Northwoods Team Trail 2021 Website Is Up

 

They are a low-cost bass tournament option with in-person tournaments on specific lakes and virtual options. They aren't fishing Platte/Sullivan this year and I think most of the in-person dates conflict with my Snatchers schedule. If you are interested, give them a look.  

"When Will I See My Driveway?" #3

 

It slushed up this afternoon

Earlier in the day

Will the snow/ice be able to survive to Wed?

March 7th At the GOMH (3 Years Running)

2021

2020

2019

 

My guess is we will have open water at the GOMH by the 15th. In 2019 it took until March 19th. 2019 was one of the best years for me tracking ice out around here.

The Dude Did It!

 2022 Classic Bound and a big leg up on making the Elites. Congrats Tuma and Bre!

Update: The story at Bassmater.com.

Hoisting Blue! The First of Many? Amen!

Tuma Makes The 10 Cut with 20lb Bag On Day 2

Unfortunately, the BASS weigh-in feed was having issues and I gave up trying to get it to work, so I didn't see it when Keith weighed in with his 20lb 5oz bag. He just made it at the 10 Spot.  He is a little under 13lbs out of first. It is Florida, so anything is possible. He had the 4th biggest weight of Day 2. 

Bass Snatcher Keith Tuma Is Fishing The Bassmaster Opens This Year

 The first tournament of the year starts today at the Harris Chain. It would be so cool to see a Snatcher make the Elites. There is no doubt in my mind Keith is that good. Good Luck Keith!

There are a total of 8 MN Guys Fishing this one.

"When Will I See My Driveway?" #2

It got to 45℉ today. The driveway is still solid pack.  Lightning wasn't the best because I was going fishing and wasn't going to wait for the shadows to go away.

It's Gonna Be A While

 

I should take the spud with me next time to see if I can breakthrough.

Life In The Bass Lane with Josh Douglas

 Bri Douglas's production is fantastic!

Platte Lake Ice Out Prediction for 2021

It's that time of year for me to pick an ice-out date for Platte Lake. We have pretty good ice cover on the lakes right now and a moderate amount of snow cover. It looks like by this time next week the snow will be mostly gone.  I don't think there is much hope of beating last year's ice-out date of April 8th.  It does look like we are going to be starting March warmer than last year which makes me optimistic it won't be a late ice-out this year. 

I predict the ice will be off Platte Lake on April 13th, 2021

2020 Prediction April 8th, Nailed it! 

2019 Prediction May 9th Ice Off Date April 20th 

2018 Prediciton April 22nd Ice Off Date May 2nd 

2017 Prediction March 29th Ice Off Date April 1st 

2015 Prediction April 20th Ice Out Date April 3rd

2021 When Will I See My Driveway #1

Not today obviously. Other than where the cars sit there is no bear dry ground. I think we have about a 4-inch base layer over most of the driveway right now. I don't think it will get quite warm enough to turn it to slush until Thursday. A lot of melting this week. Pretty sure it will be ice-free by next Wednesday.

Congrats To Gussy!

 Affable Canadian Pro Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson won the Blue Trophy at the Tennessee River this past Sunday. He did it with smallmouth. The only guy in the field to figure them out.

March Will Be Getting Off To A Warm Start

I will start the "When Will I See My Driveway?" Series for 2021. Pretty sure it will be snow and ice-free by early next week.
 

2021 Fishing Goals

 

Fishing Buddies: 

1. Fish with Dad
2. Fish with Mike Thompson
3. Fish with Jim Bonin
4. Fish with  Mike "Spike" Miller
5. Fish with Jeff and Renee
6. Fish with Todd, Isabelle, and Mallory
7.  Fish with Kane Phongsavat
8. Fish with Jaimen Abrahamson
9. Fish with Dave Lindmark
10. Fish with Steve and Devin
11. Take Corey Hicks frog fishing.
12. Fish with Jamar at Eddy's
13. Fish with Eric Aske
14. Fish with Pete
15. Fish With Josh Abrahamson & Ashley Just

Dream Fishing Buddies:
1. Fish with Josh Douglas
2. Fish with Al Lindner
3. Fish With Nattie Up North

Bass Snatcher Goals: (Same Goals as 2020)

