Valentine's Day On Erskine Lake

 

3:00-7:45 PM 6' 7' NW Weed Flat

31-47℉, PC, 0-4mph SW

Ice Depth 23-26"

I drove to the NW corner weed flat. There were no signs of anybody drilling holes in the immediate area. There were some tracks that went farther North. I should have taken a look, but I am an idiot. I parked and went NW toward the pad line, drilling the first holes a way out, and it was 6/7ish, with sunfish and green curly pond crap beginning to sprout. I wanted to find 9/10ish. I drilled and looked for an hour, as finding sunnies in the second-to-last set of holes 7/8ish. There were perch in most holes. I got tired of drilling, so I drilled a set in both sets where I saw sunfish. I started in the deeper set. I got the camera down and positioned it when I had a big school of crappies, sunnies, and a big bass move in.  I got a crappie on the Switch Wonder Bread and then saw the bass, so I put the Switch down immediately and got the bass to eat, but I didn't set the hook hard enough, and it spit it, doh. Sunfish stayed, and perch stayed, crappie and any bass left. I played with perch and sunfish for a good hour before trying the shallower holes. Had perch to start in the shallow holes. A good-sized pike moved in briefly. Some sunnies joined the perch. I got up to move back to the deeper set around sunset and turned the camera for one last look, and there was a bass right there. So I put a lure back down. Sunfish moved in, but I was intent on going back out. In hindsight, I should have stayed. Out deeper, I missed a couple of crappies, and there were sunnies and perch. I played with the camera angles, getting to the down view too late. When it gets dark, using the most extreme up view is the deal.  I did go back shallow after dark, and also jigged in the other holes as the Vex battery got low.

1Bass 

1Crip 

10Sun 

27YP 

Rock Lake Kind of Sucky Trip

 

4:3-6:15 PM Rock 12' and 17'

30-36℉, M Cloudy, 2-5mph W

I went to my shallow holes and drilled the deep ones as well. Put the camera down, and there was a school of sunfish that came to the camera. Put the Chicken Nugget down and got the camera centered. I was just about to put a Fathead down when a nicepike came on screen. I quickly grabbed the Chicken Rod and the Pike hit. I didn't get the best hookset, and the pike came off after about 7 seconds. The black truck guys drove through to my NE, and the noise scattered the sunfish. It was slow after that. I bailed for the deep holes. I changed the propane on the Little Buddy. I caught a couple of small crappies and had the Vex go wonky and quit. Thankfully, it seems that the battery went bad, not the Vex itself. When I brought it home, I almost didn't figure that out, as the Norsk Lithium was undercharged for some reason. The Vex website said to double-check the battery charge level to make sure it is 12 volts, so I did and found out it was mid-11s. I charged overnigh and the next day, I was good. I had a good battery in waiting. The Vex battery that died lasted a long time.

2Crip 

1Pike 

1Sun 

Last Trophy Trip of 2025

 

4.71lbs OutKast Chicken Nugget Jig

 

3.54lbs Choked the Nuggy

3.54lbs OCN Jig

3:00-5:40PM Sullivan Lake

High 30's, Cloudy, 3-7mph N

Water Temp 45.5℉ 

Last trip in the Trophy for 2025. I was not gung-ho about getting out after getting beaten up yesterday until I was on my way up to the cabin with my Bass Fishing Playlist playing. I found great enthusiasm at that point. The wind wasn't terrible. I worked the Point/Flat Reeds out to the Juice and anchored. I think I had a couple of hits on the Chicken along the reed line. I tried a bunch of different stuff at the juice, not getting any bites. I then headed toward the Big Walleye Waypoints, getting a small bass just off the Red Area on the Crappie colored Chicken.. I anchored and fan casted, losing one bite that felt good. I got to the Waypoints and it wasn't happening, so I made a move to Jaimen's and worked the reed line. I got the 3lber and 4lber just off the thicker reeds beyond the first boat lane on the "Nuggy". The 3lber choked the Nugget, and the 4lber got it in the top lip, dead center. I trolled the GOMH on the way in, getting snagged on a rock. I was able to free the Ultimate Jerk Shad when I got back to it. A successful final trip.

3Bass 2Pike (4lb)(9.36lbsfor 3 bass)