1st Bullhead of Open Water 2023 (Winter Kill)

 

There was a parade of floaters flowing in from Platte Lake today. So much so that I had to check things out at the cabin and see what was up there. Only saw a pike, sunfish, and bass there. Went back to the Grumpy Old Man Hole. Lost a toothy and, about 10 minutes later, snagged this jumper in the pelvic fin. A bullhead is a bullhead. The skunk streak is over. Stayed after dark and only saw a few baitfish.

Opener Report 2 (Sat & Sun)

Piggie on the Rage Swimmer at Mille Lacs

20.5" Grass Pig

What we had for dinner

8:00-9:30 GOMH NE
57-52℉, Partly Cloudy, 3 mph

We had crappies for dinner then I headed to the GOMH.  There were people on all three sides.  A lady down on the Sw side caught a golden while I was watching.  The guy on the NE side left, so I quickly took the spot.  The first cast under the bridge I got gold on the Grass Pig.  A kid who fishes with Chad Grisby and money tournaments went down on the NW side.  He caught a 30+ walleye out of Platte Lake.  I caught a couple jumpin' bullheads when we talked.  They left and I had to take the walleye back as not to have it in my car when I was at Mille Lacs.
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Before leaving in the morning

11:00PM-5:00AM North Jetty
41-45℉, Partly Cloudy, Light SSE winds
Swimbaits and Shad Shallow

Two guys were there when I arrived, but they left after about 20 minutes. I had caught one by the time they left.  The fish were on swimbaits.  I was getting them on a Grass Pig to start, then I switched to a Rage Swimmer and got the biggest one of the night so I stayed with that for a while.  The action was pretty steady until the moon went down.  I was just about to leave when I discovered they would take the Shad Shallow so I stayed nearly to sunrise.

19 Eyes
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16.75" Hack JIg/Chigger Craw

May 12th Sunday
6:00-7:00AM GOMH SW
49-44℉, Mostly Sunny, 3mph SW
3 Jumpers

Nobody was at the GOMH.  A kid was fishing out of a small aluminum.  I got 3 decent sized jumpers and missed some bites.

Probably a bass/walleye mix
I wasn't real good about weighing everything yet.

Another Goal Reached That I Didn't Reach in 2016

15.25" Rapala BX Waking Minnow

I missed a couple of other bites as well.  I would have fished it more, but there was to much torn up weeds on the surface.  Caught on the 2017 Bass Opener in Platte Lake.

How Bow Dah!

19.75" VMC Fly w/Maki Jamei (purple)

4:00-7:30PM Rock Lake My Spot

Conditions: 56-40℉, Mostly Sunny, Light SW wind,  16' mostly the waypoint holes.

I drilled a total of 4 sets of holes with the one's at the waypoint being triples, instead of my usual double, so I could put the new Aqua-Vu Micro 5c down.  When I went to use the MoPod the batteries were dead, so I had to position the camera manually.  Today there was better water clarity than the first time I tried it;  On that day it was basically unusable visibility was so poor.  I had a few sunfish and perch come in at first then nothing.  I stopped looking at the camera for a minute as I straightened out some things in the Fish Trap.  Next time I looked at the camera there was a fish looking right at the camera.  It was far enough away I couldn't tell if it was a pike or a bass.  It then swam right up to the VMC Fly as I was jigging it.  It sucked it in and spit it before I could react.  I kept jigging it and it sucked it in again.  The battle was on.  I pulled out the ducer and got the camera pulled up as well.  It did get tangled in the minnow line, but I was able to land it without a problem.  She put up a great fight.

19.75" VMC Fly

I was like dang, this fish is a really good one, almost 20 inches.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of it in my measuring cradle.  I released her down a different set of holes.  I would say it went a bit shy of 4lbs.  

I went back got the lines untangled and put on a new minnow and got the camera back down the hole.  I put the Rippin' Rap down the hole for doing the camera centering.  I had it almost right on, just needed to make one little adjustment.  When I got that done, low and behold there was another good bass staring down the Rippin' Rap.  Sure enough it could't resist and took a bite. I had it hooked for about 5 seconds then it got off.  

I'm not sure if it was the same fish or not, but almost immediately after it got off a fish came through and took my minnow.  I  set the hook and the battle was on.  I thought to switch off my anti-reverse switch so I could back reel my baitcaster.  There was not going to be a repeat performance of me breaking a fish off like a couple of weeks ago.

