DogBone_384

I dragged my kayak around Plymouth & Cape Cod the last three days. With the exception of Sheep's Pond, the bass were biting. The smallmouth were out of control, making Cocaine-Bear look like Valium-Bear..... Water temps in shallower ponds peaked in the low 70's and deep kettles were still in the high 60's. My biggest smallie was 2_9 and big Larry came in at 4_14 (ALMOST!).... The highlight, I guess you'd call it, was a BLUE chain pickerel I caught in the same pond my 4_14 LMB. I've heard of blue lobsters, but blue picks?

I fished Massapoag Lake in Sharon today because I didn’t have time to go to Plymouth. I should have gone striper fishing behind my house. I fished here six times this year and have a lonely white perch to show for it. I expected something today, but didn’t mark much of anything deep or shallow. The one surprising thing also NOT on my Lowrance was vegetation. The western shore is primarily rock but the east had vegetation. Today there was none, where Ponkapoag and ponds I fish on the South Shore & Cape Cod show healthy salad. The water also had a dark tea stain to it, similar to Sunset Lake and Canton Reservoir. I’m crossing this lake off my list. I can’t say for sure the vegetation was killed off, but one guy coming to the landing the same time as me said there was a fish kill within the last couple weeks. Another angler came in just after us and said there was still vegetation at the southern end where there are few houses. Water temps were 66.x-68.x and air pressure was 29.7.

My favorite setup is a Kistler KLXTCRWJ70MH (7’ MH/F) with a first generation Concept C on it. It just feels ‘right’ and I can throw almost anything on it.

I drove back to Plymouth around lunch time in search of some good smallmouth action. Instead I picked up 3 Larry's, and 2 Sally's. The biggest LMB was 3_6 and 2 even for the SMB. A baby bass Yamamoto single tail grub and perch Stunna 112+1 did the damage. I had a good SMB follow the Stunna close to the kayak, but it turned away. Water temps were 64.x - 66.x, which are about 5 degrees cooler than this time in ‘22 & ‘21. It was overcast with nary a breeze. Air pressure was 29.7. It's been a strange year so far. I did well during the winter, had a lousy March/April, and seem to be having a pretty good early Summer ..... hopefully I didn't just jinx myself... Best of luck to everyone getting out there!

Kistler KLX KLX735H and Helium HE7045HMH.

I drove to Plymouth yesterday afternoon. Caught 2 LMB, 1 SMB, 1 white perch, and 1 sunfish. The biggest LMB came in at 3_6. It took a 5" orange/brown Senko. Everyone else, even the little sunfish, bit a perch Stunna 112+1. All bass were F A T, so they're eating well. The weather was mixed, with thunderstorms passing through around supper time. Water temps were 68.x.

Yes, they're here now. I caught a nice 6 pound schoolie behind my house. I'd like to catch a keeper+ on my kayak.

Welcome. Where in New England do you call home? I’m in Eastern MA.

I took the kayak to Plymouth and Cape Cod over the last few days and boy did it pay off. I fished my normal waters and felt more like @Mr. Aquarium and @Saltysmalljaws. While I didn't break my PB, my average LMB was almost 4 pounds. Most were shallow and took a Keitch or jerk bait. I got a couple decent SMB, but LMB were the majority catch. Unfortunately that all ended when I woke up Thursday AM and wrenched something in my back. I drove off the Cape and swapped my kayak for my Ranger, since I don't have to pedal it. I fished the 'normal' Cape Cod waters you can get a bass boat in and couldn't buy a fish over a pound with Apple Pay. 80% of my 'Ranger' catches were picks and yellow perch via a Perch Stunna 112 +1. I managed a few dink SMB on the Cape water I love to hate. Don't know what it is, but I can't catch JACK with my boat. It's time to dump it and stick to kayak fishing. The weather was perfect, winds were light, and water temps were high 60's to a hair over 70. Air pressure started at 30.2 and were 30 when I drove home today.

Got my kayak salty this afternoon behind my house. Came up with a nice 6 pound schoolie on a pink/white jig head & white paddle tail. High tide is just after dawn. I might just get out after the cats wake me up.

I trudged through Cape traffic yesterday to fish my #1 Plymouth kettle before resident stickers are required for the Summer. Got 4 good SMB and 1 1_6 yellow perch to the kayak and got spit by two more SMB. The smallmouth didn't want anything other than a 3.8" Keitech. Mr. Perch hit a Ghost Minnow Duo Realis 85SP. Water temps were 69.x. It was mostly sunny with light wind from the SE. Air pressure was 30.3. I'm still waiting for my first topwater fish of '23....

