How Yesterday Went

19.33" SBKO (Chart/Hrng Bone)

7:30-9:20PM Platte Lake in the Trophy
10:00-11:00PM GOMH NE
Conditions: 59-50℉, Mostly Sunny, Light NE wind, Water Temp 59℉, Water level stable to falling despite the rain the past couple of days.

My plan was to wake up at 4:15AM this morning and hit the GOMH and possibly go out in the Trophy as well. I did wake up, but I stayed in bed until around 5:30.  I got up went to make sure there was no water in the windows downstairs, which there wasn't so that was good.  Came back upstairs and went back to bed. My back was tight and I didn't want to do the stretching.  I think I finally got up around Noon only to get back in bed around 1 and then I was up by 3PM.  The FLW weigh in from WI was just getting started when I got a phone call from Dad telling me to meet him at the Lake Place.  He would be dropping off the truck and trailer there with the bobcat he rented.  OK, no problem I needed to get the water in the boat pumped out anyway.  I planned to throw a few casts off the dock as well.

I was on my way and almost to 27 when Dad called my cell phone.  Change of plans.  He hit something and blew the drivers side front tire about half way from Onamia on 27.  I needed to go home get the spare tire and a hammer so he could get the lug nuts off. I did that and drove to where he was parked.  We got the shredded wheel off, the spare on and proceeded to the cabin without further incident.  I got the water pumped out for the most part, but didn't have time to fish.  

We got home a little after 5PM and Mom was making preparations to cook my walleye.  Mom did beer batter and they were delicious.  I watched what was left of the Bass Fest and FLW weigh in's while mom cooked.  I think I left the house to go fishing a little after 7PM.  I decided not to hit the GOMH first like I planned, but to go straight to the cabin and take out the Trophy.

After I got my stuff in the boat I realized I didn't have a plan for where I was gonna go.  So I thought maybe I would see if there was any action on the flat where I got them on topwater late last Fall.  So I headed to the reeds on the western boundary of where I fished last Fall.  I was so excited to start fishing I forgot to pump water out of the boat before I stopped moving and went up to the front.  Oh well.

23" Pure Poison/Swim Fluke Jr (bluegill)

I got a pike pretty quickly and took a pic because I wasn't sure I would catch anything else.  After fishing the reeds 15 minutes not getting another hit I decided to hit a couple of docks off to the West where never got a bite last Fall.

14" Shower Blows Knock Off (Chart/Hrng Bone)

Sure enough I got a bass to blow up the SBKO just off the first dock I went to.  Cool they are taking topwater tonight.  Instead of heading East to the other dock I was going to hit I looked West and got a nice one in between the dock I had just fished and the next one.

16??? SBKO

I didn't get measurement because I nicked a gill and she was bleeding pretty good.  I then got a small pike fishing out towards the reeds.  I also lost what I think was a big bass when I fubarred the hookset.  I didn't get anymore hits out so I went back in towards the docks.

10" SBKO

 I  got the dink, a 15.5", and missed a hit on the SBKO and craw tube around the next dock I fished.  The 15.5" came more out and between docks after the two misses.

19.33"

I put the cast that got the big girl of the night right next to the floating wave runner lift meets the dock.  When the SBKO got to the end of the lift she smacked it.  Put up a great fight and I managed to land her even though she only had the rear treble in.   I should really think about netting these fish that hit topwaters with 3 treble hooks.

16.25" SBKO

Very next cast right up by shore resulted in my last fish of the night.  I did have one more fish come up behind the SBKO on this dock, but it didn't hit it.  I took about 5 "last casts" and then I broke off my line on what was really going to be my last cast.  Fortunately it was still light enough out that I was able to spot the SBKO fairly easily once I got close enough.  I headed in.

I gave the GOMH a try for about an hour.  I was the only person there.  There was some activity, but I didn't get a hit.  At 11PM I pulled the plug.

