Snatcher's Big Birch Tournament Preview

 

My Thoughts: Neither I nor my boater pre-fished. I can't remember if that has ever happened before. Maybe once or twice.  So I'm going in totally blind on a lake I haven't been to since my first year in the club, 2008, when I finished second-to-last, and my boater didn't place well. I liked the lake, though. It has clear water, smallmouth bass, and quite a bit of slop. We will not specifically target smallmouth, but my boater says he knows some rock/weed areas.  Hopefully, the slop will play. Looks like the winds will be on the reasonably mild side, just like they were for the first tournament of the year. If the tournament I fished in 2008 is any indication, 3lbers are hard to come by unless you are committed to sight-fishing smallies all day. Can anyone knock off Tuma in this one? Not likely. I would be happy if I could get a bag of 2lbers.

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'4"H Tatula Elite (Chicken Jig, Frog)

7'4"H Tatula (Frogs/Toads, Topwater)

7'4"H Tatula XT (Buzzbait)

7' H Mojo Bass Dock Skipper (Jigs,Chatter)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (FC) (Jigs, Chatter, Fluke)

6'8"M Avid (Topwater, Jerks)

6'6"MH GLX (Texas Rig, Dark Sleeper, Ned, Dinger,Fluke)

Spin:

5'6" Avid MH (Fluke, Dinger, Ned))

2008 Results:

Snatcher's Platte/Sullivan Tournament Preview And Rods

 

My Thoughts: 

Thanks to 2026 being the year MN bassheads were liberated from a closed bass season, I got the Trophy in the water quickly, and it has been game on for me ever since on Platte/Sullivan. As bites have come and gone, I have been able to understand why a bite left or stayed good, and with an OK amount of success, have been able to figure out where the fish had departed. In the past, I may have felt lost and probably just didn't spend the time necessary to track them down. I am confident that Ranger Arnie and I will be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

The Plan: 

We are going to start in an area where Arnie caught them the first day he was out pre-fishing. I think it is a solid area and I am talking an area. I have three primary areas in mind that I think we should spend most of our time on, and where we start is a good one. We have eight boats fishing in this tournament. It will be interesting to see whether any other boats head to our starting area and, if they do, where they choose to attack first. I have some backup areas that, if we don't get to them, I'm fine with it because that means we caught 'em where I thought they should be. 

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'4" H Zillion (The Chicken)

7'4" H Tatula Elite (Frog)

7'4" H Tatula XT (Buzzbait)

7'4" H Tatula (Toads, Ploppers)

7' MH Mod Mojo Bass (Crankbaits, Topwater, Wakebaits)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Jigs,Chatters, Plopper, )(Braid)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Jigs,Chatters, Flukes)(FC)

5'6" MH Avid (Fluke, Dinger)

Baxter Bass Snatchers Mr. And Mrs Bass 2025

 On March 21st, my bass club, the Baxter Bass Snatchers held our annual Christmas Party/Awards Banquet.  Tuma and Rainya were all smiles to be Mr and Mrs. Bass 2025.

Keith and Rainya

Baxter Bass Snatchers 2026 Tournament Schedule (Tentative)

 

Last Saturday, we picked dates and lakes for the upcoming tournament season. The schedule will be debated and finalized at our February meeting.

Sunday, May 31st, Platte/Sullivan: Like I said in my tournament wishlist post, I would prefer a tournament on my lakes later in the year. If it is post-spawn, the lakes can be tricky if the fish are off. That said, I have had some really productive days in late May and early June, and thanks to being able to target bass right from ice-out, I should have a really good idea of productive areas. Will the Chicken play? Will I finally be able to beat out Tuma?

Saturday, June 20th, Big Birch (Grey Eagle): We fished this lake in my very first year in the club, 2008, and we haven't been back since. I really liked the lake. It has smallmouth and clear water. I hope this one stays.

