Terrible Bite to Land Ratio On Rock Tonight

 

4:15-8:05PM 17' East of where I had been fishing by 10' 

18-24℉, Cloudy, 4-15mph NW

I almost didn't go because of a lack of motivation.I set up just a bit to the East of where I had previously set up. There was a wheelhouse SE of the Access, and a hub with a couple of trucks, about 100 yards to the East of me. I got set up, but it was dead and had little visibility. I eventually saw a few crappies move through on the camera. I had the Little Buddy run out of propane just before I caught my first fish of the evening. I started out terribly on landing bites. I missed my first bite, landed the second, then missed six straight bites. I think I missed 70% of my bites tonight. I had lines get tangled a couple of times, and I threw a Custom Jigs and Spins Glow Demon that was only attached to a minnowdown the hole. I had very few pods of fish move through, but once it got dark, I would get a bite every 5 to 10 minutes. It was windy on and off, and windy when I left.  Most fish were 9/10ish. I discovered I don't have to use the boat ramp to get on and off the lake, how novel. I'm an idiot for not having thought of using the south side of the ramp on my own.

19 Crips 

Slow Cold Evening On Rock

 

4:14-6:45 PM 17' NE of where I fished last night.

2-6℉, PC/Cloudy, 3-8mph NNW

I got out a little later than yesterday. There was one truck in the public access lot with a trailer and one in my area, closer to the cane. I went right to where I intended to fish and got set up as quickly as I could. The ice is over 20" thick now. Visibility on the camera wasn't great, and I only had a few small pods of crappies swim through before the camera was useless. I only had a few pods of crappies swim through period, and they got small once it got dark. I missed a few more bites tonight than last night. The guys toward the cane were still fishing when I left.

13 Crips 

Another Cold Day On Rock Lake

 

24.5" Glow Demon/Minnow

3:50-7:00PM 17' I was a little to the W of where I fished two days ago

6℉- -1℉, Sunny, 0-6mph NW

I had to cool off in the driveway before heading out in the car. Dad had just gotten back from Pierz, and I was sweating by the time I was completely dressed for the cold. When I got to the lake, there was a truck fishing on the southwest side of the lake, up by the shore. I went NW of where I fished two days ago. When I was getting set up I had a solid mark go through about 10' down, but it was gone by the time I got the Switch down to it. I put the camera down. Got the camera down, spied the Nugget, and got a Glow Demon/Minnow Down. I got the Heater started and saw a pike just as it took the minnow. As soon as the bobber went under, I hit the fish. I almost didn't get the Shimano anti-reverse off. I went to reel up the Nugget line, but the lines had crossed. The heater ran out of propane, and I decided to land the pike with the nugget rod because the pike seemed wrapped pretty well on the braid. I landed the fish. 24.5". It took me a while to get untangled. I did see a couple of crappies on the camera. Action was slow only had a few small pods of crappies move through. I landed most of my bites, so that shows just how slow it was. Toward the end, I put the VMC Fly with a maggie down and caught four quick, smaller crappies. It was cold, but thankfully, I had the wind blocked pretty well, and it got calm toward dark.

11Crip
1Pike 

An Hour of Fishing Tonight On Rock Lake

 

4:30-5:30PM Rock My Area 17'  of water

11℉, Cloudy, 5-13mph SSW WNW

I would have liked to have gotten out sooner, but whatchagonna do, I wanted to go to Onamia. I did not look at the wind direction forecast, figuring it would stay the same. I drove out and parked North of the past couple of times I went out and parked to block the wind out of the SSW. The ice has to be 18-20". I drilled my set and got set up. I was marking fish slightly higher than normal. I put down a switch and missed a couple of bites. I then put down the camera and spotted numerous crappies. I couldn't get the top of the bobber onto the Aqua-Vu cord, eventually I gave up. I got a minnow down and got bit quickly. Same thing on my next drop with the same minnow. I put the same minnow down a third time. The fish moved off for 5 minutes, and I caught a couple of the Wonder Bread Switch when they came back. I put a new minnow on. I caught fish on both, with more on the Glow Demon Minnow. Wind switched out of the WNW. The light level under the water and in the fish house went down. I put those rechargeable lights up and wasn't impressed with them when it was still light outside. My feet were getting cold, and I didn't feel like drilling new holes, so I called it a night at 5:30. There was one truck on the ice. The crappies tonight were 9/10ish except the last one, which was 8."