Fishing Goals For 2017

New and of Note for 2017- I am attempting to intentionally fish with more people this year hence the added fishing buddies category.  I want to catch at least 1,000 bass this year;  I believe that is doable since I should have the Trophy in the water all season.

Fishing Buddies:
1. Fish with Dad at least 5 times.
2. Fish with Mike Thompson
3. Fish with Jim Bonin
4. Fish with  Mike "Spike" Miller
5. Fish with Jeff and Renee
6. Fish with Todd and the girls several times
7. Take Peter W. out in the Trophy at least once.
8. Take Matt W. out in the Trophy at least once.
9. Fish with Dave Lindmark
10. Fish with Christopher Glaze
Dream Fishing Buddies:
1. Fish with Josh Douglas
2. Fish with Al Lindner

Bass Snatcher Goals:
1.  Get "Wood" in at least one tournament. (1st-3rd Place Finish or Lunker)
2. Win my 1st tournament. (My best finish to date is 2nd Place.)
3. Get "Lunker" in a tournament.   (Preferably one over 5-8 to win the revolving big bass pot that I'm now entered in thanks to somebody finally winning it last year.  With 3 big bass lakes on the schedule there is a shot.)
4. Get paired with Chuck Fields.  (He usually only fishes a couple of tournaments a year so chances of it ever happening are not very good.)
5. Finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year.  (Something I haven't done since 2011)
6. Catch a limit at every tournament of the year.  (I've done this twice, but in 2012 I only fished 4 out of the 6 tournaments due to a bad back.)
7. Pre-fish with at least 3 boaters.
8. List the Rods I'm bringing for each tournament before the tournament.

Technique & Tackle Goals:
1. Win something in Fantasy Fishing or Facebook giveaway/contest.
2. Catch fish on a Lucky Craft Gunfish 117
3. Catch a fish on % of Mystery Tackle Box Lures
    3a. 1st Box 100% (5 out of 5)
    3b. 2nd Box 60% (3 out of 5)
    3c. 3rd Box 110 % (6 out of 6)
4. Catch a fish on the Rapala BX Waking Minnow
5. Catch a bass on the Salmo Bass Bug
6. Get my brother Todd set up with a Frog rod.
7.  Officially Open the Tackle Warehouse this year. (I never did that in 2016)

Blogging:
1. Blog about anytime I reach a goal.
2. Record all fishing trips at Fish Swami
3. Fish at least 150 days and blog about them
4. Do a better job of blogging when the Elites come for the AOY this year on Mille Lacs.

Fish Goals:
1. Catch Devin's birthday bullhead on May 20th.
2. Average 5 fish caught per hour. (4.08 in 2016, 3.62 in 2015, 3.55 in 2014, 4.41 in 2013, 4.31 in 2012, 2.77 in 2011)
3. Catch 3,000 Fish

Crappie:
1. Catch a new personal best. (Currently 14.25")
2. Catch* over 300 this year. (Caught 306 in 2016)

Dogfish:
1. Win my 3rd Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Championship
2. Catch a MN State Record fish. (11-4  or 35" x 20")
3. Catch a new personal best.

Pike:
1. Catch* over 200 this year. (Caught 488 in 2016)
2. Catch a 38" or over/personal best.

Bass: 
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Largemouth
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth
3. Catch* over 1,000 bass this year. (Caught 764 in 2016)
4. Catch* at least 25 smallies.  (I caught 24 last year)

Walleye:
1. Catch at least 30. (Caught 42 in 2016)
2. Catch 30" or new personal best. (28.5 is current PB)

* Catch is anything I deem it to be including follows by pike or smallmouth (while pre-fishing), a pike missing my lure, fish seen on the Aqua View, and fish that get off before I have them in hand that I can positively identify.

A goal that I reached is in bold.

What's Up With B.P..!

I haven't been feeling very well since last Friday night.  I have been running a low fever off and on and been spending most of my time sleeping. I'm still planning on fishing my Bass Snatcher Tournament on Pelican Lake on Saturday.  I was bummed out I didn't feel well enough to pre-fish with my boater on Tuesday.  And I didn't go with Dad on a launch trip on Mille Lacs on Sunday night.  Oh well, that's life.