Saturday, July 11th Gull /Crow Wing River: This was my suggestion, and it beat out all the other lakes we came up with in the vote. Tuma said later is better here. So at the next meeting, I am going to make a motion to switch it with Pelican or Leech.

Saturday, August 15th, Pelican Lake: I may have to stock up on a certain color of craw tubes for this one. Judging by my pre-fishWill the Chicken Play?

Saturday, September 12th, Leech Lake: Hopefully it stays at Leech, it doesn't blow hard that day, and water levels are normal. Will smallies play?

Saturday, October 3rd, Gull Lake: Gull Lake has been on fire the past few years. Will it continue? Will they bite the Chicken?

2026 Wishlist For Bass Snatcher Tournament Lakes

 

Saturday will be the first Baxter Bass Snatcher meeting of 2026. We have six tournaments and do not fish a lake in back-to-back years. Last year, we fished at Birch (Hackensack),  Mississippi River (Brainerd), Edward, Rush, Fish Trap, and North Long.

Here is my wishlist for lakes .

Platte/Sullivan: It has been 5 years since the club last fished my lakes. In 2025, Platte/Sullivan bounced back after a rough year for me in 2024. There are plenty of good-sized bass around in both lakes. I say, "Let's go!", I think I would prefer it be a July, August, Sept, or Oct tournament because May/June post-spawn is to big of a wild card.

Gull/Crow Wing River: I need to catch a limit in a river tournament, and Gull River has bigs.
Whitefish Chain: Solid, diverse fishery.

Gull Lake: I think it is still kicking out big bags.

Serpent Lake: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Rabbit Lakes: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

South Long Lake: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Farm Island: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Pelican: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Alexander: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Bay Lake: Want ot see if The Chicken plays.

Cedar (Aitkin): Facing my fears head-on, even though this lake hates me.

Away Lakes: In order from the longest since we last fished there.

Woman: Last time the club fished it was 2015.

Fishhook: Last time the club fished it was 2016.

Washburn: Last time the club fished it was 2018.
Leech: Last time the club fished it was 2021.

Thunder: Last time the club fished it was 2022.

Pokegama: Last time the club fished it was 2023.

Little Boy/Wabedo: Last time the club fished it was 2024.

Osakis: Last time the club fished it was 2024.

Snatcher North Long Preview: The Plan and Rods I'm Bringing

 The Plan:

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'6" H (Jigs, Chicken Jig)

7'4" H Tatula 1 (Buzzbait)

7'4" H Tatula 2 (Toadz, 

7' H Avid (Texas Rig)

7' MHM Mojo Bass (Chatterbait)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (FC)(Jigs, Dark Sleeper)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Chatterbait, Spinnerbait)

6'8" M Avid (Topwater)

Spin:

6'6" MH Abu Veritas (Neko)

Snatcher Fishtrap Lake Preview: The Plan and Rod's I'm Bringing

 

My boater, Club President Snatcher Benson

The Plan: During pre-fish, pretty much everything we tried produced a bass or two. So I'm gonna prepare to junk fish and see if I can drill into a pattern. The goal is to get a limit and beat Tuma.

Rods I'm Bringing: 

7'6" H Tatula (Jigs)

7'4" H Tatula (Frogs/Toads, Jigs, Buzzbait)
7'4" H Tatula (Frogs/Toads, Jigs, Buzzbait)

7' H Avid (Texas Rig)

7' MHM Mojo (Chatterbait)

6'9' H Tatula Elite (FC) (Jigs)

6'9' H Tatula Elite (Braid)(Spinnerbait)

6'9' H Tatula Elite (Braid)(Chatterbait)

Spinning Rod:
6'6" MH Abu Vertas (Neko, and Fluke)

Snatcher Rush Lake Preview, Part 2: The Plan and Rods

 The Plan: Snatcher Tuma was not impressed with what we saw up shallow, so we probably will not be throwing frogs.  It's going to be windy. If the bass are up in the water column and aggressive, it will be Chatterbaits and Spinnerbaits. If they are not up and aggressive, it will be jigs and Texas rigs on the bottom.