14Crips 

Tough Night On Rock

 

3:30-6:00PM Rock Lake my area to the SW of where I had been the two previous days.

3-10℉, PC, 2-5mph NW

I parked 35" South and 15" to the West of where I fished the past two days. The sun came out as I was on my way to the lake. I picked up a half scoop of crappie minnows and fatheads. The wind wasn't bad tonight for the most part. I'm not sure if the fish were just off or if I parked in a bad spot. I had a pike come through right away, but it did not stay long. I would occasionally have a couple of sunfish or crappie swim through. I got my first bite on a minnow at 4:30. Then it got slow. I had a bit of a bite window around 5 PM, but it shut down fast with the cracking ice. Fish just weren't active, so I called it quits at 6 PM. It was around 0 and blowing about 10mph, so it was cold loading the car. Not a great trip. There was one truck at the landing as I came in. There were two there when I arrived, and one out on the ice.

5 Crips 

Rock Lake, Battery Bag Almost Lost

3:00-6:00 PM Rock Lake 17', same area as yesterday in my area.

20-29℉, Cloudy, some snow, 5-10mph NW

The tailgate didn't lock, and I did not notice it until I was at the lake. The Ion Bag with the auger battery and Aqua-Vu fell out the back into the road when I pulled out of the driveway. Thankfully, it was still there about 15 minutes later. So I was discombobulated to start. I got back out to Rock. I was the only one there. I set up just a little NW of the permanent. A little farther to the North and West of where I was last night. I was marking sunfish right away. I had a pike come in and look at the Chicken Nugget. It spooked when I put down a Rippin Rap. I caught my first crappie. The pike came back when I was jigging the Switch and hung around for maybe 5 minutes. Crappies moved in when I lost visibility on the camera, and they were bigger than average for the most part; they were going for minnows, so that is what I fished primarily. I did have a few bites on the Switch that didn't hook up. Propane went out. It was windy and cold. I used the car for a wind break and put on my sweatshirt around 4:30 pm. The bite died at 5:30 pm. Bite was definitely better than yesterday, and I was way more efficient landing bites today. It was snowing when I packed up, and there was a car to the South of the Access just sitting there with lights on, not sure when they drove out.

20 Crips 

 

Rock Lake 1st Trip Out With Car

 

4:15-6:45 PM Rock Lake SW of the Perm and my area 17'  NW of the Perm

22-30℉, Cloudy, 5-10mph S

Nobody was at the lake, and I drove out and parked a bit to the south of the Perm Shack. I tried the area SE of the Perm. There were a few sunfish there. I went and drilled a set of holes to the NW of the Perm Shack. Nothing was going on at the first set of holes, so I moved NW. The bite wasn't great, but I did get a few Rock Lake Special Crappies. I missed a good 2/3rds of the bites. Too rushed, too rusty. Frustrating trip. It was a bit windy.

9 Crips 

Fairly Good Trip On Rock

 

5:00-8:00PM 17' My Area NW of the Perm

20-26℉, Cloudy, 4-9mpn NW

Not really sure why I got off to a late start. Nobody was at the access. I should have parked on the ice. I went just NW of the permanent. I drilled my three-hole set and got ready to fish. I was marking something before I had lines down. I had several bites on the Powerbait Switch, but never hooked anything. As it turned dark, I started getting bit on minnows. I listened to the Rams/Carolina game until I got a call from Pete. The action picked up for most of the phone call, including the pike. Things slowed down in the final 20 minutes. The Rams won the game. At 8 PM, we ended the call, and I began getting ready to leave. I did not find the Packer/Bears game on iHeart until I got home. I was able to catch a good portion of the 2nd Half. Da Bears! Bears 31 Cheese 27

17Crips 1Pike 

Srrait Out From The Access Again On Rock Lake

 

4:30-8:00PM 17' NW of the E Point

33-26℉, Cloudy, 4-8mph N

I probably could have gotten out at least 30 minutes sooner. Because of the overcast and my getting out so late, the camera was almost useless. There was only one truck at the access. I went straight to where I fished yesterday. I drilled a few new holes because the wind was out of the NW. I put the camera down first and immediately spotted a pike, so I put down a red tail and jigged the Chicken Nugget. I was never able to see either in the camera.  First fish was a nice crappie on the Switch. I missed several bites on the Switch. I went to two minnows down, and the dead stick was the preference. I was just about to pack up as 7 pm approached, but then I got some action on the VMC Fly w/Maggots. I ended up not packing up until almost 8 PM. I caught fish from 4" to 11".

