je1946

Still have the picture of that and those were both good sized smallies.

Can get him a 5lb smallie @ Quabbin.

Be nice if we could get some new blood to join us. Have fun at the auction, stay safe.

The 8th is out for me. I would hope we can do something after the holidays as far as a meet and greet for lunch.

I like the Team Pacatacarocco Fuzz Ball jigs as well as the Punnisher and Cumberland jigs.

If you can find a video of Mark Zona of how to fish a deep diving jerkbait in cold water, it makes for very interesting watching. I was very glad I watched it as it was totally different as to what I was doing and it worked like a charm, very productive.

Smallies will pick up blades just laying on the bottom. Lift and drop and then you can let them rest on the bottom give it a little jiggle and they will pick it up. Check out a video of Scott Dobyns fishing blade baits on Lake St Claire. On windy days you can put a small hair jig under a bobber and drift over deep areas, I have caught them doing just that.

Why do you run two batteries in a 12V system, longer life I suppose. I had a 17' Lund Explorer XL with a 24 motor guide 80 digital tour, and that TM would pull that heavy Lund around all day using 2 series 29 batteries & never killed the batteries on it even on a very windy day, so why would you need 3 batteries on a 24V? Just asking not trying to tell you what to do. We usually do a lunch sometime at the EoY.

Interesting reading. I've only fished Sheeps on one occasion and that was the spring that Quabbin opened late last yr. Hammer and I fished Hinkleys and did just so so. We took a ride over to Sheeps and Long Pond and decided on Sheeps for a couple of reasons, we had the crawdad and Long I felt was just too big if the wind came up. I had spoken to a person I know who used to fish the cape ponds on a regular basis, and asked him if he had just one place to fish on the cape for big smallies where would he fish, without hesitation he said Sheeps and showed me some pics that were impressive. Upon launching, some guy was coming in and had been fishing for smallies and said he caught nothing. Hammer and I did good for an afternoon of fishing, blades, jigs and jerkbaits were the ticket. We had at least 10 smallies up to 4lbs, and a number of decent trout. It is deep and clear, has some good drop offs, scattered boulders, gravel shoals and sand, the left side from the ramp also has some decent lay downs along the shore. I haven't been back there since, but it is surely on my hit list.

I bought a Fury XL this past spring. It's lighter & narrow boat than the Adventure series. All depends on the waters your going to fish, if your fishing bigger waters I'd go with the bigger boat. Just another consideration, with the bigger boat your going to need a bigger motor due to the fact the Advnture series is wider and much heavier.

A for effort Mike. No Sheeps? Hammer and I did a number on em with the blades, jerkbaits last spring and it's a great trout lake. Tried any lipless cranks and hair jigs?

Once the water drops into the mid 50s it's game on. Especially if you can find the bait balls. Hair jigs as well. Hair jig under a float on a windy day works

Man do I feel your pain. Had a friend who just cleaned house and he has never been happier with a little kids tackle box and catches as many fish as anyone. Go figure.

Spot on. Problem is where do you park your vehicle? That's where they bust your chops.

You got any pics of you in that french maids outfit? lol

I don't know if the fish are in a fall pattern yet? Water is still warm for this time of yr. Was on Quabbin yesterday and temps were 66 in the morning and 68 in the afternoon. We fished hard all day and only managed a few dink smallies

Nice going and again congratulations

Congrats. Told you it would take LM to win.lol

LOL Thanks for the kind words. I enjoy your company and your always welcome in my boat

Yes your right Tom, a few decent fish always helps, but I like fishing in general, I also enjoy the tranquility of the Quabbin, and of course the company of the people I'm with.

Thanks for the update lady Mopar. After fishing the place for 35yrs you'd think I would have known it's always the 3rd Sat in Oct.

Yes that is the usually the date. I and a lot of other fisherman wish it was later but that is usually the date. You could always call the Quabbin visitors center to confirm.

Tom (Fishing Rhino) and I hit Quabbin last Thur. our total for an entire day of hard fishing was 5 keeper smallmouth with the two biggest pushing 4lbs,along with a half doz dinks, our efforts at LM came up empty. We tried a variety of baits but finesse tactics were the winner on all of our fish but one. We didn't find the 2 biggest until late in the day in a location we hadn't fished before and by that time we had very little time left to explore the area. Water temps were still high for this time of yr on the Q 71 to a high of 74 in the afternoon. Hopefully this wks cooler temps will get the water temps down where the fish become a little more predictable and more willing to bite. For those heading to Quabbin be advised you have to be off the water by 5PM and I believe the Res. will close for the season on the 14th of Oct.

I just purchased a Dobyns Champion Extreme HP 702 ML fast, when the rod arrived I thought it was too whippy and didn't think I'd like it. I couldn't have been more wrong. I paired it with a Shimano Stradic 2500 filled with 10 lb braid and a 6ft 6lb Seagar Invizx leader, my first use of it was with Neko rig, 1/16th oz head and small TRD, sensitivity was all I could hope for, hooked up with a 4lb smallie and it was game on. It is now my favorite finesse rod.

If i were in law enforcement a 9mm would not be my choice of a weapon. Very little stopping power. I would prefer a 45, 10mm or a 40 cal. The State police in Ma have gone back to a SW M&P in 45. I've seen video of some big guys hit with a 9mm and although it slowed them, it didn't stop them from returning fire even after being hit. I own SW and they have never failed to function or cycle. Another hand gun I like are the CZ handguns reliable and function quite well.