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'4" H Tatula (Plopper, Frogs/Toads)

7'4" H  Mod Zillion (Punching)

7' MHM  Mojo (Chatterbait)

7' H Avid (Texas Rig)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (FC) (Jigs)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Spinnnerbait)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Jigs)

6'6" MH 763 Loomis GLX (Ned)

Snatcher Lake Edward Preview: Part 1

 

Yes, Part 1 is being written and released after Part 2. My prerogative as a blogger to do things that way.

My History with Lake Edward:

Today will be my third tournament on Lake Edward. I'm not sure why the club didn't fish the lake between 1989 and 2017. Access issues, maybe? I'm sure I have heard the story; I just can't remember it. My introduction to the lake in 2018 was positive. I recorded that I caught 18 fish that day.

Light bulb moment, just happened. I am going to add "Bass Snatchers Tourny" to my Fish Swami Fishing Partners list, so all of my Tournaments will be easily searchable once I get them all documented that way. I think I will also make a list of days I pre-fished as well.

The second tournament day, pre-fish and tournament, was plagued by wind. Not a good thing for Edward, which is just a wide open basin pretty much. It looks like wind will be a factor today. It isn't supposed to blow hard hard, but anything above 5 mph is going to have half of the lake rocking and rolling. It is also supposed to be cloudy to partly cloudy, which is usually a positive for clear bodies of water such as Edward.

I had some pretty good finishes in July and some real stinkers, like last year's Last-Place finish on Mission Lake. The 2025 Season has been off to a terrible start. Hopefully, Arnie's fish are there and chewing. That is the secret to success in July, drawing a boater on a school or pattern that is on and stays on long enough to put together a solid bag. 

Wish me luck!

Snatcher's Lake Edward Preview Part 2: Rods and Plan

 

The Plan: I will be blasting out in boat #1 with Ranger Arnie. He will forever be Ranger Arnie here at Bass Pundit, even though he is a part-time Snatcher now. This will be the first time I fish with Arnie as a Snatcher. I did draw him for my boater for the Challenge Cup on Platte/Sullivan back in 2019 when I got skunked. Arnie may have been skunked as well, but I think he caught one keeper bass. 

Arnie took two trips, prefishing for Edward, and did well fishing the cabbage, so that is where we will no doubt spend the majority of our time. I will start with a buzzbait, but quickly switch to a jig and Texas rig if Arnie is catching them and I'm not. If it's a tough bite, I'll go to a free rig, Ned, and Neko. 

Rods I'm bringing:

7'6" H Tatula (Jig)

7'4" H Tatula (Toad, Frog, Jig, Buzzbait) Just in case Arnie has a reed spot.

7'3" MH St. Criox Legend Tournament (Free Rig)

7' H St. Croix Avid (Texas Rig)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (FC) (Flukes, Neko,  Dark Sleeper, Chatterbait, Spinnerbait)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Braid) (Jig, Chatterbait, Spinnerbait)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Braid) (Dark Sleeper)

6'6" GLX 783 (Jig Worm, Dark Sleeper, Ned, Jerkbait, Paddletail) 

Spinning:

6'6" Abu Veritas (Neko Rig, Ned Rig)

Snatchers Mississippi River Preview: Part 2 (Plan & Rods)

 

Snatcher Darren showing me how it's done.

The Plan: Frog myself up a limit of three to six pounda's.