I fished 10 days in July catching just a disappointing 45 fish total.  I believe I have blogged all of my outings for July at the Log Blog, except for the Leech Lake Tournament  

Vikings Training Camp opened!

#TBT: My First Bass Jig

#TBT stands for Throwback Thursday.

One of my earliest memories of catching a bass was from when I was probably 4 or 5 years old and my dad gave me a little yellow hair jig that he called a "Crappie Killer" to use.  I went down to the "back bay," our cabin on West Sylvia had water we could fish on the front and back of the property, hoping to catch a crappie.  Instead of a crappie I got a largemouth instead.  Puzzled I went up and showed dad the bass I had caught.  He explained to me that just because it was called a "Crappie Killer" didn't mean that it would only catch crappies.  Satisfied with that explanation I threw back the bass, which weren't in season yet, and went back to try and get me crappie.   All I could ever seem to catch on these "Crappie Killers" were bass. No matter how much I tried, I don't think I ever caught a crappie on these jigs. As you can see from the picture, I still have a few of them. Judging from the pound test still tied on to the one jig I can see why I didn't get any crappies with them.

Things Slow at the GOMH Today

I took a trip this morning

and here is my report from tonight

Dad and John W. who got the bullhead

"The juice" only gave up 2 jumpin' bullheads tonight.  One on a purple Frenzy Popper and one on the "Huckleberry"  That was all I got from 8 to 10PM.  Dad managed that one golden bullhead and a silver bullhead on T.H.E. Jig.  I also had a toothy bite off the Grass Pig Jr.  That was it.

Two Trips Today, One with Dad.

Dad and I got out to the GOMH from 5PM to 6:30PM.  I mostly caught jumpin bullheads at "the juice" on the chartruese firetiger Stanley Phantom.  I got eight of them doing that and one on the Chigger Craw. I also got one toothy on a watermelon red fleck Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper.  Dad got a jumper and a couple toothy's on the Grass Pig Jr.

I got out again by myself at 8:30PM. I went to Bulldog first and got 4 small bass and a pike on the Cane Thumper and a 15" bass on the Chigger Craw.  I then went to Jenny's for five minutes and got nothing.

I got to the GOMH at ten after 9PM.  I got a couple of jumpin bullheads at "the juice" and a 16" off the NE side.  I then landed these two golden bullheads on the Cane Thumper.

My back was giving me issues, so I quit at 10PM.

With Dad at the GOMH Again

12"

Today once again Dad got over to the GOMH with out me in the afternoon.  He wrecked the jumpin bullheads pretty good again;  keeping 6 he gave to some friends.  He didn't keep any big one's this time, thankfully.  Some people were getting some really nice silver bullheads and orange bullheads, so he got some  minnows for our trip. We got there around 6 PM  Dad landed the 12" silver bullhead on T.H.E. Jig and a minnow after I got his sinker situation corrected.  He got one more nice one and then it started pouring rain.  Dad had to go home and change.

While he was gone I got 2 small silver bullheads.  There was a league fishing tonight and there was this annoying boat that kept fishing around the area all evening.  When Dad got back around 7:45PM.  I headed to the North side of the bridge.  I wasn't getting much until I went to "the juice" and they were there.  See if you can guess the size of these 3 jumpin' bullheads

The first one is only 16.25", the second one is only 16.5" and the third one is 18" all caught on a black/blue 4" Powerbait Crazy Legs Chigger Craw.  I lost another good one when apparently my knot gave way after those first two.  The thing in my mouth is a Texas Rig Hitch which doesn't seem to agree with the 4/0 Gamakatsu Superline EWG and the Chigger Craw.  I really think I need to be using a 3/0 with those Chigger Craws.  That 16.5 incher is gonna be a huge fish if it is allowed to grow, was just thick as all get out.

17.5"

As it got dark I managed to pull two golden bullheads on the swamp gas Grass Pig.  We left at 10 to 10PM.

