NathanDLTH Posted January 6, 2020 Posted January 6, 2020 Only a few more months gents. Keep thinking about open water and chasing 5lbers. I’ve got a goal this year to hit 5s for Smallies and Largies. Think my primary weapon will be jigs, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and senkos. What are you goals if you have any. 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted January 6, 2020 Super User Posted January 6, 2020 Way this winter has been, we'll see open water early April. Goals? 1: Catch more fish in general 2: Top my current PB LMB (4.7) 1 Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted January 6, 2020 Super User Posted January 6, 2020 Good post... Primary goal over the offseason is to get elbow tendinitis cured! Second goal will be to break 6 lbs in either the smallmouth (current PB is 5 lbs 12 oz) or largemouth (current is 5 lb 15 oz) categories. 1 Quote
Super User gim Posted January 7, 2020 Super User Posted January 7, 2020 I need to make myself fish deeper more often. I get sucked into the shallow cover too much. Although there are generally decent fish scattered in the shallows, I think the biggest fish in the system prefer deeper structure like the outside edge of a weed line or a steep ledge. I catch them more commonly in the fall after the water has cooled some because I think the fish themselves have moved shallower, but they’re out deeper in the summer and that’s where I need to fish more. 1 Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted January 7, 2020 Super User Posted January 7, 2020 2 hours ago, gimruis said: I need to make myself fish deeper more often. I get sucked into the shallow cover too much. Although there are generally decent fish scattered in the shallows, I think the biggest fish in the system prefer deeper structure like the outside edge of a weed line or a steep ledge. I catch them more commonly in the fall after the water has cooled some because I think the fish themselves have moved shallower, but they’re out deeper in the summer and that’s where I need to fish more. I’ve been a bank-beater for years, but I totally agree there are many times throughout the season the biggest fish are off-shore, outside the weed edge, on a rock pike in deep water, etc. I invested in Livescope to help me ID fish in those areas and then figure out how to put the right lures in front of them. I still love to throw plastics to shore and skip docks, but have a new appreciation for drop-shotting rock piles, or tossing a Neko just outside an active deep weed edge... anything to build confidence in techniques during times when fish are scattered.. Quote
Super User gim Posted January 9, 2020 Super User Posted January 9, 2020 On 1/6/2020 at 10:53 PM, FryDog62 said: I still love to throw plastics to shore and skip docks, but have a new appreciation for drop-shotting rock piles, or tossing a Neko just outside an active deep weed edge... That's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not very proficient at it and I'm even worse at finding some of these spots. I invested into a new Lowrance Totalscan Transducer so I think that will help in locating some of these deeper offshore spots. 1 Quote
ThatOneBigKid Posted January 17, 2020 Posted January 17, 2020 Goals for this season: -Break current LMB Bass PB of 6lbs 11oz(MN caught fish). Hoping to do this at Lake Fork, TX in April -Break current Smallie PB of approx. 4.5lbs. Will be spending much more time on Mille Lacs this year so this should not be a problem. -Win first solo tournament. I've always fished team derbies, but fishing a new league solo this year on top of the team stuff. -Master the new Humminbird Mega 360 unit I am getting. Everything I have read and watched has got me pumped for this piece of tech. Should ultimately help with all of the above goals. Lot of boat rigging yet to do in preparation for April, but it can't come soon enough. 1 Quote
Super User gim Posted January 30, 2020 Super User Posted January 30, 2020 Alright it’s time to revive the MN thread. I’ll pose a question because I’ve been doing some research about potential new places to fish within a reasonable distance of my house. So how about it, anyone got a new spot they plan to fish this season that they haven’t been to before? I’m eyeing up an outing to Sakatah and/or Tetonka lake down by Faribault. Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted January 30, 2020 Super User Posted January 30, 2020 2 minutes ago, gimruis said: So how about it, anyone got a new spot they plan to fish this season that they haven’t been to before? I'd love to - but situations demand that I fish the same old spots. Oh well. Quote
NathanDLTH Posted January 30, 2020 Author Posted January 30, 2020 I have a couple new spots, but I'm going to break down my previous known locations in a different manner and using different baits. I picked up some River2Sea crankbaits and I have a hunch they might just liven up my reaction fishing. The trick is which rod do I use for these. But otherwise, it will be jigs, swimbaits, and spinner/chatterbait. 1 Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted January 30, 2020 Super User Posted January 30, 2020 I may give Pool 2 a shot this spring before the opener. Have never fished there but heard it can be good for big walleyes, but a challenge to figure out. Since our season won’t be open yet, why not? Was planning to trailer the boat down to KS, MO this March, but Lymes disease hit a couple family members hard and I doubt they will be fully recovered by then. Those plans on hold, Pool 2 looking more likely. Gotta lengthen the season as much as poss.. 1 Quote
rascalP Posted February 3, 2020 Posted February 3, 2020 Fry, I've been on Pool 2 for bass. Know a few things. Let me know when it gets close. I'll share what I know. 1 Quote
