Pre-fish with Chuck On Platte/Sullivan

Commiserating Back At the Ramp

8:30AM-12:30PM Platte/Sullivan
Conditions: 65-55℉, Sunny, Windy WNW
Water Temp High 50's

I didn't get a thing at the GOMH, not good.  Chuck arrived at the access about 5 minutes after I got there.  We launched the boat and headed out to the same area I started out with Mark.  We got a few pike.  Then we tried the reeds at the end of North Platte Lake Road point.  Chuck lost a couple of bites.  Then we worked the docks.  Chuck got the only bass of the trip there.  Then we went and tried the East Docks.  Nothing.  From there we tried a reed bed I don't think I've ever fished East of the small island nothing.  Then we headed to the river mouth and drifted our way East.  I had a good fish hit the craw tube when we were just about to the channel.  Swannie was just making his way down the intersection.  We waited for him and pretty much headed in together.

We got to see Bad Platte/Sullivan.

Quick Trip Tonight Off the Dock & The GOMH

I am releasing this one because once again it contains very little useful intel.

8-9PM Lake Place Dock & GOMH SW
Conditions: Low 50's, Partly Cloudy, Windy WSW

With it being windy and cool today I didn't feel like going out in the boat.  I did go retrieve the gas tank because I only had about a gallon and a half left.  I fished off the dock and got a 10 bass out front of Sherman's dock on a Brovarney Swim Jig with Grass Pig Jr. trailer.

At the GOMH a guy was fishing with his girlfriend or wife on the NE side.  She had gotten a few orange bullheads.  The guy was throwing a small buzzbait without any luck.

I had a 15" class jumper on a KVD crank pull off and I caught a skinny 15" jumper on an orange craw tube.  I had the camera with, but didn't think to take a pic.

I'll be out fishing with my new boater tomorrow the mighty Chuck Steinbauer.  Looks like its going to be rain and thunderstorms for tournament day.  Fine with me.  Will keep others off the water.

Memorial Day Morning Trip, Last Of Bass Opener

17" Horny Toad (Black)

5:30AM-Noon GOMH NE, River Mouth, Dam, River, SPRO
Conditions: 50-56℉, Cloudy some mist, Windy WNW
Water Temp: 59℉

13.5" Jerk Shad (Chart Shad)

When I got to the GOMH, the walleye fisherman farmer with a place on Long Lake was there fishing the SW per usual.  He hadn't gotten anything yet.  I went down on the NE side and got the 13 incher when I went to the Jerk Shad.  I then had to resort to the Kinami Flash (Senko) to get 4 dinks.  I didn't get anything on the SE side.  The farmer got a couple of bass and a pike.

Don't remember if this was a Toad or Speed Shad Fish either way it's close to 16"

So it was off to the Trophy.  I headed straightway to the river mouth in Sullivan.  Nobody had been there yet and I got two bass (15.75, 14) and acouple of misses right away on the Horny Toad.  Due to the wind blowing right down the river I anchored.  I then picked off bass (16, 15.5, 13, 7, 10) and some pike on the Bass Pro Speed Shad and the Brovarney Swim Jig with Grass Pig Jr.  I also got a pike on the jerk shad.  Tim Benson went bye me and into the river.  The fish stopped biting after that except for a pike on the Hack Jig.  I started fishing into the river not getting anything.  Tim passed me on the way out claiming he only got a couple 14"ers.  I then motored down to the dam area.

16.25" Shower Blows Knock Off (Chart/Hern Bone)

I missed a couple of hits on the Speed Shad.  I then put on the SBKO and got the 16.25, a 15.5, and 10" bass on that and I had a big one boil on it and miss right in front of the dam.  I also missed a hit on the Horny Toad.  Then I made what turned out out to be a very poor decision.

  The water level on the lakes is about normal.  So I thought I would go fishing on the other side of the dam.  I have done it several times and never had an issue.  Well this time I did apparently the water is about 1/2 lower than I need it to be. I scraped nearly getting stuck on the way over.  Rats!

