Trophy In the Water For 2026

 

Several others were at the Grumpy Old Man Hole this morning, but the bullheads were not. So instead of catching nothing and looking dumb, I decided my time would be better spent getting the Trophy ready and putting it in the lake today. It turns out fate knew what it was doing, and I crushed them the next couple of nights on Sullivan. It is nice to have all options available early.

Bassin Plan of Attack Post Ice Off to May

 

Fish:

2026 is the first year when it is legal to fish for bass in Central MN before the MN Fishing Opener in May.  Here is my plan for bassin the Platte/Sullivan area lakes. 

Location:

The Grumpy Old Man Hole, the bridge between Platte/Sullivan, is the first area to have accessible open water, so this is where I have already started flogging the water. Unfortunately, it locked back up completely with the sub-zero temps. It's my guess that I will be able to pick up a few bass at the Grumpy Old Man Hole before I am casting anywhere else. I will also fish at the Rock Lake access before the ice is off the lake, provided the ice doesn't get pushed into the Access area as it retreats from the shoreline. 

Once the ice is off the area lakes, I plan on fishing in the Slop Slip on Rock Lake, provided things are not "Going Gonzo at the GOMH." Hopefully, the area docks, including the family dock, will be in quickly post ice out. I will get the Trophy in Platte ASAP after the family dock goes in. Once the Trophy is in the lake, weather and fishing conditions will largely dictate where I fish on a given day. If I get on a hot bite somewhere, I will ride it out. If I am not catching much, I'll do a lot of bouncing around between Platte/Sullivan, Rock, Erskine, and Round. Not really sure how much I fish at the GOMH from shore. I'm guessing a lot of morning trips.

Presentation:

I have made a fishing goal this year of catching 82 fish on a Trap, 155 fish on a crankbait, and 260 fish on a jerkbait. The crankbait and lipless numbers were derived from all the fish I have caught on those lure categories since I started keeping track with Fish Swami. The jerkbait number is my highest yearly total, which was from 2016. Those lures will see a heavy rotation early, as well as a Chicken Jig, Chatterbait, soft swimbait, Turbo FattZ, and Spinnerbait. The weather will determine how early I start mixing in topwater.

Trophy Out Of Platte Lake for 2025(11/8/25)

 

My plan was to be at the Lake Place by 2:30 pm. The parents were not in on that plan and didn't arrive back from their Saturday adventuring until a little before 3 pm. I didn't get to the lake place until a little after 3:30 pm. Steve was ready to go, and I had things prepped to go last night, so I was off to the Platte Lake Public Access quickly. We got it loaded on the trailer and had almost completed running gas out of the system when I couldn't get the motor to turn over. I figured the starting battery was out of juice. I tried the pull cord, but it wouldn't budge. I figured out the problem and fixed the issue when I got home; It was the same deal I encountered somewhat frequently with my older 25hp Johnson.

I think I'm done in the Trophy for 2025. Temperatures around here are supposed to be about 10 degrees below normal for the next few days, before it is supposed to warm into the 50s by next weekend. If I get out for the warm-up, it will be in the Slop Slip, most likely on Rock Lake.

I didn't put the Trophy in Platte until June 5th this year, because some leaks in the hull needed to be fixed, and Todd wasn't able to make it up to do the repairs until either late May or June. In 2026, I plan to get the Trophy in the lake ASAP after ice-out to take full advantage of bass being open to catch-and-release fishing. 2026 is the year my long-awaited wish for year-round bass fishing happens. I took 137 trips in the Trophy this year, up significantly from the 89 trips I took last year. A bad back, bum hip, and poor fishing curbed my enthusiasm for getting out last year.

June 2025	28
July 2025	35
August 2025	28
Sept 2025	19
Oct 2025	21
Nov 2025	6
Total 2025	137

The weather wasn't the greatest in September and October, and I think in September and early October, I was kind of fished out and missed a few opportunities when the weather was nice as well. 

