DogBone_384

Got back over to BHR for a little bit this afternoon with my neighbor. Nothing but a cold front coming through. Bumped into JG233 as we were leaving. Hopefully he had better luck.

Welcome to the forum Kathy. I don't live near Grass Valley an I've got over 15 years until retirement, but a always want to GO FISH!

Robert Plant, Immigrant Song....

It sure would! But the Sox are pretty far off from that right now!

Got to Houghton's Pond yesterday, figuring I'd have a shot at something - trout, bass, pickerel, etc.. I was a layer short, so I didn't last long, being cold and wading in 40+ degree water. After an hour of trying to get 1/8 oz lures to go anywhere in 15-20 mph winds, and not seeing anyone else reel anything in while I was there, I packed it up and headed to work. Today was a completely different story. The wife was home sick and said, "leave me alone". Sure was my cue.... I drove up to Blue Hills Reservoir to see what was what. Started off with a Shad Rap Deep along the NW shore, from the point, southward. I blew a cast with my Sonarphone (yeah, a 4 oz. ball on a M/M caster....) and spent a while working out a bird's nest I would normally have cut, but I got it. I moved to the South corner where dirt/stone shorelines come together and switched to a blue/black flake Chigger-Craw on a weighted t-rig hook. I worked up the stone shore a little bit, working my bait like a jig when I felt a bit of a bump. I leaned on the hook a little bit and thought I'd snagged something. Yep, I sure snagged something: A new PB of 4/11.... I continued to the SE corner where I generally do pretty well in Summer. My little Chigger-Craw went THUMP again. I brought to shore another bass as big as the first. WOW, I thought, but as I bent down to grab it, I let some slack on the line and it sure felt it. It shook it's head just a little, unhooked itself, looked up, gave me the middle fin, and swam off. I knew what I'd done wrong as soon as it got off. Lesson learned. This is my first winter fishing colder water. Funny how these bass don't hit nearly as hard, nor fight as viciously. No matter, I'll take it. I've fished BHR for five or more years now and NEVER would have guessed I'd get a nearly five pound bass out of there....

I hope they do. When the Red Sox finally broke their curse, it was great... Can't say the same of recent years, but they've won 3 in my lifetime.... Good luck to the Cubbies this year...

I've never worked a jog before... perhaps some of the Southern members could help out...

OK, enough's enough.... Mother Nature gave us a Spring teaser ... one more quick snow day then it's time to go fishing!

Great looking reels. Do you use them?

In '05 a girl, while on her phone, passed another car already stopped at a red light, blowing through the intersection wiped out my wife's 4-Runner... Distracted driving is nothing new, and not going away with more laws. People just have to decide not to text/talk/drive .... $98/month increase?!?!? That's more than my annual policy and I live in a city just south of Boston... Lesson learned - I assume.

Good... I don't feel bad. I've got 15 years until retirement. I should be able do drive them nuts and get my collection properly filled in....

Is that your entire collection Hootie? My family looks at my arsenal and just shake their heads.... I have only one Loomis ... For now ?!?!?!?!

Abu Garcia's Veritas are my favorite rods, owning three casting and one spinning. They're light, sensitive (by my standards), and just feel good in my hands. I own a Fenwick Silver Hawk caster and HMG spinner, which I don't use much.

X2 - welcome to the forum!

Congratulations! I'm still waiting for my 1st bass on a jig. I caught a 1.5 # rainbow trout last fall on a 3/8 brown/craw jig, but that's it. Admittedly I've never used jigs much. It's on my list for '16. Keep at it!

Perhaps this'll help: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/fba/access-sites.html

I've fished Jacob's, Sawdy, and Ponkapog ponds (MA) this month. All my catches were caught with suspending jerk baits. I tried T-Rigged and wacky Senkos, but they didn't produce a lick. And, welcome to the forum Cam. Great bunch of members, especially those from southern New England.

I launched @ Ponkapog around 9:15 or so, as planned. It was in the 40's, sunny, and breezy. I started from the south, in about 7' of water where I found a lot of weed patched with a chrome/black/red Shadow Rap and brown Chigger-Quad (1st time). I drifted slowly NW for a while with not so much as a whiff. After a little while I switched to a 3" whacky rigged Senko and a gold husky jerk. The wind/current kept the Senko from sinking so I scratched that pretty quickly. After three hours of 'practice' casting and increasing winds, I conceded my first shut out of the year and packed it in. Surface temp was 48.x. Tomorrow's another day...

I have two shallow & two deep. No issues so far.

No boat in my driveway, but my Ascend 128T takes on a little water through the hatch covers. I resealed them with auto/marine RTV, but a little always gets in. I don't sweat it.

Had a good start to March. Met Fishing Rhino & JG233 at Sawdy Tuesday AM. I caught a couple dink pickerels and JG caught a 5 pound 5 ounce LM on a whacky rig. Water temps were in the low 40s. It's a big chunk of water for a car top boat. It was great to meet a couple members. I'm looking forward to a repeat trip and catching some good bass. I snapped the plastic tensioners on my 128T's seat, so down to Joann's Fabric went I for some replacements Wednesday. Jacob's pond is close by so I launched a little after 10:00. It was very windy, which turned out a good opportunity to learn how to keep my kayak still (-ish) with the trolling motor. Managed a small pickerel (twice) and a chubby little yellow perch. Other than that, it was quiet. As I packed up to leave I was notified that motors of any kind are no longer allowed at Jacob's Pond. Water temperatures were 47 - 49 while I was there. Weather looks good for Saturday, though a little windy, the family is working. I'll be launching at Ponkapog in the morning.

Yup...

Took my Ascend to Ponkie this afternoon for a shake down run with a trolling motor a friend gave me. It worked quite well, but it'll take some time/practice to set it up to keep from drifting too much. I was also rewarded with a 2 pound 12 ounce pickerel that liked my yellow perch jerk bait. Meeting some BR members @ Saudy pond in the morning. Looking forward to it.

"... ONE BURBON... ....ONE SCOTCH...... .....ONE BEER....."

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