Maybe This Is My Last Open Water Fish This Year

17.25" Luck-E-Strike RC STX

3:45-5:00PM
Conditions: Overcast, light wind out of the SW, temp around 40, less ice than yesterday.

I just got one toothy today.  I had caught it before. I could tell by the cut at the bottom of it's tail.  A guy stopped and told me he was getting bullheads at the bridge last year around this time.  It's going to get colder, so this might be my last open water trip of the year.

Six Toothy's And Pete Melts Down

How much Open water on the N side

Pete broke off some ice

1:30-2:30PM Rock, GOMH
3:30-5:10PM Sullivan Inlet, GOMH

Conditions: Partly Sunny, 39-34 degrees, wind out of the ???

So Pete and I went out fishing again.  I started on the SW side and Pete on the NE side.  I didn't get anything so we switched sides.  I landed one and then another on the STX.

Luck-E-Strike RC STX

Luck-E-Strike RC STX

On the second fish I hooked my jacket at the wrist.  I managed to get the fish off, then made the mistake of asking for Pete's help in getting the lure off my jacket.  In the process of getting the hook out of the jacket Pete got a hook in a finger past the barb.  He then melted down in a hail of swear words and busted my pliers.

I wasn't to happy about that.   He got a hook in his finger, big deal.  Unfortunately it was Tuesday so Bear Trax was closed and Pete didn't want to go to the Clinic/Hospital.  I drove home and Pete cut the hook off leaving part of it in his finger.  He wanted me to drive him the the St. Cloud VA, but I wasn't having that.  So he packed up his stuff and headed to the VA in the cities.

I went back fishing and caught 4 more toothy's and saw a nice moon rise.

Luck-E-Strike RC STX

Luck-E-Strike RC STX

Two More At The GOMH

18" Piranha

17" STX

Pete at the culvert

4:00-5:10PM
Conditions;  mid 30's, partly cloudy, light wind out of the NW, water level up about 6-8"'s.  Iced up except in the current area's.

I took Pete out fishing tonight.   The cold weather had most of the south end locked up except in the current area out about 100 yards.  Didn't get anything at the Inlet and at the Culvert.  At the GOMH the N side had about a long cast and half of open water and then Channel Inn Bay was locked.  The sides had ice so I had to be careful bringing in my lures.  I had a toothy hit the Piranha on the first cast, but not hook up.  A couple casts later I got the 18 incher.  Pete missed a bite and I got the 17 incher on the same STX I got most of the other toothy's on this month.  We will probably go out tomorrow as well.  I was surprised how much ice there is.

Last Open Water Trip???

19" Spro McStick 110

8:40-10:00AM
Conditions: Nearly 60 degrees, light winds turning windy out of the SE, during a break in the rain with some sprinkles,  We had gotten about 2 inches over the last couple of days. Mostly overcast,

Since there was break in the rain and it was so warm out I decided to go fishing again this morning.  I got the one toothy bullhead at the GOMH on the McStick on the NE side.  Then I decided the give the Inlet on Sullivan a try.  I got 5 small pike there on an STX and missed 1 fish that felt bigger.  I then went to the access at Round and didn't get anything.  I then tried the culvert and it started to rain, so I was done.

19" Luck-E-Strike RC STX

20.5" STX

17" STX

Toothy Bullhead School at the GOMH

Used the top two today

8:45-9:30AM
Conditions: Overcast, light rain, windy out of the SE, 48 degrees

After more than a year of bidding on Luck-E-Strike Rick Clunn STX Jerkbaits on Ebay I finally won 5 used one's at my price point.  I also won a New Spro Mc Stick 110 from the same seller on a different auction.  They arrived yesterday and I gave them a try this morning.  I was rather surprised to get 6 toothy bullheads on a couple of the STX's that I put on.  I didn't try the Mc Stick.  Every thing came on the NE side.

17.75" Luck-E-Strike RC STX

17" STX

20" STX

Mille Lacs Morning, Got 1 at GOMH

Looking at Mojo, Shadow Rap, and Indian Point

Wind out of the SW, not what I wanted

6:40-7:30AM Mille Lacs
7:50-8:40AM Bulldog, Rock, GOMH

Conditions: Cloudy, windy out of the SW at Mille Lacs, SE here, 60 degrees

Because of the warm weather and what I thought was the wind direction I headed to Eddy's Jetty to try for some smalleye's.  When I arrived I was surprised the wind was blowing out, not in.  I threw the Rippin' Rap and Shadow Rap and caught zeebs.  It was Pirate Bones.

I decided to hit the area lakes and I got a toothy bullhead at the GOMH.

18.25" Jerk Shad Ghost Shad color

 That was it.

Skunked Tonight

3:45-6:15PM
Conditions: Mostly sunny, wind out of the E, temps in the 60's.

Didn't even have a hit.  Saw no activity except for a few minnows at the surface.

Some New Mojo

14" Piranha with twister tail trailer (see lure below)

My new to me St. Croix Mojo 7'MHM Crankbait

3:45-6:30PM
Conditions:  Started out partly clouding turning overcast,  Windy out of the E, 55 degrees dropping into the 40's.

Our cabin is the yellowish brown boathouse

Due to  the wind being out of the East I couldn't get to where I wanted to go.  When the wind gusted I would make negative headway.  So I made it to the waypoint on the inside turn about 60 yards down from the cabin and put the anchor down.  The inside turn had some green coontail on it.  I started out throwing with my new to me Mojo with a Piranha and was surprised when I quickly landed a bass.  I then had a fish hit the Shadow Rap and not hook up.  Went through a few more baits and had a small pike hit a Bass Pro Flat Shallow.  It clouded up and the wind didn't die down like it was suppose to do.  I had a little bigger pike miss the Shadow Rap boat side.

