DogBone_384

There's an extra kayak here for you if/when you get back to MA ...

What Mike said, and welcome to the forum!

Funny you had a 5'6" pistol grip rod in your youth. I have a 5'8" BPS Pro Comp Graphite downstairs with a spin cast reel on it for nieces/nephews I might take fishing. I'd guess it's early to mid '80s. Lastly, Merry Christmas, and what part of MA are you in?

It's just starting here in MA. It just means I'll spend more time scouring the forum for knowledge and keeping the Tackle Monkey at bay until Spring....

Merry Christmas & a new PB to everyone in ‘18

$50 gets me just about a full tank of gas which might get me three round trips to some of the best SMB fishing in SE Mass..... I'll take it!

It's started..... https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20180416T00&p0=43&font=cursive Countdown until SMB hunting down the 'Cape...

Merry Christmas & God Bless Mike! Thanks for all your good work!

What’s Facebook?

I fished Big Sandy in Plymouth for a while today, tossing a chrome Binsky, black/blue hair jig, gold/red Mepps, and rainbow trout Rapala. Managed one decent rainbow on the Rapala. Found a couple humps but didn’t mark much. The NE shore showed clouds of small fish between 10-15’ but couldn’t coax even a nudge. It was just the 2nd time fishing here and if memory serves me right I caught only rainbows. Water temps started @ 38.x and were 40.x when I left for work.

I've never ice fished either. I've got an ice fishing transducer and bag for my Lowrance. I might start by drilling a hole big enough for it and seeing what it shows before going for it with the auger. ADD: Didn’t feel like sitting around so I drove to Plymouth to recon some ponds. Hedges is iced over on the two beach sections. I walked out about 6’ from the beach closest to the parkinglot. Long Pond is wide open. Big Sandy is wide open. Little South looked about 1/3 iced over. Can’t say for sure if it’s worth trying to get a kayak across the ice to the open part or if the little canal was open. Big South is unknown. Lout Pond is wide open but the only part you can launch a kayak from is posted as private. Tomorrow’s weather looks pretty good. I just have to decide if I work or fish....

I own Abu, Diawa, ***, Shimano, Lews, and BPS low profile reels. Most of them are in your price range. I've found that they're ALL exceptional and factors that make one more popular over another, for me, are very small. They're all smooth and cast great. I've grown to prefer *** and Diawa only because they've got 'set and forget' braking systems and just feel right in my hands. I've also had Delaware Valley Tackle tune and upgrade most of my reels. *** and Abu were most improved which might lead one to believe the other brands use better quality bearings/drags/etc. out of the box. Regarding the 'hype' surrounding Shimano. Their build quality is, IMO, the best of the brands I own. If you've ever driven European cars versus all others, you'll understand what I mean. My advice is to take your favorite casting rod, if you have one, and mount each brand on it. That 'subjective' feel is as important as the technical benefits the reel might offer. OR - just let the Monkey do it's thing and buy each brand .... Best of luck picking out a reel

Yeah Tom ... you ever ice fish Sawdy? I have 5 rods, an auger, and ice tent (still NIB).

We built a modular home in 2000. Couldn't be happier with it. We toured the 'factory' before committing and went with one of their catalog houses that fit our lot w/o a variance hearing. The punch list for the whole project was a decorative grate on the back door broke and a shutter blew off on the ride down from NH. If we build another house, that'll be our first choice. Best of luck whether you buy or build. It IS stressful, but worth it in the long run.

I’m sure we can get a rod holder on that scooter if recovery is slow... where there’s a will, there’s a way... Water’s starting to ice up here too.... this is salt water at the end of my street.

I fish primarily from a kayak. I rent a boat at the Quabbin Reservoir a few times a year and another member is generous with the 2nd seat on his boat, but other than that, it’s a ‘yak. One of my kayaks is in/on my truck most of the season.

Greetings, and welcome to the forum. You’ll find anything and everything you want to know about bass fishing, and perhaps some things you don’t. Ther membership is great, and in my experience is always willing to offer advice and experience.

Hedges Pond is a small kettle off Hedges Pond Road, right off route 3. It holds SMB and yellow perch. You can cover the whole place in a couple hours. You can wade the entire perimeter or drop a kayak/canoe off the beach. You’ll need a wheel cart to get your boat from the parking lot to the beach. It’s not a far walk. PM me for more info. Google Earth shows you the basic topography of it too.

If it’s not too windy and the rain holds off I might try to get out somewhere in Plymouth... good thing my Tundra gets such great gas mileage ....

I've got a few 7' M/F rods in that price range and my Abu Garcia Veritas is my favorite, in spinning and casting. So much so, I'm on my third casting model: The first one is at the bottom of Aaron Reservoir and the second snapped on its first outing (read the reviews ... I must have gotten one of a few made at 4:00 on a Friday). For $99, it's an awesome rod.

Thanks for more advice. There's another pond in Plymouth that has a couple humps just like you mention. I can't say for sure I'll get out while the water's still in a liquid state.

Tough call. I own both. Both are smooth as silk. I use the Pflueger more because it's light as a feather. The Shimano might get the nod because it holds more line. I was almost spooling the Pflueger out last week tossing a 3/4 oz blade bait looking for SMB. If possible, mount each to the rod you're using them on and go with your gut.

I’m in a similar boat, living in Taxachusetts. My cousin came back to stay when he retired from the Marines. He stayed long enough to see $400K for a fix-er-upper hous, ended up in South Carolina and loves it there.

Lead weights under 1 oz are illegal here in MA. Bummer because my gun club does the same with their scavenged lead.

Congrats! I'm jealous - water temps up here are approaching 40 quick. We also got our first snow today. Only a few inches.