2020 Ends the Way It Began with a Skunk

  

4:30-6:30PM 25'-27' Tullibee Hole

20℉, Cloudy, 3-8mph SE

I didn't have a banner final trip of 2020. Got started late. Didn't hit my spot because I didn't zoom in enough. Got the line that I just put on yesterday backlashed pretty good because I didn't lower the minnow down carefully.  Moved closer to the Tul Hole. Had some sniffers. Had a minnow get stolen and didn't notice. Got the line situation straightened out on the bobber rod. Had more sniffers. Pulling the Trap back was a pain, but not as bad as the other night. So 2020 ends as it began, with a skunk.

Top Fishing Memories of 2020

The highlight of fishing in 2020 was having a successful day on Platte/Sullivan with my old bass Spike and his best bud Smitty.

The rest are in no particular order.

Fishing with Kane and Todd.

Fishing with Todd. We fished a lot together this year and seemed to always have successful trips including the best day for bass fishing of the year.

Fishing with Jaimen especially the day the morning we whacked at the Intersection Juice.

Struggling to get Steve and Brett on some fish.

The 5lber at Double Cane followed by a 4 and then the aircraft engine duck hunter showed up and shut 'em down.

Breaking the Talula Frog Rod on a dink that had me hung in the pads at the Snatcher's Rush Lake Tournament. I let the adrenaline get the best of me and put way too much pressure on the rod. Thank God I was able to find two more on eBay this Fall.

Catching crappies on F Flat in the Spring before the motor issues began. It wouldn't have been 2020 without multiple trips to Marine Mechanics and days lost to motor issues.

And then there was getting kicked off of Eddy's Jetty by Security on Opener, which made me finally get over to Mac's Twin Bay where I caught a piggy. 

And this Fall fishing at the Jetty with Jamar and his family.

 

2021 MN Fishing Opener May 15th, Well That's Garbage!

I was just going to put the MN Fishing Opener and MN Bass Opener on the Google calendar when I noticed Memorial Day is on May 31st this year. MN ties its Fishing Openers to Memorial Day weekend by law. So instead of Opener being on the second Saturday of May where it usually is, we will instead have to wait a whole extra week until the 15th.  Bah Humbug!

2020 Lure of the Year: Snagproof Bobby's Perfect Frog

 

5.20lber 9/5/20 on the Sparrow

It was a record-setting year with the most fish caught ever on a lure in one year. 510 fish caught on one lure blows my previous record out of the water, which was 324 fish caught on a Glow Demon back when I could catch fish through the ice in 2017.  All, but 19 were caught on the "Sparrow" color. I kept throwing it and the fish kept biting it. Bobby's Perfect was also my top fish catcher two years ago in 2018. This makes three years in a row with a hollow body frog in the lead position. Last year the Tru-Tungsten Mad Maxx had the lead position with 311 fish caught. And just like last year, my biggest bass of the year was also caught on my number one lure. In addition to catching a record number of fish, I am sure I set a record for the number of lures bit off in a year. I went through well over half of my sizeable collection of Bobby's Perfect Frogs this year.  Dang Pike!

Merry, Merry Fishmas from the BP

 

This Vikes Fan Was Impressed Even Though We Lost

                               

As my last post proves I was pretty down on the Vikes chances vs. Da Bears minus Kendricks. Then I discover both Mack and Hicks were in the line-up for Da Bears. All Trubisky had to be was competent and there is no way the Bears were losing that game. He was more than competent until he threw that pick at the end. The Bears were lucky the time ran out because we had the Bears D on their heels. Had the Vikes had time to run a couple more plays it might have been a different result.  

I don't care about what the Kirk haters say, I've been one of them too. Kirk is a pretty darn good QB. He gets punched in the mouth and comes right back. Without all the injuries on D this team would be a top contender to win the Super Bowl. Zimmer has done a fantastic job keeping this team together. Those that think he should be fired are clueless. The D just simply doesn't have the horses for Zim to ride. Losing Kendricks was such a gut punch. I thought the D played with a ton of heart vs. the Bears. They also got beat up pretty good but came up big when it mattered.  Vikes fans that are disappointed after that performance have no clue what they witnessed.  That was a team giving its all to win when they were outmatched on one side of the ball. The Vikes almost scratched and clawed their way to victory. It would not surprise me one bit if the Bears make the playoffs this year. Trubisky is a steaky QB, that Montgomery kid can run, and that Bears D is formidable especially with Hicks healthy. 

