Big Dog, Good Bass

7.14lbs/28.5" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

6:00AM-1:00PM 17" Hole, Access Across, Chuck's Point, Green Cabin Bay
Conditions: 63-73℉, Cloudy, 3-7mph NNE
Water Temp: 73℉

17" Terminator Frog (Yellow)

The morning started out great with 3 good bass in the boat in the first 20 minutes;  The 17" on the Terminator Frog and the other two (15.25,16.25) on Bobby's Perfect.  I got a few pike on the Bobby's Perfect and the black Spro Sprinker knockoff.  It was at least an hour before I got my next bass, a 15.75" on a black/red Terminator Frog way up in the rice.  I worked my out along the cane and got two 3lbers within 15 minutes off the end of the cane.

17" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

17.25" Bobby's Perfect

 As I started back toward the 17" Hole I got the big dog off of the long rice point.  I had something big miss the Spro Sprinker off the tip of the point.  I got a few pike as I worked my way west to the 17" Hole on the Spro Sprinker knockoff.  I also lost either a big doggy or big bass on my way to the 17" Hole on SSKO.  I worked west of the 17" Hole but was only getting pike, so I headed to Chuck's Point.

15.5" Bobby's Perfect

 I got several bass off of Chuck's Point (15.66,15.5,15,13,10.5) on Bobby's Perfect, including this one that looked like it's fins had been dipped in orange dye.  I had a pike steal my Bobby's Perfect in the slop in Green Cabin Bay.  Green Cabin was a disappointment and I pulled the plug at 1PM.  My upper back was barking at me by then and the sun was beginning to come out as well.  I would have thought the bass topwater bite would have been better than it was with the overcast.

16.07lbs for my Best 6 Bass

11 Bass
13 Pike
1 Dog

Big Bass In the Morning, OK Night As Well

4.45lbs/19.25" Bobby' Perfect (Sparrow)

6:00-10:30AM 17" Hole, Across Public, Green Cabin
Conditions: 56-73℉, Sunny, 2 to8mph SSE
Water Temp: 76℉

2.95lbs/17" Terminator Frog (Yellow)

Since I left the house at 5:30 I skipped the GOMH.  I headed West of the 17" Hole.  I had a small pike miss the Horny Toad right away.  I got up to the 17" Hole and I had a big fish just crush the Terminator Frog, but not hook up.  Missed a smaller fish on the very next cast.  About 5 minutes later I got on the board with the 17-incher.  I missed another hit right after that.  I kept working my way East.  I was just thinking I hadn't had a bite in about 45 minutes and should to Green Cabin Bay when the 4 pounder crushed Bobby's Perfect when the cast landed.  The wind made the cast land in a spot I wasn't looking, but I did see the splash, so I reeled up and set the hook.

2.95lbs/16.9" Bobby's Perfect

I kept working my way East.  The whole area from the 17 Hole East looks as fishable as it ever has.  I got the 16.9" off of a rice point.  I missed a good size pike on the back side of the cane.  As I made my way to Green Cabin I spilled my frog box.  Good move to not lock and secure it Claude.  I had one small attempt at a take in the pads.  That was it for my 45 minutes in the juice.
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3.72lbs/17.9" Terminator Frog

7:00-9:30PM Across & SPSI, Channel Inn Bay
Conditions: 78-72℉, Partly Cloudy, 2-5MPH SE
Water Temp: 78℉

2.91lb/17.25" Terminator Frog.

I started in the reeds across from SPSI.  Nothing going on there except a couple small pike.  I then went in and had a bit of a clown show on the docks missing a couple of bites.  I missed a couple of bites in the reeds on SPSI.  At 7:50 I pulled the plug and went to the South side of Channel Inn Bay.  I missed a good hit right away in the mouth of the first boat channel on the yellow Spro Sprinker.  I then missed a hit farther in the rice.  I had a fish wake at the Terminator and finally blow up on it.  I expected it to be a doggy, but was pleasantly surprised it was the 17.9-incher.  I then had a pike mess with me, before having the 17.25 blow up the Terminator.  I missed a good blow up and then got a 15-incher on the Terminator.  I then went to throwing the Spro Sprinker and lost a 16/17 on about my third cast when the fish jumped and threw the lure back at me.  Shortly after that, I got a 15.75-incher which was my last weigh fish for the day.  I had a small pike steal the yellow Spro Sprinker. 

slice

The skeeters got bad and I got out of there.  The area I was fishing doesn't look as good as last year but is still holding fish obviously.

