DogBone_384

Got out again yesterday. I was lazy and went to my favorite little smallie kettle in Plymouth one more time before Summer hits and the town requires a 'townie' sticker to park. Four smallies made it to the kayak and one outsmarted me. The first came on a purple 10" Zoom Ol Monster. The others on a perch Vision 110+1 jr. Everyone came in around 1 1/2 - 2 pounds. Two other folks were fishing from shore and caught a couple on a bass colored paddle tail. It was mostly overcast until early afternoon and the water temps were 66.x

Took a short trip to a new pond in Plymouth yesterday. Three LMB, one pick, and one yellow perch made it to the kayak. Not bad for an afternoon trip. The pick and perch ate a Holo Minnow Rerange 130 and the bass favored a 4" Senko. Water temps were 62.x. There were a few beds but it was breezy and I couldn't tell if they were vacant or not.

Welcome and congrats on your catches.

Sorry to hear. Gimme a call, we’ll head out on my boat & get some Smallies!

I took @Fishing Rhino out on my Ranger yesterday. We couldn't launch at a private pond near his house, so we went to another big, shallow lake nearby. The water looked like coffee and there were no signs of life. Try again next week. I stopped by a pond on the South Shore and managed a small Yellow Perch on a jerkbait that was bigger than it was. Water temps were in the low 60's.

I'm just sharing my experience with Kistler. I'm retired and my equipment gets heavy use. Too bad the other 19 guys have had problems. Hopefully they get it sorted out.

I have 25 Kistler rods from 2015 to 2023 and the only breakages were my fault.

Have a few KLX’s, which are mod/fast. My #1 crankbait rod is a 7’3” MH/MF KLX, hands down. I also have a couple Feel’n’Reel rods (because I HAD to know) and they’re VERY sensitive for a glass/composite blank and have a strangely good tip. Both are A+ crankbait rods. I find the KLX M/F a little more versatile. I’ll use that for chatterbaits over the FnR. Yes, they change blanks. It’s to keep costs as low as possible and provide a high quality product simultaneously. I bought my first Kistler in 2015 and my most recent in 2023 and can tell you they’re very sensitive and high quality. To me, they’re worth every penny.

Close up? I'm thinking panoramic ....

I had a good couple days on Cape Cod last week. The bite was consistent, including two SMB just under 4 pounds, a white perch a shade under 2 pounds, a catfish, and a couple of nice brown trout. The trout and catfish came to the kayak via Stunna 112+1. A handful of very healthy white and yellow perch made it to the kayak too. I only caught two LMB during the trip, but I was targeting SMB. A jerkbait was about the only bait I needed at all but one pond where all the smallies wanted was a blue tube. Water temperatures were 57.x - 59.x. Air pressure Wednesday & Thursday was 30.0. Friday was 30.2.

How a rod feels is 90% of your fishing experience. You need the right rod for your application, i.e. MH/F for jigs, so handle as many rods that interest you as possible. Just like a pair of shoes, you’ll know when you have the right one. Best of luck picking out a rod for your new baitcast reel. Don’t be afraid. I’m a Kistler fan and their MH/F rods weigh about 3.5 ounces and handle everything I’ve put them through. Today’s technology is awesome!

WOOF!

I found this: https://www.flatlandscustomtackle.com/store/p59/Poison_Tail_Screw_Lock_Jig_Heads.html

I had a pretty good day yesterday. I hit 3 ponds on the South Shore. Pond #1 is shallow and almost void of vegetation because the town treats the water. I managed one bass, about 2 pounds, on a 6" Senko, and a handfull of dink pickerels on a red chatterbait and Rapala BX Brat. Ponds #2 & #3 are both deep bowls. I grabbed two smallies at each, on a combination of a perch Stunna 112+1 and purple/blue flake swim Senko. There were many more beds since my last trip here and there were fish on them. Water temps were 57.x, 56.x, and 54.x, respectively. It was pretty blue-bird but chilly for late April.

