Some Froggin' Success And Then I Sucked

  

7:45-9:30PM Sullivan

74-80℉, PC, 0-4mph ENE

I started late due to not taking my meds when I originally went to bed instead of 4 AM. I got out of bed in the afternoon but was at turtle speed through the time I headed to the lake. I decided to fish the NE INT in Sullivan. I didn't get a bite for the first 15 minutes. Then I had two fish boil and not get the frog. Put the next three bites in the boat. I then had my next 4 bury me in the reeds. They shut down at the NE INT. I tried the SW INT, but too much wind. I quickly ran to the N SPRO, which was almost entirely dead. I finished at the River Mouth, where I missed a boil. The motor got bogged down as I headed out. Then it didn't run right until I got to Platte, where I got her up to speed. Dad suggested new spark plugs.

3Bass 

1Pike 

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.

 

DNF

 Did Not Fish

Doing Uncle Dave stuff, got back home just before midnight. Will be at Bay Lake before sunrise.

DNF

 It was my intent to be on the water this morning, but the bed monster got me. I didn't get to tackle prep until later in the afternoon, and then I got frustrated because I couldn't remember what I did with my Dark Sleepers. I took them out of my room this week and put them in a tote downstairs. Just dumb. Didn't get all my tackle prep done. Sheesh, David!

Morning And Evening Trips June 1st

8:40-5:00AM GOMH NE

Water level; Normal Falling

Skunked (Skeeters were vicious, I bailed for the Trophy.)

5:30-9:50AM SPSI, GOMH, INT NE, NW INT, SPRO, River Mouth 

I got the boat ready quickly and I was off. A bunch of missed bites yet again. Nothing at SPSI; I got a pike on the Jitterbug on the N side of the GOMH. I missed a bite on a frog on the  S side of the GOMH that left me saying, WTF Dave set the hook. I got bit off several times in a shallow pike fest along the shallow INT reeds.  I got a couple of bass, finally throwing the Turbo FattyZ. Under perfect conditions to score post-spawn girls, I figured out the puzzle and put some fish in the boat, but I really should have landed more. I stayed out longer than I had planned, by an hour.

6Bass 

12Pike 

7:30-9:30PM Channel In Bay S SPRO

75-80℉, PC, 3-6mph SE

Water Temp: 74℉

I got a late start due to a long nap. Headed right to Channel INN Bay. Traded off bass and pike blow-ups, but it was slow, so I headed to the SPRO and got more of the same. Blow-ups were nice, but once every half hour is slow. Nothing at the River Mouth, but it was fairly dark when I arrived. I landed my bites tonight, which was nice.

4Bass 

4Pike

 10:50-11:30PM GOMH NE

I decided to hit the GOMH on the way home. Skeeters weren't terrible. I got gold on my very first cast and thought this would be good, but all I got was one more jumper, and that was it. Tried a few different lures and left.

1Jump

1Gold

I didn't weigh fish for some reason.
 

Double Extended Trip At The GOMH

 

19.5" Rocket Shad

3:00-7:45PM GOMH SW

48-51℉, Cloudy some drizzle, 5-10mph NE

Water is very high falling

Todd dropped off the pontoon today. I went to the lake place and got a rake and a landing net. I cleared some dead fish and slop before fishing. Somebody had a minnow trap hanging from the SW corner of the culvert. I got a couple of 4lb jumpin' bullheads to start. A mom and gram showed up with two boys to teach them magnet fishing. They each caught something. After they left, some teens showed up. I broke off the Wing It Bobber rig about a yard above the bobber when I was fighting a fish that felt like a panfish. I saw the bobber and caught the rig on my first cast; it was out there quite a way. The teens applauded me when I landed a 3lb jumper. They left. Federal Ammo Dave showed up with his posse and started on the N bridge. I got a couple of Gator Bullheads and lost a big Orange Bullhead that I thought was a bass by the way it pulled; the big gill dove under a small dead dogfish and into the cattails and got off. Dave's posse came to the S side of the bridge as it started to rumble in the distance. One of Dave's guys got a silver as I was packing up. I was gone before it began to rain. I shot my report video when I got home from the car in the rain. It was a short storm. The power went off at the lake place. I noticed on the radar that the heavy stuff missed us but bullseyed on P/S.

DNF

 Was a nice day, but Mom got a late start for shopping in Brainerd,  Steve had a track meet tonight, and the Eos isn't road ready/not insured yet. Mom fell on her face at Walmart and so Dad and I had to go up to retrieve her. I didn't get home until after 11 PM. Decided to scrap the night trip I was going to take when Mom got home.