17.75" Glow Demon w/minnow

This fish was much more chunky and I thought to get the picture in the measuring trough.

I went back to fishing.  The visibility started getting more difficult due to little things in the water, not because of lack of light.  I missed the first crappie that came through and I started catching some sunfish and perch.  Mostly I just played with sunnies because they weren't very big one's.  I did get this 7", which was my biggest for the night.

7" VMC Fly w/Jamei & spike

I finally landed my first crappie for the night. Didn't think to take a picture of it.  When it bit I thought it was a sunfish I was looking at on the camera.  Not long after that I gave up on the camera because the visibilty was so bad.

    I caught this one potato chip.  I started moving around to my other holes and picking up crappies on the Fly and the Demon.  I finally thought to take a picture of a crappie.

9.25" Demon w/minnow

I decided I was on my last minnow at 7PM.  I caught a couple crappies on the Fly before a crappie came and took the minnow; I landed that fish.  I got a couple more crappies on the Fly and then I packed up.  I think I got fish in each set of holes.  It was a bit sloppy on the ice, but not to bad.  All in all a good night on the lake.

13 Crappies

19 Sunfish

8 Perch

2 Bass

1st Ice Fishing Trip of 2017(1-22-17)

17.5" VMC Fly Jig w/Maki Jamei and maggie

9:00AM-1:30PM Rock Lake My Spot 14'-17'
Conditions: 34 degrees, Cloudy and fog in the morning, light W wind, sloppy and wet on the ice

Sloppy and Wet

With the warm weather we have been having my motivation meter finally started ticking up and so today was the day I put it all together and got out.  There wasn't much going on at Rock Lake and two parties pulled their permanents off of the lake today.  I'm taking that to mean the bite hasn't been very good out there this winter compared to other area lakes.

I had a thought before I started drilling holes that since I didn't have any minnows all I needed was a single hole instead of my usual double.  I found one open hole in the area but that was it.  I didn't really look to hard to see if there were any others.  I think I drilled 6.  I started in the farthest North.  And my first fish for 2017 was a...

1st Fish of 2017

Bluegill on a VMC Tungsten Fly Jig w/white Maki Jamei with a spike

All I got in the first hole was sunfish and they were finicky.  My line on the VMC Fly's rod was getting caught on the spool where I tied to the backing.  I took the time to get the not put at the very bottom of the spool where it is less likely to catch.  Turns out that was a good thing I did that.  

In the second hole I busted the bass first thing after not getting a hit with fish down it on the Rippin' Rap.

17.5" VMC Fly w/Maki Jamei and spike

Not where it was actually hooked

The way the bass ran I thought I had a decent sized pike on.  I was pleasantly surprised it was a bass seeing as how I didn't catch a single one out there last winter.  That fish made my trip.

I also caught some perch.

7.5" Rippin' Rap

This was the only bite I had on the Rippin Rap.

I was satisfied I knocked the rust off and packed up at 1:30PM.  I should have moved around more quickly and drilled a few more holes.

1 Bass
6 Perch
12 Sunfish

Opener Round 2: Mille Lacs, GOMH

My Weapons of Choice This Morning

3:15-5:45AM Mille Lacs
6:35-7:20AM GOMH
Conditions- Windier than yesterday and building even more towards sunrise.  Out of the ESE.  Colder than yesterday with temps down into the high 30's, mostly overcast.

I didn't wake up until midnight and didn't get headed to Mille Lacs until almost 3AM.  When I got there I was disappointed to find the wind no the same as yesterday.  I worked at the center Jetty where I fished yesterday for half an hour or so, before making the move to fish off of the corner of the North jetty.   I got one bite for sure and I landed it.

24" Husky Jerk

I got the firetiger Rippin Rap I got the fish on yesterday stuck in the rocks.  I ended up passing my rod along the the two trees and went down the shoreline a little and freed it.  As I was pulling it in it got stuck in a tree branch, which I was able to pull within reach and get it back.

I left just after sunrise, the wind was really picking up.

