My Snatcher Whitefish Tournament Recap

  

Snatcher Chuck Takes 1st Place And Mr. Bass

2/8 Jackhammer/Goat (Junbug/blk/blue)

This walleye Tim hit just a couple seconds before my big struck

Conditions: 60-70℉, Mostly Cloudy, 3-8mph NE

The Day: When I arrived at the access it was quickly apparent that another bass club, The Gopher Bassmasters, were having a tournament as well.  There was plenty of room at the access and they blasted off at 7AM and weighed in at 3PM. Our times were an hour later so it all worked out. 

We were the last boat out, but easily beat Snatcher Al to Arrowhead Lake. We went to the far end of the lake where a duck hunter announced his presence shortly after we sat down by firing a couple of shots. I never saw where he was at way back up in the slop in the NE of the lake. We stayed on the SE end slop. I had what I believe was a pike miss my buzzbait pretty quickly. No bites after repeated casts. Tim put a nice bass in the boat at the start of a boat channel. We went all the way to the back of this boat channel with us both picking up a pike. While we were just getting started down this boat lane a non-Snatcher boat started fishing along the slop to the North. We fished a little ways to the North of the first boat channel then bounced to the West side of Arrowhead. Tim got two good bass, but it was really slow and I didn't get a bite. About 2 hours in we decided to leave Arrowhead.

We fished along a weedline just to the West of Arrowhead. Tim caught his lunker on a Chicken Jig and a couple of pike. We then moved quite a bit farther West and caught a few pike. Next, we went to Bertha and Tim got a keeper bass on his first cast with a blue Chatterbait. We didn't get a bite at "the dock."  Tim got his limit and I caught a dink bass on a spinnnerbait and a couple of pike.  We moved to Clamshell. Tim got a bass there on his very first cast and offered the front of the boat to me. I didn't take him up on the offer right away, like an idiot. Tim caught several bass over the next twenty minutes that didn't help him when I had finally had enough of being skunked and moved to the front of the boat when he did cull. I had the skunk out of the boat within minutes and had my limit in an hour and a half or so. Tim caught bass at about the same rate as me from the back of the boat by fishing much slower and having a lot of experience on Whitefish to know higher percentage casts. I think I culled one time at the front of the boat and then we came up to a Gopher and left to hit a deep weedline. I got a fish there on a Brovarny/Rage Bug that culled.

We went back to Arrowhead for the final couple of hours. I think Tim got a cull on the West end in the wind. I tried working a frog and a rat, but it wasn't happening. We then went East and Tim got a nice upgrade pretty quickly. I switched to a Toadz and missed a good swirl that never hit again. I got a few pike.  I got my final bass and a solid cull right after Tim missed a fish in the rice. We worked some awesome-looking pig water for our final 20 minutes of fishing, but it was dead.

Results: My fish weighed 10/15 putting me in 6th Place. I was the only Co-Angler to catch a limit, so I won my second Co-Angler Challenge in a row. I also clinched a spot on the Club's Super 6.  Snatcher Chuck won with 15/14 and earned his 14th Mr. Bass title. Younger bro Al got Lunker with a 4/9 fish that gave him the tiebreaker over my boater Snatcher Benson who also had 15/01.

My Thoughts: Weird day. I thought for sure everybody would come in with a limit. I was shocked to see just how tough it was. I am so thankful I drew Tim. I doubt I would have gotten a limit in anybody else's boat. Tim discovered what they wanted and had us in an area that was full of fish. The fact that I got to run the trolling motor for a couple of hours was huge. I didn't need to slow my retrieval speed to catch willing biters because they were seeing my lure first. 

I lucked out that neither Al nor Tim were able to fish at Pokegama. If either one would have fished that tournament I don't think I would have made the Super 6. This is the 3rd time I have made the Super 6, in 2011 I lost the tiebreaker to Snatcher Ludenia and finished in 7th.

Tournament Grade: B+
I had the good sense to come to my senses an go to the front of the boat. 

 

 

Snatcher Whitefish Plan and Rods

 The Plan: Hope that Tim's experience pays off; we are going in blind.

