Misc Notes

Heading to Florida for Christmas today-so I may not have blog access for awhile. If not
Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Kristen!

Happy Birthday Jeff!

Happy Birthday Spud!

Happy Birthday Me!



I will be adding a blog to the franchise in the new year. Oh Boy!

I did go Ice fishing on Bulldog Lake on 12/9. I got a bunch of little Crappies.

Pet Adoption

As can be seen in the sidebar, I've decided to dedicate blog space to Petfinder.com 's adopt a pet program. Thanks to the blog of The Patriette, I found out about the banner program and thought it would be a good edition to my blog. I have a soft spot in my heart for dogs whether neglected or not and thought it would also be a fitting tribute to Soren who passed away just about a year ago.

For the New Year I'm thinking about trying to help with Elkhound rescue in MN and possible other volunteer work with critters.

If you have the means and the stability of lifestyle than the right dog is about the best gift a person can give themselves and the little (or big) ball o fur.

For my Belated Blogirthday

A Lambert Sweep!
Vikes 20 - Pack 17

It's back

Actually the ice arrived yesterday on the 17th. The snow came in a bit to quick and so we didn't get "safe ice" when it got cold again last night. If you will recall, things are a bit ahead of last years schedule.

Program Note: Only 2 Days until the BP Blogirthday or is that Blogiversity?

Matisyahu @ The Cabooze

WWW.MATISYAHU.ORG
WWW.HASIDICREGGAE.COM
WWW.ORMUSIC.COM
WWW.JDUBRECORDS.ORG

A BP first: Concert Review

Never heard of Matisyahu or Hasidic Reggae before, neither had I until a Twin Cities Station, Drive 105, played his song "King without a Crown." It is a cool track, the lyrics are solid spiritually, and the Drive 105 DJ's spoke well of the guy. When I heard Matisyahu was coming to town I asked my older bro Jeff if he wanted to go and he said OK. The only thing that really needs to be said is that Matisyahu and his band seriously rock most of the time. BRAVO!

The show opened up with underground Xtian rapper Pigeon John. The Pigeon is high energy and brought better than average original hip hop with both humor and a message. I only like hip hop these days if it is unique and non-gansta and the Pigeon is unique and more joker than gangsta. He did get a laugh out of me a couple of times and I thought he was better than average warm up material. Highlight was his song Hello Everybody and the last song which has a title that alludes me. I'll just call it "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made."

The Matisyahu set: I didn't really know what to expect coming into the concert with only a slight familiarity with a single song and a little knowledge about the guy from Googling a bit. However, reggae is easy to get into the groove with sight unheard. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find this fusion mix of reggae, rock, jazz, hip-hop, prayer/chant, and solid musicianship all working together. I just wish I knew some songs in advance, that would sure help my review. It seemed like there was a lot of experimentation and fair amount of spontaneity/improv to the performance which at times was rocky, but usually managed to satisfy.

I thought the group was at it's best in when it went into a raw psychedelic rock/jazz/reggae romp. When they put it all together they had the right musical synergy of spirituality, energy, and emotion to blow roof off. It seemed obvious to me that the band, Aaron Dugan (guitar), Josh Werner (bass), and Jonah David (drums) was made up of individually accomplished musicians. They all had extended solo's including Matisyahu with a mindblowing human beat box. I thought the beatbox and the drum solo's were particularly impressive.

Besides King without a Crown, other songs that stood out were Warrior, Chop'em Down, Exaltation, and a couple others who's titles I don't know.

What I appreciated about the show was both the commitment to spirituality and innovative musicianship. Here is his upcoming concert schedule, it you have a chance Matisyahu is worth a look.

Something for fun

Numenorean


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

The Fishing Lesson

This is a fishing story from the blog Running on Coffee: (Click on title or go to Bass Pundit Preach for the whole story)

The Fishing Lesson
My grandfather fought in two wars in his time in the Army, WW2 and Korea. He was wounded 5 times between the two wars. He held the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. I want to share something my sister wrote shortly after our grandfather passed away last year. With Veteran's Day approaching, I thought it appropriate.

The Fishing Lesson:
I could never figure out as a child why my grandfather loved fishing so much. It was fun to go with him as a kid every now and then, but I could never understand why he went day after day. It wasnt until I went fishing with him last April that I finally knew...

I have no muse

therefore I bloggeth not. Sorry if you are one of the few that are regulars.

I will be with you again
U2 New Years Day

Vikes Win Vikes Win!

Viking Record Breaking 56 yard fieldgoal kicks Packers where it counts, when the count hits 0!

Also my favorite player #30 Mewelde Moore scored his first NFL TD!

