Good Fish On A Rainy Morning

3.46lbs/18" Mad Maxx (Big Sexy)

2.95lbs/17.25" Maxx

5:20-8:20AM SPSI, Channel Inn Bay Rice, East of GOMH Pad Pts, Intersection, SPRO 

60-65℉, Cloudy light rain, 0-4mph SSW

Todd wanted to sleep in, so he didn't go out this morning. Started at SPSI. On the second to last cast with the Bubble Walker 128, I got a 14.75" bass, so I threw the 128 for 10 more minutes, not getting a bite. I then started flinging the Pompadour for the first time this year. Got 13.75" on that. I missed a bite and got a 14" on a red shad craw tube. All the bites came out by the buoy. Spend 15 to 20 minutes too long here again.  I then went to the first boat channel in Channel Inn Bay and worked my way South. Got the 17-incher there. I then hopped across to the rice and pads East of GOMH. I lost a good hit on a pad point.  So I tried the next few and got the 18" off of one of them. Then I headed to Rice Point of the Intersection. I got two Platte Lake Specials there and missed a couple bites as well. I also got a Platte Special at the final boat channel. I did quickly try the Intersection SW & NE but only had a swirl. 

 

Final Trip of May

3.06lbs Mad Maxx (Big Sexy)

2.13lbs Spro Poppin Frog

Start/End Time

6:00pm to 9:30pm

-Water Temp: 64.0°F

Stained - 1' to 3' visibility

Water Level

Low falling

4 Bass 8 Pike (Not a lot of opportunities tonight. The plan to go back to the NW Corner didn't work out. It is just to shallow there.)

May ended cool and windy and me nursing an aching back 

Slow Morning and Evening With Todd, But Good Size

3.92lbs/18.5" Big Sexy

3.26lbs/16.5" Terminator (Yellow)

4.07lbs/20.25" Sparrow

17.25-inches and less weight than Todd's 16.5"

6:00-9:30AM Big Island Bust, Access Across Point to 6lb Flat
70-60℉, Cloudy to Mostly Sunny some light rain, 2-7mph SW W NW
74-76℉ Falling

We tried the East side of the Big Island to start. Total bust. Then I headed us to the Point across from the Platte Lake Access. Todd lost the first bite in the reeds, a fair bass. I got a small pike. Then nothing until Todd got a chub 16.5-incher that was over 3lbs. Then Todd got his big for the day casting back to the spot multiple times after it missed the first time. I finally got on the board with a 17.25" then the big girl struck in an open area on Big Rice Point. We worked our way to 6lb Flat both getting one more quality bass apiece. My 3 went 10.25 and Todd's 3 went 9.25. We worked for them, but when we got a bite it was a good one.
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17" on Big Sexy Just before it was stolen

We both filled our limits on our last cast

Todd's Bag 16.57lbs

My Bag 16.44lbs

7:00-9:30PM Deep Melon Patch to 6lb Flat
67-73℉, Mostly Sunny, 2-8mph NNE
76-77℉ Falling

Started off in the Melon Patch, nothing. I took us in behind the rice line and got a pike, then a bass. Todd then got a 17-incher on Big Sexy. I heard something get crunched but couldn't see where. Todd found the spot and got himself another 3lb 17-inch fish on the Big Sexy. Todd then caught a pike then had the Big Sexy get stolen. I got a bass n my first throw with the Sprinker. Todd had several fish, not get his frog and not return and get it. I closed out my limit on my last cast of the night as did Todd.  Todd ended up just edging me for the day and our combined limit was over 20lbs, not bad.

Good Morning Topwater Bite/Slow Evening Finished Well

3.17lbs/17" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

3.19lbs/17" Sparrow

17" Sparrow

6:00AM-12:30PM SPBI, Intersection, N & S SPRO, Channel Inn Bay
70-57℉, Cloudy to Mostly Cloudy, 3-6mph NW N NE
71-74℉ Low rising

Started at three of the four points only getting a 9-inch bass on the Rat-Ta-Tat Plopper at SPBI. Nothing at the GOMH. I had a pike miss the frog off of the Intersection NE Point. I then motored toward the River Mouth Stopping at the last boat lane and proceeded with the Troller to the NW. The first bass of the morning was a 3lber on the Sparrow Bobby's Perfect. I proceeded to whack them until about 10AM when the bite slowed. I did pull a few fish out of the Intersection Juice on the craw tube. I worked my way back along the SW rice line getting a few more, but mostly missing the bites.  The troller was giving me issues, so I packed up and went to Channel Inn Bay where I got 1 good bass on the Sprinker, but it was mostly a clown show on my part.  I finally got out of there around 12:30 or so.

