Bass Pundit

Trophy In the Water For 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Several others were at the Grumpy Old Man Hole this morning, but the bullheads were not. So instead of catching nothing and looking dumb, I decided my time would be better spent getting the Trophy ready and putting it in the lake today. It turns out fate knew what it was doing, and I crushed them the next couple of nights on Sullivan. It is nice to have all options available early.

Rock Dock In(4/14/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:59:00 +0000

Dock In

Boat Ramp Fixed

Beautiful Night

I didn't catch anything at Rock, but did talk with an old acquaintance who was out walking her dog. However, I did score a slabber bullhead at the Grumpy Old Man Hole.

Platte Lake Ice Off(4/12/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:03:00 +0000

Rock Lake In The Slop Slip(4/9/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:07:00 +0000

Blocked by ice in the PRO

18.40lbs

3:00-8:30PM Rock Lake Ice Line fish in 6' to 10' with weeds

34-38℉, Cloudy, 1-6mph WSW

Water Temps: Low 40's/High 30's maybe

After my walk up to the corner, I was up for taking the Slop Slip to Rock Lake. I was disappointed that the ice line hadn't moved much yesterday. Down towards the reeds It was over some deeper water, but I didn't get any bites. There was a parade of four eagles. I went into the Platte River Outlet and was blocked by ice at the inner mouth of the narrows. That worked out because chances are pretty good that the Beaver Dam is a waste of time. The ice line was farther off the bank at the NW Corner. I ended up missing two bites off the reeds in the Lone Sunfish Area on the Chatterbait. I had both fish on for a solid five or six seconds. The first one may have been a pike, and the second I'm pretty sure was a bass. I got back out to the ice line and missed a couple of bites on the Chatterbait. The ball of my BallerZ got bit off. I decided to throw the Rage Swimmer one time and came up a winner. 3.92lb bass. The Rapala scale was set to KG, I Googled how to switch it back, and fortunately, the correct way was the first result. I got a couple more solid bass on the Faisox Chatter and lost a couple of more bites. I kind of lost the plot as I drifted to the NW Point. I worked the NW Point pretty well without getting any bites. It started to snow. I worked the ice line back and missed a couple of bites before hooking up with another 3lber. I couldn't get the camera to work, and my iPhone battery was getting low. I turned off the music and put the phone inside my bibs to keep it warm. I missed a couple more bites as I was moving toward the fish, but got a final 4lber. I think I missed another couple of bites. I turned toward the Lone Sunfish Area and got my only pike. I threw it back, and the sucker jumped up on the ice. I thought about leaving it there for an eagle, but I was able to get it back in the water. I cruised quickly across the PRO opening. I had a really good feeling bite along the ice line out from the reeds, but it swam under the ice and got hung up and came off. That was my last bite of the night. It took me a while to get the boat landed and into the car. I gave the Frittside, Chicken Jigs, and X-Rap a fair shot. They wanted the Chatter today.

5Bass

1Pike (18.48lbs for the 5 bass)

Rock Lake, Platte, GOMH (4/8/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:17:00 +0000

Another 20' and I should be catching fish at Rock.

North Platte Lake Drive looking South

GOMH+ Today(4/6/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:48:00 +0000

I drove North Platte Lake Drive tonight, and there was quite a bit more open water along the northern shoreline and Big Island than expected. I would say Platte is about 1/3rd open. Rock is progressing, as is Bulldog, Erskine, and Sullivan. I drove to the Sullivan Inlet on the way home and saw a herd of deer along the road. I also heard my first loon while I fished. It was cold, and I ran out of energy, so I didn't fish for very long. I also had an oprey fly right to me from Platte to Sullivan. Muskrats were about as were ducks. It should warm up some tomorrow and throughout the week. I can taste open water now. Platte should be open by Friday, the 10th.

Platte Lake From GOMH

Platte Lake from N Platte Lake Drive

Sullivan Inlet

Sullivan Inlet South of Culvert

Sullivan Inlet Access

Rock Lake

Erskine Lake

NW Access Sullivan Lake

Shakopee Lake Access

Rum River into Shakopee Lake

GOMH Today(4/4/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:40:00 +0000

The final day of this four-day-long winter storm started on the 1st of the month. We were on the low end of what was forecast for snow accumulations. Open water expanded in Channel Inn Bay in Platte Lake a fair amount. The Sullivan Platte River Outlet still looks to have quite a bit of ice, but I imagine it will be gone soon. I didn't check North Platte Lake Drive or Rock Lake because it was sloppy getting to the lake place. I think Platte and the area lakes will go ice-free somewhere between the 10th to the 12th. There were a few swans, ducks, and eagles flying around. Will the loons show this week?