Rods' I'm Bringing:

7'4" H Tatula (Buzzbait)

7'4" H Tatula (Swim Worm)

7'4" H Tatula (Frog, Toad,Spinnerbait,Swim Jig)

7'3" MH LTB (Free Rig)

7' Avid (Texas Rig, Jig)

6'10" MH Tatula (Chatter, Jerks,Jigs)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Jig,Spinnerbait,Topwater,Wake,Chatter)

6'8" M Avid (Topwater,Jerks)

Spin:

6'6" MH Abu Veritas (Senko, Fluke)

Thoughts On The 2023 Baxter Bass Snatcher Tournaments

 

Bay Lake: May not return until after 11PM due to being down in the cities on Saturday. Hope I don't run out of energy. Hope to pre-fish it at least one time with Roger Ubl, maybe a second time with my boater. 

Tournaments Fished: 3 (12,15,18)

Best Finish: 2nd (6/2/12) Roger Ubl (Boater)

Best Limit: 15/11 (6/2/12) Roger Ubl (Boater)

Biggest Bass: 3/2 (6/2/12) Roger Ubl (Boater)

North Long: I just want to catch a limit. Haven't done that the last two times we have fished here. Also hope to pre-fish this one with Roger and maybe my boater as well.

Tournaments Fished: 3 (08,17,21) 2 Snatcher Mini-Bucks

Best Finish: 17th (8/23/08) Chuck Steinbauer (Boater)

Best Limit: 11/1 (8/23/08) Chuck Steinbauer (Boater)

Biggest Bass: 2/9 (In both 08 and 21) Chuck and Nate Steinbauer (Boaters)

Alexander: I like the lake. Will smallies be hitting topwater? I should rig up a wacky rig on a rocket bobber.

Tournaments Fished: 2 (14,19)

Best Finish: 18th Place (6/29/19) Tim Benson (Boater)

Best Limit: 10/1 (6/7/14) Chuck Johansen (Boater)
Biggest Bass: 2/3 (6/7/14) Chuck Johansen (Boater)

MN B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship Leech Lake Aug. 2-4.: I have been thinking about going to a BASS Nation State Championship for a long time, and it's probably now or never. I hope I don't get paired with guys using forward-facing and chasing smallies, but I will come prepared if I do. I pray we get favorable weather.

Tournaments Fished: 5 (09,12,14,19,21)
Best Finish: 10th Place (9/28/19) Paul Ruff (Boater)

Best Limit: 16/11 (6/30/12) Darrien Keifer (Boater)

Biggest Bass: 3/14 (6/30/12) Darrien Keifer (Boater)

Blind: I don't think there are any conflicts on Platte/Sullivan that day that will get it thrown out of the drawing. It would be nice to draw P/S to save me driving time, and I'm usually somewhat dialed in at that time of year.  I also wouldn't mind Edward, Fishtrap, Serpent, The Cullen Chain, or the Mississippi. Not so hot on Mission, Pelican, or Cedar.

The Poke: It's about time the Snatcher's returned to The Poke; it's been 7 years since we last had it on our schedule. I've never fished it in the Fall.

Tournaments Fished: 3 (08,12,16)

Best Finish: 13th Place, but only 14 guys went North for this one (8/6/16) Bill Bailey (Boater)

Best Limit: 12/8 (7/19/08) Bill Ludenia (Boater)

Biggest Bass: 3/7 (7/19/08) Bill Ludenia (Boater)

Whitefish Chain: Hopefully, it isn't windy, cold, and raining because The Chain is a fish factory. Wouldn't mind a little rain to keep boat traffic down.

Tournament Fished: 6 Snatcher Tournaments (10,12,14,16,19,21) and 1 Excel (04)

Best Finish: 10th Place (6/5/10) Chuck Steinbauer (Boater)
Best Limit: 14/02 (6/5/21) Hammer (Boater)

Biggest Bass: 3/5 (6/5/21) Hammer (Boater)

Thoughts On 2023 Snatcher's Tournaments (Tentative)

 

Sunday, June 4th, Bay Lake: This will be the fourth time the Snatchers will begin the tournament season on Bay Lake. I had a 2nd Place finish in 2012 with 15/11 fishing with Roger Ubl; In 2015, I had an 18th Place finish with 10lbs on a cold and windy day with Todd Berghuis; and in 2018, I had a 14th Place finish with a 10/01 bag fishing out of Chuck Steinbuaers boat on a rainy and windy day. Bay has never been a lake to produce giant bags, but it does kick out a lot of limits. The pre-fish I had with Roger Ubl back in 2012 was amazing with how many bass and pike we caught. Always happy to be going back to Bay Lake. I want to thank the club for voting with me to switch this one to Sunday, so I can make the tournament.