25 Bass
10 Pike
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3.52/17.5" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

6:30-9:30PM East Of Jenny's, Dock Across, Intersection
68-70℉, Mostly Sunny, 0-4MPH
72℉ Low

I started at the rice edge East of Jenny's. The rice there isn't nearly as thick as last year.  I had one fish take a swipe and miss. Couldn't get anything on the follow-up. I had something small attack the Horny Toad at the dock and not hook up.  It clearly wasn't happening so I went to "The Dock" across, nothing. I did get a small pike on a jig on the other dock. Nothing out of the slop. I then headed to Sullivan starting towards the River Mouth working towards the Intersection along the North rice.  I didn't get the first bass in the boat until 8:40PM, geez. I ended up landing 4 for the night catching the biggest of the day (17.5) out of the boat line reeds where I got the 18-incher the other night. I also had a good fish come up short of the frog a couple of times along the backside of the reeds on the NE point.

3 Pike
4 Bass

Good Trip With Jaimen In the Morning/So-So Short Trip in Evening

6/9, 25" 

2/9 Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

5:30-11:00AM SPSI, Intersection, Channel Inn Bay
74-70℉, Cloudy, 0-4mph SSW
83℉ Low

In sprinkled just for a second as I was backing the boat out. I went and picked up Jaimen and headed to South Point Small Island. Jaimen caught a pike I think. I missed a bite on the craw tube because I was moving towards the bite. We then headed to the intersection. Didn't get a bite on the point. So we headed to the SW R/R line. Jaimen got the first bass of the morning there on Grapes of Wrath. He lost a couple bass. We got to the juice and commenced to whack 'em on frogs, jigs, and craw tubes. Unfortunately, we didn't convert on the bigger bass. Jaimen caught the big fin in the sparse rice toward the back. When the fish were finally done we worked back around the Intersection. I was totally unprepared when a 17/18 smoked my frog on the backside of the point reeds.  My hand was nowhere near the reel handle. I worked us all the way into the thick reedline.  I don't remember if we caught anything or not. The rain stayed to the South of us.

We went back into Platte and worked the rice in Channel Inn Bay. I got the big bass of the morning before the 1st boat channel.  It was pretty much dead in CIB except for a few pike.  Dad called me and informed me it was Ruby's day, so I dropped Jaimen off and headed in.

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3/1, 17.25" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

8:00-9:45PM NPBI, Access Across
78-84℉, PC, 0-3mph NW
83℉ Low

Due to the rents going to Pierz I got a late start tonight. I missed a couple topwater hits and a couple hits on the craw tube catching one little bass on the Craw Tube. I then went across from the Access in Platte.  There was a net set out there beyond the reeds. I went to the shallow edge of the cane. There was baitfish activity, but I was disappointed in the bite.  I got one dink on the craw tube and a 14-incher and the 17.25" on Bobby's Perfect. I also had a good fish miss the BP where I got the 17-incher.  I threw back with craw tube and had something that felt smaller pick it up that I had on for a few seconds before it came off.  The skeeters get pretty fierce around 9:45PM or so.

Slow Warm Night With Todd

14.25" Big Sexy

15.5" BD Frog (Brown)

7:30-9:30PM Double Cane to Starting Spot
87-77℉, Mostly Sunny, Calm
79℉ Very Low

I planned to go out before Todd got here tonight, but the motor wouldn't start.  After changing batteries I lifted the hood and it turns out the turner thing was stuck and couldn't reach the flywheel. By the time I figured it out Todd arrived.   We started around Double Cane.  I lost a bass on the Sprinker beyond the reeds.  I missed a bite when we came back around to the Cane. I lost a bite on the rice/reed line. Finally I put the 15-incher in the boat on the rice edge in front of the starting spot on the BD Frog. I got a couple more 14-inchers along the rice edge on the SBKO.  I was lucky the first one didn't put a hook in my hand. It came off as I was lifting it in and the lure hit my hand at speed, but luckily it was the front of the lure that hit my hand. Todd got a pike on the Sprinker.  We moved to the NW juice. Todd got a small pike. I lost a 14-incher on the Craw Tube. Todd eventually got a couple bass on Big Sexy.

Todd: 2 Bass 3 Pike
Me: 5 Bass

Jaimen In the Morning/Slow Evening With A Great Conclusion

Erskine Bust in the Slop Slip

6:30-9:00PM Erskine NW Pads
70-75℉, PC to Cloudy rained for half and hour or so, 3-15mph

Launching the slop slip at Erskine is ideal, the fishery isn't. Apparently, the bass have abandoned the shallow weeds.  All I caught was 3 small bass.  There is barely any rice now, but the weeds looked healthy.  I fished outside of the pads on my way back in. Had a big pike follow the craw tube to the boat. Disappointing trip.

