Another Goal Reached That I Didn't Reach in 2016

15.25" Rapala BX Waking Minnow

I missed a couple of other bites as well.  I would have fished it more, but there was to much torn up weeds on the surface.  Caught on the 2017 Bass Opener in Platte Lake.

Bass Opener 2017 Forecast

Ohhh Sucky Ducky (But will I wake up at 4:00 AM like I'm planning)

If I do wake up. I predict a smash fest.

I'll start at the GOMH, then take the Trophy out.  Plan to be off the water around noon.

Good Luck, Everyone!!!

Update:  It got probably a little to cool.  The fish were sluggish in the morning.  I got a few on topwater, but nothing like I thought it could have been.  Fishing improved for the evening bite.

Product Review: The Fishing Tree Adventure Gloves

If you are pretty observant you might have noticed I have started wearing fishing gloves.  Out of the blue I was asked by the people of The Fishing Tree if I would like to do a review of their gloves.  I had been thinking about getting a pair to wear from someone and the chance to get a free pair to review sounded just great.

I received them about a month ago.  Here is the product description from Amazon:

Multi-use fingerless gloves that keep sensitive hands looking younger, help stop early aging and protect against skin cancer spots.

UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is the measure of how well fabric blocks ultra violet radiation. A UPF rating of 50+ is the highest possible rating, which is exactly what the SGS experts have verified for these gloves. The material blocks 49/50ths or 98% of UV radiation. UPF is like SPF, which is the measurement used for sunblock creams.

Use for any outdoor environment. Our product provides protection but allows full maneuverability. The angler retains unrestricted use of fingers which is important with work like tying tippets or stripping trout fly lines (and retain the ‘feel’ of a nibble on the line).

Double-stitched seams add strength and they do not fall apart after a couple of uses or after a wash.

Machine washable so use them for fish handling and cleaning or other grubby jobs. Velcro wrist straps adjusts to any size wrist. This lightweight gear bought directly from us is fully supported and comes with our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Unisex sizing. Get the right size at the start and take time to measure your hand before ordering.

Building on our highly successful first version, the new style is a more snug fit so you can easily forget you have these on.

Add our tested and verified gloves to the cart! Professionally packaged, they make an ideal accessory or gift for men or women.

The manufacturer's warranty is only provided by authorized resellers - The Fishing Tree and Soloportis.

Sizing: Measure round the widest part of the palm, above the thumb and below the little finger. That total length measurement is the size you need to refer to (because of the stretchy fit, if you are in doubt, GO for a BIGGER rather than smaller size):

XS 6.5 – 7.5 inches

S 7.5 – 8.75 inches

M 8.75 – 9.0 inches

L 9.0 – 9.50 inches

I got the small size, which fit my little hands perfectly.  They are comfortable and for the most part I barely notice I'm wearing them.  They helped to keep my hands a little bit warmer then they would otherwise have been in the cold.  If I dip them in the water they help to keep my hands cool.  However, they do seem to become a bit slippery when wet.

(Click to enlarge)

The spandex is showing some wear, but that is to be expected because I put them under the gill covers on some pike and walleye.  They have helped to keep my hands a little less bloody when handling those fish.  The palms seem to be holding up rather well.

Overall I am satisfied with them.

They can be purchased at Amazon.

Yesterday's Full Fishing Report: GOMH & Mille Lacs

Yes, once again it is time for Devin's Birthday Bullhead 

5:15-7:30AM GOMH NE SW SE, Bulldog
Conditions: Low 40's, Mostly Cloudy, Windy NE

Another beautiful sunrise that there is no way I would have seen had it not been for Devin's birthday.  I was dog tired and really was dragging this morning.  It took me a full hour from wake up to be out at the lake.  Normally it takes about 20-25 minutes tops.  I thought with the temps only getting down into the low 40's that maybe the bullheads would be stacked up and chewing on the North side.  Wasn't the case.  I was lucky to get the one.

16.5" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr. (white)

She thumped it good on the third cast.  I had a dink jump and get off the Jerk Shad. I also got three toothy's in quick succession on the Jerk Shad on the North side before deciding I had enough of that.  I went to the SW side and got nothing.  I did have a fish hit at the Gunfish 117 a few times when I was on the SE side. I briefly went to the access at Bulldog.  What a lousy morning of fishing!
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Nasty Conditions on the Pond

8:30-10:00P Mille Lacs North Jetty Corner
Conditions: Low 40's, Cloudy light rain and mist, Quite windy out of the East, 3 to 4 foot roller coming in.

