ThatOneBigKid

Need to snap a couple and I'll put the up. Heading to Wabasha this Saturday for a boat shake down and some fishing. Not expecting much on the fishing side, but who knows. Will have a full report to follow.

Got my new Ultrex installed and new seals put in my hydraulic steering over the weekend. Just need to get one of my livewells to stop leaking and I should be good for the season. I am still fundraising for the upcoming St. Jude Bass Classic if anyone is willing to donate to help a great cause. If I can get to $4500 of my $5000 goal I pledge to donate the last $500 to get us to our goal. Here is a link to donate. https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=5046746&pg=personal&fr_id=100579 I truly appreciate anything anyone is willing to donate to this great cause!

The majority of the lakes I drive by on my way to work in the NE Metro are either ice off or have very small sections of ice remaining. Now I really need to get I disagree in gear and finish my boat projects!

Anyone have an idea of how thawed the backwaters of Pool 4 & 5 are? Or, does anyone now a good place to call down there to get a report? 2 hour drive for me down to there so I'd like to know it is thawed before I look to make a run down there. Thanks guys!

If anyone needs batteries and has a Sams Club membership (or knows someone with one), they have great deals on Marie Batteries right now through the end of the month. Picked up 3 - Duracell Platinum AGM batteries for $159 each. Exact same battery at Batteries Plus is $244.99. Only thing different is the warranty length (18 months at Sam's, 30 months at BP).

Yea I saw 40s in there one the 10-day outlook and my mouth started to water. Going to be an interesting Spring from a water level stand point with all this snow on the ground. Can't freaking wait.

Nice work @punch. Looks like a good time. I have been telling myself I need to get a pair of wadders for years now and still haven't pulled the trigger.

Nice work, man. I am sure your son was pumped! Great memories for the two of you. But yes, is i spring yet? Watching Rick Clunn take the win on Bass Live all weekend has me itching even more for warm weather and open water. Anyone else watch the Live coverage over the weekend. Saturday and Sunday were probably the two best days of BASS Live I have ever watched. The Classic from Conroe is second, but d**n if it wasn't awesome watching guys hauling in 6+ after 6+. Please mother nature be kind this spring!

Entry Fee is $350 per team by April 1st and $400 per team after that. Also, each team must raise a minimum of $500 to be allowed to compete in the event.

I have been looking at the 2018 thread thinking "why is this thread so dead." Found my answer. Didn't realize there was a new 2019 thread. Anyone from this thread fishing the St. Jude Bass Classic this May? I fished it with my cousin last year for the first time and it was a lot of fun even with the insanely high waters. Looking forward to this year. Plus, raising money for a great cause such as St. Jude through a sport that we are so passionate about is even better! link to my fundraising page if anyone wants to donate: http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/T...l&fr_id=100579

Dead thread is dead. Anyone fishing the St. Jude Bass Classic in May? My cousin and I are fishing it this year. Last year was our first year doing it and it was a very fun tournament and it's for an awesome cause so you can't beat that.

Merry Christmas to everyone! Heres to hoping for an early spring!

I know this feeling. 154 days until I am headed to Lake Fork in April..........Hold me!

Man, some nice brown fish going this last week. Need to even the photos out with some green ones. ? Got out on the water yesterday for a few hours before the Vikings game. Ended up having my best day of the year, size wise. Ended up with my best 5 going just over 20lbs, anchored by these two 5.5lb and 4.4lb studs. The 5.5 is my biggest of the year so far. All bit on a bluegill pattern Chatterbait that I made myself with a Yamamoto Zako trailer. Slow rolling the chatterbait over weeds in 4-5 feet of water right near a steep break line. Was windy out, but it was worth fighting the wind for sure. Water was 46-47 degrees. I think I may be "coming down with something" on Thursday as the wind is supposed to be minimal. May need to make one last Mille Lacs run for the year.

Got out to a lake in the NW metro on Sunday with my cousin. Water temps 44-46. Tried a number of presentations, but again (same lake as before), the only thing we could get bit on were Ned Rigs. Ended up with approx. 30 fish for the day with constant action throughout. Fished from 9am -5pm. Biggest was a mid 4lber and we also mangaed a couple 3s and plenty of fat 2lbers. Very fun day. Pic of the 4lber

Shimmy, what a week! Nice report. Very interesting with the bald spots being the heavy producing areas. I'll have to keep that in the back of my head in the future for fall fishing.

This is good to hear. I replaced my Noco charger this summer with a Minn Koat after the Noco fried itself. I put a new cranking battery in last spring so I do care about that one. My 3 trolling motor batteries need to be replaced so I don't care about those. Will be replacing in the spring. Sure hope I can get 6 - 8 yrs out of the new ones. I typically just leave the charger plugged in all winter with the boat in the garage. Got out in the NW metro yesterday. First time ever fishing in the snow. Water was 47 degrees. Ended up catching close to 20 largies on a Ned Rig before my wife called saying she locked her keys in her car. All fish were on banks that dropped quickly into deeper water. Debating on going to Mille Lacs next weekend or to go back to this lake and hit the Ned rig again. Was a very fun day even with it being freezing outside.

Oh trust me, its on the list. I need of a new unit regardless. My Fortrex is in very rough shape. The stumps on Lake Fork have taken their toll on the old girl.

Wow FryDog. That sounds like an insane flurry! Well done. Do you use a trailer on a mop jig? I have a few but not much experience using them. Makes me feel better you had similar luck on Thursday even with the sunshine. I got out on Mille Lacs Sunday. Fished from 10-5 and only managed 2 smallies on drop shot that were both mid 3lbs. It was blowing pretty good out of the east which made boat control a bit tough for the stuff we wanted to hit, but was still an ok trip. Water was 51-52 degrees.

Got out yesterday evening to the river chasing smallies. Caught a 2lber on a jerkbait on the fourth or fifth cast. Didn't catch a single fish the rest of the night. Thought it was going to be on, but no luck. River was 51 degrees and surprisingly clear. 4-5ft viability. I think the fact that it was sunny all day and then got cloudy at 3pm right when I hit the water may have fouled the bite. At least that is what I'll tell myself. There also wasn't much current compared to previous trips so that wasn't helping either.

Got out on a local lake in the Cambridge area on Sunday morning from 7 until 11. Only got a couple bites and didn't connect with any of them. I tried everything I could think of and nothing. Was quite humbling TBH. Water was 56 degrees and clearing up compared to what I had seen earlier in the year. The couple bites I got were on light TX rigged beavers on grass edges near steep breaks. Just couldn't get them to commit. The grass I found was healthy which made it more frustrating that the fish weren't biting. Oh well, there is always next weekend. Might be making a run to Mille Lacs on Sunday with all the good reports I have been hearing.

Don't tell me everyone winterized their boats..........? Wont be fishing this weekend as I have work to do on my Mother-in-laws house. Two windows to replace and a bunch of finish trim work to be done. At least I am getting the cash to buy a new Phenix Feather Jerkbait rod out of the whole deal.

Got out yesterday from sunrise to about 3pm. My cousin and I caught somewhere around 30 fish total. I'd say it was a 60/40 split Largemouth to Smallies. Biggest fish was maybe a 17" Smallie. Only pattern we could get going was fishing docks with tx rigs and wacky senkos. This was a new lake to us with very little for grass or structure. Fun fall day overall. No. You would have to go a few hundred miles south minimum to find some spots.

Thanks man.

This is somewhat tempting as it is only minutes from my place. May have to look into this. You fishing it?