Snatcher Lake Alex Tourny Recap

Snatcher Herman With The W

 

(2/04 Powerbait Bunker Hawg Texas Rigged)

Conditions: 60-73℉, Partly Cloudy to Cloudy, 4-18mph WNW

Water Temp: Mid 70's 5+ water clarity 

The Day:

We got to our spot, and no other anglers were around. About 10 minutes in, Herman had the first keeper in the boat on a spinnerbait. He then caught a dink, and I got my first keeper in the boat with the Turbo FattyZ. Herman got another keeper on the spinnerbait. I got a keeper on a Big Blade Chatterbait. Herman switched to a jig and got a couple of quality keepers pretty quickly, then filled out his limit with a couple of fish. Herman had his limit by 8:30 AM. We had a short lull, and I suggested we take a quick look in the nearby reeds. They were dead, so we just slid back out to the weedline. Herman got another quality bass and offered me the Powerbait Bunker Hawg he was using; I put it on a Texas rig instead of as a jig trailer like Herman was doing. It wasn't long, and I filled out my limit with keepers by 9:15 AM. My first cull was with the Bunker Hawg and was my big bass (2/04). That was also my last cull with the Bunker Hawg; I think I caught a few more fish on it that didn't help. I think Herman got another quality fish on the jig, so I threw out a jig and got a two-pounder on my first cast. I think I culled up one more time with the jig after lunch. 

We finally left our spot to drift in the wind so Herman could make sandwiches. I lost something on a spinnerbait and caught one that didn't help. We ate our food, and after fishing for another 15 or so minutes, unfruitfully went back to our area. I put my fleece hoodie back on because it clouded up, and I was getting chilled in the wind.  Herman got another quality cull on the first pass. At this point, I thought Herman was definitely in contention for some wood, 1st through 3rd Place finish. I thought one more quality bass would definitely have him in contention for the win. I think I got a couple of fish that didn't help. Maybe one on a jig that did.  We went and tried by an Island. I somehow backlashed my Tatula SV and busted my line, which Herman was able to retrieve. I caught a couple that didn't help on a Dinger. We then headed North, and I got a bass that didn't help on a buzzbait just out from a dock and on the Dinger on a weedline. We ended by fishing some docks just to the West of the Anchor North. It was a good day on the water, and I don't think I ever went longer than about 45 minutes without catching a bass.

24Bass 2Pike 

Results: My fish weighed 11/06 which put me in 7th Place out of 16 anglers. My boater Herman won the thing with 15/11. Second Place went to Snatcher Ludenia with 13/06 and 3rd went to Snatcher Dennis. Snatcher Notsch got Lunker with a 3/15 smallmouth. 

Big Jon Takes Lunker 3/15 SMB

My Thoughts: So cool to be in the boat for Herman's second-ever tournament win. He joined the club before I became a teenager, and this was his second victory in 149 Tournaments. Herman thought his best finish was 3rd Place. Herman just enjoys the fellowship and being on the water. Winning is not a priority. We found a school of the right ones in pre-fish, and Herman, with a swim jig, dredged them up. I don't know why I didn't get one of those better 2.5 to 3lbers in the boat. I should have thrown a jig sooner.

Grade: C

7th Place is better than a sharp stick in the eye, but not having a 2lb average cost me a Top 5 finish. I think the fish were there to do it, I just didn't trigger the bites.

What my scale said I had

Snatcher's North Long Tourny Recap

 

Caught Me A Good Speck on a Dark Sleeper

Tourny Champ Keith Tuma

Conditions: 60-78℉, Cloudy with occasional light rain, 3-15mph SE 

The Day:

We started on the South end of the Lake to the West of where Nate started fishing cabbage beds. We stayed in the same 150-yard or so stretch until about 11 AM. I had my limit in the first hour and forty minutes. Al put the first 3 bass in the boat. I'm pretty sure my first fish was a pike on the Big Blade Chatterbait. That Big Blade Chatter was my hot bite in the morning. I think I lost one quality bass after it buried me in the weeds. After I got my limit. I struggled to get bites from keeper bass, getting pike, and a couple of dinks. I should have thrown the Dark Sleeper as the fish Al was getting on the Craw Tube were better quality on average than my Chatterbait fish, with one or two exceptions.

