GOMH+ Fish Pics (2/23/26)

 

Aqua Vu Search On Sully Comes Up Almost Empty

 

9:00-10:40 AM Sullivan Lake

24-36℉, Cloudy, 8-25mph

I went to the NW Access in Sullivan. It was about 36 degrees out. I had plenty of water in the Fish Trap, but no way to get it out. I wasted some time trying. I then went over to Jaimen's Corner and drilled holes from deeper to shallower.  I then started in the deepest hole with the Aqua-Vu. I didn't see any life, so I jigged the camera a couple of times on the bottom and that called in a decent-sized walleye. I then scoped the rest of the holes with Aqua Vu. I didn't have any confidence in a single walleye sighting, so I kept covering ground and checking holes with Aqua-Vu. I did that until I started getting cold and the wind came up. With the cold front and heavy winds moving in, I called it a day.  I never did open the rod case to fish. I'm amazed, I only saw one fish. I worked the break and weedline, also the break with rubble.

Shakopee Lake Trip with Cold and Snow

Took pic after drilling my second set of holes

 

Didn't Get Skunked!

Took the pic and then the phone died

3:45-8:30PM Shakopee Lake 8' and 9' just a little south of the access

-2 to 18℉, Mostly Clear, Calm

Unfortunately, not many people had been out on the lake since the snow dump this week. Not so much an issue getting out. Going back, I had to carry the auger and minnows and then go back for the smitty/Fish Trap. I got out to about 8 feet of water and drilled holes. I could see weeds. Not a whole lot going on. I marked a couple of disinterested small fish and saw one sunny on the camera. My Eddy's hat fell into the slush puddle. After sunset, I drilled another set of holes about 100 feet farther out and fished there the rest of the time. Around 7pm, I ran out of propane for the Little Buddy. I caught the first bullhead before I got the propane changed out. I had trouble getting the Little Buddy to fire at first. I had to unscrew it completely and put it back on, and that did the trick. I lost something that bit on a minnow. I put the camera down and saw bullheads. I caught one more small bullhead. Bullheads were still down there when I pulled my lines up for the night. On the way back to the car, my phone died after I took a picture. My bad for not having the second Mophie iPhone case along. I need to get with it, keeping the iPhone charged up. The second time this ice season, my phone died. It could just be that it gets too cold

Erskine Ice and Snow

  

1st trip with Little Buddy Heater

2:45-6:30 PM Erskine Lake 12'

5-18℉, Cloudy/Snow, 6-16mph WNW

There were a couple of trucks at the Access. One had a snowmobile trailer, the other was a pike hunter. The guys with the snowmobile trailer helped me load up in the snow. I went out toward the area where the guy this Spring said he got into a school of bass, which was beyond where the guy with the snowmobile set up. I drilled four holes over about a seventy-yard stretch, then went back and looked with the camera for signs of life. There was only 3 to 4 feet of visibility with the camera, quite a bit of suspended sediment. I saw one small perch in the second hole and a couple of sunfish in the 4th hole, so I set up shop. The Little Buddy fired right up. It wasn't as warm as I expected it to be. I caught a bunch of small perch and saw a crappie or two on the camera, possibly a walleye as well. As it got dark, I caught some small crappies and missed a few as well. It started snowing. Thankfully, the guys with the snowmobile didn't take off, so I had their truck lights to guide me back to the access. They helped me get the smitty up the hill. We talked about the area lakes. They were not really familiar with this area.

4Crip

19YP  

GOMH 3/22

 

On my way up to the Bass Snatcher Award Banquet I stopped at the GOMH to experiment with the Aqua-Vu and throw a few casts. It was cold and windy. I nearly took out a turkey along the road that runs along the West side of Platte. I got skunked.

Final Ice Trip of 21/22(4/8/22)

 

7+ Rippin Rap

8.5" Cubby

8" Rippin Rap

6:30-9:00PM Rock Lake 8' at the Cane

36-45℉, PC, 4-23mph NNW

I got on OK. Stepped in slush and soaked my right boot. I then walked straight out. Drilled a hole to the South, wasn't impressed with what I saw and headed to my cane holes, which I could not find. I ended up stepping in two of them later on. I drilled one hole out deep. Then moved in closer to the cane and set up there. It was pretty windy once I got past the hill. Also drilled a set to the South. When I got back, there was a school of sunnies off in the distance that I think had a big bass in with them, but it was too far away to tell. Had a few schools of sunnies and crappies swim through, but not very frequently. Saw one pike. I caught the one sunfish and one Crappie on the Rippin Rap. And I got a couple crappie on the Cubby Mini-mite  I packed up at 9 PM as nothing was going on. Checked the Sullivan access on my way home; it's trash. I will probably hit Rock again in the morning and call it a season.

