Snatcher Lake Alex Tournament Recap

 

Snatcher Herman With The W

 

(2/04 Powerbait Bunker Hawg Texas Rigged)

Conditions: 60-73℉, Partly Cloudy to Cloudy, 4-18mph WNW

Water Temp: Mid 70's 5+ water clarity 

The Day:

We got to our spot, and no other anglers were around. About 10 minutes in, Herman had the first keeper in the boat on a spinnerbait. He then caught a dink, and I got my first keeper in the boat with the Turbo FattyZ. Herman got another keeper on the spinnerbait. I got a keeper on a Big Blade Chatterbait. Herman switched to a jig and got a couple of quality keepers pretty quickly, then filled out his limit with a couple of fish. Herman had his limit by 8:30 AM. We had a short lull, and I suggested we take a quick look in the nearby reeds. They were dead, so we just slid back out to the weedline. Herman got another quality bass and offered me the Powerbait Bunker Hawg he was using; I put it on a Texas rig instead of as a jig trailer like Herman was doing. It wasn't long, and I filled out my limit with keepers by 9:15 AM. My first cull was with the Bunker Hawg and was my big bass (2/04). That was also my last cull with the Bunker Hawg; I think I caught a few more fish on it that didn't help. I think Herman got another quality fish on the jig, so I threw out a jig and got a two-pounder on my first cast. I think I culled up one more time with the jig after lunch. 

We finally left our spot to drift in the wind so Herman could make sandwiches. I lost something on a spinnerbait and caught one that didn't help. We ate our food, and after fishing for another 15 or so minutes, unfruitfully went back to our area. I put my fleece hoodie back on because it clouded up, and I was getting chilled in the wind.  Herman got another quality cull on the first pass. At this point, I thought Herman was definitely in contention for some wood, 1st through 3rd Place finish. I thought one more quality bass would definitely have him in contention for the win. I think I got a couple of fish that didn't help. Maybe one on a jig that did.  We went and tried by an Island. I somehow backlashed my Tatula SV and busted my line, which Herman was able to retrieve. I caught a couple that didn't help on a Dinger. We then headed North, and I got a bass that didn't help on a buzzbait just out from a dock and on the Dinger on a weedline. We ended by fishing some docks just to the West of the Anchor North. It was a good day on the water, and I don't think I ever went longer than about 45 minutes without catching a bass.

24Bass 2Pike 

Results: My fish weighed 11/06 which put me in 7th Place out of 16 anglers. My boater Herman won the thing with 15/11. Second Place went to Snatcher Ludenia with 13/06 and 3rd went to Snatcher Dennis. Snatcher Notsch got Lunker with a 3/15 smallmouth. 

Big Jon Takes Lunker 3/15 SMB

My Thoughts: So cool to be in the boat for Herman's second-ever tournament win. He joined the club before I became a teenager, and this was his second victory in 149 Tournaments. Herman thought his best finish was 3rd Place. Herman just enjoys the fellowship and being on the water. Winning is not a priority. We found a school of the right ones in pre-fish, and Herman, with a swim jig, dredged them up. I don't know why I didn't get one of those better 2.5 to 3lbers in the boat. I should have thrown a jig sooner.

Grade: C

7th Place is better than a sharp stick in the eye, but not having a 2lb average cost me a Top 5 finish. I think the fish were there to do it, I just didn't trigger the bites.

What my scale said I had

Plan And Rods Snatcher Lake Alexander

I was so tired, I didn't get this published in time. Oh well.

 Lake Alexander Plan: Wing it with Herman. Actually the hope is that the weedline we found has a school of 2 and a half to 3lbers like we doubled up on in pre-fish. If not, then I will wing it.

Rods I'm Bringing:

7'4" H Mod Tatula (Chatter, Plopper, Wake )

7'4" H Tatula (Buzzbait)

7'4" H Tatula (Swim Worm)

7'4" H Tatula (Frog)

7' H Avid (Craw Tube, Rage Bug)

7'H Tatula Elite (Dock, Jig)

6'10" MH Tatula (Sleepers, Chatters, Spinnerbait, Jig)

6'6" MH Veritas (Dinger, Ned)

Thoughts this winter: jerkbait, rocket bobber/wacky rig, prop bait, football jig (ned). Discounted all of that after pre-fish.