I immediately turned the boat and parked against the near concrete in the picture.  I thought maybe if I took myself, the fuel and batteries out I could pull it back over with anchor rope.   That didn't work.  My next thought was to strip down to my underwear and push it over from the back.  That didn't work. Next I tried pulling it over from the front while standing in the water next to the concrete along the dam.  I was able to get 70% over that way, but then the current wanted to pull the front of the boat the front of the boat back out into the flow.  So now I was on to plan D.  Going over the the dam with the boat on plane.  I smacked the motor pretty good, but plan D worked and so did the motor.  My adrenaline was flowing pretty good.  I drove about 1/2 way out of the river, the boat didn't seem to be taking on any water, so I decided to fish my way out.

16" Horny Toad (Black)

     That turned out to be a pretty good plan because I managed to catch some quality fish and missed some as well on the black Horny Toad and the Terminator Frog.  The wind was really howling pretty good and it was Noon when I reached the GOMH, so I called it quits.

3 Pike
23 Bass
6 Best (17, 16.25, 16, 16, 16, 15.5) 15 maybe 16lbs

For Bass Opener Final Totals
42 Bass
18 Pike

Bass Opener 2017 Day 2

I am publishing this one, because it doesn't really have anything to report.

14" Kinami Flash (Blue/gp tip)

7:30-9:30PM Across from the Platte Lake Access
Conditions: 60℉, Partly Cloudy with Thunderstorm to the South, SW wind,
Water Temp : 63-60℉

Do to thunderstorms coming through the area all afternoon I didn't get out until after 7PM.  I headed to the Point across from the public access on Platte.  It was a bit of a clown show tonight.  I started out with a Speed Clip giving way on a reed.  I did recover the Grass Pig and put a Power Clip on.  I had one of the claws get bit off the Craw Fatty.  I snagged the Horny Toad on a tree in the water.  A lot of the cattails are dead for some reason.  I had a pike miss the Horny Toad.  I got a couple of 14 inchers on the Kinami Flash.  Conditions were pretty ideal blowing in on that stuff, but nothing was there.  I decided the smart way to play it  was to get the sun out of my eye and drift with the wind, so I went to that inlet and started drifting back.  The water is to shallow and there was nothing in it but a few carp.  I missed a couple of hits when I got back to the cattails.  I also had some thing on that stole the other craw of the craw Fatty in the maidencaine.  Kind of a lousy trip, but I did eliminate some water.

2 Pike
2 Bass (14.5, 14)

For the Weekend
19 Bass
15 Pike

Bass Opener Day 1 (2 Trips)

18" Horny Toad (Black)

5:00-11:00AM GOMH, Fall Flat, North Shore, Green House Bay
Conditions: 45-67℉, Mostly Cloudy, Calm to Light SW wind, Water Temp 60℉

I was so fired up to get out this morning I almost didn't get any sleep.  I was highly disappointed when the fish showed me they were not in a biting mood at the GOMH to start the day.  I had one fish meekly slap at the King Daddy.  I left after an hour.  So many boats seemed to be headed for the river I decided to call an audible when I got out in the Trophy.  I headed to the Fall Flat at the Northern tip of the reeds.

15.25" Rapala BX Waking Minnow

I accomplished a goal getting a fish on the BX Waking Minnow.  I also missed a couple of hits on it and the Shower Blows Knock Off.  I think one of the fish I missed on the SBKO was a crappie.  I wasted some time in the reeds throwing the King Daddy, not getting a strike.

Conditions were ideal but the fish just didn't want to go.  I did get a pike off the flat and had a good bass off a dock get off about 15 feet from the boat on a long cast.  I worked the inside weedline and got some dinks.  At that point I just needed some action so I headed to the North end.  There were three boats fishing in the vicinity of my "starting spot" for the Snatchers Tourny.  I stopped just beyond the Double Maidencaine.  I had something not get the Terminator right away, very pike like.  There was definitely more activity in the area than I had seen all morning.  I managed to get a couple of good fish on the Terminator Frog and a couple of pike.  I also missed some hits

17" Terminator Frog

Satisfied with that I headed to the Bay with the Green House. Haven't been in this Bay in years.  I lost a fish that buried me in the stuff.  I then had a good fish miss the frog in some pads. I worked the area with the Kinami Flash and eventually got a 15" bass.  I missed a couple of other hits.  It was now 11AM and I called it quits.  When I got back in Chuck and Lois were over fishing by Jenny's coming our way.  I thought maybe he would come and fish the docks, but he pulled away before he was in voice range.

