Snatcher's Crow Wing/Gull River Recap

 

The Winning Trio

 Weather: 50-70℉, Mostly Sunny w/some fog in the morning, 2-9mph SSE

My Thoughts Going In: My boater was quite confident that we would both be able to get a limit. I have never done that in a Snatcher Tournament on a river, so I was hopeful but not counting my chickens yet. This has not been my year.

The Day:

It was a beautiful slightly foggy morning take-off. I wish I would have taken a photo. We should have stopped at the bridge because nobody was fishing off of it. At our first stop up the Gull River Tyler was getting bites immediately on his frog but missed the first two or three; then he got a pike. He said he got a bunch of pike prefishing on the frog. He continued to get blowups but wasn't converting any of them into hookups. I had a couple of fish swirl on me in the cheese and duckweed, but not actually make an attempt to eat the frog. Tyler finally hooked into a bass and got the skunk out of the boat. Shortly after that, I had a fish blow up and take the frog, but I came up empty on the hookset. We ended up reworking the area at my suggestion and Tyler got his second fish in the boat. 

We then went back downriver to another slop area where Tyler had some big fish show themselves. It was dead for quite a while. I finally got my first bass in the boat. It was right in the middle of a cheese mat and it took four attempts for it to get my frog. I should have told Tyler to cast to the spot a few times to make sure there wasn't more than one fish there. By the time I was ready to fish again, we had moved on. About 15 minutes later I got a small keeper out of some pads. 

We went back to the starting spot and came up empty, but then just went across the river into a little cut and I frogged up my third fish. We then headed to the rice at the confluence. A guy on the bridge had a three-pound smallmouth as we passed under.  There was some activity at the confluence, but we were not getting bit. I finally had a good bass blow up on my frog after I saw some movement behind my frog; I laid the wood to her, but she buried me in the junk and got off. I couldn't believe it. That coontail/milfoil was like getting stuck in concrete. Eventually, we went back up the Gull and refished the areas in the morning from closest to farthest. Tyler got a couple of keepers inside of the cuts and I got my fourth and final bass on a spinerbait. We both missed at least a couple of blow-ups in the final hour. I should have been throwing a frog instead of that Snag Proof Popper with little hooks. No limit for me yet again on a river.

Results: 14th Place, Ugh! But I'm lucky it wasn't far worse as Ludenia, Tim, and Larry didn't catch 'em.

Sarah won her second Co-Angler Challenge this year.

My Thoughts: It just wasn't my day yet again.  Hearing that Tuma, Smitty, and Sarah crushed them on frogs is a heart smasher. I should have known those little hooks on that Snagproof Popper made hooking fish risky.  Frustrating year. 

Grade: D When they are biting on frogs I should have gotten a limit.

Snatchers Pelican Lake Tournament

Smitty's Bigs

Smitty's Fin

DJ's Bigs

DJ, Arnie, Smitty

2/9

Conditions: 62-82℉, Mostly Sunny, 0-2mph Wind

The Day:

We headed NW to a bay up there with a bunch of slop. Smitty had a bass in the boat in about 5 casts out of the pads. I had something follow my frog but not hit it. Smitty got another bass. I think I had something hit my jig back where the fish followed my frog too. We then came across some docks and Smitty would get a bite or two of off each one it would seem like. His 3rd or 4th fish in the boat was a 4lber. I got the skunk out of the boat with my biggest bass of the day (2.53) on a Livetartget Frog next to some cattails. We fished more slop and docks, with Smitty getting fish off of both. We ended up returning to where we started and I missed a bit in the pads and think Smitty culled with a 2lber. He had 3 quality fish off of the docks I think. Next. we headed NE to another slop bay where there was a lot of activity. I got a 24-inch dogfish on a Mag Fluke. Smitty had a big bass miss his frog. I think He caught one as well. I'm not sure if he culled. I got my second bass on Bobby's Perfect Frog. We fished farther East into another slop bay then fished our way back to the area where there was activity. I got my smallest keeper (1.36) that I was never able to cull on the LiveTarget frog. Smitty got a big dogfish. Next, we fished Smitty's favorite docks and they were productive for him. Smitty had mercy on me and offered me the craw tube he was getting them. I think he added two culls while I was getting my rod rigged with the proper weight while I was getting heckled by a guy on shore for not having my act together while my partner caught fish left and right.. Unfortunately, the best dock was occupied. I got a 1.82lb bass on the craw tube out of some reeds. Smitty got a few that didn't help. We ran South to one of Smitty's favorite holes, but there were not really fish around except on the last dock, where Smitty bird dogged me one (1.69) that I got on the craw tube. We then went North again to more reeds and Smitty pulled a 5lber out of the Cane. I missed a bite in the Cane because I set the hook too quick. Smitty wasn't going to fish until I got my limit. I got a short out of some reeds/pads. Finally, I got a keeper in the boat off of a dock (2.11). We went back to the dogfish bay. I had three bites on my frog, but didn't land any of them; Two never got the frog and I rolled the one that did get it on the pads on the hookset.  I ran out of energy shortly after my last bite on the frog. As we headed out Smitty had motor issues, so we went to the bay where we had the weigh-in and fished the final hour there, not getting any bites.

