMH N & S, Intersection NE Reeds

60-67℉, PC, 0-7mph W

Water Temp 58-62℉ High

I didn't get to fishing tonight until almost 7 PM. I had a bunch of small hold-ups tonight that added up like putting gas in the boat. The plan was to cover water in Channel Inn Bay and only stop if I started catching them. All I got was 2 pike and a couple of bumps that didn't hook up. I then stopped at the Grumpy Old Man Hole because nobody was fishing on the North side. I had to check and see if the jumpers were stacked, they were not. However, I pulled my first two bass of the night from under the bridge on the Turbo FattyZ, including the night's big. I got into a willing school of pound to pound and half-size fish immediately SE of the bridge in the old rice on the TFZ. I put on a Terminator Popping Frog and a hawg trucked it. Unfortunately, it got off about 8 feet out. I then lost fish on my next 3 casts. I caught two two-pounders, and then they only slapped at the frog, so I switched frogs, but the fish were done. I moved across the channel and got a pair of pounders on the TFZ. I then moved to the NE Intersection Shallow Reeds, nothing. But I did get a couple of Platte Lake Specials on the currently invisible point/juice spot. Too bad I didn't start at the GOMH. THe other brother of the Casino Bro's was fishing the SW side and Lantern Man showed up about the time the topwater action stopped. I dropped off Brett's pliers  when I came back through. LM said there was a lot of activity on the surface as it was getting dark. I shined two suckers on the N side, no eyeballs.

16 Bass 

3 Pike

2 Suckers 

2024 MN Opener Evening Trip

 

4lber Dirty Jigs SC Buzzbait/ToadZ

8:15-9:15PM North Channel Inn Bay Platte Lake

66-70℉, PC, 0-3mph W

Water Temp: Low 60's

This trip would not have happened if Steve hadn't taken Mom home from the late hamburger feed. Thanks, Steve! I went to Channel Inn Bay with limited daylight. I got the 4lber at Dogfish Corner, as well as a pike in the hay. I got a quick pike throwing the Swim Jig and a small bass on the first cast with the SBKO. Conditions said I should have gotten plenty of bites. I didn't bring a headlamp or spotlight. I stuck the boat landing, and Todd helped me unload stuff, which was appreciated. I was tired, and it would have taken me quite a while longer without the help.

2Bass 

2Pike 

MN Opener Morning GOMH & Short Trophy Trip

 

4:35-5:40AM GOMH NE

43-52℉, MS, 0-2mph

Water Level: High and Rising, Temp: 58℉

I should have left 10 minutes earlier. The truck driving North in front of me was headed to the GOMH as well but, thankfully, didn't pull a U-turn at the bridge. I saw they were coming back, so I quickly grabbed two rods and the tackle bag and headed down to the untaken SE side. Wheel House Guy was already there on the SW. I got a bite on my second cast, but it got off quickly. That is what I get for leading with the swimbait instead of a jerkbait. I did switch to the UJShad and had a fish on briefly, but it felt very gator-like on the hit. I had a couple of bumps, and as it was getting light out, I had a jumper get off. I finally got two small jumpers on the Jerk Shad and headed for the Trophy as the first boat from Platte approached.

2 Jump

6:40-7:45AM Sullivan River Mouth, River & SW SPRO

54-59℉, M Sunny, 0-4mph W

With the pre-sets from last night so I was able to make a quick transition to the boat. I left the rods that were in the boat house in the boat house. 3 or 4 boats were fishing Platte. Only a couple on the North End of Sully. I started at the River Mouth. Nothing on the KO Shower Blows, so I went to an EVO Chatter. Lost a good feeling fish, then a good'n at the boat. I then caught a small pike. I got bit off. In the river, I had some good bites on the SBKO but only caught the small ones. I believe I was the first person to fish the river mouth. For the final 20 minutes, I ran the SWSPRO, getting the biggest fish of the morning, and missed a couple more good ones on the SBKO. It was a short trip because I needed to have the car back home.

7Bass 

3Pike 

 

2024 MN Opener At Eddy's

Setting the scene

 

Northern Lights Looking towards Indian Point

Northern Lights Looking South from our place when I got home

1st Fish of the 24 Season

5th Eye of the night

12:00-2:45AM Eddy's Jetty Mille Lacs Lake

43℉, Clear Sky w/ Northern Lights, 1-3mph W light ripple

I arrived at the Jetty around 11:30PM. The Northern Lights had a lot of watchers on the frontage road, but nobody came to fish the Jetty. There was a light ripple on the water. I started with a Minnesota Rig for my first 5 casts. Not a solid plan. After a fishless first 10 minutes, I switched to a Grass Pig and had a fish pull it halfway off the jig on the first cast. I may have missed another bite about 10 minutes later. I spent 45 minutes in the North Corner before giving the Harbor Mouth a try. 

At about 1 am, the Northern Lights got much brighter over the lake, and a baitfish got blasted just to the S of the Center Standing Rock. I quickly made my way to that spot. I turned on my headlamp and saw the fish, so I turned the headlamp off. I then cast about 20' past, where I saw the fish with the Jerk Shad, and it hit on the very first cast, bazinga! It was about 18." I caught 3 more at the Center Standing Rock in the next 20 minutes. I got my final bite of the night at the Old North Corner Standing Spot on the Jerk Shad. I foolishly decided 5 fish was enough and started trying other things. A couple other guys showed up with a boat at 2 am. The guy that went to Center Jetty got a fish quickly. His buddy showed up about 15 minutes later and caught a walleye as I was packing up. He was fishing off the N Harbor Mouth. The NL were really bright from W to E in the southern sky as I made my way home. I took a picture when I got home. Successful opening trip.

5Eyes