16 Crips 

Rock Lake For the First Trip of 2026

 

1st Fish of 2026

4:00-7:30PM Rock Lake

32-40℉, PC, 2-4mph S

When I arrived, there were several trucks in the parking lot. A couple of guys were out where I planned to fish beyond the permanent. There were a couple of guys fishing NE of the permanent and a hub out from the Sunkin Island and a wheeler SE of them. I followed a track out to the NW of the Point. I think I drilled 6 holes in a circle around the first hole I drilled.  I then took the rods out of the rod case and sent the Chicken Nugget down. One or two marks showed themselves in the first hole. I then went to the next hole to the North. A number of marks came to the Chicken Nugget, so I put down the camera, and it was sunfish. The bright sun made for fairly good visibility. Nothing in the next hole, which was in 15', next hole, a couple of marks which I verified at Sunfish. I don't think I marked anything in the next hole, and marked a couple in the last hole. I then went and drilled my hole sets. And set up in the hole with all the sunfish. I wish I had just set up there immediately rather than checking all the holes. I burned too much daylight. I put a red tail down and then jigged with a Cubby and PB Switch. I missed a number of bites before I finally got my first fish of 2026 on the green pumpkin Switch. I think I fired up the Little Buddy around 4:15, and it ran for maybe 20 minutes before it ran out of propane. It took me 20 to 25 minutes to relight it. I finally took off the red tail, and that is when my fortunes switched around somewhat, as crappies liked the Glow Demon/crappie minnow. But I switched too late, and the action didn't last long. Things got slow, so I called it a night.

9 Crips 

Last Trip of 2025, Rock Lake

 

2:30-7:00 PM NW Corner and My Area

28-34℉, Cloudy, 0-4mph S

I arrived at the lake a little after 2:30 PM. The Permanent Crew of 3 was heading off as I was just about underway. A fair number of people are fishing out from the sunken island. I headed to the NW corner to search with the Aqua-Vu. It was a bust. At about 3:50, I finally sighted a sunfish off the weedline and a couple of perch in the next hole. That wasn't going to cut it, so I headed for the holes I used last night. I drilled new holes because the wind was out of the south. It turned out that it was unnecessary as the wind died as it got dark. I got set up and had some little crappies move in. It wasn't happening, so I drilled a couple more holes to the North and checked them along with some other holes drilled today.  Not much, so I went back to where I was set up after drilling another three-set closer to the Perm. I caught a  22.5 pike on the Cubby and missed a bite or two. I went to the other Three Set and caught a sunfish and a small crappie there. The crappie looked forever, thought for sure it was going to be a sunfish. I missed a few other bites, with one being on the Glow Demon and a minnow. I would have stayed longer if it wasn't so dead. Everybody was off the lake by the time I was packing up.

4Crip 

1Pike 

1Sun 

Christmas Mornring On Rock

 

Double to start the morning

6:30-10:00 AM Rock 17'

28-32℉, Cloudy, 4-20mph ESE

I was the first one at the lake, and I used the permanent for a wind break just as I planned.  I set up about 25' to the West of the Perm. I do think it helped some when the wind was at its worst, and it never seemed to be as bad as forecast. I immediately marked fish, but by the time I got my lines down, they were gone and didn't come back for almost half an hour. My action for the day started with a double as I had a pod of fish move through. I think I must have caught 8 to 10 before they disappeared again. I then occasionally had aggressive fish move through. My bite-to-land percentage was way up this morning. As it got light out, things slowed down. I put the camera down. And got to watch a few fish, including my big one of the morning, take the minnow on the BF Rod. The heater ran out of propane, and Mother Nature was calling, so I started packing up for the day a couple of hours earlier than I had planned. Wouldn't you know it, but a couple of people from the permanent showed up as I was getting packed up. The guy was grumbling loudly to the girl about how I must be from the cities and how rude it was for me to fish so close. I decided to explain that I was using his house as a windbreak.  He wouldn't hear anything about it and thought I was the one who was out of line.  I arrived there first in the morning and had every right to fish where I was.  I have been fishing that area for the past 10 years. He has every right to fish there as well. He doesn't have the right to give me any flak or to demand more space than he is legally entitled to, especially if he isn't there when I get to the lake. Nobody fished out of that house two mornings ago.  I was the only one on the lake that morning. I was quite torqued. I kind of got the feeling that he just wasn't happy about sharing the area; that isn't cool with me.

