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)

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)

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.

 

Snatchers Tourny At Pelican Lake

 

Smitty's Bigs

Smitty's Fin

DJ's Bigs

DJ, Arnie, Smitty

2/9

Conditions: 62-82℉, Mostly Sunny, 0-2mph Wind

The Day:

We headed NW to a bay up there with a bunch of slop. Smitty had a bass in the boat in about 5 casts out of the pads. I had something follow my frog but not hit it. Smitty got another bass. I think I had something hit my jig back where the fish followed my frog too. We then came across some docks and Smitty would get a bite or two of off each one it would seem like. His 3rd or 4th fish in the boat was a 4lber. I got the skunk out of the boat with my biggest bass of the day (2.53) on a Livetartget Frog next to some cattails. We fished more slop and docks, with Smitty getting fish off of both. We ended up returning to where we started and I missed a bit in the pads and think Smitty culled with a 2lber. He had 3 quality fish off of the docks I think. Next. we headed NE to another slop bay where there was a lot of activity. I got a 24-inch dogfish on a Mag Fluke. Smitty had a big bass miss his frog. I think He caught one as well. I'm not sure if he culled. I got my second bass on Bobby's Perfect Frog. We fished farther East into another slop bay then fished our way back to the area where there was activity. I got my smallest keeper (1.36) that I was never able to cull on the LiveTarget frog. Smitty got a big dogfish. Next, we fished Smitty's favorite docks and they were productive for him. Smitty had mercy on me and offered me the craw tube he was getting them. I think he added two culls while I was getting my rod rigged with the proper weight while I was getting heckled by a guy on shore for not having my act together while my partner caught fish left and right.. Unfortunately, the best dock was occupied. I got a 1.82lb bass on the craw tube out of some reeds. Smitty got a few that didn't help. We ran South to one of Smitty's favorite holes, but there were not really fish around except on the last dock, where Smitty bird dogged me one (1.69) that I got on the craw tube. We then went North again to more reeds and Smitty pulled a 5lber out of the Cane. I missed a bite in the Cane because I set the hook too quick. Smitty wasn't going to fish until I got my limit. I got a short out of some reeds/pads. Finally, I got a keeper in the boat off of a dock (2.11). We went back to the dogfish bay. I had three bites on my frog, but didn't land any of them; Two never got the frog and I rolled the one that did get it on the pads on the hookset.  I ran out of energy shortly after my last bite on the frog. As we headed out Smitty had motor issues, so we went to the bay where we had the weigh-in and fished the final hour there, not getting any bites.

Results: 

My results, meh! But at least I got a limit. Congrats to Smitty for putting himself in the Snatcher record books with that outstanding bag of fish. Also congrats to Arnie and DJ. Dj was top Co-Angler. 

My Thoughts:  With that 2.50lber in the boat on a frog about 20 minutes in I thought it might be my day. But then Smitty put on a clinic above average size fish in the boat with a craw tube on docks. I tried switching to a popper after some activity in open water. Then we got to more docks and Smitty got more above average size fish and my jig wasn't getting bit. We got to an area with pads and I couldn't get bit on a frog or Jig, but Smitty continued to catch fish. It just seemed like all my choices were wrong in the first spot. I got two keepers in the boat at the second spot, but I don't think it held the numbers and size of bass to produce a great frog bite. When we got back to docks. It became clear the crawtube was the deal. So when Smitty offered what he was using I rigged up my dock fishing rod with a light Texas Rig. I was way too anxious fishing that crawtube. I needed to let it sit and give the fish a chance to eat it instead of immediately pulling the trigger. It was unfortunate our run South wasn't really holding a good school of fish or had already been hit by somebody else. Not getting any of those final frog fish in the boat sucked, but that is frog fishing. Catching one of them would have probably moved me up at least a couple of places.

Watching Smitty wreck 'em is the highlight of my year so far.

Grade: C+

Snatchers Crush It At The 2023 Bass Club Clash

 

2023 Snatcher's Team, Victory Achieved!

 

The Brainerd Area Bass Club Clash is an annual tournament for bragging rights among the three Brainerd Area bass clubs; The Baxter Bass Snatchers, The Range Bassmasters, and Brainerd Lakes Bassmasters.

