Operation Mystery Tackle Box Is Underway

12.5" Z-Man Shroomz Micro Finesse Jig/Crusteaz 

8:30-9:45PM Platte River Culvert, GOMH NE
Conditions: 60℉, Partly Cloudy, NW Wind

14.5" Jenko Premium Spinnerbait

So tonight the aim was to catch fish on as many of the lures I got in my three Mystery Tackle Box's this winter as I could.  I started out fishing the River2Sea Double Plopper at the Platte River Culvert and had something small hit it but not hook up.  The same thing happened when I went to the GOMH.  I got the first bullhead of the night on the Z-Man Shroomz Micro Finesse Jig with Z-Man Crusteaz trailer.  Then I put on the Jenko Premium Spinnerbait and got the biggest fish of the trip on that.

14.5" Jenko Spinnerbait

   I then put on the LiveTarget Hunt For Center Crawfish Crankbait and got a bullhead on that after switching from the 6'4" Avid X Rod to the 6'8" Avid Rod.

13.5" LiveTarget HFC Craw Crank

Last bullhead of the night came on the Savage Gear Armor Tube Worm.

11.5" Armor Tube Worm

I originally had it on the hook Texas rigged, but switched to wacky after missing a coupe of bites.  I got the fish, but lost the worm.  I then tried a Netbait Baby Mad Paca and missed a couple of bites on it before the skeeters became to much.

So basically I got 4/6 of Box #3 taken care of,  1/5 of Box #1, and 0/5 of Box #2

  4 Jumpers (4.96lbs)

Tough Conditions Caught A Few

14.5" Mad Maxx (Sweet Revenge)

6:00-9:30PM NW, Green Cabin Bay, Chuck's Point
Conditions: 62-50℉, Partly to Cloudy with some sprinkles, Very Windy WNW
Water Temp: 68-66℉

17" Outkast Swim Jig/Speed Shad

I started in the NW Juice and nothing was going on.  I took a picture of the pike because I wasn't sure if I was gonna catch a bass or not.  At about 7:30 I tried the rice field in the reeds and I got a 16.66" on Mad Maxx that I forgot to take a picture of after weighing it (2.53lbs).  I caught the 14.5" next ,a couple of casts later pretty close to the same spot.  I got one more small pike, before I bailed for Green Cabin Bay.

I made a cast up by shore in the junk and scattered bulrushes and a good fish showed itself.  Casting to it proved difficult.  It snapped at Maxx twice without getting it.  Bowfin maybe?  It finally got it on the 3rd hit but got off about 1/3 of the way to the boat.  Bummer it was a good fish whatever it was.  Had a few pike bites, but not much was going on.  I did get an 11" dink out of some pads on a Bobby's Perfect Frog.  I got over to Chuck's Point and got 14.75"(2.11lbs) largie on the Bobby's Perfect as well.  Clouds moved in and it started sprinkling, so I headed in.   With the wind at my back I got to 24 MPH headed back.

4 Bass (7.25lbs for the 4 I caught because I count every fish, no minimum length)
7 Pike

A Pretty Good Morning

18" Shower Blows Knock Off

5:30AM-12:45PM GOMH NE, Platte River, SPRO
Conditions: 54-66℉, Partly to Mostly Cloudy, Very Windy WNW
Water Temp: 69℉

I started off the morning at the Grumpy Old Man Hole with the Shower Blows knock off.  Wasn't surprised when it got hit.  Was surprised when it was a golden bullhead.  It even jumped like a jumper.  I didn't have anything to keep the fish in, so I released it.  I then got a 14.75" and 11.75" jumpers on the SBKO and I had a good one miss the lure as well.

14.75" Mad Maxx (Sweet Revenge)

I got this bullhead in the tube on Mad Maxx.  I missed a few hits on a Chigger Craw then got it snagged and had to break off.  I had one dink get off on the SW side on a craw tube.  Also was lucky a toothy didn't break my line with the way it was frayed. I stayed way to long, leaving at about 10 to 7AM.