26 Crappie 

Morning at Rock Lake

 

1st Sunfish through the ice

1st Crappie of the morning

Sun came out as I was leaving the Rock Access

6:45-11:15 AM Rock 17' and 8.5' 

22-30℉, PC, 5-12 mph WNW

Wind was out of the WNW, so I drilled new holes, rather than use the ones I drilled last night. It was on the slow side, with fish coming through occasionally when it was dark out. They didn't really want minnows. I put the Aqua-Vu down a bit early; Visibility isn't great anyway. But having the Aqua-Vu down did seem to keep fish around. I caught a few small sunfish. I caught one crappie on the deadstick. It took the minnow and swam up to 9'. I could see the fish sitting there on the Vex. I fished a half hour longer than I should have out deep. I went to the NW Corner and drilled a hole, then looked in the Aqua Vu. I drilled  8 to 10 holes before settling on a spot along the deeper weeds. I saw a pike on my last drop about 20 feet away from where I decided to fish. I switched to the Sunfish color Chicken Nugget and immediately had a pike come through, but it didn't hit. That was the last thing that I saw. Visibility was better around the weeds/shallower.

7 Crip 

3 Sun 

Crappie and Pike On Rock Lake

 

7" VMC Fly/Maggot
1st Fish

Almost respectable

4:15-7:00 PM Rock Lake 17'

30-34℉, Mostly Cloudy, 0-3mph SE NW

I arrived at the Rock Lake Access around 3:45 pm. No trucks at the access and nobody on the lake. As I was getting the car unloaded, a truck showed up pulling a wheeler. It was a group of 3 or 4 that were heading out to the one permanent on the lake. Basically, about 50 to 75 yards out, further than where I usually fish. If they didn't show up, I was planning to drill a series of holes, bit South of the permanent and set up when I saw life. As I was making my way out, they passed me up, and so I audibled to fishing in my normal area about 40 yards to the NW of where the Permanent is sitting. I drilled three holes and got set up. There were fish down there immediately, but I didn't get a bite. I figured there was enough light, so I sent down the Aqua-Vu, and I saw a nice crappie and a couple of good-sized sunfish toward the bottom. A guy with a wheeler headed north and was back off the lake well before I quit. I took a picture of the pink sky after sunset. I got a 7" and a 8" crappie on the pink VMC fly and maggies. I got a few bites on the Glow Demon and Minnow, including the pike after dark; the pike made my night. I tried the baitfeeder rod and caught three crappies on that, including the night's big, 10". I think only one other crappie was 9" or bigger. I think I missed about half of my bites, give or take. It's not like the Vex was lit up and there were a few 10-minute stretches when I wasn't marking anything.

9 Crip 

1 Pike 

Sully Scouting with the Aqua-Vu

  

9:00-10:40 AM Sullivan Lake

24-36℉, Cloudy, 8-25mph

I went to the NW Access in Sullivan. It was about 36 degrees out. I had plenty of water in the Fish Trap, but no way to get it out. I wasted some time trying. I then went over to Jaimen's Corner and drilled holes from deeper to shallower.  I then started in the deepest hole with the Aqua-Vu. I didn't see any life, so I jigged the camera a couple of times on the bottom and that called in a decent-sized walleye. I then scoped the rest of the holes with Aqua Vu. I didn't have any confidence in a single walleye sighting, so I kept covering ground and checking holes with Aqua-Vu. I did that until I started getting cold and the wind came up. With the cold front and heavy winds moving in, I called it a day.  I never did open the rod case to fish. I'm amazed, I only saw one fish. I worked the break and weedline, also the break with rubble.

Shakopee Lake, At Least I Didn't Get Skunked

 

Took pic after drilling my second set of holes

 

Didn't Get Skunked!

