Fishing Was Almost Good

 

19.5" THE Jig/maggots/wax worm

8" VMC Fly/maggot

                          

4:00-6:15PM 9' Platte Public Access.

10-18℉, PC, 5-10MPH SSE

I stopped at Bear Trax to get Minnows. He isn't carrying disposable propane bottles because of the high price. Stopped at the GOMH to get a picture. Took a picture of the Smitty all loaded up. Headed farther west and a little shallower than I have been. I put a minnow down then the camera then THE Jig. Not a whole lot of visibility; I could barely make out the minnow swimming a yard away. After putting THE Jig down I saw a bluegill immediately that quickly spooked when a pike swam in. I put down a spoon and spooked the pike. I got the first crappie on the THE Jig. I then missed a couple on THE Jig. The Pike came in to inspect THE Jig. It sucked it in and I set the hook. It got caught up on the Aqua-Vu. Luckily I got it free and the pike stayed hooked. I got one crappie on the Glow Demon/minnow and 5 on THE Jig. I had a 12" get off in the hole because it was caught on the transducer. Saw a few sunfish, but couldn't get them to bite. Pete called as I was starting to pack up. Mom called to see what I wanted for supper. I ended up sending THE Jig back down getting that 6th crappie.  

6 Crappie

1 Pike

Slow Cold Night On Platte

5" VMC Fly/maggots

5:00-7:00PM 11' Platte Lake Access

7-15℉, Cloudy, 0-3MPH N

I headed over to Steve's so he could get the Smitty Sled spaced out correctly. By the time he was done, I decided Platte was where I would fish. An old-timer was loading up his sled when I arrived. I got my stuff ready to go and the old guy came over to chat. He had been out since about noon and started on Sullivan. The fish wouldn't bite there so he came to Platte.  He showed me his bucket with a nice mess of sunnies and crappies. By the time I was drilling holes darkness was about to descend. I set up to the East of the road I fished yesterday. Caught one small crappie there and not much was going on, so I drilled holes over by where I was yesterday. Caught two small crappies there. Not much was going on. I was comfortable with the heater working. I did miss some bites on THE Jig. When I came in I popped the rope out of one of the skis on the Smitty. I was able to undo the knots and get it fixed.

3 Crips

Fortunately, all I had to do was screw off the heating element. 

New And Improved

Heater Wouldn't Fire, Caught 1 Crappie (Annoying)

 

8" VMC Fly/Maggot

5:30-6:30PM 12' Platte Lake Access

10-18℉, PC, 0-4mph NNE

I headed to the Platte Lake Access at about a quarter to 4PM. I pulled the Fish Trap out on the farthest West road. I got my lines down and then couldn't get the heater to start. Not a happy camper.  I pulled my lines up and headed to Bear Trax to refill my propane tank at about 5PM. Got back in the shack within twenty minutes. Turns out my heating element gave up the ghost. Really not a happy camper. I caught one crappie. It was about the same Temp in the new Fish Trap as it would have been in my old one with the heater running. When the holes started freezing I called it a night.