I took the Trophy straight to the dam area in the river and caught a skinny 17.5" bass on my very first cast. I think I might have missed one more bite before I started moving towards the lake.

17.5" Mad Maxx

21.5" Mad Maxx

16.5" Mad Maxx

17.5" Mad Maxx

I caught some good fish in the river, but no giants.  It was really windy, so I did a lot of anchoring.  Then I would move with the "ice cream truck approach" to help keep the rice off the trolling motor.  I did get one bass on the Hack Attack Jig after missing a few.  I had to tighten the side screws which had come loose.

I told the fish this noise was the ice cream truck

Once I got out of the Platte River I drifted for a while in the Sullivan Platte River Outlet area and missed a few blow ups and caught a couple of 14 inchers.

16.73lbs for my biggest 6 Bass this morning

It was a pretty good good morning of fishing considering conditions.
19 Bass with 16.73lbs for my best 6
1 Bowfin
1 Golden Bullhead
1 Pike

Frog Fishing Again With My New Scale

17" Mad Maxx (Sweet Revenge)

7:15-9:45PM The Green Cabin Bay
Conditons: 76-70℉, Partly Cloudy, Windy out of the SSW
Water Temp: 72℉ water clarity is down some

I took off the clip it came with and added the Rapala Fish Gripper 

The ride to the West side of the lake got me soaked.  I decided to pull into the reeds across from Chuck's Point where it was calm.  Once I got into the inside weed line where there was a shade line I almost immediately popped the 17incher on Sweet Revenge and it weighed 3.24lbs.  First fish weighed on the scale.  I then caught a small pike and a 13.25" largie. I also marked a log on the bottom.  I started working my way back West.  I missed a couple of blow ups and lost what I'm pretty sure was a pike.

16.75" Mad Maxx

I only then caught this fish because that second hook hooked into it's lower jaw; Otherwise it would have hooked a reed and got off for sure.  I then got a 15.25" that hit it big, meaning I thought it was a bigger fish fro the strike and fight.  I then lost two big fish in a row in the slop.  I got a good hook set on the first one, but it came off in the slop when it started running towards me.  Then I had an absolute pig hit me out in a clearing in the reeds.  Unfortunately it got into some reeds and got off.  I then got my biggest fish of the night that measured 17.5".  For some reason the scale didn't register weight.  I turned it off and then on again.  Still nothing.  I turned it off and on again this time it weighed the fish, but I'm pretty sure it was off by at least a half pound to little.  The fish was every bit as thick as the first one and a half inch longer.  With all the confusion with the scale I forgot to take it's picture.  Oops

I took this pic about a couple of minutes to late to get peak pink.
That is Chuck's Point

I then landed a 11.66" and one last 16.66" out of the pads.

14.50lbs weight for my best 6

I'm pretty sure the 2.71 is wrong by at least half a pound.  I think I tared the weight of the fish and that's why it didn't read anything the first couple of times I tried to weigh it.  Then I tared away whatever weight it is off by.  Live and hopefully learn.

7 Bass (17.5, 17, 16.75, 16.66, 15.25, 13.25) For 15 something pounds
3 Pike

Frogging With Todd Again

16.33" Mad Maxx (Sweet Revenge)

6:20-9:40PM Jenny's Area & East of GOMH in the Trophy
Conditions: 80-70℉, Mostly Sunny thane cloudy with light rain and a thunderstorm just to the South, Windy SE.
Water Temp: 72℉

Todd with the 1st fish of the night

So Todd and I went out frog fishing again tonight.  I started out by trying around Jenny's.  We had a couple blow ups, but it was pretty slow.  Around 7:30 it looked like maybe a thunderstorm was coming, but there was nothing on the radar on Todd's phone, so I took us East of the GOMH.  Todd caught the first fish of the night; The hammer handle in the pic.  I eventually caught a bass on "Big Sexy" just as I was about to switch frogs.