Took the pic and then the phone died

3:45-8:30PM Shakopee Lake 8' and 9' just a little south of the access

-2 to 18℉, Mostly Clear, Calm

Unfortunately, not many people had been out on the lake since the snow dump this week. Not so much an issue getting out. Going back, I had to carry the auger and minnows and then go back for the smitty/Fish Trap. I got out to about 8 feet of water and drilled holes. I could see weeds. Not a whole lot going on. I marked a couple of disinterested small fish and saw one sunny on the camera. My Eddy's hat fell into the slush puddle. After sunset, I drilled another set of holes about 100 feet farther out and fished there the rest of the time. Around 7pm, I ran out of propane for the Little Buddy. I caught the first bullhead before I got the propane changed out. I had trouble getting the Little Buddy to fire at first. I had to unscrew it completely and put it back on, and that did the trick. I lost something that bit on a minnow. I put the camera down and saw bullheads. I caught one more small bullhead. Bullheads were still down there when I pulled my lines up for the night. On the way back to the car, my phone died after I took a picture. My bad for not having the second Mophie iPhone case along. I need to get with it, keeping the iPhone charged up. The second time this ice season, my phone died. It could just be that it gets too cold

Erskine Ice and Snow

  

1st trip with Little Buddy Heater

2:45-6:30 PM Erskine Lake 12'

5-18℉, Cloudy/Snow, 6-16mph WNW

There were a couple of trucks at the Access. One had a snowmobile trailer, the other was a pike hunter. The guys with the snowmobile trailer helped me load up in the snow. I went out toward the area where the guy this Spring said he got into a school of bass, which was beyond where the guy with the snowmobile set up. I drilled four holes over about a seventy-yard stretch, then went back and looked with the camera for signs of life. There was only 3 to 4 feet of visibility with the camera, quite a bit of suspended sediment. I saw one small perch in the second hole and a couple of sunfish in the 4th hole, so I set up shop. The Little Buddy fired right up. It wasn't as warm as I expected it to be. I caught a bunch of small perch and saw a crappie or two on the camera, possibly a walleye as well. As it got dark, I caught some small crappies and missed a few as well. It started snowing. Thankfully, the guys with the snowmobile didn't take off, so I had their truck lights to guide me back to the access. They helped me get the smitty up the hill. We talked about the area lakes. They were not really familiar with this area.

4Crip

19YP  

Rock Lake Trip #2, The Next Day

 

An Actual keeper 11"

3:15-7:15 PM Rock Lake 17'

12-18℉, PC, 0-3mph NE

Visibility 3' with a lot of crap in the water

2nd Trip, 2nd Day in a row on Rock. A group was coming off as I arrived. I didn't get to talk to any of them. Nobody was in my area. I put the battery on at the access and had the battery bag with my old battery inside fall off as I passed a fish house by the reeds. Fortunately, they were honest people, and an older teenager brought it back to me. I didn't ask them how they did. I drilled holes where the other guy was last night. I spotted a pike quickly on the Aqua-Vu but couldn't get it to bite. Visibility wasn't good. I drilled about 12 individual holes and fished through them, not marking anything. As the sunset, I had a good bite on the PB Switch, but it didn't hook up, that was by the Cane in the shallowest hole I drilled. It got dark quick and I drilled holes out by where I got fish last night. A few crappies moved in. I got one that was 11," and the other five were 7" to 9". I couldn't get the sunflower to light after I turned it off to make a video. That was the last straw. I went and bought a Little Buddy after the Vikings Game the next day.

6Crip 

1Pike 

First Ice Fishing Trip of 25/26, Rock Lake

 

