Fishing with Steve On a Smokey Night

3.75lbs Bobby's Perfect

Sumo's non-magical brother Buddha

6:00-9:30PM F Flat, Reeds Across N & S, Inlet to Cookie Jar
74-82℉, Haze/Smoke, 2-4mph ENE

Steve wanted to come with tonight, so I stayed close to start hitting the Reeds across the way first. Actually, I started outside the reeds and got a bass on my very first cast on the Blitz Frog. I missed a couple of blow-ups in the reeds. I pulled out of the reeds and got a couple of nice Plake Lake Specials on the FireCraw eBay ChatterJig. I then went and picked up Stever. We went and worked the South Reed Line across the way. I got one Platte Lake special and a pike. Steve missed a bite of two. Then we went to NPLD Pt. Reeds & NPBI. I think I got a 2lber and a pike off the PT, and Steve missed a couple of bites and got a Platte Lake Special as well. Then we went to the center rice in Inlet. Steve got the big fish of the night there. I was trying to get that stupid Snagproof Kicker Frog knocked off my 2021 Frog catches a bass list. I missed a couple of good opportunities that I wasn't ready for but eventually got a small bass against the rice wall. I erased the scale thinking I had taken a picture. I think we had 15-something for the night, so we were getting quality bites.

Steve: 4 Bass 5 Pike
Me: 6 Bass 5 Pike

Good Size, but Slow Morning

3.21lbs/17.25 Sparrow

Engulfment

3.28lbs/17.5" Blitz Black/Red

14.28lbs

6:10-10:00AM Big Rice, 6lb Flat, NSPRO
70-57℉, MS, 3-8mph SSW
70-72℉

Started at NPBI, nothing. Then I went to Big Rice Point. I made a cast on the backside and my view was blocked by the tall rice when the first 3lber crushed it. I then went deep into 6lb Flat. I decided to put the Sparrow down and got the second 3lber on my first cast with the Black Blitz Frog.  That was the only bite I got at 6lb Flat. I went back to Big Rice and got two bass there on the Sprinker. I then skedaddled to NSPRO starting by the final boat lane. I missed a good bite on the Blitz Black. I did get two Platte Lake Specials on the Sparrow along with a couple of pike. Dropped a couple more as well. I thought I was going to get out in the evening, but I took to long before heading off to Little Falls so I didn't.

So So Night In the Trophy, Didn't Land A Bass Until 8:30PM

2.38lbs/15.9" Sparrow

7:00-9:00PM Channel Inn Bay, 6lb Flat to Big Rice Point

67-83℉, MS, 0-9mph WNW

74℉ 

I decided to start in Channel Inn Bay with the wind being what it was. I got a couple of pike and lost one bass and maybe had one other bass blow up.  It clearly wasn't happening so I went and tried the hot area from yesterday. I think I missed a bite way back in there, but it wasn't happening, so I scooted to 6lb Flat.  It started out with Pike, but I did get 3 bass (14,12,15.9) and missed a few more hits. I didn't weigh the 12-incher. I got the 15.9" on the last cast of the night off of Big Rice.

3 Bass

7 Pike

Jaimen In the Morning/Slow Evening With A Great Conclusion

Possibly The Last Hurrah With Todd for 2019

Todd's Toad 18.25" Pure Poison/Grass Pig Jr.

 

Double to start the Morning

22" Craw Tube (Junebug)

17.33" Blitz Frog

Got the Dock and Pontoon Pulled In

7:00-11:30AM NPBI, SPSI, GOMH, West Access Flat, 6lb Flat, Big Rice Point, Chuck's to NW Juice, NPBI, West Point
68-48℉, Mostly Cloudy, 0-5mph SE
WT: 58-60℉

Todd came up to take stuff out of the lake while it's still warm out.  Now that the water is too cold for swimming the girls really aren't into cabin life anymore.  I wish I would have gotten up to the lake place 15 to 20 minutes earlier than I did. We beat the sunrise, but just barely.  We went straight to North Point Big Island.  I had a 16-incher hook up on my Shower Blows and a couple seconds later Todd had 14.33-incher hit. A double is a great way to start the morning. I think Todd lost a fish and I got one more.  Then we were off to South Point Small Island.  I think we got a couple small fish there on topwater. Then I took us to the GOMH.  Todd got a jumpin' bullhead on the SW and SE sides inside the tube.  I got the golden pretty much right down the middle.  It was a scrawny thing.

