DogBone_384

Despite the windy forecast I launched at Hedges at dawn, finding surface temps 71.x. Got two nice SMB straight away and lost another. All three came on a 4" wacky rigged ghille suit Yum Dinger. Fish were jumping out of the water sporatically but I couldn't get my Whopper Plopper to produce. Things were quiet until 8:45 when a perch hit my perch colored lipless like a truck. I first thought it was a SMB, but it didn't have the fight in it. Maybe it used all its energy hitting the bait ?!?!? The wind picked up steadily until about noon when my five pound anchor couldn't cut it any more. I headed in and made a cast near some weeds in the shallows with my lipless. Hooked up with a nice SMB but he spit me when he came out of the water. I have to keep better tabs on my line when SMB fishing - instead of admiring how high the buggers jump. All in all, a decent morning, though the bite all but shut off by 9:00 AM. ADD: I fished Sunset Lake in Braintree yesterday after work and was shocked to find nary a weed bed while managing a lone dink Pickerel. I spoke to a resident as I was leaving and they said the town treated the pond in June. Too bad because it housed big LMB and Pickerels. I fished Ponkie last week too. The weeds are just starting to wilt.

Fishing Rhino and I had a similar experience earlier this season there. Also sounds like the pattern I'm in now. It just means I'll ride my M/C more between sunrise & sunset....

I haven't fished R.I., but you can find my kayak on the south shore (MA), Plymouth, or Cape Cod when I'm not working or on family duty...

Been out a few times over the last couple weeks to Great Herring, Ponkapog, Sawdy, and Santuit. The pattern was the same with all waters: good numbers, but no scale breakers. I mixed and matched baits and found wacky Senkos and Rage Tail Menaces the most productive. Water temps started in the mid to upper 70s and was 70.x at Ponkie yesterday afternoon. I'm hoping for two more trips to the Quabbin by season's end. I'm fishing on Cape Cod in a couple weeks in search of a new PB smallie.

Good to hear of the 10% donation.... The MONKEY forced me to blow the last two OT shifts I got on more stuff I "really need".

How was the lobster?

My daughter's 13" MBP Retina is refurbished. It came with the new warranty. I believe I paid around $800 for it if my memory serves me right. She's had no issues with it. Best of luck with your search.

A Mac. They work, plain & simple... My 9 YO Macbook Pro works as well today as it did when new. Also, if her degree is work related, be sure to write off the cost as an education expense.

Good to see you back on the thread Br1an.

Derek, best of luck in Ohio. Don't forget us up here when your fishing season stretches deep into the Fall....

I wore out a Spiderwire backpack. Replaced it with a Plano Z-Series that was on sale. The Plano is made of the right material for kayak fishermen, but an accountant must have designed it. Good first effort though. As soon as I wear the Plano out I'm going back to Spiderwire.

Got a message from Derek and Tom that they killed it on the South Coast the other day, catching numerous Larries between 3 and 5 pounds... I finished my work and took their success as a challenge and launched on the South Coast around 5:30/6:00 and looked for their spots. Didn't hit the 3 pound mark, but got a dozen Larries to the kayak, lost four (rookie mistakes - ), and had some little ones nipping at my rage tail. A wacky rigged 4" watermelon/red flake Senko and a blue/black Rage Tail were the right baits to use. It looks like I have to go back when I have more time and get me some 3+ pound bass... Water temps started in the low 80s and finished at 78.x. Also, thanks to the guy in the blue kayak who told me to cast on the shadow side of visible rocks.

Cooler weather is a month away... there'll be a couple more trips to the Quabbin this year.

Good to hear a successful trip to Whitmans. I've never had much luck there and avoid it accordingly. I fished Little Pond in Plymouth twice this week with my wife's friend's son Evan. Focused mostly on getting him in the right place with the right bait. It worked. He managed 5 bass and one Bluegill over our two trips. I caught a handful of small bass as well. My first bass this morning had crawfish claws sticking out of his gut. Three guys were trout fishing from shore Thursday when one of them caught one and had one of the biggest snapping turtles I've ever seen follow it to shore. They were kind enough to feed it to Mr. Turtle. Today's surprise was the BIG orange carp that cruised by my kayak this afternoon. Pretty cool to see a 10+ pound goldfish... Surface temps were 78.x and the three Osprey fishing with us today struck out while we were there.

Depends on checkbook balance, doesn't it?

The upcoming week's weather looks good. Anyone up for a trip to the Quabbin?

It's not an anti-anything thread. Some folks like Shimano and some Diawa. I own both and have excellent experiences with them. The same loyalties exist between Honda and Toyota owners. All four manufacturers produce high quality goods in their respective industries.

Not here, I'm sure, but having worked on cars most of my life, the Honda/Toyota debate is very much like this Shimano/Diawa thread.

Sounds like the Honda - Toyota discussion to me.

Dunno about the whole fishing population, but when I fish with Fishing Rhino, he catches 90% and I catch 10% of the day's yield... ?

I fished Waller Miller Park outside Williamsburg a couple years ago and had the same experience. It was Summer and no matter what I threw, the VA bass just wouldn't bite. I spoke to a couple locals and they said they piled panfish in their canoe and caught no bass. It took a trip to Gordonsville to catch some VA bass - nothing big, and THANK GOODNESS for Senkos..... Have a busy week, but am planning on some evening SMB fishing in Plymouth towards the weekend.

7' XH rod? I'd use it at a MVA to stabilize a vehicle on its side....

We own a time-share that has a resort resort is 10 minutes from Disney. The resort borders Lake Eve but allows only dock fishing. Too bad too because they used to rent small boats. We drove down a few years ago, with my kayak no less, but I couldn't convince them to let me fish their lake from it. Ownership cited liability. Maybe next year I'll cough up the dough for a guided trip .... Good luck if you get a chance to fish.

I'd like to but this is family time. Wife wouldn't go for it. Thanks for the offer.

I'm at the airport waiting for my flight there now. I believe there are guided trips available, which might be the best option. It was reported that you could bank fish the ponds 'unofficially', but that might have changed since the gator incident a couple years ago.