I was not able to get out and check Platte on Saturday or Sunday. Surely, the ice would be gone when I checked on Monday evening. Nope, there was still a few acres worth of ice out there.

Looks like an extended warming trend will start on the 9th. If that happens, I doubt there will still be ice on Mille Lacs by the 20th.

You don’t know your bass-fishing season history in either state. It used to be common for bass fishing circuits and clubs in MN to hold one or two tournaments in WI before the MN Bass Opener on Memorial Day weekend, well before WI did away with Closed Season for C & R in 2020. MN only changed to the early catch-and-release season in 2015, moving when we could target bass in this state back two additional weeks. Before that, we were 3 or 4 weeks behind all but a narrow section in Northern WI or if you were one of the rare few that went to far northern MN where they opened the bass season early. If May 1st fell on a Sunday, WI would open their season on April 30th, pushing it to 4 full weeks between when bass opened in the majority of both states.

MN also idiotically also screwed state anglers by tying our fishing Opener to Memorial Day Weekend rather than the second Saturday in May. So, there is at least one other scenario where WI opens for fishing two weeks before MN when a late Memorial Day happens.

I was quite sure, coming into the last weekend in March, that ice would be off Platte on the 30th or 31st. But somehow, as of yesterday, the ice was holding pretty much everywhere it still was coming out of that weekend, even though most of the lake was open.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>
My bass club use to always do a early season Tourney in Wisc. because they always opened way earlier there than here.

No they didn’t. They only removed their closed season and converted it to a C & R season in the last 5 years.

Their season traditionally closed in late February and opened one week before ours for many years.

WI used to open bass season the first Saturday in May with the rest of the gamefish. In the late 1090’s and early 2000’s I fished the WI Opener many times and at least 7 tournaments.

I also fished the Bois Brule, three times I think. The first time with the same buddy steelhead fanatic that introduced me to the Root, who fished the Brule many times, and the last two times solo. I had fish on but never landed anything there. I’m surprised I was not killed by a bear or moose. Walking alone at dusk in the dark along a path in the wilderness next to a river. I have a bear phobia and was completely unprepared in case of an encounter. I was young and dumb.

The guy also showed me spots on OakCreek and the Milwaukee. One of the places was right by Brewers Stadium. I think I looked at Oak Creek on one of my solo trips, but it was already crowded, so I drove back South.

Nine Mile Creek in Bloomington, MN, was not much for fishing in my youth, or at least not in the stretch close to home in the Moir Park area. We might catch a sunfish, bullhead, or crawfish if we were lucky. There were two to three pound carp around occasionally. And one summer when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old, I think they stocked the area with bass, but they may have been trout. They were about 8-10 inches long, and I never caught one of them. They swam as a school, and I spied them frequently in a particular bend in the creek. They seemed to be on the move quite a bit. When I got older I caught a few pike and bass where Nine Mile enters into Lake Normandale. I heard stories of huge pike, bass, and crappies coming out of Normandale. I favored wading and float tubing in Hyland and Bush, mainly Hyland, where I had better luck and there was more shore access, being fully surrounded by the park.

I was a Youth Pastor in Canby MN for a couple of years in the mid-90’s. They drained Del Clark Lake before I got there the same year I arrived. I was able to catch walleye, suckers, and pike at various points in the creek that runs through town. The final year I was there Del Clark, which I think had been off limits to fishing, opened up, and it was on fire for 17″ to 20″ walleye and 28″ to 32″ in pike, and I was like the only person who knew about it. It was ridiculous. And then, at the end of that magical May, my time in that town was over. I also tried some fishing across the border in South Dakota for spawning pike, but I couldn’t figure out how to get the big gals to bite. I think I caught a few hammer handles.

I have also fished the Root River in Racine, WI, and the Pike in Kenosha for trout and salmon in the fall. Maybe one of these years, I will get back down there to do some urban fishing. It was like the United Nations being that close to Chicago. I almost got pinched by the WI DNR in the Pike for netting a guy’s fish that was snagged. I think Snagger was Russian or maybe Ukrainian. I told he guy keeping a snagged fish wasn’t smart. I had been warned about releasing snagged fish by my buddy, who showed me the bite down there and witnessed guys getting busted for snagging on a subsequent trip. I usually ran into at least one C.O. every year I went. Well, sure enough, about an hour later, about 5 C.O.’s came out of the woods. Thankfully, the CO did his job, considered the facts, and didn’t write me a ticket. They took everybody, but me and a couple of Cheeseheads from the middle of the state back to the road to get tickets and I presume their gear confiscated. I hear they don’t play around in WI, if you FAFO they are apt to take your gear if you are out of state.

The SCRATCHER wrote:

You live on Platte? Family used to own the channel inn in the 70s and early 80s my dad built his retirement home on Sullivan

My family owns a lake place on the far eastern end of Platte that one of my brothers family lives at. I live just South of 27.

The clarification that this a first step that will later be amended by DNR Rules to be catch and release is correct. That is what the point person, Eric Altena, shepherding this through the DNR process, has stated. If I ever had any questions, Eric was who I went to for answers.

crawdaddy wrote:

It used to be a slower progression to the top. In the last 5 years things have really excellerated, as far as a shortening of the learning curve. Modern technology is what has given the young guys a real boost. Both at home learning on a computer and sonar technology on the water.

KVD, Ike, and Hack were instant superstars. As were J Lee, Palaniuk, and Wheeler. Top-level talent shows itself early, as often as not. Fujita, Fothergill, Przekurat, and Mckinney look like they are going to be wrecking balls as well, but the overall talent is better, so it’s yet to be seen if the young phenoms can hold it together to maintain excellence. Xers are aging out, and Millenials like Cox and Walters are entering their prime.

gim wrote:

He should definitely win with that 8 pounder unless the guy in second has his weight significantly off.

