Morning And Evening at the GOMH

11.5" Cubby/minnow (Pink)

17.25" X-Rap 6 (Firetiger)

7:30-11:30PM GOMH SW
36-39℉, Cloudy, 4-7mph NNE
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7:30-9:30PM GOMH SW
39-34℉, Cloudy some sprinkles, 7-15mph NNE

Two trips today.  I briefly fished the NE side both times and didn't get a fish.  The morning trip.  Had me switching out lures frequently. All I caught were jumpin' bullheads.  That little piece of bog drifted off the rocks and so I used the crawtube rod to pull it out into the current and it drifted out of the area.  I am pretty sure it was retired CO Kuske that came and fished for a couple of minutes.  While he was there I caught a small toothy on a Tiny Fat Rap.  He caught one jumper and left.  I fished maybe 15 more minutes and left myself.

The evening trip started out with an attempt at Dogfish.  Didn't get any.  Caught a few jumpers on the Poison.   I then switched to silvers and got 4 of those on the pink Cubby with a minnow.  Fish weren't nearly as active tonight.  I missed maybe one bite.  I got cold and the fish stopped biting so I left at 9:30PM.

Cloudy Cool Morning and Evening Trips

1.36lbs/13" Cubby/minnow

18.5" Panfish Chatterbait

Almost stole the Cubby

7:00-9:30AM GOMH NE SW
34-38℉, Cloudy some light rain, 4-8MPH NE
Water High

Jumpin' bullheads and more jumpin' bullheads.  Not a single odd silver this trip.  The Cubby/Minnow combo did work on the 11-14" inch jumpers.  Got a couple 16's as well.  Nobody else came by. A 12" broke off as I was lifting it in.  It landed on the bullrush hay.  I got down and got it before it flopped back into the lake.  I might have missed some oranges.  Had fish pulling the Cubby under then releasing it really quickly.

7:30-10:30PM GOMH NE SW
45-41℉, Cloudy, 3-6mph N
water High

Nobody was at the GOMH again tonight.  I started out on the NE side.  No doggo's and a couple of jumpers.  Went down on the SW side around 8PM.  Caught that tank jumper.  Pretty sure it is the biggest I've gotten so far this year. At about 8:45 the silvers started hitting.  It was pretty consistent for about 45 minutes.  I caught 8 of them total and missed a bunch as well.  The 13" hit like a small toothy, just like it was shot out of a Cannon.  By 9:30 the silvers were done and I didn't get another bite.  Disappointing, I thought I was really going to get into them tonight.

Windy Evening At the GOMH

Should have taken more pictures, none turned out 11.5"

23" Storm 2" Swim Shad

Funky Clouds (Click to enlarge)

6:30-10:30PM GOMH SW NE
47-42℉, Cloudy some sprinkles, 4-25mph E NE SE
High Water

Much to my delight, no one was at the GOMH tonight until Lantern Man showed up.  I started off on the SW side and caught the golden bullhead right away on the Storm Swim Shad.  I got a couple of jumpin' bullheads. The wind really picked up around 7:30 so I gave the NE side a try.  I lost a really nice jumper over there.  I  managed to land a few as well.  I headed back to the SW side around 8:30PM when the wind settled down for a bit.  I got that first silver bullhead just as Lantern Man arrived.  I only got 3 silvers for the night.  I missed a couple of bites.  LM took up the SE side and he got one keeper, 3 small silvers, and a couple of jumpers.  He left at about 10:15 and I left at 10:30PM.  The darn wind kept changing and we never figured anything out about how to unlock the silvers tonight.

GOMH Morning And Evening Again

10" Cubby/minnow

29" Crawtube (White)

18.25" Cubby/Minnow

18.25" Cubby/Minnow

7:30-12:30PM GOMH SW SE
36-41℉, Cloudy, Calm
Water High

I didn't wake up right away, but I did eventually.  Was pleasantly surprised that no one was there.  I started on the SW side and wasn't getting much.  I went up on the bridge and popped the silver while fishing on the SE side, so I moved my stuff over there. The Asian guys showed up for about an hour and then left when no silvers would show themselves.  I got the toothy while trying for dogfish.  The only bite I got on the crawtube.  I would occasionally catch a jumpin' bullhead. I did have a small jumpin' bullhead run straight into the cattails, somehow I got it out.  I did try for oranges for a bit, but just got one small jumper on T.H.E. Jig;  After I landed the fish I thought the better of what I was doing.  Didn't want to lose my jig and Rocket Bobber.   It was nice out and nobody showed up to fish so I just stayed there until Dad called wanting the car.
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11.75" Cubby/Minnow