15" Mad Maxx (Big Sexy)

We had fish around us, but they just weren't hitting.  That was until I put on the "Sweet Revenge" color Mad Maxx Frog.  I then caught two 14's in the span of three casts.   I caught one more 15" fish and then Todd got in on the action.

16" Ish's Phat Frog (Blue)

It started sprinkling.  I landed some 16 inchers.  It started rumbling just to the South of us.  It rained for about 15 minutes.  I think I got the one in the picture after it stopped raining.  The bugs came out.  We got to the GOMH and headed home.

7 Bass (16.33, 16.25,16, 15, 15, 14.75)
Todd got 1 Bass and 1 Pike

Guiding My Brother Todd Tonight, Lots of misses.

17.5" Snagproof Frog

6:30-10:00PM North Bay, Start Spot, NW Juice
Conditions: 71-64℉, Mostly Sunny, NW Wind turning calm around 8PM
Water Temp: 70℉

Loon out front of the Lake Place

When I was getting stuff ready in the boat the wind came up, which I wasn't real happy about because we were going frog fishing.  Fortunately it wasn't a wet ride north.  The wind made me not stop at double maidencaine like I wanted to do.  Instead we explored North Bay.  Todd had the first bite, but the fish missed his frog.  There was baitfish in the North Bay, but we didn't get any blow ups.  As we were heading back towards DM Point I had a blow up in the curly pond crap.  The fish missed it the first time then got it the second.  I didn't it had the frog and got a bad hookset.  It got off leaving me a big clump of curly on the frog.  I think we both missed blow ups on the point.  As we were getting over towards the Starting Spot.  I was heading us out to move when Todd got the 17 incher.

17.5" Snagproof Frog

Shortly after that we both missed a couple of fish.  Mine was a good one that came completely out of the water and knocked slack in the line so I didn't get a good hookset.  We both missed a couple more blow ups.

Around 8PM we moved to the NW juice.  I missed a hit right away fishing in the curly with some pads.  Todd then had a good size pike hit his frog.  Before I knew what was happening he was trying to boat flip it.  It came off.  He was lucky the rod didn't break as it was at least 6lb fish.  Todd then got a 14" bass.  Then he lost a couple of really good one's.  I caught a small pike, so I didn't get skunked.  I lost at least 3 fish in the reeds and had a couple pike misses.  Todd got a 15" bass.  On the way out I broke the trolling motor rope when I went to pull it up for the night.  Todd landed a nice pike when I was trying to figure out what to do with the trolling motor on a Terminator Frog.  I ended up pulling the trolling motor all the way up on the bracket, so it was out of the water and then tilting it back.

I would of had more fish pictures, but my camera was out of juice.  Forgot that I needed to recharge those batteries.  Oops.

Snatcher Mississippi River Tournament

A Top 5 Finish for Swannie and I.

8:00-4:00PM Zebulon Pike Res. Mississippi River
Conditions: 58-68℉, Mostly Cloudy, Windy NW

The Day:
We ended up starting right before 8AM, thanks to a Snatcher who never showed up.  The wind was blowing on our starting spot pretty good and there were a lot of trees so I didn't start with the Plopper like I planed.  Instead I think I opted for the buzzbait and spinnerbait.  I got my first hit on the spinnerbait but it was a pike.  I then got a rock bass and then another pike.  About an hour in we went back and started over just a little before where we started the first time.  I went to the dreaded Texas Rig.  Within the first 10 minutes and before we reached our starting spot Swannie landed the first keeper of the day.  I ended up getting the Chigger Craw bit off by a pike.  I never did attempt to throw the Texas rig again.  Swannie ended up having to break off his swim jig.  We were just about to move when I got a 15" smallie on the spinnerbait.  About 5 minutes later I overshot my cast and had to break the spinnerbait off.

We ended up moving to our second area and not getting a hit there.

