Snatcher Thunder Lake Tournament

 

Chuck Fields with the W and Lunker,
with Co-Angler Snatcher Sarah.

 

3/8 Herb's Dilly Buzzbait (Yellow Frog)

Conditions: Rain intermittently in the morning with the sun coming out in the afternoon. Wind: 3-8mph

The Day: It started raining as we were waiting to blast off. We headed to our first spot, and Hammer was amazed no one went North along with us. We started off in the best cabbage Hammer had found in his prefish. About 45-minutes in, he got the skunk out of the boat on a craw tube. We worked around a point of reeds, and he got a second bite. I started throwing a buzzbait into the reeds as we worked outside the reed line. I missed my first bite, which was a small fish. I then got two bass in the boat lickety-split. So we drifted into the reeds, and I got my big fish of the day. As we worked inside the reeds, I got fish four and five along with missing a couple. Hammer had a couple fish blow up on his buzzbait, but they got off. Snatcher Chuck and Nate showed up.  Chuck and Nate doubled up on a spot I had my eye on.  I got my limit fish, which was a line burner. The topwater bite quit. I got a couple of fish on the Brovarney/Rage Bug combo with both fish throwing my Rage Bug, rats. Hammer was having a rough time getting his bites in the boat, losing a good one on a jig or craw tube. I also got a case of the misses in the same area not hooking up with 2 or 3 that hit the buzzbait; partly my fault for making ill-considered casts. 

We then went to some docks on the west side of the bay, but nothing there. Hammer borrowed a spinnerbait from me, and we returned to the reeds. Snatcher Bailey and Metalhead were in the area this time. Hammer was getting bit on the spinnerbait and me on the buzzbait and Jig, with both of us catching most of the bites but dropping a few as well. It rained pretty good when we were in the reeds that second time. We then went back to the West side of the bay, where it was calm and worked reeds along the shoreline. I was unaware they were there because they only stood about a foot above the water. I got my frog game on catching several pound and a half to pound and three-quarters cookie cutters. Hammer was throwing a Sprinker Frog and having a rough go keeping them pinned. We got over by Smitty and Mick, where I had a Platte Lake Special miss Little Alan, but it wouldn't hit it again.

We then headed south to try Hammers Smallie areas. He got a couple of largemouths, and I maybe had a small smallie take a shot at the 130 Plopper. For the final hour and a half, we went back North trying the cabbage one more time with nothing happening. I got a minor upgrade pitching the Brovarney to some pads in the reeds. We ended back on the West side of that Northern bay. I checked my fish before we headed out and was dismayed to discover my big fish, which was swimming just fine when I culled  20-minutes prior, was now dead, bummer.

Results: My fish weighed 12/8 with the dead fish penalty, and I finished in 11th Place. Snatcher Fields won it with 19/10, and he got Lunker with a 4/3 smallie; at least that was what I think it was. Snatcher Darren won the Co-Angler Challenge/Cash in a close race, with his 4-pounda putting him over the top.

Thoughts: I just didn't get enough of my bites in the boat. Probably could have had a 14 to15ish bag if I did. I wish I had known those reeds were along the shoreline the first time we went there. We should have given them a try.  

Snatcher Thunder Lake Preview: Plan and Rods

 The Plan: I was not able to pre-fish for this tournament and I've never been on the lake. My boater Dwight "Hammer" Hammermeister did get out for a day. He said they got about 10 bass, two of which were smallmouth. He and his bunky finished in 3rd and 4th the last tournament on this lake, but that was on Sept 9th. Basically, it sounds like we are going to wing it and hope something sticks.

Rods I'm Bringing: 

Tatula 7'4" H (Frog, Buzzbait)

Tatula 7'4" H (Chatterbait, Topwater)

Avid 7' H (Craw Tube)

Avid 7' M (Spinnerbait, Neko)

Tatula 6'10" MH (Swim Jig)

Avid 6'8" M (Topwater, Jerkbait,)

Spin:

Veritas 6'6" MH (Dock Rod/Fluke,Dinger)

GLX 782 6'6" M (Ned Rig)

Shimano SLX 7'5" H Rod Quick Review

I have had my eye on the Shimano SLX 7'5" H rod for quite a while and last week one came up on eBay for a deal I just couldn't refuse, so I bought it.

Here are my impressions:
I would rate this rod as extra heavy, rather than heavy. It is definitely closer to my XH Zillion than my H Tatula's. It is noticeably more stiff than the Tatula's. Haven't had any blow-ups on the frog yet; I have only fished with it for about 15-minutes. I'll probably update the review after I catch a few fish.
 

Major Award Arrived Today

6'6" Fenwick HMG MH

 I was skeptical with the way the outside box being so flimsy that the rod I won from Major League Fishing Fantasy Fishing was going to be in one piece, but the rod was secured to a sturdier v-shaped piece of cardboard inside the of the outer box. The rod itself itself is really nice lookig to my eye. I already have several rods that fill this niche that I already like, so I am giving the rod to Snatcher Darren as a thank you for being my boater in my first Baxter Bass Snatcher tournament win last year.