Saturday, June 24th, North Long Lake: This will be the fourth Snatcher Tournament and 6th overall (2 Snatcher Mini-Bucks). The previous three Snatcher tournaments resulted in 17th, 23rd, and 20th Place finishes. For some reason, I have struggled to get on the same page with the fish on this lake. Looking forward to cracking the code and getting a limit. I failed to get a limit here in 2017 and 2021.

Saturday, July 15th, Lake Alexander: This will be 3rd time I get a shot at Alexander. The first time was in early June 2014, and it went ok with me bringing in a 10/01 limit. The second tournament was in late June, and I struggled to get bites, only bringing in 3 small bass. Looking to get revenge here as well.

Saturday, August 12th, Lake Winnibigoshish: Who knows if this one will make the final cut. I have a friend who just purchased a place up that way. So it won't be the killer of a drive it would be if I had to leave from here. Rumor has it that Big Winni has big bass. Tuma has been trying to get us to go. This may be the year it happens.

Saturday, September 9th, Whitefish Chain: This will be the 7th time the Snatchers have visited the Chain since I joined the club. But it would only be the 3rd time fishing it in September, and the two previous times were later in the month. We got nice weather once and high winds the second time. If we hit it just right, this could be a phenomenal pick. It's post-Labor Day which will cut down on boat traffic, and smallies are still an option.

Saturday, September 30th, Pokegama: The club last got up to the Poke at Grand Rapids in 2016. All three times I have fished up, there have been summer tournaments. Provided it isn't a cold, rainy, miserable day, I also like this one.  I give this schedule two thumbs up. Hope nothing changes.

Bass Snatchers Tournament At Whitefish Chain June 5th

 

Tuma's 27lbs 4oz is a new Snatcher Record

3/5 Yum Dinger (Gum/Orange)

14/2 My Best Ever Whitefish Weight

13.55lbs What My Scale Says I Had

Boater: Dwight "Hammer" Hammermeister (3rd Time I've fished a tournament with him)

Conditions: 72-96℉, Mostly Sunny to Mostly Cloudy, 0-4mph SW

The Day: We started off on the Southside of Lower Whitefish, where smallmouth spawn and Dwight had a bunch of beds GPSed. . Dennis was sitting there when we arrived. A good sign. About 10 minutes in, Dwight had his first smallie in the boat. He was sight fishing. I started throwing topwater because there was some activity on the surface, but I didn't get a hit.  Dwight put 3 or 4 smallmouths in the boat pretty quickly, and Dennis had his limit in the first half hour. I got a hit from something small on the 

Crackle Jerk Shad that came off about halfway back to the boat. I put on a Bluegill KVD Jerkbait and got a couple pike and a perch on that. After about an hour, Dennis left. Dwight got his fourth and fifth fish off of some deeper beds, both quality fish. I eventually tried throwing a Ned rig to bedders but didn't have any takers. The wind put a ripple on the water, so we got out of there around 9AM. We went to a nearby point where we could see largemouth swimming around, but I couldn't get any to bite other than one small fish that I threw back that I didn't bother to measure even though it was close to 12-inches.

By 9:30, we headed to Berth to fish docks.  We spent an hour and a half in there with only one fish for Dwight to show for it. We headed to the Pike River Inlet area, and I finally got on the board with a quality frog fish, but that was the only bite we got there. So next, we headed up to Arrowhead to see if maybe the slop was going there. Dwight got a frog fish in the first 10 minutes, then nothing. I switched to a swimbait and got a 13-incher on that, but that was the only bite. I tried a swim jig and missed a bite that felt pikey on that. With two hours left, we headed back to the starting spot in the hopes that Dwight could upgrade with a smallie and contend for the win. However,  Dennis was sitting there again. We went to a nearby secondary area. I ended up picking a solid 2.5lb largie off of a dock just letting the Dinger sit on the bottom. With that clue, we headed to some nearby isolated docks in search of my limit. I lost a really good fish right away but quickly rebounded with a two-pounder and two more keepers.   I ended up culling twice, including one off the last dock we fished in a Hay Lake.

Results: My fish weighed 14/2 which put me in 13th Place. Dwight had 19/1, which was only good enough for 8th😲. Keith Tuma blew the field away and the previous Club Record Bag taking 1st Place with 27/4 and Lunker with a 5/3 smallmouth. Dennis got 2nd with 21/10. I guess the key for Keith recognized that the big smallies were still pre-spawn; thus, he was looking for cruisers, not bedders. His Co-Angler Dave Smith also had a 20lb bag.