 7:00-11:00PM GOMH SE
50-34℉, Mostly Sunny, 0-4mph NW
Water High

I arrived at the GOMH as Peter W. was spooling up.  There was one other car there. A guy and chick fishing on the SW and SE sides. After talking for a couple of minutes I went down on the NE side.  Peter joined from the bridge and immediately caught a jumper.  His first open water fish of the year.  It was apparent things weren't happening on this side so I went and fished off the bridge on the SE side.  The guy said they had been getting a few jumpers and one small golden. The gal who was fishing on the SW side would occasionally bring in a jumper and one nice orange.  The guy caught 1 jumper.   Peter joined me. The Foul-Mouthed Grumpy Old Man showed up said it was too cold and left.  I brought in a couple of jumpers.  Another older guy showed up just to talk.  Four guys showed up. Peter left and the new Conservation Officer for the area showed up (CO A-Net) and checked licenses.  Right as A-Net showed up one of the 4 guys caught the first silver off of the bridge on the SW side.  The guy went over to fish the SW side.  I went down on the SE side.  The one guy started landing a silver every couple of minutes.  I started getting some alternating keepers and non-keepers.  The guy and girl only landed a couple.  It got dark enough that I switched to the lighted bobber Glow Demon rod, but the fish had shut off.  Everybody left.  I was going to pull up stakes, but right then Lantern Man showed up. I figured if he started smashing them I would just go and join him and stayed put.  It was dead.  LM missed a couple of bites.  He got a fish around 10:30PM or so.  At about 10:40 we both got one.  That was it.  I got cold and was hungry and left a little after 11PM

GOMH Morning And Evening Trips

11" Cubby/minnow

17.75" Swim Shad

6:00-8:00AM GOMH NE SW
41-37℉, Sunny, 2-7mph WNW
Water High

I was the only one out there this morning. Started on the NE side.  Got a couple of jumpers including the one in the picture. Went to the SW side.  Got a couple of more jumpers and the one silver while casting cross the current toward the other side by the bridge.  I think I missed one more silver.

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12.25" Glow Demon/Minnow

17.5" Panfish Chatterbait

6:30-11:00PM GOMH NE
53-41℉, Partly Cloudy, 0-10mph NW
Water High

When I arrived at the GOMH Lantern Man's son and a buddy were down on the SE side and a group of Asians was fishing on the SW and SE side. The Asian's had just got a silver.  Everybody was catching jumpers.  I watched them for maybe 20 minutes then went down on the NE side.  Good thing I dressed warm because it was a cool wind.  I caught a few jumpers, but it was slow for the first hour and half.  The Asian guys would occasionally pop over and throw a few casts.  I think they left by 8:30PM.  The action picked up as it got dark.  I was really hoping to get a dogfish, but no such luck.  First silver was the biggest.  Lantern Man showed up at around 9PM or so.  I was catching the occasional silver, so I stayed on the NE side.  At about 10:30PM I went over to talk to them for a bit.  The buddy broke a good dogfish off.  They landed a few while I was there and the buddy broke his line when he set the hook like a madman.  I went back to the NE side and got the bullhead on my last minnow of the night.  When the wind quit it was quite pleasant out.  I could have done without the smoke from the campfire though.

Trophy In, Caught a Few Bullheads On NFL Draft Day

12" Glow Demon/minnow

30" Craw Tube (White)

So I headed to the lake place at about 1:30PM.  Getting the prop put back on and the trolling motor mounted went smoothly.  The bow light still didn't work and I realized getting the new bilge pump connected was going to require me getting that stuck wingnut off the terminal.  I called and told him to bring some WD40.  Dad didn't find any WD40 but brought some lubricant that Pete brought up last fall.  He suggested I spray the lubricant in the light receptacle.  I'll be darned that worked.  I made a little headway on the wingnut, but it was extremely slow.  Meanwhile, the CO detectors were going off in the lake place which Dad had opened up.  I propped the porch door open and found a pipe wrench in the basement.  The pipe wrench allowed Dad and I to get enough leverage to get the wingnut off.  I then ran to Bear Trax to get a different wingnut and some minnows.  I think we headed to the Platte Lake Access at around a quarter to 4.  The motor started right up and I was off. Victory Achieved!