Slop Slip At Rock Lake

17" Big Sexy

16" Grapes of Wrath

6:30-10:30AM Rock Lake RPRO
77-72℉, Sunny, 1-5mph SE

I decided not to hit up the GOMH first. I arrived at the Rock access at 5:30AM.  By the time I had the Slop Slip unloaded and ready to go the sun had risen.  I headed for the RPRO.  My plan was to go to the beaver dam area at the outlet without fishing.  When I entered the RPRO entrance rice immediately began fouling up the 34lb thrust Min Kota.  I forgot to put a paddle in the boat.  So I turned the boat around and went back to the access parking on the south side of the dock.  I took my fishing gear with me as I went to the Lake Place to get a paddle.  It took 10 minutes max and nobody showed up at the access in the time I was gone.  I headed back out with a new plan to fish my way into the RPRO.  I had a good blow-up along the reeds/rice but I didn't get a good hookset.  On the other side of the reeds, I had a 15-inch jump me off.  Then I missed a good blow-up along the Northside reeds at the entrance to the RPRO.  Then I was casting back to the south when my frog got annihilated by a big fish.  I had an issue with my grip when I set the hook.  The fish rolled and got off. I think it may have been a big doggy.  I then landed a small pike.  I then caught a bass as I was getting blown down the channel.  I put the troller down as far as it would go making it a shallow water anchor.  I used the Min Kota as a Power Pole and paddled my way around; It worked great.  Upon releasing the bass I noticed the garter snake that was in the boat.  It decided to head for the water and I gave it a little as well.  I never did see the thing swim away.  I basically fished to the pad explosion where the pads go from shore to shore.  The bass were in the rice, not the pads.  Didn't get a single bite where pads were dominant.  I got my act together and started landing my bites.  The bass usually crushed it.  I think they are out of the post-spawn funk at Rock.  I ended up getting 8 Bass and 6 Pike.

8 Bass
6 Pike   

Fishing with Todd Out Front

17" for T. (Big Sexy)

17" for Me (Sweet Revenge)

Platte Lake Special on Sweet Revenge

T with 1st fish of the night

I knew it, bass were in that rice

8:00-9:30PM Out Front to East of Jenny's
72-77℉, PC, Calm
70℉ Low

As I suspected fish were there yesterday, just not biting.  We pulled a few tonight and missed a number of bites as well.  Unfortunately, the motor has to go to the shop.  Pete's tricks yielded no results. Beautiful warm evening on the lake.

Short Warm Beautiful Evening Bass Not Biting/GOMH

7:50-9:20PM Out Front to East Of Jenny's and Reeds Across
80-75℉, PC, Calm
70℉ Did get some rain today, but not enough to raise water levels, unfortunately.

I went out and ran the Trophy, still no giddy-up and go so I went and fished out front.  There was activity tonight, but not by any bass. Got pike as I entered the reeds, up Pike Ally, over to the East of Jenny's. Hit all the good spots no fish. Ran to the reeds across.  Had a couple of boils and didn't hook up.

Got some ideas on what might be wrong with the Trophy from Pete.

Briefly stopped at the GOMH.  There was a guy bullhead fishing from the bridge on the S side.  I didn't have my H2O or X-Rap box with, doh! Bumped into something with the Poison at least that is what it felt like.

GOMH/ Fishing With Spike,Smitty,and Nush

Spike got Big Bass of the trip

16.5" Craw Tube (Brown/GP)

5:30-6:30AM GOMH NE SW
10:00-1:30PM SPRO, Channel Inn Bay
38-74℉, Sunny, 0-4mph SE

I got to the GOMH later than I wanted to.  Missed a bite in the tube on Crackle. Got a good jumper on the NE side on a craw tube.  Didn't get a bite on the SW side surprisingly.  I talked with Panfish Guy for a while who was catching and keeping some dink bass.  So that is what I probably missed in the tube.

We launched out of NE Sullivan and headed for my run from the 2nd bout in at the SPRO.  I had a Big Sexy stolen promptly. Had a number of boils but the fish were just batting at it. Smitty missed something on a chatter jig.  I got a pike over by this year's juice on Big Sexy. Finally, I had a Platte Special choke Big Sexy up by shore as we started down the Westside. Smitty converted on a 13-incher. I may have gotten one more. 

Next, we moved to SPSI, nothing. Nothing at NPSI.  There were a ton of boats out fishing today. Next, we went to Channel Inn Bay.  I got a couple fish on the first pass, so we went back through and that is when we got the double. Spike got big bass of the trip; It toilet flushed the Snag Proof.  We ended the trip shortly after that so the boys could head to Mille Lacs.

I headed to the Lake Place and ran some Seafoam through.  Boat continuing to lose power at the top end.  Barely got to 12mph.