GOMH Morning, Afternoon, and Evening

5:30-8:00AM GOMH NE, SW, NE
Conditions: 50-64℉, Mostly Sunny, Calm to light SW wind

16" Piranha

Started out by getting a couple of jumpers and a toothy on the NE side on the Piranha.  Switched to the SW side.  Got a few more jumpers and toothy's on a variety of baits.  I had a really big fish hit on a white craw tube.  I got it into freespool then backed the drag off, but not far enough.  When I put the reel back in gear the fish kept right on going and snapped my line.  It looked like my knot might have pulled loose.  I did get one nice silver on a Storm Swim Shad.

11.75" Swim Shad

16.5" Swm Shad

 3:20-4:00PM GOMH NE
Conditions: 84℉, SW Wind, Mostly Sunny
I took a rake up to Kim then stopped at the GOMH on the way back.  There was a couple of old guys fishing on the SW and SE side.  I caught a couple of jumpers on the Swim Shad and Terminator Jig.  I missed some hits a well.

25" Terminator Jig/Chigger Craw

8:15-10:45PM GOMH NE, SW, NE
Conditions: 77-70℉ , Mostly Cloudy, Calm to light SW wind, water level is high but falling

16" Piranha

Bulldog was covered up so I went to the GOMH.  A guy and his kid were fishing the SW side with beetle spins.  Said they only had gotten a few small bass.  I went down on the NE side.  I got a couple of toothy and jumpers right away on the Piranha.  I got a couple of jumpers on the Terminator Jig and the golden.  I also got a couple of jumpers on a craw tube.  I missed several hits on all three baits (Piranha, Terminator, craw tube).  Who knows if any of those was a dogfish?

7" Glow Demon/stickleback

At about 9:30PM I went over to the SW side.  I missed a fish on my first cast with the Piranha.  It was a slow slog after that.  Some teenagers with a big truck showed up at about 9:35.  They got one bullhead on the N side.  They offered me a crappie they had gotten at another lake;  I declined the offer.  I got the one little silver and missed a couple of other bites.  They left at about 10PM. I tried the SE side and missed one hit.  I went back to the NE side and got the last silver of the night, this nice one.  I left at 10:45PM.

11" Glow Demon/stickleback

 

Bulldog & GOMH

12.25" Glow Demon/stickleback

6:45-9:30PM Bulldog
10:00-1:30AM GOMH SW
Conditions: 72-58℉, Mostly sunny, Light wind NE, calm

8.25 THE Jig

There was a high school kid fishing at Bulldog when I arrived.  He had been there about half an hour and had gotten 3 crappies and some tiny sunnies.  The big sunfish was like the third one I caught.  It wasn't a crazy bite tonight at Bulldog, and most of the sunnies were small, but I was entertained.  It's really too bad Devin was up to other things because it was such a lovely night, and she would have gotten a lot of practice setting the hook.  The crappies were pretty sporadic at first but came on the darker it got.  Most fish were caught on a THE Jig, a few crappies tipped with a stickleback and a Cubby/stickleback.

9.5" THE Jig

10" Cubby/Stickleback

 I got 13 crappies (8 kept) and 31 or so sunfish (4 kept). Jan is gonna be a happy camper.

I eventually decided to leave the crappies biting at Bulldog to see what was up at the GOMH.  The Bullhead Boys were fishing off the Northside and had gotten one dogfish.  There was a family fishing bullheads without much success on the SE side, and  Lantern Man was on the SW side.  He had gotten three throwback silvers, a toothy, and a small jumper.  I went down with LM.  I was just about to head back to Bulldog when I called the last cast for a fish, or I leave for The Dog.  Luckily, I caught a nice bullhead bullhead that I gave to the family.  The Dad told us about the crappie fishing out on Rock this winter.  I caught the 12 incher about 5 minutes later on a small stickleback.  I got a couple of 9.5" that LM didn't want.  The Bullhead Boys and the Bullhead family left, so LM went over to the SE side.   Not much was happening over there.  He did get a couple to keep, and I got a couple that he found acceptable.  He left at about 12:15AM.  I caught a 10.5" and an 11" in the next hour before leaving.  I caught 10 silvers total.