PS Pastor Cheesehead I need your email, phone, and address. I've been wanting to get hold of you but nothing I've tried has worked.

Last Night's Low Lights

Well sometimes you get em N sometimes you don't. Last night I didn't.

I took the "Slop Slip" out on Platte from about 4:30 to Dusk on a gorgeous fall night, but the bass were not hitting but the Pike were swirling. I saw stuff including my Sizmic Toad getting whacked at, but those Pike were just trying to scare that Toad; I never did catch a pike and I didn't lose a hook either (a few legs off the Toad's yes, but hooks no thank goodness). I did get one 14/15" bass, I missed another that size when my hookset sent him rolling, and I think I had a shot at a big one that promptly buried me in "the straw and hay."

I then went to Eddies on Mille Lacs to meet the guys coming in on the 6-10PM launch. It was very slow and only Capt. Shrink Wrap caught anything among the guys and gal with FOM. They had 19 people on the launch and only 8 or 9 were caught in the 4 hours. The later launch had better success by the sound of it. The Jetti was a dud, but it sure was nice out and I stayed until after 1AM. Some guys gave me some leaches and I talked to a guy who was out the night before and got into em.

It looked to me like IP was going with a perfect W SW wind and bright moon.

Tonight it looks like Cyb and I will be getting out.

Biggest Bass of Year

Actually this:

...Is my biggest bass of the last couple years. She measured in at 21.5 and I would guess was in the high 5's; She hit a Sizmic Toad fairly close to the boat. It is the second biggest I've caught out of Platte. I caught a 21.5"er that was much thicker and probably went mid-6's two years ago.


This bass was one of those fish that fools you. I thought I had a little pike swirling at the frog in a tease. Fortunatly I decided not to pull it away and kept baiting it. I did this for a good 30feet, before it finally sucked it in; all the while I thought it was just a slimer. It was about 10 feet from the boat when it took the frog and I set the hook, all I saw was head and mouth of a big bass. I was using heavy tackle in fairly heavy but dying cover and so I horsed it right to my awaiting hand.

As long as I'm on big fish Here's two I caught on Platte the night after this years September Tournament debacle on Platte/Sullivan:


The big fish was only 19.75 but weighted 5lbs4ozs. The smaller fish is a regular sized mid 3lb 18" Larry. I got the big one under a dock that I just hammered to no avail on the previous tournament day; Got her on a SnagProof Bobby's Perfect Frog on one serious swirl. Sometimes you know they are big and sometimes you don't.

Ohh yeah...

I'm gonna try Eddy's Jetty for a time tonight.

Update, didn't get there until 10:30. The wind had come up nicely out of the SE, but the clouds were cutting out the 1/2 moon. I only got one that was under 14", one of the few small guys I've ever got off the Jetti.

Fishing Report

It was a long day out at the "New House" which is actually now after long last on the property. I video taped the thing. Watching a modular home get put on it's foundation is interesting and I am sure my commentary and videography skills made it even more so. My one regret is that I didn't interview "the guys." A little Leno'esk "Dave Walking" would have been cool.

Anyway I headed out at dusk on this perfect mid fall day and slammed 5 topwater bass, but none were pigs. I had several pike blow ups and one was from a huge'n. But it missed the Sizmic Frog. Oh to be out all day on a day like this, the fish were shallow and ultra aggressive; another day that you could pop a state record.

Living the Dream

There is a new blog that I encourage everyone to visit: Living the Dream by Master Outdoorsman Spike Miller. Spike was my department manager at Gander Mountain in Maple Grove a couple of years ago and is probably the most knowledgeable and versitile fisherman and outdoorsman I've ever met. Spike is also a "natural" comedian and story teller. Well I haven't had time to read the blog, I have little doubt that it will evolve into a classic, if Spike sticks with it.

If he can just translate his story telling prowess, and this guy has stories upon stories, into a written form than we may have the bloggosphere's best writing pioneer on outdoor subjects. PUT THAT BLOG IN YOUR FAORITES AND READ OFTEN.

As for Spike, I will get up to Red this winter to fish those Wall, um I mean Crappies this winter. Expect a phone call sometime soon.

BP is BACK!

Dang Spam Bots!

I have been busy beating them back in the comments section. Looks like I need to find that Blogger code to stop em and start running the Frachise Empire again.

I have an Apology and Wrap Up of 2005 over at The BP Fantasy Bass Fishing HQ

The Tournament Report is up for the Team Bass Horsehoe Chain of July 9th and I do plan to give reports for the rest of the season as I have time. I also hope to update the Fishing Log Blog some from 2005 as well as Bass Pundit Preach and B.P. vs. Cyberfish. We didn't face off much this summer and our last outing we both got skunked. Before that Cyb shived me at Mille Lacs during the Sept. full moon. He was ON FIRE that nite reeling in the piggies, thanks to my boat control and that Firetiger HJ.

