Nice Day, Tough Bite

 

2:30-6:50 PM Reeds Across, F Flat, SPSI, SPBI, NPBI, F Flat

48-64℉, PC, 0-4mph SSE

47-50℉, Low Falling

Got a later start than I wanted due to not waking up before noon. I started at South Reeds Across on the inside weedline. There was a lot of activity, but I didn't get a single bite. I missed a couple of bites working the outside reed edge. I then went to F Flat and got some pike and one bass on the Bubble Walker. I then went to SPSI. Got a pike and good bass on the Bubble Walker there; the bass was 3lb plus and had a piece of weed stuck to the lure, so I couldn't see how well it was hooked. I tried lifting it out of the water, and it came off before I was able to get its full weight lifted. If I had known it was skin hooked, I would have netted the fish. Then I went to SPBI, getting the bass that had the BW wedged in its mouth. Then I  went to NPBI getting my last bass of the night on the Piranha after I didn't get bit on the BW and Dark Sleeper. I missed a bite or two as I made my way to CPBI. I then beet feet to shallow F Flat, which was dead. Stuff was getting busted over toward Reeds Across. I finally bounced to the active area and had swirls I could cast to, but I didn't get a single bite. I started throwing Chatters and worked my way back to the juice; not a single hit on the return trip to F Flat, huh???. I did an hour of hunting for crappies in the deep hole. Didn't find much and gave up when I started getting cold.

4Bass 

6Pike 

Fishing with Woodgate on Lobster Lake

Me getting the skunk out of the boat

Taking a pic for Todd.

 

Patrick Not Skunked

Pat got the last and biggest pike,
The photo was cropped this way for reasons

Pat showing me some of his muskie lures just before I caught the first fish of the day

1:30-6:40PM Lobster Lake

50-67℉, PC, 0-8mph SE

I arrived at Pat's place at about 12:15PM. I talked with his dad and mom. I recognized his dad but not sure if I had ever met his mom before.

Nothing for the first couple of hours fishing in the wind. I finally got pike when we ducked behind an island out of the wind. Missed one and caught a second there. We went and worked some reeds that were out of the wind. Pat got a bass there, and I got the rest of my pike. We then moved back West. The wind had died down. Pat lost a good bass along the north shoreline when it jumped at the boat. I had a good-sized muskie follow just a little after that. We moved farther West and to the south shoreline. I had an even bigger muskie follow. We ended in the Access Bay, and at our very last stop, Pat got a 26" pike on his first cast. Unfortunately, the fish were off today, but the fellowship was good. Hopefully, I'll be able to get out with Pat again. He talked about bringing the Ranger this way to fish with Todd and me next year.

Pat:2 Bass 

      1 Pike, 

Me: 2 Ski Follows 

        5 Pike 

Bass Snatchers South Long

  

Beau Won (16/14) and Got Lunker (3/15)

Mr. Bass 2022, Snatcher Fields

Conditions: Overcast temps 61-50℉, Wind 3-8mph ESE

The Day: We were the last boat out, and the first boat out went right to where my boater, Snatcher Fields, wanted to start. It seemed like 75% of the field went to the same general area to the NE of the narrows. We joined the scrum on the Eastern edge of the line of boats. Nothing on starting spot, so we headed up the lake to an area where we found a school during pre-fish. Chuck got a keeper in the boat. I think I got a pike, then lost a keeper and one that looked like it wouldn't go 12-inches. I got a walleye down the way a little bit. Ran some docks, but nothing. It was an extremely slow morning for us. We \went back to the starting spot and got an 11-incher. Ran back up the lake to a calm weedline. Finally got a keeper in the boat on the big Bubble Walker. Ran down to Bill Bongs Challenge Cup Starting Spot and got another keeper that took the LiveTarget Wake Gill. Chuck put several fish in the boat in short order, then culled with a couple of good 3lber in the cane. Game Over for Mr. Bass 2022. I got my 3lber out along the weed line out from the cane. We ended up back where I got my first keeper. I got my 4th keeper right before we were going to move on a spinnerbait. We went back to the starting area. I caught a short and a small keeper on the spinner bait. Went back up to Bongs Starting Spot. Got bit off twice with jigs and caught several pike on the spinnerbait. Had the craw tube get a bit off. Chuck caught a couple that didn't help and culled once or twice with minor upgrades, and then the day was over.

Results:  My fish weighed 10/09, which put me in 14th Place (2nd to Last Place). Beau Bacon won it with 16/14 and got Lunker with a 3/15. 2nd went to Snatcher Czech (14/11), who showed his face for the first time this season. And 3rd Place went, and Co-Angler Cash went to Snatcher Sarah.

