Vikings Win Again, The Rest Of the Division Loses

 

6-1 We are cooking with peanut oil now. Barring an injury-fueled crash, the Vikings will be the 2022 NFC North Champions in 2022. The rest of the division has major issues, and the Vikes are on a SKOL roll. I don't think we will lose in Washington next week.  

Trophy NOT Coming Out Of The Lake This Week

 On the 15th of October, I speculated on Facebook that I would be taking the Trophy out for the year this weekend. But then the weather did me a solid and went into Indian Summer. I think the Trophy comes out next weekend, but I am not making a final decision on that until Friday. If it looks dry the second week of November, I might keep her in another week.

Pack Lose More Ground On The Bye

 The Pack are now below .500 for the season (3-4) and have the Bills in Buffalo coming off their bye week up next. If the Vikes beat the Cards this Sunday at noon, I think the Bills game becomes must win for the Pack, given their remaining schedule. If the Vikes win and the Pack sees it that way, give it their all and come up short. I think they will lose the next one in Detriot as well. The Pack isn't coming back from (3-6) to make the playoffs barring a total collapse of Team Purple, which is improbable if they can beat the Cards this week.  If the Vikes lose to the Cards, the Bills game, instead of being a pressure cooker, turns into house money for the Pack whether they win or lose. Given KOC's Team's performance in Game 1 this season, I will be stunned if the Vikes lose on Sunday, and I don't see Washington beating Team Purple either. 

The Vikes can put the Pack Nation in a world of hurt this weekend. Go to it, boys!  SKOL!

Here is the Packs remaining schedule:

Vikes Win, Pack Lose Part 2

 

There is a long way to go, but things are looking good in Vikings Country right now. The Pack struggling at 3-3, and the Vikes heading into the bye at 5-1. If the Vikes go 5-6 the rest of the way, chances are good we will win the Division. 

Bring on the Cards in two weeks, SKOL!

 

Vikes Win, Packers Lose

 

Vikes beat Da Bears 29-22 and are now 4-1 one and in the Divisions driver's seat. Next week we get the Dolphins in Miami, a team in freefall since Tua got injured. Like our chances of heading into the bye 5-1. SKOL!

Karma Strikes Again, Vikes Beat Saints On Double Doink Miss, SKOL!

The Saints played a heck of a game but came up just a bit short. What an ending!

KOC 3-1

Final Snatcher Tilt of 2022 at South Long Lake

 

Beau Won (16/14) and Got Lunker (3/15)

Mr. Bass 2022, Snatcher Fields

Conditions: Overcast temps 61-50℉, Wind 3-8mph ESE

The Day: We were the last boat out, and the first boat out went right to where my boater, Snatcher Fields, wanted to start. It seemed like 75% of the field went to the same general area to the NE of the narrows. We joined the scrum on the Eastern edge of the line of boats. Nothing on starting spot, so we headed up the lake to an area where we found a school during pre-fish. Chuck got a keeper in the boat. I think I got a pike, then lost a keeper and one that looked like it wouldn't go 12-inches. I got a walleye down the way a little bit. Ran some docks, but nothing. It was an extremely slow morning for us. We \went back to the starting spot and got an 11-incher. Ran back up the lake to a calm weedline. Finally got a keeper in the boat on the big Bubble Walker. Ran down to Bill Bongs Challenge Cup Starting Spot and got another keeper that took the LiveTarget Wake Gill. Chuck put several fish in the boat in short order, then culled with a couple of good 3lber in the cane. Game Over for Mr. Bass 2022. I got my 3lber out along the weed line out from the cane. We ended up back where I got my first keeper. I got my 4th keeper right before we were going to move on a spinnerbait. We went back to the starting area. I caught a short and a small keeper on the spinner bait. Went back up to Bongs Starting Spot. Got bit off twice with jigs and caught several pike on the spinnerbait. Had the craw tube get a bit off. Chuck caught a couple that didn't help and culled once or twice with minor upgrades, and then the day was over.

Results:  My fish weighed 10/09, which put me in 14th Place (2nd to Last Place). Beau Bacon won it with 16/14 and got Lunker with a 3/15. 2nd went to Snatcher Czech (14/11), who showed his face for the first time this season. And 3rd Place went, and Co-Angler Cash went to Snatcher Sarah.

