CRFisher

Just think of the number of senkos that have fallen or ripped off hooks the last few years alone. I believe whatever chemical makes the plastic "soft" may potentially leach out of the bait, I think this is why there are "worm proof" tackle binders. I believe Europe banned it in all kids toys, I wouldn't be surprised to see it banned for fishing soon too.

Been debating the Kayak. I'll most likely by going with a canoe since my wife and kids could then come along. Won't be until next year though, after just getting back into fishing after a long time off she's just starting to come to grips with the tackle expenses. Maybe I'll find something cheap on craigslist.

Hit the Charles (Forest Grove)on Saturday morning - had a missed blowup on a zara puppy on my first cast then nothing the rest of the day - threw spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, buzztoads, Flukes, Rapalas, trick worms, craws, spoons and power worms. Not even a bite. Went out today as I had the day off - on the Watertown Brighton line, had about the same luck, caught a bluegill on a powerworm, that's about it. I did get one hit on a cheap Hurricane swim shad, surprised that it had some nice action. Safe to say either I didn't set the hook hard enough or it may have just bit the tail as it came loose after about a 10 second fight. Also surprised to see a young otter on the Charles. First time in my life and I grew up a block from the river. I counted 3 senko's, 5 bobbers, 2 spinnerbaits, and one rapala in the trees today that weren't there a week and a half ago when I last fished there. Either there's one character who can't cast or there's a lot of fishing pressure. I need to get a boat, tough to get to deep water where they're hiding in the heat from shore. Thinking of trying the Wachusett in the next two weeks. Anyone have much luck there in the Summer?

I've had a lot of luck with Mepps and Vibrax inlines with bass, although it's been slower in the summer. Inlines are supposed to be great for trout. I'd try smaller rapala's as well.

Never thought of the BPS tank. I'd probably have to think about that. Don't own a boat, thus no livewell. I'd take as many pictures as I possibly could with my camera phone including whatever tapemeasure measurements I could get and curse that all I bought was a cheap Wal-Mart scale that doesn't work. Probably would end up calling home to ask my wife to bring down a large bucket so I could take it to somewhere to get it weighed, then her telling me to go to hell. I'm glad you asked, I'm going to have to come up with a plan just in case.

It also wasn't easy to keep my glasses from half falling off.

Finally got text messaging unblocked on my phone (hope my daughter doesn't find out!) so here's the pic. I'm thinking a little under 4lbs, the picture doesn't really do it justice, took the picture myself on the camera phon.e

Would you eat them? I've always been catch and release. Can understand making a nice meal out of them if you like the taste and the trouble, but it sounds like your thinking there is some other reason to get rid of the fish???? It sounds like they're doing just fine, putting them back in will just allow them to get bigger when you catch them again in a few years. Why'd it go from 40' to 6'? That's a big drop.

No, much cheaper, it's non-digital, cheap plastic thing. Kind of like this one from bass pro shops - http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_13327_100011004_100000000_100011000_100-11-4 At least the built in tape measure got some use. I didn't expect accuracy but figured it'd be 10% or less off. You get what you pay for.

Will Stonze work with my banjo minnow or are combined too heavy for my pocket fisherman to cast properly? I think lead will be outlawed almost everywhere soon. Have to start buying brass or tungsten just to fish someplaces already. It's probably best to start weeding out the lead so you're not caught with a bunch of leftover lead.

Never really fished for them. The state record was caught in Ashfield Lake in Ashfield. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwfrec.htm

They're managed independently as far as clearance goes. I got a Husky Jerk (6" I think) for .99 earlier this summer, last one on the rack. Went to another Walmart a few miles down the road and they were $6.

Great timing on the post. I was going to post something similar tonight. My daughter won a free canoe rental and we're either going to the Charles River in Newton or Cochituate sometime in the next two weeks. Do they stock trout in there? If so I'll probably try to fish something that has a shot at bass, pickerel or trout like a Mepps.

The one thing I suggest is to try some lures that might bring the fish closer to you. If you don't have a boat, you can only do so much to find them. A lot of times you have limited places to cast from. I try to throw some plastics that have some scents or throw something like a jitterbug or buzzbait that's noisy to potentially at least draw them in closer if possible. I usually head out in one direction and make my way back along the same shoreline on my way back home and always seem to have more luck the second time around at each spot.

I took a 20 year hiatus from fishing, but the topwater action seems better in my local river than I remember in the past. I used to throw a lot of frogs, poppers and jitterbugs. Had some luck with Jitterbugs and just bought a zara puppy, caught a smallmouth on the third cast with it. I've heard a lot of people are tearing them up with frogs. I've never had any luck with buzzbaits, keep throwing them but never get anything. I was using spinnerbaits and buzzbaits with nothing, then got a quick hit on the puppy.

Got two small ones today, one on a baby bass 5" bass assasin and one on a zara puppy. First fish ever walking the dog. Threw a power worm, jig, craw, buzzbait a johnsons silver minnow (looking for Pike) in the same general area and got nothing. Caught a smallie last night on a 7" power worm. They were killing Mepps spinners in the spring, not so much know but it's so weedy I don't throw them much. Starting to think I'm fishing too much, went out yesterday morning , hung around the house in the afternoon then hit the river again for about an hour when my wife and daughter went out last night. Then went out again today after work.

I got a pic on my cell phone but I can't get it off the phone, my wife blocked text messaging because my daughter was racking up the bills and it wasn't letting me send any pictures. I'll probably fiddle around with it tonight to see if I can get it to post.

Just wondering what they'd hit, if they're that nasty I won't bother. Don't have a boat so figured if I can't find the bass or pike in my local body of water where there's shore access then I might try for something else. There's carp and small brown bullheads (hornpout) as well but I'm not much for using bait and hook.

Nice fish. Had to buy a scale yesterday at Walmart after reading this thread. I think I went too cheap though. Congrats on the PB. I'm getting closer, so maybe soon a land something that nice. Bait monkey loves me reading the forums, based on what I've read the last few days I had to grab a scale, powerworms, Manns baby minus, among other things.

I'll take it!

Anyone fish for these? My local river has them but I haven't heard of anyone catching one in a long time. I think they can get into the 5lb range. If so, what do you use? Will they hit plastics?

About a 4 pounder. Caught today on the Charles with a watermelon green zoom trick worm. Was fishing it weightless but clamped a small 1/16 oz weight 8" up for some casting distance right before the catch. The spot looked like the perfect place for bass, partially submerged log with a stretch of lily pads on one side of it. Fished that spot many times but never got anything (except a few lost worms and tubes on the branches). Only about 4 feet from shore.

I was about to call it a morning and head home for lunch and I throw a worm in a space I always do (and never catch anything). Nabbed a personal best largemouth. Caught me off guard so when it did set the hook - I SET it. Took me forever to get it out. It was a fatty. It was 19" long and fat, girth about 12", I'm thinking and hoping 5lbs, when I know it's more like a 4 lber. I grab my new scale, and it measures out at less than 1lb, I guess you get what you pay for. I'm going to call it 3 3/4 lbs. Think that's a reasonable estimate based on length and girth?

Just bought a cheapie (FLW) tackle bag at Walmart. 4 good size Plano types in it, room for some bags of plastic, scale, pliers, etc. Nothing great but for $15 we'll see how it holds up. Light enough to carry around but still carry a good amount.

Sitting in WalMart at lunch today for something else, but drifted by the fishing section ended up buying one based on this thread. It fishes alot like a flatfish but your able to burn it in, where a flatfish is slow or nothing. Based on 1/2 hr of fishing this looks to me like a soon to be favorite.