Anyway, soon I should be blogging again on a regular basis.

Coming Soon... a pic of a real Toad I caught in September.

Note: Even though the weather has been great in October, I've had issues, which I will get into in another post, that have kept me off the water this month, and when I have been out it has been whiff city even though the weather has been about ideal.

New MN State Record

The weather has been unseasonably warm for about 2 weeks and a lake finaly gave up a ghost! (We have had perfect weather for this to happen.)

Here she is:

While the pic makes it look 10plus; the Certified weight will be 8lbs15ozs, which will break the old record by a couple of ounces. Still no 10er for the Mud Ducks! It was caught out of Auburn Lake, a small west metro lake of 261Acres; I'm not sure if it was caught out of the West or East Lake. That lake will probably get pounded by idiots now. I don't think I've ever fished that lake, but I've fished a few that are close by as that there are a good number of sleepers in that vicinity. It is close to Victoria and is just the SW of Lake Minnetonka.

The fish was caught by one of the big guns of MN Bass tournament fishing, Mark Raveling. He got it on a big ole buzzbait. A lure I've had zero success with this year.

Star Trib Story here.

9/11 Remembered

This is my favorite piece written in the aftermath of 9/11/01

Leonard Pitts, Jr. - Miami Herald

They pay me to tease the shades of meaning from social and cultural issues, to provide words that help make sense of that which troubles the American soul. But in this moment of airless shock when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, the only thing I can find to say, the only words that seem to fit, must be addressed to the unknown author of this suffering: You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard. What lesson did you hope to teach us by your coward's attack on our World Trade Center, our Pentagon, us? What was it you hoped we would learn? Whatever it was, please know that you failed. Did you want us to respect your cause? You just damned your cause. Did you want to make us afraid? You just steeled our resolve. Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together.

Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family bent by racial, cultural, political, and class division, but a family nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous emotional energy on pop culture minutiae: a singer's revealing dress, a ball team's misfortune, a cartoon mouse. We're wealthy, too, spoiled by the readily availability of trinkets and material goods, and maybe because of that, we walk through life with a certain bit of blithe entitlement. We are fundamentally decent, though-peace-loving and compassionate. We struggle to know the right thing and to do it. And we are, the overwhelming majority of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God. Some people, you perhaps, think that any or all of this makes us weak. You're mistaken. We are not weak. Indeed, we are strong in ways that cannot be measured by arsenals.

Yes, we're in pain now. We are in morning and we are in shock. We're still grappling with the unreality of the awful thing you did, still working to make ourselves understand that isn't a special effect from some Hollywood blockbuster, isn't the plot development from a Tom Clancy novel. Both in terms of the awful scope of it's ambition and the probable final death toll, your attacks are likely to go down as the worst acts of terrorism in the history of the United States and, indeed, the history of the world. You've bloodied us as we have never been bloodied before. But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making us fall. This is the lesson Japan was taught to it's bitter sorrow the last time anyone hit us this hard, the last time anyone brought us to such and monumental pain. When aroused, we are righteous in our outrage, terrible in our force. When provoked by this level of barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay any cost, go to any length, in the pursuit of justice.

I tell you this without fear of contradiction. I know my people, as you, I think, do not. What I know reassures me. It also causes me to tremble with dread of the future. In days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation, fingers pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. There will be heightened security, misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms. We'll go forward from this moment sobered, chastened, sad. But determined, too. Unimaginably determined. You see, there is steel beneath this velvet. That aspect of our character is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this day, the family's bickering is put on hold. As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, as Americans we will rise in defense of all we cherish.

Still, I keep wondering what it was you hoped to teach us. It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange: You don't know my people. You don't know what we're about. You don't know what you just started. But you're about to learn.

But on this, only the 4th anniversary, since that day I am beginning to have questions about the resolve, commitment, and integrity of many in this country. I haven't forgotten, have you?

Hot and Humid Weather

has resulted in the BP going into summer hibernation. Maybe I'll have enough energy to blog next week.

Bassmasters Classic Week

Get your complete coverage at BassFan, Bassmaster.com, BassZone, and ProBassAnglers.com.

My goal is to have the Fantasy Bass Fishing Bass Pundit Championship updated by the end of the classic. We will see.

Tournament Reports

I am getting my Team Bass tournament reports updated at the BP Tournament HQ.