Off the spot #3, a shallow flat with rocks, around 11AM.  Swannie was surprized the only boat fishing there was Tim Benson who I think was 1 fish short of a limit at that time.  Swannie put on a lipless crank and caught 3 quick smallies, 2 keepers and 1 dink that had to go back.  He also caught a walleye around the same spot he got one in pre-fish.  I tried to make topwater work, but the fish weren't having it.  Swannie caught another keeper.  I had seen enough and switched to a red craw 1/2oz Berkley Frenzy lipless that I have had success with in the past in rivers.  I caught a 13 incher.  I think Swannie then caught a catfish and Tim lost a big smallie.  I got my big fish of the day, a 17 incher.

Shortly after getting that fish I cast out the Frenzy and the line broke at the spool.  Just great.  All I had left was a 1/4oz red craw Frenzy lipless.  I put a cast up by shore and got a 13.25" smallie.  Swannie got his fifth keeper then lost a good one on a swim jig.  I had a good smallie on, it would have been my second biggest of the day, and fought it to the boat.  I thought I was going to get it in the net and horsed it a bit to much and it came off.  Totally my mistake.  Losing that fish cost me 3rd Place.

With about 2 hours left we headed back down river.  I got my fifth fish, a 13.5", out of our our starting area where the wind was just pounding with about 40 minutes left in the day.  Eventually we opted to move to the western shore to get out of the wind.  I had the spinnerbait get hit by a couple of small fish, but didn't have another shot at #6.

Results:  My 5 fished weighed 7 and a half pounds, with a 2/04 big fish, which put me in 4th Place.  As you can see I beat Swannie by an ounce. Tim Benson kicked everyone's butt getting 1st with 14/06 and the 3/11 Lunker.  Fishing was tough with only two limits weighed in. Ouch!

Thoughts:  I didn't know we were going to fish that shallow flat as we barely went on to it during pre-fish.  I only had the two lipless cranks with me.  I wish I had more of them and some square bills as well.  Both Swannie and I should of had our limits.  Swannie was a great draw.  Neither of us had a clue fishing was going to be so tough.

 I am off to my best start ever as a Snatcher, so there is that.  If I can just finish middle of the pack from here on out I should reach my goal of being in the Top 10 at the end of the year.  A couple more Top 10 finishes and I should have a great shot at making the clubs Super 6 and thus make this years Challenge Cup Team.

Next Tournament: North Long on July 15th.

Better Fishing Tonight And Quite A Story

18" Bobby's Perfect (Brown/Chart/Red)

5:50-9:40PM Double Maidencaine & Chuck's Point to the NW Juice
Conditions: 78-68℉, Cloudy to Mostly Cloudy some sprinkles and thunderstorm just to the North, Wind from Calm to windy SSW back to pretty calm then windy again WNW.
Water Temp: 72℉

The Schwan's guy didn't show up today or I would have been on the lake earlier.  I waited around until dad got home at 5PM.  Conditions were primo, so I was off to the lake right after dad showed up.  I was fishing before 6PM.  I went to Double Maidencaine first.  I got a small pike on the SK Double Buzz in the reeds as I approached the maidencaine.  I then started throwing the Bobby's Perfect Frog to the maidencaine and was quickly rewarded with the pig in the first picture.  Unfortunately it got hooked in the tongue.  It didn't bleed hardly at all and released just fine or so I thought.  About 5 minutes later a good fish jumped out in the reeds.  I went to see if I could catch it.  Turns out it was the bass who was struggling to survive.  I tried holding it upright in the water, but that didn't help. I don't think it was gonna make it and considered keeping it, but instead I just let nature take it's coarse.

Unbelievably that was the last hit I got in the maidencaine. I did lose one good blow up in the reeds towards the point.  Then the wind came up.  I landed a small pike then had to move because it was blowing pretty good.

