One Bullhead at the GOMH This Morning

15.5" Fluke

6:50-7:10 GOMH, Culvert, Inlet
Conditions- Temps low 60's, sunny, light wind out of the SSW

I got the one bullhead at the GOMH.  It was a jumper and a good fighter.

One Bullhead This Morning

12" Outkast Beaver

7:40-8:10AM
Conditions- Very Windy out of the E NE, cloudy, some light rain, 73 degrees.

I caught a fish so I'll call this short trip a win.  I nearly got blown off a rock on the NE side.  We only got a little bit of rain.

This Mornings Trip

5:40-7:00AM
Conditions: Clear, 70 degrees, no wind

I got this fish on about my 3rd cast under the bridge.

13" Slush Minnow in bluegill

About 10 minutes later I put a cast along the near wall and landed this slob.

17.33" Piranha

I had one more hit on the Piranha that didn't hook up.  Got nothing on the S side.

I went to the cabin and fished from shore.  The sun was in my eyes and the wind came up.  I didn't get a bite.

Good Morning at the GOMH

5:45-7:10AM
Conditions: Humid, 70 degrees, no wind, clouds and sun

The plan was to hit the GOMH and Culvert and then go to the cabin and take out the Slop Slip for a bit.  Fishing was so good at the GOMH, I didn't go to the cabin.  I started out with the Slush Daddy and didn't get a hit.  I then threw the Piranha and missed a couple of hits.  Put on the Jerk Shad and got this little toothy.

14" Jerk Shad in Sexy Shad

A boat was coming so I quickly measured it and threw back under the bridge.  I had a good fish hit, but get off after a few seconds.  The boat was a friendly walleye fisherman fishing the lakes for the first time.  He told me about a mid 30's pike that got caught at the Platte Lake access last night.  After he went under the bridge I switched to the S side.

I had a fish nail the Horny Toad, but not get it.  I then switched to the Piranha and caught a 12" jumper.  I switched up to the Jerk Shad and was just about to give up when I caught this fish.

13.25" Jerk Shad

The fish was a leaper and got the fish that were under the bridge fired up.  I then caught two 16 inchers in quick succession before the action died.

16.25" Jerk Shad

16" Jerk Shad

  I tried the culvert but nobody was home there.

Camera On the Fritz Tonight, I Got Skunked

Pic of tonight's sunset

8:00-9:10PM
Conditions: Sun and clouds, mid 70's, more humid than yesterday, very light SSE wind

I took out the Slop Slip tonight at the cabin.  I missed the first hit, don't think it got the frog.  The second hit was a pike that bit off my Spro Frog about 7" up the line.  I paddled over and found it and took this picture of it.

I had the pike swirl on my Slither Rig.  I then got stuck on Sherman's Dock which took about 5 minutes to get free.  I worked to off the end of the reed point.  Nothing was going out there tonight.  As I got back to the rice in front of the house.  I had a good fish blast me in an open spot.  I had it on for about 10 seconds and then it got off.  90% sure it was a bass.  So I ended up skunked.

The sunset was a beautiful shade of purple pink.  To bad the camera wasn't working tonight.

I Got Out Tonight

14" Horny Toad yellow

8:30-9:05PM
Conditions- Sunny, light wind out of the NW, temps 70's, humid.

Thanks to C Dif it's the first time I feel well enough to get out in a week.  No giants at the Culvert like Pete caught last week, but I'll take it.  Better than a skunk.

Woman Lake Pre-fish

Small Smallmouth

And

Large Largemouth

I did have a large smallmouth follow late in the day.  I've got a plan to turn followers into biters come tournament day.

Woman Pre-Fishing and the Culvert

18" Horny Toad

8:00AM-5:00PM Woman Lake
8:30-8:45PM Platte River Culvert

Pre-fishing on Woman was somewhat productive.  I didn't catch many fish, just one 12" largie on a Horny Toad.  My boater Dave Branum caught a couple of nice largemouth.  I may go back up with him on Wed.

On the way home I stopped at the Culvert and got the fish.  The black lady was fishing at the bridge.

Better Morning Out of the Cabin on the Slop Slip

18" Spro Bronzeye white

GOMH this morning

5:40-6:00AM GOMH
6:20-10:20AM Cabin in the Slop Slip

Conditions: Mostly Sunny, light wind out of the ESE, 75-63degrees

A couple guys were at the GOMH.  I quickly fished the SW side and a bit in the weeds on the NE side.  Didn't get a bite.  Water level is almost back to this Springs lows.