Lobster Lake June 25th

Horseshoe Chain July 9th doesn't have a permalink yet as that it was written today.

FYI- Got no pics cause the BP digital camera ain't working so good. Should have pics for the Sylvia/Twin Tournament Report as that my sponsor and tournament partner Erin Sutter-Maas had a camera and took pictures. Team Sutter-Maas managed to get 2nd Place at Sylvia/Twin. We probably would have won had Erin not missed a monster bass just before we had to go in.

Congrats to Jack and Mary Kiffe for besting us. Jack and Mary won the Chris Schneider Memorial Bass Tournament on Maple Lake the week before with a monster 6 fish bag of 22lbs+.

The plan for today...

Is to go and float tube in Mille Lacs for Smallies along the West Side. There is a mild wind and I haven't been out in the tube in forever.

Hope I don't tie into a big Ski or Pike and get taken out to sea.
(Actually I have a plan, if one of those huge dudes bites I will freespool until I get up into shallow enough water to stand then fight him from there.)

Got myself 4 smallies and a few misses, nothing bigger than 16.5" 2on a 3/16oz White/Chart Strike King Spinnerbait, 1 on a Frenzy Pop, and a little dude on the Sammy, YES the Sammy of big price point catcher of little fish.

Fished the Cemetery Jetty down to the Rum outlet and back. There were less rocks than I thought in this area. I should have Jetty jumped as that the fish were on rocks. Live and Learn. It was tons o fun and a beautiful night with huge moon rising in the SW.

BP is back

Now that BP is done with GEM camp except for possibly 1 week in August and maybe a few of the days of Day Camp, I'll have time to blog.

Commming soon...

GEM Report

Lobster Lake and Horseshoe Chain Tournamenet Reports with Stats

Update of the Bass Pundit Championship standings before the BassMasters Classic

Thoughts on Bass Fishing in 05 so far

... and much much more.

Still Alive and Fishin

That's why I haven't been blogging. After this weeks GEM camp I'll probably have some time and energy to fill in what I've been up too.

Hack Wins FLW Angler of the Year

You heard it here 1st. Greg Hackney caught 14-06 at the Potomac today which will put him in the Top 10 Cut and seal the deal for Hack to have the points to win the Land O Lakes FLW AOY for 2006.

Note: Ok it's not "official" until the final day because "Toshi" Namiki made the Top 10 as well, but gaining 7 spots on in field of 10 over Hack isn't gonna happen. If Toshi is 1st then Hack needs to be 7th or better, Toshi 2nd then 8th or better, Toshi 3rd 9th or better, Toshi 4th or worse and Hack wins, not to mention the posibility of Hack beating Toshi outright. Go Hack!

2005 Minnesota Bowfin Grand Champion Announced

This is the Press Release from the MN Bowfin Club to the Brainerd Dispatch:

Owatonna angler wins 2005 Bowfin Championship
Alan R. Stienbauer is the Grand Champion of the Minnesota Bowfin Club (MBC) for 2005. Stienbauer, of Owatonna, MN, was visiting relatives in the Brainerd area when he caught and released a 28.5 bowfin on Lower Mission Lake. The winning fish was taken on May 30, 2005, using a white jig/craw artificial lure in the bulrushes. Mr. Stienbauer credits his brother, local angler Chuck Stienbauer, for putting him on this pattern for bowfin. Many of the best bowfin fishermen are also accomplished bass anglers. The patterns and techniques used in bass fishing are easily adapted to catching bowfin early in the spring.

Finishing close behind Stienbauer this year were Dennis Lothspeich and Todd Berghuis, both of Brainerd, with fish measuring 28 and 27.5 inches respectively. Last years Grand Champion, Dave Maas, finished a distant fourth place with a fish of 25.5 inches.

This is the seventh year that the MBC has held it’s annual competition which is open to the public. The MBC tournament occurs each spring to see who can catch and release the largest Bowfin (dogfish). The Bowfin is considered a “rough fish,” and is not traditionally sought after by sports anglers using artificial lures. The MBC promotes fishing for these fish using artificial lures, and releasing them unharmed. Bowfin play a valuable role in the eco-system of any lake.

The MBC tournament season is held from ice out until June 15th each spring, and results are reported on an honor system. The individual reporting the largest fish each spring is the Grand Champion for that year. For a complete listing of tournament rules and registration procedures, please visit the MBC website at

Past MBC Grand Champions are:
1999 Ken Fields
2000 Chuck Fields
2001 Guy Henkensiefken
2002 Dean Sauer, and Tom Swanson,
2003 Dan Quinn
2004 Dave Maas

The BP would like to Congratulate Alan Steinbauer and welcome him to the fraturnity of Bowfin Grand Champions.