My Thoughts: At long last, I finally got paired with Chuck Fields, and it was cool to do it when he clinched his second  Baxter Bass Snatcher Mr. Bass title. He accomplished the feat back in 1994. This was the first complete season he has fished with the club since winning it in '94. As for the fishing, I figured there was no way, under those conditions, I wouldn't be able to get a limit of keepers in the boat. Besides a half-hour window when Chuck caught most of his weight, it was really slow for us. Unfortunately, I didn't get any bites fishing on the bottom during that window, and when we returned to the spot, the pike had moved in. Whatcha gonna do? It just wasn't my year.  

Snatcher South Long Preview: The Plan and Rods I'm Bringing

 The Plan: Be a good net man so Snatcher Fields captures his 2nd Mr. Bass Title (Snatcher AOY). Plan A is to start on the deep weed edge and only move shallow if it isn't happening. May or may not start with a buzzbait. We are the last boat out, and South Long isn't very big, so who knows what will be available for our first spot.

Rods I'm Bringing: 

7'4" H Tatula (Topwater) 

7'4" H Tatula (Chatter, Topwater, Cranks)

7' H Avid (Craw Tube)

7' MH Mojo (Chatter)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Jigs) (Braid)

6'8" M Avid (Topwater)

6'6" MH GLX (Jigs, Swimbait)

6'6" M GLX (Neko, Ned)

I ended up at the last minute throwing in another 7'4" H Tatula that I threw frogs and a spinnerbait on. Should have had that spinnerbait on the rod from the jump.

Vikes Victory, SKOL!

 Irv Smith Jr. is a buzzkill with his momentum-killing drops. The Vikes got lucky that the Lions once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The Vikes really needed to pull this one out, and they did.

On to London, Here, Here, Woof, Woof. 

Blast From My Past: The 2003 MN Pro/Am Leech Lake

 I had my heart attack on March 14th, 2003. I think by the end of the month, the decision was made for me to move up north to live with my parents as I recovered and discovered just how badly my heart muscle was damaged; initial indications weren't encouraging. I started my cardiac rehab at the Onamia Hospital, which went well despite my heart pumping at a significantly reduced capacity. I had gained enough endurance back that I decided to see if the MN Pro/Am was still looking for amateurs at the last minute in early June. Turns out they didn't have a partner for Joel Stokka, so I jumped at the chance. Joel and I pre-fished the day before the tournament, and he was kind enough to put me up for the night at his place in Walker. While we were pre-fishing, I learned about bass fishing on Leech Lake, the Minnesota Bowfin Club, and the Baxter Bass Snatchers, his bass club at the time. At the rules meeting, I met Snatcher and Minnesota Bowfin Club President Chuck Fields. We planned to frog fish in Sucker Bay, and frog fish we did. It was a fun experience, and I am so glad I jumped on the chance. We came in 54th Place and were one fish short of a limit. I was just a tadpole as a frog fisherman back then. The frogging craze ushered in by Dean Rojas wasn't until a few years later. Oh, to go back in time with the equipment and knowledge I have now.

Monday Night Meltdown In Philly

 24-7, neither team scores in the 2nd half and Kirk threw 3 Int's in the 2nd Half. The D and Special Teams gave the Offense opportunities, but it was the bad Kirk Show Tonight. On to the Lions.

Heh!

Bass Snatchers Gull Lake Tournament

 

3-Time Champ Chuck Fields
(18/13) (5/04)

(3/10)

Conditions: Heavy Overcast with some fog until about Noon, then partly cloudy. Wind: Calm to 4mph from all directions.

The Day: 
At blast off, we headed North to a fairly good size sunken island. Chuck made a self-described rookie move and accidentally ran us right over the juice. About a half-hour in, Chuck put the first bass in the boat. A solid keeper that may have been culled out by the end of the day. About 15-minutes later, I got the skunk out of the boat with my big fish of the day (3/10) on a craw tube. Chuck handed me the net with the fish in it. I went to step down off the back casting deck and got punched hard just under my nose by the net's hoop. Hurt like a son of a gun, and I was surprised I wasn't bleeding. The area is still tender more than a week later. A couple minutes later, Chuck had a 4lber jump him off about 10 feet from the boat just after I grabbed the net. I think Chuck caught one more fish on that jig but lost 3 or 4 more, so he cut it off and gave it to me. Chuck got his second keeper in the boat about an hour in. I wasn't getting any bites on the craw tube, so I decided to see if maybe they would hit topwater as there was some surface activity. I think I missed my first 5 or 6 bites; I think they were little bass. After a miss, I finally hooked into a boil, and it was a good fish (2.46). I got one short, and then the topwater bite shut off.