2025 MN Fishing Opener Outlook And Plan

 Today is Thursday, May 8th, and the Minnesota Fishing Opener is in two days. As of this moment, I have done zero prep for getting the Trophy into the water. I haven't even taken the cover off once. The bite at the Grumpy Old Man Hole has just been too good, and there was always tomorrow to start boat prep. Now my back is against the wall. I hope get some things done about the Trophy today, but I doubt I will have it in the water for the Opener. Todd will be up this weekend, but to what extent is unclear. His baby daughter graduates from High School this year, and that is where he is focused.

Spring gave way to summer this week, and that will continue for Opener Weekend. So, I expect many boats to be out this week, especially for the Opener. Fishing has been so good this year that I have been spoiled. The thought of dealing with crowds just does not appeal to me like it would if fishing were a struggle.    

 

The Plan:

As of right now, my only plans are to do my traditional midnight at Eddy's Jetty and hit the Grumpy Old Man Hole for sunrise.

Update: If the bite is anything, I'll probably stay through sunrise at Mille Lacs. Conditions look favorable, so I am optimistic.  If nothing happens by 2AM, I'll bag it, come home, and be at the Grumpy Old Man Hole by 4am. My bass tackle is in disarray right now, and the Trophy will not be on the water this weekend.  I'm not sure how much bass fishing I will do for the opening weekend.

Trophy Out Of Platte For 2024(11/17/24)

 I got my tackle out of the boat house in the morning. When I got home, I discovered the small pole barn garage door had been lowered too far, so I couldn't raise it. I was not happy.  Dad got home from church early, and I had the boat trailer hooked up and ready to go at the top of the driveway before the Vikings game started. The Vikes handled business in Nashville, and I headed to the Lake Place a bit after 3:30PM. I had a bit of a delay getting the Trophy started, and then off I went. Per usual, things didn't go totally smoothly getting the Trophy on the trailer, but we got it on the trailer and out of the water straight eventually. I was home before dark, and a couple of deer greeted me as I headed up the driveway.

On Monday evening, on his way home from work, Steve stopped by, and we got the pole barn door working again. It got dark quickly. I took the trolling motor off the boat, and Steve put the batteries in the basement. I got the cover on the boat as it started sprinkling. A couple of the long old bungee cords gave up the ghost, but I was able to get things strapped down. I managed to spill a little gas in the pole barn because of a moron chip malfunction when I tried to fill the boat's gas tank on an uneven surface. I wasn't a happy camper. I finally got things squared away and headed up to the house.

Last Trophy Trip of 2024(11/2/24)

  

5:00-6:30pm F Flat, N Reeds Across, NPBI

45-50℉, PC,  3mph S

I had to use a dock pole to move the Trophy backward. There were swans where I was headed on F Flat and loons in the wider bay. I got a pike in the first 10 minutes and missed another bite on F Flat. I fished the North Reeds Across Reed Edge for about 10 minutes, then went to NPBI. I didn't get a bite there.

1Pike

Despite the weather being nice in November until I took the Trophy out of the lake on the 17th of the month, this was my only trip in the boat for the month. I was preoccupied with the election, my surgery, and how sucky the fishing was in September and October.

2024 Opener Evening Short Trophy Trip In Platte(5/11/24)

  

4lber Dirty Jigs SC Buzzbait/ToadZ

8:15-9:15PM North Channel Inn Bay Platte Lake

66-70℉, PC, 0-3mph W

Water Temp: Low 60's

This trip would not have happened if Steve hadn't taken Mom home from the late hamburger feed. Thanks, Steve! I went to Channel Inn Bay with limited daylight. I got the 4lber at Dogfish Corner, as well as a pike in the hay. I got a quick pike throwing the Swim Jig and a small bass on the first cast with the SBKO. Conditions said I should have gotten plenty of bites. I didn't bring a headlamp or spotlight. I stuck the boat landing, and Todd helped me unload stuff, which was appreciated. I was tired, and it would have taken me quite a while longer without the help.

