Saturday, May 28, 2016

2016 Bass Opener Outlook


Well it's Memorial Day Weekend.

The catch and release season has definitely taken away some of my enthusiasm for the Bass Opener.  It doesn't help that the GOMH is barely hitting on a cylinder at this point due to low water and rain is in the forecast for today.

I think I'm going to hit the Grumpy Old Man Hole for the first hour or so, then quickly try Bulldog, then Mille Lacs. I may get over to Bulldog in the Slop Slip as well.

Not sure what I'll do for Sunday and Monday

If I can get 20 bass the three day weekend I'll be tickled.

Well, I've got to grab some Storm WildEye Swimbaits out of the Tackle Warehouse and throw the Excel Rod rod in the car.  I still haven't officially opened the Tackle Warehouse this year, oh well.  Maybe this week as I've got my first tournament of the year next Saturday.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Sight Fishing Smallies on Mille Lacs And A Muskie Follow (May 17th)

19.5" b/b Chigger Craw
4:00-8:00PM Mille Lacs off tip of Center Jetty
Conditions: Calm, 70 degrees, mostly sunny perfect for sight fishing.

I went to Reeds to pick up the shirt I got for entering a Facebook contest then headed to Eddy's.  Here are the rods I brought with me.
 I started out throwing topwater and was so distracted by doing that that I failed to notice what kind of visibility there was;  I could see out a 35 to 40 feet off the tip.  When I did notice I saw two big smallies and a 14-15" one.  They weren't interested in the Phantom.  So I tried a Slush Minnow.  One of the big smallies eyed it for a little bit, but never went for it.  Next I went to the Chigger Craw.  The little one showed some interest, but never went for it.  The same with one of the big ones.  Then they left after I had been fishing for them for about half an hour.  About 15 minutes later four 17 inch class smallies came swimming through from the SE to NW.  They didn't show any interest and were mildly spooked when a cast landed.  They left in about 2 minutes to the NW.  About a 15" largemouth came from the SE and swam into the North harbor.  I had my jerk bait suspending right in front of it.  But it looked at it for a little bit then continued into the harbor.  A 12-13" smallie came in from the NW and left in the same direction after getting spooked.

I didn't see anything for about half an hour and went up for one last look when three 17' class fish swam into sight from the NW.  I made a cast to them and they initially spooked, but  two of them quickly turned around to investigate.  I hadn't noticed that a 4th smallie came in with them.  I finally noticed him when it picked up the bait as a smallie I was watching went to try and steal it.  I set the hook and played the fish across the Jetty into the South harbor where I landed it.
17" Chigger Craw
When I got up on the Jetty there was a bigger fish a little bit off to my right (SE).  It was just on the edge of the rocks and the South harbor channel.  I made a cast about 10 feet to it's SE.  It spooked for about 2 feet then turned back toward the Chigger Craw when it got back within 10 feet, I hopped the craw and it sped right over and grabbed it.  She did some good head shakes on the surface, but I landed it.  It was full of spawn, probably just under 5lbs.  It is the one in the first picture.

There was nothing for quite a long time and I threw various topwater lures including the cool Salmo Bass Bug.  Which is basically a floating round rock with a lip and a single treble hook.  Darned if that little bug doesn't throw a wake and sound like a small buzzbait.  It didn't attract any bites or lookers.

What did attract a fish was a chart. 1/2oz Rippin Rap.  I could see something trailing it.  But that was no smallmouth.  It was a 40" ski and it nearly caught the Rap before I jerked it away.  The thing then stared me down.  I thought if your gonna do that then I'm going to get a picture of you and I went back to get my camera.  By the time I got back up on the rocks it was swimming off to the NW.   I put my sun glasses over the lens and this was the picture I got.
     Darn camera went on the Fritz.  By the time I got it working right the fish was gone.

I did take this next pic to show how close it came in.  I got a really good look at the fish.
One or two more small 12ish smallmouth's came through, but were spooked easily.  I packed up at 8PM because visibility was deteriorating and I wanted to get back to my area Lakes.

Here is the set up I got my fish on tonight.
TD-Z Type R
St. Croix Legend Xtreme 6'8" Medium XFast.  The rod is a medium light compared to the Avid, but quite a bit more sensitive.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Opener Gold! GOMH Not So Much

25" Rippin Rap (6) Perch
Midnight to 4AM
Conditions: 38-33 degrees, Windy out of the North, Cloudy turning partly cloudy,  it sleeted for about the first hour.
We have groppel
When I arrived at midnight and saw the conditions I thought this is something I can work with.  Waves were coming in hard out of the North.  I put on a Rippin Rap.  After one color change it was fish on.
Same fish as first picture.
I was lucky to land her as she slipped out of the net.  I dragged her on shore by the lure that was hung in the net.  Once she was just barely safe on the rocks she came off.  I decided to do the netting from the dock after that episode.  I missed the next bite I got which felt like a good one.  For the next three fish no net was needed.
13"

12.75"

13.75" Grass Pig
I decided to throw the X-Rap off of the dock and was rewarded with this 22" fish.

22" X-Rap Albino Shiner
After this next fish I was getting cold so I went to the car for a half an hour to warm up.
23" Strike King KVD Jerkbait Bluegill
After getting back from warming up I promptly backlashed cutting my line at the reel.  I quickly grabbed my Mojo Crankster and another different colored KVD Jerkbait and started casting hoping to catch my line.  I caught the biggest walleye of the night instead.
25.5"

KVD Jerkbait Strobe Shad
After not connecting with my line and not getting anymore bites on the KVD.  Some people from the resort came out and asked what I was fishing for and if I was having any luck.  I tried a few different lures finally connecting after several missed hits on an Ultimate Jerk Shad.
13.75" H2O XPress Jerk Shad
 It was coming up on 4AM and I was getting cold again, so I decided to head home, pick up some bass stuff and head to the GOMH.  That move didn't pay off.  I didn't catch anything and only saw three small toothy's get caught.  Nothing at Bulldog and Rock as well.  I called it quits at 7:00AM

I put new Fireline on the Mojo Crankbait Rod

Friday, May 13, 2016

Bass Pundit's Outlook For 2016 MN Fishing Opener

2015 Eddy's Jetty
Fishing Opener is here again and it's going to be a cool/cold one.  I am going to be in full ice fishing gear.  I plan on starting at Eddy's Jetty at midnight.  I am optimistic about my chances of catching a walleye or two.  Wind is supposed to be out of the NW so I should be able to throw my baits out quite a ways.   I am going to start by throwing a Rippin Rap.  I also plan to throw Grass Pigs and various jerkbaits.  I will probably bring minnows along but don't plan on fishing them.

How long I stay will depend on the fishing.  I will probably hit the GOMH at 4:30AM. Hopefully temps will stay above freezing, but Weather.com says it's getting down to 28 degrees.  Hopefully I will be able to get some kind of bullhead.  I will probably hit Rock and Bulldog as well.  I am not planning on taking the Slop Slip out this weekend and the Trophy is still in storage.

Depending on how Saturday Morning goes I may try heading to the East side of the Lake for Saturday night.


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

300

11" Glow Demon w/minnow
I have now reached both of my goals for crappies this year.  Thanks to the weather this year reaching 300 came a little more difficult than I would have liked, but eventually I got there.  The two I got last night put me at 301 caught for the year.