DogBone_384

OK, I'm south of Boston, but there's always Google Maps...

Crystal Lake?

Doesn't really bother me if my rods & reels don't match. Whatever feels & works best together stays together.

I drove by Blue Hill's Reservoir yesterday. It was clear with exception for the rock bank on the South/South West side. Water temperatures were in the mid 40s. Houghton's should be pretty well open in castable areas.

Already planning for Monday if I can't snag an extra shift or side job.... can't wait....

Metro Boston and south towards Cape Cod is pretty well open. As of Tuesday the only waters still too frozen to fish were Houghton's Pond (Milton, MA), Whitman's Pond (Weymouth, MA), and Jacob's Pond (Norwell/Hanover, MA). Little Pond & Billington Sea (Plymouth, MA) are both open. All waters I saw while driving from Foxboro, MA (95S) to Berlin, MA (495N) and back to Boston (90E) were open. Have fished less than an hour this year, without a bite. At least I got the rust off a couple of reels.

I have a Revo SX3 and Lews Pro Speed Spool. Mike at DVT hot rodded my Revo with bearings and tuning, putting it at a price point just higher than the Lews. They both cast great, are smooth as silk. The Lews braking system is a less finicky than the Abu. Both are light, and palm great. Either way you won't go wrong.

The bait monkey got me. I have two on the way, along with a 9'6" Microlite to try some Float'n'Fly fishing since water temps near me are in the 40s still. Will try new Rapalas as soon as they show up.

2 Pflueger Presidents and a spool of top shelf braid to put on them... That'll be right in your $150 wheelhouse. I say this because I own a Pflueger Supreme XT and Abu Revo SX spinning reels and can't really tell the difference between them and my Presidents.

Congratulations on you're 1st '15 bass. I drove to Bass Pro in Foxboro and Cabelas in Berlin (you're not missing much there, but that's another thread) to see what's what. Though Houghton's Pond is still mostly frozen, I noticed all the waters I passed along 495 and the Pike were open. It's coming very soon. I'm not working today, so I might drive to Plymouth to see if Little Pond & BIllington Sea are still frozen. ADD: Billington Sea and all but the North 20% of Little Pond are open. Whitman's and Jacob's Ponds are still solid, but looking very slushy. If weather gets to the 60s over the weekend as forecasted, we'll be good to go.

You pretty well said it all in your opening post: you finished school (comgratulations) and have a good paying job. It's something you like doing, enjoy your equipment, and good luck in your tornaments. Lastly, you know what they say about opinions ...

Welcome to the best fishing forum in the 'interweb'.

Like other members already said, don't sweat the small stuff. A bad day fishing still beats the 'good' days many people right here in the US have. Baitcasters and windy days don't always get along, so if you have a spinning rig, take that with you. As far as losing lures, laugh it off and let the tackle monkey do the rest....

I agree. I drove past my regular spots this afternoon. All were still solid except for Whitman's pond in Weymouth, having enough open water on its route 53 bridge to cast from. Didn't get any bites, but it was good to get the cobwebs off one of my baitcasters... Soon...

Nice deal. Unfortunately I the JDM Monkey bit me last week and I got my first JDM Shimano.... can't justify anymore toys for myself, especially since the fresh water around me is still solid.

Sorry to stir it up some, and nothing against Ford because they build the best American truck I agree, but I've owned 3 Toyota trucks over 26 years and 400,000+ miles and have never had a mechanical failure.... They're pretty good. I've worked on nearly every make/model car for the last 20 years, so I speak from experience. Any-hoo welcome aboard Ford. Maybe you can sway me to an Aluminum F-150 if you build a full four door with a six foot bed AND a full size power rear window...

Here are a couple of links to other threads that'll get you started: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/106413-how-to-cast-a-baitcaster/ http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/92295-how-to-set-up-a-baitcaster/ There's a ton of info and trustworthy opinions in the FISHING RODS, REELS, LINE, and KNOTS section of BR. My two cents I'd pick up a BPS Pro Qualifier, Diawa Lexa, or Shimano Caena and a 7' Medium Fast rod of your choice to start. Follow instructions found on this forum and practice as much as you can. I started two years ago and now prefer them to spinning reels. Best of luck!

I can vouch for Pure Fishing - I snapped the tip of one of my Veritas last year in my tailgate. I emailed them a copy of my reciept with a picture of the broken rod. They sold me a new one for far less than retail, which is fine, I wouldn't expect warranty coverage for my stupidity....

Here's some encouraging news for everyone: WHITMAN'S POND HAS ENOUGH OPEN WATER TO CAST FROM THE ROUTE 53 SIDE! I didn't catch anything, but got to shake the cobwebs off my favorite ML spinning and my Diawa T3 Ballistic reels for a little while.... Houghton's Pond is still frozen, but there's a 3 - 4 foot ring of water around it, so fishing season is not far away!

In MA you'll have to have a home inspection done before you make an offer/close the deal. That'll tell you what's good about the house and what possible repairs are necessary. Check with your realtor to see if it's OK to ask sellers what their monthly utility costs are too. That'll really tell you what kind of monthly income you'll need to live. Gas is cheaper than oil & electric in MA, especially if the house has a higher R rating. Our home is 15 years old & 1900+ sq. ft. My winter gas bills average $225/month. We cook and heat with gas. Oil isn't cheap and there's more maintenance to the furnace. I don't know what it cost per gallon right now, but you can find out easily enough. National Grid raised their electric rates by over 30% up here last fall, citing increased fuel delivery cost to them (my two-cents on that is the increased use of solar [which I installed last year] is a bigger factor), so you could guess what electric heat costs. Insurance rates in MA are cheaper if you have a Firehouse within 1 mile, or a hydrant close by (500' I think, though not 100% sure). If you have an insurance broker now, call them and ask how much insurance costs for houses in your price range/neighborhood. Find out if properties you're looking at are in the flood zone. You'll have to carry additional flood insurance if you carry a mortgage. You can learn a lot about the neighborhood too by visiting local coffee shops and supermarkets before/during/after rush hours - that's where your potential neighbors will likely be. Your local papers might also post Police listings of crimes/arrests, more good info. No matter what, owning your own place is 1000X better than renting, and can be a little nerve wracking, but as time goes on it gets easier and more enjoyable. There's nothing like it, and if you're a Vet, you've earned and deserve it, thanks.

I've used SpiderWire's tackle backpack for 3 years now and can say it takes a beating. I picked up the Wolf from DSG because it was REALLY on sale and like you want a bigger bag. It looks exactly the same as their backpack, build wise, so I believe it'll hold up just fine.

Just drill away. If you're worried about how it'll look, or where your measurements are, get some 3M two sided tape and stick the hardware to the kayak. It'll give you an idea of symmetry and how it'll look before you drill. Once you're satisfied with your hardware placement mark the holes with a Sharpie. I have a trolley on each side of my Lure 11.5 using stainless nuts & bolts. I have no water and didn't sink last year.... Best of luck with your trolley.

Mission accomplished - congratulations.

Since this is the Smallmouth forum, I'm going to try to catch a couple this year since I don't belive I've caught one before. Other than that, my 2015 goals are to concentrate on learning three new waters I fished semi-frequently last year and just practice with my baitcasters to improve accuracy.

That's a great way to rationalize..... Thanks for the idea!