My Thoughts: I came in expecting the fishing to be pretty good, and it was, for the most part. I did, after all, catch one of my biggest bags as a Snatcher and my biggest of the 6 tournaments I've fished there. It just took me forever to get on the same page as the fish, which was frustrating. Thankfully the heat really didn't bother me, and I was comfortable all day.

Congrats to Tuma; that was impressive. 

Bonus Picture

Official Results

Snatchers at Whitefish, My Plan and Rods

 

Will Whitefish be on fire tomorrow?  It is going to be hot temperature-wise for sure. I wasn't able to get over there to pre-fish. Hammer, my boater, got out there twice. We will spend time going after large and smalls. If the smalls are chewing, it will probably take huge bags to compete, just like the last time we were there in 2019 when Chuck Fields set the Snatcher All-Time Record with 23lbs of fish. Hopefully, Dwight and I will hold up in the heat, and fishing is good. 

Rods I'm bringing:

7'4" H Tatula (Swimbait, Swim Jig)

7'H Mojo (Craw Tube/Jig)

7'2" MH Tatula (Chatterbaits)

7'M Avid (Swim Jig, Spinnerbait, swimbait)

6'8"M Avid (Topwater, Jerkbait)

Spinning Gear:

6'6" MH Abu Veritas (Flukes, Neko)

6'6" IMX 782 (Ned Rig)

My Full Whitefish Tournament Report

Conditions: 50-66℉, Partly Cloudy, 3-8mph NE
Water Temps: Low to mid 60's

The Day:
Neither of us pre-fished so we went in basically blind hoping Alan's experience on the Chain would carry the day.  We got off to a pretty good start running across Whitefish up into Loon Lake.  My first bass of the day was a line burner caught on a 105 size Shower Blows.  The only topwater bite I got all day, but wind and weeds forced that hand.  I was surprised by the amount of weed growth in a number of areas we fished.  At the end of the first hour my boater Alan was culling as he got into a spinnerbait bite in the wind.  I managed to pull a 1.75lber off a dock on a 5" Yum Dinger while that was going on.

We moved up to the North shore out of the wind.  I caught a 13-incher on the Dinger casting towards some pads.  Alan spotted some beds and we drifted over a fish that was still there and Al caught it.  It was Al's biggest of the day (3/10) and only smallmouth.  I didn't catch any smallies.  I caught my biggest one of the day (2.50) shortly after Al blind casting the Dinger.  We continued fishing docks and pads until I got my limit and culled once which happened by 9:30AM when we left Loon on our way to Cross Lake.  One of the fish I caught had a Senko and hook stuck in its gullet.  I pulled the Senko out and the darn thing went belly up soon after.

Al decided to give Hidden Lake a quick look and he got three quick small upgrades.  I missed my bites and Al started losing fish as well.  After that, we hit some spots in Cross that yielded only little fish or nothing.  So we then went to Clamshell.  I think Al got one cull there.  I lost a couple of bites that felt like good fish.  We tried Bertha for a little bit getting nothing then headed to Hay to finish the day.  I missed a good fish and got a small upgrade on the bubblegum Super Fluke fishing docks.

I thought I had done OK, but boy was I wrong.

Results:
My limit weighed 11/13 minus 2oz penalty so 11/11 was my official weight which put me in 17th Place out of 20 anglers.  Alan was only 2 places better with 12/11.  The winner was Chuck Fields setting a new all-time record bag for the Bass snatchers at 23lbs.  Tuma tied the previous all-time record with 22-10 getting 2nd Place. The winner of the Co-Angler Challenge was Beau Bacon with 17/4 out of Tuma's boat.

My Thoughts: Not being able to pre-fish this one relegated us to the back of the pack.  We were the only boat without at least a 13lb limit and you had to have 15/8 to crack the top 10.  Neither I or Al anticipated that.  On to Lake Alex.

My Snatcher Whitefish Quick Report

The guys crushed 'em today at Whitefish Chain and Chuck Fields set the All-Time Snatcher Best Bag of Fish with 23-0. Keith Tuma apparently tied the old record with 22-10; At least that is what I thought I heard his weight was. I didn't quite catch my 12lb goal do to some poor execution. I think I landed in the bottom quarter of the field. My boater Alan Steinbauer faired a bit better than me but also had missed opportunities plague him. We had a good time so it's all good.