I had originally planned to be at Mille Lacs tonight by 7:30PM.  But we had kind of a late supper and I had other distractions.  I didn't leave the house until 7:30 and then I had to stop at the lake place to pump water out of the boat.  I threw out a few casts off the dock while that was happening and didn't get anything.  That took until about 8:05 when I then headed to Mille Lacs.

15" Rippin' Rap

Due to the wind direction and rain the North Jetty corner was my only option.  I only took two rods out of the car, 6'8" St. Croix Avid and 7' Mojo.  I started out throwing the Grass Pig.  Didn't get a bite on that.  I then tried 3 different colors of Rippin Raps before getting my first fish of the night on the perch color.  That was the only hit I got on the Rippin Rap.  I then tried an X-Rap and didn't get a hit on that.

22.5" Jerk Shad (Chart Shad)

It was now after 9 and quickly getting dark.  I switched to a Jerk Shad.  I tried a slow retrieve with pauses and sure enough a nice walleye wanted it.  I also got a fish on the very next cast.

17" Jerk Shad

 About 5 minutes later I had a good one hit really close to the Jetty.  She was shaking her head and got off, bummer deal.  About 10 minutes later I got a cigar when I went to a slow retrieve, no pause.

12.5" Jerk Shad

It was about 5 minutes to 10 when I got my last one of the night and the biggest.

23" Jerk Shad

Darn rules shut me down and my night was done.

How Opener Morning Went At The GOMH This Year

18.5" Piranha/Craw Fatty (Junebug/B/B)

5:15-7:45AM GOMH NE
Conditions: 54-57℉, Partly Cloudy, Calm to Light NE wind

I arrived a little later than I would have liked do to me putzing around at home a little to much, but it worked out as no one was on the N side when I got there.  There were people on the SW and SE side.  The guys on the SW had gotten one golden, a toothy and jumper or two.  I quickly made my leave.  Got my stuff out and got down to the NE side before anyone else could.  I didn't get anything for about 10 minutes and someone came down on the NW side.  I was thinking about bailing to get the Trophy when this happened.

22.5" Piranha/Swim Fluke Jr. (white)

The toothy was my first fish on Daiwa Tatula 7'1"MHRB with Tatula CT spooled up with 15lb Sunline Assassin.  I then put the junebug Piranha on the rod and caught the 18.5" jumper, and two 15" jumpers before the claws got bit off the Craw Fatty.  I then got three quick jumpers on the Grass Pig and didn't hook up with about 5 bites.  Then this happened.

While that was happening I switched to a Jerk Shad and got a couple of dinks.  Then this happened.

17" & 15" Jerk Shad (Chart Shad)

And there was a third fish trying to take it away from those two.  Not sure if that third fish was also hooked up or not.  What a way to start the season with a double on one bait.  Here's the 17" fish.

17" Jerk Shad

 I didn't think to take a picture of the 15 incher.  I then caught a 15.5", 14, and 16.25" and three toothy's before a toothy done stole my lure, that dirty dog.  So then I went briefly to a green pumpkin 110 Knock Off that I bought on eBay.  I got a toothy on that and then switched to a sexy shad Jerk Shad.  I got a 16" and dink jumper as well as two toothys on that before it got stolen.  More people showed up and the bite died so I got out of there.

7 Toothys
15 Jumpers

Best 6 (18.5, 17, 16, 16, 15.5, 15.5)

How Yesterday Went

19.33" SBKO (Chart/Hrng Bone)

7:30-9:20PM Platte Lake in the Trophy
10:00-11:00PM GOMH NE
Conditions: 59-50℉, Mostly Sunny, Light NE wind, Water Temp 59℉, Water level stable to falling despite the rain the past couple of days.

My plan was to wake up at 4:15AM this morning and hit the GOMH and possibly go out in the Trophy as well. I did wake up, but I stayed in bed until around 5:30.  I got up went to make sure there was no water in the windows downstairs, which there wasn't so that was good.  Came back upstairs and went back to bed. My back was tight and I didn't want to do the stretching.  I think I finally got up around Noon only to get back in bed around 1 and then I was up by 3PM.  The FLW weigh in from WI was just getting started when I got a phone call from Dad telling me to meet him at the Lake Place.  He would be dropping off the truck and trailer there with the bobcat he rented.  OK, no problem I needed to get the water in the boat pumped out anyway.  I planned to throw a few casts off the dock as well.