10 Silver Bullheads
13 Crappies
31 Sunfish
1 Bullhead 

Morning and Evening

5:30-8:30AM GOMH
Conditions: 63-46℉, Partly cloudy, Calm light W wind.

7:00-9:00PM Bulldog
9:30-11:00PM GOMH SE (With Lantern Man, LMS & friend)
Conditions: 74-68℉, Partly Cloudy, Calm to light NE wind

Another beautiful morning at the GOMH.  After I hadn't caught anything in the initial half hour I just stood up on the bridge and observed things for about 20 minutes before resuming fishing.  Some shiner minnows moved in on the South side and I caught 5 of them.  4 went in the bucket.  I didn't think to put the first one in the minnow bucket and then transfer it to the Clam Pail.   I caught the jumper on the NE side on a white crawtube.

Evening Trip:
7:00-9:00PM Bulldog
9:30-11:00PM GOMH SE (With Lantern Man, LMS & friend)
Conditions: 74-68℉, Partly Cloudy, Calm to light NE wind

9.25" THE Jig/maggot

6" THE Jig/wax

The action at Bulldog wasn't exactly furious, but it kept me entertained.  I only got the 1 crappie, which ended up going back.  All the sunfish were small but a single 8 incher.  I got 16 sunnies and the 1 crappie before I bailed to the GOMH.

Lantern Man was down on the SE side and his son with a friend were on the SW side.  They had all missed a few bites.  I went down with LM.  I lost my first couple of bites including something more substantial than a silver bullhead.  I ended up getting my first silver bullhead of the year but didn't get a picture.  I ended up getting 5 silvers all of which went to LM.  Some of the buoy's in Sulivan Lake have blinking lights on them.  Buoys aren't in Platte yet. I should have stayed later because it was so nice out and when I got home TV and internet were both down.  I forgot my lantern. Lantern Man brought it by the house on Sunday afternoon.

Nice Day, Bulldog, No Bullheads

9" THE Jig/maggot

8:00-9:00PM Bulldog
9:00-9:45 GOMH
9:55-10:15 Bulldog
Conditions: 72-67℉, Partly cloudy, Light SW wind

8" THE Jig/maggot

I was a little discouraged after yesterdays trips, so I didn't exactly rush to get out fishing today.  Mom and Dad got pizza at Redd's in Pierz then took it to lake place to eat with Steve's family.  I elected not to meet them there not realizing they wouldn't get home with the Kia until about 7:00PM.  I putzed around working on the Trophy.  The bow light works.  Thanks to a pair of curved pliers I was able to open the trolling motor bracket.  When Dad got home I found a cord that will hopefully do the job.  I finally got my stuff in the car but forgot the minnows and Clam Bucket.  I headed out just before 8PM.  First stop was Bulldog Lake.  No one was there which I took for a bad sign.  I didn't get anything on my first 10 casts or so, but there was baitfish activity around the culvert. I got a bite but missed it.  Then I caught this little guy.

5.5" THE Jig/maggot

I caught the 8'" next, about 5 minutes later.  Then I got the crappie.  I debated whether or not to call Steve to see if Devin wanted to come.  It was now 8:30, so there wasn't much daylight left and the fish weren't exactly jumping all over my cricket.  I decided not to call. About 3 minutes later I got a bigger crappie.    I went to go put it in the Clam bucket and that's when I discovered the minnows weren't in the car, Doh!  Guess no fish for Jan tonight, oh well.  I wasn't thinking because I could have had Mom and Dad bring me the minnows as they were going back to Steve's to watch Blue Bloods because our cable is on the fritz.  By the time that idea occurred to me it was 8:50, and no doubt they had already left.  When I left for the GOMH I had caught 4 sunny and 4 crappies and missed at least 15 more bites.