First Frog Fish of 2022

 

Was caught on a Sparrow Booby's Perfect at the Platte River Mouth in Sullivan Lake. She annihilated it. I caught 3 frog fish on the night.

Snatcher Farm Island Tournament

 

Snatcher Dennis Took The W!

Thoughts Going In: 

Farm Island has always given me a limit. Pre-fish made me even more confident. Dennis tells me before we blast off that he did get out pre-fishing one more day, and his starting spot was full of bass; it was empty the day we pre-fished, except pike. Confidence level: High.

Conditions: Sunny, Light to Moderate SW Wind

The Day: We blasted off boat one and went to Dennis' honey hole. The problem is that it was filled with pike, just like the day we pre-fished. Dennis got bit off two or three times, and we both caught multiple slimers. Dennis did get a quality bass off a dock. After an hour and a half or so, we headed southwest. Nothing at the point where I got two fish during pre-fish. So then we headed NW. I got the skunk out of the boat using a fluke at a dock just after Dennis got bit off. From there, we headed south again, and Dennis cracked a biggun off a dock. That is what we did for most of the day, with Dennis picking off a good fish every half-hour to 45-minutes. My dock game was rusty, and there weren't many bass around. I did get my second keeper on a return trip to the starting spot. And that was all she wrote for me, two bass in the boat. I did miss a few bites on the Fluke, but those could have been rockies.

Results: My two fish put me in 19th Place. Dennis ran away with his 19/1 bag. Lunker went to Smitty with a 4/2, and Zach Noyes won his first Co-Angler Challenge, beating out The Beast Beau Bacon by an ounce.

Thoughts: We just caught "The Farm" on a tough day, as the final results show. Congratulations to Snatcher Dennis for starting off the year on the right foot. On to Thunder. 

Bass Snatcher Farm Island Tournament Plan & Rods I'm Bringing

 Plan A is to throw the Brovarney Swim Jig I have been whacking better quality fish on since the Opener. I should be in for a pretty good day if the fish are on it. Hopefully, if that doesn't go, I will figure something else out on the fly. Dennis will have us around fish. I'm shooting for at least 14lbs. My best weight at Farm Island is 14/8.

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'4" H Tatula (Buzzbait, Frog)

7'4" H Tatula (Chatterbait, Wakebait, Big Topwater)

7' H Avid (Craw Tube)

7' MH Mojo (Spinnerbaitt)
7' M Avid (Neko Rig, Paddletail)

6'10" MH Tatula 2 (Swim Jig)

6'8"M Avid (Topwater)

Spin:

6'6"MH Veritas (Fluke)

Happy 16th, Devin!!!

 

2022 MN Fishing Opener With Todd In the Evening

 

 Skunked (Some natives were fishing at the North Jetty when I arrived at 11:30PM and not getting anything. One small eye was swimming around and a boat was out bobber fishing and I think getting fish. I quickly bailed on the North Jetty for the South as some guys with a boat set up on Center Jetty. A little bit of activity on South, but nothing close in so I could track with the fish. I texted Brett and he told me they hammered 'em at the GOMH. I bailed at 2:15 am. I stopped at Kathio Bridge and listened to loons calling.) 

GOMH:

Skunked (Nobody was there when I arrived just after 4AM. Put on the rubbers and headed down on the NE side. WHG showed up as I was getting settled. There was a lot of baitfish activity, but I couldn't buy a bite. Made the executive decision to head to the Trophy at 4:30 AM)

First Legal Bass of 2022 Mini-Max (Fire Craw)

Big Bass of the Day at the GOMH

(Skies looked dark but I sent it anyway. Hit something as I was steaming toward the small Island. The motor sputtered but didn't lose much speed. Got to the River Mouth; first and only boat. Got a 10" on the Mini-Max. Started getting some fish on the SBKO. As the front approached I missed 7 or 8 bites. The front passed only raining for a couple of minutes. Got fish on jerks, chatters, craw tubes, paddletails. Seems like I would get a couple of fish then need to switch up. Wasn't real efficient with my business. The sun came out and wind came up out of the South. I made my way across the SPRO, but it was really blowing so I called it a morning.)

20Bass 3Pike 

 (Stopped at the GOMH on my way home. Nobody was there so I headed down with 3 rods. Craw tube got bit off before I could catch anything on it. Had multiple hits on the the craw, Grass Pig, and a couple of Chatters. Fish just not getting it good today. Had a lot of misses in the boat. Got my biggest of the morning in the Pirahana 2, but left the scale at the lake. Mother nature called so I bounced.)

3 Jump

(4 Rods with me, 5 casts per rod on the SW side with a few bonus casts resulted in 7 jumpers before I headed to the lake place as Todd was finishing up with the dock decking.)

7Jump 

Todd's first bass of 2022, 1st fish was a pike

 (Todd started off on fire at the River Mouth. I talked to Chuck Steinbauer who is coming down to fish P/S tomorrow. We worked our way East into Platte. Nothing was going on in CIB other than at the dock just beyond the Abrahamson's where Todd got a 3lber. So I jumped us back to the river mouth after nothing at the juice. We got a few more bass. Good trip. Todd was headed home before I was done loading the boat.)

