DogBone_384

There's a shop on Cape Cod that charges $6/muffin. There's a line out the door in the Summer. That's all I'm saying ...

Dropped into my favorite little smallie pond yesterday ... literally. I was working the western bank in about 10' of water and my favorite setup hit another rod and slipped out of my hand as I turned to switch rigs. Being an expensive setup there was no choice ... in after it I went (YES A-Jay I was wearing my PFD!). I got the rig and dragged my kayak in shallow and walked it to shore. It was a short swim. I was lazy and didn't pack a change of clothes so that was it for this trip. Luckily I'd caught one nice smallie, a big yellow perch, and lost another smallie. The SMB were shallow and Mr. Perch was on bottom in about 10'. The SMB hit a 3.3" Keitech and the perch a perch colored Shad Rap Deep. Water temps were 52.x, air pressure was 30.1, and winds were light. Not a bad trip, even though it was cut short. I'm still on track to catch fish in open water every month this year. Gonna get out somewhere tomorrow. Good luck to everyone else that can too. We've reached the magic number!

I finished my week on Cape Cod which included a trip to Sharon today. All I can say is ALL species were shut off. I threw the kitchen sink in shallow and deep water and came up with little or nothing to show. The highlight was Saturday when @Saltysmalljaws joined me for a cold day mixed with rain and sleet. Of the 13 places I fished water temps were 44.x - 47.x and Sharon was 49.x - 50.x. I'm headed back to Cape Cod in three weeks. I expect better results.

I have more than enough rods/reels and hard baits and can go 'until further notice'. I figure at least three or four seasons to deplete my soft baits. I might need an odd/end here and there as far as terminal tackle goes. I don't overstock that stuff.

The first half of my week on Cape Cod consisted of 8 ponds over 3 days on my Ranger. I skunked at 4 of them and managed a tiny yellow perch, three picks (all around 2 pounds), and two rainbow trout. I marked fish deep and nothing shallow and threw the normal assortment of blade baits, jerk baits, lipless, small/medium Keitechs, and small jigs. Water temps were 44.x - 46.x at all but one shallow pond that tipped 50.x late in the day. Air pressure started at 30.2 was 30.4 yesterday. I talked to a few other guys and got a mixed bag. A couple said it was tough, one kayaker did well with LMB over 3 pounds, and a last guy with live-scope did very well. I'm going back tomorrow through Sunday and am fishing with @Saltysmalljaws at one of his home ponds. I'm hoping to grab a couple good SMB and NOT to have to bring shiners! I also saw my first Osprey of the season. Best of luck to those getting out...

No floods, snow, or ice here in Eastern MA. Water levels where I've recently fished are high. All good news.

My toughest time of year is late winter into early Spring. The next three-ish weeks to be specific. Shallow ponds are easier, but I struggle with finding fish in deeper waters trying to time their move to the shallows.

Two 12 oz. in the AM. A third in the afternoon if I'm at the Firehouse.

Our first house cost $45K and we built new on the same lot in '00-01 for under $150K. A tear-down around here is north of $500K now. A friend has a Tesla Y. I love it and am all in for electric, but I'd need a full size with longer range than what's available. We have solar and went 7 months w/o an electric bill last year, so it'd work for us. Rivians look like Honda's Ridgeline to me. Nice, but too small for me.

I believe I already posted pics of my ‘17 RT178 … THIS followed me home from Mecum in January. Not a chance is this gonna tow anything … though it’s got PLENTY of motor…

A friend of mine put a deposit on one. Price was $93K and one year wait. He got his deposit back a few months after placing the order.

Spent a couple hours in Canton yesterday. Hooked onto a good LMB on a Table Rock Berkley Stunna jerkbait but didn’t have my drag set properly. The fish was also hooked on the outside of its mouth, so it got off. My consolation prize was a couple scales on the middle treble hook. Water temps were 43.x along the north shoreline.

Took a short trip to a very shallow pond on the South Shore yesterday morning. I threw the normal assortment of jerkbait, chatterbait, and shallow crank, but could't get even a pickerel to play. Water temps were 43.x - 44.x. IT's coming!