I did not get up, so this was my final 21/22 Ice Fishing Season trip.

 

Back On the Ice After 11 Days

 

 

Ice is 20+

8.5" Glow Demon/Minnow

4:30-6:30PM 16' 2021 Hole

-5 to 5℉, MS, 0-3mph S

It was cold out, but the sun was shining and there wasn't much wind so I went fishing. Drove out to my area. Hands got cold while I was drilling holes, had to get the choppers out. Ice was a good 8-inches deeper maybe more. Got set up and it was so warm in the house I eventually took my jacket off. Couldn't get the old Aqua-Vu to work. Wasted at least 20 minutes on that. I did eventually put the Aqua-Vu 5c down, but there were only about 15-minutes of good light for me. Saw a couple of crappies and a perch.  The first crappie took the minnow, but fish were way more active on THE Jig. Got one crip on the Glow Demon Spoon. The bite shut down at about a quarter of 6PM. I got a few stragglers after that. It was cold while packing up.

21 Crip

1 Perch

Sullivan and Bulldog Duds(3/24/20)

9" Glow Demon Spoon/waxies

Blind Man Stood By the Road And He Cried

7:15-9:30AM Sullivan 27' Tullibee Hole
32-29℉, Foggy, 2-4mph SE

I didn't need to put on my spikes.  I walked out to the area but didn't see where my holes from the last trip were at.  So I stopped dragging the Fishtrap and went looking.  The second picture shows just how close I was to where I left the sled.  Duh! The holes weren't frozen over.  I got the camera set up first again.  There was activity down by the bottom.  Fish would occasionally act aggressively but not hit.  I got one crappie.  Nothing tullibee like.  Viewed a few perch up high and down near the bottom.  I was hungry so I headed home at 9:30 AM.

I went into Onamia to pick up Vitamin D. I stopped at Shakopee Lake.  There were 6 trucks in the lot. I talked to a guy that had just finished.  He said he was getting sunfish with an occasional nice Crappie.  Couldn't see any open water toward the inlet.
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3:00-4:30PM Bulldog Lake Matt W. Spot 8'
43℉, Cloudy some light rain as I left, 5mph S

As you can see from the pick open water is intruding on the access so this will be my last trip to Bulldog.  I got out, put the camera down and saw sunnies.  They weren't interested and quickly disappeared.  The lighting wasn't great.  I really wasn't into it and it started to sprinkle so I packed up at 4:30.  I checked out the GOMH on the way home.

Tullibaby Baby!

17" VMC Fly/maggots

8.90" VMC Fly/maggots

7:20-9:30AM Tullibee Hole 25'
31-29℉, Cloudy/Partly Cloudy, 13-20mph SE

I got out a little later than I should have.  There was snow on the truck and on the road.  As far as I can tell I was the second one at the access.  A couple of trucks drove on when I was unloading.  I walked out which ate more time.  It was quite windy.  I got to the area drilled three holes and put the camera down first.  Then I put waxies down on the bobber rod.  The first fish of the morning was the bull gill that bit at about 7:50AM.  I was not on point with keeping the fish. I had to fill a bucket with water using the hawg trough in hopes the fish would survive if I wanted to release it.  That took time and the fish went belly up so I had to keep it.  I'm pretty sure there were others down there that were gone by the time I got my line back down. About had an hour later the tullibee showed up.  There were at least two of them by the marks I had.  Fortunately, I got a bite and hooked it in the shoot.  Excellent fight.  I got the camera and transducer out, but I got caught up on the bobber line.  Landing these slippery things is tricky.  I was using 3lb test. After that, I might have had one more tullibee come through. But who knows I also had crappies come through that I got to see on the camera.  I watched a crappie charge the Fly and suck it in, but I didn't connect with the hookset.  I had perch messing with me by the bottom and eventually put the camera down to watch them.  It was quite windy and my right foot was cold so I called it a day at 9:30.