I headed to Chuck's Point which was somewhat protected as the wind was out of the SSW.  I think I had a couple of pike blow ups on the point.  I tied on a Terminator Double Buzzbait and got a couple pike on that much to the delight of some kids fishing off a dock as I came around the point.  It got calm again as a thunderstorm rumbled to the North.  I got a 16.5" on the buzzbait and a 16.5" on the Bobby's Frog and got more pike on the buzzbait and frog.  I also missed some blow ups.  Then incredibly I spotted my Ish's Phat Frog, which I lost to a pike 5 days ago in the same general area.

Of coarse, I like a knucklehead didn't back up my pic's like normal then erased this pic when I wanted to resize it.  That is the screen shot of the thumbnail that still exists while the file itself which was in focus does not.  Lesson learned, always back up my pics when prompted to do so.  I can't even guess how the pike got it stuck on a reed 3 inches above the water.  Shortly after I took the picture and got my frog back the wind started up again, this time out of the WNW.  I got a 12" bass on the buzzbait and a couple pike and also lost a pretty good bass on it.  I worked my way over to the juice and had this dandy just annihilate the Bobby's Perfect.

Why I call this area the juice!

18" Bobby's Perfect

A much skinnier fish than the first one of the night.   Here's the two to compare.

I did get one last 15" bass on the buzzbait as I drifted my way out of the reeds.

11 Pike

6 Bass (18,18,16.5,16,15,12) 13lbs or so

Tough Day, Two Trips

18.5" Bright Spot In An Otherwise Tough Day

5:00-10:30AM GOMH NE Trophy GOMH to Loon Sex Bay fishing the South Shore and Docks
Conditions: 58-74℉, Mostly Sunny, Light West winds turning heavy around 9:30.
Water Temp: 69-73℉

9.5" SBKO

I only got the one dink at the GOMH.  I missed a couple of other hits on the Shower Blows knock off.  After an hour of that it was off to the Trophy.  I started by trying docks to West Point.  I had a pike on the Hack Attack Jig just beyond the last dock on the point.  I then headed to the GOMH.  I missed a good hit on the Terminator Poppin' Frog because I wasn't ready for it. I had a couple of strikes as I drifted East, but it was mostly dead.  I started fishing the docks with Ish's and the Monsoor Swim Jig.  I missed a couple blow ups on one dock and then I had the jig get bit off.  I tied on a black/red Terminator Jig and put an Okeechobee Craw Craw Fatty on for a trailer.  I got a 13" off a boat lift and two decent bass (16.33, 15) off of docks.  I also got a few pike.

16.33" Terminator Jig/Craw Fatty

The loon showed up right after I caught the fish

The wind really picked up making fishing the docks difficult.  I did try docks on South Platte Lake Drive, but didn't get a hit, so after fishing about 10 of them I headed in.  I arrived just as dad showed up with Kaylee.  I should have taken a picture of her.
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Evening Trip

21.5" Shower Blows (Bluegill)

 7:30-10:00PM The Docks and Reeds across the way
Conditions: 78-68℉, Mostly Sunny,  Moderate to Light  West wind
Water Temp: 72℉

Due to pizza and the wind I didn't get to the Lake Place until 7PM.  Caleb showed up and was going out to try for some walleye.  We put in at the same time.  I headed to the docks across the way catching a hammer handle on the first one.  I got a total of three pike off of the docks. I did get 12" bass off of "the dock".  I did miss a couple of hooksets as well.  I then headed to the North Reeds and drifted in getting a small pike on the Hack Jig with Boss Dog trailer.  I went onto the flat and got a small pike on the Strike King Double Buzzbait.   I then had the pike in the picture absolutely smash the Shower Blows.  Some blow ups in the reeds called me back in there.  I only got one hit in the reeds, but I made the most of it and landed it.

18.5" Bobby's Perfect (Brown/Chart/Red)

It was a tough day

14 Pike
6 Bass (18.5,16.33,15,13,12,9.5)