MN Bass opener

It's been a ugly late winter and spring - have a high priority /
visability project at work that has been chewing up all my time, and
that coupled with a cold, wet spring meant that when I did have free
time, I was at home doing chores....

Finally had a chance to get away this weekend...wifelet and I went
North to see her family, and I got some time on the water....on the
lake her parents own land on.

I've fished this lake the last couple of years, but this trip was much
earlier in the year calendar wise - in the past I've usually fished
this lake in mid June, when all of the weed lines/beds are well
established, but this weekend, the beds were just getting started, so
it was almost like fishing a new lake.

Friday morning I started out around 6am, found a small patch of
lillies, and tossed a Fire Tiger SW in there...a half a dozen casts
later, I had a hit that stopped it dead in the water, fish on! Bass?
NP? Never did find out, as it tangled me up in lillies, but it sure
felt good while it lasted.

The wind was pretty strong, out of the SE at 15-20 mph, so boat
control was difficult - and I went fishless. After a while, I gave up
on the NP (Bass weren't legal until Sat) and tryed for some panfish
off a submerged hump. I had one good hit on 1/32 oz jig, felt good
weight and it was gone.

About this time, my wife called, asking if I had managed any fish for
lunch and how long I would be - no fish and maybe an hour....headed
back - decided to hit one of the shorelines the wind had blew me past
earlier.... again throwing the SW, I pitched it right at the base of
the bogs/shore weed lines - hit - fish - in the boat - a 11-12" LMB.
Released it, a couple more casts, another small bass, and then a
hammer handle NP - maybe 17-18". At least I'm getting fish now. Hit
the lillie bed again - hit - a little more weight, but not enough -
this fish, another NP, taped at 22". By this time, my hour was up, so
I headed in.

Friday evening, we had a weenie roast down by the lake, and the winds
were much diminished - so about 8.00, I grabbed my panfish rods and
the boat, headed out. I tryed various spots along the shoreline
looking for crappies or sunfish - nothing at the first 3 spots - I was
fishing each for about 15 minutes and moving on. I moved to a small
inlet, and tossed my jig (1/16oz white maribou) right up against the
shoreline - had retrieved it a foot or two, and it didn't feel right -
I set the hook, the rod doubled over (ultra light w/ 4# mono) and
stayed there! The drag was working, and I could feel the fish surging
against the line/rod. Finally worked the fish up - it had stayed down
the entire time, and laid my eyes on nice 15-15.5" LMB. Fun!!!!

Made a few more casts - and the same thing - a cast tight to the shore
line bogs, a feeling of weight and fish on. This fish (another LMB)
started out staying down, but then changed gears and came out the
water, and I couldn't keep the line taunt, so it got off. I closed out
the night at 9.20 and just about dark with a 7-8" crappie.

Saturday morning was the bass opener. I was joined with my wife's
brother Loren. Based on the experience I had on Friday - I suggested
we should be looking for the bass to be tight to the shoreline, if the
pattern held....some wind, but not as bad as Friday - skies were
mostly clear.

We started on the emergant lillies - nothing. Working the shorelines,
Loren was throwing a orange spinner bait, I was back with the fire
tiger SW, had a 2nd rod rigged up w/ one of Randy's soft plastic stick
baits. Got to the small inlet from Friday evening - Loren got a 14-15"
LMB. He threw back in, hooked a 2nd second fish, and I hooked up a
second or two later - a double.

Loren threw in, and promptly lost a bass. At this point, I tossed in
the stick bait, and heard Loren say "What the heck?". I turned around,
to see Loren boating a crappie that had taken his spinner bait, a
14.5" crappie. This crappie would made Upper Red Lake proud, much less
this small lake we were on.... this fish has some genetics - I hope it
has a friends as well. Snapped a pic - and Loren released it. I turned
back to my rod - only to see the line taunt and moving away from the
boat. Picked the rod up, felt weight, set the hook, and there was a
boil of water, and another bass flew out of the water, as did my hook
and plastic, out of it's mouth.

The wind was picking up, boat control was becoming more difficult. We
stayed with the spinner baits - finding bass here and there - nothing
real big - most were in the 13-15" range. Got to the N end of the
lake, and found a 2nd bed of lillie pads, this one much bigger. Loren
threw in 3-4 times, and set the hook - and after a fight, boated a 22"
LMB - this one had to push 5.5-6#'s. Pics got snapped of this fish as
well. I picked up a 15" fish out of the same bed. We made several more
sweeps, fighting the wind, but no more fish.