Bass Snatchers On Whitefish Chain Tomorrow

Tomorrow begins the 12th year of me fishing with the Baxter Bass Snatchers Bass Club. It's amazing how time flies.  Back in 2010, we opened up on Whitefish as well.  We were much farther along in 2010 and that tournament took place on June 5th. My boater is Alan Steinbauer and neither one of us pre-fished.  He's got a bunch of spots and the Whitefish Chain is loaded with bass, so I am sure we will catch our share.  Who knows if we will catch anything for size.  We probably aren't going to try for smallies much.  I better catch a limit and if I can manage to get up to a two-pound average I should be able to have a pretty good finish.

Here are the rods I'm Bringing
Tatula 7'1" MH (Jig/Swimbait)
Mojo 7' MHM (Chatterbait)
Avid 7' H (T-Rig)
Avid 7' M (Senko/Fluke)
Avid 6'8" (Topwater/Jerkbait/Swimbait)
Avid 6'8" (Topwater/Swimbait)
Crucial 6'10" MH (Spinnerbait)
Legend Xtreme 6'8" (Light T-Rig)

Techna AV 6' (Fluke) Dock Rod

Late Rod Add:
Tatula 7' MHM (Big Topwater)

Bass Snatchers Schedule for 2019

As I thought the tournament schedule got tweaked when we finalized it. Here are my thoughts.

Whitefish Chain: This will be the fourth time the Snatchers visit the Whitefish Chain since I joined the Club and the 2nd time it kicks off the tournament season.  Whitefish Chain, a lot of water with a lot of bass.  As of yet, I haven't been able to pre-fish The Chain with my boater.  Hopefully, that changes for this one.  It will be interesting to see what role smallmouth play.

Lake Alexander:  This will be the 2nd time I've fished a Snatcher tournament on Alexander. Club records suggest fishing should be pretty good. Also another lake with smallies.

Farm Island Lake: This will be the 4th Snatcher Tournament and 5th Tournament I've fished on Farm Island. (The Challenge Cup was held here last Fall).  Hopefully, the frog bite is on and my boater wants to fish it.

Rabbit Lakes:  Also the 4th time the Snatchers will be holding a tournament on these lakes since I joined the club.  I also have fished a Snatchers Mini-Bucks and Excel Bass Tournament on these lakes.  I'm a little bored with this choice.  Who knows maybe I'll get lucky and land one of those elusive Rabbit Lakes Smallmouth.

Gull River:  The Snatchers haven't fished here in a very long time.  I'm shocked it made the final cut.  This tournament is going to be a total wild card.  Hopefully, I'll draw a boater with some experience because I am clueless on this one.  I don't know what the Gull River consists of or where it is exactly.  I know in the past it was known for big fish, but not a lot of them.

Leech Lake:  I am always up for Leech. (Also the 4th time I will be fishing a Snatcher Tournament)   

Tough Tournament, Tough Year

Whitefish Lake Tournament 9/24/16
I didn't take any pictures.
7:45AM-3:50PM Lower Whitefish, Big Trout, Lower Hay
Conditions: Low 60's, Cloudy with light drizzle in the morning, Wind to Very Windy ESE

The Day:
I missed the only bite right at the boat on Mark's starting spot on a Piranha with a Chigger Craw trailer.  I don't think Mark got anything.  Next we went somewhere on lower Whitefish where a point comes out.  I got a 14.66" bass there on the Piranha and had multiple claws get bit off as well.  Next we went to a close by protected shoreline.  I got 3 pike pretty quickly on a white Booyah Spinnerbait, but the 3rd fish stole the lure. I think Mark got a rock bass off of a dock.

We next went to Big Trout to fish docks.  Mark finally got his first keeper.  I managed to get two keepers on a Yum Dinger.  My lunker (2/1) came off of a pontoon boat lift with a pontoon on it.  That was my last keeper of the day.  I also missed a fish that felt good when it hung me up on a wave runner lift on a craw tube.  I also got a pike on a weedline on the Craw Tube.  Shortly after I got the pike Mark had a nice bass get off as it dove into the weeds.

We went back to Mark's starting spot and got nothing again.  We spent the rest of the day in Lower Hay.   Mark also caught a dink off of dock then had another good fish get off in the weeds on the same dock.  Then the docks went dead.  I caught a 10" dink out over the weeds and Mark caught his 5th and last keeper with about 10 minutes left over shallow weeds.