Results: 

My results, meh! But at least I got a limit. Congrats to Smitty for putting himself in the Snatcher record books with that outstanding bag of fish. Also congrats to Arnie and DJ. Dj was top Co-Angler. 

My Thoughts:  With that 2.50lber in the boat on a frog about 20 minutes in I thought it might be my day. But then Smitty put on a clinic above average size fish in the boat with a craw tube on docks. I tried switching to a popper after some activity in open water. Then we got to more docks and Smitty got more above average size fish and my jig wasn't getting bit. We got to an area with pads and I couldn't get bit on a frog or Jig, but Smitty continued to catch fish. It just seemed like all my choices were wrong in the first spot. I got two keepers in the boat at the second spot, but I don't think it held the numbers and size of bass to produce a great frog bite. When we got back to docks. It became clear the crawtube was the deal. So when Smitty offered what he was using I rigged up my dock fishing rod with a light Texas Rig. I was way too anxious fishing that crawtube. I needed to let it sit and give the fish a chance to eat it instead of immediately pulling the trigger. It was unfortunate our run South wasn't really holding a good school of fish or had already been hit by somebody else. Not getting any of those final frog fish in the boat sucked, but that is frog fishing. Catching one of them would have probably moved me up at least a couple of places.

Watching Smitty wreck 'em is the highlight of my year so far.

Grade: C+

Pre-Fishing Little Boy/Wabedo with Snatcher Chuck

28" Dark Sleeper (Haze)

 

Snatcher Chuck 

He gave me a tutorial on boat flipping a 4lber

58-78℉, Sunny, 2-10mph WNW

Water Temp: High 60's low 70's

Nate's report to Chuck had us pretty jazzed up to get on 'em, but fishing was tough for us. We started in Little Boy looking for smallies. Chuck caught one little keeper and a rock bass on a Ned. We then went to Wabedo. I had a small pike follow on the Dangerous Swimbait . Chuck got a good keeper largemouth in some pads and a small larry on a point on a Senko. We didn't see much life in Wabedo, so we went back to Little Boy. Chuck got a couple of Larry's in the reeds with cabbage. He then raised a couple of good ones and we saw another on docks.  We then fished on a weed flat in the wind as it was building and I got the big walleye as Chuck had just said I needed to catch something so we could get out of the wind. We went to the Western shore and I had a pretty good blow-up on a frog, no hooks; That was the only blow-up I got.  We tried a couple other places and didn't get anything, so we called it a day. It was a nice day to be on the water even if the fish were stingy.

Me: 1Eye

Chuck: 1SMB, 8LMB, 1Rocky

Snatcher Tournament Lake Osakis

 

Pre-fishing with Darren, his first cast of the morning

Also some pre-fish

Top 3 (Tuma, Sarah, Darren)

Conditions: 50-74℉, Mostly Sunny, 2-9mph WSW

The Day:

I thought I had everything packed and ready to go, nope. Forgot to pack my terminal tackle fanny pack. I also forgot to bring my phone with me to the boat, so I had to walk back to the car and get it. Our Plan A spot in some reeds up the lake was not happening, so after a fruitless hour, we bailed and headed further up the lake and tried a few points and docks getting nothing. We did watch Snatcher Ludenia catch something during that stretch. We went to the smallie area and I got a short smallie on my very first cast with the Stunna. Dennis and Nate joined us in this area, both boats were struggling. I got a 2lb smallie on the Stunna as well as a Rock Bass on the Stunna before we left. It was now about mid-day so we went back to Plan A again; Darren got a keeper in the boat quickly and  I got a ToadZ keeper shortly after. This was the time of day Darren discovered his pattern and it held true. Slow but consistent throwing a jig in the deeper reeds.  Darren then caught the next 4 fish including some really nice ones. He got his fifth fish back where we started the day. I lost two Hack Attack jigs in short order We were just about ready to head South when we got into an active area. I was fishing with my life jacket on anticipating the move. I got my third keeper then lost two good blowups when my jerry-rigged ToadZ because the split ring on the Gami doesn't play well with a Power Clip. Shortly after that trainwreck, we headed South. Darren got a nice one to fill his limit or maybe it was a cull. He was in disbelief he got that bite. The day ended with me being extremely frustrated and angry over the blown opportunity for me near the end.