I think we moved, and I got a 2.25lber that clocked my Strike King Buzz Toad Buzzbait with Z-Man ToadZ. We moved again. Chuck filled his limit. I started throwing a jig and caught 3 pretty quickly. Chuck said I would be an idiot if I were to fish any else but a jig the rest of the day. We tried one more crowded spot on the North End, then headed East, but Snatcher Ludenia was on the juice, so we headed south to try a short stretch of docks. Chuck lost a good one that he very well might have caught later in the day one dock over. We ran back north to the starting spot. I got a pike on the buzzbait. I don't remember if Chuck caught anything. We moved a couple of times. I had a fish miss the buzzbait, fired a cast right back, and got my final cull of the day. We would have had a double, but Chuck lost the one he had on, which he didn't think would have helped him. I think I got a fish or two that didn't help on a jig. We returned to that spot on the East side of the lake, and Ludenia was there again. We went south and fished docks for the final couple of hours. Chuck lost a couple more toads. Culled up a couple of times. I got a few that didn't help my cause. Chuck hit the jackpot on one of the final few docks, finally getting a 4lber in the boat. 

Results: My fish weighed 15/02, which was only good enough for 10th Place. Chuck Fields won his third tournament of the year with 18/13  and caught 5/04 Lunker. Snatcher Nate came in 2nd with 18/7. And Snatcher Dennis got 3rd with 18/05. Hammer was the Co-Angler Challenge Winner with a 17/11 bag out of Snatcher Dennis's boat, which broke down at their first stop on the North end of the lake.

My Thoughts: Basically, all the boaters but one really sacked 'em, and so did Hammer. Whaddya gonna do. I don't think I lost anything that hurt me. All of my fish were over 2lbs. Going to need a high finish and for a couple guys to stumble if I am going to make the Top 10 this year. 

 

 

Snatcher Gull Lake Preview: My Plan And The Rods I'm Bringing

 The Plan: First thing I'm throwing is topwater. If they don't go in that a Chatterbait. That doesn't play then a craw tube. Next Is a jig and finally a Ned Rig. If none of that catches anything I've got Dingers and a few other ideas. Gull is full of nice bass right now, hoping to catch a 13lb limit minimum.

Rods: 

Tatula 7'4" H (Topwater)

Tatula 7'4" H (Chatters and possibly Plugs or Cranks)

Avid 7" H (Texas Rig)

Tatula Elite 6'9" (Jigs) Braid

GLX 6'6" MH  (Jigs)

Avid 6'8 Medium (Topwater)

GLX 6'6" M (Ned)

Abu 6'6" MH (Fluke)

Oops, I realized I forgot to hit publish. I did give every rod a shot.

Props to MLF On Not Giving Out DQ's For Breaking Irrelevant MN Laws

 

MN has a law making it illegal for a fisherman to use two lines simultaneously. We also have a law that limits the number of hooks that can be used depending on the rigging method. The motivation behind those laws is so the unwashed masses and slobs don't end up killing fish. Professional bass fisherman on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro tour doing their craft is about as far from a slob fisherman as it gets. The law shouldn't be applied against fishermen that are the least likely to kill their catch by virtue of the fisherman's skill combined with instant catch and release format. But the Online Game Wardens had their hackles up this week because a few MLF Anglers were on camera this week with two lines in the water, and another angler had an illegal two Fluke rig set up. Those who were angered by this saw to it that citations were issued by the DNR. But that isn't good enough for some Online Wardens; they want to be able to put  Wheelers Angler Of The Year Trophy on their mantle by way of disqualification.

One of the reasons why the Pros broke away from BASS was its ham-fisted manner of leveling penalties that didn't fit the infraction. Major League Fishing is angler owned, so they make the rules. Their collective wisdom decided that a DQ would not be the proper punishment in this case. I 100% stand behind Major League Fishings' decision in this case. Wheeler earned that Trophy, and it should not be taken away for breaking a law that has no business being applied to a Professional Bass Fisherman in the first place, so says the Bass Pundit.       

Vikings 1-0

 Congrats to Coach KOC on his first NFL victory. Vikes got a huge lucky break when that rookie WR dropped a sure touchdown on the Pack's first possession. The Pack are notoriously slow starters, but I think they have to worry about the same thing the Vikes do; Both QB's took a lot of hits.

On to Philly, Skol!

It's Game Day! Will A A Ron Steal Our Lunch $ Again?

 

Can KOC Coach? Can KOC Win?

 Count me in the doubter's camp. After every loss, I am posting one of these:

And after every win, one of these:

I think we are gonna see a lot of Zim in black this season. I hope I am completely wrong and we are a playoff team.

