GOMH & Rock This Morning

6:20-9:30am GOMH, Rock, GOMH
Conditions: Cloudy, some sprinkles, no wind to a bit of a breeze out of the South.

I forgot to put the Flash Card back in the camera after blogging last nights trip.  I did remember to put the batteries in the camera after having them on the charger all night.  It's to bad because I would have got a great picture of a deer on the Rock Access Road;  The thing just stood there in the middle of the road twenty feet in front of the SUV when I stopped.  It was a fairly good sized deer.  I think it was a buck, but my deer identification skills leave a lot to be desired.

Anyway I hit the GOMH hole first to see if any silver bullheads were still around or if maybe some orange bullheads had shown up.  Nope.  But I got a toothy and a couple of nice jumpers on the Panfish Chatterbait and the Cubby Mini-Mite on the SW side.  The jumpers were really light colored indicating that they had just come up from deeper water.  I switched to the SE side and for a second I thought I was gonna get a shot at a doggy but it was a big toothy instead.  I'm guessing it was around 30 inches.  It circled around the area where I could see it for a couple of minutes before swimming under the bridge toward Platte.  I left at around 7:30.

At Rock nothing was going but a school of small perch that set up shop in the motor blow hole at the end of the ramp.  I stayed over an hour.

I decided to go back and see if anyone was fishing at the GOMH yet;  There was no one there but me this morning.   I got a couple more nice jumpers including a 17.5" on the NE side on the PC w/minnow.  I also had a 24 or so inch toothy follow the Chatterbait all the way in to shore on the NE side.  I left a little after 9:30.

We could really use a foot more of water to make the fish more comfortable in the shallow water.  As it stands right now "the juice' from two years ago has left over emergent vegetation even out that far.  If we don't see a rise in the lake levels a Horny Toad and Herb's Dilly are going to be my go to topwaters come opener, which is now less than a month away.  

Prepare to Stay Late For Silver

10" Glow Demon w/minnow

5:30-11PM
Conditions: Temps in the 60's, windy out of the SE diminishing around sunset

I cleaned fish and brought them to Jenny, but not before stopping at Bear Trax to get more minnows.  I  arrived at Rock Lake around 5:30PM and there was a guy just sitting in his pick up.  I fished for half an hour and didn't get anything so I left.

I was shocked that no one was at the GOMH, no boats, nobody from shore.  I set up on the SW side and quickly got a small jumpin' bullhead on the Panfish Chatterbait tipped with a minnow.  It then got really slow.

Two heron's flew in from Platte Lake.  One went in the tree.

It wasn't until around 7:45 before I got bit again.  I quickly got 2 small toothies and a jumper within a fifteen minute span.

15.25" Cubby Mini-Mite w/minnow

17" Cubby Mini-Mite w/minnow

I was just about ready to leave at 9PM when I got the first silver bullhead pulled down my lighted bobber, it was a 9.5 incher.  I didn't think to take it's picture.  The 10" on the top of this post was the second one I caught.  I missed a bite due to talking with my mom on the phone.  My next bite wasn't much

6" Glow Demon w/minnow

I got 6 silvers total before I decided to leave at around 11PM.  The key was fishing close in to the rocks and letting them take it.  I didn't miss nearly as many bites as last night.  Here is my biggest of the night, all fish released.

11" Glow Demon w/minnow

Long Day GOMH, GOMH, Rock, GOMH

14" Panfish Chatterbait

14" Cubby w/minnow

22" Panfish Chatterbait

17" Cubby w/minnow 

12" Cubby Mini-Mite w/minnow

3:00-10:00PM
Conditions:  Warming to almost 70, mostly sunny, light winds

I mostly pulled weeds during my first time at the GOMH.  Spotted the log on the SE side and bucket man was there.  I went to Rock at about 4:30PM.   The walleye guy from Sunday night showed up with his boat and 2 ladies at about 7PM.  I got the 1 bass and 2 Pike at rock.  I left when they came back in at 8PM.  They didn't catch anything, "too early."