1.  Win my 1st tournament. (My best finish to date is 2nd Place.)
2. Get "Wood" in at least one tournament. (1st-3rd Place Finish or Lunker or Co-Angler Challenge) 

3. Get "Lunker" in a tournament.   (Preferably one over 5-8 to win the revolving big bass pot.)
4. Get paired with Chuck Fields.  (He usually only fishes a couple of tournaments a year so chances of it ever happening are not very good.  I may look into bribing Dennis)
5. Finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year. 
6. Catch a limit at every tournament of the year.  (I've done this twice, but in 2012 I only fished 4 out of the 6 tournaments due to a bad back.)
7. Pre-fish with at least 3 boaters.
8. List the Rods I'm bringing for each tournament before the tournament.
9.  Win the Co-Angler Challenge at least twice
10. Make the Challenge Cup Team

Technique & Tackle Goals:
1. Win something in Fantasy Fishing or Facebook giveaways/contests.
2. Officially Open the Tackle Warehouse this year.
3. Catch Fish On 100 different Lures (94 Lures in 2020)
4. Catch 25 fish on a Frenzy Popper
5. Catch 25 fish on a Stanley Phantom

6. Get A Hat Sponsorship

7. Catch bass cranking deep in Sullivan Lake

8. Keep a Lures Lost List

Lures Lost In 2021:

Bear Trax Glow Demon: |

9. Catch a bass on every frog in my arsenal 

1. Bobby's Perfect
2. Ish's
3. Ish's Poppin
4. Snag Proof Kicker
5. Snag Proof Moss Master
6. Snag Proof Bleedin'
7. Terminator
8. Terminator Jr.
9. Terminator Popper
10. Teckel Sprinker
11. Teckel Whacker
12. Spro Big Daddy
13. Spro Bronzeye
14. Spro Popper
15. Spro Sprinker KO
16. Spro Shad Sprinker KO
17. R2S Bully Wa
18. R2S Bully Wa 2
19. TT Mad Max
20. LiveTarget Frog
21. Booyah Pad Crasher
22. Booyah Toad Runner
23. BD Frog
24. BD Frog (big)
25. Evergreen Soft Shell
26. Blitz Frog
27. Sumo Frog

Blogging:
1. Blog about anytime I reach a goal.
2. Record all fishing trips at Fish Swami
3. Fish at least 200 days and blog about them

Fish Goals:
1. Catch* 4,000 Fish (3,051 caught in 2020)
2. Average 5 fish caught per hour. (3.92 in 2020, 4.40 in 2019, 4.07 in 2018, 3.99 in 2017, 4.08 in 2016, 3.62 in 2015, 3.55 in 2014, 4.41 in 2013, 4.31 in 2012, 2.77 in 2011)
3. Have a 100 fish day.

4. Catch Devin's Birthday Bullhead On May 20th
5. Catch A Fish Every Month
🗹January

🗹February

🗹March

Crappie:

1. Catch a new personal best. (Currently 14.25")
2. Catch* over 600 this year. (Caught 217 in 2020)

3. Catch my personal best number of crappies.

Dogfish:
1. Win my 3rd Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Championship
2. Catch an MN State Record fish. (11-4  or 35" x 20")
3. Catch a new personal best.
4. Get the Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Championship stuff done in a timely manner this year.

Pike:
1. Catch* over 1,000 this year. (Caught 927 in 2020)
2. Catch a 38" or over/personal best.

Bass: 
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Largemouth (6.5lbs/21" PB)
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth (20.5" PB)
3. Catch* over 1,500 bass this year. (Caught 1,293 in 2020)
4. Catch* at least 25 smallies.  (I caught 4 last year)
5. Catch a 25lb 6 Fish Bag
6. Have a 50 bass day 

7. Catch over 500 bass on Frogs
8. Catch 5 bass over  5lbs/20-inches

9. Catch 25 bass over 4lbs/19-inches
10. Get Steve and Todd at least one 4lber

11. Get Belle, Mallory, and Devin a frog fish.

Walleye:
1. Catch at least 100. (Caught 202 in 2020)
2. Catch 30"/10lber or new personal best. (28.5 is PB)

* Catch is anything I deem it to be including follows by pike or smallmouth (while pre-fishing), a pike missing my lure, fish viewed on the Aqua View, and fish that get off before I have them in hand that I can positively identify.  And fish caught by people I am guiding or boater during pre-fish.

