Normally, I release my fishing goals for the year in early March, but I was not on the ball this year. So April Fools' Day is when they are dropping in 2026.
New Goals in Bold Italic Orange
Goals Accomplished in Bold or ✅
Fishing Buddies List
1. Keep a list of everyone I fish with during 2026.
The List:
GOMH Crew: (Last Year this list had 28+ People)
Trophy Crew: (6 People last year)
Bass Snatchers: (9 Snatchers last year)
Bass Snatcher Goals:
1. Win my 2nd club tournament.
2. Get "Wood" in at least one tournament. (1st-3rd Place Finish or Lunker or Co-Angler Challenge)
2. Get "Wood" in at least one tournament. (1st-3rd Place Finish or Lunker or Co-Angler Challenge)
3. Get "Lunker" in a tournament. (Preferably one over 5-8 to win the revolving big bass pot.)
4. Finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year.
5. 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.)
6. Pre-fish with at least 3 boaters.
7. List the Rods I'm bringing for each tournament before the tournament.
8. Win the Co-Angler Challenge at least once.
9. Make the Challenge Cup Team
4. Finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year.
5. 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.)
6. Pre-fish with at least 3 boaters.
7. List the Rods I'm bringing for each tournament before the tournament.
8. Win the Co-Angler Challenge at least once.
9. Make the Challenge Cup Team
10. Finish higher than Tuma in a Tournament (He is the only long-term Snatcher I have not beaten on tournament day. He beat me on the tie-breaker on Whitefish Chain his rookie year in the club. That is the closest I have gotten)
11. Give each boater I fish a lure from my collection.
11. Give each boater I fish a lure from my collection.
12. Catch a 20+ Bag and make the Club's list of Top 25 Biggest Bags
13. Set Personal Bests on each lake for Bag Size, Big Bass, and Place of Finish
14. Grade my performance in each tournament and do this for all my past Bass Snatcher tournament recaps.
Technique, Equipment, & Tackle Goals:
1. Win something in Fantasy Fishing or Facebook giveaways/contests.
2. Officially Open the Tackle Warehouse.✅(3/8/26)
3. Give away some of my tackle
4. Experiment with a Rocket Bobber and Wacky Rig
Technique, Equipment, & Tackle Goals:
1. Win something in Fantasy Fishing or Facebook giveaways/contests.
2. Officially Open the Tackle Warehouse.✅(3/8/26)
3. Give away some of my tackle
4. Experiment with a Rocket Bobber and Wacky Rig
5. Sell some of my tackle
6. Catch 5 Fish on a Thin Fin
7. Catch 82 Fish on a Lipless/Trap
8. Catch 155 Fish on a Crankbait
9. Catch 260 Fish on a Jerkbait
10. Catch 5 Fish on Powerbait Nessie
11. Keep a Lures Lost List
12. Catch some fish on an MN Alabama Rig
13. Catch some fish on a Spybait
14. Catch fish on a Cull Shad
15. Have the Trophy in Platte Lake within 7 days of ice out.
Lures Lost In 2026:
Glow Demon: |
JB Gem-N-Eye: |
Faisox:||||
Faisox:
Frittside 5:||
Chicken Nugget: |
Jerk Shad: ||
Stunna 112: ||
X-Rap: |
Big Blade Chatterbait: ||||
Shower Blows: |
SK Burner: |
VMC Utility Jig: ||||
ToadZ: |||| ||
Rapala Claptail 110: |
R2S Bubble Walker: |
Swamp Lord: |
Bobby's Perfect: ||
Blogging:
1. Blog about it when I achieve a goal, most of the time
2. Record all fishing trips at Fish Swami
3. Fish at least 200 days and blog about them
2. Record all fishing trips at Fish Swami
3. Fish at least 200 days and blog about them
4. Get unblogged trips from 2021,2022,2023,2024 at Fish Swami blogged at the Log Blog.
5. Be more intentional about taking Sunrise/Sunset pictures
6. Make more of my past Fish Swami entries public.
Fish Catching Goals:
1. Catch 4,500Fish (I caught approx 4,000 fish in 2025)
2. Have a 100-fish day.✅ (2/20)
1. Catch 4,500Fish (I caught approx 4,000 fish in 2025)
2. Have a 100-fish day.✅ (2/20)
3. Catch Devin's Birthday Bullhead On May 20th
4. Catch A Fish Every Month
January✅
February✅
March✅
April✅
May✅
June ✅
July✅
August✅
September
October
November
December
Bass:
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Largemouth (6.5lbs/21" PB)
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth (20.5" PB)
3. Catch* over 2,500 LMB. (Caught 2,033 in 2025)
4. Catch* at least 10 SMB. (Caught 2 in 2025)
5. Catch a 25lb 6 Fish Bag
6. Have a 50 bass day
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Largemouth (6.5lbs/21" PB)
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth (20.5" PB)
3. Catch* over 2,500 LMB. (Caught 2,033 in 2025)
4. Catch* at least 10 SMB. (Caught 2 in 2025)
5. Catch a 25lb 6 Fish Bag
6. Have a 50 bass day
7. Catch over 500 bass on Frogs/Toads
8. Catch 5 bass over 5lbs/20-inches (8 in 2025)
8. Catch 5 bass over 5lbs/20-inches (8 in 2025)
9. Catch 20 bass over 4lbs/18.75-inches (42 in 2025)
10. Get Steve and Todd at least one 4lber
10. Get Steve and Todd at least one 4lber
Dogfish:
1. Catch an MN State Record fish. (11-4 or over 31")
2. Catch a new personal best.
1. Catch an MN State Record fish. (11-4 or over 31")
2. Catch a new personal best.
3. Catch 5 Bowsers (8 in 2025)
Pike:
1. Catch* over 1,000 this year. (Caught 1,049 in 2025)
2. Catch a 38" or over/personal best.
1. Catch* over 1,000 this year. (Caught 1,049 in 2025)
2. Catch a 38" or over/personal best.
Walleye:
1. Catch at least 100. (Caught 105 in 2025)
2. Catch 30"/10lber or new personal best. (29.5/9.12lbs is my PB 10/29/25)
1. Catch at least 100. (Caught 105 in 2025)
2. Catch 30"/10lber or new personal best. (29.5/9.12lbs is my PB 10/29/25)
Crappie:
1. Catch a new personal best.(14.75/1.80lb on 5/9/22, 14.75 on 4/20/24)
2. Catch* over 300 Crappies this year. (85Crappies, 525 Silver Bullhead in 2025)
2. Catch* over 300 Crappies this year. (85Crappies, 525 Silver Bullhead in 2025)
* Catch is anything I deem it to be, including follows by pike or bass (while pre-fishing), a pike missing my lure, fish viewed on the Aqua View, and fish that get off before I have them in hand that I can positively identify. And fish caught by people I am guiding or boating with during pre-fishing.