I ended with 11 jumpers, 2 goldens, and 2 silvers.

Here is what we kept.  2 jumpers, 2 silvers, and 2 golden's

Dad's got two crappies in his hand. Lousy photo, I know  I was to far back for the flash to work.  I had to take it from far back because the screen on my camera wasn't working.

Fishin' with Grumpy Old Dad

13.75

Got out with Dad again tonight from 7:45 to 9:45PM.  Dad started of the night with that fish on the Grass Pig Jr.  Dad pulled a Grumpy Old Man on a boat that came under the bridge that we didn't hear coming.  He also wasn't happy with a low flying plane that buzzed us twice.  Other than that it was a good night.  Dad got 6 jumpin bullheads total.  I got 9 jumpers, 1 little toothy, and small golden bullhead.  John W. showed up and got 3 golden's.

12"

Fishing with Dad at the GOMH Tonight

12" Or So Jumpin Bullhead

Tonight Dad came fishing with me from 8:00PM to 9:30PM.  We started at Bulldog.  Dad caught himself a tree thanks to the wind that was blowing.  I almost got it out but ended up losing my last Berkley swim jig hook and a leader.

So next we went to the GOMH and there was only one guy there fishing on the SW side.   Dad took up on the bridge and I took the SE side.  I immediately hooked up with this skinny 18" jumper on a Craw Tube and Dad got the one in the picture above on a Grass Pig Jr.

Dad ended up with 4 jumpin bullheads on the Grass Pig Jr. and I got 10, on the Craw Tube, a D.M. Baits Piranha, and a Grass Pig.  They ranged from 16" to 12" inches.  I also got this bonus golden bullhead on the Huckleberry Craw Tube.  I think I might have lost another one.

18"

We left around 9:30PM after that fish I lost messed up my Craw Tube.

Another Good Night at the GOMH with Dad

Dad and I got to the GOMH about 7PM.  Everywhere was filled, so we took up on the bridge on the Sullivan side.  I started out by weed whacking.  I found out Chris from the Bass Snatchers was there again tonight.  He ended up giving us some minnows, which was nice.  CO Kuske pinched another person tonight for no license  Dad got a silver bullhead and a jumpin bullhead and missed several other bites.

9.5"

 As for me I got 2 silver bullheads, a toothy bullhead, and 10 jumpin bullheads.  I possibly lost a golden bullhead as well after it got dark.  I missed several bites tonight.

All in all it was a good night.

I've Finished My Livewell for 2012

Check out my best fish of 2012 by clicking on the Livewell 2012 tab under my blog header or just click on that link.  It was a pretty good year considering I barely fished after hurting my back on June 28th:  I was OK for the Bass Snatchers Leech Lake Tournament on the 30th.  I was in worse shape for the tournament at Whitefish Chain on the 15th of July , although I didn't mention anything in the tournament recap.  My back and leg were really giving me issues by the 28th of July at the Pokegama Tournament.  And my back went out on me totally the Thursday after I went out on the Launch at Eddy's with Spike and Dad on Monday July  30th.  I only blogged twice in August and September with my last fishing of the year being at the Fishers of Men Fall Outing on Sept 27-29.

Eddy's Launch with Spike and Dad

This evening my old boss at Gander Mtn in Maple Grove Mike "Spike" Miller got together a group to go out on a launch out of Eddy's Resort on Mille Lacs Lake and Dad and I went along.  The weather was warm, but not to hot, mostly sunny with a bit of a walleye chop.  We started off going for smallies in some shallow rocks.  My dad's rod had a problem with the bead getting on the wrong side of the bobber stop.  Several small smallies were caught and Jessica my old roommate from when I lived in Champlin got a 17"er.

I didn't get Dad's rod in order for about 35 minutes and by then we were heading out for walleye's.

Spike got the first eye of the trip with this 26.5" which was the big fish for the launch.

It was a slow night with only about 6 or 7 walleye's caught for 20 of us.  I lucked out and got the last eye of the night as we were pulling up anchor.