Results:

My 3 fish put me in a dismal 18th Place out of 20 anglers fishing. First Place and Lunker went to Snatcher Tuma 24/3 and 4/3 all smallies. 2nd Place went to Snatcher Sarah "The Senko Queen"with 18/14, all largies, and third went to my boater Snatcher Darren with 16/8.

My Thoughts:

High hopes dashed; I should have double-checked my stuff to make sure I had everything. Learning that Power Clips and those ringed  EWG hooks don't go together well was an unlucky break. Bad taste in my mouth from this one. But I am happy that Darren's pattern held up and was good enough to get some wood. I'm quite surprised nobody caught a 5lb bass. Hopefully, this will be my throw-out tournament for the year. 

Tournament Grade: D

Opportunity called at the end of the day and I missed it, sucks

 

 

Slow Start, But I Got On 'Em at the GOMH

 

3.04lbs TurboFattyZ (Houdini)

6:54-9:30 PM Channel Inn Bay, GOMH N & S, Intersection NE Reeds

60-67℉, PC, 0-7mph W

Water Temp 58-62℉ High

I didn't get to fishing tonight until almost 7 PM. I had a bunch of small hold-ups tonight that added up like putting gas in the boat. The plan was to cover water in Channel Inn Bay and only stop if I started catching them. All I got was 2 pike and a couple of bumps that didn't hook up. I then stopped at the Grumpy Old Man Hole because nobody was fishing on the North side. I had to check and see if the jumpers were stacked, they were not. However, I pulled my first two bass of the night from under the bridge on the Turbo FattyZ, including the night's big. I got into a willing school of pound to pound and half-size fish immediately SE of the bridge in the old rice on the TFZ. I put on a Terminator Popping Frog and a hawg trucked it. Unfortunately, it got off about 8 feet out. I then lost fish on my next 3 casts. I caught two two-pounders, and then they only slapped at the frog, so I switched frogs, but the fish were done. I moved across the channel and got a pair of pounders on the TFZ. I then moved to the NE Intersection Shallow Reeds, nothing. But I did get a couple of Platte Lake Specials on the currently invisible point/juice spot. Too bad I didn't start at the GOMH. THe other brother of the Casino Bro's was fishing the SW side and Lantern Man showed up about the time the topwater action stopped. I dropped off Brett's pliers  when I came back through. LM said there was a lot of activity on the surface as it was getting dark. I shined two suckers on the N side, no eyeballs.

16 Bass 

3 Pike

2 Suckers 

DNF

 I did not fish on this rainy cool/cold day. I was tired and after I got the pump working went back to bed in the afternoon. Tried to get up again around 4:30, but was back in bed again soon. Mom got pizza from the corner. I finally got up around 7PM. Started re-mastering 2013 at Fish Swami (The year of GOMH). I turned on the Wolves game. Ant had an excellent 2nd half, scored 40 and the Puppies swept the Suns. If the guys can stay healthy, they are title contenders. It would be nice if MN finally had another major professional sports championship. It's been forever

DNF

 I could have gone fishing tonight as the rain was light at best, but I decided to watch Day ONe of the NFL Draft and Vikings draft reaction and coverage instead. I am pleased as punch with how things went down.
I think we may have gotten two GEM's.

Another Slabber Bullhead Night

14.75" BT Glow Demon/Minnow

 8:00-11:30 PM SW GOMH 

40-42℉, PC, 0-4mph WSW

Water Normal rising

I was amazed no one was at the Grumpy Old Man Hole tonight. 40m degrees isn't that cold and the winds were diminishing. I didn't get a bite for about an hour and about 10 minutes into fishing the lighted bobber. Missed my first two bites. There was an ultra-slow current into Sully tonight and all four of my fish came in the middle of the channel. They went 12.5",12.5",14.75",9" I thought the big one was only a 13-incher. I was amazed when it measured 14.75". I couldn't get the scale to read, but I'm pretty sure it weighed less than my PB. I think I probably got my last fish about 10PM. I didn't shine anything and did fish off the bridge and the SE side for about 15 minutes.