Platte at normal zoom
Open water all the way past SPSI

Note to self: Pack a shovel tomorrow.

Bass Pundit's Fishing Goals 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:50:00 +0000

Normally, I release my fishing goals for the year in early March, but I was not on the ball this year. So April Fools' Day is when they are dropping in 2026.

New Goals in Bold Italic Orange

Goals Accomplished in Bold or ✅

Fishing Buddies List

1. Keep a list of everyone I fish with during 2026.

The List:

GOMH Crew: (Last Year this list had 28+ People)

Trophy Crew: (6 People last year)

Bass Snatchers: (9 Snatchers last year)

Bass Snatcher Goals:

1. Win my 2nd club tournament.
2. Get "Wood" in at least one tournament. (1st-3rd Place Finish or Lunker or Co-Angler Challenge)

3. Get "Lunker" in a tournament. (Preferably one over 5-8 to win the revolving big bass pot.)
4. Finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year.
5. Catch a limit at every tournament of the year. (I've done this twice, but in 2012 I only fished 4 out of the 6 tournaments due to a bad back.)
6. Pre-fish with at least 3 boaters.
7. List the Rods I'm bringing for each tournament before the tournament.
8. Win the Co-Angler Challenge at least once.
9. Make the Challenge Cup Team

10. Finish higher than Tuma in a Tournament (He is the only long-term Snatcher I have not beaten on tournament day. He beat me on the tie-breaker on Whitefish Chain his rookie year in the club. That is the closest I have gotten)
11. Give each boater I fish a lure from my collection.

12. Catch a 20+ Bag and make the Club's list of Top 25 Biggest Bags

13. Set Personal Bests on each lake for Bag Size, Big Bass, and Place of Finish

14. Grade my performance in each tournament and do this for all my past Bass Snatcher tournament recaps.

Technique, Equipment, & Tackle Goals:
1. Win something in Fantasy Fishing or Facebook giveaways/contests.
2. Officially Open the Tackle Warehouse.✅(3/8/26)
3. Give away some of my tackle
4. Experiment with a Rocket Bobber and Wacky Rig

5. Sell some of my tackle

6. Catch 5 Fish on a Thin Fin

7. Catch 82 Fish on a Lipless/Trap

8. Catch 155 Fish on a Crankbait

9. Catch 260 Fish on a Jerkbait

10. Catch 5 Fish on Powerbait Nessie

11. Keep a Lures Lost List

12. Catch some fish on an MN Alabama Rig

13. Catch some fish on a Spybait

14. Catch fish on a Cull Shad

15. Have the Trophy in Platte Lake within 7 days of ice out.

Lures Lost In 2026:

Glow Demon: |

JB Gem-N-Eye: |

Blogging:

1. Blog about it when I achieve a goal, most of the time
2. Record all fishing trips at Fish Swami
3. Fish at least 200 days and blog about them

4. Get unblogged trips from 2021,2022,2023,2024 at Fish Swami blogged at the Log Blog.

5. Be more intentional about taking Sunrise/Sunset pictures

6. Make more of my past Fish Swami entries public.

Fish Catching Goals:
1. Catch 4,500Fish (I caught approx 4,000 fish in 2025)
2. Have a 100-fish day.✅ (2/20)

3. Catch Devin's Birthday Bullhead On May 20th

4. Catch A Fish Every Month

January✅

February✅

March✅

Bass:
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Largemouth (6.5lbs/21" PB)
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth (20.5" PB)
3. Catch* over 2,500 LMB. (Caught 2,033 in 2025)
4. Catch* at least 10 SMB. (Caught 2 in 2025)
5. Catch a 25lb 6 Fish Bag
6. Have a 50 bass day

7. Catch over 500 bass on Frogs/Toads
8. Catch 5 bass over 5lbs/20-inches (8 in 2025)

9. Catch 20 bass over 4lbs/18.75-inches (42 in 2025)
10. Get Steve and Todd at least one 4lber

Dogfish:
1. Catch an MN State Record fish. (11-4 or over 31")
2. Catch a new personal best.

3. Catch 5 Bowsers (8 in 2025)

Pike:
1. Catch* over 1,000 this year. (Caught 1,049 in 2025)
2. Catch a 38" or over/personal best.