We then went to 371 Bay when the wind was howling around 11AM. I got my big bass (2/15)  in 371 on the Dark Sleeper on our first pass in 371, I was a bite machine with that Dark Sleeper pulling in small pike, rock bass, dink bass, and I culled up a couple of times and one nice crappie on our second pass. We went back to the starting area. The wind calmed down considerably shortly after we arrived. Nate showed up shortly after and thought we had been there the whole time. Not much was going on until I put on a Neko Rigged Dinger, which caught me 5 bass in about 15 minutes. I culled with  3 of the fish putting all, but one fish over 2lbs on my scale. I could have sworn the second to last fish I got on the Dinger was three plus when it wallowed on the surface, but it buried me in the weeds, and when I got it in, it didn't even help me. Al got us out of there to head to Merrifield Bay. I got a dink on a buzzbait and on a Dark Sleeper, along with a couple of pike in Merrifield. We fished for about 15 minutes in 371 Bay to end things, and I got a pike or two, maybe a rock bass as well. I was hoping my fish would go 14 lbs, and indeed they did, right on the nose.

18Bass 16Pike 3Rock 1Crip 

Results: My fish weighed a respectable 14lbs, but on this day that was only good enough for 13th Place.  The winner was Snatcher Tuma with 18/05; Second Place went to Snatcher Dennis with 17/01 and Lunker (4/08), which edged out Snatcher Fields who also had 17/01. Everybody caught a limit today and the average bag was 14.94lbs.

My Thoughts: Should have gone to the Dark Sleeper at the first stop. A couple of lost fish cost me in this one I think.

Grade: B

Sure 13th Place out of 17 Anglers is C-/D+ territory, but I was just ounces behind my boater on a day when Co-anglers got stomped on and I was only one quality cull away from a Top 10.

  

Snatcher Tourney At Bay Lake June 4th

2/8 on Jackhammer/GOAT (Purple/Black/Blue)

The small of Nate's two smalls
(Pretty sure he weighed this one as his lunker as well)

Conditions: 

70-84℉, Mostly Sunny to Partly Cloudy, 0-5mph ESE 

Water Temp: Low 70's

The Day:

With only 6 boats and it being a Sunday, everybody was in the water in no time, and we blasted off early. We went to the spot that won the last couple of tournaments, and it was slow. I picked up a few dinks, rock bass, and hammer handles. Nate got a few small keepers on a craw tube and maybe a jig as well. He had me down 5-0 when I got my first small keeper on the KVD 1.5. I got bit off and caught a couple of dinks, pike, and rockies on a craw tube. We fished some docks. Nate got one quality 2lber and a few dinks. I got dinks and rockies on the Dinger. We went west of where we started, probably known as an altogether different bay. I picked up a couple of keepers, including my big (2/8), and some dinks, rockies, and pike. I got two pike in a row, and the skirt on my Jackhammer came off, killing the bite for me. We returned to the starting area, where I got another keeper on the Craw Tube.

We then ran some beautiful docks and a slop bay and only ran into something once we came out to the docks on the other side of the bay. Nate was getting bit on almost every dock, and I picked up a keeper out on the inside weedling on the Bagley Crank. All I got on the docks were rockies and dinks. We ran into Nate's dad, Snatcher Chuck, and he spilled the beans that he had a good bag anchored by smallies. We returned to where we started seeing fish on the docks, and I quickly picked up my limit fish. After about 15 minutes of nothing notable as Nate looked for smallies. He asked me if I knew of any areas smallies might be in. I told him about a large sand flat with reeds, so we headed there. We saw beds but no fish. Next, we went to the rock area, and Nate hit pay dirt, getting two quality smallies on a dead sticked Senko. We ran another rock area and got some rockies and dinks. We tried a couple of other areas, getting the same. We went back to where we got the smallies. I got a rock bass and about a half-pound cull with a largemouth that fell to the Dark Sleeper. We finished on a point off an Island by Rutgers, where Nate made a small cull. I had a pike-like feeling hit that didn't hook up and got a rocky. Day Over!