19.33lbs for my best 6 Bass today

Fishing With Steve On Platte

2.53lbs/16.75" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

7:00-9:35PM Cane Across from PA, Chuck's Point
Conditions: 72-67℉, Mostly cloudy some sprinkles, Light NE wind
Water Temp: 72℉ water level rising.

2.53lbs/16.75" Sprinker

I had been dragging all day, but I took an extra 1/2 shot of Xtra Strength 5-Hour Energy and I was good to go.  Should have left the house 15 minutes sooner, oh well.  Steve decided to risk possibly getting rained on and went out with me.  We started out quite slowly due to water in the boat and only managed to get up to 17MPH on the way to the area around the cane across from the Platte Public Access.  I missed my first few bites on a subsurface white Spro Sprinker knockoff.  Not sure why the lure didn't want to run up on top, it worked fine yesterday.  I switched to the black purple head Sprinker Frog because I didn't have the white orange head one in the boat.  Steve missed a couple of good bites.  I was just about to change out the Sprinker when I got a small pike and 15" bass on back to back casts.  Steve missed a really good hit on the Terminator Poppin' Frog.  I got the 16.75" bass.  Steve missed a fish that blew up the Poppin Frog the second it landed.  I suggested he give another frog a try.  I gave him the 7'4" Tatula with a Bobby's Perfect on it.  He immediately got blasted by a nice pike which he launched toward us on the hookset and it got off.  Shortly after that while I was taking a piss off the front of the boat Steve got a 15.5" bass and it stayed on.

The relief he didn't get skunked.

I caught 15" on the Hot Mud Camo Terminator Frog and lost one on it.  We got out a little deeper where the rice hadn't reached the surface yet, so I put on the perch 110 Whopper Plopper.  I got a bite on the very first cast, but it quickly came off. At the same time that was happening Steve got his big one of the night.  I worked us back toward the cane and we had some pike bites and that was it.  At about 9:05 I decided to finally make the move to Chuck's Point.  I had been contemplating moving since before 8, but the fish biting kept us where we were at.

 At Chuck's Point, Steve caught a small pike and I had a really good bass come out of the water after the Sprinker, but it missed.  I couldn't get the fish to pick up my follow up jig.  We got up by the shore as it was getting dark.  I missed a couple fish I'm pretty sure were pike and Steve got the last bass of the night.  And I missed a fish the hit my last cast with the Plopper 110, really.

Best 6 Bass of the night

Me 4 Bass
4 Pike
Steve 3 Bass
6 Pike

We missed the best bites of the night. 

Bay Lake Pre-fish with Snatcher Chuck

No Pictures forgot to take any.

Conditions: Hot, Sunny, Windy SE, water visibility only about 3'

We started out by going on the backside of Battle Point working farther North to farther South of where Rog and I crushed them in the morning.  I remember it being a great cabbage area.  All I seemed to find was milfoil, pike, and rock bass or two.  I also lost several fish on the Pure Poison.  We worked the area for a solid hour plus I would say.  Chuck got a couple of small bass and bit off a few times.  Next, we went to a place with cabbage but no fish.  Then a milfoil spot where Chuck crushed on a bunch of little ones the last tournament.  All we found there was dead foil.  Next, we went to the North tip of Malkerson Island.  Chuck caught a small one there.  Next, we went and fished just inside the little slop bay on the NW corner of the lake fishing our way out on Indian Point.  Chuck got a couple of bass including the best of the day, 15 incher maybe.  For me, it was more pike and possibly a rock bass.  We went to a spot along the island.  I had dink throw the hook.  I think we both got multiple pike as well. Next, we worked a flat all the way down Corey Point.  More pike and fish getting off.  I think Chuck landed a bass or two as well.

Next, we checked an almost non-existent reed bed and some wood in the water along that one island.  I caught one 12" squeaker throwing the Poison out into nothing.  The shallows were by the wood were devoid of fish except for a rock bass or two.

Next, we went into the Bay that is to the South of that island, it was the furthest south we went.  We fished some docks and got rock bass and a couple of dinks.  I did a have decent bass come out from under a tree to look at my jig.

