My Fantasy Bass Rosters For Lake Martin, AL

 

GOMH Today +

 

Belle and Luca in the field

Spring Watch 2026, Part 2

 

As of right now, the possibility of a pretty good mid-February thaw is looking likely this upcoming weekend. Will there be open water at the Grumpy Old Man Hole a week from today? I wouldn't bet on it, but maybe. I think the snow will be mostly gone by then. The days are getting longer, and the sun is getting stronger.

Started Strong And Fade Every Day, Guntersville Fantasy Recap

 First day, I started ok. In the 98th percentile and was 1st in the Bass Boat Central group.

Ten percentage point slide thanks to Jordan Lee not catching 'em and falling outside of the cut.

Another ten percentage point slide thanks to Bryan Schmitt falling off a cliff.

Final Results: (A small drop in percentage because of losing out to people with bonus points)

I just cannot keep from picking multiple bottom quintile guys in Drain the Lake

Might as well just flip a coin.

Spring Watch 2026, Part 1

 

We will see if it holds, but consecutive 40℉ days are a good sign that Spring is right around the corner. It will be interesting to see how much snow remains after the upcoming warm stretch. I will probably do the first When Will I See The Driveway? post.

Congratulations, Uncle Sam!

 

2026 Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing Starts Today At Guntersville

 They will be alternating tournaments between no scoping allowed and allowing it. I dropped Trey McKinney and went as chalky as I could get with Cullman, Alabama's own Jordan Lee in Bucket A.  Here is my roster:

For Drain the Lake, I went Alabama-heavy, with Caleb Kuphall as the one exception.  I'm not sure how much long-term planning I'll do with Drain the Lake this year.

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

Ice Fishing Personal Best Pike Tonight

 Unfortunately, the bugger flopped out of the cradle and found the hole when I was reaching down to grab it for a selfie.

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