Next, we headed to rice on West Access Flat.  I think Todd missed a hit in the dying rice.  I got two fish on the Flat on a Shower Blows.   Something got blown up over towards 6lb Flat so we cruised there.  Todd got a couple small pike and small bass there.  We also missed a couple of blow-ups.  I got my big fish of the morning on what is left of Big Rice Point.  We then headed to Chuck's Point and worked all the way to the NW Juice.  We missed several bites and picked up some pike.  We stopped at NPBI on the way back in and bass were hanging out there.  Todd really cashed in with the Pure Poison getting the 18 and 17.  I think we also hit West Point on the way back in.  I may have gotten one small bass.
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4.07lbs/19" SBKO (Orange)

17" Pure Poison/Grass Pig Jr.

South Point Big Island

5:00-8:00PM  N Across Flat, F Flat, NPBI, CPBI, SPBI, SPSI63-68℉, Mostly Cloudy, 0-8mph SE

We started off in the reeds across the way and it was dead, so when we got to the cut I motored out to the N Flat/Reed Edge. Todd got the first bite there. A small pike on the Sprinker.  We then drifted down the flat not getting anything until we arrived at F Flat where the Pike were active in the wind. We were throwing chatterjigs.  I did get one 15.5-inch bass on the Jackhammer and Todd got a dink on the Poison.  I then took us to NPBI. I got several nice bass and Todd got the 17-incher.  I then stopped at the Center Point Big Island.  I got one small bass there.  Off to SPBI.  I drifted us down toward the Island from off the tip.  Todd got a pike and I got a couple decent bass.  We both lost a couple of bites.  Then we were off to SPSI and I got the big fish of the day with the 4lber on the orange Shower Blows Knock Off.  I got one last quality fish up by the reeds.  Todd missed a bite on the Sprinker out over the flat.  It was totally calm at the South Point which surprised both of us.

19.42lbs Not a bad day at all

Got A Dog, No Bass

23" War Eagle Buzz Toad/ZHT (Black/Chart)

6:00-8:00PM Melon Patch, 6lb Flat, Starting Spot
73-63℉, Partly Cloudy, 2-6mph NW
WT: 66℉

Mom forgot her phone so I had to drive into Onamia to bring it to her.  I was not pleased with losing a half-hour of fishing as I was already getting a late start.  I figured the fish would be snapping.  They weren't.  I went 45 minutes without a fish in the boat.  Finally, I managed to get the dogfish.  It swiped at a Brovarney Jig first. Then at a Yum Dinger and Blitz Frog.  I got it on the War Eagle Buzz Toad.  I then got a few pike on the WEBT and the Blitz Frog.  I possibly lost one bass on the Blitz Frog.  I ran to the Starting Spot and got 1 pike there on the Blitz Frog.  Not sure what the bass were up to tonight.

1 Dog
7 Pike

Slow Night On the Water

14.5" Ish's (Ballin'/Brown)

6:20-8:30PM N Flat Across, F Flat, Access Across Pt.
68-66℉, Mostly Cloudy, 0-3mph SW
68-65℉

I forgot to put the red tackle bag in the car before I left, doh! I started at the split in the Reeds Across and got a pike on the first cast on the Whopper Plopper.  That was the only fish I landed from there to F Flat.  I did have several strikes that didn't hook up. And I had a pretty good size pike 23/24 jump about 3 feet in the air and miss the Stanley Phantom.  I was just dumbfounded that the fish were so shut down.

I then headed for the reeds across from the Platte Public Access. I got a couple of 14" bass there and a few pike swirls.  As I was heading out I had a few pike swirls on the War Eagle buzzbait. Disappointing trip.  When are the fish going to turn on for fall?