Walleye:
1. Catch at least 100. (Caught 105 in 2025)
2. Catch 30"/10lber or new personal best. (29.5/9.12lbs is my PB 10/29/25)

Crappie:

1. Catch a new personal best.(14.75/1.80lb on 5/9/22, 14.75 on 4/20/24)
2. Catch* over 300 Crappies this year. (85Crappies, 525 Silver Bullhead in 2025)

* Catch is anything I deem it to be, including follows by pike or bass (while pre-fishing), a pike missing my lure, fish viewed on the Aqua View, and fish that get off before I have them in hand that I can positively identify. And fish caught by people I am guiding or boating with during pre-fishing.

GOMH & Rock Lake Today(3/31/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:47:00 +0000

Ice is starting to pull off the shore on Platte and Rock. One more day in the 40's before we get cold and snow. Long and Platte were looking dark. There was some open water at South Point Small Island on Platte. I think it will be a waiting game for open water, but you never know. The Platte GOMH Bay was open tonight The Intersection in Sullivan is mostly open, but there is a lot of ice in the SPRO.

Rock Looking North

Rock Looking South

Upcoming weather

MN Ice Out's Started A While Ago

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:34:00 +0000

The DNR finally got around to updating the 2026 Ice Out webpage and dumped a bunch of them. Most of the lakes in the Twin Cities are now open. Looks like we are going into a cold stretch with snow. The shorelines in the Platte/Sullivan area were just starting to pull away. Platte and Long Lake have been looking pretty dark. I think Platte will go out after the April 10th, but it wouldn't shock me if it is ice-free by the weekend as well.

GOMH Today(3/27/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:19:00 +0000

It was sunny and below freezing all day, but the next three days will be sunny and warm. If the temps live up to the forecast or exceed it, three straight days of warming may build enough momentum toward ice off that the cooler, but not cold weather later next week can't stop it. We'll see.

GOMH nearing sunset

If the wind forecast is accurate, Ice out by Easter Sunday, the 4th, could be a thing.

Update: Monday only got to the low 50's and was cloudy. Snow and cold now in the forecast for Thursday through Saturday.

GOMH+ Today(3/26/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:21:00 +0000

I went to Bulldog and Rock first. The water level has come up some. Then I went to the Sullivan Inlet. Then, to Round before fishing at the GOMH. I got skunked.

Ice out just beyond Eagle Perch Point

Not quite to the dock NW GOMH

Tenn-Tom Fantasy Line Ups

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:25:00 +0000

Day 2: Dang Walters and Cox don't make the cut. I still may have an outside shot at being in the BBC top 4, if Palmer and Atkins finish in the Top 5 , Mosley gets into the teens, and Christie and DollaBill fall out of the hunt on Day 3.

Day 1:

GOMH+ Today(3/24/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:22:00 +0000

It got to the low 50's. I stopped by the Shakopee Lake Bridge, no suckers, and the water level in the lake is down at least a couple of feet. The GOMH is progressing, and the ice should be out beyond Eagle Perch Point tomorrow. Water level is rising, and on the normal/high water boundary, so there should be continuous current.

Shakopee Lake Bridge

First Bullhead of 2026(3/22/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 04:16:00 +0000

2nd Gator Bullhead of the night

The Sullivan side is open wider now than pre-cold snap peak

I forgot to put my tackle bag in the car, doh! I left the bag sitting on the garage steps. I did put the rods in the car, however. There is more open water now on the Sullivan side than there was pre-cold snap. I was much colder today, with temperatures only reaching the mid-30s. I got two bites tonight. I had a slightly smaller gator bullhead than the one pictured come off as I was pulling it up onto shore that bit on a Mepps Spinner. The Gator in the picture fell for a Rage Swimmer, and it had something in its tummy. There were ducks, red-wings, eagles, Canadian geese, and swans around tonight.

Bassin Plan of Attack Post Ice Off to May

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:19:00 +0000

Fish:

2026 is the first year when it is legal to fish for bass in Central MN before the MN Fishing Opener in May. Here is my plan for bassin the Platte/Sullivan area lakes.

Location:

The Grumpy Old Man Hole, the bridge between Platte/Sullivan, is the first area to have accessible open water, so this is where I have already started flogging the water. Unfortunately, it locked back up completely with the sub-zero temps. It's my guess that I will be able to pick up a few bass at the Grumpy Old Man Hole before I am casting anywhere else. I will also fish at the Rock Lake access before the ice is off the lake, provided the ice doesn't get pushed into the Access area as it retreats from the shoreline.