I  arrived at the GOMH and much to my surprise nobody was there, but 1 boat.  They had only seen one jumper get caught.  As they were leaving my bobber went down very silver like, but I missed it.  I got the jumper about 10 minutes later.  I missed quite a few bites and only managed to catch 3 silvers.  (The next day I got my missing fish problem mostly under control by going to a Glow Demon on another rod.

Silver Bullheads Arrived

10.5" Glow Cubby w/minnow

5:30-10:15PM
Conditions: Sunny, temps in the High to low 50's, Windy out of the NW diminishing to nothing after dark

I started my evening with a quick stop at Bulldog that didn't yield anything.  Next I went to Rock, staying until 7PM.  I got this 17" bass on the Panfish Chatterbait with a minnow.  I also lost about a 16" right t the dock and a small pike all on the PC.

17" Panfish Chatterbait w/minnow

I arrived at the GOMH and there was one truck there with 2 people fishing on the SW side.  I took up to SE side.  They got a jumpin' bullhead and I got a 22" toothy bullhead on the PC.  There were minnow dancing on the surface occasionally on my side.  It was starting to get dark and they got another jumpin' bullhead.  My bobber went down and I landed the first silver bullhead of the year.  I had another bite that I missed that I'm pretty sure was another one.  Those guys left.  I fished until about 9:30 than switched sides.  The wind died around 9PM.  I was just about to leave when I got another silver (10").  I think I had one more bite that I missed but it wasn't very crappie like as the bobber went zooming off.  I left at 10:15PM.  The sky was so clear the view of the stars was amazing.

After the Mini Storm at the GOMH

The water was ripping into Sullivan Lake

6:00-8:30PM
Conditions:  72 degrees and cooling.  Thunderstorms had passed and the strong winds that had been blowing out of the South the past two days pretty much quit and water was rushing back into Sullivan Lake.

I arrived about 20 to 30 minutes after the storm had come through.  For a little while I thought one was going to redevelop on top of me, but it didn't.  I was concerned enough that I put the rods back in the car and quit fishing for 20 minutes.  Once I started again I landed this small toothy bullhead on the Panfish Chatterbait w/ minnow.

He lassoed his mauw shut

19" Panfish Chatterbait w/minnow

After I took him off and threw him back on the Platte side my line got tangled in the weeds.  While I was getting that figured out another guy showed up and started fishing on the SE side.  He had done real well on sunfish on Sullivan during late ice.  He was surprised the fish weren't in yet.  I fished for about 20 minutes more then left for Rock.

On my way to Rock there was one new set of tracks going to the access.  Sure enough there was a guy there trying for sunfish.  We talked for a little bit.  He didn't get any bites tonight.  He caught a big dogfish in Rock last summer.  He said he is a walleye/muskie fisherman mostly.  I guess he fishes Bulldog for walleye and thinks all the smallmouth in Mille Lacs should be killed.  He got a bunch of crappies on Rock this winter.  I offered him a minnow and started fishing.  I didn't have a bite.  He left and I left at about 8:30PM

Panfish Chatterbait Ends Drought

15" Panfish Chatterbait w/minnow

6:30-9:00PM
Conditions: Warmer, breezy out of the SSE, mostly sunny.

I re-organized some rods today.  Took the Panfish Chatterbait off of my small panfish rod and put it on my Loomis 782 GLX spinning rod.  I put a new Wing-It Bobber on the Cubby Rod and on my small panfish rod with a Glow Demon.

When I arrived at the GOMH tonight I was surprised no one was there fishing from shore.  There were two boats on the S side and one taking off on the N.  I  went down on the SW corner and discovered it was darn windy.  One of the boats left.  I didn't get anything and went to the NE side.  I think I had a really small pike on for a couple seconds.