August Comes To A Close With A Whimper

17" Shower Blows 105 (Bone)

6:30-11:00AM West Point, NPBI, SPSI, GOMH, Intersection NE SW, BIS Flat, N Across Flat
67-58℉, Mostly Cloudy, 0-4mph SSE
WT: 65℉

Beautiful Sunrise.  I started at West Point didn't get anything until I was at the far end of the rice where I got a 14-incher on the Whopper Plopper.  Next, I headed to NPBI and came up empty.  From there I went to SPSI.  I got the big fish of the morning there on the bone Shower Blows.  I worked down the West side of the point getting a small pike and small bass on the Whopper Plopper.  Next, I hit the GOMH.  Lost a fish that hit the Shower Blows.  Was not paying attention looking at the bottom along the wall.  I then went to the NE Intersection.  There was a boat fishing along the SW side.  I got a bass off the point on an Ish's. I worked my way through the reeds toward shore.  Don't know why I didn't try that earlier in the year; It looks super good.  I got one bass and missed a couple of bites. I then went to the SW side.  I worked the reeds a little bit and didn't get anything.  I then worked in the slop. Got some pike strikes and one bass.  I worked my way North on the outside along the western rice line.  I missed a bite or two there.  I also missed bites coming back on the Eastern rice line.  From there I went to the Big Islands South Flat.  Got only one pike bite there, very disappointing.  I then went to the N Across Flat and got nothing there.  A very mediocre morning. 
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7:30-8:20PM Jenny's Reeds, S Reeds Across
68℉, Partly Cloudy, 3mph SW
68℉

I woke up at 4PM.  Dad had taken the car up to the Lake Place.  I should have driven the Expedition up as he didn't get back until after 5:30.  Then mom had a project for me that took forever to accomplish because the printer was acting up.  Had I not had the charger on the battery in the boat.  I wouldn't have even gone.  As it was the fishing stunk.  I missed one swirl along Jenny's reeds.  I had a couple of fish dog me and not get the Ish's.  I did finally land the 16.25" on the Ish's.

Weight from last night and today.

Scattered Fish Tonight

3.61lbs/17.5" Ish's (Ballin'/Brown)

Choked it!

5:20-8:20PM NW, Melon Patch, 6lb Flat
60-70℉, Mostly Sunny, 0-7mph WNW
WT: 70-65℉

First stop was at the NW corner.  Missed what I thing was pike and spooked something.  I bailed at 6PM for the Melon Patch.  If only the fish were using this stuff.  A few were, but they were well scattered.  There was fish activity.   I missed one bite on Blitz Black when I wasn't ready for the cast to land.  About 5 minutes later I had that frog get stolen.  I got the big one-off of an isolated rice patch.  Disappointing to only get 3 bass.

3 Bass
8 Pike

The Hail Mary Worked

3.10lb/17" Jackall Pompadour

7:30-8:30PM East of Jenny's to Jenny's West Neighbor, NPBI
68-66℉, Partly Cloudy, 3-12mph SW
69-67℉ water level rising.

I arrived at the lake place at a quarter to six.  I knew from the radar that a small isolated storm was approaching at a snail's pace.  I got my gear in the boat hoping it might dissipate.  It didn't and I didn't get out fishing until 7:30PM.  I'm pretty sure this squall put us over an inch for the day. The winds were fairly light when I got out.  I chose to go start at the start of the rice East of Jenny's.  There was baitfish activity out on the flat, but I couldn't raise anything there or in the rice.  I did have a small pike hit in front of Jenny's that got off on the way in and I had the Sexy Blitz get bit off in the junk just West of Jenny's.  I made a move to the Reeds Across, but the wind had come up and it was unfishable with topwater.  I made a last desperation move to the North Point Big Island and I got the 17-incher there.  The wind really started howling as I packed up to leave.  I'm lucky I didn't lose my yellow tint sunglasses.  Fortunately, they fell into the boat. 