2Bass 

2Pike 

5/11/24, MN Opener GOMH & Short Trophy Trip

 

 

4:35-5:40AM GOMH NE

43-52℉, MS, 0-2mph

Warer Level High and Rising, Temp: 58℉

I should have left 10 minutes earlier. The truck driving North in front of me was headed to the GOMH as well but, thankfully, didn't pull a U-turn at the bridge. I saw they were coming back, so I quickly grabbed two rods and the tackle bag and headed down to the untaken SE side. Wheel House Guy was already there on the SW. I got a bite on my second cast, but it got off quickly. That is what I get for leading with the swimbait instead of a jerkbait. I did switch to the UJShad and had a fish on briefly, but it felt very gator-like on the hit. I had a couple of bumps, and as it was getting light out, I had a jumper get off. I finally got two small jumpers on the Jerk Shad and headed for the Trophy as the first boat from Platte approached.

2 Jump

6:40-7:45AM Sullivan River Mouth, River & SW SPRO

54-59℉, M Sunny, 0-4mph W

With the pre-sets from last night so I was able to make a quick transition to the boat. I left the rods that were in the boat house in the boat house. 3 or 4 boats were fishing Platte. Only a couple on the North End of Sully. I started at the River Mouth. Nothing on the KO Shower Blows, so I went to an EVO Chatter. Lost a good feeling fish, then a good'n at the boat. I then caught a small pike. I got bit off. In the river, I had some good bites on the SBKO but only caught the small ones. I believe I was the first person to fish the river mouth. For the final 20 minutes, I ran the SWSPRO, getting the biggest fish of the morning, and missed a couple more good ones on the SBKO. It was a short trip because I needed to have the car back home.

7Bass 

3Pike 

 

Victory Achieved (sort of)

I finally stopped putting off getting the Trophy in the water, but not before sleeping in long enough to ensure I didn't have any time to fish; I just put it in and made sure the motor didn't have any issues then took it right back out, so I would be home before it got too dark. It rained while I was on the lake, which was a positive because it cleared out the guy fishing at the Rock Dock and the last trailer in the lot. The (sort of) is because I left fishing time on the table by sleeping into the afternoon. I would have been on the water about 3PM if I had gotten up on time.
 

140 Trips Taken In The Trophy In 2023

 I have slowly been working on a spreadsheet to keep track of how many trips I have taken with each of my two motors. This year I took 116 trips with the 1993 Johnson and 24 trips with the 2001 Johnson for a total of 140 trips in the Trophy this year. That is a fairly significant drop from the 162 trips I took last year and the 184 trips I took in 2021, both years on the 1993 Johnson. Motor issues depress me and I had those in 2023. Platte Lake freezing out was a factor as was a late Spring, and I fished into November the previous two years. I took 35 trips in July and 32 trips in June this year and only 31 trips in September and October combined. No trips in the Trophy this November so far this year and there probably won't be any. However, I'm not going to rule it out completely as that I am storing the boat here this winter and the forecast has taken a turn in a warmer direction.

Trophy Out & Dock Most Of the Way For 2023

 

About a month ago maybe even longer ago Roy Ponder of POW Ponder Weather on YouTube looked into his crystal ball and saw it getting cold around the start of November. I filed that in the back of my brain and enjoyed the warmer than average Fall we were having hoping Mr. Ponder had it wrong. Well, he nailed it, unfortunately. There will probably be no November bass fishing for me as I pulled it out of the lake on Halloween. I feared that with the cold temps tonight the area around the dock might freeze up, thus making pulling the dock out of the water a pain. The thought of fishing in 30-degree water temps in 40-degree conditions is not appealing. I'm packing it in for bass fishing in 2023.  I'll still fish at the Jetty and maybe at the GOMH as long as conditions allow.

2001 Johnson Back On The Trophy

Picture From 2019

 I don't know why I didn't have the motivation to get my motors switched once it was clear the the 1993 Johnson was not going to snap out of the loss of speed this time; I came to that realization around the end of last month. 

I didn't get the Trophy out of the lake until Sept. 16th.

I didn't get "My Other Johnson" switched until the 18th and didn't get it back in the lake until a day later.

I hope the 2001 Johnson's run this time is a lot longer than its first one, basically four months of fishing.