Once the ice is off the area lakes, I plan on fishing in the Slop Slip on Rock Lake, provided things are not "Going Gonzo at the GOMH." Hopefully, the area docks, including the family dock, will be in quickly post ice out. I will get the Trophy in Platte ASAP after the family dock goes in. Once the Trophy is in the lake, weather and fishing conditions will largely dictate where I fish on a given day. If I get on a hot bite somewhere, I will ride it out. If I am not catching much, I'll do a lot of bouncing around between Platte/Sullivan, Rock, Erskine, and Round. Not really sure how much I fish at the GOMH from shore. I'm guessing a lot of morning trips.

Presentation:

I have made a fishing goal this year of catching 82 fish on a Trap, 155 fish on a crankbait, and 260 fish on a jerkbait. The crankbait and lipless numbers were derived from all the fish I have caught on those lure categories since I started keeping track with Fish Swami. The jerkbait number is my highest yearly total, which was from 2016. Those lures will see a heavy rotation early, as well as a Chicken Jig, Chatterbait, soft swimbait, Turbo FattZ, and Spinnerbait. The weather will determine how early I start mixing in topwater.

Rock And GOMH Today

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 19:05:00 +0000

Upside down shot N GOMH

Grouse on the way to Rock Lake Access

Rock Platte River Outlet Bay Narrows

Baxter Bass Snatchers Mr. And Mrs Bass 2025

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 02:13:00 +0000

On March 21st, my bass club, the Baxter Bass Snatchers held our annual Christmas Party/Awards Banquet. Tuma and Rainya were all smiles to be Mr and Mrs. Bass 2025.

Keith and Rainya

GOMH Today(3/21/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 05:08:00 +0000

It got to 70℉ today. It was breezy and overcast for the most part. I stopped at the Grumpy Old Man Hole on my way to Brainerd for the Bass Snatchers banquet. I'm guessing the ice melt wil be bac to where it was pre-cold snap tomorrow on the Sullivan side and it may take 2 days on the Platte side. I watched eagles with the binocs and saw a good-sized muskrat. I wish I would have packed a rod as that there was an open casting lane from the rocks. The water level has come up. I'm guessing we will see quite a bit of progress on the ice out front before April 1st. I have had to remind myself that it is only just now getting to the March 20's, still plenty of month left, and also that it is March.

Discovered Something Tonight(3/20/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:55:00 +0000

The road to Round Lake is paved now up to the public access. I will probably definitely be bringing the Slop Slip to fish Round this year. I think I have fished Round Lake out of a boat once, maybe twice. I have a vague recollection of fishing there with Mike Davis out of Cyberfish's Aluminum. I don't think we stayed very long. It may have been to weed choked for us to get anywhere. I'm pretty sure I took the Slop Slip here once and only fished the outlet area. Round is only 129 acres, basically making it just a big pond on the Platte River, which flows in on the East side and out on the West side, where the public access is. I don't know why they named it Round Lake, it isn't round.

GOMH Today(3/18/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:16:00 +0000

We got a couple more inches of very white, wet snow last night. I walked down to JD's later in the afternoon, and there were a bunch of red-winged blackbirds in the old pole barn pine tree.

It will be spring-like for the next few days. Hopefully, the GOMH will be back to where it was and progressing forward by Friday evening (tomorrow night).

GOMH Today(3/17/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:50:00 +0000

Hopefully, winter will be through with us after today. It is cold and windy out there. It will be interesting to see if all the snow is melted by Friday evening.

GOMH Post Bizzard???(3/15/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 23:57:00 +0000

We got 4" of snow maybe. Not so bad. It is windy though. And now it gets cold for a couple of days. Then Spring.

Deez Nutts, Bassmaster Classic Champion!

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 22:54:00 +0000

📷Grant Moxley

Dylan Nutts is the second angler to qualify out of the BASS Nation to win the Super Bowl of bass fishing tournaments. Congrats, Kid!

Winter Has Returned(GOMH)(3/14/26)

noreply@blogger.com (Basspastor) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 03:17:00 +0000

Blizzard Warning for tonight/tomorrow and sub-zero temps for a couple of nights with highs in the high teens. I'm not really happy with the March weather at the moment. But it kind of looks like this will be winter's last gasp. I went fishing on Sullivan today, and I was a bit of a trainwreck. I only fished for about 15 minutes and gave up. The ice was maybe 18" and very granulated. I had water coming up in the holes with 10" left to drill.