DogBone_384

My Cape Cod trip’s been a seesaw. I packed up Friday and crossed the bridge, stopping in Sandwich. Take the kayak off the car and realize I left the pedal drive home. A 2 1/2 hour round trip and I’m on the water. I came up with a 2-10 smallie, a 4-14 Larry, and a few white perch. The smallmouth took a Clearwater Minnow colored Tactical DD crankbait and the LMB ate a green/orange 3.8” Keitech on an underspin. We had friends down for the weekend but I got out Sunday afternoon in Harwich and fished a deep pond I struggle at. I managed a 3 pound SMB on the Clearwater Minnow Tactical DD. I didn’t mark much deep or shallow. It was good to grab a decent smallie here. Water temps were 48.x I started Monday morning at one of my favorite Harwich ponds. It wasn’t too windy, but wind from the west made it rough. I grounded my kayak while tying on a bait and broke the prop. Another trip back home to rob #2 kayak and I’m back on the water. I stopped in Sandwich again to try to save as much of the day as possible. It paid off with a 2-14 SMB and a 2-14 pickerel. Both took a Light Hitch LV500. I got a second SMB, about 1 1/2 pounds. Water temps are still in the mid 40’s. I also had a couple followers in Sandwich, so they’re still active, though all my smallies wallowed on the surface rather than going airborne. I still have a couple days on Cape. Lesse what happens. This is the fourth straight year I’ve caught fish in open water every month in MA. Living near Cape Cod is great. It’s going to be warm this weekend. Good luck to anyone getting out there. If the boss lady doesn’t have a lot for me to do, I’m gonna get out somewhere.

I have a Lowrance Elite 7” with a side-scan transducer mounted on a RAM mount on my Lure 11.5. It’s perfect.

I learned that 80% of the tackle out there is designed to catch fishermen, not fish. This membership is always generous with their advice and experience. @Saltysmalljaws, @Mr. Aquarium, and @Fishing Rhino always whoop my butt when I fish with them. There's always 'one more cast' in hopes of a biggun'. That this is the best fishing forum on the internet.

My rods hang on racks on my garage ceiling and all reels go in a couple drawers with their drags backed off. I live in a city and have a garage 'under', so space is limited.

Happy Thanksgiving .. belated ... to everyone following this thread. I dragged the Ranger to Mashpee today .... should have dragged the Kayak somewhere else. I've rarely done well on any water on Cape Cod with my boat ... and no matter how I try to break that code, I just can't seem to figure out waters over 250/300 acres. I rigged the usual: Damiki blade bait, 2.8" Keitech, 3/8 oz tungsten jig, jerk bait, and drop shot. I managed two white perch, not much bigger than my blade bait, in 30'ish feet of water. Water temps were in the low 50's. I didn't mark much of anything anywhere I went. At least the weather was nice.

I fish mostly Kistler rods. If you sign up for his emails you'll get pretty steep discounts. I really like the Helium line (fast action) and KLX (mod-fast). I use a 7' Helium ML/F for drop shot and Ned, usually with a Tatula LT hung under it. Very light and sensitive... Also made in Texas. Their customer service is very good. I once called to pay for a custom rod and Trey answered the phone and a spent a couple minutes talking about the order with me. You won't find that with many other rod manufacturers. Best of luck with your choice. In your price range, you're gonna end up with a class A rod no matter what brand.

I picked one up on clearance and agree 100%. I put it on my jig rod and am quite happy with it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Blade baits are my #1, followed by jerkbaits and small soft plastics.

Took a short trip to Plymouth this afternoon. Threw a blade bait, 2.8" Keitech, Rapala DT10, tube, and small jig but came up empty. I hooked a small SMB on the Keitech but it got off. Two Damikis are at the bottom of the pond due to knot failures. Winds were light. Water temps were 48.x and air pressure was 30.4. It's starting to feel like winter...

Come on over to Cape Cod. I'll be there with my Ranger the first week of December. You and @Saltysmalljaws can show me how to catch big smallies. There are two waters on the Cape that 'I love to hate' if you know what I mean. Though we don't have quite the 'big' smallies you have out there. As far as big fish of the season, I'm not done yet. I've not broken 5 pounds this year but caught a few more 4's on jerkbaits in waters I usually struggle at. Other than that, it's been a pretty 'regular' year for me.

Every keystroke you've ever hit is in some database SOMEWHERE... don't sweat it. 😉

No such thing.... If you can travel to the Cape, I'm planning on having my Ranger down there the 1st week in December.... lesse if we can get something to work. I've mentioned it on this thread in years passed, we really have to get a group together for a weekend of camping & fishing. Nickerson State Park comes to mind... anyhoo - those who read this thread keep it in mind for next Spring before the tourists invade!

I've been on a Berkeley Stunna kick this year. I bought some on sale and must say they're very comparable to Megabass' V110's. I use Rapala Shadow Rap and Rip Stop during the winter and in shallow weedy ponds. They run shallow enough not to get bogged down in most weeds. I use mono instead of fluorocarbon too.

HA! Sounds like me on LPH!

Mr. Aquarium strikes again! Great trip Mike! I got to my favorite big pond in Plymouth for an afternoon mission. Grabbed a 1-4 white perch on a yellow perch Stunna 112+1 pretty quickly, then nothing for a couple hours. The Lowrance was blank anywhere close to shore so I moved deep. Yup, it's blade bait season. I found a 3-9 smallie and 3-6 pickerel in 25+' with a Damiki blade bait. There were a few bait balls suspended in 40' but I could get anyone to commit. I worked my way back to shore and dropped a tube at a point's drop off and came up with another fat smallie, probably a couple pounds. Both SMB had white perch tails sticking out of their gullets. Water temps were 53.x, it was about as bluebird as you can get, and air pressure sat in at 30.2.

I dip into my tackle box as needed. I rig up before I hit whatever water I'm fishing and change if the fish aren't playing nice.

You always make me feel better about how much stuff I own .. Thanks A-Jay!

Sounds completely normal to me .... AND you're not fishing!

Blade bait… blade bait… blade bait …. Damiki Vault (Holo Ayu) if you don’t already have a couple. Give Seibert Outdoors a go. They’re a forum sponsor & jigs are made to order. High quality & quick turn around.

My '17 Tundra's light comes on at 5K but my OM and local dealer both say 10K. I slide under and do it myself at 5K. As far as making a mess with your new Taco, you'll be fine. If your oil filter cover is like mine, all you need is a 3/8" ratchet and short extension. The filter wrench is 'optional'.

I agree ... our Buick has a freshly built, .030 over, big block .... the neighborhood kids love the black stripes I leave down the street ....

I prefer my old stuff, but I won't ever tow a boat with it.... and sadly, I DON'T have Michelin tires on it ...

Let's start a truck tire thread and stop hijacking A-Jay's new truck thread! 🤐

Sounds like a lot of my trips the last few weeks, especially on the bigger waters on the Cape .. Water temps were still in the mid/upper 50's last week when I was out last. I'm thinkin' it's blade bait and hair jig time? I just did the same with a JDM LV200. I found another on an auction site but the asking price was $43 ... NOPE.