On the way home I decided to stop the Grumpy Old Man Hole.  I was pleased that no one was there.  I figured I would get a few fish.  I was wrong.  Didn't even get a bite, not a friggen bite.  The low water, combined with all the pressure/traffic it got yesterday was apparently to much.  I wonder how long it's going to be screwed up there.  I got to get my boat in the water now, for sure.

MN Fishing Opener Round 1: Eddy's Jetty, GOMH, Bulldog

Eddy's Jetty at 10 to midnight

12:00-2:40AM Eddy's Jetty
4:45-5:45AM GOMH
6:00-6:30AM Bulldog

Conditions- Clear sky, windy out of the NE perfect for fishing at Eddy's, Cool temps in the low 40's to Upper 30's.

I arrived at Eddy's Jetty a little early because I didn't know what I would find or if I could even fish there.  They had no trespassing signs up when we stopped by on Tuesday and there was still a lot of work that needed to be done.  I talked to someone who works there on the phone who said it would be open, but I wasn't so sure.  Well the no trespassing signs were down, but the piles of docks were still in the same place.  I walked out on the North Jetty all the way to the harbor mouth and decided I would start on the center jetty's North dock.  It's a good thing I brought my long net because I would need it if I caught fish off of that dock.  I got my stuff out and started casting a Havoc Grass Pig, then I realized it wasn't midnight yet, so I held up for the last 3 minutes.  I cast the Pig for 20 minutes with no hits, so I decided to throw a 1/2 oz firetiger Rippin Rap because it would throw into the wind well.  I was just thinking to myself what perfect conditions I had when I ripped the rap and a fish nailed it.

22.5" Firetiger Rippin Rap

  I decided it  looked small enough, so I just grabbed my line and lifted it in.  When it was flopping around on the dock the hook came out.  Lucky I landed it.  I took the pictures then released it back to the lake because it was in the protected slot.  We can only keep one walleye in Mille Lacs this year and it has to be between 19 and 21 inches.

I resumed throwing the rap ripping it back.  After about 10 minutes with noting I decided to just do a straight retrieve and one immediately jumped on it.

24.5"

It was a bigger fish so I netted it.  After I released it I had another one on within two minutes using the same retrieve.

This dude went 25.5 and was the biggest of the night.

While I was getting the fish released a boat came into the South harbor with 4 guys in it.  I guess the lake was a little to rough for them.  The forecast said light winds until about 3AM.  But it was blowing pretty good when I got there and was steadily increasing.  The moon had come up now and I tried a few different baits.  Also a couple of those guys went on the North jetty to the harbor mouth, so my casting area shrunk.  It took about 40 minutes for me to hit on something a walleye wanted.

23" X-Rap Shad Shallow

I just lifted this one up as well.  I ended up switching back to the firetiger Rippin Rap and had another eye grab it on a straight retrieve.  I had one of the guys that was working on his boat take a picture for me.

24" Rippin Rap

My last fish of the night just crushed the Shad Shallow when I paused it.

23" X-Rap Shad Shallow

I caught that fish at 2:10AM.  I made the call to wrap it up at 2:40AM.  I think the guys with the boat caught 1 cigar.  I was satisfied with the six I got.  Six hits, six fish landed; It doesn't usually happen that way.

I went home Facebooked and put a report on In Depth Outdoors Forums.

I headed out the door to hit the Grumpy Old Man Hole at about 4:10AM.  The Expedition didn't want to start.  I jumped it off of my boat starting battery.  I was at the GOMH by 4:30.  There were two trucks there and 3 people fishing on the SW side.  They said they had only been there a little while and hadn't gotten anything.  I decided to take the NE side.  Nothing was happening and no activity in the tunnel.  At about 5AM I decided that cold wind blowing in put me in danger of a skunk, so I moved to the SE side.   I had been there about 5 minutes when a guy brought in a keeper golden bullhead.  They then got a couple jumpers.  Three guys came down and crowded me pretty good.  I did get a bite and landed it.

14.5" black/blue craw tube

I decided to pull the plug just as the sunrise was happening.

    I headed to Bulldog and managed to get a hammer handle and a bass.

19" craw tube

14.75" breen Chigger Craw

I headed to Rock Lake at 6:30, but there was one trailer there already and another boat was putting in.  I decided to call it a morning at that point.

Rapala Is Releasing Something New At Midnight

Through Tackle Warehouse   It's supposed to "Change Fishing Forever"

Yeah, Whatever.