NathanDLTH Posted February 3, 2020 Author Posted February 3, 2020 Went out Sunday to Monticello just to scratch the itch and not even a sniff. The place is getting busy, lots of people throwing fatheads or suckers. At this point it’s gonna be ice out before a touch a brown bass again lol! Hope everyone’s offseason has been good and productive. I’m going back to how I started bass fishing this summer: jigs, senkos, Spinner/chatterbait, and squarebills. A ned rig will be in there too along with a tube. Stay warm gents. Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted February 3, 2020 Super User Posted February 3, 2020 Both rods SOLD 1 Quote
NathanDLTH Posted February 6, 2020 Author Posted February 6, 2020 Man, if I hadn't just bought two rods these would probably fill my gaps. Good luck with selling. Question for all of us here in Minnesota. Is there someone or a shop that will do work on rods? Ie rod modification? Looking at possibly shortening the handle/butt of my jerkbait rod by an inch or so. I'm in Osseo, but willing to drive up 40minutes if it works out. Thanks. Oh, bait monkey struck again. Bought some spring baits: Jackall Rerange, Lucky Craft Pointer, 3/16oz underspin and terminal tackle. I've got the itch good. Pool 2, I'll be seeing you in the warmer days lol! Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted February 6, 2020 Super User Posted February 6, 2020 Way out of my budget, Fry-man...especially since I got a pair of Furys this year. 1 Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted February 6, 2020 Super User Posted February 6, 2020 50 minutes ago, NathanDLTH said: Man, if I hadn't just bought two rods these would probably fill my gaps. Good luck with selling. Question for all of us here in Minnesota. Is there someone or a shop that will do work on rods? Ie rod modification? Looking at possibly shortening the handle/butt of my jerkbait rod by an inch or so. I'm in Osseo, but willing to drive up 40minutes if it works out. Thanks. Oh, bait monkey struck again. Bought some spring baits: Jackall Rerange, Lucky Craft Pointer, 3/16oz underspin and terminal tackle. I've got the itch good. Pool 2, I'll be seeing you in the warmer days lol! Best suggestion I have locally is Thorne Bros in Blaine. They modified a handle on a rod for me a few years back and did a great job.. 1 Quote
JackKlassen Posted February 6, 2020 Posted February 6, 2020 2 hours ago, FryDog62 said: Best suggestion I have locally is Thorne Bros in Blaine. They modified a handle on a rod for me a few years back and did a great job.. I second Thorne Bro's. They custom build rods themselves. Never had a handle modified by them but have had many guides fixed/replaced. 1 Quote
ThatOneBigKid Posted February 7, 2020 Posted February 7, 2020 On 2/6/2020 at 1:33 AM, JackKlassen said: I second Thorne Bro's. They custom build rods themselves. Never had a handle modified by them but have had many guides fixed/replaced. Same here. Thorne has always done a good job for me. Never had any issues 1 Quote
Rmyrom22 Posted February 9, 2020 Posted February 9, 2020 Hey guys I’m looking to get into the swimbait/glide bait category, I’m looking at the River2sea s wavers but I just don’t know about colors. Any thoughts or recommendations on colors? 1 Quote
NathanDLTH Posted February 9, 2020 Author Posted February 9, 2020 Lite trout, Warden Hitch, and Bluegill. Work on your retrieve, that is what will net you fish and it’s all in the reel not the rod. You’ll get frustrated at times, but stick with it. Swimbaits and Glidebaits are a lot of fun! Quote
umdivx Posted February 14, 2020 Posted February 14, 2020 My goal this year? Learn out to better read my electronics, position my boat based on the structure i'm reading and know exactly how my position relates to said structure. At times I can see a weed line or rock or whatever on my side scan but then once I get up front, trying to position my boat to that structure has been very difficult to do. So really want to learn how to better interpret what my screens are showing me and then act accordingly to what I'm being shown. On 1/17/2020 at 4:56 PM, ThatOneBigKid said: -Win first solo tournament. I've always fished team derbies, but fishing a new league solo this year on top of the team stuff. Which new league are you fishing? Quote
afree Posted February 14, 2020 Posted February 14, 2020 As others have mentioned, I need to know learn how to fish more effectively in deeper water. I have had some success with it but I tend to always turn the boat toward the bank. Utilize my electronics better as well and finally organize my tackle better! Quote
Pogues2300 Posted February 17, 2020 Posted February 17, 2020 Sorry for the dumb question.... can you bass fish the Mississippi river year round? Apparently I'm not smart enough to comprehend the dnr regs.Watching videos of people fishing it late March to mid April but I want to be legal. All this new gear and kayak are calling to me. Quote
umdivx Posted February 17, 2020 Posted February 17, 2020 42 minutes ago, Pogues2300 said: Sorry for the dumb question.... can you bass fish the Mississippi river year round? Apparently I'm not smart enough to comprehend the dnr regs. All this new gear and kayak are calling to me. There are also boarder waters regulations, like Rainy river for example is all year round. Then there are the rest of the boarder waters, you just need to review the regulations and what sections are open and are not open. Look at Page 62 - 65 in the regulations book, the seasons are based on given sections of the river/boarder waters. Like St. Croix River from the d**n south to hwy 10 bridge for example is open until March 1st 2020, then doesn't re-open until Fishing season opener in May. And then once you get into the pools, so any section of the Mississippi and lake pepin that boarder with WI it's continuous. Quote
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