Shakopee Lake Trip with Cold and Snow

Took pic after drilling my second set of holes

 

Didn't Get Skunked!

Took the pic and then the phone died

3:45-8:30PM Shakopee Lake 8' and 9' just a little south of the access

-2 to 18℉, Mostly Clear, Calm

Unfortunately, not many people had been out on the lake since the snow dump this week. Not so much an issue getting out. Going back, I had to carry the auger and minnows and then go back for the smitty/Fish Trap. I got out to about 8 feet of water and drilled holes. I could see weeds. Not a whole lot going on. I marked a couple of disinterested small fish and saw one sunny on the camera. My Eddy's hat fell into the slush puddle. After sunset, I drilled another set of holes about 100 feet farther out and fished there the rest of the time. Around 7pm, I ran out of propane for the Little Buddy. I caught the first bullhead before I got the propane changed out. I had trouble getting the Little Buddy to fire at first. I had to unscrew it completely and put it back on, and that did the trick. I lost something that bit on a minnow. I put the camera down and saw bullheads. I caught one more small bullhead. Bullheads were still down there when I pulled my lines up for the night. On the way back to the car, my phone died after I took a picture. My bad for not having the second Mophie iPhone case along. I need to get with it, keeping the iPhone charged up. The second time this ice season, my phone died. It could just be that it gets too cold

Silver Season Has Started(4/10/25)

10.5" Demon/minnow

 

Progress at the GOMH, Plus Bulldog/Rock 3/14

 It was in the low 70's today. I didn't make it to the GOMH yesterday. Progess is now evident.

Swans, Geese, and Ducks

Red-Wings are back

Got me a bullhead

Bulldog Access

Rock looking NE

Rock Looking S

GOMH N

1st Bullhead and Fish of 2025 (3/11/25)

 

Persistence paid off tonight, as I caught a bullhead just before I was going to quit for the night after not getting anything for 40 minutes. I thought for sure I was going to get skunked again. You just never know at the Grumpy Old Man Hole. I thought I hooked a stick and I had to bump it with the rod to get it to swim away.

Final Bullhead of 2024(11/8/24)

  

4:45-5:30 GOMH SW NE 

50℉, PC, 0-2mph NE

It was a beautiful November Day in the Northland. I got one quick small gator on the SW side. I was thinking about and praying for Mel the whole time until I got home.

 1Pike 

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 

 

Ice Off Platte, Take 2(4/2/24)

 

Today was the 2nd Ice Off on Platte Lake of 2024!

I shoveled out a path on the SW side of the GOMH and fished for 45 minutes, losing one gator bullhead. A lot of swans around tonight. I saw the beaver again. No loons yet.

Will I Get A Bullhead Before The Vikings 1st Round Pick?

 BP's GOMH Odds of getting a Bullhead: 

Tuesday 50%

Wednesday 50%

By Draft Time  Thursday, 50%
Overall odds of me getting a bullhead before their pick: 75% in the affirmative. 

The odds and weather are set. The exact time the Vikings pick on Thursday night is unknown. I've got minnows and like my chances.  C'mon bullheads, don't do me dirty!

Rock Dock In Today(4/28/22)

 

Rock Dock In Today

Couldn't get her level, so we pulled it until it was and left it. If Steve wants to put the decking on, he can do it or not.

1st Light Boat @ Rock Tonight

1st Silver Bullhead, Only Bite Tonight

A Lake Round Up For Tonight(4/20/22)

 

Loon N GOMH

Bulldog

40% to SPSI

Water at the base of the stairs

Saw the pike swimming along the NE rocks, Loon night at the GOMH; saw many birds flying South when I was on the SW side and several flying North when I was on the NE side. Didn't get a bite. Stayed after dark. Cool, but calm. Loons calling from the south and north. No signs of life with the spotlight. 40% of the way to SPSI. Some areas on Platte with significant separation from shore and others none at all. Bulldog and Rock didn't change much with today's rain. But I think there will be a considerable jump toward open water in the next few days as it warms up.

With sun today and high winds through the weekend and Monday. I don't see the ice lasting until Tuesday.

Ice Conditions And I Got A Bullhead(4/19/22)

1st Jumper of 2022

 

Don't Think That Is Ole Fatso

Slight Progress At Bulldog

Maybe 1/3rd of the way to SPSI

The sun was out until about 4PM, with temps reaching the mid-40s. Bulldog and Rock only slight progress. Platte seemed like there were areas that had pulled away from the shore quite a bit in our bay along the North Shore. About a 1/3rd of the way to the small island with very little open in Channel Inn Bay. Nobody came to visit at the GOMH tonight and I got one jumper.

1st Loon, 1st Bullhead of 2022(4/12/22)

 The toothy bit on my first cast with the 2" Storm Swim Shad on the SW side.

As I walked over to the SW side, I heard a loon below once and looked up to see a loon flying overhead. But then I thought that wasn't the sound a flying loon typically makes and usually is done repeatedly. I then looked out across the water and saw the source of the sound I heard swimming on the Platte side.

The Loons are back!

The Cool Weather Snag Continues

 

For the next three days, we will be 10plus degrees under the average for high temps. Some bullheads had moved up on Saturday and Sunday apparently (Silver numbers were same ole same old). Will they stay? I am going to test that out this Monday morning.  I didn't get the Garmin side-imager in the boat this weekend. The second Covid shot messed with my energy levels. I've felt anywhere from 10% to 100% with most of the time being 60% and under. Hopefully, I'll be over the after-effects by Thursday when it warms up. 

Some Silver On the 7th

 

12" THE Jig/Minnow (G/Pink)

Had my crap in order tonight, and Bear Trax got minnows. I got a couple silvers to pull my bobber under.

1st Bullhead of 2021 Is A Golden

 

After a few misfires, I finally landed something at the Grumpy Old Man Hole tonight. Very first cast and this golden beauty was all over the Swim Shad. I also got a jumper as it was getting dark on THE Jig. First time ever the first bullhead of the year for me is a golden bullhead. 

1st Open Water Trip And Bullhead Odds For March (80% Against)

I made my first casts at the Grumpy Old Man Hole tonight. A day earlier than my first cast in open water last year.  It is slightly more open than it was at this point last year, but there was a lot more water around last year and the snowmelt wasn't over yet. The water is low and unsurprisingly I got skunked. The snowmelt for this year is 99% over at this point. When I was out there tonight I thought the odds were slightly against me catching a fish this month. I thought 55/40 against. A closer look at the weather has me backing off those rosy thoughts. I think the odds are 80% that I don't get any bullhead this month. The water is too low and it doesn't look like it will warm up enough to send fish shallow until April. I think this little warm windy stretch we were in accelerated ice off. I am now eyeing April 8th, the same as last year.