Winter 20/21 Mille Lacs Walleye Regs

 

I caught quite a few in the 21-23" slot this Fall, so they are out there. I plan on giving it a try in open water off of the Jetty on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Vikings 2020, Not Playing Taps Yet

 

Wait...What?

After Beebe muffs the punt. All Carolina can do is get 3 points leaving the Vikes plenty of time. Kirk takes us right down the field leaving Teddy about 40 seconds. Teddy drives down the field, but they miss a 50-yarder. And just like that, the Vikings season is still alive.

The Ugly Berkley Frenzy Minnow

 Berkley came out with their "Frenzy" concept a little before the year 2000 if I am not mistaken.  They were what Berkley created in their scientific lab designed to figure out what got bass to react and trigger to best. There were topwater lures, crankbaits, lipless, and a jerkbait. The jerkbait, the Berkley Frenzy Minnow, is one ugly mofo that has a shallow and deep runner. It isn't a lure that ever really caught on with me until I discovered something about it this Fall fishing walleyes at the Jetty at Mille Lacs.  Something about this lure triggers walleyes that have passed up multiple presentations of other kinds. I have had this happen several times so it isn't a fluke. I wonder if it is the same for bass. I vaguely recall having that experience a time or two at the jetty with smallmouth but wasn't able to locate any posts at the log blog detailing it. I will have to give it a try with bucket mouths next Spring at the Grumpy Old Man Hole. Hopefully, I will remember to try it unlike my pledge last winter to use the Frenzy Popper more in 2020, doh!   

I Haven't Given Up On The Vikings Quite Yet

Well, that isn't true about me giving up on the Vikings. After the atrocious start, I figured they were dead in the water. Then came the three-game winning streak. And alas all hope was not lost. I did give up on the Vikings going into the Dallas game. I figured Dallas coming off of a bye getting the Vikes on a short week spelled a Vikings defeat and so it was. However, I don't think that loss doomed the Vike's playoff chances. I think the Vikes win the next two games. If that happens it's anybody's guess what the playoff picture will look like at that point. It's 2020, man.  
 

Last Trip In Open Water 2020, Maybe??

I started fishing around 7:30PM. I spotted a moving eyeball when I got up on Pete's Standing Rock. I made several casts to the area. On about the 6th one I caught sight of the eye's obviously tracking to my Tomato Jerk Sahd. I just let the Jerk Shad sit and yanked when I thought it grabbed the lure, which it did. I was glad to have the skunk gone. I wasn't really enjoying myself in the cold and the fish weren't biting so about an hour in I said to myself, next fish in hand and I'm leaving. I was fishing the North Corner just about to go back to the Harbor Mouth and give the Rage Swimmer Jr. a try when the 26-incher grabbed my Sexy Shad Jerk Shad. After releasing the fish I indeed had enough and quit fishing. Will this be my last open water trip of 2020? Not sure, all I know is that I really didn't enjoy the last couple of trips very much. The thought of grinding out walleyes in the bitter cold with freezing hands is losing its luster.

Bass Pundit Blog Turns Sweet 16

 

I may or may not get to 100 posts in 2020, but I did definitely make it to 16 years of blogging.

Will Mille Lacs Still Be Open Dec.1st?

I don't think I'll be able to fish at Eddy's on December 1st, but there is a chance. This forecast might actually turn out to be on the cool side of the temps we actually get.
 

Vikings 2020 Season Sign's of Hope, Maybe???

 

As my post at In-Depth Outdoors after the Vikes started 0-3 demonstrates, I have faith in Mike Zimmer as a football coach and leader of men. If the Vikes can beat Da Bears then there will be hope on the horizon for a winning season.  I'm not gonna count those chickens until they are hatched. Winning at Soldier Field has been a bugaboo. The young defense is still suspect and the Bears D is no joke. Should be a good test on Monday Night. SKOL!

Congratulations 2020 Elite Series Rookie of the Year Austin Felix

 

Austin had a fantastic rookie season finishing 7th in Angler of the Year. Great Job!

Halloween 2020

 

Pictures from Today

 

To Ice Fish or Not to Ice Fish? That Is the Question.

 The cold through Tuesday should have Platte Lake locked-up tight with possibly Bulldog and Rock being safe to fish as well.  I'm definitely thinking about getting out on October ice if it's safe. I've already snow blown the driveway, so why not. Not sure that the Expedition will be up to get me out though. Maybe I'll trade cars with Steve.

Thankfully it doesn't look like the Jetty is going to be ice-covered. So hopefully I'll be fishing out there next week after we get out from beneath the freezing temps.  

Pulled the Trophy 2020

 In light of the impending freak snowstorm today, Dad and I pulled the Trophy out of the water this morning.  If the forecast for the weekend holds Platte should be iced up in a week. I dropped my iPhone in the Lake and got a towel stuck in the winch. Other than that it went smoothly.

C'Mon Man, Winter Checkmate's Me

The forecast is getting worse every time I look at it. Taking the Trophy out on Wed's. Not sure if I'll be able to get one final bass trip in or not.Ridiculous!
 

Ten Years Ago Today, The Repo Man Got Lit Up at SPSI

 It was a memorable trip. After two straight skunks, I found them and capped it off with a couple of three pounders on top.