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!   

Full Report 6/18/17 Zebulon Pike Res. Snatcher Tournament

A Top 5 Finish for Swannie and I.

8:00-4:00PM Zebulon Pike Res. Mississippi River
Conditions: 58-68℉, Mostly Cloudy, Windy NW

The Day:
We ended up starting right before 8AM, thanks to a Snatcher who never showed up.  The wind was blowing on our starting spot pretty good and there were a lot of trees so I didn't start with the Plopper like I planed.  Instead I think I opted for the buzzbait and spinnerbait.  I got my first hit on the spinnerbait but it was a pike.  I then got a rock bass and then another pike.  About an hour in we went back and started over just a little before where we started the first time.  I went to the dreaded Texas Rig.  Within the first 10 minutes and before we reached our starting spot Swannie landed the first keeper of the day.  I ended up getting the Chigger Craw bit off by a pike.  I never did attempt to throw the Texas rig again.  Swannie ended up having to break off his swim jig.  We were just about to move when I got a 15" smallie on the spinnerbait.  About 5 minutes later I overshot my cast and had to break the spinnerbait off.

We ended up moving to our second area and not getting a hit there.

Off the spot #3, a shallow flat with rocks, around 11AM.  Swannie was surprized the only boat fishing there was Tim Benson who I think was 1 fish short of a limit at that time.  Swannie put on a lipless crank and caught 3 quick smallies, 2 keepers and 1 dink that had to go back.  He also caught a walleye around the same spot he got one in pre-fish.  I tried to make topwater work, but the fish weren't having it.  Swannie caught another keeper.  I had seen enough and switched to a red craw 1/2oz Berkley Frenzy lipless that I have had success with in the past in rivers.  I caught a 13 incher.  I think Swannie then caught a catfish and Tim lost a big smallie.  I got my big fish of the day, a 17 incher.

Shortly after getting that fish I cast out the Frenzy and the line broke at the spool.  Just great.  All I had left was a 1/4oz red craw Frenzy lipless.  I put a cast up by shore and got a 13.25" smallie.  Swannie got his fifth keeper then lost a good one on a swim jig.  I had a good smallie on, it would have been my second biggest of the day, and fought it to the boat.  I thought I was going to get it in the net and horsed it a bit to much and it came off.  Totally my mistake.  Losing that fish cost me 3rd Place.

With about 2 hours left we headed back down river.  I got my fifth fish, a 13.5", out of our our starting area where the wind was just pounding with about 40 minutes left in the day.  Eventually we opted to move to the western shore to get out of the wind.  I had the spinnerbait get hit by a couple of small fish, but didn't have another shot at #6.

Results:  My 5 fished weighed 7 and a half pounds, with a 2/04 big fish, which put me in 4th Place.  As you can see I beat Swannie by an ounce. Tim Benson kicked everyone's butt getting 1st with 14/06 and the 3/11 Lunker.  Fishing was tough with only two limits weighed in. Ouch!

Thoughts:  I didn't know we were going to fish that shallow flat as we barely went on to it during pre-fish.  I only had the two lipless cranks with me.  I wish I had more of them and some square bills as well.  Both Swannie and I should of had our limits.  Swannie was a great draw.  Neither of us had a clue fishing was going to be so tough.  A lost fish and one poor cast cost me.

 I am off to my best start ever as a Snatcher, so there is that.  If I can just finish middle of the pack from here on out I should reach my goal of being in the Top 10 at the end of the year.  A couple more Top 10 finishes and I should have a great shot at making the clubs Super 6 and thus make this years Challenge Cup Team.

Next Tournament: North Long on July 15th.

10/17/16 Was A Long Day On the Water

18.5" River2Sea Bubble Walker

7:00AM-6:30PM GOMH, Rock Lake, N side of Don's Bay, the reeds and docks across the way.
Conditions: 45-58 degrees, Mostly sunny to mostly cloudy, Calm to light wind NNW NNE, Water Temp 50-53 degrees.

This turned in to my longest day on the water in who knows how long.  I was totally worn out and didn't get on the water again until 4 days later.  This blog is being written 11 days later.

I started at the GOMH and didn't catch anything.  I then went to Rock Lake and didn't get anything there either.

I then got in the Trophy and tried out front and at West point, not getting a thing.  I then ran to the North end of the reeds across the way.  There was a seagull and some baitfish activity on the flat.  I started throwing a River2Sea Rover, a walking topwater across the weed flat.  I had one fish blow up on that but not get it.