Results: My fish weighed 9lbs 11ozs which put me in 8th Place out of 12 anglers.

 

It was a massacre for Snatcher Chuck

First Place and Lunker went to Snatcher Chuck with 19/01 and 4/03

Second Place went to my boater Snatcher Nate with 12/13

Third Place went to Snatcher Tuma with 12/06

My Thoughts: If Nate's Plan A had worked, I think I would have been right up there, but the quality and quantity were not there on this day, so we had to scramble. Me losing that Jackhammer skirt to the pike didn't help matters.  Not having my dock-skipping game on point was an error on my part as well. One would have thought on such a nice day, the fish would have been on fire, but it was just a mediocre bite for Bay.

Grade: C, Another pound would have moved me up to 5th Place. It wouldn't surprise me if I lost the fish that would have gotten me another pound on the Jackhammer, Dark Sleeper, and Craw Tube. Any way I slice it, not getting at least 10 lbs on Bay Lake is a disappointment.

 

Bass Snatcher Tournament Lake Edward

Mick Ziebell 19/03 Lunker 3/15

2/15oz R2S Bully Wa 2

What My Scale said I had

Conditions: 63-85℉, Mostly Sunny, 0-15mphSW

My Day: We got all the boats launched, then we headed to our starting spot, which was just to the South of the Public Access in the reeds. We worked our way South along the reed line with Beau pitching a jig and me throwing a frog. I think I got the first bite of the morning in some pads and reeds up by the shore. It was a small fish that got off after I had reeled it in about 10 feet. I am pretty sure it was a bass, but I'm not 100% certain. The reeds came to an end, and we worked the cattails and docks for a little bit with Beau catching two pike.  It wasn't happing, so we ran to some other reeds. I got the first keeper in the boat with the frog. Beau then caught a 2lber on a jig. Shortly after that, I got my final keeper of the day on the frog. As we worked the reeds. I would get hung up occasionally. I would put about 15lbs of pressure on my 50lb braid, and my line kept breaking, frustrating. After about the 5th time that happened, I switched to a different rod. Beau got his second keeper and missed some bites. Beau spotted what he swore was a muskie. I saw the fish but only saw its back.  I had a fish swirl on the frog but not get it. Neither Beau nor I could get it to bite again.  Beau switched to a Senko and got a couple of good fish. I switched to a Yum Dinger and missed one bite. The wind came up, and we headed to a weedline spot. I missed a couple of bites on the Havoc Pit Boss. Beau filled out his limit on the Senko. I switched to a Yum Dinger and got a couple dinks and a pike on that, and the day ended with me only getting two keepers. I thought maybe I was headed for a last-place finish, but it turns out lots of people struggled on this hot, windy day.

Results: My two fish weighed 4/05, which put me in 15th Place out of 21 anglers.   Mick Ziebell won the tournament with 19/03 and got Lunker with a 3/15 fish. Dave Smith got 2nd Place and won the Co-Angler Cash out of Dennis Lothspeich's boat. Great Job, Dave! Nate Steinbauer got 3rd. Beau came in 4th.

My Thoughts: What a frustrating day. I let the frustration get to me with Beau catching fish and me not getting bites. I think I just fished too fast and didn't concentrate on what I was doing enough. Once we left the reeds, I just couldn't get settled in mentally and didn't fish well at all. Thankfully we have two more tournaments this year for things to come together for me. On to Leech.

Bass Snatcher Fishtrap Lake,

2/14oz R2S Bully Wa 2 (Little Allen)

