4/3 at Rock and GOMH

 

 

Me with My New Glasses at Rock

Woodpecker at Rock Lake

Immature Eagle at Bulldog Lake

E of GOMH

Muskrat at Rock

7:00-7:25 Rock Lake

7:50-8:20pm GOMH SW

40℉, MC, 0-3mph

If nobody had gone down to Rock and blazed a trail through the snow, I wasn't going to go down, but somebody did, so I did. I stopped at Bulldog first, and there was an immature eagle that flew into a tree just as I pulled up. Still quite a bit of ice on Bulldog. When I stopped at the Rock Access, I could hear a woodpecker pecking away close by. I took a video and a couple of pictures. When I got out of the car, there was a muskrat swimming by. I didn't get any bites. I'd say under 10% of Rock has ice now.

There was still ice in Our Bay and down by the GOMH the GOMH; I didn't even waste my time driving on North Platte. I shoveled the SW sidewalk so I wouldn't fall. Unusual light refraction tonight because of the clouds at sunset. There were these three swans that appeared pearlish, peach, pink. I didn't get any bites. I did five slow laps in boats and a full lap when I shined fish at the end. I thought I had dropped my headlamp at the GOMH, but it was really in my walking shoe; I just saw it sitting there at 2:30 in the morning.

Skunked 

.

3/30 Rock and GOMH Not Skunked

9.06lbs on 2" Storm Swim Shad

 

Junk in the Trunk

6:10-7:45pm Rock Lake

8:00-8:30PM GOMH SW

33-37℉, C to PC, 0-6 NNE

Water Low

It was 37 degrees, and the overcast was starting ot clear off to the West when I arrived. Ice is still on the North and SE. It was calm, and I spotted a sunfish swimming in the shoreline flotsam. I was going to give it maybe 10 more minutes when the pike struck. Put up a great fight. Full-bodied dude, right around 29ish inches. Scraped up my hands and fishing line. I headed out just as the sun set. Beaver, Otters, and muskrats were out tonight, and a fish broke the surface to the South.

I arrived late, thanks to action at Rock Lake and the tour of North Platte Lake Drive. Still ice on the North End,  in our bay, and some just East of GOMH on Platte. I fished for 20 minutes and then quit. I managed 8 laps in boots. I did a 9th lap with the spotlight and spotted a panfish, a silver bullhead maybe, on the northwest side where there will be pads. I also clipped some weeds. I think I'm going to get some minnows tomorrow if they have them at Bear Trax. (They didn't)

1Pike 

1Sun 

Short GOMH Afternoon Trip & Bulldog Report

 

Picture Kim took

E of GOMH

Bulldog Access

12:30-1:00pm GOMH NE SW

43-44℉, MS turning cloudy, 4-6mph SW

I drove Kim up to Pine Center to get her car. I stopped at Bulldog, where open water was creeping North from the access next to shore. More open water E of GOMH and out from SPSI. I didn't get any hits in the half hour I fished both sides. Clouds moved in for the day as I was finishing up. We took mom into the cities after 3:30 pm, so we didn't get back until after 8 pm. Kim sent me a pick fro the lake place of where there is open water out front.

Skunked 

Skunked At GOMH & Off the Dock

 

Mid 40's, Partly Cloudy, 

Skunked (Beautiful night, no bites. I think I went to the Lake Place as well)

Skunked After Pre-OP Physcial

 I had my pre-op physical for the hip replacement at the Hillman Clinic. I threw a few cast at the GOMH and at the Lake Place. No bites, skunked!

Hazy Morning With Todd

Todd glad to get a bass after getting shut out last night

Todd semi-glad to get a pike after getting skunked last night

Todd with one of his biggest ever pike

I got me a bass eventually, a good hour and half plus into the trip

Hazy Morning

5:30-8:15 AM: NW Rice to NW Juice, Chuck's Point through Green Cabin, NPBI

60-70℉, Hazy Sun, 0-5mph SSW

Low 70's Water Low Falling

Started at the NW Rice Bed, and Todd got a bass and pike quickly. I lost a good bass that hit the ToadZ out of the pads right at the boat. It was slow, with an occasional pike. We fished through the NW Juice, then made a move for Chuck's Point. I got my bass there after Todd missed a couple of bites. The bass may have been our last blow-up of the morning as the Point and Green Cabin Bay were dead. We stopped at NPBI on the way back and didn't get a bite. Platte Lake is back on my shit list.

Todd: 1Bass 4Pike, 

Me: 2Bass 4Pike 

 

Fishing With Pete

 

Pete, with the first of two LMB's
I didn't get any.