Conditions seemed just ideal for topwater, so I switched to a Vixen, then the small Whopper Plopper, and then to a River2Sea Bubble Walker.  The Bubble Walker was what they wanted.

14" River2Sea Bubble Walker

That was the first fish I ever caught on the lure.  I then had a 16.5" not get the lure, but I was patient and just let the bait sit still for about 45 seconds.  I then worked the lure for a couple seconds, then killed it again letting it sit for about 15 seconds.  When I started up again the fish blasted it.

16.5" Bubble Walker

You can see I was working about the length of a cast from shore, casting parallel to shore, sometimes shallower, sometimes out more.  The 18.5" was my fourth fish on the Walker at that point with a couple of more misses.

18.5" Bubble Walker

 I got over by the start of the reeds on the North end of Don's Bay when I got this long, but skinny pike.

27.5" Bubble Walker

I worked the flat back an forth for a number of hours getting enough hits to keep things interesting.  I missed my fair share, that's for sure.

16.5" Bubble Walker

For a little while it looked like it was going to rain and a light wind came up.  I switched to Pop Max and immediately got nailed by a typical fish.

15.75" Pop Max

I then got a small pike and then missed 3 or 4 straight hits.  I then let myself get pulled off of the juice.  Instead of going back to the juice I decided to fish the reeds across the way.  Stuff was getting blown up well inside the reed bed so I worked my way in fishing a Pad Crasher.

16.25" Pad Crasher

I caught a couple and missed a couple doing that.  It was now cooling off and I was getting tired.  I elected to try "The Dock" and was rewarded with a good bass on the Hack Attack Jig.

17.75" Hack Jig w/Chigger Craw breen

That worked out so well I tried the next dock down and got an even bigger fish.

18" Hack Jig w/Chigger Craw

I then hit the two docks and our dock on my way in.  I didn't get anything on the docks, but missed two fish in the pads in front of our place.  I was beat.  On the way home I bumped a deer and sent it rolling into the ditch.  It got back up and kept on running.  It was the darndest thing.  No damage to the Kia Soul, thankfully.

11 bass on the Bubble Walker
2 Pike on the Bubble Walker
16 bass total and 3 pike
I missed at least 12 hits

I've been fishing a lot again this month.  All my trips are blogged over at the Fishing Log Blog.

My Berkley/ Abu Garcia Fishing Major Award Arrived Today

Today was the day.  A good sized box, but not to heavy.  The Fed Ex guy said it was from Pure Fishing and I knew my "Major Award" from the Justin Lucas Rocket To The Top contest had arrived.

Inside it was this:

Revo Rocket

Powerbait Tackle Bag with 3 14"x8.5"x2"  tackle trays.

Berkley "Thunder" Sunglasses

300yds Trilene Braid 50lb

300yds Trilene Braid 65lb

200yds Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon XL

6" Powerbait Swim Shad in Swamp Gas color

4.5" Powerbait Rib Shad in Gizzard Shad color

3.5" Powerbait Fight'n Bug in Rusty Crayfish color

6" Havoc Boss Dog  in Green Pumpkin/Black

That Swim Shad is a monster of a bait,  I don't know if I have jig heads with a big enough hook.  The Rib Shad look like a good bait.  I'm a little unsure of the Fight'n Bug and Boss Dog; I'll have to research more about those.  I'm gonna put the 50lb braid on the Rocket.  Not sure what I'll do with the 65lb at this point.  I can always use another tackle bag, but I'm not sure what I'll use it for at this point.  It could become my panfish bag or Mille Lacs bag.

I'm Gonna Have A Rocket, Man

I was informed this week that I won the first Justin Lucas "Rocket" to the Top Contest from Berkley® and Abu Garcia®.  I thought I had guessed 68th Place for Table Rock, but I didn't go back and verify it when I first heard Lucas finished in 68th. I didn't want to get my hopes up.  Then I got an email titled: Winner: Rocket To The Top Contest.  The email didn't tell me what all I had won, so I went back and looked at the contest post on Facebook.  Looks like I will be getting $200 worth of stuff beyond the Revo Rocket Reel.  I'm a happy camper. I've never owned a Revo reel, but I thought about getting some when they first came out and got such good reviews.  Now I'll get my chance.  Not sure which rod I'm going to put it on yet.  I'll have to see what if any lines they send me before I make that decision.  The stuff should arrive by the end of the first week in May, so I'll have plenty of time to figure it out before the Fishing Opener.