The Day Has Come

 

A totally closed bass season is now a thing of the past in the State of MN. Here at Bass Pundit, I have been advocating for this change since my very first year of blogging. Here is my very first post on the subject.

Pundit Activism

Baxter Bass Snatchers 2026 Tournament Schedule (Tentative)

 

Last Saturday, we picked dates and lakes for the upcoming tournament season. The schedule will be debated and finalized at our February meeting.

Sunday, May 31st, Platte/Sullivan: Like I said in my tournament wishlist post, I would prefer a tournament on my lakes later in the year. If it is post-spawn, the lakes can be tricky if the fish are off. That said, I have had some really productive days in late May and early June, and thanks to being able to target bass right from ice-out, I should have a really good idea of productive areas. Will the Chicken play? Will I finally be able to beat out Tuma?

Saturday, June 20th, Big Birch (Grey Eagle): We fished this lake in my very first year in the club, 2008, and we haven't been back since. I really liked the lake. It has smallmouth and clear water. I hope this one stays.

Saturday, July 11th Gull /Crow Wing River: This was my suggestion, and it beat out all the other lakes we came up with in the vote. Tuma said later is better here. So at the next meeting, I am going to make a motion to switch it with Pelican or Leech.

Saturday, August 15th, Pelican Lake: I may have to stock up on a certain color of craw tubes for this one. Judging by my pre-fishWill the Chicken Play?

Saturday, September 12th, Leech Lake: Hopefully it stays at Leech, it doesn't blow hard that day, and water levels are normal. Will smallies play?

Saturday, October 3rd, Gull Lake: Gull Lake has been on fire the past few years. Will it continue? Will they bite the Chicken?

Weather For the First Half of February

 

I'm back-dating this post by a day. Today is Monday, February 2nd. As of a couple of days ago, the long-term forecast trend suggested mostly cooler-than-average temperatures. Yesterday, that changed to being close to average, and today it switched to average to slightly above average. I'm guessing that the lack of snow cover in wide open spaces has something to do with it. It seems like most snowstorms this winter have come with a lot of wind, so if there isn't a windbreak, the snow depth is really shallow in a lot of places. And to the South, there isn't much snow at this point. I will not do my Platte Lake Ice Out February Spit Ball until more toward the middle of the month.

Last Day Of January At The GOMH

 

It was in the teens today. I took the picture on my way home from Brainerd. Today was our first Baxter Bass Snatcher Meeting of 2026. Platte/Sullivan will host our first tournament of the year unless it gets changed at our February meeting.

2026 Wishlist For Bass Snatcher Tournament Lakes

 

Saturday will be the first Baxter Bass Snatcher meeting of 2026. We have six tournaments and do not fish a lake in back-to-back years. Last year, we fished at Birch (Hackensack),  Mississippi River (Brainerd), Edward, Rush, Fish Trap, and North Long.

Here is my wishlist for lakes .

Platte/Sullivan: It has been 5 years since the club last fished my lakes. In 2025, Platte/Sullivan bounced back after a rough year for me in 2024. There are plenty of good-sized bass around in both lakes. I say, "Let's go!", I think I would prefer it be a July, August, Sept, or Oct tournament because May/June post-spawn is to big of a wild card.

Gull/Crow Wing River: I need to catch a limit in a river tournament, and Gull River has bigs.
Whitefish Chain: Solid, diverse fishery.

Gull Lake: I think it is still kicking out big bags.

Serpent Lake: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Rabbit Lakes: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

South Long Lake: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Farm Island: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Pelican: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Alexander: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Bay Lake: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Cedar (Aitkin): Facing my fears head-on, even though this lake hates me.

Away Lakes: In order from the longest since we last fished there.

Woman: Last time the club fished it was 2015.

Fishhook: Last time the club fished it was 2016.

Washburn: Last time the club fished it was 2018.
Leech: Last time the club fished it was 2021.

Thunder: Last time the club fished it was 2022.

Pokegama: Last time the club fished it was 2023.

Little Boy/Wabedo: Last time the club fished it was 2024.

Osakis: Last time the club fished it was 2024.

GOMH Today

 

Totally Iced Up

Weather Changes, The Historical Record Not So Much

 

The days have been getting longer for a month. The historical record indicates it takes a month to sync up with the lengthening day before average daily temperatures start rising again. This year, we are entering a polar vortex, which means brutally cold temperatures, and it looks like it will be quite a while before we get anywhere near temps approaching average, let alone average. I'm hoping for a turnaround once February hits. As of right now, it looks like that is just wishful thinking.

Update 1/29/26: The February and March forecasts right now say both months will likely be on the cold side in MN.

2025 Record Year On The Z-Man ToadZ

 

I caught 1,011 fish on a Z-Man Goat ToadZ in 2025, making it my most productive lure in a year, and it isn't even close. The previous best was 701 caught on T.H.E. Jig in 2021. My first fish caught on the ToadZ in 2025 was on May 13th. Here is the species breakdown:

From One Year Ago Today

 My Verdict: The Vikings' brain trust fumbled with the decision to go all in on McCarthy. It is clear that in the 2025 season and into the foreseeable future, Darnold will be a top QB in the league. I trusted them to do the right thing, and they blew it.

The Vikes got outcoached badly in their final two games. It is hard for me to feel too bad about the outcome. KOC is a great coach but has a lot to learn. I am not going to jump on the kick Sam when he is down bandwagon for it is for fools. Super Sam is still in there. And now it is quite possible that he can be resigned for a reasonable amount, think Baker Mayfield type contract. Kwesi and KOC know what they have in Sam. I will be shocked if they let him leave. If he does leave I think it will be to the 49ers or Rams. That would suck!