24.5"

I think dad might have had a bite, but am not totally sure.  It was good night to see some old friends.

Tonight's Launch At Eddy's with Dad

Tonight Dad and I finally got out on another Launch trip out on Mille Lacs.  The weather was almost perfect, maybe a tad warm.  Dad started things off with this 23" fish.

I couldn't see the screen to know I cut it off.  Then Dad got a 24" fish.

Then Dad got a 22" fish.

Finally I got on the board with a 23" eye.  Unfortunately the setting sun is behind my head or it would have been an awesome picture.

Then I got a 24" er.

Dad closed out the night with the last fish on the Launch and the only keeper for us non- Native American's on the boat.  It was a 15inch eye.

All fish were caught on a red hook with single yellow bead.  I think Dad caught the most fish on the launch,  maybe one other lady got 4 as well.

Mille Lacs Eddy's Launch with Dad

Well I screwed up and forgot the camera.  I did take pics on Dad's cell phone but I can't figure out how to transfer them to the computer.  Oh well.  It was a good trip with me getting 7 Eye's. 2x16" keepers, 2x 18", 2x22", and a 24".  Dad got a 23" and missed two fish.  One of the misses happened when his line broke on my rod way up by the rod.  I was able to retrieve the bobber and set up.  No clue why the line broke.  My setup was a yellow bead, and red hook. I caught the most on the launch.  People also gave us 2 fish, so we are getting a meal out of it.  Apparently the group of 9 of us got 27 fish total.

4AM Wake Up Call

Not to go to a fishing tournament, but to go to the hospital in St. Cloud and see my Dad before he has triple by-pass surgery this morning. It's been a pretty stressful last couple of weeks as my Dad has gone through a series of serious health issues, this latest being the worst.

Yesterday was a really nice day and I got out for a couple of hours to try and take my mind off things. I got 7 jumpin bullheads on Crawtubes at the GOMH and pulled 3 more bass on frogs at Jenny's.

Whether or not I fish the tournament on Saturday depends on how well my Dad comes through this. If you pray, I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Eddy's Launch With Dad (Last Night)

Last night Dad thought it would be a nice night to go out on a launch on Mille Lacs and so I said OK and we headed over to Eddy's around 5PM. Being that we got to Eddy's early I brought rods to try for some smallies off the Jetty. As per usual this year, that was a bust. Dad and I went out on the Eddy's Flagship, which is the biggest launch on Mille Lacs Lake. Dad got me a spot on the back of the launch and he was one spot off to the side. I got us rigged up with beads and hooks. First we headed in the direction of Rocky Reef.

I drew first blood on the boat with a perch. The picture is actually my second one, because I didn't think to take a picture of the first. As we were out on this spot a kayaker went by heading much farther out in to the lake. Our first spot didn't give up any walleye in the first hour and a half, so we moved right out to where the kayaker was fishing. We did see the kayaker catch a few fish.
Anyway, at the new spot I got some bites right away, but it wouldn't take it. Other people on our launch started catching walleyes to big to keep and the action was pretty steady until it got dark. After shaking my bobber pretty good my bobber shot down, but when I set the hook the fish didn't hook up. As it was Dad got the first walleye for us.
I was beginning to think it wasn't going to be my night as everyone around me had caught a fish or two, but my bobber did go down and this time I hooked up. I thought it might be a keeper at first, but then it started fighting harder. It turned out to be this 19" fish being held here by our deck hand Jim.

Once it got to be about 9:30PM the bite shut down. The guy between me and Dad caught 4 eyes and the only keeper for the whole launch of 30+ people. However, some small eye's were thrown back. I think a total of 9 eyes were caught by the 4 of us off the back of the boat and I only got 1.

As you can see from the last picture there was a spectacular sunset, but I didn't really get to see it as I was facing the other way.

