Josh Douglas Qualifies For The Elite Series

All my fishing energies were focused on Platte Lake this past weekend, so I missed Josh Douglas making the ten cut at the Southern Open. Thus qualifying to be the second Bass Pundit MN Blogger Derby participant to make the Elite Series. Bob Downey was the first.  I have so much respect for Josh as a person and angler. He is the ultimate grinder who just kept at it getting closer season after season.  This guy hustles, and his love for catching bass and sharing bass fishing knowledge is really something special. He put in the work for his sponsors everywhere he went in venues small and large.  Josh wanted it, and now he's got it. Congratulations man, can't wait to see you up there with Mercer and making it to your first Classic. I don't think anything is going to stop you from reaching your goals. Get that Rookie of the Year in 22.

Check out this Bass Pundit flashback from 2011: (Near as I can tell and recollect I found out about Josh in 2008, through Rich "Hellabass" Lindgren, who will also probably walk across the Classic Stage sometime in the future and would stand a great chance of making the Elites if he put his mind to it.)

Josh Douglas And Pat Schlapper Giving SCHEELS Online Seminar On Tues. April 13th at 7PM

 

They will be giving good info and giving away prizes. Sign up here.

Life In The Bass Lane with Josh Douglas

 Bri Douglas's production is fantastic!

Josh Douglas On Hellabass LIve

 An interesting show with two MN bass blogging hammers.

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.

Jody White Is Now Officially A Minnesocold Bassin' Blogger

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If your not familiar with Jody of Jody White Fishing, he's been blogging since 2009.  He was a Collegiate Angler at Virginia Tech and is originally from Vermont.  He also co-hosted Jody and Jesse's Bass Fishing Podcast, which now looks to be over with.

Yesterday he got his first taste of Minnesocold bassin' out at Mille Lacs from his kayak.  He even got himself a Derby Fish, maybe more than one.

I don't know if the job he got out here is permanent or a short term thing.  It would be something if a bass fishing blogger moved to Minnesocold on a permanent basis instead of moving away ala Josh Douglas Fishing and Fishing Hype.  Time will tell.

Enjoy your stay here no matter how long or short.  Maybe even we could get out some time. My boat is slightly bigger than a kayak

The Bass Pundit Minnesocold Bloggers Derby Has Started for 2013

Jason Holmer was credited with the 1st fish of 2013 under the Josh Douglas Rule.  Look at that Beast 5.81lb Smallie.  I will be adding photo's the next few days at the Derby Blog.  Rich Lindgren also had a Josh Douglas Rule fish this year, which will go up tomorrow.   I myself have 4 fish at this point and I know Rich has some more as well.  So Derby participants blog about those bass and I would appreciate it if you let me know you got one.  by Facebooking me,  leaving a message at one of my blogs, or emailing me at basspundit@hotmail.com.

MN Bass Fishing Blogger Josh Douglas With Big Win

Blogger Josh Douglas of JoshDouglasFishing.com who aspires to be Full-Time Professional Tournament Bass Fishermen pulled off a big win yesterday on Lake Minnetonka with the North American Bass Circuit with a massive 23 and a half pound 5 fish bag. Minnetonka is MN's premier bass tournament lake and this tournament brought out most of the Tonka big guns. For instance I know Matt Peters fished it as well as the Capra's, Ravlings, and many others. 44 Boats fished it. The full results are here. Josh fished with partner Corey Brant.

Congratulations Josh!!!

Josh Douglas Adds Another Derby Dawg

Josh informed me on Facebook this one went 4.70". Be sure to check out JoshDouglasFishing.com to see what Josh is up to as it's very interesting.

4.70lbs
4.20lbs
6.60lbs (Josh Douglas Rule) Mississippi River

Total= 3 for 15.50lbs

Don't Miss any of the Bass Pundit Minnesocold Bloggers Derby Action.

Some Josh Douglas

If you haven't been to JoshDouglas.com recently to read his blog, like I hadn't, it's worth the trip. If you don't know Josh, he lives here in MN and aspires to be Professional Bass Fisherman. He is laying the groundwork to make that happen. Tournament-wise, he had a tough year, which he discusses on the blog, among other things. Get to know Josh as he may very well be someone we bass fans all hear about in the future.

Minnesota Bass Fishing Wins Derby!!!

For the 2nd year in a row Jason Holmer of the blog Minnesota Bass Fishing has won the Bass Pundit Minnesocold Bass Bloggers Derby also taking Big Bass honors for the 2nd straight year with another 7lber. Jason's 5 fish creel went 28.32lbs which unbelievably is .60 of a pound less than his Derby record bag of last year.

2nd Place goes to Rich's Bassin Blog with an impressive 27.35lb bag.

3rd Place goes to JoshDouglas.com blog with 25.32lbs

This year 16 blogs had fish, which is 1 more entrant than last year and actually 2 more blogs than last year because my friend Pete who isn't a blogger, but was in the Derby last year.

This was my best Derby yet with 23.50lbs.

You can see how it all went down with lots of big Minnesota Bass pictures at the Bass Pundit Minnesocold Bass Bloggers Derby 2010 blog.

Derby Update: Josh Douglas AWWWN EM'

I know Josh has been catching some real pigs this summer but he hasn't been reporting them, at least until now.

5.62lbs
5.44lbs
5.25lbs
4.81lbs
4.20lbs

Total= 25.32lbs

Still he is gonna at least need some 6's to catch Holmer.

Derby Updated

( Josh Douglas of JoshDouglas.com blog with a pair of 4's)

Added several fish to the Bass Pundit Minnesocold Bass Bloggers Derby 2010

Josh Douglas Blogs About Swim Jigs

Tricks of the Trade - Swim Jigs 101 by Josh Douglas

Note- Josh wrote this article on 1/30/2010, his blog does not have permalinking so eventually this article will not be visible first and center.

Good Read About Some MN Winter Bassin

No ice hole necessary: You can catch fish all winter in open water... This is an article from the MN Sun about a fishing trip with Minnesocold Bass Fishing bloggers Rich Lindgren and Josh Douglas.