I will be out at sunrise, if not before. 

Have no clue if the area docks were put in today or not.

I did find the trailer hitch, got the trolling motor battery connector replaced, and got the boat starting battery to take a charge; I had a weak connection at first that made me think the battery was dead.  

Closing April With A Bullhead

 

The Headless Fisherman

8:25-8:40 PM Rock Lake

9:00-10:15 PM GOMH SW

Put the new winch on the Trophy and did some dock work. I got to pet Bree, who was in the garage getting brushed. I didn't get to Rock until sunset. Fished for about 20 minutes, and no bites. Skipped The Dog. Nobody at the GOMH. It calmed down by the time I arrived; it was wicked windy today when I walked to J&D's. I got the one gold bullhead and thought I missed one or two more bites. With no wind, it wasn't that bad out. No silver, maybe tomorrow.

1 Golden Bullhead 

1st Bullhead of 2023

 

Bullhead

8:00-9:40PM GOMH SW

53-59℉ , MC,  0-4mph NE

I started by driving the lakes. Ice is still on Platte 25%, Rock 80%, and Bulldog 65%. Ice at the Platte Access. Arrived at the GOMH, a guy was looking at the fish kill. A bunch of floaters today. He told me about the kill in the 90s and how bad it stunk. I went down and fished the SW side. Somebody came by and told me the reason they didn't get the aerator in was no volunteers. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, didn't and now it's dead fish under the bridge; a bunch of sunfish, a few bass and pike. I fished for maybe half an hour and bounced to see what was going on at the Lake Place. Just saw a dead bass, pike, and sunny. No bites. I went back to the bridge. I got a bite, and it ran towards me and got off. 90% sure it was a Gator. About 10 minutes later, I snagged the jumper in the Pelvic fin. I stayed until after dark, hoping Silver might play, but all I saw was some baitfish.

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 

Ice and GOMH Skunk Report

 

Bulldog

Checked around the area lakes. Platte and Rock are pulling away from the shore some, and the water level is really high. Still, 2 to 3 days away from ice-out, I think. A guy with 2 teenagers was at the bridge watching birds and taking pictures when I arrived. I started fishing, and they left soon after. Another guy stopped by for a little bit. He said a buddy told him he got a bunch of crappies here last week. Not! Had a few loons flying around and calling. No bites. Stayed until dark and didn't shine anything. I feel good about my chances of getting something by Thursday night.

Skunked 

Skunk Report 4/23

 

NE Side

Open water now East of South Point Small Island

NE Side Water to the steps

I got Bentoned and Bonus Pointed right out of the money at Lake Murray in the BBC Group today. I got a bit of a late start due to eating chicken. Nobody was there. Heard a few loon calls. The SPRO is wide open. It wasn't too cold as I was wearing my ice fishing bibs, and there wasn't much wind. NO bites or signs of life. Two swans flew by in the dark.

Skunked

Skunked at the GOMH Again

A lot of open water in Sully

Open to SPSI tomorrow?

How high is the water, mama?

7:30-8:30PM SW NE GOMH

38-40℉, Sunny, 3-5mph NNW

Water High and rising

Got 5" to 6" of snow yesterday. Uff Dah, was that depressing! Amazingly enough, the lakes were grey, not white, tonight. I fished for an hour on both sides. Open water was well into the Intersection and, as far as I could see, along the NSPRO. On the Platte side, open water along the shoreline nearly to the small island. ESE winds predicted the next couple of days gonna be doing some eating. Not many birds floating on the S side tonight. Some Eagles, Swans, and one loon heading south were flying around. Some small ducks on the Platte side.

Skunked 

 

DNF

 Did not make it to the GOMH today. Got 5" to 6" of snow overnight; how depressing. Was cold and windy; how depressing.  Slept most of the day. Moynagh only weighed a couple of fish, but that was good enough to move up a few more places. He now sits in 15th in AOY, just 49 points back of the 8th Spot.

Crappy Cold Short Evening Skunk

 

7:15-7:30PM SW GOMH 

37℉, Cloudy, 4-6mph N Light rain

Skunked (Went by Sullivan Inlet, which was now ice-free, flowing hard more than 100 yards out. Fished at the GOMH for about 15 minutes until it started sprinkling and I said nah, ain't putting up with this. Heard loons and saw eagles on the SW and ducks on the Platte side, but not a lot of birds around. Checked Bulldog, North Platte Lake Drive, and Rock. Some open water along the ice edge on NPLD.