Not On Top Morning/Two Big Girls And Some Rats In the Evening

 4 Plus of Blitz Sexy in the Evening

15.5" Piranha 2/Speed Craw (Junebug)

6:00-9:30AM West Point, NPBI, N Across Flat/Rice/Reeds
66-50℉, Mostly Sunny, 3-6mph East
WT: 71℉

I started at West Point and got a rat off of the dock on the Piranha 2.  I missed a bite off of the tree dock.  I then headed to NPBI where they were not on topwater.  I did get the biggest one of the morning there on the Piranha and a rat and pike on a junebug craw tube.  I then went to North Reeds Across and worked the flat in the calm water.  I picked up one pike there on the bone Shower Blows.  I got another pike in the rice; thought for sure it was going to be a bass.  I got into the reeds and had 14/15 bass get off as I was lifting it into the boat.  That was the only bass to hit the Blitz Frog in the morning.  I got a couple of pike on the Tokyo Rig/craw tube combo and missed a couple of bites as well as I worked my way out of the reeds. 
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4.36lbs/19.75lbs Blitz Frog (Frog)

4.43lbs/19.66" Blitz Sexy

6:40-8:40PM East of Jenny's
68-73℉, Mostly Sunny, 4-11mph SE

So with the wind being what it was, I headed to the start of the rice East of Jenny's.  That first patch looks excellent.  First fish was the 19.75" slop on the Blitz Frog (Frog).  She got it in the tongue and bled quite a bit which led to an extended release time as I held her in the water to stop the bleeding then put it in the livewell to make sure she would make it.  I think she made it.  I then caught a couple of rats out of the shallow rice and one under the dock on the Blitz Sexy.  I had a bass not hook up off the end of the rice.  I got a 14-incher there on the Yum Dinger.  I started working down the rice line and got the second tank out of the rice/reeds/pads about 15 feet in. I got a couple more rats in the long boat lane and that was as far as I got.  I didn't have a single pike strike tonight.

15.63lbs for my Best 6 of the Day.  A disappointing weight with two 4lbers

Blitz'em Tonight

4.42lbs/18.5" Blitz Frog (Frog)

3.04lbs/17.25" Blitz Frog (Frog)

16.75" Blitz Frog

6:00-8:40PM NE Inlet to Double Cane Point plus Rice Island
60-68℉, Mostly Sunny, 2-7mph

I started at the pad/reeds on the north side of Inlet Bay. A fish called me into the junk when I got to the rice.  I got a couple of 13-inchers in the junk.  I got back out on the outside rice line and got a 16.75" pretty quickly.  It was a good half an hour before my next bite, a 13-incher.  I told myself after my next cast I'm going to get off the rice line and head to the rice Island.  The 17-incher slammed the Blitz Frog.  I got the 4lber on the next cast.   I went out to the rice Island and got the obligatory 16-incher that lit up my frog.  I then went back to the rice line and had the Blitz Frog I got everything off of tonight get bit off, agggh!  I am now down to my last frog color Blitz Frog.  Shortly after that the sunset and I went into the reeds.  I missed the first bite I got on the new Blitz Frog. I got one 13-incher before the skeeters chased me out.  As I was going out I noticed my reel nuts needed to be tightened then had a fish strike right next to the boat and I jerked it out of its mouth. That caused a tangle in my line that I didn't notice and I mega backlashed on the next cast.  Not a great way to end the night.  I did get the line situation straightened out back at the lake place as the skeeters had disappeared.  As I was going to leave the loons started calling so I went down n the boat to listen. Saw a couple of shooting stars.

15.69lbs for my 6 Best

8 Bass
2 Pike

Short Morning Topwater Window/Missed a Big'n In The Deep Melon Patch

16.25" Pompadour (Bone)

Sneaky Fitch!!!