7:00-7:20 Bulldog
7:30-10:30PM GOMH SW
57-47℉, Sunny, 2-35mph
High rising

I decided to hit Bulldog first.  Nothing was going on there, so I quickly packed up for the GOMH and was pleasantly surprised no one was there. I set up on the SW side.  I started out getting a jumper on the Swim Shad after many casts.  I thought the toothy might be a dogfish the way it was bulldogging me. Nope, just another big toothy critter.  A bullhead fisherman showed up around 9PM.  He fished the Northside for maybe 10 minutes then joined me on the Southside.  After about 10-minutes I got a 12-inch silver.  That was the only silver bite of the night.  The bullhead fisherman caught a dogfish and mumbled something about them eating sunfish and walleye eggs.  He also lost a bullhead and left just before 10PM.  I stayed until 10:30PM.  It was clear and the wind had died down quite a bit.  Not sure when the moon was supposed to rise.  I had had enough.

Vikes got a Center

   

GOMH Morning And Evening Trips & Rock Dock In

16.75" Panfish Chatterbait

17.50" Cubby Mini-Mite

16.25" Panfish Chattebait

5:30-7:00AM GOMH NE
50℉, Cloudy, 5mph SW
High rising

I started on the NE side nothing.  Went to the SW side, nothing.  Went back to the NE side and avoided the skunk, but it wasn't a doggy either. Stopped at Bear Trax, no minnows.

Went to Brainerd with Dad in the afternoon.  Picked up some Rippin' Raps, Rocket Bobbers, and Tackle Trays at Fleet Farm.  At 4:30PM, I went to the lake place to get the new bilge pump connected and get the trolling motor post redone.  Had some thunder boomers going off. That was a surprise.

Rock Dock is in

6:00PM-6:30PM Rock Lake
6:35-6:50PM Bulldog
7:00-10:00PM GOMH SW
74-60℉, Partly Cloudy some sprinkles, 0-7mph WSW

It sprinkled as I got to Rock and the Rock Dock is in.  There was no activity.  I then went to Bulldog.  I could see activity to the South again tonight, but nothing was going on and I quickly left.  I was pleasantly surprised no one was at the GOMH.  I got the 17.75" jumper immediately on the Cubby.  I thought maybe the fish were in, but they weren't.  I got one more jumper, one toothy, and got bit off once.  At dusk, the shiners showed up everywhere.  I did have a golden on that I brought to the surface while fishing off the bridge.  No silver bites tonight.  Not surprised because I didn't have minnows.  Bear Trax is supposed to get minnows tomorrow.

1st Silver Bullhead of the Year

12.75" Cubby Mini-Mite/maggots

Worked on the Trophy Today

7:00-7:25PM GOMH NE
7:30-8:10PM  Bulldog
8:15-10:00PM GOMH SE SW

67-53℉, Partly Cloudy 0-7mph,
Water Level High and rising

Dad didn't want to get up so I headed up to the lake place on my own.  The first job was to move the lawn tractor.  I couldn't get it started, so I called Dad and he came up.  While I was waiting for him to get there I tested out the new auto-bilge pump. Dad got the tractor started.  I didn't push the throttle up high enough to get it in the choke position.  We pushed the Trophy out of the garage.  I got it vacuumed out.  At first, it wasn't sucking very hard.  I took off the hose and it was filled up with sand.  Once I got it cleared it worked a whole lot better.  I couldn't get the bow light to work.  I've still got to switch out the bilges and get some other things done.  I hope to have it in the water by Friday at the latest.

I started out at the GOMH.  The guy with the orange/brown truck was there again.  This time on the SW side.  It was fairly windy out of the South, so I went down on the NE side.  I think a fish rolled across the way along the cattails.  I think I got a bite in the general area on the Cubby but I missed it.  This guy named Dave who has a place on Sullivan showed up and was going to fish off the bridge so I packed up.  I talked to him on the way back to the car.

I then went to Bulldog.  I had what was probably a bass eat the Rocket Bobber. That was the only bite I got.  I went back to the GOMH and the guy with o/b truck was still there fishing the SW side.  He didn't get anything and left at about a quarter to 9PM.  He said he got about 10 jumpers.  I missed what I think was a small toothy.  I then went to the SW and got the one silver bullhead on the Cubby Mini-Mite.  I may have missed one more bite. Sure would have been nice to have some minnows.  I wrapped it up just before 10PM.