Moving down the shoreline, we found a mostly protected corner. Loren
was still throwing his spinner bait, I went back to the soft plastic.
First cast, I threw at the base of a bog at the waters edge - felt a
slight bump, and then weight - set the hook - brought in a 14" LMB.
Three casts later, the plastic hit the water and the line started
moving left - set the hook again, another LMB came to the boat.

By now its 9.30, and was getting to be the time to head in, so we
worked in the wind. I did pick up one more small bass - maybe 11-12"
along the shore - again, tight to the bogs.

Loren ended up with 6 boated, 2 lost, I had 7 boated, 3 lost - all
bass and the single crappie. No toothy critters - which seemed
strange.

Sunday morning, I was out by myself - it was overcast - looking like
rain, slight wind - much better than Sat. I started on the small
lillie bed - had made 8-10 casts, had a strike, boated a 14-15" LMB on
the spinner bait. Threw back in, a few casts later - another strike,
but this one threw the hook. I made several more loops around the bed
- but no further action.

I switched to the shoreline, and nothing much was doing. And then the
wind picked up - big time. Finally got a hit - and got a small toothy
critter - 18-19". After that - a long dry spell - nothing. In a semi
sheltered cove, I tryed the plastic - nothing. Finally got to the
larger lillie bed - the wind is blowing harder now - the lake is just
short of having white caps. You could have trolled using the wind to
move the boat.

Tryed the lillies - hit! Fish on, got wrapped up in the lillies and
gone. Argh!! Further down the bed - same thing. Argh! Argh!!! Motored
back to the top of the bed - and then thought - if I was to get on the
shore side of the bed - I'd be more sheltered - moved in - lots of
small stumps and wood in the water - fired a cast in to some very
shallow water - and had a hit - another bass - and promptly lost that
fish as well. ARGH!!!

Ok - what is wrong? Checked the hook - it felt sharp - but I got the
hone out and touched it up - now it really felt sharp.

Back to the lillies - from the shallow side of the bed - boat is in
maybe two feet of water at this point, I pulled out two bass in the
13-14" range, and a NP of about 22" - so I assume the hook had gotten
'dinged' at some point....made several more passes along this weed
bed, but no more action.

More shoreline w/ no activity, and then back in to the sheltered
corner from Sat morning - is mostly sheltered - just needed a hint of
motor to hold my position. Tryed the plastic - throwing at the
shoreline. Got a bump and fish on - boated it. Made a few more casts -
felt a bump - then nothing. Worked it in to deeper water, felt a 2nd
bump - set the hook, and felt the fish, got it to the boat, and then
it went under the boat - right in to the turning prop of the TM. Crud!
Stopped the motor - looked down, fish is still on. Got the fish
released, and after some futzing, and cutting the hook off, got the
line untangled. Called it a morning - ended with 5 LMB and 2 NP
boated, and the 3 lost bass.

It was a pretty decent Bass opener...

Jim

Some pics are on A.B.P.F w/ same subject line

Sounds like a great weekend to me. Congratulations.

Gary

Good way to start the year!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

Glad to hear you were able to get some fishing AND catching in!


"Jim Laumann" wrote in message
...
It's been a ugly late winter and spring - have a high priority /
visability project at work that has been chewing up all my time, and
that coupled with a cold, wet spring meant that when I did have free
time, I was at home doing chores....

Finally had a chance to get away this weekend...wifelet and I went
North to see her family, and I got some time on the water....on the
lake her parents own land on.

I've fished this lake the last couple of years, but this trip was much
earlier in the year calendar wise - in the past I've usually fished
this lake in mid June, when all of the weed lines/beds are well
established, but this weekend, the beds were just getting started, so
it was almost like fishing a new lake.

Friday morning I started out around 6am, found a small patch of
lillies, and tossed a Fire Tiger SW in there...a half a dozen casts
later, I had a hit that stopped it dead in the water, fish on! Bass?
NP? Never did find out, as it tangled me up in lillies, but it sure
felt good while it lasted.

The wind was pretty strong, out of the SE at 15-20 mph, so boat
control was difficult - and I went fishless. After a while, I gave up
on the NP (Bass weren't legal until Sat) and tryed for some panfish
off a submerged hump. I had one good hit on 1/32 oz jig, felt good
weight and it was gone.