My Snatcher North Long Tournament Recap

 

Caught Me A Good Speck on a Dark Sleeper

Tourny Champ Keith Tuma

Conditions: 60-78℉, Cloudy with occasional light rain, 3-15mph SE 

The Day:

We started on the South end of the Lake to the West of where Nate started fishing cabbage beds. We stayed in the same 150-yard or so stretch until about 11 AM. I had my limit in the first hour and forty minutes. Al put the first 3 bass in the boat. I'm pretty sure my first fish was a pike on the Big Blade Chatterbait. That Big Blade Chatter was my hot bite in the morning. I think I lost one quality bass after it buried me in the weeds. After I got my limit. I struggled to get bites from keeper bass, getting pike, and a couple of dinks. I should have thrown the Dark Sleeper as the fish Al was getting on the Craw Tube were better quality on average than my Chatterbait fish, with one or two exceptions.

We then went to 371 Bay when the wind was howling around 11AM. I got my big bass (2/15)  in 371 on the Dark Sleeper on our first pass in 371, I was a bite machine with that Dark Sleeper pulling in small pike, rock bass, dink bass, and I culled up a couple of times and one nice crappie on our second pass. We went back to the starting area. The wind calmed down considerably shortly after we arrived. Nate showed up shortly after and thought we had been there the whole time. Not much was going on until I put on a Neko Rigged Dinger, which caught me 5 bass in about 15 minutes. I culled with  3 of the fish putting all, but one fish over 2lbs on my scale. I could have sworn the second to last fish I got on the Dinger was three plus when it wallowed on the surface, but it buried me in the weeds, and when I got it in, it didn't even help me. Al got us out of there to head to Merrifield Bay. I got a dink on a buzzbait and on a Dark Sleeper, along with a couple of pike in Merrifield. We fished for about 15 minutes in 371 Bay to end things, and I got a pike or two, maybe a rock bass as well. I was hoping my fish would go 14 lbs, and indeed they did, right on the nose.

18Bass 16Pike 3Rock 1Crip 

Results: My fish weighed a respectable 14lbs, but on this day that was only good enough for 13th Place.  The winner was Snatcher Tuma with 18/05; Second Place went to Snatcher Dennis with 17/01 and Lunker (4/08), which edged out Snatcher Fields who also had 17/01. Everybody caught a limit today and the average bag was 14.94lbs.

My Thoughts: Should have gone to the Dark Sleeper at the first stop. A couple of lost fish cost me in this one I think.

Grade: B

Sure 13th Place out of 17 Anglers is C-/D+ territory, but I was just ounces behind my boater on a day when Co-anglers got stomped on and I was only one quality cull away from a Top 10.

  

The Plan & Rods, Snatcher North Long

 

North Long Plan: We both got out and did a little pre-fishing. My trip with Chuck and Lois revealed bass in main lake cabbage in about half of our stops. Conditions are going to be quite different from the day I fished with clouds, wind, and thunderstorms. The fish may be on fire or shut down due to the thunder. I guess I'll find out. North Long hasn't treated me well the last couple of Snatcher Tournaments. I am looking for a little redemption and to beat Tuma. Hopefully, Snatcher Alan of Clan Steinbauer will lead me to a good day of snatchin' 'em. He got Snatcher Checkbook, a limit last tournament here, something I was unable to accomplish due to sucking on how to hook my bites.