Around 7PM I left to try at Rock.  I started by throwing my Panfish Chatterbait tipped with a minnow.  It wasn't easy to throw in the wind, but I managed to get 3 bass on it (15",14",12.5").  The wind calmed down a little and a guy and girl came and fished for about 10 minutes.  He had gotten a pike at the GOMH.  I had what I assume was a pike break off a Cubby about 5 minutes after the couple left.  I might have had one bite when using the lighted bobber, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Skunked Again

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5:00-9:00PM
Conditions:  Warmer 53 degrees, windy out of the W and mostly sunny.

Didn't get a hit at either Rock Lake or the GOMH.  I got to the GOMH after 8 and nobody was there.  Still plenty of swans around.  Had a beaver going back and forth a couple of times at Rock.  I really should have gone to Onamia and got my boat stickers.  It's going to be really nice out starting tomorrow but unfortunately it's gonna be cold tonight.

Skunked Today

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Sunset at the Grumpy Old Man Hole

Today I fished in the morning and evening.  Not a single bite at the GOMH or Rock.  I did see and hear loons and eagles, 3 deer, more swans, about 100 ducks and a rabbit.

Rock Dock In

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6:30-9:00PM
Conditions: Cool, overcast, with light wind out of the NE

When I arrived tonight Joe from the Bass Snatchers was just pulling out to go to the GOMH.  We talked for about 5 minutes, then he left.  As I was hoping the Rock Dock was in and the ramp was fixed.  That probably means all the area lakes docks are now in the water.  I heard loons calling tonight.

Rock Loc Monster???

I had three bites tonight and I caught two of them.

16.5" Cubby w/minnow

24.5" Cubby w/minnow

The pike bit right before I left at around 8:15pm.  I tried to take a picture of it on the dock next to my ruler, but the fish flopped into the lake.  Oh well.

I did try the GOMH.  Nobody was there and I didn't get a bite.    

It Got Chilly Tonight

4:15-8:00PM
Conditions: Overcast, cool/cold with wind out of the ENE.  Water flowing into Platte, except the last hour when the flow got back to normal.

The wind was such that I didn't even try Rock Lake tonight;  With it being out of the ENE I  wouldn't have been able to get any casting distance and with temps only getting into the mid forties I would have chilled down much faster then I did.  I set up on the SW side of the GOMH.  The guy who lives on Christmas Lake who helped us when we had the tornado stopped.  While we were talking I got a bite from a good jumpin bullhead on the Cubby .  It was heading for the weeds so I put pressure on it and my line broke.  That was the only bite I had tonight.  Two boats came in from Platte and fished for a bit then left.  Two different pairs of guys also came and fished for a bit.  They didn't get anything.  As the second pair was leaving C.O. Kuske showed up;  that was around 7:30PM.  I only talked to Kuske for a couple of minutes.  No fishing reports other than the one I gave him.  I was kind of surprised how light it was out at 8PM, when I decided to quit.  I guess you could say I haven't been paying attention to when it has been getting dark this past week.

It looks like the weather this week is going to be cold and wet.  We definitely can use some rain.

Rock 'N Again

10.5" T.H.E. Jig w/minnow

5:15-8:45PM
Conditions: Partly cloudy, cool under 50 degrees, very little wind

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Swans coming to investigate me.

One of two immature eagles that put on an aerial show right above me 

The day started out with a bird show.  But then this pike grabbed my minnow and my attention.

20" Cubby w/Minnow

After missing a couple bites I hooked this one.

14.75" T.H.E. Jig w/minnow

Missed a couple of more bites, then I got this one.

16.5" T.H.E. Jig w/minnow

My Rocket bobber started moving off to the right.  I thought that's odd.  I set the hook and got the 10.5" crappie.  I got one more 9.25" crappie when I didn't even realize I had a bite.

The Moon rise was really something.  Just wish I had a better camera.

I did go to the GOMH and fished for 20 minutes, but it was dead there, not even any current.