What my scale said

Conditions: 65-86℉, Sunny to MC and hazy, 0-4mph E
Water Temps: High 70''s

The Day: We started a little way to the South of Access Bay, just outside of some slop. I thought I had something pick up my jig under a dock, but when I set the hook, there was nothing there. We ended up working a weedline outside of the slop bay, and Mick got his first bass on a craw tube. From there, we ran to a point with a hazard marker buoy. Stuff was getting busted on the top, and I got several dinks on Bubble Walker. Mick got a quality fish on the craw tube. We then ran to a weedline that I had fished before in a previous tournament; Mick was unaware of that fact at the time we arrived. I got a pike on a black/blue Hack Attack Jig and then got the skunk out of the boat on my very next cast. We then went to the small island outside of Access Bay. Mick got his third keeper on a craw tube, and I had my Hack Attack Jig get a bit off. Mick caught a long skinny pike. I think we then went back to the point with the hazard buoy working some docks before we got to the point then heading north. I got my second fish on a Neko Rigged Yum Dinger. We moved around to some other spots catching a few dinks under 12-inches.  It was turning into a long day. With an hour left, we went back to our starting spot. Fortunately, Mick came in close enough to the slop that I was able to make some casts to it, and sure enough, my big of the day inhaled my frog. So we worked the junk. Mick lost two bites, and I got #4, pitching the Hack Jig to the pad edge. We reworked the small bay a second time, quickly not getting any bites. With about 20-minutes to go, we ran to the Access Bay, and Mick picked up two more keepers, and I got my last fish on the Bully Wa 2 Frog with 5-minutes left to go. And just like that, time was up. If we had 15 more minutes, I think chances are pretty good; both of us would have caught our limits.

Results: The last-minute rally ended up giving both Mick and me the same weight for the day at 10lbs 9ozs. I won the tiebreaker and finished in 8th Place. Chuck Steinbauer got back into the Winners Circle with 18/12, and he had the 4/04 Lunker. Darren got 2nd with 17/7, and The Hammer got 3rd with 16/3. Todd Lewis won his first Co-angler Challenge. 

My Thoughts: For the second time this year, I was able to rally in the final hour to save myself from a disastrous finish. The lake was fishing tough with only 7 limits boated. It is pretty amazing to me that I was unable to get more than 1 keeper on the Neko Rig for as much as I threw it. I had little fish picking at it constantly, and I caught several dinks. One more keeper, and I would have beaten Dennis. Instead of my season being trash, this result gives me some hope for finishing in the Top 10 for the year; currently, I sit in a tie for 14th.

 

Bass Snatcher Whitefish Chain

 

Tuma's 27lbs 4oz is a new Snatcher Record

3/5 Yum Dinger (Gum/Orange)

14/2 My Best Ever Whitefish Weight

13.55lbs What My Scale Says I Had

Boater: Dwight "Hammer" Hammermeister (3rd Time I've fished a tournament with him)

Conditions: 72-96℉, Mostly Sunny to Mostly Cloudy, 0-4mph SW

The Day: We started off on the Southside of Lower Whitefish, where smallmouth spawn and Dwight had a bunch of beds GPSed. . Dennis was sitting there when we arrived. A good sign. About 10 minutes in, Dwight had his first smallie in the boat. He was sight fishing. I started throwing topwater because there was some activity on the surface, but I didn't get a hit.  Dwight put 3 or 4 smallmouths in the boat pretty quickly, and Dennis had his limit in the first half hour. I got a hit from something small on the 

Crackle Jerk Shad that came off about halfway back to the boat. I put on a Bluegill KVD Jerkbait and got a couple pike and a perch on that. After about an hour, Dennis left. Dwight got his fourth and fifth fish off of some deeper beds, both quality fish. I eventually tried throwing a Ned rig to bedders but didn't have any takers. The wind put a ripple on the water, so we got out of there around 9AM. We went to a nearby point where we could see largemouth swimming around, but I couldn't get any to bite other than one small fish that I threw back that I didn't bother to measure even though it was close to 12-inches.

By 9:30, we headed to Berth to fish docks.  We spent an hour and a half in there with only one fish for Dwight to show for it. We headed to the Pike River Inlet area, and I finally got on the board with a quality frog fish, but that was the only bite we got there. So next, we headed up to Arrowhead to see if maybe the slop was going there. Dwight got a frog fish in the first 10 minutes, then nothing. I switched to a swimbait and got a 13-incher on that, but that was the only bite. I tried a swim jig and missed a bite that felt pikey on that. With two hours left, we headed back to the starting spot in the hopes that Dwight could upgrade with a smallie and contend for the win. However,  Dennis was sitting there again. We went to a nearby secondary area. I ended up picking a solid 2.5lb largie off of a dock just letting the Dinger sit on the bottom. With that clue, we headed to some nearby isolated docks in search of my limit. I lost a really good fish right away but quickly rebounded with a two-pounder and two more keepers.   I ended up culling twice, including one off the last dock we fished in a Hay Lake.