Dropped into my home pond yesterday for a couple hours. Got two picks. One on a baby brush hog and the other on a Duo Realis 80SP jerkbait. It was bluebird clear, winds were 5-10 mph, and air pressure was 30. Water temps were a balmy 70.x.

Our 7 month old cats woke me up at first light and since my kayak & gear was already in my truck I decided to drive to Plymouth and give the pond I love to hate a shot. It was quiet the first two hours. I switched between a jig, Senko, crank bait, and jerk bait to see what was on the menu. I ditched the Senko for a 3.8" Keitech and started casting 'dirt' shallow. I got snagged so I start pedaling towards it but as I got closer I saw the line was not where I casted. I set the hook and came up with a healthy, brightly colored LMB that was 4 pounds (or better) and 20 7/8". Spent another couple hours working drop offs and a flat full of beds. I hooked a small SMB on a Shimano jerk bait but got spit. I hooked, and landed, a nice white perch shortly after. That was it for the trip. The highlight came as a crossed a berm and into a canal where I saw a @Mr. Aquarium sized LMB with a smaller (3 pounds) bass hanging out. I tossed a jig, Ned, V110, and weightless Senko at them. The big bass nosed up to the JB but wouldn't commit. Too bad, it surely would have been a PB. I also saw a few BIG turtles and one loon doing what they do. It was bluebird clear. Winds were 5 mph from the East, and the air pressure was 30.4. Water temps were 64.x.

I dropped into Canton Res. for the first time in ages this afternoon. I think the vegetation was killed off. The water had that dark tea look to it and all the lily pad fields that are usually on the West end were gone. Any vegetation I pulled up looked limp and dead. A yellow perch followed a jerkbait but wouldn't commit. I left after a couple hours, with nary a bite. I moved over to Sunset Lake, that was purged of vegetation a few years ago. Some panfish picked at my Senko and a pick whacked my topwater, but that was it. To compare local waters, Ponkapoag has never been treated the way Sunset and Canton res were. I fished it the other day and the vegetation is full and healthy. I catch fish there. Water temps were 69.x and 68.x, respectively. It's been a very tough Spring. Can we rewind back to February when I caught good fish?

Great catches Mike, especially Sally! I fished my home pond yesterday morning until just after lunch. Scored 3 LMB and one pick. The bass went 1, 2, and 3 pounds, in that order. All three bass were short and fat. Nobody was interested in reaction baits. A Yamamoto Kut Tail and magnum Fluke got bites. Water temps were 65.x, it was cloudy/raining, near calm, and air pressure was 30.2.

$2,999 - yeah …. NO. I have a ‘17 Tundra and keep a couple 2-piece rods in the under seat storage for quick stops. My Lure 11.5 stays in the bed most of the time but rests on my ladder rack if I’m taking my Ranger too. I strip the kayak and can lift it onto the rack myself NP. Otherwise I store 1-piece rods in the bed that’s covered by a hard tonneau. Today’s truck payments are more than my first mortgage …

Mine sits in the corner of my garage. It was my first casting rod, purchased 25+ years ago.

Thanks. I don’t FB or IG.

Possibly. I saw beds at two ponds in Plymouth recently and saw White Suckers almost exclusively. Only a couple SMB made themselves seen cruising around the beds. To my recollection, Suckers usually spawn in mid-late March. I’ve got a lot of family obligations right now, but plan on getting out on Cape Cod in the next couple of weeks. Best of luck to those getting out…

Took the Ranger to south Plymouth. Managed a swimbait sized Yellow Perch. Threw the ‘normal’ assortment. Saw lots of beds. 90% of them had White Suckers on them. Only a couple smallmouth made themselves seen. The weather was beautiful. Water temps were 58.x - 59.x. Air pressure was 30.1. So far, March & April are very forgettable….

I have some first generation 13 Concept A, C, Z, and E reels. They're fished pretty hard and have held up well. The Z's require a little more PM than the others, but they cast a mile and are pretty smooth for a, then, $200 reel.

I have a Ghost on my boat. It's a great trolling motor. Lowrance's tech support is non-existent: I've called and emailed them and never got an answer back. @Woody B is right, don't buy a TM based on tech support. I chose the Ghost because I already have Lowrance units on my boat and it connects to them through the NMEA network. Get the TM that best meets your needs.

That’s NEVER a bad thing!

I'm happy as log as the Red Sox don't end up in the basement again this year!

I have a FeelFree Lure and have started to take the pedal drive and off and making two trips back to the truck at a couple ponds I fish. I'm 56 and still in good shape, but find it easier. I guess time stops for NO MAN.