Morning and Afternoon Trips

6:40-7:20AM GOMH SW NE

56-62℉, PC, 3-4mph S
Water on the rise

I should have gotten up sooner; it was nice out and great color in the sky.  Arrived just before sunrise. Fished both sides. Saw a flying loon and heard the first loon call of the year. Checked out Bulldog and Rock, not much progress.

Skunked

 Here is my morning fishing report

3:45-4:10 PM SW NE GOMH

68℉, Cloudy, 6-8mph S

Water high and rising

Short stop, briefly fishing both sides. It darkened up considerably as I left to head to the lake place. I didn't get the boat vacuumed because of the rain. Trip fail. Got home and was too tired to eat dinner or get an evening trip in. I slept until 11 PM.

Skunked

Skunked Saw A Loon and 3 Eagles

 

I got a late start because the rents went to the Brothers and brought me dinner, which I then ate. Eagle night, I saw a few swans and my first loon of 2023. Open water reached beyond the GOMH bays where the current is. Water came up quite a bit today, and the snow melt is almost over. I am optimistic I will catch something this month. Ice out may even beat last year's date, which was the 24th. It was too hot for me to work on the Trophy today. Tuma caught 27 and is in 2nd going into Day 2 at Toledo Bend.

Skunked

Skunked, Visited Rock and Sullivan Inlet

 

Rock Lake

Winter Kill

Sully Inlet

Into the lake

Heron's on Eagle Perch Point

I had to let Mac out at 1 PM. Ice is out of the boat. Lots of dead fish were scooped up by the evening. Made it to the Rock Access even though it was sketchy. Thanks, snow melt. Went by the Sully Inlet in the evening. Things just started getting rolling into the lake. No bites, no visitors while fishing. Not much traffic. Mid 70's today. Two herons in the Eagle Perch Trees and Pelican picking off dead fish as it swam the ice edge in Platte.

Skunked 

Skunked and Snow Is Disappearing Fast

 

7:30-8:00PM GOMH SW

67-70℉, PC, Calm

Water Low rising

A good number of ducks, a few geese, and swans. It was a really nice day. Snow melting like cray.

Skunked

Skunked Again

 7:45-8:30PM GOMH SW

50℉, PC, Calm

The water level is on the low side right now, with just a little current.

I headed up to the cabin after 7PM. I picked up the two hoses Steve bought and dropped off the new boat winch. Said hi to Mac and Bella and got most of the ice out of the Trophy. Arrived at the GOMH around 7:40PM. A lot of junk in the water and only a little more progress on both sides today. A red wing was in fatso's tree. I saw three dead sunfish. A beaver was swimming around and slapped its tail once. No bites. Four Canadian geese flew into the South side as I was packing up.

Skunked

Got out, Got Skunked

 

I just had to get out and do some fishing at the GOMH. I arrived a little before 5PM and fished until 5:30. Nothing happening except 4 Canadian Geese sunning themselves on the water's edge.

Fish Swami summary:
Skunked (It was a nice day, and I needed a break from Water War prep. No signs of life. There was a little bit of refreeze on the edges from last night's cold temps. Will be moving into a water war next week, so I don't know when I will be out next.)

The Dog Again

 

5:00-7:00PM The Dog 8' 

30-33℉, Cloudy, 3-6mph SE

Not as many fish around as yesterday. Visibility was slightly better. Got that pesky weed out of the way with a jigging rap. Had a big bass come through. Saw one other little guy. Only caught one 9" pumpkinseed. I was a hot mess packing up and getting the car loaded. Two other guys arrived as I was unloading the car. They went to the Holy Family Hole. I almost bounced to go there at 6 PM when it wasn't happening but decided that would be too much work. I got the smallest minnows ever at Beat Trax.

1 Sun

Out On The Dog

 

5:15-7:45PM The Dog 8'  

30-35℉, PC,  0-3mph NE

Dropped off Dev, then went to Brainerd with Mom. Got back by 2 pm and felt like going fishing. Headed to Matt's Spot at The Dog. Sunfish and Pike were in the first hole. Ice is 23" thick, making drilling holes a PIA. I set up there. Unfortunately, visibility wasn't great, and I had a weed in the way I couldn't get rid of. Caught 3 nice sunfish. I saw LMB, bullheads, and even a dogfish swam through. Stayed after dark, hoping to get crappie, but no luck.

3 Sun