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'6" H Tatula (Pitching Jigs or Texas Rigs)

7'4" XH Zillion (Frog)

7'4" H Tatula (Frog, Toad)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Fluke)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Pitching Jigs)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Texas Rig)

6'8" M Avid (Topwater)

Snatcher Tournament Birch Lake

  

Conditions: 65-78℉, PC to Cloudy, 0-7mph SE

The Day:

I met up with Snatcher Herman at Fleet Farm, and we headed North. As Herman predicted, nobody went to our starting area. The area seemed to be a lot less alive, maybe due to it being early in the day. I noticed there was a channel cut into the shore that I didn't know was there. Where the cut meets the bay is a high percentage spot. Unfortunately, we moved in to close and spooked what was there. I did catch a small pike on a buzzbait. About 5 minutes later, Herman had a fish blow up on his swimbait, but miss in a group of pads. A few minutes later, Herman got the skunk out of the boat with a little bass. A couple of minutes later, I did the same thing with a spinnerbait fish (1.56). I switched to Zoom Super Fluke because the area was sloppy. I think I got a bass in the boat (1.58) pretty quickly after going to the fluke. I got more bites, but couldn't get them in the boat. I broke off on a fish that buried me in a pad root and discovered that most of the flukes I brought were torn up and basically unusable. I had four good ones left. We worked our way out of the slop bay, and I took the helm while Herman worked with his tackle. 

I worked a weedline and then some docks that had sunfish on them, but no sign of bass. We bailed on the area and went just West of where the inlet from Ten Mile Lake is. Herman and I quickly put fish in the boat, but mine was barely over 12 inches. Herman got another keeper, and we watched Smitty and Tim pull a couple out of the pads. We worked that northern shoreline, hoping to bump into something, but it just wasn't happening. A little before noon, Herman made us sandwiches. 

We then went to the southern end of the West Basin to a small slop bay, and Herman got his limit fish in front of a tree at the entrance to the bay. I got a keeper and a non-keeper off the tree on a fluke. I then had a pike wreck my second-to-last remaining fluke. I switched to a Z-Man Popping Shad and got a line burner that was hooked in an inopportune way through the eye, so I threw it back.  I lost all three bites I got on a frog in this bay, two of which I had hooked, and they were both 2-lb-class fish, minimum. We then went around the point to work more pads. Herman got a good cull quickly. I got a line burner and pike on my last fluke, which the pike did in. I put on a bubblegum Yum Dinger, but never got a hit on it.  I got my big bass with about 45 minutes left on a frog. We worked pads for 35 minutes. I had a couple of fish boil on the frog, but not take it. With 10 minutes left and still being one fish short of my limit, I pulled the plug on the slop, and we went to the channel between the basins. I fished a tree just to the SW of the channel, nothing. I ended the day getting my limit with a very small keeper on my last cast of the day, just to the SE of the channel.

Results:  I came in second to last. Tuma won and got Lunker (4/03),President Benson got 2nd Place, and Dennis got 3rd Place.

My Thoughts: I had the bites to be in the top half of the field. I didn't bring any Trick Worms, and my packing the wrong Fluke bag was just dumb as well. Lost fish on a frog when you get a good enough hookset to bring them in, most of the time, is tough luck. 

Tournament Grade: C 

I fished hard and got a limit

Birch Lake Preview Part 2: Plan and Rods I'm Bringing.

 

The Plan is to eat well again, thanks to Snatcher Herman.

The Plan: We didn't find any size, but did find bass in the pads during pre-fish, so fishing pads is Plan A. As of right now, it looks like it will be sunny with light to moderate wind. So pads could be a player. If that doesn't work, we'll wing it, I guess.

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'6" H Tatula (Swim Worm)

7'4" H Tatula Elite (Frog)

7'4" H Tatula (Toads)

7'4" H Tatula XT (Buzzbait)

7'H Avid (Texas Rig)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (FC) (Spinnerbait, Buzzbait, Wakebait)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Swim Jig, Paddletail, Dark Sleeper, Chatterbait)

6'8" M Avid (Topwater, Ned, Jerkbait, Trap, Neko)

5'6" MH Premier (Fluke, Senko, Ned)

Snatchers Birch Lake (Hackensack) Preview, Part 1.