Next, we headed North to work the non-existent reed bed between the two small islands.  Then went and fished along the South or Malkerson.  Nothing but pike there.  Next, we went into the bigger slop bay that runs along 6.  I think Chuck caught a couple small bass in here.  I missed a couple hits on the Sprinker knock off and had a couple of bass feeling bites as we exited the bay.  Next, we worked a couple of spots along the North shore East of Rutgers.  More pike and rockies.  It was now 1PM and pretty darn warm.  We went to the reed point over by the culverts where I got a few dinks on the Buzz Toad, then we called it a day.

I hope Chuck learned something because he was scratching his head when we finished.  Hopefully, I got clued in on a couple of color choices.  I know that being in the hot sun was really draining, which I discovered on Wed's.     

GOMH Then Out In the Trophy the Rest Of the Day

3.04/17.5" Pop Max Knock Off (Pink)

8:30-10:30AM GOMH
12:00-7:00PM West Point, F Flat, Chuck's Point, Across from PA, Double Cane Point
Conditions: 48-57℉, Mostly Cloudy, Light SE to WSW Wind.  Water Level High and Rising
Water Temp: 56℉

Yes the water is high

16" Craw Tube (Green Pumpkin)

I got a swimbait bit off to start the morning on the SW side.  Then I had the Shower Blows knock off I had just won on eBay get bit off.  Didn't even catch a fish with it.  Basically, it was a toothy bullhead fest at the GOMH this morning.  I also had a Jerk Shad get bit off on the NE side.  I caught 10 of them total 7 on a Jerk Shad, 2 on the craw tube, 1 on the Hack Jig.  I did get that one good bass on the SW side.  When I was fishing the NE side Chuck Steinbauer called, but my phone was out of juice before he could tell me anything.

I went home to call Chuck and found out I was needed for the Challenge Cup.

How high's the water mamma?

We are nearing peak leaves

I got back on the water at noon.  I quickly caught two 12" bass on a black Shower Blows knock off and a 10" and 14" on the craw tube off of West Point.  The rest of the day it was a struggle to catch fish.

Pop Max Knock Off

I moved over to F Flat and quickly got my big fish of the day on the above Pop Max knock off.  I thought maybe it was gonna be AWWWWWWWN, but it wasn't.  I caught one dink on the X-Rap Prop and that was it for F Flat.

I then went to Green Cabin Bay.  There was only pike there until I got to the reeds at Chuck's Point.

17.25" Spro Shad Sprinker KO

   I think I missed a couple of strikes there as well.  Next, I headed across from the public access.  I missed a few hits there but did catch two bass (14, 16.25) on a Terminator Frog.

16.25" Terminator Frog (yellow)

Where I caught it.

This was the only area I got any bass across from the public access.  The 14 incher came along the bulrush wall off to the left of the picture.

I made one last move to Double Cane Point.  I got one last 15.3" bass on the Terminator Frog up by the point after I took these pictures.

13.84lbs Best 6 for the Day

1 Jump
10 Toothy
10 Bass
7 Pike

Long Slow Day On The Water

17.5" Bobby's Perfect Frog

7:30-8:00AM GOMH
8:30AM-6:00PM NW Bay, Big Bass Point, Double Cane to Inlet Bay, Across from P.A.
Conditions: 48-66℉, Sunny to Cloudy, Light WSW to WNW Wind, water level rising
Water Temp: 63℉

15.5" Craw Tube (Brown/GP)

When I arrived at the GOMH the panfish guy was there fishing the SW side.  I told him what I had been catching here lately.  I then went down on the NE side.  Missed my first 4 bites, then had my white Pure Poison get bit off.  I did manage to catch the one jumper on the craw tube.

   Conditions seemed favorable, but the bass didn't agree as I struggled to catch 'em.  I caught pike though. I had a true monster gator miss the Rat Ta Tat Plopper twice on Double Cane Point, thinking it was 36-38".  I was a knuckle head and didn't think to throw the Mag Fluke after it.

16" Bobby's Perfect

I didn't feel like taking a break, so I didn't.  I should have put some sunscreen on as I got a little burnt.  I also got a bit mentally and physically fatigued.  I missed several bites that I really should have landed after 4PM.

16.25" Outkast Swim Jig/Swim Fluke Jr. 

I kept hoping I was going to run into a concentration of bass.  That didn't happen until I made my last move of the day and then I only caught 1 of the 6 or so that bit.

I actually probably had a little more weight than this, but I forgot to put the 17.5" on the scale before I put it back.  The 2.53 was the weight I put on the scale for it.  If I could have the day over I would throw a lot more sim jig and a spinnerbait, which I didn't throw at all.