I then headed to the cabin to take out the Slop Slip.  I missed the first hit in Sherman's channel.  Had a fish wake but not hit in the inside turn on our side.  Missed a fish that hit in open water in front of Jenny's neighbors channel.  Missed the 3rd hit East of Jenny's on the inside turn there where there are some pads.  I repositioned and pulled this 15.5" and the 18" in the first picture in the rice along the open water in the span of about 7 casts.  I was feeling a lot better about the morning.

15.5"  Spro Frog

I then worked my way East to the missing dock.  I got 21.5" pike on the Spro.  Fishing back towards the reeds I got a 16" largie on the Spro and missed a fish on the Slither rig.  I missed a hit where rice and pads were in a pocket.  I went over to Jenny's to take care of business.  As I was coming out the neighbors channel I had a pike jump over the Spro.  I had a fish miss it's first 3 attempts, but it got the Spro on the 4th and it was this 18 incher.

18" Spro Frog

I drifted through the reeds missing a couple bites.  I came out of the reeds and picked up the Pure Poison and I had this 17" take it.

17" Pure Poison w/Grass Pig Jr.

I think I had another good one on, but I got buried in the weeds.  The sun and warmth were starting to get to me so I called it quits.

Updated:  Missed two bites in the evening.  Talked to the next door neighbors boyfriend.  Thunderstorms kept me close.

Morning and Evening in the Slop Slip at the Cabin

16" Spro Bronzeye

8:15-10:30AM
7:40-9:30PM

The trips were about the same in terms of productivity.  One fish right after I launched both times.  The 16" in picture above came from outside the rice in some pads.  And the 17.25" came in the rice in some pads.

17.25" Spro Frog white

It hit at the Spro 3 times before taking it.  I was just barely moving it.  I missed one good bite in the morning and a couple of good bites in the evening.  The evening misses would pay off tomorrow.

The sun sinking behind the trees along our shorline

GOMH Slop Slip, Cabin Shore, Cabin Slop Slip

Evening looking towards Jenny's

8:45-10:30AM GOMH Slop Slip
2:15-3:15PM Cabin from Shore
8:20-9:30PM Cabin Slop Slip

Conditions- Morning temps to the low 70's, hazy sun and clouds, light to medium winds out of the SSW.
Afternoon- Mostly sunny, temps in the high 70's, wind out of the South so I didn't notice it.
Evening- Low 70's, comfortable, hazy sun, no wind

I arrived at the GOMH the same time the guy in the wheelchair with his family showed up.  I put the Slop Slip in.  The rice is high now and matted over in places.  First fish was a little guy.

12.5" Horny Toad

There was a little pocket where I got one more of the same size and missed one.

22.5" Horny Toad

I then had this guy nail the Horny Toad.  I missed a few bites and finally got a decent jumper.

16" Spro Frog white

After my Dr. appointment I went to the cabin and fished from shore.  I forgot the camera.  I caught a 13" bass on one of my first couple of casts.  I had probably 7-8 good hits getting one more small jumper.  And I avoided at least 1 pike.  The success made me want to launch the Slop Slip, which I did around 8:15PM.  I missed two fish that I had hooked up.  Fish were blowing up in the open water and it was totally calm.  My first miss came from the open water.  The other miss was in the rice:  A fish that missed the first time and got it on the second try.

GOMH in the Evening

15.25" Spro Frog white

8:35-9:30PM
Conditions: Cloudy, comfortable temps in the low 70's, light wind out of the SE

Well I finally got out again.  I can't believe how high the rice has gotten.  I was lucky to pull this guy through it.  Willard, George, the black lady and the guy with the wheelchair were all fishing when I got there.  The water level is down some more.  I tried on the South side first, didn't get a hit.  I think I had 2 hits on the NE side getting the one.

Better Morning at the GOMH Out of the Slop Slip

14.5" Horny Toad

5:30-10:30AM
Conditions:  Hazy Sun and Cloudy for a bit when they bit best, moderate wind out of the SW,  Temps from 52-74 degrees.  The water level is more than half way to the low point this Spring.

The plan was the same as yesterday.  Get what I could from shore, then head out in the Slop Slip.  A wrench was thrown in the plan when somebody showed up and went to the NE side while I was unloading the boat.  I did try the SW side and NW side, and didn't get a thing.  That took me about 15 minutes total.

My first hit was on a black and yellow Lunkerhunt Lunker Frog that didn't hook up.  I followed up with a Fluke and got a bite, but I missed it.  I noticed the guy on shore walking a jumpin' bullhead to his car.  Strange because he had a bucket to put it in.  Maybe he was going to measure it.  I didn't pay attention to what he was doing.  Shortly after that I got the fish in the first picture on a yellow Horny Toad.