 

Thanks to recent changes at Fish Swami, it is easy to look up my history at places I have fished since 2011, the first year I seriously started logging my trips. I have fished three tournaments at Birch Lake and pre-fished two of those, for a total of five days on the lake. In 2016, it was also the first tournament of the year. The "heart" for May 31, 2016, was for a 33.5" pike I caught. The bass we got pre-fishing in 2016 were pretty random, and I kind of remember where we caught bass in the tournament. I will be pre-fishing the lake on Tuesday with my boater, Herman. It looks like the weather going in will be warm and stable going into the tournament. I suspect most fish will be post-spawn by next Saturday. 

Pre-fishing done, we have a plan. See Part 2 on Saturday.

My Thoughts On The Tentative 2025 Bass Snatcher Schedule

 Dates and Lakes for 2025 were picked at least until the next meeting.

May 31st Birch at Hackensack: This will be the 4th time we have fished this lake since I joined the club. Two of the of the three times were in the Fall. In 2016,  it was the first tournament of the year as well. I haven't had any notable finishes here, but I enjoy fishing clear water and am not intimidated by it.  

June 21st  Lum Park Mississippi: I really want to catch a limit in a river tournament. This provides me that opportunity. I've fished one other tournament here.

July 19^th Edward: This will be the 3rd time in the last 8 years the club has fished this lake. First tournament went well. The 2nd tournament I struggled in the windy conditions, while my boater kicked my butt. I have wanted revenge on this lake. Lots of reeds.

August 23rd Rush Lake by Perham: This would be my third time fishing this lake. The first time, I only got one bass. The second time was a blown opportunity to finish well. It has a lot of reeds and slop.

Sept 13^th Fish Trap Lake: It's an ok lake. I don't love it. I don't hate it.

Sunday, September 28^th North Long:  The lake seems to have a great population of bass in it. I've fished it quite a few times. I think it has topwater potential if the conditions get right. 

BP's 2025 Snatcher Tournament Lakes Wish List

The Baxter Bass Snatchers will be having our first meeting of 2025 this Saturday.  These are the lakes I would like to see and lakes I'm not enthused about.

Local Lakes I'd prefer to fish (No particular order):

North Long

Gull

Edward

Bay

Whitefish

South Long

Serpent
Rice Lake/Mississippi River

Zebulon Pike/Mississippi River

Away Lakes I'd prefer to fish (NPO):

Pokegama

Leech

Rush (Ottertail)

Fish Hook (Park Rapids)

Woman

Washburn

Thunder

Meh Lakes:

Rabbit

Cedar (Aitken)

Up in the air about it:
Platte/Sullivan: Last year, catching 'em was the most difficult it had been for me in years.

Snatcher's Tournament Farm Island Lake

 

Tuma 3rd, DJ 2nd, Arnie 1st

Conditions: 50's to 80'S, Light wind and Sun

The Day:

Herman elected to take us down South to Ludenia's Reed Island. Unfortunately, Herman didn't shut down in time, and fish scattered everywhere on the surface as we arrived. I got one hit on a buzzbait casting out over the break, but it just swiped at it, so it was probably a pike. When we got over by the reeds, I got a pike on a spinnerbait and the skunk out of the boat with a small bass on the Frenzy Popper. On our way back South, I got a 2.5lber  and a pike on the buzzbait. And missed something that bit twice next to the reeds on a frog. I thought the first hit was a bass. The second time, I thought it was a pike. 

After we had circled the Island once, we went to the South Shoreline reeds working West. We passed DJ and Tuma, who were fishing the deep weedline. I didn't get a hit until we got to the cattail point of the Slop Bay, which I missed. Herman wanted to go somewhere else, but I insisted we fish a little farther, telling Herman giants live in this stuff in the Fall. Shortly after, I got a pound and a half fish in the boat. I lost a 2lb plus fish that got off in the slop. Herman didn't convert on a couple of bites. The Western side of the bay was dead. We then went back out to Ludenia's  Reed Island. I got a pike and a dink, and Herman made us sandwiches. 