There was no one at the GOMH when I arrived. Surprising and a bad sign.  I went down on the SW side and didn't get even a hit.  I also tried the NE side.  I then went back to bulldog to see if I might be able to get some after dark specks, but that wasn't happening.   The Twins actually closed out a game for once.  The first road victory in exactly a month, uff dah.   

Day Began With Hope Then Fizzled In the End

It was about 37℉ when I left for the GOMH at 5:10AM.  It was calm, and the world was awake with birds and frogs singing away.  I thought for sure I would get at least something, but the bullheads were just not around.  I went NE side, SW Side, and back to the NE side after sunrise.  I had a toothy on briefly on a white craw tube on one of my last casts.  I then checked the Platte Public Access where the dock was in.  Then I went to Bulldog, nothing there.  Then I went to Rock.  The Rock Dock was in, and a boat was out fishing.  Didn't get anything there.  Stopped at Bear Trax, and they just gave me what was left of their crappie minnows as it was mostly sticklebacks and one bullhead/catfish.

 I got the Trophy vacuumed out today, the first run anyway.  I didn't get out until after 7PM.  I was surprised no one was at Bulldog.  No fish, that's why. I tried both spots.  I quickly eliminated Rock, then went to the GOMH.  Nobody there either.  I had one toothy follow the Panfish Chatterbait in on the NE side. Probably the same fish from this morning.  That was it for action.  I stayed until 9:30 or so.  I'm a little concerned that I couldn't get a few fish after such a warm sunny day.  Maybe the shallows are warming up to fast? 

1st Open Water Fish Of 2018 Bulldog Lake

5" T.H.E. Jig /maggot Bulldog Lake

It can only get better from here.  The only bite I got tonight. I fished at Rock, Bulldog, and the GOMH.  Ice is out on Bulldog and Rock.  Platte is about 60% out.  I think I'll probably be able to call Platte tomorrow.

Rock Lake

0 for April

I gave it good shot fishing from 7:30-10:30PM, but I didn't catch a thing tonight or this month.  I might have missed one bite tonight, but I'm not 100% sure it was one.  I fished at Bulldog for about half an hour then the rest of the night at the GOMH. I was the only person there.  I really thought the warm temps today would be enough to bring some bullheads in, but that obviously wasn't the case.  It was a beautiful calm night with 70℉ temps when I finally left.  I did have a beaver give me a tail slap on the Se side.  Also had an otter come through before it got too dark.  The cloud cover was to thick for the moon to make an appearance.

Bulldog 20% Open

Rock Lake 50%  or more

I think Rock goes out on May 1st

Channel Inn Bay past SPSI

Another Missed Bullhead Opportunity

Today was windy out of the South, Sunny, and in the mid 60's.  I went and checked the area lakes and they are getting pretty dark.  I'm thinking Wednesday will be the day ice goes out. It's not supposed to go under 50 degrees in the next 48 hours or so and it's going to be in the mid 70's and windy again on Monday.

I fished briefly fished at about 2PM on my way home from Steve's, nothing happening.  I went back just after 8PM and I stayed until 9:30 or so.  At about 8:20 I had what I'm 90% sure was a small jumpin bullhead hit but not hookup. That was the only bite I got.

One more day to May.

Missed A Bullhead, Plus Area Lakes

Conditions: 50℉, Mostly Sunny, Calm
Right after taking this picture I briefly had a bullhead on. Pretty sure it was a toothy. It turned out to be a really nice night and loons were calling back and forth. When I stopped by the GOMH at noon I saw what I believe was a sucker swimming along on the NE side.

Sullivan Platte River Outlet Mostly Ice Free

I'm thinking Channel In Bay to the Small Island  will be Open by Tuesday

Rock Lake open by Friday???

Bulldog Lake

Brief GOMH Trip Tonight

I am babysitting Mack this weekend.  I arrived at the lake place a little after 7PM.  Got Mack out and fed.  It started raining, but it was sunny to the West so I headed to the GOMH.  The rain quit shortly after I arrived.  A couple loons and some ducks. The SPRO didn't look to be completely open.  Platte side was only a little more open.  It was windy out of the North and under 50 degrees so I didn't stay long.