1st Bullhead of 2024 (2/20/24)

 

17" eBay Spin/Goat (Glow/Black/FC)

5:15-6:15 PM GOMH SW 

40-44℉, PC, 1-3mph S

It was a nice day, but I was too sluggish after getting up to get my ice fishing stuff together, but I did want to go fishing, so I did. I thought maybe I underdressed my feet, but they didn't get cold. I was expecting a skunk, but you never know at The G.O.M.H. I was just about to switch to something else when the gator bullhead hit the spinnerbait. No skunk and the earliest open-water fish I think I have ever caught. I caught a pike at the GOMH on the 27th of February in 2016. Lots of swans flying around. I'm pretty sure there is open water on the southern side of Don's Point.

1Pike 

Got Out On The Dog

 5:00-8:00PM 31' The Dog

24-26℉, Cloudy, 0-3mph SE

Getting the KIA loaded was PIA, but not in the back. There was one truck and three houses out fishing when I arrived.  Lake conditions kind of suck. Shoveled out a spot in the slush. Had fish down there most of the time, but they were small. Missed a few bites on the minnow and several on jigs. Disappoi ting to only catch nine fish. The water level rose as I wasn't reading bottom at 30'. Going ba k in the dark was even more difficult than going out. This was my last trip with the KIA, as dad traded it in for an Equinox.

9 Crips 

First Ice Trip Of 22/23 Ice Season

 

1st Fish Of Ice Seaso

3:45-5:35 10' Out From the Platte Lake Access

26-35℉, PC, 0-3mph

Forgot to bring the spud, but there were a few people out, and there were old iced-over holes where I was fishing. I did a zig-zag pattern in 10-12' feet of water and spied a gill down in the third hole, so I drilled three more, and that is where I fished. Saw two gills catching one. Saw at least one pike, possibly two. It was about 10 minutes between appearances, and I didn't get a great look at the first one. A few marks came in, and looked, but I didn't detect any bites. Almost nothing as it got dark

1Sun 

(This is YT Report I did with the VN Video Editor App, first-ever time using video editing software)

(This is the YT Report before I got the VN app)

1st Trip of 2022

9" Glow Demon/minnow

4:00-6:00PM Bulldog 2021 Spot

20℉, Cloudy, 4-8mph NE

Finally felt well enough to get out and fish. Been dealing with a cold/Rona since the day after Christmas or so. I thought I would be good to go on Monday as I felt much better on Sunday, but it wasn't to be. I had to take advantage of the nice weather before we slipped back into the deep freeze. Guys were set up out from Holy Family when I arrived, but they were packing up, and I passed them as I started out. They had a wheeler. There was a packed path most of the way out. I off-roaded the final 70 feet or so. Fish didn't show up for the first 45-minutes other than one looker that marked big; Pike maybe. I missed my first 4 bites; 3 on a minnow and 1 on THE Jig. I finally got an 8-incher in the hole on THE Jig. As I was taking him off, the bobber went down, and I hooked up with the 9-incher in the picture. The action was slow for the most part. I got more bites on minnows than on the spoon or jigs. I ran out of propane around 5:40 or so. And had my last minnow on the hook by 5:50PM. The last fish came on the Glow Demon Spoon. Called it an early night because it was cold. Should have filled up the tank when I got gas tonight. Oh well.

Final Ice Trip/1st Open Water Trip

9" VMC Fly/Wax/Polli (Pink)

 7:30-9:30PM 5 Tul Hole 26' 

42℉, PC, 10-20mph SE

Amazingly enough, I was able to get up. Pete beat me to the lake by about 20-minutes. I set up in my spot and had a pike show up about 10' down. It loitered for a while then left for about 10-minutes then came back. I started seeing stuff near the bottom so I lowered the camera. There were crappies, sunfish, perch, and shiners down there. The crappies seemed more enamored with the barrel swivel. I had several of them hit it. I only caught one 8-inch crappie that I didn't take a picture of.  I released that right after I released it. Think I had the same pike come back around 9:00AM. Didn't see tullibee, neither did Pete who fished all over the place. Called it a morning at 9:30AM. One other guy came off with us.

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7:00-8:10PM NE SW GOMH

53℉, Cloudy, 3-4mph S

I got to the GOMH and there was a guy and a lady fishing off the bridges Southside. I went down the NE side. He asked me which side was better. I told him right now it probably doesn't matter much as it would probably be a couple of weeks before anything showed up. But I did tell him that indeed the Southside tends to be the better option. They left at about a quarter of 8. I switched sides. Nothing going on.  The water is low, but not as low as last Fall. It is probably going to be a week plus before anything shows up.

1st Ice Fishing Trip of 20/21, Skunked

  

Because I move like a turtle it took a while to get the Expedition cleaned out and get my gear together and ready to go. I stopped at Bear Trax to pick up some minnows and waxies and then I headed to Bulldog. I wasn't sure how thick the ice was where I wanted to go, so I just went out with the spud first.  I was able to strike through in two. Not ideal, but it's clear ice. Went back and got my stuff. Didn't even put the Aqua-Vu down it was getting so dark. Didn't mark anything and only fished for maybe 35-minutes. There were fish here last year. Think I just got out too late in the day. I may get out before the Vikings game tomorrow.

1st Open Water Trip at the GOMH, Skunked of Coarse

7:15-7:45PM 39℉, 4mph S
What I wrote on Facebook:
I am grateful that I threw my first casts of the year at the Grumpy Old Man Hole tonight. I am thankful for all the birds that were gathered there tonight. An eagle, a couple dozen Canadians, swans, and ducks. And one lone sandhill crane calling in the distance as it flew.

First Trip of 2019

I went and got my fishing license today and then went and threw a few casts at the GOMH from 4 to 4:30PM.  Not only was it my first fishing trip of the year, but also the first time using the selfie stick with the iPhone while out and about.  It didn't exactly go smoothly, but I got a couple pics I was happy with.  The water is really clear right now and right at the level I like with it slowly rising.  Provided we get an inch or two of rain in April I don't think we will have low water issues for the GOMH prime month of May.

I spent most of the evening beginning to get my tackle organized for the year.  I've still quite a bit to do yet.  It's a long time before the Fishing Opener gets here. Plenty of time to get my act together.