Next, we headed up to the NW Corner of the lake. Tuma and DJ were there fishing the weedline. It started out dead, but then we got to a slop/reed point. I got a 2lber out of the coontail and 3lber, my lunker, in the reeds on the frog. I missed a good fish on the other side of the reeds on a coontail mat and got a little guy, which I culled.  We worked the shoreline reeds that are farther to the North. Herman got his first bass and I missed several bites. Herman got another keeper. We then returned to the slop/reed area where I first got bit when we came North. When we got to the back side of the reeds, I had a 3lber not get the frog. Bummer! Herman missed a blowup and had me throwback to the spot. I caught a slight upgrade. And I think Herman missed another fish. We tried working the outside reed islands but didn't get any bites. I  suggested we head East and work the slop bay with a steep drop next to the Catails. I missed a few hits. I caught one that didn't help and got a small cull. Herman got a 3lber. This was our final stop.  As we waited for people to get loaded up, Herman made me a giant sandwich with the remaining fixings. Man, it was good after a hard day of fishing. Thanks, Herman!

My Thoughts: Because of the sporadic slow frog bite this Fall, I just was not in top form and probably lost a couple that I probably would have gotten in the boat if I had more practice. It was a fun day, and I had opportunities to make the Top 5, maybe even the Top 3. But it just wasn't my day or my year.

Grade: B- 

My best finish of the year.

Results: 7th Place for me.

 

My Snatcher Tournament Recap of Sept 7th on the Crow Wing/Gull River

 

The Winning Trio

 Weather: 50-70℉, Mostly Sunny w/some fog in the morning, 2-9mph SSE

My Thoughts Going In: My boater was quite confident that we would both be able to get a limit. I have never done that in a Snatcher Tournament on a river, so I was hopeful but not counting my chickens yet. This has not been my year.

The Day:

It was a beautiful slightly foggy morning take-off. I wish I would have taken a photo. We should have stopped at the bridge because nobody was fishing off of it. At our first stop up the Gull River Tyler was getting bites immediately on his frog but missed the first two or three; then he got a pike. He said he got a bunch of pike prefishing on the frog. He continued to get blowups but wasn't converting any of them into hookups. I had a couple of fish swirl on me in the cheese and duckweed, but not actually make an attempt to eat the frog. Tyler finally hooked into a bass and got the skunk out of the boat. Shortly after that, I had a fish blow up and take the frog, but I came up empty on the hookset. We ended up reworking the area at my suggestion and Tyler got his second fish in the boat. 

We then went back downriver to another slop area where Tyler had some big fish show themselves. It was dead for quite a while. I finally got my first bass in the boat. It was right in the middle of a cheese mat and it took four attempts for it to get my frog. I should have told Tyler to cast to the spot a few times to make sure there wasn't more than one fish there. By the time I was ready to fish again, we had moved on. About 15 minutes later I got a small keeper out of some pads. 

We went back to the starting spot and came up empty, but then just went across the river into a little cut and I frogged up my third fish. We then headed to the rice at the confluence. A guy on the bridge had a three-pound smallmouth as we passed under.  There was some activity at the confluence, but we were not getting bit. I finally had a good bass blow up on my frog after I saw some movement behind my frog; I laid the wood to her, but she buried me in the junk and got off. I couldn't believe it. That coontail/milfoil was like getting stuck in concrete. Eventually, we went back up the Gull and refished the areas in the morning from closest to farthest. Tyler got a couple of keepers inside of the cuts and I got my fourth and final bass on a spinerbait. We both missed at least a couple of blow-ups in the final hour. I should have been throwing a frog instead of that Snag Proof Popper with little hooks. No limit for me yet again on a river.

Results: 14th Place, Ugh! But I'm lucky it wasn't far worse as Ludenia, Tim, and Larry didn't catch 'em.

Sarah won her second Co-Angler Challenge this year.