Bass Snatchers Won With 83-8 

Brainerd Lakes 70-12 

Range  63-13.  

Snatcher Dennis with the Challenge Cup

3-13lbs Bunker Hawg (blk/blue)

My Boater Ranger Smude

Conditions: Low 40's to mid 50's, Sunny to Cloudy, 0-5mph NE the wind couldn't make up its mind

My Day:

I drew Brian Smude who I fished with two years ago at the Bass Club Clash at Serpent Lake. I was determined to fish better than that poor performance and did. Brian has a history of success on the lake, but this hasn't been his year, and he wasn't able to pre-fish. He also hadn't been sleeping well due to sciatica. We were boat 2 and headed to the NE. I got a small keeper pretty quickly on a Texas rigged black/blue Powerbait Bunker Hawg and added two more small ones to the well in short order. I then got my big bass of the day, which weighed in at 3-13 which had me flabbergasted because my scale had the fish at under 3lbs. I've never had such a mismatch in weights. I had my 5 and culled once before we left for Smude's Juice.

He got two fish there and I didn't get a bite until we were making our second pass. I think it was a pike and then shortly after that I got a 2lber. They both bit on a Powerbait Craw Fatty.  We then worked our way West along the South reeds. I missed two bites on the Poppin Frog before I stuck a good 2lber. I thought it was going to be AWWWWWN, but that was the last bite in the reeds. We then went back to the starting spot and Brian put on a jigworm and filled his limit. I hit a mid-day wall with my energy levels when the fish just weren't biting on anything I tried. We went and worked the cabbage flat behind the reeds as it clouded up and I finally started getting some action again on a spinnerbait, but they were either pike or bass that didn't help. I was bending my spinnerbait wire and it broke. I put on a bluegill Big Blade Chatterbait as we made our way back toward the starting spot. After fishing fruitlessly for about 5 minutes I made the change to blue/black with a FireCraw Big Blade Chatter. It wasn't long and I caught a couple of pike. I culled 2 or 3 times with the Big Blade, but never got that kicker bite I needed.

Results: My fish weighed 13/7, which put me in 8th out of 20 anglers. Smude only had 10/4. I thought he was much closer to me than that. I ended up beating all but two Rangers and two of the Brainerd Club. I think I may have been the top non-boater. The tournament was won by Ranger Arnie who beat out Snatcher Dennis on the tiebreaker but Arnie wasn't actually on the Rangers Clash Team, so Dennis won the Challenge Cup. Jim Eide of Brainerd Lakes took 3rd. 

Snatcher Hammer and Arnie tied for big bass with a 4/15 fish a piece. Arnie originally weighed the wrong bass and wasn't going to reweigh because he didn't think it was going to beat Dennis's fish, but was goaded into it by fellow Rangers. Arnie was also the Weigh Master for his own fish. Not sure how Snatcher Chuck and Dennis let him get away with that, but it's water under the bridge now.

The score sheet

What my scale said I had.

Snatcher Darren left me a selfie
or
two

Snatcher Goofball

Challenge Cup On Platte/Sullivan Tomorrow

I would have been fishing two tournaments this weekend, but the cold/windy weather on Saturday resulted in the Snatchers Mini-Bucks being canceled.  The Challenge Cup will be held on Platte/Sullivan on Sunday.  The Challenge Cup is a tournament between the 3 Brainerd area bass clubs. Unfortunately, due to Pete coming up this week, I was unable to get any pre-fishing in by myself.  My boater will be Arnie Farber from the Range Club.  Apparently, he didn't have a particularly good pre-fish, or maybe he was sandbagging to Tuma.  If we are on nothing, I've got a few ideas on where we might be able to catch some fish.

Rods I'm Bringing:
7'4" H Zillion (Jig)
7'4" H Tatula XL (Spinnerbait)
7'4" H Tatula (Swimbait)
7'2" H Tatula (Jig)
7'2" MH Tatula (Chatterjig)
7' H Avid (Craw Tube)
7' MH Mojo (Chatterjig)
7' M Avid (Senko)