Eddy's Launch Mille Lacs w/Dad and Don

Dad, Don W. and I went out on an Eddy's Mille Lacs Launch on a cool and blustery night (Wed). Hard to believe it was almost 100 degrees just a day before. Temps during the launch were in the low to mid 60's. When we arrived at Eddy's just after 5:30PM the Flagship (Eddy's biggest boat) was already gone and there was a long line of people waiting to pay. Usually that early there is just a couple of people or no wait at all.

Anyway, we were among the 1st to be assigned to Boat #6 and we were able to get the back of the boat. I got Dad and I rigged up and we were off, just after 6PM. We headed North just SW of Indian Point in about 11 feet of water. First stop was dead so we moved closer to Indian Point within about an 1/8 of a mile West of Rainbow Island. Don had a fish on here and lost it. The anchor didn't hold in the wind and we soon moved back towards the general area we started in. That was dead so we moved again and then again. On the next stop Dad got a fish immediately before I had a chance to set his depth. I thought maybe he snagged in the rocks, but it was a fish. Unfortunately his line broke up by the rod.

In this spot a lady brought the first fish in, a keeper walleye. Then Don caught a keeper walleye. I had seen enough and switched to a yellow bead similar to what Don and Dad had. Dad missed a bite. A little later I got a keeper then missed two bites. A lady caught a smallie. I caught a cigar eye that I threw back and Dad caught a nice keeper eye and that was it. Once it got kind of dark the bite shut off.

It's always a good trip when you get fish. We gave ours to Don.

Also of note this trip was that there was a loud foul mouthed obnoxious woman who was putting down a few beers and almost never shut up.

What Was Your Best Fishing Moment of 2010?

This was the question asked on Facebook yesterday, by the guys at Wired2Fish.

For me three things come to mind.

May 23rd I caught this 20.25" smallie off of Eddy's Jetty. It is my personal best smallmouth bass.

On May 24th Dad, Pete, and I went on a morning launch trip with Eddy's Resort. We were the only 3 customers that day so we got to go drift fishing with live bait rigs; Normally a launch trip means bobber fishing. Between Dad and I we caught 5 walleye's missing several bites as well. Pete got skunked and our Captain caught a walleye and a big rock.

Another great memory from 2010 was my great pre-fish day on Rabbit Lake with Bass Snatcher Guy Henkensiefken. I was just telling Guy about a topwater pattern I knew about from an In-Fisherman video when this 19.25" fat boy annihilated my Berkley Frenzy Popper. The fishing for me was great that day and Guy was a pleasure to share a boat with.

Eddy's Launch with Dad & Pete/ Don's Dock Evening

Yesterday Pete found out that Eddy's is offering a good deal 7 days a week on their morning fishing launch trips; Cost is just $20 per person, normal launch price is $35. Pete and I made reservations and Dad decided he wanted to come along as well. It turned out the 2 others that were supposed to go on the launch didn't show, so it was just us 3 and the captain.

We started out corking over towards Rocky Reef, but that was mostly done to give our Captain Tom the time to rig up rods for drift fishing. When Tom has only a few people on the launch and wind conditions are right he likes to take the customers drifting. While we were bobbered I did have a fish mouthing my leech but it never took the bobber down for more than a few seconds. After about a half hour of that it was time to drift and we headed towards Spirit Island.

On the very first drift I missed a bite and then caught this 15" keeper.
On the second drift I caught a 2nd keeper which Tom has with the first on the stringer and Dad got a 22".



On the next drift I caught a 26.25" that put up a fun battle and Dad got a 24.5" and even Captain Tom got in on the action with a 18.5" eye.


On our second to last drift Tom caught a big rock that we thought was a fish and Dad and I missed bites. Our last drift came up empty, but I might have had a bite. Pete got skunked.

Don's Dock
At about 8PM Pete and I headed to Don W. for some dock fishing. Pete likes to visit with Don and I don't have to deal with the boat, so it's a win/win. I had a pike jump me off on a swim jig and I got 3 crappies and lots of bites on a Panfish Chatterbait. Pete caught some small sunfish and Don got a couple crappies and sunfish.