Results: My fish weighed 14/2 which put me in 13th Place. Dwight had 19/1, which was only good enough for 8th😲. Keith Tuma blew the field away and the previous Club Record Bag taking 1st Place with 27/4 and Lunker with a 5/3 smallmouth. Dennis got 2nd with 21/10. I guess the key for Keith recognized that the big smallies were still pre-spawn; thus, he was looking for cruisers, not bedders. His Co-Angler Dave Smith also had a 20lb bag.

My Thoughts: I came in expecting the fishing to be pretty good, and it was, for the most part. I did, after all, catch one of my biggest bags as a Snatcher and my biggest of the 6 tournaments I've fished there. It just took me forever to get on the same page as the fish, which was frustrating. Thankfully the heat really didn't bother me, and I was comfortable all day.

Congrats to Tuma; that was impressive. 

Bonus Picture

Official Results

Dinks on Docks with Dingers And 1 Toad On Mad Maxx Tonight

 

3.46lbs/18.25" Mad Maxx (Bluegrass)

11.39 for Best 6 

6:30-9:30PM Docks Across, East Of GOMH, Intersection, River Mouth, SPSI

70-80℉, PC, 0-2mph SW

Water low, and so is visibility. The weed-killing killed visibility.

I finally got a reel put on my Abu Veritas 6'6" MH. I bought a rod to replace the Fenwick Techna AV that I busted a couple of years ago to use primarily as a dock skipper. This was also my inaugural trip with the Arsenal Neko Tool. I spent the first hour skipping Neko Rigged Yum Dingers. I lost the first one to a pike, then the next 3 to small bass when they jumped, sending the Dinger to the depths. I lost the fourth Neko Dinger to a snag way under "the dock."  With that, I had enough and didn't retire. I did catch 3 bass to the East of "the dock" on a Texas Rigged Dinger. When I got home, I watched Hellabass's video on the Neko Tool, something I should have done. Now I know, weighted Dingers are something I should probably leave to tournament day as they are notorious one-fish baits. At 7:30, I headed for the rice East Of GOMH. It wasn't happening there, and I quickly made the call to head to Sullivan. I made a cast to the rice line on my way out, and the 18-incher jumped all over Max. I managed to get a good hookset because of the angle of the cast even though I was moving on high in the direction of the fish. I didn't get the motor turned off until I was practically to the rice line. I ended up spending another 15 unproductive minutes in Platte probing the rice line. I then went to SW Intersection rice. I got a 15-incher there and missed a couple of other bites. I went into the reeds and missed a good bite because I just couldn't get enough on the hook set because I was moving straight at the fish, my hook setting form was perfect, and I was ready for the bite. I quickly made my way across to the NE Intersection Point and got a 14-incher in some thicker reeds on the far reed line. I then ran to the River Mouth as it was getting dark. I lost one bite in the river. Not sure what it was, but it felt good. It thrashed on the surface and got off. I hit SPSI on my way in and didn't get anything, too dark. Not a bad night, but not great either. I think fishing will be even more of a grind this year unless we get some rain.

12 Bass 

Morning Trip Running Late/Evening Trip Running Lake

When I arrived at the lake.

7" Frenzy Popper (Bullfrog)