A guy from Minnesota winning the Bassmaster classic in Texas? The southerners aren’t gonna like this.

As a Montevallo student, southerners have every right to claim him as one of their own, same as if a MN kid were to go play a ball sport down South for college..

The experiment of running the camera off of the bridge under a bobber worked ok. There was enough visibility this afternoon for me to see an acceptable distance, provided I have a head covering. I’m going to have to put some more thought into what would work best.

gim wrote:

It can work for largemouth in specific situations too, but I personally feel that it’s the most effective in colder water (spring and fall) when targeting smallmouth in clear water. That’s when it’s really been the most productive for this guy.

And as Bearcat has stated, it works for other species too.

A jerkbait is my go-to for walleye. I’ve caught more walleyes on stickbaits than anything else.

Looks like Fothergill is going to go into the final day with a significant lead. Fothergill is a proven closer.

1A Jerk Rod for me is a St. Croix Avid 6’8″ mxf. I have two of them. Love that rod for several things. Braid for line.
1B Jerk Rod is a Tatula 6’10” mhf. FC for line. Also, it is a very versatile rod. For when more power is called for.
1C Jerk Rod 763 Loomis IMX. Such a fun rod to throw jerkbaits with. Doesn’t cast as far because it’s only 6’6″

Spinning rods, whatever. Use several love none of them. Top choice would be a 782 GLX Loomis for mostly throwing size 6 or 8 X-Raps, which I don’t throw very often.

This thread gave me an idea. I’ve have a 5′ Aqua-Vu, which has a thin cord and small camera. I’m going to find a big enough bobber to float it and observe both sides of the Grumpy Old Man Hole. If it works well, I’ll have to break it out when the bridge is busy and give the Grumpy Old Men play-by-play when I see something. Wearing a towel over my head should solve the glare problem.

stout93 wrote:

Rodgers comes in as a starter or not at all.

Him being a backup and a few bad games by JJ…

Guessing everyone knows what will happen…

I don’t see JJ totally crashing and burning without significant offensive injuries, which would also more than likely sink A-a-Ron. There is just too much talent between the coaching and offensive players for JJ to completely fall on his face. He has been set up to succeed, so the chances of that happening are way better than not. One would expect a bump in the road or two, but I doubt he drives the team into the ditch.

IF A-a-ron wants another ring, he does it on KOC’s terms. And I believe KOC’s terms are that A-a Ron only joins the team as a backup. The Vikings hold the cards in this situation.

I am for signing Rodgers on these terms: He comes in as JJ’s backup, not as a presumptive starter for $15 million guaranteed, with incentives up to $30 million if needed to play. Rodgers takes it or leaves it. I already love Rodgers; If he were to take the deal, be an awesome mentor, and conceivably take us to the big dance if JJ got injured, all the haters would change their tune, and I’m here for it. I think I’d even get a jersey.

The best bites for largemouth bass are pre-spawn, with rising water temps below 60, and in the fall, when water temps in the low 60s are down to about 50 degrees. Depending on when ice comes off my area lakes, I may or may not be able to get on the hot pre-spawn bite. I have advocated for a catch-and-release closed season for bass since the advent of message boards in the late 1990s.

I think having a closed season for pike is ridiculous on any lake with an overabundance of them.

If walleye were open to catch and release fishing during the closed season, how many walleye guys would make the effort? I assume guys would still make the run to border waters or other states to be able to keep fish. Or would walleye guys stay local and use the saved gas money to buy fresh walleye from the market?

I now believe Platte Lake will be ice-free before April 1st, so I’m thinking April 10th for The Big Pond.

I’m good as long as they don’t close it down in the Fall. I don’t know why the harvest numbers for the quota were omitted from the press release.

Kwesi cooks breakfast on Day 2.

Is it possible to fish from shore or wade out on either side of the Harbor at Liberty Beach? I’ve never been that far north of the East side of the lake.

Full draw wrote:

I am curious what the temps were there last week and how thick the ice is now.

Big Stone lake on the SD border had over 2’ until last week. It has shrunk to 18”. A pick up went through yesterday in a spot where a fish house had sat for awhile and the ice had deteriorated a lot. Unfortunately the driver didn’t make it.

My understanding is that ice on area lakes is from 20″ to 26″. Snow is 95% gone.

I think Platte will be ice-free on April 10th, and I’ll say it will be the 21st for Mille Lacs.

The Roku thing was a nothing-burger, I just can’t get the A-Team Coverage. Weigh-In’s are still available at Bassmaster.com.

Had a good week in Fantasy fishing in the original fantasy game. Won one group I am in and placed 2nd in another one. I had an outstanding lineup on the first day in the Drain the Lake game. I was in the top 97th%; I ended in the 76th%. All of my anglers but one lost ground every single day, ridiculous

I’m not sure if I have paid over $20 for a single lure or not. If I have it would have been a Jackell Pompadour, Megabass Popmax, TT Mad Maxx Frog, or Deps Buzzjet. It has been a number of years since I made any of those purchases, so I have forgotten. I finally broke down and splurged on a Jackall Rerange jerkbait about a month ago $18. I have been following those on eBay for a couple of years now.

BASS announced today a partnership with Roku. Great news if you are a Roku user; I am not. I assume I am now cut off from being able to stream live weigh-ins and tournament coverage. If that is the case, I am going to get a trial subscription in doing without that which I was accustomed to be able to watch.

“The only thing that ever stays the same is change.”

A far cry from last year, when I caught a pike on a spinnerbait on the 20th of February.

I do not understand the fascination with mock drafting. I’ll leave drafting to the experts.