About this time, my wife called, asking if I had managed any fish for
lunch and how long I would be - no fish and maybe an hour....headed
back - decided to hit one of the shorelines the wind had blew me past
earlier.... again throwing the SW, I pitched it right at the base of
the bogs/shore weed lines - hit - fish - in the boat - a 11-12" LMB.
Released it, a couple more casts, another small bass, and then a
hammer handle NP - maybe 17-18". At least I'm getting fish now. Hit
the lillie bed again - hit - a little more weight, but not enough -
this fish, another NP, taped at 22". By this time, my hour was up, so
I headed in.

Friday evening, we had a weenie roast down by the lake, and the winds
were much diminished - so about 8.00, I grabbed my panfish rods and
the boat, headed out. I tryed various spots along the shoreline
looking for crappies or sunfish - nothing at the first 3 spots - I was
fishing each for about 15 minutes and moving on. I moved to a small
inlet, and tossed my jig (1/16oz white maribou) right up against the
shoreline - had retrieved it a foot or two, and it didn't feel right -
I set the hook, the rod doubled over (ultra light w/ 4# mono) and
stayed there! The drag was working, and I could feel the fish surging
against the line/rod. Finally worked the fish up - it had stayed down
the entire time, and laid my eyes on nice 15-15.5" LMB. Fun!!!!

Made a few more casts - and the same thing - a cast tight to the shore
line bogs, a feeling of weight and fish on. This fish (another LMB)
started out staying down, but then changed gears and came out the
water, and I couldn't keep the line taunt, so it got off. I closed out
the night at 9.20 and just about dark with a 7-8" crappie.

Saturday morning was the bass opener. I was joined with my wife's
brother Loren. Based on the experience I had on Friday - I suggested
we should be looking for the bass to be tight to the shoreline, if the
pattern held....some wind, but not as bad as Friday - skies were
mostly clear.

We started on the emergant lillies - nothing. Working the shorelines,
Loren was throwing a orange spinner bait, I was back with the fire
tiger SW, had a 2nd rod rigged up w/ one of Randy's soft plastic stick
baits. Got to the small inlet from Friday evening - Loren got a 14-15"
LMB. He threw back in, hooked a 2nd second fish, and I hooked up a
second or two later - a double.

Loren threw in, and promptly lost a bass. At this point, I tossed in
the stick bait, and heard Loren say "What the heck?". I turned around,
to see Loren boating a crappie that had taken his spinner bait, a
14.5" crappie. This crappie would made Upper Red Lake proud, much less
this small lake we were on.... this fish has some genetics - I hope it
has a friends as well. Snapped a pic - and Loren released it. I turned
back to my rod - only to see the line taunt and moving away from the
boat. Picked the rod up, felt weight, set the hook, and there was a
boil of water, and another bass flew out of the water, as did my hook
and plastic, out of it's mouth.

The wind was picking up, boat control was becoming more difficult. We
stayed with the spinner baits - finding bass here and there - nothing
real big - most were in the 13-15" range. Got to the N end of the
lake, and found a 2nd bed of lillie pads, this one much bigger. Loren
threw in 3-4 times, and set the hook - and after a fight, boated a 22"
LMB - this one had to push 5.5-6#'s. Pics got snapped of this fish as
well. I picked up a 15" fish out of the same bed. We made several more
sweeps, fighting the wind, but no more fish.

Moving down the shoreline, we found a mostly protected corner. Loren
was still throwing his spinner bait, I went back to the soft plastic.
First cast, I threw at the base of a bog at the waters edge - felt a
slight bump, and then weight - set the hook - brought in a 14" LMB.
Three casts later, the plastic hit the water and the line started
moving left - set the hook again, another LMB came to the boat.

By now its 9.30, and was getting to be the time to head in, so we
worked in the wind. I did pick up one more small bass - maybe 11-12"
along the shore - again, tight to the bogs.

Loren ended up with 6 boated, 2 lost, I had 7 boated, 3 lost - all
bass and the single crappie. No toothy critters - which seemed
strange.

Sunday morning, I was out by myself - it was overcast - looking like
rain, slight wind - much better than Sat. I started on the small
lillie bed - had made 8-10 casts, had a strike, boated a 14-15" LMB on
the spinner bait. Threw back in, a few casts later - another strike,
but this one threw the hook. I made several more loops around the bed
- but no further action.

I switched to the shoreline, and nothing much was doing. And then the
wind picked up - big time. Finally got a hit - and got a small toothy
critter - 18-19". After that - a long dry spell - nothing. In a semi
sheltered cove, I tryed the plastic - nothing. Finally got to the
larger lillie bed - the wind is blowing harder now - the lake is just
short of having white caps. You could have trolled using the wind to
move the boat.