Rods I'm Bringing: (Yes, 10 rods, I'm in a Phoenix. I kicked myself for not bringing more the last time I was in Al's boat)

7'4" H Tatula (Frog/Slop)

7'4" H Tatula (Turbo FattyZ, could go to jigs on this setup)

7'4" H Tatula (Chatters, Wake, Traps)

7'3" MH LTB (Carolina Rig) 

7' H Avid (Texas Rig)

7' H Mojo (Texas Rig)

6'6" MH Avid (Texas Rig Pike Insurance)

6'10" MH Tatula (Jig, Sleepers, Jerkbait, Ned) Dock Rod

6'8" M Avid (jig worm, jerkbait,Ned)

Spin:

6'6" MH Veritas (Neko)

Think: Jerkbait, dead sticking, prop bait, texas rig worm.

These were my thoughts this winter on what to try

Sabine River My Fantasy Team And Results

 I didn't fall asleep. It was just a super busy couple of weeks. Picking Frazier was my downfall. I had been sitting on picking him for the Sabine, and it just didn't pan out.

My Drain the Lake results are finally picking up steam. I am looking to finish hot, as the final 3 venues will be loaded with studs on those bodies of water.

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 

Snatcher Tournament Bay Lake June 4th

2/8 on Jackhammer/GOAT (Purple/Black/Blue)

The small of Nate's two smalls
(Pretty sure he weighed this one as his lunker as well)

Conditions: 

70-84℉, Mostly Sunny to Partly Cloudy, 0-5mph ESE 

Water Temp: Low 70's

The Day:

With only 6 boats and it being a Sunday, everybody was in the water in no time, and we blasted off early. We went to the spot that won the last couple of tournaments, and it was slow. I picked up a few dinks, rock bass, and hammer handles. Nate got a few small keepers on a craw tube and maybe a jig as well. He had me down 5-0 when I got my first small keeper on the KVD 1.5. I got bit off and caught a couple of dinks, pike, and rockies on a craw tube. We fished some docks. Nate got one quality 2lber and a few dinks. I got dinks and rockies on the Dinger. We went west of where we started, probably known as an altogether different bay. I picked up a couple of keepers, including my big (2/8), and some dinks, rockies, and pike. I got two pike in a row, and the skirt on my Jackhammer came off, killing the bite for me. We returned to the starting area, where I got another keeper on the Craw Tube.

We then ran some beautiful docks and a slop bay and only ran into something once we came out to the docks on the other side of the bay. Nate was getting bit on almost every dock, and I picked up a keeper out on the inside weedling on the Bagley Crank. All I got on the docks were rockies and dinks. We ran into Nate's dad, Snatcher Chuck, and he spilled the beans that he had a good bag anchored by smallies. We returned to where we started seeing fish on the docks, and I quickly picked up my limit fish. After about 15 minutes of nothing notable as Nate looked for smallies. He asked me if I knew of any areas smallies might be in. I told him about a large sand flat with reeds, so we headed there. We saw beds but no fish. Next, we went to the rock area, and Nate hit pay dirt, getting two quality smallies on a dead sticked Senko. We ran another rock area and got some rockies and dinks. We tried a couple of other areas, getting the same. We went back to where we got the smallies. I got a rock bass and about a half-pound cull with a largemouth that fell to the Dark Sleeper. We finished on a point off an Island by Rutgers, where Nate made a small cull. I had a pike-like feeling hit that didn't hook up and got a rocky. Day Over!

Results: My fish weighed 9lbs 11ozs which put me in 8th Place out of 12 anglers.

 

It was a massacre for Snatcher Chuck

First Place and Lunker went to Snatcher Chuck with 19/01 and 4/03

Second Place went to my boater Snatcher Nate with 12/13

Third Place went to Snatcher Tuma with 12/06

My Thoughts: If Nate's Plan A had worked, I think I would have been right up there, but the quality and quantity were not there on this day, so we had to scramble. Me losing that Jackhammer skirt to the pike didn't help matters.  Not having my dock-skipping game on point was an error on my part as well. One would have thought on such a nice day, the fish would have been on fire, but it was just a mediocre bite for Bay.

Grade: C, Another pound would have moved me up to 5th Place. It wouldn't surprise me if I lost the fish that would have gotten me another pound on the Jackhammer, Dark Sleeper, and Craw Tube. Any way I slice it, not getting at least 10 lbs on Bay Lake is a disappointment.