The Gar of The Bass Hole has been doing some bass tournament fishing in Korea (Scroll down to June 16th).


In other news Jerry Williams Land O Lakes FLW Pro that I fished with on Peavy Lake a couple of years ago is in 1st Place after day 1 of the FLW Tournament this week at the Potomac River. BassFan Story Flw Story

time fly's

Lets see KVD won another E-50, FLW is getting ready at the Potomac (Hope you have your Fishing Challenge Roster in) I've been busy catching hawgs and guiding others to them (Pics to come), spending time with my niece, brother, and sister IL from Florida and doing lots of family stuff. Also the first week of GEM was held at LutherDell and the 1st week at Lindesfarne, which was to be my first week, was cancelled.

I've gotta get those Fantasy Bass Fishing scores and the Bass Pundit Championship updated. Cyberfish may be in the lead, eggads! Maybe I shouldn't.

Be-lated Happy Birthday to Todd

Ahh the Baby of the family is turning 33.

Lets take a look back at some of his finest moments in life. Like this...

Todd getting psyched up for the Kennedy/Jefferson Sectional Championship Hockey Game.

Or Todd all dressed up for the Christmas pagent as a sheep.

(Yes that is Twin brother Steve on the left)

Then there was this quiet moment in the stroller with none other than Scooby Doo.


and of coarse there has to be a fishing pic. Not the one I wanted, but it was the only one handy. The Three AMaasigo's:

That's my Doggy, Erskine Lake

My final night trip to Rock may have produced a couple of doggy strikes and follows, but all I caught was Bass. So the one pictured below is my entry.

Last night I fished Erskine in open water for the 1st and last time. I caught a few bass and I'm sure it has a Toad or two, but I'd much rather fish Rock, Platte/Sullivan, Bulldog, Long, or even Peavy. The one good thing was that I got to work on flipping and pitching to wood which should help me at Horseshoe Chain.

MN Bowfin Contest's Final Day

That's right June 15th at Sundown is the end of the annual MN Bowfing Club Tournament.

Try as I did it just wasn't my year at least I don't think it was. The numerous trips to WI and cool, rainy May and early June kept me and the Big Dogs away from one another. I think I might have lost 1 really nice one in May on Platte. I saw lots of small ones this year. A couple of times in the past week I've tried to catch a doggy that was being swarmed by it's fry ball, didn't get either and neither were that big. The only one I've caught this year was this past Sunday on Mille Lacs, it went 25.5 inches. Here it is...

As you can kind of see, it had a vibrant lime underbelly and a very prounced false eye at the tail. I got it from under a dock on a jig after it had had chased several other offerings and then went right back under the dock. I don't think it will be good enough to take the 2006 Grand Championship.

I'll probably hit Rock tommorrow and give it one more last minute shot.

Some more South Korean Bass Action Blogging over at the Lost Nomad.

5000

I guess I'm not too excited about this milestone cause I thought I would be over 10,000 by now. For whatever reason about 3 months ago my blog traffic started lowering and leveled off with about 25 or so unique visits a day at most.

I definitely haven't been publishing like I was when there was ice on the lakes and maybe that explains it. I sure would like to see more bass bloggers. That reminds me I need to update my blogrolls, along with the Fantasy Bass Fishing HQ, and get the Fishing Log Blog up to date.

Oh well fishing takes priority over blogging for now anyway.

Twenty +

Ahh finally one of them Platte/Sullivan toads decided to eat my lure. I got it off a dock in Platte. The Docks were not really going all that well. I fished a bunch of docks and got the "Twenty" yes but beyond that I only got two 15's and missed one nice fish at the boat (17-19er). Also had a 5lb pike eat my jig and got a couple of other hammerhandles.

As it got dark I tried some slop and got a 17" a couple of pike and had a few misses.

It was a beautiful day. I didn't get out until after 4PM and then I had to come back when Lilah fell in the water and while fishing her out my line caught on the trolling motor. Would have been a great day to chase smallies on Mille Lacs , oh well.

Here's the Twenty next to a 17" which is a low 3lb fish.

of Late

Monday June 6th:
Heard about a hot smallie bite on Mille Lacs and headed out at 3:30PM to Cove Public Access. Decided to try largemouth 1st right by access. Missed several fish, caught zero. Moved to fish docks and caught a Rocky. Moved to Reeds, saw doggy no bites. Moved to Isaty's Reef, saw nothing. Moved into Isaty's Marina mouth nothing. Sun was going down 9PM decided to beat the 10PM traffic and get to ramp early; Big Mistake.