In retrospect, I think the tough bite at the GOMH and the boats that I perceived going to the river spun me out.

10 Bass
6 Pike
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Evening Trip:

16.5" Terminator Frog

 7:00-9:30PM Loon Sex Bay
Conditions: 67-60℉, Partly Cloudy, Windy SW turning calm, Water Temp 62℉

I thought maybe I was eliminating water tonight, but instead I found an option.  I started on Loon Sex Point and got a 15" right away.  There was activity off the end of the point.  I then worked to the SE shoreline and found bass and pike there.  I caught some good ones including my big one for the day and missed some hits as well.  I pulled up stakes at 9:30PM.

For the trip:
7 Bass
7 Pike

For the Day
13 Pike
17 Bass (18, 17, 16.5, 15.25, 15.25, 15) 15lbs est weight

Pleasant Night In Channel Inn Bay

7:30-9:30PM Channel Inn Bay
Conditions: 76-70℉, Partly Cloudy, SW Wind turning calm,
61℉ Water Temp

17.75" Horny Toad Black

Don't remember why I got out so late.  I headed over to the South shore of Channel Inn Bay over by where I stopped fishing on Opener.  I caught a 14.5 incher right away on the Horny Toad.  A guy fishing of a dock with his kid told me some guys just smashed 'em in front of his place on Opener.  I didn't fish that water because there was a panfish boat in the way that day.  Bummer.

16.9" Spro King Daddy

I fished my way North, getting most of my bites out including the 17.75".  I missed some hits.  I put on the Spro King Daddy and man am I impressed with that frog.  It walks the dog like a champ and catches fish.  It was just perfect out temp wise and it turned out to be a beautiful post sunset.

2 Pike
8 Bass (17.75, 16.9, 15.5, 15.25, 15, 15) 15lbs or so

Pre-Fishing With Mark

Mark with a quality fish

8:30AM-1PM Platte/Sullivan
Conditions: 54-76℉, Partly Cloudy, SW wind,
Water Temp High 50's

I got a later start than I wanted to, so I was only able to fish the GOMH for around 15 minutes.  I did get one 15 incher on the Poison from under the tube.  When I arrived at the access. Darren Kiefer was just about ready to drop his rig in.  We talked for about 5 minutes and then Mark showed up and he brought his dog Taylor along.  After some small talk, Darren put his boat in and was gone.  When I was parking the truck Al Steinbauer showed up with that beautiful Phoenix boat of his.  After a little bit of small talk, we were off to my suggested starting area.

I got the first fish. A Pike.  I think Mark the got a pike. Nothing was at the tree. We headed East  I got another pike and Mark got the bass in the picture.  He missed a good blow up on a frog.  Mark suggested we go to the South and drift back through the area with the wind.  We started to do that Mark got another quality fish and I lost a pike or two on the Grass Pig.  He had seen enough so we went and tried some docks on the point.  I think Mark caught a good one there.

We were then off to the NW corner.  I lost a fish in that stand alone cattail bed.  My juice didn't produce anything.  We were then off to try a weedline.  I suggested the Fall Weed Flats NE corner along the reeds.  Marks fish locator wasn't working right so we quickly scrapped that.  We went to try the docks across the bay.  Mark got a couple of good fish doing that and 17 or so off of a Pine Tree.

We then went to the reeds across the way.  Mark got a couple of quality keepers and I had a pike steal two Hack Attack jigs.

We were then off to Sullivan with a quick stop along the SE shore of the Big Island to let Taylor do it's business and play a little.   Once we got into Sullivan Alan and Tim were where we wanted to go.  Mark said he wanted to see the Lake so I suggested the docks on the South end.  As we were just beyond the channel buoys an alarm went off on his engine.  The curly leaf pondweed had clogged up on his intake.  It took a while, but we got that straightened out and were at the dock next to the inlet in no time. Mark quickly got a good fish there.  We worked our way to the NW.  I actually caught a few 14' bass and missed some bites as well.  Mark saw a 3lb plus fish cruising between docks.

