Lake Minnetonka - Club Tournament #6 - July 27, 2008
Well Rick Taft and I hit the water launching out of Gray's bay hoping to turn Saturday's performance around. I started on my favorite weedline in Wayzata Bay. It only took me about 5 casts to lose a 1/2oz TT Jig to a toothy predator. I then picked up my trusty bluegill Vixen topwater and started working over the top of the Milfoil. About 10 casts later a nice bass crushed it, I finally dragged it out of the milfoil and it was a nice 3lb plus bass. Way better start to today then yesterday
We continued to work this area on top and the deep edge, only to come up empty handed. We then headed to where I had caught a 3lb bass late in the day yesterday, I managed to pick up a small keeper there on soft plastics, but that was it, a little disappointed.

The next area I wanted to hit had a boat on it, so we fished a few boat docks and I ended up getting 3 more small keepers on a 3/8oz Texas Craw Tru-Tungsten Jig, but nothing to brag about. We hit a little slop pocket next, Rick got a frog bite but lost it. Back to our first weedline, a couple shorts. We then hit a an inside turn off an island and I caught one keeper that culled and Rick got two fish on a Senko. At this point it was almost noon, so I wanted to run some shallow milfoil that had produced for me in the past.

It was kind of a long run with some no wakes. We got in there and it started to pour for about 10 minutes then stopped. I finally worked up to the prime area and made a pitch and my jig started moving off, I reared back and a sow came up out of the water. Rick grabbed the net and she was in the boat. I was pretty jacked as this fish was probably my biggest of the year. I quickly grabbed one of my 13" fish out of the well, dropped her in and got back on the deck. Made another pitch and with my glasses I could see a big bass swimming to the right of where i just casted, so I tightened up the line and sure enough she already had it. Set the hook, she came straight up and she looked almost the same size as the first one. Got her in the boat and tossed back another 13" fish. Talk about 2 major upgrades!!!!
We continued to work down this shallow milfoil, caught a 2lb fish that helped. We then hit some docks, I lost one and caught another one that got rid of my last real small fish. Time was running short, so we made a swing though the sweet spot, I let Rick get a cast in first and he caught one over 3lbs on a ring fry. It was time to go, we got to make a few casts back near the ramp, but no more bites.

My final tally was 5 fish for 17.5lbs which was good enough for 1st place by about 2lbs. I also had big bass of 4.9lbs and I weighed my other big fish, she weighed exactly 4.9lbs as well. It was a great flurry to end the weekend. So other then the Vixen fish, all my other fish came on the Texas Craw Jig tipped with a green pumpkin chunk. This Friday I leave for Pokegama Lake for the 3rd Bassmaster Weekend Series tournament, I will probably need another bag like today to be in contention there as well.
Rich
RichLindgren.com
Rich's Bassin' Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog
The next area I wanted to hit had a boat on it, so we fished a few boat docks and I ended up getting 3 more small keepers on a 3/8oz Texas Craw Tru-Tungsten Jig, but nothing to brag about. We hit a little slop pocket next, Rick got a frog bite but lost it. Back to our first weedline, a couple shorts. We then hit a an inside turn off an island and I caught one keeper that culled and Rick got two fish on a Senko. At this point it was almost noon, so I wanted to run some shallow milfoil that had produced for me in the past.

It was kind of a long run with some no wakes. We got in there and it started to pour for about 10 minutes then stopped. I finally worked up to the prime area and made a pitch and my jig started moving off, I reared back and a sow came up out of the water. Rick grabbed the net and she was in the boat. I was pretty jacked as this fish was probably my biggest of the year. I quickly grabbed one of my 13" fish out of the well, dropped her in and got back on the deck. Made another pitch and with my glasses I could see a big bass swimming to the right of where i just casted, so I tightened up the line and sure enough she already had it. Set the hook, she came straight up and she looked almost the same size as the first one. Got her in the boat and tossed back another 13" fish. Talk about 2 major upgrades!!!!
We continued to work down this shallow milfoil, caught a 2lb fish that helped. We then hit some docks, I lost one and caught another one that got rid of my last real small fish. Time was running short, so we made a swing though the sweet spot, I let Rick get a cast in first and he caught one over 3lbs on a ring fry. It was time to go, we got to make a few casts back near the ramp, but no more bites.
My final tally was 5 fish for 17.5lbs which was good enough for 1st place by about 2lbs. I also had big bass of 4.9lbs and I weighed my other big fish, she weighed exactly 4.9lbs as well. It was a great flurry to end the weekend. So other then the Vixen fish, all my other fish came on the Texas Craw Jig tipped with a green pumpkin chunk. This Friday I leave for Pokegama Lake for the 3rd Bassmaster Weekend Series tournament, I will probably need another bag like today to be in contention there as well.
Rich
RichLindgren.com
Rich's Bassin' Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog













Nice job Rich! sounds like a fun day on the water.
Reply to this
Nice turn around from day 1. I also had a 2 day club tourney on Tonka on Sat. and Sun. I did much better on day 1 than day 2. Late in the day on day one I caught a 5-6 Lb. fish that culled a 13" fish which was a really nice upgrade as well. The # of other Tourney boats out there this weekend sure mad fishing tough. I don't know how many times I headed to a spot to only find someone already sitting on it. The pleasure boat traffic both days also made fishing tough. I had a great day out there on the Tues. prior. it sure would of been nice to have a few of the fish from that day on Sat. or Sun. As always good fishing. Good luck to you this weekend on the weekend series!!!!
Reply to this
Rich - You do a great job covering the Minnesota scene, as well as bringing some hot lures and nation-wide trends to our attention. I have enjoyed watching your blog this summer. Thanks for visiting bassblog.typepad.com and commenting on mine - I am just getting it up and running; hope to do as solid a job as you do! Later, Vance
Reply to this
Rich
Great job man! I need to get one of my Snack Size swimbaits out to you. I'll e-mail you for your adress.
Keep up the good work, your Blog is great.
Reply to this
I just thought I would pass this alone, I found a web site that offers all sorts of fishing gear at what seems to be a decent price.
Just though someone maybe interested in checking it out.
It's smokeymountainsports.com
Thanks Robert
Reply to this