I fished a new pond in Plymouth today. It was mostly cloudy and winds were 10-12 from the west. I bagged two yellow perch, two smallies, and one pick in short order on a smallmouth LV200 and orange/red 6th sense square bill. The sun came out, the wind died down and the bite shut off like a light switch. Not a bad first trip. I found a few rocks & trees in the water and spotted some beds in 5' - 8'. Water temps were 55.x - 56.x. It's getting good now. Best of luck to everyone getting out. I'll be on the Cape again May 1st to 3rd. I'm not sure if I'm taking my kayak or Ranger.

I’ve seen baitfish on shore at only one pond in Plymouth. Could leave my Lowrance off everywhere else.

For me, lipless, jerkbaits, and crankbaits have been productive. Water temps are in the mid 50's right now.

Last day to fish before wife gets home from NYC. I met some friends at a car show early this morning with my '68 GS400 convertible (😁) and decided to fish a big flat shallow pond in Plymouth after putting the car back in the garage. It was blowing pretty hard when I showed, but off I went. Got 2 big picks pretty early, one on a Ghost Minnow LV500 and Perch Stunna 112+1, then nothing for a while. The temp dropped quick so I started back to the truck and got stopped dead by a 3.6# tank of a smallie. I was trolling a Stealth Shad Stunna 112+1 and thought I got snagged. Got another pick and a big fat yellow perch the same way. Not a bad day. Everyone was roughly 10' deep. I still haven't bagged anything shallow. Water temps were 56.x. It was cloudy and air pressure was 29.9.

I fished one of my favorite ponds in Plymouth yesterday afternoon. The forecast called for 7 mph, but it sure felt like 15+. No matter, I picked up a 3.02 SMB on a red 3XD in about 12' early in the trip, then nothing more than a 2.66 pickerel on a Stealth Shad Stunna 112+1 in the next two hours. Late in the trip I found 2 more smallies, each around 2 1/2 pounds and a 2.68 LMB, all on the Stunna. The last three fish were caught in about 8-10'. Water temps were 55.x when I showed up and 52.x when I left at dusk. It was mostly cloudy and the air pressure was 30.1. 'Boss Lady' is in NYC with her sister for the weekend, so weather permitting I'll be out today AND definitely tomorrow. Best of luck to the rest of you getting out this weekend. @Mr. Aquarium, maybe I'll see you somewhere on the South Shore.

The Fisherman reported 20# stripers at the CT river…. Only a 2 1/2 hour drive!

I left the house before dawn and drove to Sandwich in search of bass. I threw enough of an assortment to figure out the bass were absent. I marked almost nothing and had two big picks follow my lipless up from 15’. One grabbed it and spit it right in front of me and the other peeled off when it saw me. Four hours later I was packed up and heading to Plymouth. Water temps were 51.x. Plymouth was better. I grabbed a 2 pound smallie on a lipless in short order. I hooked up with a few more but got spat, also on the lipless. I hooked a yellow perch that easily rivaled the smallmouth I landed but that one got off too. I guess its mouth wasn’t big enough to swallow a 3.8” Keitech on an Owner Flashy Swimmer. Water temps were 54.x here and there were minnows tight to shore when I left.

Ditto … I put a slightly heavier hook on the front to keep it from rising too much.

You’re just saving up for your 8 pounder!

I took a friend's son out last Wednesday. Evan just got back to the US after earning a Master's Degree in SIngapore and was anxious to catch fish. Unfortunately he didn't catch anything, but he was happy enough to be on the water. I caught two Larries and two picks. The picks were small and the bass were 4.34 and 2.66, in that order. I threw the full assortment and the only thing the fish wanted were a perch Stunna 112 and a red LV500. Water temps were 52.x. It was windy and mostly cloudy. Air pressure was 30.1. I'm planning on hitting the Cape tomorrow, hoping the feed bag will be on.

I fell into the Tactical trap … I found the Expride on sale and took a chance. It is a really nice rod, but I just prefer the Kistler handle. They feel more comfortable in my hand. Purely subjective. Best of luck picking a jerkbait rod, or rods …