My Thoughts: It just wasn't my day yet again.  Hearing that Tuma, Smitty, and Sarah crushed them on frogs is a heart smasher. I should have known those little hooks on that Snagproof Popper made hooking fish risky.  Frustrating year. 

Grade: D When they are biting on frogs I should have gotten a limit.

Gull/Crow Wing River Plan and Rods I'm Bringing

 The Plan: I drew Snatcher Rookie Tyler for my boater. I think if we get any smallmouth it will be accidental. Plan A is to frog 'em up. Plan B: Jigs and spinnerbaits if they are not hitting on top.

Goals:

1. Catch a bass that goes at least 5/8 

2. Get a limit. (I have never caught a limit in any of the the previous four Snatcher tournaments on a river.)

3. Place in the Top 5

4. Win Co-Angler Cash, and both Lunker Pots

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'4" H Tatula Elite (Frog)

7'4" H Tatula (Frog)

7'4" H Tatula (Toadz)

7'4" H Tatula  (Worm)

7'4" H Zillion (Punching)

6'10" H Tatula Elite (Braid) (Jig,Spinnerbait,Buzzbait,Chatterbait)

6'10" H Tatula Elite  (FC) (Jig,Spinnerbait,Craw Texas Rig)

6'10" MH Tatula (Swim Jig, Chatterbait)

Snatcher Tournament On Upper And Lower Mission

  

3rd Darrren, 2nd Larry, 1st Chuck

Conditions: 75-90℉, Mostly Sunny, 5-35mph S SW

My boater was Al Steinbauer, who was also my boater the last time we were on Mission Lakes in 2020.

The Day:

We started in the NE Corner of Upper in the wind, where it was blowing 5 to 10 for the first couple of hours. I lost my first two bites most of the way in; both bites felt like good bass, but I didn't see either. I caught a 6" sunfish on a Dark Sleeper. I then got a keeper or two on the Bunker Hawg. I got a good-sized dogfish to the boat on the Bunker Hawg where I played it until it got off. I could have had Al net it, but I could see by how it was hooked that it probably wasn't necessary. I got one last small keeper on the Bunker Hawg and caught a non-keeper and a pike. I threw the spinnerbait for a while in the morning and got bumps and hits, but they were not hooking up. I think Al had a limit by the time we finally moved.

I think we then went to the point by the Upper Mission Access; it was blowing pretty good by now.  Al upgraded a time or two there. I got a pike, got bit off a couple of times, and caught a short bass or two. We then moved across to a spot on the South Shore. Al culled, and I got my biggest and final keeper of the day here. I also got a pike and bit off again. 

We went back to our starting spot. I can't remember if we got anything or not. We then went to a couple of places on Upper and didn't get any bites. We then went to Lower. Bill Ludenia was where Al wanted to hit. I got to fish some pads/reeds here with a frog, but only for about 10 minutes. We hit a dock, I suggested, and Al lost a bass he said wouldn't help him. We went to another spot, at which time Al's front graph became nonfunctional for the rest of the day. I lost something here on the Big Blade Chatterbait. We then went back to Upper Mission and fished reeds at my suggestion. I really should have asked Al to take over the front of the boat because his boat control wasn't precise enough;  I ended up catching a dink and losing a 2lb plus fish in the reeds on a spinnerbait; Al also lost something shortly after I lost that 2lber. We re-fished everything on the East end of Upper, and all I got was a few more dinks, a pike or two, and a 9" pumpkinseed on a spinnerbait. I thought for sure I was going to get a keeper on that spinnerbait but somehow, it didn't happen.

My Thoughts: Mission fricken lake! Mission Lake just kicks my butt some days. It's like I was fishing on a different lake from everybody else. The wind was something else, and I was just too far out of touch, having been bedridden for most of the month.  Had the wind been more reasonable I would have caught a limit.

Grade: D+

The day is saved from a F by the wind and my legs and back being at about 80%.

Results: I finished in last place 14th out of 14 Anglers