 4:00-8:00PM Rock Lake 17' of water

12-25℉, Cloudy, 3-9mph NW

I wanted to be out of the house by 2pm, but I couldn't find some things, so I didn't leave until 2:35. I went to Bear Trax and got minnows. There were two trucks at the Rock Access. Then, when I got to the lake and had the car almost unloaded, I remembered I hadn't grabbed the Ion batteries. I thought about using the spud to make my holes, but no. So I drove back home. I stopped along the Rock Access Rd to talk to a couple of ladies with kids. Turns out it was one of J&D's cashiers from a couple of years ago. There was a big flock of turkeys I had to stop for going both ways. So I didn't get back to the lake until 3:15 or so. The ice checked out. I drilled 3 sets of 3 holes in 17' of water. I didn't mark anything until the 3rd set. A guy came out in Fish Trap and set up to my NW. He stayed late and only drilled a few times. I wonder if he had ffs. I should have gone over and talked with him. I lost one small crappie at the hole, but wasn't marking much. I drilled 3 more sets of 3. I didn't mark anything in them, so I headed back to one set where I did mark fish and spent the rest of the night there. I got a few crappies and lost at least 2/3rds of my bites, even on the bobber rod. It was slow with fish down there occasionally. They seemed skittish for the most part. There may have been some sunfish and perch down there as well after dark. There were also a couple of bigger red marks that I didn't get to bite. I stayed way longer than I should have. Lots of Russian Gremlins, and I was stressed out because of it, and not in a flow. I would say I fished at level 3 out of 10, so not good. I was the last one off the lake. The other guy left at 7pm when I should have.

9 Crips 

Last Trophy Trip of 2025

 

4.71lbs OutKast Chicken Nugget Jig

 

3.54lbs Choked the Nuggy

3.54lbs OCN Jig

3:00-5:40PM Sullivan Lake

High 30's, Cloudy, 3-7mph N

Water Temp 45.5℉ 

Last trip in the Trophy for 2025. I was not gung-ho about getting out after getting beaten up yesterday until I was on my way up to the cabin with my Bass Fishing Playlist playing. I found great enthusiasm at that point. The wind wasn't terrible. I worked the Point/Flat Reeds out to the Juice and anchored. I think I had a couple of hits on the Chicken along the reed line. I tried a bunch of different stuff at the juice, not getting any bites. I then headed toward the Big Walleye Waypoints, getting a small bass just off the Red Area on the Crappie colored Chicken.. I anchored and fan casted, losing one bite that felt good. I got to the Waypoints and it wasn't happening, so I made a move to Jaimen's and worked the reed line. I got the 3lber and 4lber just off the thicker reeds beyond the first boat lane on the "Nuggy". The 3lber choked the Nugget, and the 4lber got it in the top lip, dead center. I trolled the GOMH on the way in, getting snagged on a rock. I was able to free the Ultimate Jerk Shad when I got back to it. A successful final trip.

3Bass 2Pike (4lb)(9.36lbsfor 3 bass)

Snatcher Tournament At Birch Lake

 

Conditions: 65-78℉, PC to Cloudy, 0-7mph SE

The Day:

I met up with Snatcher Herman at Fleet Farm, and we headed North. As Herman predicted, nobody went to our starting area. The area seemed to be a lot less alive, maybe due to it being early in the day. I noticed there was a channel cut into the shore that I didn't know was there. Where the cut meets the bay is a high percentage spot. Unfortunately, we moved in to close and spooked what was there. I did catch a small pike on a buzzbait. About 5 minutes later, Herman had a fish blow up on his swimbait, but miss in a group of pads. A few minutes later, Herman got the skunk out of the boat with a little bass. A couple of minutes later, I did the same thing with a spinnerbait fish (1.56). I switched to Zoom Super Fluke because the area was sloppy. I think I got a bass in the boat (1.58) pretty quickly after going to the fluke. I got more bites, but couldn't get them in the boat. I broke off on a fish that buried me in a pad root and discovered that most of the flukes I brought were torn up and basically unusable. I had four good ones left. We worked our way out of the slop bay, and I took the helm while Herman worked with his tackle. 

I worked a weedline and then some docks that had sunfish on them, but no sign of bass. We bailed on the area and went just West of where the inlet from Ten Mile Lake is. Herman and I quickly put fish in the boat, but mine was barely over 12 inches. Herman got another keeper, and we watched Smitty and Tim pull a couple out of the pads. We worked that northern shoreline, hoping to bump into something, but it just wasn't happening. A little before noon, Herman made us sandwiches. 

We then went to the southern end of the West Basin to a small slop bay, and Herman got his limit fish in front of a tree at the entrance to the bay. I got a keeper and a non-keeper off the tree on a fluke. I then had a pike wreck my second-to-last remaining fluke. I switched to a Z-Man Popping Shad and got a line burner that was hooked in an inopportune way through the eye, so I threw it back.  I lost all three bites I got on a frog in this bay, two of which I had hooked, and they were both 2-lb-class fish, minimum. We then went around the point to work more pads. Herman got a good cull quickly. I got a line burner and pike on my last fluke, which the pike did in. I put on a bubblegum Yum Dinger, but never got a hit on it.  I got my big bass with about 45 minutes left on a frog. We worked pads for 35 minutes. I had a couple of fish boil on the frog, but not take it. With 10 minutes left and still being one fish short of my limit, I pulled the plug on the slop, and we went to the channel between the basins. I fished a tree just to the SW of the channel, nothing. I ended the day getting my limit with a very small keeper on my last cast of the day, just to the SE of the channel.