7:00-9:30PM SPBI, SPSI, E of GOMH, SW Channel INN Bay, N CIB Reeds, Loon Bay

70-73℉, Mostly Cloudy, 3-6mph ESE

Water Temp: Low 70's

Started at SPBI. Pete got a bass of all things on the Junebug Hammer. Pete chose his own rod, not the two I had for him rigged up with chatters; Pete. He caught a couple of pike as we worked our way toward the point. Pete thought Jackhammers were a rip-off when I told him what I paid. I don't think I mentioned they retail for $17, and when they were in short supply sold for $50 to $75. Why? Because they are a superior rat trap. I got a few pike as we rounded the point. Next, we went to SPSI. Wuss Weed is where cabbage and fish were last year. Pete wanted to go to Reeds across the way, where submerged weeds are always an issue. I missed a bite at SPSI, and that was it. We drifted a little to the West on the flat. No bites. Headed to 16 Hole. Pete wasn't feeling it like not even two minutes in. What? Perfect conditions for slow drifting through the rice with a history of holding fish, this year even. A couple of minutes later, our frogs nearly landed on one another, and a PLS busted on his frog. Other than one pike chasing my ToadZ, it was dead. We moved to SW CIB but too much wind. I did miss a blow-up that hit when I was reaching for the troller. Went to N CIB Reeds. Pete got a couple of pike follows, and I lost a couple of hits. We ended in Loon Bay. I lost a bite because the hook was buried in the ToadZ; if that isn't my 2023 season, I don't know what is. It was dead other than that one bite.

We stopped at the bridge on the way home. Peter W. Matt W. were just getting set up. We didn't fish, which was fine with me.

Pete: 2Bass 7Pike, 

Me:5 Pike 

GOMH Works/Trophy Really Didn't

 

5:00-5:30 AM GOMH NE SW

Water Low Faling

On the way to the lake decided to hedge my bet on the motor firing and head to the GOMH. The current was flowing into Platte, and I thought I had screwed up. I still went to the SW side to keep it honest and got the jumper; it rocked the Big Blade so hard I thought it was a gator.

1Jump 

6:15-8:15 AM Reeds Across to F Flat

60℉, Cloudy hazy, 5-7mph ESE

Was a turtle getting the boat ready. Then the motor didn't eat, so I went across to the reeds. Then the troller needed to be adjusted. I got a gator on my very first cast. I tried a couple of docks, but nothing. I went back to the reeds and had a blow-up that looked bassy, but the fish missed due to the frog being where a pad patch and reed patch met. I threw a jig in there and got bit off instantly; dumb decision. I think I got one more bite along the South bed. I got 3 fish working up the S side of the North bed. Nothing along the outside edge of the N bed. I got a few pike on F-Flat. The sun came out a little bit, so I had good visibility, and I discovered the weeds are trash right now. Very little living cabbage and tons of stringy wuss weed and curly crap. I just gave up and headed in.

6Pike 

Steve had to be in Isle today, and I took a long nap. I ended up doing years work instead of pulling the Trophy and fishing.

Did Fish Tonight

Why couldn't I be full send tonight?

Low 70's, PC, Calm

Todd did not come up today and won't be up this weekend. I didn't get up to the lake place early enough to take the Trophy out tonight but I did get it ready for a trip in the morning with Steve's help. I fished for about 10 minutes off the dock, and the frog got attacked by a small pike a couple of times. 

I then went to the GOMH and fished the SW side for maybe 15 minutes before the skeeters got bad. Maybe missed a bite (50/50). I then sat in the car until after dark. I went down on the NE side and quickly left without a bite. The skeeter level was on the high side, or I would have given things more time. I didn't have the H2O or X-Rap boxes with me.

Two Skunks And A Bunch Of Loons

 

4:30-5:20PM SW NE

I got the Trophy vacuumed out. I went down front; Our bay was 20% ice-free. I drove N Platte Lake Drive. Ice pushed North along the F Flat shore. Didn't see much open on Rock or Bulldog. Channel Inn Bay was almost completely open, and NPSI was close to being ice-free. Fished for 45 minutes and didn't get a bite. It started sprinkling as I arrived home.

Skunked 

7:30-9:15PM SW B

No bites again. A minnow or two after dark was the only sign of life. shining off the bridge after dark, a "mudline" was clearly visible in the current flowing into Sully. I've never seen that before. I'm mildly concerned about my chances of catching something this month. Hopefully, Platte loses its ice tomorrow.