GOMH Today

 

First Fish of 2026

 

I finally got out fishing in 2026. I decided to go to Rock instead of Peavy. Ice fishing is such a PITA, when I am in exploring mode. I was inefficient and rusty, wasting good daylight, when I should have just set up when I found a pile of sunfish. 

JJ McCarthy Crashed Himself

 

My final grade for JJ McCarthy this season is an F. 

After getting injured in Green Bay, I was of the strong opinion that I had seen enough. He was not, at this time, ready to be an NFL QB and should have been benched for the rest of the year, as nothing good would come of him starting more games. I predicted at the time that it was likely he would go into a regression spiral and be re-injured. After two weak performances versus subpar teams, He surprised me with his play versus the Cowboys, but that game was an outlier.  The Cowboys' D made most QBs seem like all-pros this year. He played like a maniac and got injured in the next game versus the Giants as I predicted he would. 

The number one ability that a player must possess to get better is availability. If JJ McCarthy plays like a maniac, it is pretty much a guarantee that he will get injured. The kid demonstrated multiple times that he does not understand this reality. The kid is an immature idiot like Johnny Manziel, somewhat physically gifted, but this is the NFL; as in Not For Long. Maybe the kid will grow out of the immaturity of making dumb decisions. I have near-zero belief that JJ will grow out of the poor risk assessment and decision-making this offseason. It is my view that he needs to sit, with limited in-game reps, for at least another full season. The physical risk assessment skills are that bad. He thinks he can do things he absolutely shouldn't try when safer, wiser options are readily available.

So what do the Vikings do for QB next year? There are a bunch of avenues available. Believing that JJ McCarthy will  be a competent starter next year is a dead end, in my opinion. The Vikings' brain trust needs to come up with a new plan for QB and Center for next year.

Seahawk Sam Darnold Get's the NFC #1 Seed

 If the Vikings' brain trust had gone all in on Darnold last offseason, I think it's possible, but not probable, the Vikes would have gotten the #1 Seed. I think it's probable that the Vikes would be in the playoffs if Sam didn't get injured. But that is a big IF, because the Vikes O-Line play was subpar for most of the year. I don't know if keeping Uncle Sam would have been a magic bullet or dud round had he stayed. In Seattle, he survived and thrived with some questionable line play. I'm rooting for the ginger to put the critics, cynics, and haters in their place. Darnold seems like a good dude. 

Go get that Super Bowl Ring!   

My P/S Juice in 2025

 2025 was a bounce back after tougher fishing in 2024. Platte Lake is on the road to recovery after the winterkill in 2023. Here is where I caught my fish in 2025. Primarily bass and pike. The number in the circle is the number of fish caught there.

First up is for the trips I fished in both lakes during the trip.

My Platte map shows I caught a bunch of fish off the dock, which is on the East side of the lake. That the fishing on F Flat has gone to crap, and that Big West Bay was more than just a flash in the pan. Big West was alive with life. And that I caught a fair number of fish on docks, which hardly happened in 20204.

And lastly, there is Sullivan, which doesn't get many trips all by itself: 

Aqua Vu Search On Sully Comes Up Almost Empty

 

9:00-10:40 AM Sullivan Lake

24-36℉, Cloudy, 8-25mph

I went to the NW Access in Sullivan. It was about 36 degrees out. I had plenty of water in the Fish Trap, but no way to get it out. I wasted some time trying. I then went over to Jaimen's Corner and drilled holes from deeper to shallower.  I then started in the deepest hole with the Aqua-Vu. I didn't see any life, so I jigged the camera a couple of times on the bottom and that called in a decent-sized walleye. I then scoped the rest of the holes with Aqua Vu. I didn't have any confidence in a single walleye sighting, so I kept covering ground and checking holes with Aqua-Vu. I did that until I started getting cold and the wind came up. With the cold front and heavy winds moving in, I called it a day.  I never did open the rod case to fish. I'm amazed, I only saw one fish. I worked the break and weedline, also the break with rubble.

Shakopee Lake Trip with Cold and Snow

Took pic after drilling my second set of holes

 

Didn't Get Skunked!

Took the pic and then the phone died

3:45-8:30PM Shakopee Lake 8' and 9' just a little south of the access

-2 to 18℉, Mostly Clear, Calm

Unfortunately, not many people had been out on the lake since the snow dump this week. Not so much an issue getting out. Going back, I had to carry the auger and minnows and then go back for the smitty/Fish Trap. I got out to about 8 feet of water and drilled holes. I could see weeds. Not a whole lot going on. I marked a couple of disinterested small fish and saw one sunny on the camera. My Eddy's hat fell into the slush puddle. After sunset, I drilled another set of holes about 100 feet farther out and fished there the rest of the time. Around 7pm, I ran out of propane for the Little Buddy. I caught the first bullhead before I got the propane changed out. I had trouble getting the Little Buddy to fire at first. I had to unscrew it completely and put it back on, and that did the trick. I lost something that bit on a minnow. I put the camera down and saw bullheads. I caught one more small bullhead. Bullheads were still down there when I pulled my lines up for the night. On the way back to the car, my phone died after I took a picture. My bad for not having the second Mophie iPhone case along. I need to get with it, keeping the iPhone charged up. The second time this ice season, my phone died. It could just be that it gets too cold