Results:
My 3 fish weighed 5lbs 4ozs which put me in 14th Place out of 18 anglers.  Mark had 5 fish for 8/13 which put him in 11th Place.  The winner was Mick Ziebell with 17/1.  Lunker was a 3/9 caught by Swannie.  Whitefish fished tough and only 7 limits were caught.

I ended up finishing in 12th Place for the year, behind two guys that didn't fish in two tournaments. smh

Thoughts:
 Not catching fish sucks. For some reason the fish were tucked up well under the docks and the wind made making good presentations difficult even with Mark putting down the Power-Pole.  The day seemed to fly by as well.  Only caught two limits out of the six tournaments and weighed 26 fish out of a possible 36.  By far the worst fishing I've done as a Snatcher.  I didn't reach a single one of my goals for 2016 as a Snatcher.  But I did have a good time despite the poor fishing I encountered.

Congratulations to Chuck Steinbauer on his 12th Baxter Bass Snatchers Mr. Bass title.

Last Snatcher Tournament of the Year Tomorrow at Whitefish Chain

Tomorrow brings to a close my 9th year fishing in the Baxter Bass Snatcher Fishing Club.  We have 19 guys fishing at the Whitefish Chain.  It will be interesting to see if the fish are on the chew tomorrow of not.  The wind will be blowing out of the East for the third straight day and it will be cloudy and a little warmer than it has been the past couple of days.

I am fishing with Mark Munson who is courageously fighting a battle against cancer.  He has fished many tournaments on the Whitefish Chain over the years.  He caught some quality bass while pre-fishing.

My goal is to get a limit and place in the Top 10 for the day.

Whitefish Tournament Quick Report

16.75"

Caught fish and had fun. I think I was a within 2 pounds of the lead.  Nobody really sacked 'em today and Lunker was just over 3lbs.

Bass Snatchers Last Tournament of the Year Tomorrow

Well this year has gone a lot like last year for me in the fishing department of my life.  I got preoccupied with other things and I haven't done any fishing in the month of September.  That will change on Sunday morning when I will be fishing at the Whitefish Chain for the last Bass Snatcher Tournament of the season.  Obviously I didn't get to pre-fish with my boater, long time club member Herman W..  I fished my very first tournament in the Snatchers Club with Herman back in 2008 at Farm Island Lake.  He is quite a character and I'm sure I will have a good time whether or not we catch fish.

I need a motivation shot, because right now I could care less about doing well in the tournament.  I just want to catch a few fish, whether they be bass or pike it doesn't matter to me I'll be happy.

Update: I found my motivation.  This fish crushed it.

16.5" Jumpin Bullhead.

#TBT My 1st Tournament Out of the Trophy???

It's amazing how doing Throwback Thursdays can jog one's memories. I had been trying to remember for the longest time, exactly when I first came into possession of my boat, formerly Cyberfish's boat, the Trophy. I know from doing # TBTs that I had it for the Spring of 2005 when this picture was taken. However, I was trying to remember if I had it in 2004. But then I was tracking down my various #TBT for Facebook today when I remembered fishing at the Excel Bass Tournament on July 17th of 2004 on the Whitefish Chain. I'm now absolutely positive I fished that tournament out of the Trophy. Was it the first tournament I fished out of the Trophy? I'm not 100% positive on that, as I might have fished a Team Bass tournament out of it on July 10th, and there was a Fishers of Men Club Tournament around that time as well. But I do remember fishing the Excel Tournament out of the Trophy; I am sure of it.

Interestingly, I didn't fish out of the Trophy for a memorable tournament on Koronis Lake on July 31st with Team Bass, where my 6-fish limit weighed 20.44 lbs. I know for a fact that I fished that out of MT's old tin boat, the same one I fished the first two Excel Bass Tournaments out of that year. No wonder I had such a hard time remembering when I got to use the Trophy. I only had it sometimes, depending on the needs of GEM Camps. I wish I had started the blog earlier in 2004.

Bass Snatchers Whitefish Chain July 15th

We fished from about 7AM to 3PM.   It was sunny for the first couple of hours, then got cloudy until about the last hour when the sun came out again.