 

The Plan And Rods I'm Bringing, Bay Lake Snatchers Tournament

The Plan: I drew Snatcher Nate who finished 2nd and 1st the last two times the club has been to Bay Lake. Bay is a clear water, bass factory with mostly smaller fish. With the extended stretch of warm stable weather and full moon, I am expecting a spawn/post-spawn deal. I expect to throw the Dark Sleeper, Craw Tube, and Jackhammer a lot. 

The Goal: Beat Snatcher Tuma, the only Snatcher I have yet to best.

Rods I'm Bringing: 

7'4" H Tatula (Billy GOAT)

7'4" H Tatula (Chatter)

7' H Avid (Craw Tube)

7'H Mojo (Swim Worm)

6'10" MH Tatula (Sleeper,Jig)

6'9" H Tatula Elite (Sleeper, Jig, Chatter)

6'8" M Avid (Prop Bait,topwater)

6'6"MH Veritas (Dinger)

Dock In Today

 

I assisted Todd with getting the toys ready for summer. Mabel was disappointed she would not be getting a boat ride today. Fishing was not on Todd's to-do list, as he needs to get a license. I did have a small pike take a swipe at the swim jig I was throwing from the dock.

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.   

Fantasy Roster Lay Lake

 

Day 1, don't mean jack squat, but this team has potential.

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!

MN Fishing Opener Is Coming, Outlook A Week Out

 

It looks like it is setting up to be a banger. Due to the late ice off, I haven't had the Trophy in the water yet, and my tackle is still in its winter chaos state. The plan is to fish Rock Lake no later than Tuesday and get any bugs worked out. I think I will have it in the water on Platte Opener morning, but that may not happen. 

As far as my tackle goes. I will move it to the basement and do my organizing down there. In the past, I did most of my tackle organization when the parents were down in Florida. They didn't go this year, so I am running well behind. I don't know when I will get to it, as the iron will probably be hot, so my priority is to strike, not organize. But some organization in prep for Opener has to happen.

My plan for Opener is once again to fish off of Eddy's Jetty at midnight. My guess is that it is going to rain, but the fish will be there and biting. I'll probably hit the Grumpy Old Man Hole next. What I do with the Trophy is up in the air right now. My brother Todd might come up on Friday night. A lot to nail down yet. Thunderstorms would put a damper on things.

Has A Tipping Point Been Reached On Mn Closed Bass Season

 

Click here to take the survey

At long last, the MN DNR is considering doing away with a closed bass season and going to catch and release outside of the open season for bass. Michigan did it, then Wisconsin did it. Minnesocold will hopefully do the right thing. 

Rock Dock Is In!

Picture taken 5/3 morning

 I didn't have a vehicle yesterday due to Mom's ill-fated trip to Brainerd that resulted in her faceplanting at Walmart. Dad and I drove up in the Escape after Kim came and got us. I didn't get home to 11PM. All of that to say, I didn't check the Rock Dock on the 2nd when the dock went in.  

When Will Rock Dock Go In?

5/1/23 Morning

Odds of the Rock Dock being in the water every day this week are 50/50. Rock Dock was not in when I went to Rock in the evening on May 1st. No weeds, no bites. The Rock Dock may or may not allow me to reach some weeds. Rock has been a bust in the last few years due to a lack of vegetation near the access..

 

My Tackle Warehouse Is Open

 Finally got around to opening the Tackle Warehouse this Spring. I was disappointed to discover I only have two regular-size Hot-N-Tots, which can be spied in this picture if you are eagle-eyed; I also have one of the big size H-N-T's. Also located some of my Jitterbugs, I think I have some in the house as well. 

Ice Off Platte, Sullivan, Rock, and The Dog

Slush and Candles at Platte Lake Access tonight

What it looked like this morning

Slush and Candles East of GOMH

With the way the wind blew today, I think Sully went first. The ice all got pushed to the South and East overnight and was about to get beat up once the wind picked up. 

Rock this morning was slush

Rock Open tonight

The Dog this morning

The Dog Tonight

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.