Todd: 15Bass 1Pike, Me:12 Bass

Todd: 15Bass 1Pike

Me: 42 Bass 3 Pike

Total Fish: 57 Bass 4 Pike

Trophy Into Platte Today(5/7/22)

 Trophy in at the Lake Place, going to have to do something about the pontoon lift with the high water.

BP Story Time: MN Fishing Opener

Picture Fish, Not The One In Story

 My memory is foggy about when this story happened. It was when I was in high school, but it may have been when I was in college. It may have happened the weekend between Fishing Opener and Bass Opener. 

I was fishing in the channel between West Sylvia and Sylvia for pike with spinnerbaits. I was catching pike and bass, minding my own business, when some guy came out on his dock and chewed me out for fishing for bass out of season. I told him I was fishing for pike, but he wasn't having any of it. I was like, what an A-hole. Later that night, I caught a pike that maybe went 7 or 8 lbs and was the biggest of my life at that point on a different spot. A few years later, I caught a 10lb pike almost right where he chewed me out on Opener, setting a new personal best, and I got a 12lber there sometime in the Fall during the mid-1990s.

Tackle Warehouse Opener 2022(5/6/22)

 I could have done this sooner, and I have been in and out several times this Spring, but today is the day I am Officially Opening my Tackle Warehouse for 2022.

2022 MN Fishing Opener Outlook (2 Weeks Out)

 

Photo was taken May 14, 2017, on the 2017 Opener.

If this forecast is accurate, we could be in for a banga this year. Water temps on P/S in the low 50's, probably mid forty's on the Pond. Yes, please! 

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

Skunked For First Trophy Trip of '22

 

 

Rock Dock, Not In

I got over to the lake place a little after 2PM.  Steve was home. Couldn't get the bilge pump to work or get the motor to turn over, doh! Quickly figured out that I didn't have the motor in neutral; I thought I did and played with it several times. Finally found neutral when I connected the motor up to the troller battery. I got the bilge pump cleaned out the next day, and now it's working. It was sunny but cool.  So rather than start fishing right away, I mapped the lake for a couple of hours.

I then started fishing in the Platte River Outlet Bay, where many Pelicans were and the warmest water, 41℉. Not a single sign of life. So I spent the last hour and a half between the access and the Cane. I was marking stuff in 6 to 10-feet but didn't have a bite.  Water temps were 38-39, so I figure the fish were just lethargic.

I've got two and a half weeks before Opener, and hopefully, the Pelicans will find greener pastures somewhere else.

Will the Rock Dock Go In Today?

 I think chances are pretty good it goes in today or tomorrow. I would say 45% today and 65% by tomorrow.  The Fishing Opener is two weeks from this coming Saturday, and it's a late ice out. It got put in quickly in 2019 and 2018.

Ice-Off Platte, Bulldog, Long, & Rock Lake Today(4/24/22)

 

I didn't make it to the Public Access on Platte Lake today, but it was definitely open today when I made the North Platte Lake Drive loop.

Rock to the South

Rock to the North

Bulldog Looking SE

Bulldog Looking NE

Sullivan Looking SW

Sullivan will probably be ice-free tomorrow. 

My Luck Has Returned, Getting A Fenwick Rod From Major League Fishing

 

It has been a few years. Will be interesting to see which rod they send. I presume it is going to be a Fenwick Eagle. If I could pick, I would go with the 7MH casting. I don't know if I will have a use for what they send, but I'll keep an open mind.

Ice Status And Fishing Report(4/23/26)

Ice went off our bay when I was vacuuming out the Trophy.

Red-Wing Blackbird

Did Not turn into a thunderboomer, thankfully

Ice-free to South Big Island

Open to LSB

Ice at the access tonight, so ice out will be tomorrow.

Platte Lake Access

 

North Platte Lake Drive Looking SE towards our bay

Where I park the Trophy, looking OK for now

The rain this morning lit a fire on Bulldog in the access area, and I could see with significant open water on the Eastern side that Bulldog wouldn't have ice for much longer.

Rock dark, but I thought it would still have ice tomorrow.
I was wrong about that.

This morning at 8AM, we got a call from the Chiropractor that he wouldn't be in today, so I headed to the GOMH. Got skunked and left when it started to rain. Got a short downpour at our place and .25" of water. Platte and Mille Lacs got more significant downpours in duration and intensity. I took a nap. Got up around 3:30PM and headed over to the lake place to get the Trophy ready in the 70-degree weather. No thunderstorms, so I got her done. When I was headed over, our bay was 2/3 covered, and there was a kayaker and canoe out along the ice edge. By the time I went down front, our bay was wide open. I took the N. Platte Lake Drive loop, and there was still plenty of ice N and W of the Big Island. Rock was iced up. Bulldog was looking ready to go, as was the ice at the Platte Lake Access.

I fished for about half an hour at the GOMH. Otters were chasing one another in the cattails, and two of them made trips up to the road a couple of times. Red-wing blackbird was in that small tree to the West. Loons were out front. Got skunked again. I started seeing lightning about dark, so I bounced when I heard thunder. The storms never made it this far east.