My Thoughts: At long last, I finally got paired with Chuck Fields, and it was cool to do it when he clinched his second  Baxter Bass Snatcher Mr. Bass title. He accomplished the feat back in 1994. This was the first complete season he has fished with the club since winning it in '94. As for the fishing, I figured there was no way, under those conditions, I wouldn't be able to get a limit of keepers in the boat. Besides a half-hour window when Chuck caught most of his weight, it was really slow for us. Unfortunately, I didn't get any bites fishing on the bottom during that window, and when we returned to the spot, the pike had moved in. Whatcha gonna do? It just wasn't my year.  

Slow morning, but I enjoyed myself

 I got a later start than I wanted due to a bolt breaking on my trolling motor bracket last night. I was lucky it wasn't a much later start as I had an inspiration that was a time saver from the original way I was going to go about it. I was off before sunrise. I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to head to F Flat because there would be calm water there. Tried topwater, nothing. So then I tried a Jackhammer, unbelievably nothing. Finally, I got a small pike on Z-Man Big Blade as I made my way to the reeds, where I got my two fish last night. Topwater wasn't happening there either, so I started throwing a swim jig. I was about to throw the white flag as I completed my drift through reeds when a 19-incher made my morning. I got the 27.5-inch pike on my second drift through the reeds. I ended up back on F Flat. I learned a lot about how the cabbage is set up this year. It looks better than it has in years. Not holding hardly any fish is power for the coarse at this point. I think the lake lost 80% or more of its fish population last winter because they didn't put in the aerator as they needed to. 4 Bass landed out of 6 opportunities in 5 hours of fishing. I did at least get some action from a pike in the cabbage with several fish being 24-inch class.

Big Pike & Bass On A Beautiful Night

Calm Night Was Just What This Soul Needed

34.5" LiveTarget Wake

3.37lb LiveTarget Wake Gill

4:00-6:30PM Reeds Across, F Flat, NPBI, Hole Our Bay

50-60, MC, 0-3MPH S

41-43℉

My plan was to only watch the first half of the Vikings game due to Daylight Saving Time ending. But the game sucked me in. But then the Vikes blowing the lead got me headed off to the lake in a frazzled state. As I was coming up the driveway, Steve waved me up. He was cutting down a tree, and I was lucky it didn't fall on me. Steve was blessed didn't get seriously injured twice. After the Vikes scored two quick touchdowns, the Offense went into hibernation vs. the Ravens. They were in the process of giving the Ravens their first lead of the game as I talked to Steve. When I was ready to head out, the Vikes had tied the score, and the game was headed to overtime. I didn't know how to get the game on my phone, so I listened to my Bass Tournament Morning Playlist instead. A text from Pete made me surmise we lost. Then I got a notification shortly after that Barr had made an interception. I'm not sure if the game was over when Pete texted, or he just gave up prematurely.

Anyway, I started working along and in the Reeds Across the Way, not even getting a bite. As I got to the path separating the South and North Bed, I started listening to the KFAN post-game. There was a little activity along the northern edge of the North Bed. I missed a bite there. I moved across F Flat. It was totally calm now. I had a good size pike follow the LiveTarget Wake to the boat. A couple minutes later, I got the 34.5-inch pike. I don't think the fish that followed was that big, but I could be wrong. It took me a while to land the fish. I played it until it was worn out, and it was barely hooked when I grabbed it. It didn't put up a fuss. I took a quick picture and released it without weighing it because I didn't have the scale ready; I didn't even know if it was in the boat. The scale was in my tackle bag, so I put it in the pouch up front where I usually keep it. About 5 casts later, I got the bass. I didn't get any more bites, and there was scattered activity over the flat once again. It was dark when I went to NPBI. Not sure if the fish I saw out there were shiners or small crips. I didn't put the Loomis 782S in the boat, Doh. I went in and got the rod. I looked unsuccessfully for crappie around the deep hole in our bay.    

 

Windy Night, OK Results

 

2.99lbs Jackhammer (PB&J)

5.68lbs LiveTarget Wake Gill

3:30-7:00PM SPSI. SPRO, NW Reeds, Intersection, SPSI, NPBI, F Flat

67-72℉, Cloudy, 6-17mph WSW

53-56℉ LOw Falling

I started at SPSI and didn't get hit, so I headed to the SPRO. I broke off the Strike King Buzz Toad buzzbait on a cast and fortunately was able to find it. I then caught pike on it. Down towards the rice point, I connected with a 16-inch bass on the Northland Spinnerbait. I got a 14-inch bass along the shoreline rice in NW reeds on lime Teckel Sprinker. That was my last action in Sullivan. I went back to SPSI to the same result. I broke off the Northland Spin on NPBI, but fortunately, it landed in the shallow water so I was able to retrieve it. Much to my surprise when I threw LiveTarget Wake Gill across the point the big toothy hit it. I ended on F Flat getting the 3lber on the Jackhammer. It wasn't that bad out tonight as I was comfortable in shorts and two hoodies and my Vikings top.