Some Frogging Success And Then I Sucked

 

7:45-9:30PM Sullivan

74-80℉, PC, 0-4mph ENE

I started late due to not taking my meds when I originally went to bed instead of 4 AM. I got out of bed in the afternoon but was at turtle speed through the time I headed to the lake. I decided to fish the NE INT in Sullivan. I didn't get a bite for the first 15 minutes. Then I had two fish boil and not get the frog. Put the next three bites in the boat. I then had my next 4 bury me in the reeds. They shut down at the NE INT. I tried the SW INT, but too much wind. I quickly ran to the N SPRO, which was almost entirely dead. I finished at the River Mouth, where I missed a boil. The motor got bogged down as I headed out. Then it didn't run right until I got to Platte, where I got her up to speed. Dad suggested new spark plugs.

3Bass 

1Pike 

Trophy In Platte Lake May 12th

 Put the trophy in Platte Lake today and made a last-minute decision to put the deep cycle in the boat and go for a short fishing trip. At least I think that is how things worked out several months later.   

Trophy In At Rock Lake

 

I didn't go fishing at Rock Lake today. Just put her in for a quick spin then took her out due to impending rain. There was Crow Wing Sherrif investigating an abandoned boat when I arrived at the Rock Lake Access as well as a pontoon boat that was just coming out. I fished Rock out of the trophy the next day.

Trophy Story:Took A Very Short Trip Today

 I slept in today. That resulted in me getting a late start on prepping the boat for the maiden voyage of 2023. Mom met the ram that was born at 2 am while I got the boat prepped. I drove her back home and grabbed the rest of the stuff I didn't bring on the first trip. I left the house the second time after 5 pm. Radar made it look like I had until about 6:15 to have the boat out of the water so I didn't get drenched. I made the executive decision to skip fishing and just take it for a quick spin on Rock Lake. When I arrived at the Rock Access, there was a pontoon getting ready to be taken out and a Sheriff's Deputy investigating what may be an abandoned runabout. I talked to the Deputy for a minute as I got launch ready, and by the time I was done with that, the pontoon was out of the water. I back down. The motor started right up. I dumped her in and idled for a couple of minutes, then got her up to speed, headed back to the ramp, and pulled it out. 

If I had a do-over, I would have taken the Trophy out fishing on Rock on Monday night; The weather was nice, and the fishing at the Grumpy Old Man Hole was slow. I wanted to take the Trophy out but stayed with the security blanket, which could have been more comforting, with the slow fishing telling me I made a poor choice the whole evening. About forty minutes into fishing, I almost bagged it and went for the boat. I should have gone with my gut. Water under the bridge, which resulted in me getting skunked today because I didn't catch a fish in the half hour I fished at the Grumpy Old Man Hole today.

Really, skunked at the GOMH in May with a front moving in, ridiculous!

Area Ice Report

 

I vacuumed out the Trophy today, then went down front. A big bulge in the ice in front of our place down to Jenny's had me thinking more ice was off in our bay than there actually was. Still would not surprise me if ice is off our bay by tomorrow. Ice pushed onto shore in the E corner of F Flat. I didn't see really any extended open water on Rock, and Bulldog looked about the same as it has. The South end of Long is open. Channel Inn Bay was Open, and there was open water past North Point Small Island.

2022 Battle For Big Bass Between My Bro's

 Goes to Todd:

With a 4.51 lber

That edged out Steve's

4.03 lb fish

I think had they both been healthy fish with full bellies, Steve's would have been the bigger fish based on the size of its head. Both fish look like they were undersized, Steve's significantly.

What does Todd win?
Bragging Rights, Baby! Todd gets bragging rights for an entire year. 

Trophy Pulled For 2022

 

I put her into Platte Lake on May 7th and took it on November 9th. I got it in so late because the fishing was so good at the Grumpy Old Man Hole that I wasn't in a rush. I didn't take nearly as many trips in May this year for the same reason. I ended the year having taken 163 fishing trips in the boat, down from 186 last year.

Final Bass of 2022???

 It was not this fish; I caught a small bass after this one. Unless I get a largemouth through the ice this will be the day I caught my last bass of 2022. Definitely the day I caught my final open water largie.