Bulldog Lake Again with A Couple Of Bonus Pic's

7.5" VMC Fly/maggots (Glow)

21" VMC Fly/maggots (Glow)

Sculpture created in 5 Gallon with water dripping off the roof last nigh 

The GOMH from today

5:00-8:00PM Bulldog Lake 7' NE Point
31-35℉, Cloudy, 3-18mph SE

I must have arrived just after Matt W. left.  I went out and put the camera down in some of the holes he drilled.  I only saw one sunfish, so I headed to the NE Point where I have been fishing.  Some guys were on the lake earlier in the day and drilling holes like madmen on the NE and N side of the lake, there dozens upon dozens of holes drilled.  I used their holes to find fish with the Aqua-Vu.  It took me a few for me to locate any fish.  Not a good sign as fish were all over the place every time I've been out.  I finally found a group of sunnies and put two additional holes there.  By the time I had any lines down the sunfish had moved off because pike were patrolling the area.  First fish was presumably a pike that broke my line at the dropper, so it wasn't a bite off.  My mistake, shouldn't have happened.  A little while after that I caught a pike on the Glow Demon and Minnow.  I then got a nice bluegill. Then I got the pike in the pictures that snuck into camera rage when I wasn't looking.  When I looked back, there he was with my jig in his mouth.  I'm was lucky I hooked him at the tip of the shoot.  I saw a couple more pike swim through and couple crappie swam through but didn't look at my lures.  I did catch a couple other decent gills and played keep-away with some small ones.  I did move out to 10' when it was too dark for the camera but didn't mark anything until I was all packed up and about to leave.

I'm probably going to fish somewhere with Matt W. tomorrow

Fished Rock Because of the Wind

6.5" VMC Fly/maggots

There is open water in the channel

6:00-8:00PM Rock Lake 9' Sunz Spot
30-35℉, Cloudy, 15-20MPH NW

I finally achieved victory with the headlight tonight.  I didn't even need Jeff's help.  I went to Rock because the winds were hellacious and I would be protected there.  It had been above freezing the previous night so the top of the ice was a slushy mess-making pulling the sled much more difficult.  There was open water in the Platte River Outlet Bay Channel.  I drilled about 7 or so holes 3 of them being to shallow.  There is Eurasian milfoil in the lake. The ice was 6-8" thinner than on Bulldog or Sullivan.  I found sunnies high in the water column in 9'. There was small mature bald eagle chirping when I was setting up.  I told it I would throw it a fish, but I forgot; Sorry Mr. Eagle.  Lots of little sunnies around.  I caught 8 on the VMC Fly with maggots.  I lost a crappie in the hole and saw another on the camera. I saw one small pike.  I also lost something the felt really good when I first put down in the hole where the fish were.  I quit at 8PM.  The walk back was much easier as things had firmed up with the falling temps.

No Tullibee, Saw A Few Perch

I was going to head out at 6AM but rethought that plan due to a heavy mist.

7:30-10:00AM Sullivan Lake

Trucks were out on the ice, so I drove out.  Somebody was out on the spot.  I tried a spot that looked good a little closer to the access, but the Navionics app was wrong.  It was 16' feet not 23'.  I might have had tullibee follow right away.  There were a few perch I saw on the camera.  After an hour or so of that.  I went to Sun Hole. Nothing there.  I also tried some open holes out from the point.  Didn't get to see whatever was there on the camera.  I had forgotten maggots and Waxies. 

New Spot on Bulldog

10" VMC Fly/maggies (Pink)

8' VMC Fly/maggies

3:30PM-8:30PM Bulldog 9' NE Point
35-32℉, Partly Cloudy, 2-8mph South

I decided to fish Bulldog Lake today.  I parked at the public access and walked out to the deep hole.  Didn't mark anything.  I decided to give the point on the NE side of the lake a try.  I've never fished there before.  I drilled several holes before I hit paydirt 9' with some coontail on the bottom.   The fish were suspending above the weeds.  Lots of small sunnies and perch, I did get one 8" bluegill.  Eventually, some crappies started swimming through.  A pike made a brief cameo.  I finally drilled a third hole to put a minnow down  As it got dark more crappie came through.  The last fish of the night was a crappie that took a minnow. at 7:50 or so.  That was the only bite on the minnow.  I did hit the deep hole on the way back and didn't see anything.