Alan and Tim went to the dock we started on.  Mark and I were heading to the Eastern shore to try the docks there when his engine quit.  It wouldn't start.  I flagged down Alan as they were heading back North.

     They towed us to the NE access on Sullivan.   They then took Mark and the dog to get his truck.  While I was waiting for them. I think the Bullhead Boys Dad, one of the Bullhead Boys, the one who likes to fish bass, and the hyper kid showed up and fished for a little bit.  They had been at the GOMH, but it got to weeded up.  After 15 minutes and not getting anything they left.

We got Mark's Ranger back on the trailer easy peasy and he drove me back to the Kia.  Chances are Mark's boat won't be ready for tournament day.  So it looks like I'm fishing with Chuck Steinbauer now and Mark will be with Mick.

Two Good Trips

19.75" SBKO (Chart/Hrrng Bone)

The Places and Time I Fished Along With Water Temp

 Weather Conditions

This morning didn't go as planned because I didn't expect to catch much at the GOMH.  Instead I spent two hours there and caught 'em up good.  Lesson relearned, until the GOMH proves it doesn't have fish assume it does.  I caught this skinny 18" fish first in the tube than got the big one fishing out.  It didn't get the SBKO the first time.  I cast back and she went for it again.  I also got a 16.5" on the SBKO.

Instead of fishing North Center Bay I called an audible and went to the docks across the bay.  I started in the NE corner working my way West.  I put the SBKO into a tree that is in the water. Missed a good cast by inches on that one.  I had a pike take a Hack Jig at "The Dock".  I was just about to give up and head to the North Bay when I backlashed the Jig with Boss Dog.  As I was taking it out I felt a tug and immediately set the hook into a 15" fish.  Hmmm, they wanted the bait just laying there.  I took that clue and landed a few more 15".  I also fished the reeds across the way and got the Hack Jig bit off at the maidencaine patch.  I think I got 1 bass in the reeds and missed a few bites.

I finished off the morning off by going to West Point and getting a 14" and a dink off the dock that is on the juice.

For the Morning
18 Bass, 6 Biggest (19.75, 18, 16.25, 15.5x3) 17lbs or so
5 Pike
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18.1" Horny Toad (Pump/red)

 

So in the evening I went with my plan from the morning: Starting at Double Maidencaine Point and fishing North Center Bay.  The fish, pike and bass, were in there pretty thick.  Caught a bunch and missed a bunch all on the Horny Toad, either black, white, or watermelon red fleck.  Most fish were in the NE corner.

11 Pike

11 Bass (18.1,16.5,16.5,15.66,15.5,15)  15lbs or so   

A Productive Evening

17.25" Horny Toad (Black)

5:30-9:30PM Dock & Out in the Trophy on Platte Inlet Bay to Double Maidencaine Point
Conditions: 61-55℉, Mostly Cloudy, Wind ENE, Water Temp 56℉

I really should have gotten out sooner tonight, but I couldn't find where I put that Tyger Wire.  I took a few casts off the dock and got a pike on the Brovarney Jig on my last cast.

I headed to the Inlet Bay on the North end of the lake.  I started "Out" in the reeds in front of the inlet.  I did have a bass hit the Brovarney and get off on the way to the boat. After 15 minutes and nothing else I started heading in towards the shallow pads.  I got a pike that stole the boot off the Swim Fluke.  I then put Bass Pro Speed Shad on to see how that works.  I quickly got a pike on that.  I went in super shallow.  I then let the wind blow me down the North shoreline.  I went to the Horny Toad and had a 16-17" bass blow it up and pull off at the boat.  I then missed a promising blow up by the What In The Heck fallen pine tree.  I got a pike off the tree.  Then it was all pike for a while until I got to the first house.

