I Gots Me A Bullhead

7" Cubby Mini-Mite/Minnow

6:30-9:30AM GOMH, Bulldog, Rock
38-44℉, Partly Cloudy, 3-8mph W

So I took my first-morning open water trip of 2020 this morning.  I got a bite, finally. It was none other than a tiger bullhead; First time that has ever happened for a first fish in open water.  I got it on the SE side.  John W. showed up as I was posting to Instagram.  I ended up getting his phone # before he left.
I was back on the SW side ad I made a cast into the hay area.  The bobber was drifting at a steady pace in the wind when it just stopped moving and turned sideway.  Thinking it was caught on a weed I didn't set the hook.  I'm pretty sure I rolled a big jumper because I saw a lot of white.  That was my last bite.

I also tried Bulldog and Rock without any success.

In the afternoon I vacuumed out the Trophy and discovered some treasure I had given to Steve three years ago that he left in Florida when he moved up here the first time. Two Madd Maxx Frogs (Big Sexy and Bluegrass).

I should have done this last year before I put it in the garage

Score

Clear at Jenny's

Heavy Wave with a brisk SW Wind

The vacuuming took longer than expected.  It was filthy and I had to stop for a break to get something to eat.  Steve gave me an energy bar that did the trick.  After I was done I went down to the boathouse and discovered the rods that I accidentally left there last winter.  I had intended to go back and get them late last Fall, but it slipped my mind.

Because I didn't get out of there until after 5 o'clock I went straight home rather than fish.  I ended up eating a Porky Burger which held me up until after 7PM.  When I crossed 27 conditions turned nasty fast.  Heavy snow and wind.  I was like dang.  By the time I got to Church the sun was beginning to poke out.  I went to Bulldog first, nothing biting.  It looked like ice was still on 40-50%.  Then I went to Rock briefly, the ice was out.  I drove Platte Lake drive and could see ice in the North Bay and some along the NW side of the Big Island.  I then drove to the Platte Lake Public Access which was totally ice-free, so Platte Lake ice out is official at Bass Pundit

 

Loons Showed Up Tonight(4/2/20)

Two Loons tonight

Into Chanel In Bay

6:30-8:00PM GOMH NE SW
53-61℉, Cloudy, 3-15 ESE

It got warmer than forecast today with temps in the low 60's.  I opened the Tackle Warehouse up today because of it.   I got over to the GOMH around 6:30PM.  The first thing I saw was a loon swimming on the Sullivan side.   Some guy and his old man and little people were checking things out as I was getting ready.  He was hoping there would be open water to a boat access.  I started out on the Platte side, nothing.  I then went to the SW side.  Lantern Man showed up wondering if I had been getting anything yet. Shortly after that John W. showed up with his girlfriend.   I noticed a second loon off in the distance.  A couple of times the loon came up close, but before I could get a picture it was back underwater both times. They stayed until about 7:40 or so.  I ended the night back on the NE side.  No bullheads tonight. Frogs were chirping when I left.  Never heard a loon call.

No Tullibee, First Bass OTY in the Evening

8" Glow Demon Spoon/Mag&Wax

7.5" VMC Fly/Maggies

6:00-10:00AM Sullivan 24'
20-16℉, Partly Cloudy, 2-4mph North

Nobody was at the Sullivan access when I arrived.  I went to my Tul Hole waypoint and drilled holes.  I got one Crappie in the first half hour.  It was annoyingly cold before the sun came up, my guides kept freezing up.  At about 6:45AM John W. showed up just to the north of me.  I saw some nice Sunfish on the camera but couldn't get them to bite.  I went and talked to John.  He had one tullibee and filled me in on how the fishing has been this winter.  I went back and caught the Sunfish, which I gave to John.  Eventually, I moved to the Sunfish spot.  There was a pike swimming around there. Nature called so I packed up and left.
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10' VMC Fly/Maggies (Pink)

Half Way back to the Car

8" VMC Fly (Pink)

8" Glow Demon Spoon

5:30-8:30PM Bulldog Lake 6' and 9' NE Point
36-32℉, Mostly Sunny, 2-5mph N

There was somebody out at the NE point with an ATM fishing when I arrived.  Because of that, I needed to move the truck after I unloaded.  I forgot to take my cold-weather gear with me as I headed out to a new area to the South.  The ATV moved off of the NE point when a was about 75 yards out.  I started heading to the NE when I realized I hadn't brought the cold-weather gear with.  I wasn't happy about that.  When I finally got to the NE Island I used two holes from the guy that had just left.  One was in 6' and the other 9' right by where I had been fishing just slightly shallower.  I saw fish in the shallow hole so that is where I set up to start. The first fish of the day was the bass.  Lots of sunfish around and a few crappies most of which were swimming around out deeper where the camera was pointed.  I had a couple crappies come in and inspect my offerings and leave.  Saw pike a few times.  At 7PM I headed to the deeper holes.  Once again I could see crappies swimming out deeper.  I elected not to move.  Had a few crappies move through, but they were extremely fussy.  Only caught one.  Saw multiple fish nibble and spit. I should have moved out a little deeper both times.  The fish never moved shallower like I thought they should.

Opener #3 (Sun & Mon)

26" Speed Shad 3.5"

22" X-Rap Shad Shallow

21.75" X-Rap Shad Shallow

By the stinger 19.5" Rage Swimmer

15.75" Shower Blows (1st Top OTY)

8:00-10:00PM GOMH SW NE
58℉, Partly Cloudy, 0-4mph SW, High Water

Surprisingly nobody was there when I arrived tonight.  I went down on the SW side and picked up a couple of quick jumpers on the Vet Chatterjig then nothing so I went to the NE side.  Nothing much was happening there until about 8:40 when there was some boiling, so I put on the Shower Blows and landed my first topwater fish of the year.  John W. showed up as I was bringing it in.  He went to the NW side.  I commenced to whacking them for about 20 minutes then the action quit.  John said he got a bunch of jumpers this afternoon including a few good ones.  Neither one of us got a golden.  As I was loading up Lantern Man showed up.  We talked for a minute then I was off for Mille Lacs.

10:30PM-3:00AM North Eddy's Jetty
42-34℉, Partly Cloudy, 0-4mph SW

Nobody was at Mille Lacs when I arrived, so I went to the North Harbor Mouth.  When I put my tackle bag down, my Vikings sweatshirt fell in the lake, doh!.  By the time I was ready to start casting a local had shown up and took the Center Jetty.  I started with the Rage Swimmer and quickly had a fish on by the stinger hook.  A sign that the fish weren't going to be as aggressive tonight.  I walked down the Jetty and had fish following me in, but not hitting.   I sight fished with the X-Rap and got a couple of 22" fish doing that.  The other guy got an over and keeper, so he left. I went to the Grass Pig and had fish nipping at it pulling the plastic down.  Lantern Man showed up as I was going to get some more swimbaits from the car.  He had some Storm Swimbaits with him. I put on a 3.5" Speed Shad and was pretty much immediately hooked up with a 26-incher.  Lantern Man was impressed.  I then got a 21.75" and Lantern Man got a keeper, so he left.  I got three more eyes on the Speed Shad and lost a couple before I just ran out of energy and had to go home.  I also lost a Speed Shad in the rocks off the NW corner.  I broke the selfie stick, doh!

8 eye's, not a bad night when they really weren't all that aggressive.