I get to access park at dock and go to car. 1 boat at ramp, 1 boat waiting. If you don't know Cove P.A. has 1 main ramp and a smaller ramp that boats like mine can land and launch at just fine. I pulled out a little bit and was gonna wait until the waiting boat was in place at the ramp before pulling out and into the 2nd ramp. As the boat that was loading was just about to pull forward, a guy who was at the dock runs to his truck jumps in and starts backing towards the ramp area right behind the guy that was waiting and now backing into the ramp. This yahoo ends up backing right in front of me and so I roll down the window and tell him I was next in line. He says to me, "Settle down" and continues backing up and then add's "I was before you." BS it's who is in their truck and established position with "in line" with the truck that determines who gets the ramp when, not who landed the boat first. He proceeds to back right in front of the second ramp and block the space, get out of his truck and run down to the main dock.

I was mystified by this moron, what was he doing now? So I get out of my truck and go to look for him. The guy loading his boat was quick and started pulling up from the ramp and Moron Man comes hustling off of the docks towards his truck. I point out to him that he was blocking an access, the access I was gonna use. Moron Man says, well why didn't you park your boat over there? I didn't even bother to answer that when I pulled up to the dock not a single boat was on the ramp and only when I was tying up did a trailer back down. Anyway you don't block access to an access, WHAT A FRIGGEN MORON!

As Mr. Moron is backing in I pull out and put my trailer in the water. As I get my boat I notice that the 3 people with Mr. Moron are doing nothing to help him load the boat, What is with that. I get my boat and pull it out just after Mr. Moron pulls his boat out and pull into the spot I had parked in for getting the cover on and boat ready for trailering.

I get out of the truck and start preparing things when the guy next to me starts pulling his truck out; it was getting quite dark at this point. As he started turning his trailer around my trailer I noticed it would be close, but he was going slow and it looked like he had room if he was being careful. He kept movingly slowly and was almost past the end of my trailer when he cut the wheel sharper sped up and ended up clipping my back tail light. The light holder bent and the lights still worked but he broke the side red light shield along with part of the black plastic light housing. The guy and his friends were very apologetic and rectified the situation immediately. Personally, I hold Mr. Moron responsible because if he was not such a TOTAL MORON I would have been gone by then.

Tuesday June 7th:
Went down to watch thunderstorm pass to the North. Caught some nice Gills and Pumpkinseeds off the dock. Was quite windy out of W SW.

5PM Eventually went out in boat to fish docks and in North Bay. Started on Rock Inlet Bay Point Docks, missed a good bite, got a nasty backlash that took a while to work out, caught a small bass, then had to run home cause nature was calling. Wind had shifted to NE and it was cooling down.

Had dinner, went out to PRO Bay North and went in by Pontoons going West. Got a couple as I headed to the PRO. At Pro got a bunch of bites, working into river as it got dark and missed one.

I'll be back out in a little bit.

BP's Koronis Tournament Report

Now that is one beautiful smallie. Hit in a rain storm over a flat 1n 6-10ft of water on a Frenzy Pop Bullfrog Color. The Report is at Tourny HQ or click on title of this post.

Bass Tournament on Platte/Sullivan

Today the Range Bassmasters MN BASS Federation club had a tournament at Platte/Sullivan and of coarse I had to make it to the weigh in to see how they fared. Originally I was gonna "mock" fish against them but I was too tired from Koronis and slept in.

The Range Bassmasters is a Brainerd Area Club and has Steve Quinn of In-Fisherman as member. Other notables in the club are Bill Bongs, Brian Brown and I recognized a couple of other guys, but don't know their names. It was nice to see a few teens in the club and even a woman or two. It looked like there were about 10-12 boats.

The tournament was won by Emmet Smith who had a 5 fish 16lb+ bag and many of the bags were 12lb+.

This was Big Bass:

caught by Tyler Malloy. I believe the bass was 4lb13oz???

Brandon Jedlenski with another 4lber.


Here's a couple of more Platte/Sullivan Specials:
Perry Alfords with a fish that had to be a 4lber.

A typical P/S 3lber. Lots of those were weighed in.

BP's Notes: Surprisingly, not a single 5lber came in and I've yet to catch one since opener. Where are the Super Toads? I did get a couple before the bass opener and some guys reported losing large fish in the thick stuff. Maybe it's post-spawn and the fish just didn't have the feedbag on yet. All in all lots of 17-18inch Platte/Sullivan specials. The post weigh-in environment reflected a tournament where people caught fish and had a lot of fun on the water. The top sack of 16lbs is very impressive when you consider it is 2 people fishing out of the same boat for 5 fish limit separate weights.