My boater Dave Branum and I were second boat out and we headed to the North East corner of Big Trout Lake.  I decided to start throwing a Paycheck Baits Repo Man and was rewarded on about my 3rd cast with a bass, but it jumped off just before it got to the net.  A few casts later I had another one on that got off half way back to the boat.  Dave then landed the first fish of the day.  Shortly after that I got a 12" squeaker and then I got another 12" squeaker.  About 15 minutes later I landed a quality 15.5" fish also on the Repo Man.  After that the topwater bite died and Dave was getting a few on a jig, so I switched up to a Strike King Ocho on a mushroom head jig.  I got a 13.25" and 12.75" on that.  


We moved to a sunken hump in the middle North part of Big Trout were I missed a good feeling bite on the Ocho.  We then moved to a close by weedline and I got 14.75", 13.25", and another 14.75"on a Blue Bruiser Crawtube and a couple that didn't help. We moved West to another weedline spot where we found rock bass.  Eventually we headed back to our starting spot as it sprinkled a bit.  I got a couple of shorts on the Repo Man, so I switched up to a gold Berkley Frenzy Popper and got a couple that didn't help, then I landed 16".  We moved back to the weedline in the middle North and I got a 16.25" and a 14 on the Frenzy Popper.  Caught a few more that didn't help on the Frenzy and Crawtube.  With an hour left, we headed into Middle Whitefish, then to Upper Whirefish where I caught a rock bass and a pike.  Then it was time to head in.


I ended up with 12/8 but one of my fish died so I dropped to 12/6 which put me in 12th Place.  My boater Dave only got 9/10, which put him in 25th out of 30.  The weights were up again this tournament with 12lb bags to 15th Place and 10lb bags to 24th place.  Last time we were on Whitefish two years ago in early June, my bag would have been good for 5th Place and the time before that in 2006 also in early June it would have been good for 6th Place.  Guys are catching them this year.   The winner was Dennis Lothspeich with 16/15 with an ounce more than Chuck Steinbauer.


My Thoughts:  I was a bit disappointed we didn't get any smallmouth, which I would have thought would have happened with those topwater fish up in Big Trout.  I think we might have actually seen a lake trout that came up to the surface and then swim right by us.   

Whitefish Chain Quick Report

The weather was favorable with light wind and clouds.  It seemed like people caught 'em good today as well.  I had fun catching my best fish on topwater.  The fish bit all day long.  I caught 12/8 minus a 2oz dead fish penalty.  I think I'm in the top 12 out of 30 but then again maybe not.

Bass Snatcher Whitefish Chain Preview

Honestly my head really isn't in this one with the back pain I've been having.  I think I will hold up OK.  I just hope my boater puts us on fish.  His practice sounded pretty mediocre and he doesn't have a great history at the Chain.  Sounds like we will be on weedlines all day.  If I can get 9lbs I'll be happy.

June 5th Whitefish Tournament Report

Saturday June 5th 2010 was my first Baxter Bass Snatchers Club bass tournament of the year. This tournament was held on the Whitefish Chain, which is about a half hour North of Brainerd Minnesota. The weather was overcast most of the time and we did have a couple of light sprinkles. There was little wind in the morning, but by afternoon it was blowing pretty good out of the West.

My original drawn boater had boat trouble, so I was given a new partner, Chuck Steinbauer. Chuck is "Mr. Baxter Bass Snatchers". I believe he has been in the club since it started in 1977 and has been Club "Mr. Bass" 10 Times. He has finished in the State Tournament qualifying Top 6, 29 times and he has won 35 club tournaments, including 3 of them on the Whitefish Chain. I had no doubt I would be around fish all day, but on the other hand Chuck has a reputation for being hard to catch fish behind.

Like most Bass Snatcher tournaments we blasted off about 15-20 minutes before the scheduled 7AM start time. We headed North out of Lower Hay for a short run to Delta Bay where Chuck had some rice and docks he wanted to hit real quick. I didn't even have a cast made and Chuck had a bass in the boat. I think it was under 12" thus to small to keep. The rice didn't give up anything else, so we headed to the docks, which gave Chuck a keeper or two.

We were quickly off to go look at some smallmouth beds. Another Bass Snatcher boat was at our next stop and he claimed that he caught the fish that were there. So off we went to another smallmouth spot. The smallies were not here either, but we both caught a couple of rock bass. Our next stop was again for smallmouth's in Big Trout Lake. Another boat was on Chuck's best spot and they told us someone else had already fished and caught a few off of where we settled to fish. We both started catching a bunch of rock bass and I got a little pike as well. Chuck did get one small smallmouth blind casting a senko and I think maybe he picked up one smallmouth off a bed with a tube.