I got to Lake Place just after 5am, when I should have been leaving. So it cost me 20-25 minutes of pre-sunrise fishing. It was dead calm all morning. I went to F Flat first fishing with the Frenzy Popper, Stanley Phantom, eBay Chatterjig, and SBKO. On the way, there was a lot of activity on the surface along the reed edge. Instead of stopping and checking it out, I went straight to F Flat. Had a pike first on the Frenzy Popper. Got a keeper bass on the Stanley Phantom before I got to the dock along the rice line. At the juice, I got a dink, had a keeper throw me, and got the bluegill on the Frenzy Popper. I got a small keeper on the Fire Craw eBay Chatter before throwing the Frenzy Popper the second time. I spent way too long at F Flat because things weren't happening. Instead of running South, I went to Reeds across South Bed. Stuff was getting busted all over the place in both beds for about 15-minutes and then it stopped. I got a few pike on the Horny Toad and missed bites on the Maracker. Eventually, when it wasn't happening on top I switched to a Monsoor Swim Jig. I caught a small keeper on that and lost about 4 bass that buried me in the reeds. (I found a spot that had a pod of bass.)  When I came out on the South end I decided to throw topwater along the reed line. Had several pike swing at the Shower Blows Knock Off and caught a 16-incher just as I was about to quit. I then fished another hundred yards and half an hour longer missing one bite. Before I headed home I walked to the end of the dock and there were a few bass and sunfish swimming all over the place.

2.64lbs/16.?? Yum Dinger (BGum/Org)

11.06lbs for Best 6

I went to the Chiro in the afternoon. Dr. reported tough fishing at his place on Round Memorial Day and getting skunked on Platte this morning. I made the mistake of getting a sub for myself at Redds, mom was making pancakes for supper. Mom was not happy with me leaving to go fishing before the pancakes were ready. I wanted to be fishing tonight by 6PM because of the calm conditions. I was already running late, it was after 6PM and I hadn't left yet. I left for the lake at 6:25 and not happy. I briefly fished out front in the rice. I then headed across to "the dock." Didn't get anything there, but got a couple small keepers on the next dock. I was kind of a train wreck tonight with a bad attitude and lousy casting. I got Yum Dinger caught on a pontoon lift when the skip went through a small opening on the lift 6-inches above the waterline. Getting the Dinger back was a clown show. I aggravated my back in the process. I ended up missing multiple fish after that, frustrating. It was after 8 and I wanted to do some frog fishing in the Reeds Across, but then I thought I should hit the docks on the point, but didn't start with the first two. I got the big fish of the night on the dock I started on and one other fish as well, so I went and fished the first two getting nothing of course. I caught one small bass beyond the dock I started on. By the time I was chucking frogs in the reeds it was after 8:30. There was no activity in the South Bed, which I fished quickly heading toward the North Bed where I could see some activity. I pooched a hookset at the South Bed reed line. Should have been ready for that bite. I had a pike get off along the North Bed reed line. I got a dink along the inside edge and a two-pounder in the cane. I missed a couple of other bites in the cane and couple in the reeds to end the night. I took my time and relaxed getting unpacked after that frustrating trip. Mom's pancakes and the $50 I won from North Star Cash improved my mood as well.

Morning And Evening Trips to the GOMH

 Morning Trip: 5-6AM Cloudy windy and 45-degrees

4 Jump

2 Toothy

Evening Trip:  9-9:30PM Cloudy Windy 42-degrees 

3 Jumpers on the Poison

Quick Trip To The GOMH On May Full Moon

2.38lb Yum Dinger (Gum/Org)

16" Moon Eye/Tickle Tail

8:45-9:50PM GOMH SW, NE 

66℉, Sunny, 5-14mph SSW

I was on the fence about whether or not I was going to go fishing today or not. I was windy as all get out from the West today. At the last minute, I decided to head to the Grumpy Old Man Hole and was pleasantly surprised that nobody was there. Caught a jumpin' bullhead on my first cast. Ended up with 8 jumpers and 1 golden missing several bites as well. Started on the south side and ended on the north. Got the first one on Poison. The same thing happened on the first cast on the NE side with the Poison. Missed several bites on the NE side with the Poison. The bigger fish came on the Yum Dinger. The last fish of the night was the golden on the Moon Eye with Kalin's Tickle Tail. I was mentally in the process of writing that combo off when it hit. Maybe it does catch fish after all.