I didn't hear much talk about "the rice," which is a bit of a surprise because their are some good beds forming this year. But then again I haven't found em there either.

If anyone from Range or who knows these guys wants to let me know names or wants to tell about the tournament than leave a comment.

Fish Pics

If you want to look at some of my most recent catches than click. I have stories coming on the MN Fishing Openner and the conclusion of the Bass Openner with Cyberfish but if you want to see the pics now than feel free.

Kevin Van Damage

This guy may not win E-50's but he sure kicks butt in the first round. Last year he was the overall champion and it looks like it will be a repeat.

Check the TOAD!



Story from BassFan here and Bassmaster here.

Another Look!

11-13 is what she weighed anchoring a 24lb sack.

I don't feel like blogging...

I feel like fishing!

The Lost Nomad has a tale to tell of losing big Korean toad along with some pics of a bass and brueger that didn't get away.

Note: Click on on his sidebar Category "Fishing" because this guy gets out and beats that Korean H2O.

Also be sure to frequent My Bass and I and the Bassin Blog.

Introducing: New B.P.B.F.E. Blog

Bass Pundit proudly announces our newest Blog Franchise member:
B.P. vs. Cyberfish

This blog was created to keep score of this infamous fishing grudge match and hopefully will contain the POV's of both participants if I can figure out how to make it a team blog. Cyb does have a blog, but it is barely anything, not worth even linking to at this point.

For the scoop on BP's less than stellar 1st 2 days of the MN Bass Opener, check it out .

Only a few more hours...

Until I can look out the window like I am now and then say to myself. "I feel like pitching at some docks" or "I feel like working on my crankbait skills" and then can go right out to hit the lake and do it.

Moving Goal Posts

The 1st Team Bass Tournament blew some of my 2005 Fishing Goals out of the water and so some are being modified to reflect the new realities.

The Old Goals were
Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 7 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place
5. Limit every tournament
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish

The New and improved version...
Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 7 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place in Minnesocold
5. Limit every tournament in Minnesocold
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish

Note: Blog Format Change

I have decided that having more to read up front is better so I changed my setting to keep the past 31 days of blogging visible without having to go into the archives. Now I need to start working on the "Side-Bar" to fill out some of that vast empty space.

In 24 Hours...

Bass Fishing in Minnesocold will be legal. No, I will not be hitting the water at midnight.

The Morning Plan:
Cyberfish will be coming up tonight and we will be hitting the water early, probably 5 or so. We will be hitting the GOMH then go and try and work the PRO with jerks, topwaters, and jignpigs. From there we will probably come back into Platte and run some shallow straw and hay along with docks. Then Go in for Lunch; fishing will dicatate if it is an early or late lunch.

The Morning Objective:
Land a few toads that are 4lb's plus.

The Evening Plan:
Plan X Factor= Maybe head to Mille Lacs, but only if it is dead calm.

Plan B= Trailer the boat and head to Bordon to try for some Sallies and Larry's. Cool water will probably mean Husky Jerkin, and tubes.

The Evening Objective: Learn about this lake and hopefully pop lots of and big fish.

The Result: "The Plan" fell apart because I caught little fish and then we stayed on Platte for the whole weekend. Some of the results at BPvs.Cyb.

WI Openner with Teen Challenge

It's not quite the whole story of that weekend plus adventure but it sure is one long post with Pics. Would have had a bunch more pics if only that camera battery would stay charged.

Dogfishing Report: Still have yet to catch one and the contest only runs a month longer. However I am sure I will pop a big dude or two yet.


BP Commentary for Thursday May 26th:
I can't believe it's already Thursday and MN Bass season is just a couple of days away. I seriously need to get me a couple of Toads after the Bone Lake let down of 2005. Unfortunately it looks like the weather is gonna continue to drag it's feet (Cold, Clammy, Wet feet) right into the weekend and early next week. As GEM camper Quincy was so fond of saying "Ahh Dat Sucks!"

The Good News, the snap on boat cover for the trophy is far more waterproof than the trailering canvas and the water is rising MOMMA.

Commence Blogging

The Weather has turned fowl, it's a cold rainy day on the shores of Platte Lake and so the BP will blog instead of flog the water this afternoon and evening.

The BP's Bone Lake Tournament Report is now ready at BP's Tourny HQ.

The Month of April is now fully logged at the Fishing Log Blog.

More Developing...

Alive

Yes, I still am! (Even though at yesterday's Bone Lake tournament it was tough to tell)

I am now home for a full week, instead of just 2 days and so the blog will be on. Backed up Fishing Reports (a full months worth), back to Bass Pundit Championship Blogging (Maybe I really will get to it this time) and my not so glorious tournament results and stats from Bone Lake among other things.