I checked off March with a white perch in 30' of water in Sharon on a chartreuse sexy shad LV150. I think almost every fish in the lake was on bottom, DEEP, including the trout that were stocked there today. Water temps were 39.x and air pressure was 30.1. To answer @Frezzy ... I'm throwing blade bait and drop shot in deep waters, and shallow cranks, lipless, and jerkbaits when shallow. Once in a while I'll drag a big worm S L O W on the bottom if I can't get a reaction bite. And a big congratulations to @Mr. Aquarium .... an absolute BEAST of a catch today! Spend some time with @Saltysmalljaws .. I fished with him a few times and he got me pointed in the right direction. I'll be on Cape Cod end of this month with the Ranger too .....

I own Abu, Shimano, Diawa, and 13 baitcasters. My Diawa and 13s are my choices for a beginner. They're very forgiving and as 'set and forget' as possible. Shimano and Diawa are the smoothest, most refined. I own two Chronarch DC and wouldn't recommend them for a beginner. I find they need more thumb control when the bait hits the water than a properly set baitcaster. A spool of 10-12 pound mono, 3/8 - 1/2 oz. jig, and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, will get you there in no time. At your budget, you can't lose. Best of luck.

If I think I can, yes.

Heliums are $200 right now if you create an account.

Come on out to Cape Cod. It’s wide open and there are very few tourists… we’ve got some good SMB waters. Right now blade baits are the ticket. Water temps are in the low 40’s. I fished with @Saltysmalljaws last week and lost a 4# SMB but landed a 4_9 LMB…. As far as my starting lineup: - Jerkbait - Chatterbait - Some type of soft finesse bait - Square bill / crankbait - Keitech, Keitech, Keitech ….

I have one. It’s action is very good. For me the handle is a little too long. My favorite JB rod is a Kistler KLX 6’9” M/MF. Its handle feels just right, whether on my boat or kayak. Additionally, Kistlers are hand made in Texas. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

I bought a Shimano Expride-A jerkbait rod and returned it because of such. I have a Kistler 6’9” KLX M/MF and love it. Kistlers are USA made.

I drove to Cape Cod today and fished two ponds with @Saltysmalljaws. The first was my 'nemesis' smallie pond. I didn't mark much but found a couple good ones in 30' of water with gold blade baits. The first one got off right at the kayak and was probably 4 pounds. The second one made it in the kayak and was 2 pounds even. The bigger fish came back to the surface a few times trying to shake off the Damiki blade bait that was stuck in its face. Water temps were 40.x. The second pond was a shallow, weedy LMB pond. I came up with a 1_4 yellow perch and a 4_9 LMB, both on a GP Sexy Shad V110+1. Water temps were 45.x. Jake had 'Dad' duties and split, so I moved over to one more small LMB pond. I got one LMB, a little over a pound, on a Table Rock Berkley Stunna 112. Air pressure was 29.9. Winds were light. I took some time playing around with the Berkley Stunnas. They sink pretty quickly with flurocarbon and very slowly when tied to mono. The have a slight nose down action as they go down.

I had the itch for my first smallie of '23, so off went I to my favorite SMB kettle pond. The weather was nice. Temps were in the low/mid 40s, winds were 10-12 from the S/SE, and it was mostly sunny. I caught 2 big bodied, but skinny Sallies in short order, on consecutive casts early, and that was it. Both fish took a perch colored BPS blade bait. I threw a dropshot, jerkbaits, and a couple Rapala Shad Raps, but the blade bait was all they were interested in. Water temps were low 40.x. We're looking at good weather next week. Good luck to those getting out.

I use a pair of children’s lady bug scissors our daughter used when she was little. They work well.

Email Kistler asking if they can build you one. I've had three custom rods made for different applications. They're a very friendly and responsive company. Best of luck.

I fished 122 times in '22. I work 24 hour shifts and we're empty nesters. We also live 1/2 a block from the ocean so I can go striper fishing whenever I catch the tides right. I'm very lucky.