There I missed a couple of promising blow ups.  Had a 17-18" jump and get off and got a 16.5 off of the tree along with a few pike.  I then blew to Double Maidencaine Point.  I got a few pike and one good bass on the way to the point on the Horny Toad.  One of the pike was a really good one that got off when it got hung up in the reeds.  As I got closer to the point I got another good bass.  I got a pike in shallow by the point.  Then a solid bass by the buzzbait stick.  I then went to the Maidencaine and got a 16 incher there on the Hack Jig.  I also missed a bite on the Hack Jig that almost pulled the rod out of my hand.  I quit fishing around 9:30.

One of the 16's

I think I might have found our starting spot

9 Bass
18 Pike

Tough News Snatchers

The quality of the fish I was again catching tonight had me thinking to myself why on earth do I want to give up the juice prior to tournament day.  So from now on I'm not going to publish my blogs on where I am fishing on Platte/Sullivan until after the Tony's Tournament on the 10th and I've pulled the one's I already published to draft.

I will tell that my best 6 today went probably 16lbs or so in 4 hours of fishing.  All good quality fish, no kickers.  I might have found a starting spot tonight.

Two Trips Today

17" SBKO (Firetiger)

5:30-10:30PM GOMH, Platte River Inlet Bay, Dock
Conditions: 45-55℉, Cloudy/Mostly Cloudy, Wind NNE, Water Temp 49℉

15.5" Grass Pig

When I arrived at the GOMH that farmer guy was there on the SW side.  He hadn't gotten anything.  I got the toothy on the very first cast.  That was it other than 1 missed bite on the SBKO.  I was out in the Trophy by 6:45AM.  I fished towards Jenny's to start and missed a couple of hits in the reeds on a jig.  I then headed to the North Platte Lake Drive Point.  I fished into the SE corner there and started getting hits on my black Phantom, but they weren't hooking up.  I fished back over the area with the chart/orange belly Phantom and had fish hit at that, but not hook up.  Finally I caught a couple of bites on the Shower Blows knock off, which were pike.

17" SBKO

I moved out of the reeds more towards the Inlet and I got the 17" there. I got a few more pike and several missed strikes.  I then drifted back through the area and got another good one on the SBKO.

16.25"

Satisfied I headed in.  I had several hits off the dock on the Brovarney Swim Jig none of which hooked up so I got to see them.
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Evening Trip

16.5" Brovarney Jig/Swim Fluke Jr

7:00-9:30PM The reeds across the way
Conditions: 57-47℉, Mostly Cloudy some light rain, Wind all over the place N NW NE, Water Temp 54℉

The plan was to fish the reeds across the way and that is what I did.  First fish that I hooked was a beauty that pulled off at the boat.  I'm thinking 18 plus.  I then got the 16.5" on the Brovarney/Swim Fluke combo.  I decided to throw the Horny Toad and a fish just crushed it.  I laid the wood to it and my line broke.

So frustrating, looks like I will be respooling  that rod.  I then went to the Hack Attack Jig/Craw Fatty combo and started getting some bass and pike on that.  I also missed a bunch of bites.  The light rain that moved in was annoying.  I fished until 9:30PM.

Another good and productive trip

For the day
12 Bass (17, 16.5, 16.5, 16.25, 16.25, 15.75) probably 15lbs or so
21 Pike

A Couple Quality Bites Anyway

18.5" SBKO (Firetiger)

5:30-5:50PM GOMH NE SW
6:15-9:40PM In the Trophy
10:20-10:40 GOMH NE
Conditions: 58-48℉, Partly to Mostly Cloudy, Windy WNW turning calm, Water Temp 52℉

En route I decided to hit up the GOMH first tonight.  Just making sure they weren't there and they weren't other than this toothy.

23" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr (Bluegill/GP)

I let my thumb get to close to it's mouth while taking it off  and the darn thing bit me.

Shows rash on back of the thumb it gave me

 I put a band aid on it.  I didn't get a hit on the SW side and I was off to the Trophy.  I didn't take any casts off the dock, but put the trolling motor down and headed West after not getting anything off of Sherman's dock.