5 Sunfish
4 Perch
8 Crappies

My Day Ice Fishing With Dev

10.5" VMC Fly/maggots

4:00-6:15PM Platte Lake Out Front
Conditions: 30-24℉, Mostly Sunny, W Windy
Depth 7' or so

Devin's first ever ice fish

I finally got my act together and took Devin ice fishing for the 1st time.  I searched for fish using the GPS and Aqua -Vu Micro 5c. I started drilling to shallow.  By the time Devin got out there I had spied some fish.  I had Devin help me drill the second hole, which we put the old Aqua-Vu in.  While I was getting that setup Devin was outside with Storm.  Unfortunately, there was a weed partially blocking the screen.   Sure enough, the perch were still down there.  I caught one perch then took Storm from Devin and told her what to do.  She quickly located the lure on the Aqua -Vu and caught her first fish lickety-split.  We caught a bunch and avoided a bunch.  Didn't see any sunfish.

    We tried to avoid the little ones, but Dev managed to catch a couple of really small ones. 

Steve felled the tree, while we were out fishing. Steve came out and Devin showed him how she was catching them while I held storm.  They went back up to the cabin.  I had a pike bite off a Rippin' Rap.  I elected not to move and packed up around 6PM.  Steve helped me pull my stuff up the hill.  Shortly after arriving at home I got a call from Steve.  Kim hit a deer on 27 just before the turn on 8.  So I drove down to where she was at.  There was significant front-end damage to the Expedition and the airbag went off.  Kim was shook up, but able to drive it to J & D's service station.  Sherman drove Steve down and picked Kim up.  I don't know if the truck is fixable r not.  Thankfully it looks like the snow storm we were supposed to get tomorrow has veered to the North.  Hopefully, the storm on Monday/Tuesday misses us as well. 

How Bow Dah!

19.75" VMC Fly w/Maki Jamei (purple)

4:00-7:30PM Rock Lake My Spot

Conditions: 56-40℉, Mostly Sunny, Light SW wind,  16' mostly the waypoint holes.

I drilled a total of 4 sets of holes with the one's at the waypoint being triples, instead of my usual double, so I could put the new Aqua-Vu Micro 5c down.  When I went to use the MoPod the batteries were dead, so I had to position the camera manually.  Today there was better water clarity than the first time I tried it;  On that day it was basically unusable visibility was so poor.  I had a few sunfish and perch come in at first then nothing.  I stopped looking at the camera for a minute as I straightened out some things in the Fish Trap.  Next time I looked at the camera there was a fish looking right at the camera.  It was far enough away I couldn't tell if it was a pike or a bass.  It then swam right up to the VMC Fly as I was jigging it.  It sucked it in and spit it before I could react.  I kept jigging it and it sucked it in again.  The battle was on.  I pulled out the ducer and got the camera pulled up as well.  It did get tangled in the minnow line, but I was able to land it without a problem.  She put up a great fight.

19.75" VMC Fly

I was like dang, this fish is a really good one, almost 20 inches.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of it in my measuring cradle.  I released her down a different set of holes.  I would say it went a bit shy of 4lbs.  

I went back got the lines untangled and put on a new minnow and got the camera back down the hole.  I put the Rippin' Rap down the hole for doing the camera centering.  I had it almost right on, just needed to make one little adjustment.  When I got that done, low and behold there was another good bass staring down the Rippin' Rap.  Sure enough it could't resist and took a bite. I had it hooked for about 5 seconds then it got off.  

I'm not sure if it was the same fish or not, but almost immediately after it got off a fish came through and took my minnow.  I  set the hook and the battle was on.  I thought to switch off my anti-reverse switch so I could back reel my baitcaster.  There was not going to be a repeat performance of me breaking a fish off like a couple of weeks ago.

17.75" Glow Demon w/minnow

This fish was much more chunky and I thought to get the picture in the measuring trough.

I went back to fishing.  The visibility started getting more difficult due to little things in the water, not because of lack of light.  I missed the first crappie that came through and I started catching some sunfish and perch.  Mostly I just played with sunnies because they weren't very big one's.  I did get this 7", which was my biggest for the night.

7" VMC Fly w/Jamei & spike

I finally landed my first crappie for the night. Didn't think to take a picture of it.  When it bit I thought it was a sunfish I was looking at on the camera.  Not long after that I gave up on the camera because the visibilty was so bad.

    I caught this one potato chip.  I started moving around to my other holes and picking up crappies on the Fly and the Demon.  I finally thought to take a picture of a crappie.

9.25" Demon w/minnow

I decided I was on my last minnow at 7PM.  I caught a couple crappies on the Fly before a crappie came and took the minnow; I landed that fish.  I got a couple more crappies on the Fly and then I packed up.  I think I got fish in each set of holes.  It was a bit sloppy on the ice, but not to bad.  All in all a good night on the lake.

13 Crappies

19 Sunfish

8 Perch

2 Bass