4 Crip 

12.5" Demon/minnow

Best Bite Bite Yet At the GOMH

 

11.75" BT Glow Demon/minnow

12.5" BT Glow Demon/Minnow

1..75lb THE jig/minnow

Doh, I forgot to take a picture of the 13 inch silver bullhead. I swore I took a picture of it.

6:50-11:40PM GOMH SW & Shining N.

48-60℉, PC until 11 or so, 0-3mph NW

Bear Trax got bought out of minnows today and R Skiba got out a pole saw and took it to the cattails and beaver dam. No one was there when I arrived so I quickly got my stuff down on the SW side. A guy showed up before I had all my stuff down. I got a gator in my first few casts, then not much. The other guy got a gator and a jumper eventually. Somebody showed up and took the N side. Kyle (No Brett) showed up and came down by me. He offered me the use of his minnows. The sunset happened and I got a jumper on THE Jig/minnow. Kyle picked up a couple of jumpers and got bit off. Skiba showed up and took LM spot in the puddle. I got the first silver of the night. A guy named Landon who is a hardcore guy that knows Kyle showed up and fished West of the Beaver Dam. Kyle got bit off again and decided not to retire. An older guy from Little Falls fished from the bridge.  Skiba got a couple of jumpers and we both started getting silvers after 9 PM. Kyle left and Landon went on the SE side when the guy who showed up when I did left and it was AWWWWWWWN, with everyone getting bit from about 9:15 to 9:45. Skiba left about 9:30 and gave me a bunch of minnows. The guy from Little Falls had joined Landon on the SE side around 9:20 or so. The Little Falls guy left around 10PM when there was a lull in the action. Landon fished Long Lake today and a dock owner gave him the tip about fishing the GOMH.  The fishing picked up again. I saw three shooting stars. Landon left around 10:30. The action was consistent until some clouds moved in around 11PM and the bite shut down. It didn't help that I couldn't keep a minnow hooked also missing a couple of opportunities. I gave up at 11:40 PM. I shined a couple of jumpers and 3 or 4 silvers on the N side and one big silver on the S side. The biggest silver of the night went 13.25. 

31Crip 

2Jump 

1Pike   

Skunked On A Short Windy Trip GOMh/Rock

 

34℉, PC, 12-15mph SW

I dropped off the garbage then stopped at Rock. Rock Dock is not in. Fished for about 10 minutes then left. The wind at the GOMH was blowing out of the SW at about the same rate as a couple of days ago, but the temps were just above freezing this time. I fished for maybe 15 minutes on both sides of the bridge. No bites. Flying swans, red wings, and a beautiful sunset tonight. It is too bad the wind was blowing straight up the pipe again.

Skunked  

DNF

 It didn't get above freezing. I basically slept all day. This upcoming week's forecast is not a banger.

Not Even A Sunset Pic

Saturday March 16th

 7:25-8:10PM GOMH SW

31-33℉, Cloudy/Flurries, 10mph NW

Water Low and Falling

I thought maybe it would be a wackfest with the light snow flurries. There was nobody at the GOMH when I arrived. I didn't get a bite and when the guides started freezing up I was done. Not sure when I will get out again.

Skunked In the Morning/Some Bullheads In The Evening

 

6:45-8:30 AM GOMH SW

33-34℉, PC, 0-3mph W

Water Low and falling

I got minnows at Bear Trax then headed to the GOMH. I only got one bite that didn't hook up later in the morning. Nice sunrise and the red wings were singing away. Some swan and eagle flybys. Disappointing trip.

6:45-9:15 PM GOMH SW & NE

48℉, Cloudy, 10-15mph SW

I had just arrived when Lantern Man's son and two buddies showed up. The wind was hellacious but fishable. I missed one jumper on a jig. Brett moved over to the SW side with me. His buddy on the SE side got a gator. A couple of minutes after that I got a jumper and then Brett lost a 3 to 4lb jumper. Then a long lull. Lighted bobbers came out. Brett missed one bite. I headed to the NE side just as Lantern Man arrived. I didn't get anything. I put my stuff in the car, then went to talk with the crew. Kyle on the SE side got the first silver. Lantern Man got two and Brett missed a bite or two. I had enough of the wind and left at about 9:40. Those were the only three silvers they got.

