Bass Pundit: 2023

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Friday, December 29, 2023

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

December 27th at the GOMH

Beaver built a mound just to the West of the SW stairs

Platte Lake Public Access

Rock PA

That is slush not ice to start out with

Saturday, December 23, 2023

My 2023 One Bass & Jumpin Bullhead Wonders

If my counting is correct I caught only one largemouth bass on 24 separate lures and only one jumpin bullhead on three lures in 2023. The big surprise on the list this year is the Terminator Frog. I fished it a fair amount and just didn't get bit. I caught mostly pike on that 6th Sense Wakebait. The Brovarney Jig, and Monsoor Jig, don't belong on the list as I caught plenty of jumpin bullheads on them.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Platte/Sullivan Juice, Part 2

As promised here are my fishing heat maps for Sullivan Lake, Platte Lake, and Platte/Sullivan telling the general area where I caught all my fish in 2023 and 2022. Platte froze out in 2023, so I fished there a lot less frequently this year.

2023

Many more trips were taken to only Sullivan in 2023 and I expanded the areas fished.

2022

The two farthest West dots on this map are shore spots.

Platte 2023

Platte Only Trips 2022
A Good Year for F Flat

Bonus 2021 Map
(I put the Fish Swami App on my phone in July of 202)

Trips In Which I fished both Lakes in 2023

Both Lakes 2022

Both Lakes 2021

3 Weeks to Win 2 Games

Coach KOC has gone from my good graces after last weeks win to back into my doghouse. The no-brainer call on both 3rd and long plays in the red zone that resulted in interceptions was to run the ball and kick for 3 points. With a backup QB playing in his first game action of the season, a pass play was not worth the risk. Both times we got burned in the worst way possible. Both times before the play was snapped I was yelling at the TV for them to run the ball and take the kick. Instead, two turnovers.

KOC's lapses of strategic acumen have cost us two out of the last three games. I thought maybe he learned his lesson last week by not asking too much of the Offense and not taking unnecessary risks; Then week his playcalling choices took two great opportunities to get points off the board. So Stupid!

Now instead, of being a shoo-in to make the playoffs, it is white-knuckle panic button time. So unnecessary in my opinion.

All is not lost. Mullens is serviceable and has the potential to win games against anyone with our Defense. I am astonished that 24 points was not enough to win today. Tough luck on us not converting for that 1st Down in overtime. The O-Line has to win and had been winning on short yardage in the game. KOC should have run the ball more in the 2nd Half. We had 3 timeouts left after the Bengals tied up the score with 39 seconds left. I thought running the ball on 1st down was the best option to not put us behind the chains. Instead, sacked. Disaster!

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Vikings Big ? For Week 14

Will Jet be enough to fuel the Vikes and AstroDobbs back into the win column? Or does the Viking's season crash and burn this week?

If the Vikes don't win this game I think the team's chances of making the playoffs fall to 25% or less. This may be the key game of the year.

Only 74 Days Until The First Elite Series Touranment...

...And the start of Fantasy Bass Fishing Season. The first tournament of the year is on Toledo Bend and starts February 22nd. Good Luck and Good Picking!

Saturday, December 09, 2023

I Didn't Get Skunked

Finally got my crap together and headed out ice fishing on Rock Lake this morning. I caught one dink pike and saw some little perch.

More complete details of the trip at the Log Blog

Friday, December 01, 2023

What To Do? What To Do? (Vikes)

After an unbelievable start, AstroDobbs has crash-landed as his performances got more shaky with each start. There is only so much you can drink from a firehouse before you drown. What Josh Dobbs accomplished while drinking from the fire hose was amazing, but almost certainly wasn't sustainable. Thankfully, with the bye this week the Vikings Coaching Staff and Management can take extra time to evaluate where things stand, and come up with a best plan of action for how to attack the stretch run, with contingencies if things go awry. It is possible that all hope for the Vikes was lost when Kirk went down. Maybe Dobbs is the best option at QB, maybe not. That is why Kwesi and KOC get paid big bucks. Their job is to work on the problem and find solutions. Bringing in Dobbs worked, but maybe a change is in order or QB by committee. Has that ever been tried? Why not dress three QBs and use them all according to their strengths. If it blows up it blows up. What do they have to lose? Nothing! I didn't expect Dobb's to win a single game, but after the first one, I knew he gave us a chance. With the D playing as well as they are this team has a chance in all of the remaining games. The Vikes just have to get a handle on those turnovers.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Giving Up My Platte/Sullivan Juice For 2023

I just discovered that the Fish Swami App offers me yearly, monthly, and hourly maps of the general location of the fish I caught in the time frame of my choosing. There is no breakdown for fish species, but this year I was pretty much a 50/50 split between pike and bass this year. So here is where I caught them in 2023.

This map was my Platte/Sullivan trips in which I fished both lakes.

Just my Platte Lake trip fish numbers

My Only Sullivan Lake trip fish numbers

In the coming days, I will do a post contrasting where I caught fish in 2023 vs. 2022, when I mainly was still fishing in Platte Lake.

Platte/Sullivan Trips: 922 fish caught

Platte Lake Trips: 345 fish caught (Probably 80/20 split pike to bass)

Sullivan Lake Trips: 404 fish caught.

Friday, November 24, 2023

Good Play, Just Used At The Wrong Time

During the first drive of the game in Denver, the Vikes had the ball 4th and 1 yard-to-go near midfield. We elected to go for it. The ball was snapped to our TE Hock who was under center. Hock then pitched it to QB Tark 2.0 who ran outside to get the ball the ball was stripped, and took a vicious hit that wasn't flagged, but got the player suspended after the league looked at it.

I really liked the idea of Hock under center, we should try it in the future with both a "Brotherly Shove" and a pitch out to a WR or RB Chandler.

I didn't care when KOC chose to use it. I think he should have waited until we were on the goal line or in the second half.

Three Vikings turnovers resulted in the team losing the game. We almost recovered a fumble MN LB Pace Jr. forced, but he didn't gain control until he was out of bounds on Denver's final drive. The Vikings losing the game wasn't the end of the world. The Packers beat the Lions on Thanksgiving, which I thought was a possibility. If the Vikings get back to winning this Monday night then everything gets back to being right with the world again. If the Vikings get beat by Da Bears, it isn't panic button time yet because we have the bye week next, the Sea Chickens are in free fall with a brutal schedule ahead, and the Packers play the Chiefs when we are on the bye. I can't wait for the Monday Night tilt. I think the Bears will play well, but the Vikes are at home and the better team. If we get those turnovers under control or force some, we should win. Jet may or may not be back.