14.5" Kinami Flash

I got this fish 3 docks down.  I got a 14" off of West Point on the bluegill Poison along with a couple of pike and a dink on the Kinami Flash.  From there I headed to the flat where I had the topwater action last Fall.  I started in the same place I did the other night.  My experiment of throwing a flat sided crank failed, to weedy.  One loon was getting harassed by another one and came towards me flying upon the water surface like they do sometimes.  It was calm here so I started throwing the Shower Blows Knock Off.  I got a pike on that that broke off one of the hooks on the back treble.  I chose to go East tonight and that paid off with some nice fish.

15.25" SBKO (Chart/hrng bone)

I then landed another pike on that Shower Blows knock off.  Shortly after that I landed it on top of a dock and cracked the back of the lure.  It started taking on water and then sinking.  I was able to get some of the water out.  I got a couple of dink by the docks on it (13.75, 10.5).  Then I got this gorilla that missed it's first attempt.  The lure sunk and then the fish was on.

17.66" SBKO (Chart/hrng bone)

 This loon came to investigate the water I just caught the fish out of.  Friendly guy.  He just sat there and looked at me for a while before finally diving and swimming off.  I decided I had enough of the lure sinking so I put on the firetiger and was rewarded.

18.5" SBKO (Firetiger)

 I had a few fish miss the lure and this crappie was the last bite of the night to get the lure.

12" SBKO (Firetiger)

I took this last pic when I backlashed and the line broke about a yard up from the lure.

I put on a real Ever Green Shower Blows and had one fish strike at that and miss it when I wasn't looking.  All my bites came before the flag and really it got to dark once I was on the other side of the flag.  I finally headed in at about 9:40PM.

I did check out the GOMH on the way home.  Matt W. and a friend of his were just starting to look for a rough fish to shoot when I got there.  They spotted a couple toothys and one possible small golden.  I didn't have any hits and didn't stay long.  There was no activity in the tube.

Tough Day Two Trips

14" Zoom Swim Fluke Jr. (GP)

5:00-6:50AM GOMH NE SW
7:20-8:30 AM Mille Lacs
Conditions: 41-43℉, Cloudy drizzle & light rain, less windy than last night wind ENE

When I caught my first fish of the morning I thought I better take picture of it just in case.  I did get one more toothy at the GOMH on a chart shad Jerk Shad shortly after that one.  I spent entirely too much time at the GOMH this morning.  Nothing was happening.  Finally I came to my senses and headed to Mille Lacs.  As noted the wind wasn't as bad as last night and it was coming a little more straight on to the Jetty.  I was able to fish the harbor mouth, but casting distance sucked with anything but a Rippin' Rap.  I had a good fish on briefly on the NW corner.  I'm pretty sure it was a big walleye.  That was the only bite I got.  I was getting cold and my lower half was starting to soak through thanks to wearing the Arctic Armor Bibs.  So I called it quits.  I went home and took a nap waking up at 3PM to watch Major League Fishing again.
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Evening Trip

14.75" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr (bluegill/GP)

6:40-9:05PM Off the Dock and in the Trophy NW Corner of Platte
Conditions: 45-41℉, Cloudy some drizzle, Wind WSW, Water Temp 51-49℉

I putzed around after Major League Fishing was over and almost got talked out of going fishing by my Mom who had just gotten home from Brainerd.  Conditions actually weren't that bad out on the lake thankfully.  I got a pike on the Horny Toad fishing off the dock and one on the white red Poison with Swim Fluke Jr. while water was being pumped out of the boat.  Had about the same amount in it as last night.  I then headed to the NW corner of Platte, most of the way at half throttle (it was a bit bumpy in the main basin through to the West side)

Once I arrived in the calm water I resumed throwing the Horny Toad.  I got up next to the bulrushes and had a pike take toad.  I swung on it and my line broke. Goodbye hook and leader.  Wasn't real happy about that development.  I stayed in too shallow getting a few pike on the toad and the Poison.

Loons came over for a visit

I did miss a couple of hits on a Grass Pig and Jig-n-craw in the juice.  I got the one bass out of the reeds near some pads along with a couple of pike on the bluegill Poison.  I also worked the West North Point but the water was 49 degrees there and a buzzbait wasn't the best choice.  It was getting dark, so I called it a night. Didn't hit the GOMH on the way home.

I ended with 7 Pike and just the one bass.