I Need To Learn To Cast, But I Caught Fish Today Anyway

The Rig I Cast With This Morning After Hitting the Bridge.  Note the wire leader tied to the speed clip

5:50-7:15AM GOMH
8:45-9:50PM GOMH

Conditions Morning: Light to moderate rain, cloudy, breezy out of the SSE, Temp 61 degrees
Conditions Evening: Mostly Sunny, light wind out of the WNW, temp low 70's,  water came up a little

I had to cut out two separate overruns/backlashes today from hitting the bridge with lures on a cast.  One cast in the morning on the Platte side and one cast in the evening on the Sullivan side.  Both on TD-Z103H reels on St. Croix 6'8"M rods (one IPC, one not).  The one in the morning with 17lb Sunline Defier Armilo line and the evening with 14lb Fireline.

I'm lucky I didn't break the sexy shad Jerk Shad in the morning I hit the bridge so hard with it.  I had just lost a fish about half way in and was casting back under the bridge in frustration.  I ended up putting the Jerk Shad on the Lamiglas Rod as that was the only one I had with that had a speed clip on it. I ended up catching two jumpers on that including this 18.5" and a 12" that almost jerked the rod out of my hand.

18.5" Ultimate Jerk Shad

I also got a 13.75" jumper on the Outcast Beaver on the SW side and missed a couple bites as well.  The beavers tail had been bit off before I got the jumper.

On the evening trip I had a toothy steal my Fluke on the SW side.  I ended up tying the speed clip on the Fluke rod a 6'2"M Avid after casting the Z-Man Chatterstick into the bridge.  I tried the Sweet Revenge Mad Maxx on both side of the bridge having fish boil but not get it on both sides.  At about 9:35PM I went to casting for golden's with the Jerk Shad.  I was just about to give up when this golden hit it.  Click to enlarge to see the mosquito coming at me on the right.

14.5" Jerk Shad Sexy Shad color

   That was the only one I got and I threw it back.

Got the Skunk Out at Mille Lacs! Good Night at the GOMH Too!

17" Mad Maxx Frog

3:30-5:15PM Mille Lacs
7:30-9:15PM GOMH

Conditions at Mille Lacs: Sunny turning mostly overcast, temps in the mid 70's, Wind out of the ENE, water was not very clear due to wave action

I had to get medications for my mom today.  That meant a trip to Reeds and Mille Lacs Lake.  I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a pic of either smallie I caught (10" and 17").  I got the 10" off the center jetty on a Red Eye Shad.  I then went to the dock off the North jetty corner.  I made a cast along the shoreline side of the dock with the Red Eye Shad and a good fish hit it and went under the dock.  I had it on for a good 30 seconds, but it got off.  Probably a smallie, but I don't know for sure because I didn't see it.  A guy came out and told me he saw a lot of smallies here yesterday.  I got a 17" on the Ultimate Jerk Shad.  I might have had a couple of bumps that didn't hook up.

Conditions at the GOMH: Mostly overcast, turning dead calm, temps in the mid 60's

Peter was there with a friend getting a couple silver bullheads and a couple of oranges.  I started on the SE side and had something boil at the Spro Poppin' Frog in the Channel.  Willard showed up and Peter left.  I went to the SW side and threw the Fluke.  I immediately got bit off.  I put on the Z-Man Chatterstick and caught a small toothy.

   Willard didn't have anything to put it in so I threw it back.   A couple of casts later I got a little nicer one and we found a bag and kept it.  I then caught a small 12" jumpin bullhead that I gave to Willard.  I had another jumper hit the Z-Man, but Willard was sure it was a toothy.  I had a 14" jumper follow then nip at the bait and not get hooked.  That was it for the Z-Man.  I threw the Spro Poppin Frog and missed a hit.  It got it the second time.

13.5" Spro Poppin Frog

I gave it to Willard and one more I got on the Spro.  We moved to the NE side trying to get another toothy, but that didn't happen.  Willard left.  I started throwing the Mad Max with kind of a copper colored bottom.  I forget the name of it.  I got a 15" that was pretty beat up.  I walked down the shoreline to the East and I had a fish make little effort to get Maxx twice.  Third time a 16" fish clocked it.

16?? Mad Maxx

I can't remember if I got one or two more in that 15-16" size besides the 17 incher.  The 17" was the last fish of the night because of the skeeters.