Bass Snatcher Tournament At Rabbit Lakes

 

Snatcher Dennis Gets The W

 

Snatcher Notsch Gets the $ (Lunker and Co-angler)

Conditions: I arrived at the access just in time to do my stretching outside. I got back inside the car, and it wasn't more than a couple minutes before the thunderstorm hit. It stopped raining at about 6:30 or so. Conditions during the tournament were cloudy to mostly cloudy, 67-77℉, And mostly very windy out of the SE with a little break in the afternoon when the winds settled down under 5MPH.

The Day: We fished on the pit side all but for about 20-minutes. It was windy right from the get, and our first spot didn't go. We didn't stay long. Next, we hit some reeds on the East side of the lake. I had a swim jig get bit off right away. I would lose 3 jigs and 6 Texas Rigs on the day, dang pike. I put the first bass in the boat, pitching a brown/orange Hack Jig in the reeds. We then worked a weedline. I had a 30-inch pike break me off. It put on quite a show before it did.

I then caught a couple dinks on a spinnerbait, and Baily got a few keepers throwing a Senko on docks. Bill started getting better bites fishing a swimbait on the weedline, filled his limit, and started culling. We ran west, and I picked up a line burner on the Billy Goat Grub in some reeds. We worked our way back to the weedline, and I finally put a craw tube on (watermelon/red). I missed a bunch of bites, caught a few dinks, and had two keepers, including my big. The wind slacked off, so we went over by the East Island, and I got a bass throwing the Billy Goat to the cattail island. The wind came up. Bill got two good culls, and I got my last fish of the day on a black/blue Hack Jig. We moved to one more spot on the pit side, then went to the lake for about 15-minutes. I fished in the access area as well, and that was it.

Results: My limit weighed 10/6 minus 2oz dead penalty, so 10/4, which put me in 12th Place. Snatcher Dennis won with 16/12. Snatcher Fields got 2nd with 15/14, and Snatcher Darren 3rd with 15/02. Lunker was 3/13 and caught by the top Co-Angler, Snatcher Notsch, who had a 12/8 bag. 12 of the 17 anglers had limits.

My Thoughts: I figured with conditions being what they were, the fish would be on fire, but the weights in this one tell a different story. The weights last time had 14lb bags down to 10th Place; this tournament, there were only 3 bags over 14lbs. I gambled on a big worm on my Texas Rig rod to start and lost. When I finally put a craw tube on around 11AM, I got bit immediately. It took me a while to get comfortable with the craw tube; I missed quite a few bites. Not my greatest tournament execution-wise. I will have to step it up in the final two tournaments to have any hope of finishing in the Top 10 for the season.

 

Snatcher Rabbit Lakes Preview: The Plan and Rods I'm Bringing

 The Plan: I did not be getting out to pre-fish. Snatcher Bailey usually brings in a quality limit on this lake. I am really hoping the overcast and wind have the fish up and chasing, making for easy pickings to get a limit. If that is the case, I have some lures that catch bigs. 

Rods I'm Bringing:

Tatula 7'4" H  (Frogs,Toads, Buzzbait)

Tatula 7'4" H (Chatterbait, Topwater)

Avid 7' H (Texas Rig)

Tatula Elite 6'9" H (Jig) (Braid)

GLX 6'6" MH (Jigs) (FC)

Avid 6'8" M (Topwater)

GLX 6'6" M (Ned Rig, Neko)

Pundit Picks: Final Fantasy Bass Fishing Roster of 2022

 

Almost picked Taku in Bucket A but went with the rookie instead. Hellabass talked me into Kuphall in Bucket B, which was stacked with the guys I was planning to put on my roster. Hoping the Cade connection will pay off for Martin. "Big money, small-town boy makes sense, So I'm pushin' all my chips on my man Cliff Prince."  And a tip from Hellabass made me go with my boy Aoki, who made my win last week possible with his dismal finish to bump off a couple of my competitors that would have had me if Daisuke had finished Top 25.

Winner, Winner, I Am Getting Some Hooks From Omnia For Dinner

 My team for Lake Oahe was Gussy, Seth, The Sleepy Assassin,  Mueller, and Redwine. Thankfully, although not an incredible roster, it was enough to win the group for this tournament in the Bass Boat Central small-stakes group I have been a part of for the last few years.  One more chance to win more money this week with the Elite finally on the Mississippi. 

Drats! Omnia is currently out of the hooks I need.

Austin Felix Brings Home A Blue Trophy To MN!

 

Congratulations, to Austin Felix for winning at Lake Oahe!

And thank you to him and Seth, who led my fantasy team to the promised land in my $ league.