As for the Vikes, I am proud of the team. I really hope Kendricks is back for the Christmas Day game. I think that the Saints team may be vulnerable on a short week after a game they went all out to win and came up short vs. the Super Bowl champs.  Meanwhile, I think the Vikes have something to prove to themselves. Beating the living daylights out of the Saints, the way they did the Packers the second time they played them this season is a real possibility if Kendricks returns. Without Kendricks, I think Zim beating the Saints will be tough, but not impossible. Like I said, I think the Vikes have something to prove. That makes a Zim team very dangerous.   

Vikings Playoff Hopes On the Line Today

 

It is 2020, I got no clue what's going to happen. I think the fact Kendricks is not playing tips things in favor of Da Bears. However, Mack might not be playing which would tilt things in favor of the Vikes. Can Bailey get over his case of the yips? If not, I think the Vikes are sunk even if they do win this week.

Vikes Optimism Level:

Pull Into the Rice And Chill

 This from yesterday's Bass Blaster email:

> ...Wayne Antoine. What he would do was ease his boat into the mats and then wait 5 or 10 minutes to let the area settle down. Then he would stick his rod tip and bait down into the mat and release the thumb bar on his reel to lower his bait. Then he'd shake the rod and you would get some of the hardest thumps you had ever felt.

> Wayne was the one who showed it to me, but he would never take credit for it. He had seen Delta legend Bobby Barrack doing this....

I immediately thought about last summer when I had a school located in the rice. I pitched into the rice from the edge and caught several fish doing that. I'll have to give the tactic a try and see how well it works if that happens again.

1st Fish of Ice 20/21

 

Saw Fish, Caught Fish

First Fish Ice 20/21

First Crappie 7"

May be 11" on the Bear Trax Demon/minnow

3:30-7:30PM My Spot, Sunfish Spot

31-34℉, Cloudy/Fog, 0-3mph SW

I drilled 3 lines of holes at my spot. Saw a few random Perch, so I headed to the Sunfish Spot. Drilled 6 or 7 holes. Spotted a sunfish in one of them, drilled some more holes. Didn't catch anything in the sunfish hole. Got several small perch in 10 feet fishing on foot. Got the first crappie in 7' hole on the VMC Fly. Missed another bite. Fish left so I went back to the 10' hole where the Fish Trap was. I got a small crappie, so I put a minnow down. Got 3 little guys on the minnow. Missed some bites a couple bites on the VMC Fly. Got the 11" in a 10' hole closer to shore. Had a couple lookers. Checked a bunch of holes on my way in at my spot. Nothing. Thankfully the roads weren't a total ice rink.

8 Perch

6 Crips

A couple of late night thoughts

1. I should do something other than have the second seat in my fish trap. On the one hand, it is lightweight but I could come up with something better. I'll ask Steve if he has any ideas. 

2. Once the ice is safe on Sullivan I really should start getting to know the lake better. It has to be the best multi-species lake in the area. 

1st Ice Fishing Trip of 20/21, Skunked

 

Because I move like a turtle it took a while to get the Expedition cleaned out and get my gear together and ready to go. I stopped at Bear Trax to pick up some minnows and waxies and then I headed to Bulldog. I wasn't sure how thick the ice was where I wanted to go, so I just went out with the spud first.  I was able to strike through in two. Not ideal, but it's clear ice. Went back and got my stuff. Didn't even put the Aqua-Vu down it was getting so dark. Didn't mark anything and only fished for maybe 35-minutes. There were fish here last year. Think I just got out too late in the day. I may get out before the Vikings game tomorrow.

No Fish At The Jetty Tonight

Ice has come to Mille Lacs. I think it was locked up last night.  I didn't test the ice, but somebody had thrown a big rock out at the North Corner.  Open Water Season for me officially ended Nov. 28th. Not bad.
 

I Got the Fish Trap Out Today

 The area lakes are locked up and should be safe soon. There is no snow in the forecast and I am motivated to make use of the time for fishing for as long as that's the case. I need to get some ice fishing braid to put on my panfish rods and will be checking lakes within the next couple of days. I should be fishing somewhere by Friday.