I was on my way and almost to 27 when Dad called my cell phone.  Change of plans.  He hit something and blew the drivers side front tire about half way from Onamia on 27.  I needed to go home get the spare tire and a hammer so he could get the lug nuts off. I did that and drove to where he was parked.  We got the shredded wheel off, the spare on and proceeded to the cabin without further incident.  I got the water pumped out for the most part, but didn't have time to fish.  

We got home a little after 5PM and Mom was making preparations to cook my walleye.  Mom did beer batter and they were delicious.  I watched what was left of the Bass Fest and FLW weigh in's while mom cooked.  I think I left the house to go fishing a little after 7PM.  I decided not to hit the GOMH first like I planned, but to go straight to the cabin and take out the Trophy.

After I got my stuff in the boat I realized I didn't have a plan for where I was gonna go.  So I thought maybe I would see if there was any action on the flat where I got them on topwater late last Fall.  So I headed to the reeds on the western boundary of where I fished last Fall.  I was so excited to start fishing I forgot to pump water out of the boat before I stopped moving and went up to the front.  Oh well.

23" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr (bluegill)

I got a pike pretty quickly and took a pic because I wasn't sure I would catch anything else.  After fishing the reeds 15 minutes not getting another hit I decided to hit a couple of docks off to the West where never got a bite last Fall.

14" Shower Blows Knock Off (Chart/Hrng Bone)

Sure enough I got a bass to blow up the SBKO just off the first dock I went to.  Cool they are taking topwater tonight.  Instead of heading East to the other dock I was going to hit I looked West and got a nice one in between the dock I had just fished and the next one.

16??? SBKO

I didn't get measurement because I nicked a gill and she was bleeding pretty good.  I then got a small pike fishing out towards the reeds.  I also lost what I think was a big bass when I fubarred the hookset.  I didn't get anymore hits out so I went back in towards the docks.

10" SBKO

 I  got the dink, a 15.5", and missed a hit on the SBKO and craw tube around the next dock I fished.  The 15.5" came more out and between docks after the two misses.

19.33"

I put the cast that got the big girl of the night right next to the floating wave runner lift meets the dock.  When the SBKO got to the end of the lift she smacked it.  Put up a great fight and I managed to land her even though she only had the rear treble in.   I should really think about netting these fish that hit topwaters with 3 treble hooks.

16.25" SBKO

Very next cast right up by shore resulted in my last fish of the night.  I did have one more fish come up behind the SBKO on this dock, but it didn't hit it.  I took about 5 "last casts" and then I broke off my line on what was really going to be my last cast.  Fortunately it was still light enough out that I was able to spot the SBKO fairly easily once I got close enough.  I headed in.

I gave the GOMH a try for about an hour.  I was the only person there.  There was some activity, but I didn't get a hit.  At 11PM I pulled the plug.

I Reached A Goal In 2017 That Eluded Me Last Year

10.5" Lucky Craft Gunfish 117

It may be a dink, but all topwater fish count, so goal achieved.  I read a article on Wired2Fish that said this bait is very effective if there is some chop on the water.  Definitely will be following that advice.

Opener At Eddy's Jetty

Beautiful Night

12:00-3:40AM North Eddy's Jetty Mille Lacs Lake
Conditions: Mid 50's, Mostly clear with clouds moving in at 3AM, Light NE wind

My arsenal for the night, I never tried the Muse Gold

I got the chop and moon I was hoping for, and on my sixth cast with the Rippin' Rap, it was fish on.  I was the only person fishing off of Eddy's Jetty.  From what I could tell, there weren't many boats on the lake.

18" Rippin' Rap (Perch)

About 7 casts later, I had one that was just a tad bigger get-off when I tried to lift it on the dock.

16.25" Rippin' Rap

After getting this fish, I tried a Grass Pig and had a fish pull on the rail, so I switched to the KVD 300 Jerkbait.  I didn't get any bites on the first two colors, but Sexy Ghost Minnow did the trick.

17.5" KVD Jerkbait 300 (Sexy Ghost Minnow)

The next fish was my big one for the night.

24" KVD Jerkbait

I quickly got another fish.

19" KVD Jerkbait

I then got snagged in the rocks on a submerged stick but was able to free it.

Stupid stick that was caught in the rocks.

The bite then stopped at the North harbor mouth.  I started getting fish on the North end of the Jetty.

16.5" KVD Jerkbait

That was my last fish on the KVD.  I tried a few lures without any success. I started getting bit again when I returned to the perch Rippin' Rap.

17" Rippin' Rap

16" Rippin' Rap

Around 3AM, it started clouding up, and the fish stopped biting.  I stayed 40 minutes longer than I should, hoping for that last bite that never came.

11 Walleye