Skunked 

Platte and The Dog With A Sore Back

 

Old Dog Special

w/waxie for the crappie

Only fish that bit on Platte

7:45-9:15AM 8' out from Platte Access

10:50-11:40AM 29' Holy Family Hole The Dog

32℉, Cloudy, 3-6mph SSE

I wrenched my back, putting the Fish Trap into the KIA. Got a cool pic of the sunrise before I set up. Had something good on right away take the cubby, but didn't get a good hook set, and it came off. Had a few perch and sunfish swim through. Got the pike on a Blade Bait, and that was it for action. Visibility wasn't very good.

1 Pike

There was a guy out fishing when I arrived. The ice was 4' and cracking when I drilled holes. Just a bit unnerving. Didn't mark anything so I just started fishing my holes. Marked a few towards the bottom.  Missed a few bites. I'm rusty, bad hooksets. Landed one crip, and it was time to go. My back was sore all morning.

1 Crip 

Evening Ice Trip On Platte

 

No Skunk!

3:50-5:30PM 8' NW Of the Access Platte Lake

23℉, Cloudy, 6-16mph NW

Went to the same area I was in a couple of days ago. Drilled 5 or 6 holes. Saw a sunfish down the 4th hole I checked, and it had green weeds as well, so I drilled my three and fished the night there. Unfortunately, I had weeds blocking my view of the minnow. Had a small pike that I saw on the camera take the minnow. When I set the hook, my line broke immediately.  Had sunfish, crappies, perch, and pike all move through and inspect the minnow. I missed a few bites on the jig rod, or I wasn't patient enough to wait for the bite. The bobber only went down one more time, and it was the crappie that prevented the skunk. Once it was dark, fish stopped coming through. The wind came up about 5PM, and there was a minor and loud icequake as the ice shifted after it had been blowing hard for about 15 minutes. I was a little concerned a crack might have opened up between me and the access, but that wasn't the case.

1 Crip

    

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)

Good November Trip in the Trophy

3.59lbs L-E-S RC 2.5 (Blue/Chart)

3;30-6:30 PM Cookie Jar to NE Corner Inlet Bay, NPBI, F Flat

38-45℉ , MC, 0-5mph NE

45-46.5℉ Low Falling

Had the XCaliber CS100 get bit off because I carelessly let the pike flop around the boat side instead of making sure it was totally in the boat; Dumb mistake. Then when I put a new clip on, it had pine tar in it, which I got in my mouth; Yuk.

I'm lucky I didn't break a rod after lipping the night's big bass. I ended up going from down on my knees to my bum when I lost my balance as I was starting to stand up.

Hopefully, by this time next year, I will have a log of Vlogs. So simple to do. Why did;t occur to me to start doing them earlier.

 (Started at the cookie jar getting two quick pike.  Messed around in the reeds without a bite. In the NE Coner of Inlet, I got a pike and a few bass. Stopped at NPBI and didn't get a bite. Caught more bass and pike at F Flat. Fished until dark and made my first BP fishing report video. I knocked the trolling motor wire out of the battery clip when I fell backward, landing what will be my final bass of 2022. caught 13.62lbs. Also lost the XCaliber square bill when I didn't get the pike in the boat immediately. Turns out I forgot I caught a small bass after the 3lber, so that little fish was the last open water bass of 2022)

7 Bass

8 Pike

Update: Due to the weather turning windy, cold, and wet, I was unable to have another successful trip for bass out of the Trophy this year.  

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 

Halloween On Platte Lake

 

3.21lbs Piranha/Billy Goat (June/BLk/Blue)

4:00-7:00PM SPSI, SPSI Reeds Across, Pontoon Reeds, CPBI to NPBI, F Flat

50-62℉, PC, 3-10mph SSW

46-49℉ Low Falling

I got out late due to oversleeping and getting sucked in Online. I graded myself with an F for Boat Control and Possistioning at SPSI. The buoy has been removed. I missed bites on my first 4 casts. The wind was tricky, and I ended up running over the top. I missed a couple more bites before I finally got a pike. Spent way too much time at SPSI. Lost a bass on the E side of the point. Got a pike at Reed's Across SPSI. Went to Pontoon Reeds. Got a pike there and missed a bite or two. Then it was up to CPBI to NPBI. Landed my first bass between the two points and missed a couple of other bites. Got 3 bass off the NPBI, including the night's big bass, which was over 3lbs. Ended up not getting to F Flat until 5:45 PM, and the fish weren't going. Got # 5 and 6 on the Big Blade Chatter and one pike. The last bass was after dark. I stayed out a bit longer, but it just wasn't happening. I shouldn't complain about a 15.21lb bag, but I had higher hopes than that for today.

8Bass 

5Pike