"Mini Bucks" @ North Long

Fish all caught by Chuck Steinbauer 

9:00AM-3:00PM Merrifield Bay North Long Lake
Conditions: 50-67℉, Foggy in the Morning turning Sunny, Calm to Light WSW wind, water level high
Water Temp: 59℉

In the "Mini-Bucks" tournament Merrifield Bay was divided in 5 Zones, one team to a zone at a time.  We got an hour and 10 minutes to fish each period, except for the last one which I think lasted and hour and 20 minutes so we could finish at 3PM.

The Day:
I wish I had a picture of the 5 Zones in Merrfield Bay that we used.  We started in Zone 5, which is the SE quadrant of the bay.  We didn't get hit where we started.  We next headed to the docks and Chuck got the 1.87lb fish on the first one we went too.  That was our only fish in that zone.  I think we didn't fish the dock thoroughly enough because he was in a rush to fish them all.  It was pretty much sunny during this period.

Zone 1 was next;  This zone was the South West quadrant of the bay.  We started fishing out from the reeds when the fog rolled in.  Fish started busting and Chuck got one, but it was just a small keeper.  I caught one that wasn't very big as well on the Yo-Zuri Pencil.  We came to a point and it had fish.  Chuck caught a keeper that I think we weighed and I caught one that we didn't on a Lake Fork Craw Tube.  I lost what felt like a better fish on the Craw Tube.  I had a fish hit and not get the Pencil, so quickly went to a Evergreen Shower Blows 105 which has three trebles and the back one feathered.  I caught a small keeper on a bone Shower Blows to fill our limit.  I think Chuck caught a pike next and then our big fish of the day.  I might have caught a small upgrade. I don't remember if Chuck caught any other fish.

Zone 2 was pie shaped that touched the south and western shore of the bay.  Out there I think I got a small bass and a pike on the Craw Tube.  Don't remember if Chuck caught a fish in this zone or not.

Zone 3 was the Northwest corner of the lake.  I caught a small keeper that didn't help.  Don't remember if Chuck caught anything.

Zone 4 was the Northeast quadrant of the bay.  We went up by shore where there was an inlet and I got my best bass of the day on a LiveTarget Bluegill Wakebait.  Before I could get it off the hook Chuck hooked up with a fish that was slightly bigger thus I didn't even contribute one fish to our bag.  Chuck caught one or two more fish that didn't help.

The Results:
I can't find the little notepad on which I recorded the results, it's a good thing I wrote them in my quick report.

The tournament was won by Tom "Swannie" Swanson and Keith Tuma with a 13.5lb bag.  Guy and Hammer got 2nd Place falling .09lb behind the leaders.  The Henkensiefken boys came in 3rd and got big bass with a 3.50lber.  We got 4th because Ruff and Ludenia elected not to weigh their fish. 

My Thoughts:  It was nice to catch some fish on North Long after the disaster I had out there this year.  Wish the fish would have bit a little better though.  Other than Zone 1, we never figured them out. 

Attention Deficit Dave/GOMH Evening

18.5" Shower Blows 105 (Bluegill)

12" Shower Blows 105 (Bluegill)

6:00-11:30AM GOMH, West Point, East of Jenny's, Dock's across the way
Conditions: 58-73℉, Partly Cloudy, NE Wind
Water Temp: 78℉

I decided to start at the GOMH this morning to try and get some hits on the Ever Green Shower Blows 105's I just got.  A toothy and a jumper obliged me on that score.  I also got 13.5" jumper on a green pumpkin craw tube.  After about 40 minutes at the GOMH I headed to the Trophy and went to West Point first.  I got a 14.25" and 11" bass on the craw tube there.  Then instead of heading to the NW like I planned I went to the pad point East of Jenny's.  I anchored as the wind was blowing in on it.   I got a couple of pike and missed a couple of hits as well.