Update: Apparently, the clock just set itself back 2 Days.

It's about the new Rapala "Scatter" lip available on a crankbait frame as the Rapala Scatter Rap, a sinking minnow bait as the Rapala Scatter Rap Countdown, on a minnow frame as Rapala Scatter Rap Minnow, and on the Shad Rap frame as the Rapala Scatter Rap Shad.

At $8 a shot.  I'll pass for now.  I have too many cranks that hardly ever get used anymore already.



 

The New Rapala & More Commercials

See Commercials here...

Naturally I like the Rapala commercials with Dave the bass.

I think these might be airing already. I don't know why they just don't send them straight to Youtube where there is always the hope they can go viral.

Rapala Max Rap

A Rapala Jerkbait for 18 bucks, sorry but not in my tackle box.

Get Hook'd was not impressed.

My Top 10 Baits of the 2000's

Ok I know I said I wasn't going to do a retrospective look back at the 2000's decade but then I saw Hellabass do one on his Top 10 Bass Baits of the past Decade . I thought it was a cool idea and so I am going to do my own Top 10 list.


#10 Mann's Minus One- I use all 3 sizes and they have caught many bass and some big pike. I threw thew them a lot more often earlier in the decade and in the latter part of the decade I have used them primarily for going after pike.

#9 Buzzbait- I don't throw buzzbaits a whole lot but they were the key lure for winning the 2008 Fisher of Men Fishing Club Fall Outing Fally WallEE Trophy  and I caught a 5lb bass on the Herb's Dilly Buzzbait this decade.

Top Brands: Herb's Dilly, Northland, Blue Fox.

#8 Rapala Subwalk- The Subwalk gets the nod mainly because I caught these 2 bass on it in one cast and then there is the episode of getting one bit off, retrieving the lure several days later, and then losing that particular bait never to be seen again.

#7 Rattlebaits- This particular family of baits was hot for me early in the decade, but I have developed upper back issues that interfere with me being able to rip the bait.

Top brands: Cordell Spots, Berkley Frenzy, and the venerable Rattletrap

#6 Swim Jigs- I have pounded bass and pike hard over the last couple of years thanks to swim jigs and of coarse there is the episode of The Lost Jig.

Top brands: Bass Pro Shops Tom Monsoor Enticer, Outkast, All-Terrain, Brovarney.

#5 Buzz Toads- This type of bait is #6 because I just love to throw em and a white Sizmic Toad caught one of my Top 5 biggest bass of the decade.

Top Brands: Zoom Horny Toad and Sizmic Toad.

#4 Suspending Jerkbaits- This decade I hammered bass (Larry and Sally), pike, and walleye on suspending jerkbaits. A green Smithwick Dead-Stick Rogue caught one of my Top 5 biggest bass of the decade and I believe a Husky Jerk was probably responsible for my personal best walleye which was caught trolling in the Fall on Mille Lacs.

Top Brands: Rapala Husky Jerk, Rapala X-Rap, Smithwick Dead Stick Rogue, Smithwick Suspending Rogue, and Bomber Long A.

#3 Slop Frogs- Snagproof Tournament Frogs were responsible for my two biggest bass of the decade and accounted for more 4 and 5lb bass than any other lure. Also Mike Thompson caught the biggest pike I witnessed get caught this decade on a Snagproof Frog.
Top Brands: Snagproof, Spro, River2Sea.

#2 Bubblegum Zoom Super Fluke- I have caught a lot of bass (mostly Larry's but some Sally's too) on Zoom Super Flukes over the past 10 years and it has been clutch for me in tournaments. My Bubblegum Zoom Super Fluke is responsible for my 3rd place finish and Lunker at the 2008 Baxter Bass Snatcher Club Tournament at Serpent Lake (4/02), Big Bass and Tournament win at a Fishers of Men Club Tournament on Rush Lake (20.5"), My 3rd Place in the 2004 Excel Singles Tournament at Rabbit Lake, and was partially responsible for my 2004 Team Bass win at Bone Lake, WI; there is more but those are the biggest Super Fluke highlights.

#1 Berkley Frenzy Popper- Some of my most fun and prolific times on the water this decade involved the now discontinued Berkley Frenzy Popper. Fortunately for me I snapped up lots of Frenzy Poppers off Ebay before they were discontinued.