Rock Fishing

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4:15-7:15PM at Rock 7:30-9:00PM at the GOMH
Conditions: Cool, mostly sunny, wind out of the NW so I was protected at Rock

I had minnows on my mind, so I forgot the wax worms at home tonight.  Fortunately they had minnows at Bear Trax.  I set up shop at Rock Lake today.  I had a pike bite off my Cubby minnow to start the action.  I switched to the long rod with a Rocket Bobber and a chart/orange T.H.E. Jig with a minnow.  I quickly got a bass on that.

15.25" T.H.E. Jig w/minnow

 About 15 minutes after that I got this pike.  I didn't even notice it was spitting eggs until I cropped the picture.

25" T.H.E. Jig w/minnow

That was all the bites I had.

I went to the GOMH and Mike B. was there.  He missed one toothy bullhead that cut him off.  He left at about 7:45pm.  I stayed until 9PM and didn't have a hit.

With ice going off on Platte today.  I'm going to have to go into Onamia to get my boat stickers next week.  The Trophy will definitely be in the lake this year.

Open Water At Rock And More Bullheads at the GOMH

Surprise Golden Bullhead

7:00-8:45PM
Conditions: 50 degrees or so, some sun and clouds, windy out of the W

I got a late start tonight.  First, I drove by Bulldog to find it about 60% open.  Then I decided to check on Rock Lake which was 50-60% open.

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Rock Lake Access Needs Repaired.  Hopefully the DNR will be on it, like they were the last time this happened.  The NE access at Sullivan is pushed up as well.

Looking to the North

Looking South

There was a strip of open water separating ice on the North of the lake and ice on the south of the lake from shore to shore.  It was really windy but the wind was out of the W so it was protected and somebody was home.

20" Cubby Mini-Mite w/Wax Worm

I stayed until about 8PM.  Then I drove North Platte Lake Road and to the public access at Platte to check ice out conditions.  I would say it was 75 to 80% ice free and I'm calling ice out day tomorrow even though I could have driven a boat from Jenny's to the launch ramp today.

As I was driving back past the GOMH, I decided to stop.  What could it hurt, right?  I was shocked when my bobber went down on my very first cast.

14.75" Cubby Mini-Mite w/Wax Worm

A couple minutes later I had another bullhead on.

21" Cubby Mini-Mite Wax Worm

I wanted to get home to watch Vikings, so I headed out at about 8:45PM.

More Bullheads The Next Morning

20" Glow Cubby Mini-Mite

6:40-7:30AM
Conditions: 38 degrees with a bit of a breeze out of the SE a little bit of clouds on the eastern horizon.

I started out fishing on the NW side, didn't have any bites.  Went down on the SW side low and behold I got toothy bullhead.  A little while later I had another one steal my Cubby.  In the wind it was kind of cold and I didn't really dress for it, so I gave up.

1st Bullhead of the Year

19" Glow Cubby Mini-Mite

5:30-8:00PM
Conditions: Warm and breezy out of the South, some clouds, some sun.  Thunderstorms popping up to the East and SE.

Tonight I went to visit Jenny to see her quilts after that the plan was to look at the lakes and maybe throw a line in the water.  I was surprised by how open the water was at Bulldog Lake.  I would say it was 15% Open.

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Looking to the NE from Access

Looking SE from the Access

Rock Lake didn't look open at all; The same with the East end of Platte Lake.  I was surprised by how open Sullivan and Platte were at the GOMH.

Platte River Outlet Area 85% Open.  Ice was in the area by the river mouth. And water was open well into Sullivan Lake itself.

Chanel Inn Bay and all the way past the South Island

With the amount of water the lakes should be open by some time early next week.  I was planning to leave to watch Survivor tonight, but it was so warm I decided to stay and keep fishing.  I was fishing in shorts and a T-Shirt under my Cabela's jacket.

You can see how low the water level is in this picture.

On a whim I decided to go and fish the Platte side where it was calm.  That is where I got the fish.

 It was quite a night with swans, ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes flying over making a racket.  It finally calmed down and the moon came out for a bit.