18"/3.15lbs LiveTarget Bluegill Wake

I pulled the anchor and got this bass on the boat lane side of the point.  I then didn't go to the NW again, but went across the way to hit a couple of docks with the intent to hit the reeds and cabbage.  I got a 15.25" bass on a Fluke and broke off on what felt like a good fish on the dock that is on the point.  I then decided to hit "the dock" instead and headed East.  But then the trees and pads called my name so I went all the way to the NW corner instead.  I had a small pike take the Fluke along the pads. Didn't get anything else I fished to the docks and lost the plot while fishing the docks.

It was now coming up on 11AM and I went back across to fish the pad point East of Jenny's.

2.66/16.6 LiveTargetWake

I got this fish pretty much in the same spot I got the 18 earlier.  I fished my way home having one pike take a shot at the LiveTarget.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I helped dad get the deck on the mower, so I didn't get out in the Trophy like I had planned.
8:30-9:00PM GOMH
Conditions: 70℉, Mostly Cloudy, Light NE Wind
No body was at the GOMH.  I caught the reeds along the shoreline on my first cast and backlashed pretty good.  Didn't get anything on the SW side.  Had a fish miss the SB105 on the NE side.  I switched to a craw tube and got a 12' and 14" on that as it was dark and the skeeters were out.

12.52lbs My Best 6 Bass for the Day

5 Bass
4 Jump
5 Pike
1 Tooth

A Little Better Fishing This Morning

4.12lbs Craw Tube (Grn Pumpkin)

5:45-9:45AM West Point, SPSI, GOMIT, SSBI in the Trophy
Conditions: 53-73℉, Mostly Sunny, Calm to Light SE Wind
Water Temp: 73℉

I made a last second decision to go to the Trophy and not to shore fish at the GOMH.

Once on the lake I made a last second decision to go to West Point first and was quickly rewarded with two 14 inchers (14.33, 14.25) on the Shower Blows knock off.

14.25" SBKO

I missed a couple of hits on the SBKO.  Got one that was just short of 12" on a green pumpkin craw tube and missed a few bites on that as well.

18.5" Craw Tube (grn. pumpkin)

Next I headed to SPSI.  Nothing went for my topwaters, so I threw the craw tube in the reeds.  I lost a fish that felt very pike like.  Then I had a fish pick it up and drop it right before I set the hook.  I threw back and the big girl picked it up.  I also got a 14.25" on the craw tube casting out toward the buoy.  I had a fish pick up and drop the craw tube a few times just beyond the buoy.  I think I annoyed that fish (15.25) into biting the Whopper Plopper 90.  I also got a small pike on the Plopper.

I then headed to the GOMH and got a 10" on the SBKO and a 12" on the Whopper Plopper 90.  I also got a 12" on the craw tube.  I moved East of the GOMH.  I had a couple of fish boil on the Ish's frog, but not eat it.  I went back to the SPSI and got another small pike on the Whopper Plopper 90 and that was it.  I then went to the South shore of the big island.  I got a small bass and pike there on the LiveTarget Bluegill.  The fish had pretty much been shut off for the past two hours, so I called it a day.

12.01lbs for my Best 6

11 Bass
4 Pike

OK Morning GOMH & In the Trophy

BAM! 4.38lber Chigger Craw/Strike King Swing Football Head

5:30AM-11:30AM GOMH NE SW, SPSI, Out From Jenny's Reeds and Out Front
Conditions: 58-68℉, Partly to Mostly Cloudy, Light ESE Wind
Water Temp: 76℉

There was activity in the tube and I got one to go on the Shower Blows knock off to start things off.

16.25" SBKO

I then got a 15" on the Armor Tube Worm and missed a couple of bites. I then went to the SW side.  No topwater hits there.  I had a good size ? jump and break off the Armor Tube Worm/Wacky Head Jig.  I then had a good jumper jump and get off on the Chigger Craw/Strike King Swing Football Head.  I also caught a 15".  All this took about an hour.

18.75" Chigger Craw/Swing Head

I then headed to the Trophy and SPSI. Nothing going on topwater.  I put on the Swing head and got a 14" and then the big one.  I got one last 14.75" on that and the Chigger Craw was toast.  I put on a Craw Fatty and lost a good one on that.  That shut the school down.  I got 2 dinks on the 90 size Whopper Plopper.  I went over and checked a few docks on the South shore getting one pike on the Outkast/Craw Fatty combo.  I went back to the point ad got a pike on the Craw Fatty.

I then went to the slop East of Jenny's and the fish just weren't going.  I then went out side the slop and started casting the LiveTarget Bluegill Wakebait just like last year and caught a bunch of pike and a couple of bass (15.5x2).

14.21lbs Best 6 Bass

12 Bass (18.75, 16.25, 15.5, 15.5, 15, 15)
13 Pike