Tryed the lillies - hit! Fish on, got wrapped up in the lillies and
gone. Argh!! Further down the bed - same thing. Argh! Argh!!! Motored
back to the top of the bed - and then thought - if I was to get on the
shore side of the bed - I'd be more sheltered - moved in - lots of
small stumps and wood in the water - fired a cast in to some very
shallow water - and had a hit - another bass - and promptly lost that
fish as well. ARGH!!!

Ok - what is wrong? Checked the hook - it felt sharp - but I got the
hone out and touched it up - now it really felt sharp.

Back to the lillies - from the shallow side of the bed - boat is in
maybe two feet of water at this point, I pulled out two bass in the
13-14" range, and a NP of about 22" - so I assume the hook had gotten
'dinged' at some point....made several more passes along this weed
bed, but no more action.

More shoreline w/ no activity, and then back in to the sheltered
corner from Sat morning - is mostly sheltered - just needed a hint of
motor to hold my position. Tryed the plastic - throwing at the
shoreline. Got a bump and fish on - boated it. Made a few more casts -
felt a bump - then nothing. Worked it in to deeper water, felt a 2nd
bump - set the hook, and felt the fish, got it to the boat, and then
it went under the boat - right in to the turning prop of the TM. Crud!
Stopped the motor - looked down, fish is still on. Got the fish
released, and after some futzing, and cutting the hook off, got the
line untangled. Called it a morning - ended with 5 LMB and 2 NP
boated, and the 3 lost bass.

It was a pretty decent Bass opener...

Jim

Some pics are on A.B.P.F w/ same subject line

On Wed, 28 May 2008 22:21:25 -0500, Jim Laumann
wrote:

It's been a ugly late winter and spring - have a high priority /
visability project at work that has been chewing up all my time, and
that coupled with a cold, wet spring meant that when I did have free
time, I was at home doing chores....

Finally had a chance to get away this weekend...wifelet and I went
North to see her family, and I got some time on the water....on the
lake her parents own land on.

I've fished this lake the last couple of years, but this trip was much
earlier in the year calendar wise - in the past I've usually fished
this lake in mid June, when all of the weed lines/beds are well
established, but this weekend, the beds were just getting started, so
it was almost like fishing a new lake.

Friday morning I started out around 6am, found a small patch of
lillies, and tossed a Fire Tiger SW in there...a half a dozen casts
later, I had a hit that stopped it dead in the water, fish on! Bass?
NP? Never did find out, as it tangled me up in lillies, but it sure
felt good while it lasted.

The wind was pretty strong, out of the SE at 15-20 mph, so boat
control was difficult - and I went fishless. After a while, I gave up
on the NP (Bass weren't legal until Sat) and tryed for some panfish
off a submerged hump. I had one good hit on 1/32 oz jig, felt good
weight and it was gone.

About this time, my wife called, asking if I had managed any fish for
lunch and how long I would be - no fish and maybe an hour....headed
back - decided to hit one of the shorelines the wind had blew me past
earlier.... again throwing the SW, I pitched it right at the base of
the bogs/shore weed lines - hit - fish - in the boat - a 11-12" LMB.
Released it, a couple more casts, another small bass, and then a
hammer handle NP - maybe 17-18". At least I'm getting fish now. Hit
the lillie bed again - hit - a little more weight, but not enough -
this fish, another NP, taped at 22". By this time, my hour was up, so
I headed in.

Friday evening, we had a weenie roast down by the lake, and the winds
were much diminished - so about 8.00, I grabbed my panfish rods and
the boat, headed out. I tryed various spots along the shoreline
looking for crappies or sunfish - nothing at the first 3 spots - I was
fishing each for about 15 minutes and moving on. I moved to a small
inlet, and tossed my jig (1/16oz white maribou) right up against the
shoreline - had retrieved it a foot or two, and it didn't feel right -
I set the hook, the rod doubled over (ultra light w/ 4# mono) and
stayed there! The drag was working, and I could feel the fish surging
against the line/rod. Finally worked the fish up - it had stayed down
the entire time, and laid my eyes on nice 15-15.5" LMB. Fun!!!!

Made a few more casts - and the same thing - a cast tight to the shore
line bogs, a feeling of weight and fish on. This fish (another LMB)
started out staying down, but then changed gears and came out the
water, and I couldn't keep the line taunt, so it got off. I closed out
the night at 9.20 and just about dark with a 7-8" crappie.

Saturday morning was the bass opener. I was joined with my wife's
brother Loren. Based on the experience I had on Friday - I suggested
we should be looking for the bass to be tight to the shoreline, if the
pattern held....some wind, but not as bad as Friday - skies were
mostly clear.