2Jump 

Gator And Silver Bullheads

 

14" Cubby/minnow

Choked it

13" Demon/minnow

25.5 Swim Shad

Rock Dock Not In

6:30-7:45 AM GOMH SW

34℉, PC, 0-3mph NE

Water Low Falling

I got a bite in the current that got off. The very next cast was a small gator. I got one more 23" gator a while later. I think I had something pull down the bobber right before Dad called. Because of that, I ended up leaving a little later than planned. I did get the car back in time for Mom to get to her hair appointment in Pierz.

2 Gator

5:00-11:00PM SW NE GOMH, Rock & Bulldog, SW GOMH

48-53℉, PC, 0-3mph

First evening stop at the GOMH. Nobody came around. I got a 25.5" gator on my only bite on the SW side. I briefly fished the NE side and had a small gator swirl on me.

2 Gator

Rock & Bulldog

There was some really small baitfish shallow at Rock. Rock Dock is not in yet. A few swans flying around. I did briefly fish at Bulldog, before heading back to the GOMH. No life at Bulldog.

Back at the GOMH:

Nice pink sunset. I missed three hits on the dogfish tackle. I got out the lighted bobber and quickly caught a 14" Slabber Bullhead. A couple bullhead fishermen showed up and fished the N side. I was just about ready to head out at 9:45 pm when I finally got another bite. From that point on I got a bite every 5 to 10 minutes until I ran out of minnows. I got a 12.5" and a 13" going 3 for 8 on bites. I was a bit rusty.  Also, a bow fishing boat blinded me so I missed my final two hooksets. I could not get a bite on just a glow Cubby. When the Bow Fishing boat came around I put my sunglasses on. They headed back into Platte as I was packing up. I shined two golden bullheads on the Platte side and one bullhead in the rocks on the Sully side.

3 Slabber Bullheads

 

Ice Off Platte & I Got Two Gators @GOMH

 

First of two min-gators

Clicking will show the ice line

ice at the Platte Lake Access

5:10-6:45 PM Rock & GOMH

30-34℉, Sunny, 3-6mph NW

Rock Report: There was still ice on the southern half of the lake. There was very little baitfish activity. I heard eagles but didn't see them. Somebody was pulling out as I came down the hill. Tomorrow will be the day ice goes off Rock.

GOMH Report: I saw a red-wing blackbird in the tree to the East. There were not nearly as many swans around tonight. About 15' of ice is still at the access and a fair amount in Inlet Bay. I would be able to get a boat from the access to Jenny's so I'm calling ice out today. I had a small gator take a swipe at the Swim Shad right by the shore before I pulled it out of the water. A couple of casts later I had a hit across the channel in front of the cattails on the Swim Shad, a small gator. I threw the gator on the far side of the beaver dam. I put Cubby/Minnow out and got hit just to the East of the Beaver Dam flotsam. I'm pretty sure this fish was smaller. It came off as I tried to beach it sending my rig up and around the bridge gating, ridiculous. I got things untangled and called it a night. There was still some ice at the NE Access on Sullivan. The Bonfire Crew was doing a controlled burn as I was leaving. I could feel the heat at the car; I and the car smelled like smoke the whole way home.

2 Gator

Skunked at Rock & GOMH

GOMH

Sullivan Access

Rock Report: Skunked (Ice was off the upper 1/3rd of the lake and moving South. Two eagles flew out from the North. Only saw one baitfish. THe ice was probably 70 yards from the access.)

GOMH Report: Skunked (Ice barely holding on in Inlet, Our, and Access Bay. Should be gone tomorrow. Sullivan was mostly clear as well. It was getting dark by the time I arrived, I didn't get any hits and didn't fish long. My line was slowly icing up at both places.

 

Pike at Rock Lake Tonight

 

Colors were bright and growing dimmer the whole time  I headed West

Platte Public Access

5:40-6:10PM Rock Lake 

33-36℉, PC, 0-2mph NW

Ice is holding on in Platte, but I don't think by much. I stopped at Rock, and while I was stretching I noticed baitfish activity out by the ice line on the surface. I got one pike, and that was my only bite. I stopped at Bulldog, not much progress again. I got to the GOMH a couple of minutes late for peak colors. I then drove to the Platte Public Access where there was still a bit of ice.

1Pike