Next we went to fish some docks and I picked up a 14.5" smallie on a electric chicken Zoom Super Fluke and a 14.75 smallie on a watermelon red&black fleck Strike King Ocho (senko). Unfortunately another club boat was coming towards us and so we took off and out of Big Trout. We stopped in a nice little weedy area in Lower Whitefish and Chuck pulled a couple of keepers, which were to small for his liking so we took off. We headed to another weed area in Bertha Lake which looked awesome, but I think only gave Chuck 1 little keeper and me a couple of rock bass.

Next we went to one of Chuck's bedded smallmouth and it was still there and Chuck caught his biggest fish of the day. Next we made a run up to Arrowhead Lake to go fish some docks. I thought the stuff in between the docks looked pretty good, but Chuck was quickly hopping from one dock to another. I threw a bubblegum Zoom Super Fluke into one of the holes in the grass between docks and promptly got bit off, so I switched rods to the Ocho. Chuck caught a keeper off a dock and had me go to the front while he culled. This was my chance to work the stuff between the docks and it didn't take long until my best fish of the day a 16.5inch 2lb 14oz largie ate my Ocho. Chuck got back on the front of the boat and that would be my only fish out of Arrowhead.

Next we ran to one specific dock on Upper Whitefish but nothing was there, so we went to check a smallie bed. As Chuck was looking for a fish on a bed I made a cast and had the pearl 5" grub tail bit off my swim jig. There was another smallmouth bed and I had found it. I didn't really have anything handy to throw back at the fish, so Chuck worked it with his tube and eventually got the 2 and a half pound smallie to bite. That was a critical gain for him and a critical bit of bad luck for me.

Next we went back to the first smallmouth spot we had stopped in the morning and there was a good fish there, but it quickly spooked and didn't come back. We worked the area and Chuck did catch a little smallmouth which did cull a smaller largemouth.

Chuck made the decision to make the long run to Cross Lake and on our way there we made a couple of stops on what I think was Lower Whitefish at some docks with rocks. In one of the spots I pulled a smallie that was just over the 12 inch minimum length on a swim jig and off the next dock I picked off a chunky largie that I thought for sure would keep, but it was just under 12".

So we were off to fish docks in Cross and although the fishing was off and Chuck chaulked it up as a mistake; I managed to fill my limit with a 13" largie and 12.75" largie from the docks.

We made the run back up to Whitefish and by this time the wind was blowing pretty good, so we headed to a saddle with rocks with the wind blowing on it. I picked up my wht/chart Mille Lacs smallie killer 3/16oz Strike King Spinnerbait and was quickly rewarded with a solid hit, which turned out to be a 16.25" smallie. Unfortunately I was unable to pick up anymore fish on the spinnerbait.

We went back into Bertha, and I managed a small cull with a 13.25 largemouth caught on a smoke tube. Once again we went back to that first smallie spot, but no one was home. So we went to work at our starting spot in Delta Bay, where I got a few pike to show themselves but that was it and the day was up.

My 6 fish went for 11lbs 1oz, which put me in 10th Place. (29 guys fished) This is my 3rd best showing out of the 13 Bass Snatchers tournaments I've fished and definitely my best start to a year.

Chuck had 12lbs 1oz which put him in 5th. We were the 2nd best boat in terms of total weight.

Getting Ready For Game Day

Tomorrow is my first Baxter Bass Snatchers Bass Club tournament of the year and it's going to be on the Whitefish Chain North of Brainerd. I've been on the lake 2 times and the 2nd time was a tournament where I got skunked; Yes skunked on a bass factory. I doubt that will happen again as my partner is Chuck Steinbauer who is one of the best bass fishermen in the whole state of Minnesota and has probably fished the Whitefish Chain a hundred days or more and has won several tournaments there.

This tournament is going to be my best opportunity yet in club competition to bring in some brown bass. Since joining the club 2 years ago we have fished 5 lakes with smallmouth, but on Serpent they were out of season (MN Fall C&R season), and on Gull, Pokegama, and Ida my boaters didn't make any attempt to fish for them. I will have tubes, senko's, and Flukes in case the smallies need to be finessed a little bit, but I'm really hoping they will go on more aggressive presentations like topwater, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and jerkbaits. If it turns out to be a smallmouth bed fishing deal, I'm not sure how that will work. I have pretty much zero experience sight fishing for smallmouth.

If the smallmouth give us problems my partner says we should have no trouble catching largies.