R.I.P. Ron Lindner

I am a disciple of the Lindner school of angling. F+L+P=S is the formula that Ron came up with that I learned as a young teenager that has guided my fishing ever since. I will forever be grateful for all the fishing wisdom this man imparted to myself and so many others. Godspeed Ron!
 

Winter 20/21 Mille Lacs Walleye Regs

 

I caught quite a few in the 21-23" slot this Fall, so they are out there. I plan on giving it a try in open water off of the Jetty on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Vikings 2020, Not Playing Taps Yet

 

Wait...What?

After Beebe muffs the punt. All Carolina can do is get 3 points leaving the Vikes plenty of time. Kirk takes us right down the field leaving Teddy about 40 seconds. Teddy drives down the field, but they miss a 50-yarder. And just like that, the Vikings season is still alive.

The Ugly Berkley Frenzy Minnow

 Berkley came out with their "Frenzy" concept a little before the year 2000 if I am not mistaken.  They were what Berkley created in their scientific lab designed to figure out what got bass to react and trigger to best. There were topwater lures, crankbaits, lipless, and a jerkbait. The jerkbait, the Berkley Frenzy Minnow, is one ugly mofo that has a shallow and deep runner. It isn't a lure that ever really caught on with me until I discovered something about it this Fall fishing walleyes at the Jetty at Mille Lacs.  Something about this lure triggers walleyes that have passed up multiple presentations of other kinds. I have had this happen several times so it isn't a fluke. I wonder if it is the same for bass. I vaguely recall having that experience a time or two at the jetty with smallmouth but wasn't able to locate any posts at the log blog detailing it. I will have to give it a try with bucket mouths next Spring at the Grumpy Old Man Hole. Hopefully, I will remember to try it unlike my pledge last winter to use the Frenzy Popper more in 2020, doh!   

I Haven't Given Up On The Vikings Quite Yet

Well, that isn't true about me giving up on the Vikings. After the atrocious start, I figured they were dead in the water. Then came the three-game winning streak. And alas all hope was not lost. I did give up on the Vikings going into the Dallas game. I figured Dallas coming off of a bye getting the Vikes on a short week spelled a Vikings defeat and so it was. However, I don't think that loss doomed the Vike's playoff chances. I think the Vikes win the next two games. If that happens it's anybody's guess what the playoff picture will look like at that point. It's 2020, man.  
 

Last Trip In Open Water 2020, Maybe??

I started fishing around 7:30PM. I spotted a moving eyeball when I got up on Pete's Standing Rock. I made several casts to the area. On about the 6th one I caught sight of the eye's obviously tracking to my Tomato Jerk Sahd. I just let the Jerk Shad sit and yanked when I thought it grabbed the lure, which it did. I was glad to have the skunk gone. I wasn't really enjoying myself in the cold and the fish weren't biting so about an hour in I said to myself, next fish in hand and I'm leaving. I was fishing the North Corner just about to go back to the Harbor Mouth and give the Rage Swimmer Jr. a try when the 26-incher grabbed my Sexy Shad Jerk Shad. After releasing the fish I indeed had enough and quit fishing. Will this be my last open water trip of 2020? Not sure, all I know is that I really didn't enjoy the last couple of trips very much. The thought of grinding out walleyes in the bitter cold with freezing hands is losing its luster.

Bass Pundit Blog Turns Sweet 16

 

I may or may not get to 100 posts in 2020, but I did definitely make it to 16 years of blogging.

Will Mille Lacs Still Be Open Dec.1st?

I don't think I'll be able to fish at Eddy's on December 1st, but there is a chance. This forecast might actually turn out to be on the cool side of the temps we actually get.
 

Vikings 2020 Season Sign's of Hope, Maybe???

 

As my post at In-Depth Outdoors after the Vikes started 0-3 demonstrates, I have faith in Mike Zimmer as a football coach and leader of men. If the Vikes can beat Da Bears then there will be hope on the horizon for a winning season.  I'm not gonna count those chickens until they are hatched. Winning at Soldier Field has been a bugaboo. The young defense is still suspect and the Bears D is no joke. Should be a good test on Monday Night. SKOL!

Congratulations 2020 Elite Series Rookie of the Year Austin Felix

 

Austin had a fantastic rookie season finishing 7th in Angler of the Year. Great Job!

Halloween 2020