And I still haven't caught a darn dogfish. They are going down this week.

Didn't do it.

I got tired and took a nap, then started right in getting my gear ready. I ran into difficulty getting the trolling motor adjusted. It's now past 1AM on opener and I still need to pack. While I didn't get the blogging done, I did get pics up on my pic repository.

I'll be outta here in just a few hours. See Yeah on the Water!

I'm back (for a day)

I plan to blog the last couple of weeks fishing adventures over at the Fishing Log Blog, I'll let yeah know when that is ready.

The MN Fishing Openner is only a few hours away, Hooray! I may or may not hit Mille Lacs at mid-night, then tommorrow I'll be hitting the water at the St. Louis River south of Duluth with GEM taking kids walleye fishing. When we get back, I plan to head to Sconi to pre-fish Bone for a couple of days. The weather tommorrow is supposed to be cool and rainy, oh boy!

Good Luck to my fellow Minnesocoldians!

In the meantime get over to BassFan to register and play the Stratos BassFan Patterns Game.

World's Most Pathetic Bassin Blog!

That is what my blogging has been lately. I've got so much to write, but I just haven't gotten started and my backlog is about to get much worse.

I'll be heading to Cheesehead Country later today for the Sconi Fishin Openner on Sat and will be gone for several days. I doubt I'll be able to blog anything about it till the middle of next week.

Next week there is an FLW tournament at Wheeler/Guntersville so get those FLW Fishing Challenge Rosters in.

In my absense check out all the "Blogroll-O-BassNblog" Blogs and "Blogroll-O-FishNblog" blogs. (No those aren't links- the links are down the right hand column.)

Getting Nowhere Faster!

Now it's car trouble. I was about 7 miles from the access, at West Rush to help with the annual Rush Lake GEM Panfish outing, when my oil pressure dropped to nothing. It's either a bad oil pump or sensor, whatever, it NEEDS fixed ASAP.

So I ended up missing the GEM outing, mostly. I was there for a brief moment to let em know what was going on. Thank You Mike Cummins for driving me to Franzen Park and thanks to the Good Samaritan who drove me back. A church from Rush city was doing an angler outreach at the park with free food and one of their guys drove me back.

I gotta get my Log Blogging and BPC blogging up to date because after Friday, I'll be fishing a lot more.

Ohhh, and it's MAY AKA Fishing Openers Month.

WI Opener: Midnight Next Saturday May 7th!
MN Walleye/Pike Opener: Midnight Saturday May 14th!
BP's Tournament Opener: Team Bass @ Bone Lake WI Saturday May 21st 7AM!
MN Bass Fishing Opener: Saturday May 28th (when I get out of bed, probably a bit before sun up if the weather is any good.)

FYI- Gar over at The Bass Hole has been catchin as have The Lost Nomad and Brad at Bassin Blog .

Anyone know of a new Blog-0-Bass, let me know so I can add em to the blogroll. Thanks Mngmnt!

Getting Nowhere FAST!

But more of my suspending jerkbaits are tuned propery and suspending like they should.

As long as I'm on tournament congratulations...

Berg/Block aka Jason Berg and Brian Block won the 1st Fishers of Men Minnesota West Division tournament April 23rd on the Mississippi Pools 4&5. There weight was a solid 5fish for 19.83lbs with Big Bass of 4.94lbs.

Story here

These guys were the 2004 Fishers of Men Minnesota West Champions and are a force in any tournament they enter. They are as good as anyone on Tonka. I just wish I had a picture.

Lots of Blogging to do starting with this...

Congratulations to Mark Davis, winner of this years first BASS E-50

Here is the BassFan Story on the final day.

Here is the BassFan follow up on the Davis win.

All Fishing and No Blogging allows...

You too check out my archives, links on my blogrolls, and the other Bass Pundit Blog Franchise Empire Blogs.

It's supposed to be cool below normal temps this week instead of way above average temps and so I will probably be doing more blogging this week. Have to get the Bass Pundit Championship stuff updated, I've got pics of the Grumpy Old Men, lots of fishing reports and pics (Mucho Los Bullsheadittos)

By the way congrats to Mark Davis for winning yet another BASS E-50. That is an amazing 3 out of 5 Wins in E-50 events. WOW!

Developing...

It's hard to blog and fish at the same time. I'll have reports of the past couple of days soon. The weather has been VERY nice and the bullheads have been biting.


Also the first BASS E-50 at Smith Lake started today, I hope people updated there Fantasy Teams or else this one will be brutal. Yes Yes I am behind on the Bass Pundit Championship yet again. I've been fishing!