The next fish was one that exposed itself by trying to hit Ish's Poppin' Phattie.  It was a 12" jumper that I got on the bubblegum Zoom Super Fluke.  I think the next fish was this one.

24.5" Horny Toad

The fish hit about 10 feet out and nearly ripped the rod out of my hand.  It was a vicious hit.  A couple of minutes later I had a fish miss the Horny Toad as I was pulling it over some standing rice at the beginning of a long cast.  I cast right back and this fish smoked it.

15" Horny Toad

I then missed several good bites and caught a couple 20" toothy's on the Horny Toad.  I also saw two smaller toothy's come out of the water missing hitting my lures.

The jumpin' bullheads wanted some yellow in it this morning

I caught my second to last jumper (15") on that Spro Bronzeye and my last jumper of the day (14.5) came on the black/yellow Ish's Poppin' Phattie.  The fish really shut off the last hour and a half.

I would say I got about the same amount of bites as yesterday while in the boat, I hooked and landed more of them today.

Morning Trip A Lot Like Last Nights Just Less Bites

After fishing from shore I took the Slop Slip Out

5:30-9:00AM
Conditions: Hazy Sun, Temps in the mid fifties to mid 60', little to no wind.

I saw what I'm certain was a small moose at the curve on 51 as I was headed to the GOMH.  When I arrived I took the boat down to the water then went to the NE side of the bridge.  I immediately landed this jumper.

13.5" Stanley Phantom

I missed a hit on the Spro by the red buoy and then I went to the S side.  I got a small toothy on the SE side on the yellow Horny Toad.  He came out of the same spot as the bass on my first cast the other night, but it's wake came faster from farther away.

I then went and put the Slop Slip in the water.  First fish exploded on the white Spro Frog but missed it.  It wouldn't hit again.  I ended up getting a 13.25" on the Horny Toad about 5 minutes later.  I hadn't moved the boat.  I ended up rowing across the channel and fishing over by the dock with a pontoon on it.  I had a couple hits from toothy's on a Fluke, didn't catch them.  I then worked my way back to the road side and missed at least 5 bites.  The fish were holed up in the moderately thick stuff.  I finally caught one on the Spro as I was heading in.

14.25" Spro Frog

Was lucky to land him

I didn't get out in the evening.  Tomorrow morning my plan is to do the same thing, hopefully with better results..

The Slop Slip Plan Half Worked

Slop Slip at the Grumpy Old Man Hole

7:35-9:30PM
Conditions: Hazy Sun, light wind out of the SW, 70's

For the 2nd time in history the Slop Slip was launched from the Grumpy Old Man Hole.  The first time was years ago when the old bridge was still there when CollegeOutdoorsGuy and I did it.  I put it in and took it out all by myself tonight.

The plan was to get off shore to get more bites and more fish.  I got more bites, still only caught two fish.  I had a bite on my very first cast, missed it.  I wasn't ready.  I had the 2nd bite on and it was a good size fish, but it got off right next to the boat.  I'm pretty sure it was a dogfish that hit the yellow Horny Toad.  I got the 3rd bite.

15.25" Horny Toad

I missed the at least 6-8 bites, none of which I hooked, before I caught a 12.75" on a white Spro Frog on my last bite of the night.  Willard left as I was getting the boat up on shore.  I went and talked with George and Peter before I left.

I parked the SUV and boat in the garage seeing as how Mom and Dad won't be home tonight due to mom's fall at Renee's birthday party.  I'm going to give it another shot tomorrow morning.

Pretty Good Morning at the GOMH

As the Sun came up this morning

5:20-7:20AM
Conditions: Mostly cloudy, high 50's, light winds out of the SE

It would have been a better morning had I caught all the fish that struck at me this morning.  I got the first bite, a 13" jumper on a yellow Horny Toad.  Then I missed a hit on the Horny Toad.  I was fishing the Slush Minnow under the bridge and lost the first fish that hit on it.  Then I caught this silver bullhead on it.

11.75" bluegill Slush Minnow

I don't remember if I've ever caught a crappie on a topwater before.  Then I got this small toothy also under the bridge.

15" Slush Minnow

I missed a couple of hits on the Spro Frog, before I switched to the SW side.

Over there I got a 13" jumper on the Pure Poison and this jumper and another 13" on the Outkast Beaver.

16.25" Outkast Beaver

I didn't expect that 16" to come out from under the bridge.  You just never know what the Grumpy Old Man Hole will give you.