The view immediately after the Pompadour fish above

6:00-9:00AM West Point, NPBI, SPBI, SPSI, East of GOMH, Channel Inn Bay
65-50℉, Sunny, 0-3mph NW
WT: 72-70℉

I started at West Point.  I got a dink off of the pontoon lift on a Neko Yum Dinger.  I then had Sneaky Fitch disappear my orange Shower Blows Knock Off. I was like "why can't I see it? Am I hung up on a weed?" Nope, it was Sneaky Fitch.  I had a fish miss me over by the tree.  I then went to NPBI.  I paused the Pompadour and was going to adjust the trolling motor when the big one of the morning smoked it.  I then missed one on the Pomp.  I got a 14.5-incher on it a couple of casts later.  I threw the Piranha 2 for a few casts and got 16-incher on that.  I then moved to the SPBI.  Didn't get a bite.  I went to SPSI and got a dink quite a way beyond the point on the SBKO.  I went across and worked the Rice/Pads East of GOMH and didn't get a bite.  I then worked Channel Inn Bay.  Had a couple pike take the Blitz and missed one blowup in the rice.  It was dead so I called it a day at 9AM

7 Bass
2 Pike 
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3.02lbs/17.25lbs Blitz Frog (Black/red)

The pad system that got me

6:00-8:40PM Deep Melon Patch
76-70℉, Partly Cloudy, 0-9mph NW
WT: 76-72℉

I got a later start than I should have.  I went straight to the Deep Melon Patch where Todd and I started that one morning.  The Deep Melon Patch is an area that was literally unfishable last year because it was so weed-choked.  I didn't have much luck to start and there wasn't any activity around me.  I moved my way to the East and there started to be some activity.  First fish to hit the Blitz was a pike.  I got the first bass on the black Blitz around 7:20PM; It was the three-pounder.  I then had 16-incher miss the Blitz, but I got it on the Yum Dinger.  I then got into an area with some pike.  I got a 16.25" on the black Blitz that revealed its location to me.   I had a fish miss when the frog landed on a pad.  I pulled it off and a total tank lit me up.  I had it moving toward me, but it muscled me into a pad root and got off.  Don't know if it was a dog or bass, but it was a big fish.  I didn't think to put a waypoint down, doh.  That was my last bite of the night.

3 Bass
5 Pike

14.88lbs for my Best 6 Bass Today

Trying the Blitzkrieg

Blitz Lures Blitz Frog

First Bite fish in the boat

2nd Bite Bass In the Boat

16" Yum Dinger

6:20-8:40PM Todd's Hole, NW Juice
76-72℉, Mostly Sunny, 3-13mph NW
WT: 76-72℉ Water level rising from a couple of recent rains

The Blitz Lures Blitz Frog has the same body shape as my beloved Mad Maxx.  When I found out about them I had to give them a try so I ordered 3 of each color LandBigFish.com carries.  Blitz has a fourth color that LBF doesn't carry.  It's interesting, the black frog is a pretty exact match for the Mad Maxx with different softer plastic.  The other two colors don't have the vent hole in the back of the frog and are made from a little stiffer plastic and the body shape is a little different as well.  They all caught fish for me tonight.  The Blitz Frog color one got bit off, so I put on the black one and got a bass on my first cast with it.

With the way the wind was, I ditched my plan to go to the deep Melon Patch and headed for Todd's Hole.  It was really windy.  I started outside the rice on Big Bass Point and had a pike attack the Blitz frog and hook up on about my fifth cast.  I went into the Hole and also landed the first bass (14.25) to bite a Blitz Frog.  A jacked and rolled the second bass to bite the Blitz pretty good at the entrance to the Todd Hole and it got off.  I cast right back to the spot and got a 12.75-inch bass.  I worked the outside of the hole to the west and got a 15.5 off of some rice.

I decided to hit the NW juice rather than run to Deep Melon.  I missed my first bite along the outside of the rice.  I worked around the pad tip and got bit off, Grrr.  Put on the Black Blitz and got a bass on the first cast.  A little ways down I had a bass miss the Black Blitz as I was moving the frog up to an isolated rice/reed patch.  I got the fish on a Yum dinger.  I had a couple of fish dog me to end the evening.

I had two different deer fly's bite me on the top of my head through my hat.

Forgot to weigh a 14" Fish

7 Bass
4 Pike