22 Pike
7 Bass

Fishing Was Only So So Tonight

17" Hack Jig/Craw Fatty

4:00-8:00PM Reeds and Docks Across the way, Inlet Bay
Conditions: 77-72℉, Partly to Cloudy, Windy SE diminishing around 7PM
Water Temp: 66℉

13.5" Hack Jig 1oz/CF (Ok Craw/GP)

The plan tonight was to work on my reed fishing game as that looks like a likely scenario for the Little Boy/Wabedo Tournament in a couple of days.  I started out throwing a 1.5oz Strike King Slither Rig with a Rage Space Monkey trailer for my first two drifts through the reeds.  I set the hook a few times, but on got 2 pike.  I changed to 1oz Hack Jig on the LTB rod and went to the inside reed line that was protected from the wind.  I got the one small bass doing that and missed another bite or two.  I got 4 bass (17,13.75, 11x2) and a pike on the sunfish Hack Jig fishing docks.   I also got one dock bass (12.75) on the Magnum Super Fluke.  It got dark and looked like it was going to rain, but didn't.  I had pretty good size pike rip up the bottom of the green frog Spro Sprinker pretty good.  I then had a pike steal the yellow Terminator Frog, so I tied on a brown frog Terminator Popping Frog.  A bass knocked it out of the water over by the cane, but didn't get it.  I pitched 1oz Hack and it nailed it, but I didn't hook it.  It calmed down.  When I got to the North end of the reeds, I decided to run around the point to Inlet Bay.

24" Terminator Popping Frog (Brown Frog)

I caught the one pike there and had a couple other slash at it.  Kind of a disappointing trip seeing as how conditions got to be ideal for the last hour I fished.

9.17lbs Best 6 Bass

7 Bass
8 Pike

Caught A Couple Tonight

6:30-7:45PM Inlet Bay
Conditions: 73-70℉, Partly Cloudy, Very Windy ESE
Water Temp: 66℉

16" Mag Fluke (Disco Violet)

I got a late start tonight due in part to spooling up the Tatula SV 8:1 I just got in the mail today.  I put it on a Legend Tournament Bass Carolina Rig Rod.  I got both of my bass tonight on this set up.  I started out on West Point and didn't get a hit.  I started on North Platte Lake Drive Point docks and worked my way into the inlet bay.  I missed one hit in between docks out on the point.  And missed one hit off of a dock I caught one on the other night.  I got both bass (15,16) in the slop close in to the shore rushes. I had a couple fish show themselves out by where I got the fish the other night.  One just gave it's location away, but didn't hit the Fluke.  The other one I think was a pike that went for the Sprinker KO and I had it on briefly.

2 Bass

OK Morning at the GOMH and in the Trophy

3.61lbs/17.5" Hack Jig/Craw Fatty

7:30AM-12:30PM GOMH, West Point, Across the Bay Dock, Across the Way Docks and Reeds, F Flat Docks
Conditions: 50-57℉, Mostly Cloudy, ESE Wind, water level falling
Water Temp: 63℉

2.75lb/17.75" Mag Fluke (Disco Violet)

I started at the GOMH and got that anorexic jumper on the SW side on the Magnum Super Fluke.  I think I also got a 16.25" on the craw tube (brown/gp) and a 19.5" toothy on the Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr.  The it was time to get in the Trophy.

I think I caught a fish or two at West Point, but don't remember.  I am doing this blog without my notes from the trip, which I misplaced and cannot find.  I then went across the Bay to "the dock".  Unfortunately, it has been mostly taken in at this point.   I caught a 12" bass  on the Whopper Plopper and lost what felt like a very good fish get off that hit the Mag Fluke.  I then went to the point across the way and got a small pike off of a pontoon lift on the Hack Attack Jig/Craw Fatty.

25" Hack/CF

2.64lb/16.75 Mag Fluke

15.5" Mag Fluke

3.15lb/17.25" Mag Fluke

I caught all those fish and a few more in the reeds and off the docks across the way.  I decided to fish on Fall Flat rather than go to Inlet Bay like I planned.  I didn't get any hits in the wind on topwater, but I did get this dink on the Mag Fluke.

9" bass on a 7" Mag Fluke

 I also got the heaviest fish of the trip there on the Hack Attack Jig.  I missed a couple of fish as I was fighting the wind.

16.71lbs for my Best 6

14 Bass
9 Pike