A monster snapping turtle checked me out for about 15 minutes.  I did move to the way point in front of our place, but didn't get a bite. I came in early.

Skunked On Consecutive Night's, Slop Slip Then Shore

Sunday Night Trip

4:45-7:00PM
Conditions: Cloudy, temps around 50, moderate wind out of the ESE diminishing.

Went out after the Vikes road win in Detroit. Had one hit to the West.  Spent to much time on the close waypoints.  Went East but it was getting dark.

Monday
5:45-6:45PM
Conditions: Cloudy, temps mid 40's, windy out of the NE

Nothing at Bulldog, Rock, or the GOMH.  It was miserable out.

Rock Dock Out, Small Pike at Bulldog

It's Gone

?19?" Mills Spinnerbait w/ Grass Pig trail

5:45-7:15PM Bulldog, Rock, Jenny's, GOMH

Conditions: Mostly sunny, light WNW wind, around 50 degrees

At the last second I decided to head to Bulldog Lake, before hitting Rock.  It was a good choice as it kept me from getting skunked and I wouldn't have been able to fish at Rock yet because there was a boat taking out that was just leaving when I arrived at Rock.  Much to my disappointment the Rock Dock is out.  I had a pike or dogfish porpoise on the Stanley Phantom, but not get it. It wouldn't show itself again.  Didn't get anything at Jenny's or the GOMH.  I thought maybe the GOMH might have something because it rained yesterday.  Maybe somebody fished there before me, who knows.

The St. Croix Mojo I won on Ebay arrived today.  It's the 7' graphite crankbait rod.   

Slop Slip On A Calm Night

15.5" Piranha

Half Moon

Looking East from the Cabin

Looking NW from the Cabin

5:00-7:00PM
Conditions: Sunny, calm, temps in the high 50's

I went to a spot that looked good on my Lakemaster chip.  Sure enough it paid off with the bass on the Piranha.  A 23 inch pike on the Piranha and 19" pike on the Stanley Phantom.  I thought there would be more activity than there was.  Topwater just wasn't happening.  I had a couple fish hit a spinnerbait but not hook up.  I wish I would have gotten out earlier as conditions were perfect.

More Success Tonight in the Slop Slip

15" Mills Spinnerbait w/ Grass Pig trailer

5:40-7:10PM
Conditions:  Mostly Sunny, Mild wind out of the NW, temps around 50 degrees

I decided to drift through the reeds throwing a spinnerbait.  I came out the other side a bit past Jenny's and a fish surfaced just behind me.  I cast back over the area and I got the bass in the picture on the black Mills Spinnerbait with a pink Grass Pig trailer.  I threw out the anchor and marked a waypoint on the GPS after getting a 14.5" bass on the Piranha.  I also missed another hit on the spinnerbait.  I then started casting in towards shore and a got a 24" class pike on the spinnerbait.  I was going to take a picture of it on the end of my line, but it got off before I was able to take the picture.

A flock of geese flying East

I had a small pike hit the Horny Toad as I paddled my way back to the cabin

Windy Night In the Slop Slip

23.5" Piranha

Rippin Rap over rippling waves

4:50-6:50PM
Conditions: Mostly Sunny, Windy out of the NE, Temps in the mid 50's

The wind was blowing right in to the lake place.  I decided to paddle out to the weed point beyond the reeds.  I got a pike on the Piranha and the Rippin Rap I got in the mail today from Bass Pro Shops.  I think I missed a couple of hits as well.  I parked a couple more times getting nothing.  It was getting dark so I pulled anchor to drift through the reeds and I hog tide this pike just as I arrived at the reeds.

24" Mills Spinnerbait w/ Grass Pig trailer

I did drift in to the area I had been fishing but didn't get anything there.

Beautiful Night, Not Much Of A Bite

24" Stanley Phantom

5:45-8:00PM
Conditions: Mostly sunny, calm, comfortable, temps in the mid 60's.

It was a beautiful night on the lake.  The fish were sluggish.  I missed one in front of Sherman's.  And found a couple more I couldn't get to hit.  Did get the one on the Phantom.  I stayed out tell about 7:30PM enjoying the conditions.  I also tried the GOMH and got nothing.

Thumbs up for being out on the water tonight

Better Execution + Less Bites= 2 Fish

13.5" Horny Toad

5:45-7PM
Conditions:  Mostly Sunny,  Windy out of the SSE, temps in the mid to high 50's.

I started in the same area that all the fish were in yesterday.  Had to drop anchor cause the wind was howling.  I got the bass then a 19.5" pike to reveal themselves on an Ish's Phat Frog and I caught the fish on the Horny Toad.  I then paddled over by Jenny's neighbors dock and I missed a fish on the Phantom.  That was it for action.

The area I got my fish out of tonight.

Poor Execution Tonght

19.5" Stanley Phantom

5:45-7:00PM
Conditions:  Mostly sunny, calm to very light NW wind, temps in low 50 to mid 40's

Tonight I took the Slop Slip out for a short trip.  After not getting a hit out front I started working towards Jenny's.  A fish showed itself up by shore so I went in closer and had the fish miss Ish's Phat Frog.  Then the fish that I got showed itself back towards the cabin.  I then went back towards Jenny's.  Missing probably one bass and several northern's on the Ish's.  Fish were all around me.  Eventually it got to dark and the fish quit biting.