Matt 825

My guess is that they were deep and relating to baitfish instead of structure. Water temp up here is in the mid to high 50's now, but a few weeks ago when it was in the high 60's I was catching some largemouth as deep as 35 ft on bare bottom but in giant schools of baitfish. I would throw a drop shot in the conditions you described and if that didnt work then I would try a jigging spoon.

Its tough to beat the Lucky Craft Pointers. They are fish catching machines. A close second and a very cheap alternative for me has been the Bass Pro shops jerkbaits. Those things catch plenty of fish and they are only like $4 and you can get them for $3 when they are on sale.

I always build on the straightest side. If the blank is perfectly straight or close to perfectly straight then I will build on the spine. For fast shipping and the best customer service try: www.fishsticks4u.com

Carolina rigs will work all year, you just have to change the baits you are putting on it and slow down in the winter. Also as Fishhard said a blade bait is hard to beat in the dead of winter. They love to eat silver buddies in the winter and I love to feed it to them. ;D

Check out the following link. Click on the tab on the left called 'Officers and Clubs" then find a local club that is looking for non boaters. I'd invite you to join our club but we are out of Plymouth and you are on the North Shore. Joining a Bass fishing club is a great way to learn and get onto the big lakes here in New England. http://www.massbass.com/index.htm

No it will not ruin your guides. I use Braid 90% of the time and have never had a guide wear down.

I prefer the drop shot rig. I have yet to become a fan of the Shaky Head.

I have a few of Dels molds and a few molds from Bob's Tackle Shack. Both are top notch and work great and are very easy to pour. If you are looking for less expensive molds try Lurecraft's silicone molds.

I have both molds. I prefer the Poisontail over the Snootie. The Hook on the Poison Tail is a great hook for a Jig. The Snootie I like for making hair jigs, but the poison tail is a good overall jig for me. I especially like it in 1/8 and 1/4 OZ.

Just wondering when or if you guys put the rods away for the winter. As long as there is open water to put the boat in I will be out there, and if there is ice I will be out there too.

I dont know how deep the shad schools are, but one thing I have found to be successful when Bass up here are locked in on balls of Herring in 20' of water or deeper is a Jigging Spoon or a Silver Buddy worked very aggressively. If that doesnt work a wacky rigged Senko or Fluke type bait should work as Rich K stated.

I fish your neck of the woods all the time. Most of the ponds in the area have some good fishing in them depending on the time of year. Dont overlook those ponds 10 acres and smaller, they have some real hawgs in them. Here is a link to the states website with some pond maps on it. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pond_maps_sd.htm

You must mean home by 8:30 or 9 PM right?

If there is a guy out there who is a mad scientist and also an obsessed bass fisherman working on super Bass, then no one better ever fall in the lake. A giant 800 IB Largemouth will crush you like a topwater bait.

I have always thought that these Hybrid northern/florida bass could not survive the winters up north. I'm sure if they could survive, then our waters would be loaded with these hybrids from people illegally stocking them now.

Funny you say that. I have caught more deep largemouth this year when fishing for smallmouth than any other year.

It is a great time for topwater Smallies. My buddy got a 4 Ib 4 Oz Smallie on a Super Spook the other day. It was a violent explosion of a top water strike. Sounded like someone did a cannon ball off the boat.

Always have the following for summer fishing 1- Jig rod 1- Drop Shot rod 1- Top Water rod 1- Carolina/Texas rig rod 1- Tube/Grub rod 1- Medium-Heavy Spinning rod for anything else Then whatever else I bring for the paticular body of water.

Smallies throw curveballs every now and then. Last Saturday I was catching them real shallow on a spooks and the later in the day in about 15-20 ft. Then on Sunday I couldnt buy a bite fishing it the same way. I moved out to 35 ft and still nothing, moved to 45ft and started catching Smallies along with a few jumbo white perch. Point being Bass especially Smallmouth can very easily be in less than 10 feet one day and then be 45 ft or deeper the next day.

The Biggest Northern LMB is the Mass 15 Ib 8 oz state record. It was caught through the ice in 1975 in a pond very well known for producing very large fish. I fish the very spot it was caught all the time. It was not caught in the pond listed on the record and also it was caught on a tip-up that was left unattended overnight with a shinner on it. Its tough to think that there is another Northern bass that big out there somewhere. That fish truly was a freak of nature, and there has never been another Northern Bass caught anywhere that even comes close to that one. There are a few 10's caught every year and a couple 12's caught every few years in the general area of that 15 Ib 8 oz bass, ( many of these ponds have sea run Alewives & Herring which provide a great forage base) but I have never heard of any bass approaching the 15 pound mark. Any 10 Ib Northern Bass is a real trophy anywhere in the country, anything bigger than that is just gravy.

I have never Ice Fished Peter's Pond. There are some good smallies in there and some huge trout and Perch also.

I am not a fan of the infamous Senko, but if I do throw it I use Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Seed and Black.

People have know about this pond for years, but few ever fished it. I have fished it as far back as 13 years ago and now it is a shadow of its former self. The problem now with this pond is that since the word has gotten out the last 2 years ( mainly this year though), I have seen days in there where I counted 12 boats. I saw an older guy take 5 good size smallies home, and his buddy had 3. Not to mention all the trash that has been left on the beach. I have not fished this pond more than 3 times this summer due to the pressure. Guys that know about it now, please try to keep it as quiet as possible. We dont need any more meat fisherman going there and taking the Bass in this pond. And if you see someone littering or taking fish, give them hell.

I may be interested, but that pond is getting hammered.

I agree jig'n up bass through the ice is a great time. I use those rapalas, but I really like a small silver buddy and a sweedish pimple also. Ice on the cape and in southeastern Mass seems like a thing of the past now. I think 2004 was the last year of good ice. Had only 2 days on the ice last year and it was very, very thin. :-X