A goal that I reached is in bold.
New for 2021 in italics.

New Fishing Goals for 2021, Preview #4

I have several new goals in the Bass category this year, they are:

Catch over 500 bass on Frogs
Catch 5 bass over  5lbs/20-inches

Catch 25 bass over 4lbs/19-inches

More from this category tomorrow. 

Fantasy Team For the Tennessee River Elite

 I went with 3 blue-chippers in their respective buckets: Palanuik, Wendlandt, and Auten. Switched out Scott Martin for Card when I saw Brandon's low ownership percentage. Card is originally from the Knoxville area. Just have a feeling about Benton. My feelings got hurt picking Koby Kreiger at St. Johns.

New Fishing Goals for 2021, Preview #3

 

Comes from the crappie category and I have already achieved it. Every crappie I catch from now until the end of 2021 will be a new personal best for the number of crappies caught in a year 

Fishing Goals for 2021, Preview #2

 One of my new goals for 2021 is to catch a fish in every month of the year.  I didn't wet a line in January or February in 2020. I didn't catch a fish in four months of 2019. I didn't catch a fish in April of 2018. So 2017 was the last time I caught a fish in all 12 months.

Fishing Goals for 2021 Preview #1

I am planning on publishing my fishing goals for 2021 on March 1st. I think I will preview a few of my new goals for this year before I release them in their entirety next Monday.  I did my first fishing goal list here at Bass Pundit back in 2006. I didn't blog another list of goals until 2016. I have done it every year since always releasing them in March.

Under Technique & Tackle Goals I plan on adding 7 new goals for 2021. Among them are catching fish on at least 100 different lures, catching at least 25 fish on a Berkley Frenzy Popper, and catching a bass deep cranking on Sullivan Lake.  

I have only caught fish on a hundred different lures once in my life; That was in 2017. Every year since 2017 I have caught fish on 90 something different lures. I don't know how many different lures I own, but it's got to be north of 250. I've got at least 30 different hollow body frogs. If I've got 'em I might as well use 'em. The Berkley Frenzy Popper is a lure that fell out of favor with me because it doesn't cast as far as some others and deep cranking fell off my radar after moving north. I think I've tried it only once or twice unsuccessfully on Sullivan.  

 

Strike While The Iron Is Hot

I have been racking up my crappie numbers and fish caught per hour in February.  The idea is to strike while the iron is hot and drive my fish numbers through the roof while I can. I am on track to beat my previous record month for Fish Caught Per Outing which is 34 from January 2017. And it's all but certain I am going to beat my record for crappie caught in a year, which I think is 515 which also came in 2017. The higher I keep my Fish Per Hour in the winter the more likely it will be that I finally break the 5 Fish Per Hour Goal I have been chasing since 2017.   

Hellabass Had The New Elite Champ Brian New On For the First Hour Last Night

 Oklahoma's Worst Angler is on the second hour.

Back On the Ice After 11 Days

 

 

Ice is 20+

8.5" Glow Demon/Minnow

4:30-6:30PM 16' 2021 Hole

-5 to 5℉, MS, 0-3mph S

It was cold out, but the sun was shining and there wasn't much wind so I went fishing. Drove out to my area. Hands got cold while I was drilling holes, had to get the choppers out. Ice was a good 8-inches deeper maybe more. Got set up and it was so warm in the house I eventually took my jacket off. Couldn't get the old Aqua-Vu to work. Wasted at least 20 minutes on that. I did eventually put the Aqua-Vu 5c down, but there were only about 15-minutes of good light for me. Saw a couple of crappies and a perch.  The first crappie took the minnow, but fish were way more active on THE Jig. Got one crip on the Glow Demon Spoon. The bite shut down at about a quarter of 6PM. I got a few stragglers after that. It was cold while packing up.

21 Crip

1 Perch

St. Croix Victory It Is

 

Interesting that they are only releasing 1/3rd of the models, to begin with. 12 of the models will be different from anything from what St. Croix is currently offering apparently.

See current the list of models here.