Results:  I came in second to last. Tuma won and got Lunker (4/03),President Benson got 2nd Place, and Dennis got 3rd Place.

My Thoughts: I had the bites to be in the top half of the field. I didn't bring any Trick Worms, and my packing the wrong Fluke bag was just dumb as well. Lost fish on a frog when you get a good enough hookset to bring them in, most of the time, is tough luck. 

Tournament Grade: C 

I fished hard and got a limit

My Complete 2025 Opener Day

  

8" Rippin Rap (Chrome Blue)

12:00-4:00am Eddy's Jetty Mille Lacs

44-49℉, Partly Cloudy, 7-12mph N

I elected to take the North Jetty Harbor Mouth due to the stiff wind blowing in. There was one guy who showed up at about twenty to midnight, and two boats headed out and came back a couple of times before heading out for about 3 hours. I got a cigar 40 minutes in, then lost a 20+" inch fish at the rocks about 5 minutes later. Both bites on the blue/chrome Rippin Rap. I lost the Rippin Rap.  

I thought it was going to be AWWWN. I didn't get another bite for almost two hours, a 21.5" fish. I got that one at the North Corner. About 20 minutes later, I lost what felt like a keeper at the Harbor Mouth when dialed into the retrieve. At 4 am, I decided to bag it and head to the GOMH. 

An OK Opener, but with conditions, I should have had more opportunities.

3 Eye 

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23" Stunna (Pearl/Org)

2lb Stunna (Pearl/Org)

2lb Big Bite BFE (Junebug)

10" Bear Trap Chicken Jig (Black/Yellow)

4:50-6:00AM GOMH

45-50℉, PC, 

Wheel House Guy was the only car when I arrived. I took the NE side and had a fish on briefly in the first five minutes. About twenty minutes in, I landed the 23" golden bullhead. I got three small jumpers. It was apparent that a bite was not happening. Only one boat from Sully to Platte. Panfish Guy was getting a few silvers on the South side.

1Gold 3Jump 

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5:45-6:45PM Lake Place Dock

I got a nice bass on the BFE, but didn't draw another bite. I had missed several bites leading up to catching the bass. I then got a crappie and 10 sunfish between two baits.  I was getting cool and hungry, so I headed home.

1Bass 1Crip 10Sun

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 4:20-5:40PM GOMH

I stopped to see what was shaken, and nobody was at the GOMH fishing, so I headed down to the SW side. A lot of boat traffic and weeds in the water. My bass tackle is not exactly dialed in yet. I got one small jumper on the BFE on the SW side. I then went to the NE side and missed some bites on a buzzbait that didn't hook up. I got a gator on the BFE and then got bit off. Peter W.  showed up and told me about his Opener highs and lows. He was at the GOMH at midnight and did well. Then went to Cross Lake after oversleeping and missed the bite.

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8:40-9:20PM GOMH

Brett, Lantern Man, and the Morrill Pair were the only people around. I talked with Brett and LM, then caught a few silvers fishing off the bridge and the SE side, then back to the bridge. The Morrill Chick broke her wrist in that fall I saw her take. Lantern Man got a keeper gold, and Brett had gotten a cigar before I left for Mille Lacs.

7Crips 

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10:00-Midnight Eddy's Jetty

Ran into Jamar and his dad. The North Jetty was covered. I went to the S  Jetty. I shined a huge muskie. I had one bite on a 4" Largo Shad, but it didn't hook up. Slight chop on the water.  A guy fishing the Center Jetty got a keeper as I went to pack up. I debated taking a nap and giving it a second go, but decided to head home. I stopped at the GOMH on the way back, and Peter W. was there, and a boat, Sneaky C., perhaps. (It wasn't Sneaky C, but people from Eagle Perch Point. Peter had gotten a silver; bullheads were slow. The wind came up as we were talking. Beautiful, clear night.

PM 1Ski