We started on the emergant lillies - nothing. Working the shorelines,
Loren was throwing a orange spinner bait, I was back with the fire
tiger SW, had a 2nd rod rigged up w/ one of Randy's soft plastic stick
baits. Got to the small inlet from Friday evening - Loren got a 14-15"
LMB. He threw back in, hooked a 2nd second fish, and I hooked up a
second or two later - a double.

Loren threw in, and promptly lost a bass. At this point, I tossed in
the stick bait, and heard Loren say "What the heck?". I turned around,
to see Loren boating a crappie that had taken his spinner bait, a
14.5" crappie. This crappie would made Upper Red Lake proud, much less
this small lake we were on.... this fish has some genetics - I hope it
has a friends as well. Snapped a pic - and Loren released it. I turned
back to my rod - only to see the line taunt and moving away from the
boat. Picked the rod up, felt weight, set the hook, and there was a
boil of water, and another bass flew out of the water, as did my hook
and plastic, out of it's mouth.

The wind was picking up, boat control was becoming more difficult. We
stayed with the spinner baits - finding bass here and there - nothing
real big - most were in the 13-15" range. Got to the N end of the
lake, and found a 2nd bed of lillie pads, this one much bigger. Loren
threw in 3-4 times, and set the hook - and after a fight, boated a 22"
LMB - this one had to push 5.5-6#'s. Pics got snapped of this fish as
well. I picked up a 15" fish out of the same bed. We made several more
sweeps, fighting the wind, but no more fish.

Moving down the shoreline, we found a mostly protected corner. Loren
was still throwing his spinner bait, I went back to the soft plastic.
First cast, I threw at the base of a bog at the waters edge - felt a
slight bump, and then weight - set the hook - brought in a 14" LMB.
Three casts later, the plastic hit the water and the line started
moving left - set the hook again, another LMB came to the boat.

By now its 9.30, and was getting to be the time to head in, so we
worked in the wind. I did pick up one more small bass - maybe 11-12"
along the shore - again, tight to the bogs.

Loren ended up with 6 boated, 2 lost, I had 7 boated, 3 lost - all
bass and the single crappie. No toothy critters - which seemed
strange.

Sunday morning, I was out by myself - it was overcast - looking like
rain, slight wind - much better than Sat. I started on the small
lillie bed - had made 8-10 casts, had a strike, boated a 14-15" LMB on
the spinner bait. Threw back in, a few casts later - another strike,
but this one threw the hook. I made several more loops around the bed
- but no further action.

I switched to the shoreline, and nothing much was doing. And then the
wind picked up - big time. Finally got a hit - and got a small toothy
critter - 18-19". After that - a long dry spell - nothing. In a semi
sheltered cove, I tryed the plastic - nothing. Finally got to the
larger lillie bed - the wind is blowing harder now - the lake is just
short of having white caps. You could have trolled using the wind to
move the boat.

Tryed the lillies - hit! Fish on, got wrapped up in the lillies and
gone. Argh!! Further down the bed - same thing. Argh! Argh!!! Motored
back to the top of the bed - and then thought - if I was to get on the
shore side of the bed - I'd be more sheltered - moved in - lots of
small stumps and wood in the water - fired a cast in to some very
shallow water - and had a hit - another bass - and promptly lost that
fish as well. ARGH!!!

Ok - what is wrong? Checked the hook - it felt sharp - but I got the
hone out and touched it up - now it really felt sharp.

Back to the lillies - from the shallow side of the bed - boat is in
maybe two feet of water at this point, I pulled out two bass in the
13-14" range, and a NP of about 22" - so I assume the hook had gotten
'dinged' at some point....made several more passes along this weed
bed, but no more action.

More shoreline w/ no activity, and then back in to the sheltered
corner from Sat morning - is mostly sheltered - just needed a hint of
motor to hold my position. Tryed the plastic - throwing at the
shoreline. Got a bump and fish on - boated it. Made a few more casts -
felt a bump - then nothing. Worked it in to deeper water, felt a 2nd
bump - set the hook, and felt the fish, got it to the boat, and then
it went under the boat - right in to the turning prop of the TM. Crud!
Stopped the motor - looked down, fish is still on. Got the fish
released, and after some futzing, and cutting the hook off, got the
line untangled. Called it a morning - ended with 5 LMB and 2 NP
boated, and the 3 lost bass.

It was a pretty decent Bass opener...

Jim

Some pics are on A.B.P.F w/ same subject line


Sounds like ya done good Jim.