Toothy Bullhead And Ice Off Rock and Bulldog

27" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr

Ice off Rock

Bulldog Lake

6:50-7:10PM GOMH SW
7:20-7:45PM Rock
7:50-8:00PM Bulldog
8:15-9:00PM GOMH SW NE

49-44℉, Partly Cloudy, 8-2mph NE

We got at least an inch of rain this morning and it was windy, cold and cloudy until about 4PM when the clouds finally broke.  I knew the winds were supposed to diminish so I started at the GOMH.  There was a guy fishing on the SE side.  He said he hadn't gotten a bite.  I didn't either and soon left for Rock.  There were loons calling on Rock and the ice was out.  No signs of fish activity.  Bulldog was also a bust and I didn't stay long.  At the GOMH I discovered the quickest way to get to the iPhone's camera is to use Siri.  That way I don't have to unlock the phone and mess with pushing buttons.  That discovery would soon come in handy when I got the fish.  I went down on the SW side first after 10 minutes and no bites I went to the NE side just as a truck pulled up and it looked like a guy and girl got out.  On my third cast, I got the toothy bullhead.  I was able to quickly get the iPhone on the selfie stick to take a few pictures and get her back in the water.  The guy came over to talk briefly.  They left about 10 minutes later.  I didn't get any more bites and I didn't go back t the SW side.

Platte Ice Free, A Couple Bites at Bulldog, Nothing at Rock

14.25" Panfish Chatterbait 

15.5" T.H.E. Jig/Maggot

Platte Lake Ice Out Today

Rock 80% Ice Free

Bulldog 77% Open

5:30-6:45 Rock Lake
6:50-8:15 Bulldog
8:30-8:40 GOMH SW
75℉, Partly Cloudy, 0-4mph SW

I wanted to get some minnows today but Bear Trax, Redd's, and Reeds are all out of them.  First stop was at the GOMH.  There were people fishing off both sides of the bridge not catching anything.  I talked to the guy and lady on the North side who were fishing with minnows. I then went and checked the situation at the Platte Public Access. Yep, ice-free.  Today is the day.

I then drove to Rock.  There were two trailers in the lot. I fished there while listening to the Twins win the 1st game of the doubleheader in Baltimore. There were some loons calling.  I didn't get a bite.

At Bulldog there seemed to be occasional baitfish activity especially to the South where I can't cast due to that tree.  I put on the Panfish Chatterbait on a lark and amazingly caught a bass.  I then went back to T.H.E. Jig.  I had something very dogfish like move water close to the Rocket Bobber. I threw a few casts with the white craw tube and didn't get any hits, so I went back to THE Jig.  I had what looked like a slight nibble, then another one, then the bobber started moving off.  I figured it was going to be a tiny sunfish, but it was actually the 15-inch bass.

As it was getting dark I headed to the GOMH.  Nobody was there.  I fished for maybe 10 minutes when mom called about Kaylee being stuck in the woods somewhere.  I packed up, but my rain bibs on and left.  When I got home Mom was coming back through the woods in the dark with Kaylee without a flashlight.  I wasn't pleased with Mom not calling me sooner and just waiting for me to go into the woods to get her.

I would imagine the panfish will be moving in pretty quick.

Skunked Again Tonight

Got a later start tonight than I wanted because the Expeditions battery was dead and I was already running late. Checked Bulldog and threw a few casts. Don't think the ice goes off there or Rock until Sunday not as much open water as I thought there would be. Somebody arrived at the Grumpy Old Man Hole right when I did. They took the SW and I took the NE. Think I missed one bite right away. He left. On the SW side I had a visit from an otter, a beaver, and a muskrat. Think I spotted two swimming eyeballs as I was leaving. Will ice go off Platte tomorrow?

55℉, Mostly Sunny, Calm

Skunked At the GOMH

Loons calling back and forth tonight gave me goosebumps it was so cool. The loon that started it was super loud it was just dark enough out that could see where it was. Also had a great blue heron do a fly by and had a beaver swimming around. Platte lake was clear all the way to the south of the big island. I think the ice comes off the lakes on Saturday. Got skunked.

Skunked Twice

50% Open Channel Inn Bay

2:00-2:30PM GOMH, Sullivan Inlet
7:00-8:30PM Bulldog/GOMH

Saw a frog at the Sullivan Inlet.  I might have met the guy from the rents church that just bought a place on the lake.  In the evening there was a loon on the Sullivan side.  I didn't put a headlamp in the Cabela's jacket and my upper back was giving me grief even though I didn't do much fishing.  Off to the Chiro tomorrow.  The fish should be back soon.  Gonna be warm tonight.

Skunked and 3 Loons

Darn camera

A little progress on a windy Platte

4:00-4:30PM GOMH SW SE
35℉, Cloudy, 12mph NE

I thought I was beating the snow.  Turns out the snow didn't start showing up until after 10PM.  It was windy and cold.  Had the two loons swim by.  I went down on the SE side and a third loon briefly joined them.  Conditions sucked so I gave up quickly.