Pre-Fishing Serpent With Snatcher Chuck

Evening Trip, Broke Off S.B.'s

Half Hour at the GOMH

12" Yum Dinger

5:20-6:05AM GOMH NE SW
62℉, PC, 7-14mph SE
Very Low

Thanks to a Facebook Post by Myron Huntley I went and got my stuff together and headed out. Dark clouds were approaching from the SW. Missed a strike on the SBKO on the NE side.  That might have been the jumper I caught about 10 minutes later in the tube on a Yum Dinger.  Headed to the SW side and got a toothy on a craw tube.  When I was walking down to fish there was a flock of geese visible in the rainbow picture.  There were two mini-geese in a fight and the one goose had the other goose's whole face in its mouth.  Finally, a momma goose came and put an end to it. It started to sprinkle so I headed up to leave. A gust of wind knocked over all my rods, while I was grabbing my rod gloves.

GOMH This Morning

12" YumDinger (Brown)

5:30-6:50AM GOMH NE SW SE
70℉, PC, 0-3mph E

I was getting my stuff set up when Leech Guy showed up. He came down next to me on the NE side and caught a small jumper on his first cast.  I had a fish take a swipe at the SBKO. I caught it a few minutes later with the Yum Dinger.  I gave the fish to LG. He caught another jumper and I headed to the SW side.  I got one jumper there on the YD and missed a bite on the SBKO and had a dink jump me off on the YD.  I had three quick hits in the slop on the SW side when I threw Sweet Revenge there.  Didn't hook up once.  I wasn't ready for the bite I got on the SE side which came shortly after my frog landed.  I fished NE side slop and didn't get a bit.   Found out LG name is Richard.  I left a little before 7AM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8:30-9:30PM GOMH SE SW NE Dock/Pontoon
81-86℉, PC 3-5mph S

Went to the GOMH to start just fished a frog, Didn't catch anything. One swirl on the SE side. A guy fishing with his family got a nice jumper, orange and a small toothy.

I the went to the cabin and got the bass and pike. I also missed a bite.

(Bass Opener) Slow Developing Redemption

3-1 17.75" Craw Tube (Junebug)

17" SBKO (Orange)

24" SBKO (Orange)

The Loon at Sherman's Dock

15.71lbs Not a bad day

5:30-11:45AM F Flat, Big Bass Point/Todds Pond, Double Cane
74-57℉, Cloudy to PC, 0-4mph
62-64℉ Low with possible slight rise due to yesterday's rain.

I was worn out from the past few days of heavy fishing so I went to bed before 3PM and I got a good long night's sleep waking up just before 4AM.  Normally an hour is about right to get me "with it" but this morning I didn't feel " with it" until after 6:30AM.  Must have slept too much.

There was patchy heavy fog this morning on the drive up.  I opened the car door and heard a loon calling from Sherman's direction.  The loon continued to call while I got my stuff put in the boat.  The two loons were over by Sherman's dock when I was preparing to launch.  The one loon that was inspecting Sherman's dock swam along with me when I headed out.

The first spot was F Flat.   Much to my chagrin a guy came out and started fishing from the dock.   I started to the East of him.  Didn't get a hit over there.  I worked my way around the guy and caught a 13-inch bass in shallow along the juice dock on the orange SBKO.  The guy went in and something busted back behind me out where I got into the school of small bass last Fall.  I went to investigate and had what I believe was a good bass blow up the SBKO, but not get hooked.  I couldn't get anything else.  I went back toward the juice.  Had the SBKO break off at the spool in shallow by the juice dock where I got that first fish, so I had to run in and get it. I ended up losing that orange SBKO to a pike over the juice.  I also got a 17.75" bass on a junebug craw tube to the West of the juice.

I made a quick trip over to the Green Pontoon Dock and got a small pike on the orange SBKO.  Then I went to Big Bass Point/Todd's Pond and missed my first couple of bites on the SBKO and a craw tube.  More than a little frustrated.  Stuff was getting busted up by the point, but I started out at the cane.  I got myself on track landing a chunky 24" pike.  Then it was game on for Platte Lake Specials.  I caught 8 on the SBKO and 1 on the craw tube from 16" to 17.5".   I also got a few smaller bass and some pike.  A couple fish revealed there location and I managed to stick 'em.

Around 11Am I headed over to Double Cane and I got a couple small pike there.

I got psyched out by the way thunderstorms were re-developing and didn't go out on a perfect night.

14 Bass
9 Pike