DogBone_384

Fished Canton Res this afternoon, picking up 2 LMB, a pick, a yellow perch, and one crappie. Everyone except the crappie came on a 4.5” Keitech Easy Shiner in smallmouth magic. The crappie tried a Vision 110 on for size. My big bass was a chubby 1.5 pounds. Winds were 8 - 10 mph from the east and water temps were 60.x - 61.x. Air pressure was 29.9. Yep, the state record is still safe....

That's awesome! I hope she rides it forever. Mine is as bought in '84, less tires, brake pads, and bar wrap. I primarily ride my '03 Cannondale Jekyll 1000. For the road riding I do (or don't do), I can't justify today's bike prices.

Have you ever worked on one? GM was spot on! I still have my '84 Team Fuji ... and ride it to this day.

Thoughts and prayers.

Yes, a 55# motor will help greatly. I'd first take your battery to an auto parts store and have it load tested. When I got back into fishing I had a Minn Kota 27# trolling motor from the '90's as well and when my battery got low it wouldn't push my kayak any faster than I could paddle it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I fished LPH for a few hours early this morning and came up with three SMB, with two of them a snitch over 2 pounds. Two were caught on a 3.75" green/gray Strike King Rage Swimmer and the third on a Duo Realis jerk bait. It was overcast and nearly calm, with water temps 53.x - 54.x. All three fish were taken shallow. I moved over to Wequaquet around lunch and chased my tail for almost 5 hours, throwing everything I could think of in all depths and bottom makeups, coming up with a small YP and dink LMB. It was sunny, with winds from the NE at around 10 mph. Air pressure was 29.9 and water temps were 58.x - 60.x.

... ‘what he said’ ...

Yes, a couple times a year.

Finally got my late winter skunk off today. Started at Hedges in Plymouth early, before I went to my parent’s house for a bit. 5 SMB and 2 healthy yellow perch made it to the kayak in short order. All fish came on a combination of Megabass jerk baits and Yozuri square bills. Nobody touched the Strike King swimbait nor the green/brown/chart chatter bait I offered. I spent the late afternoon at a large semi-private pond in Plymouth, landing 4 healthy SMB in really shallow water off a rocky point that dropped off quickly on either side. All four SMB picked off the 3.75 Strike King swim bait that nobody at Hedges touched. Got a couple small hits on the chatter bait. A big ole turtle followed the chatter bait up to the surface too. Water temperatures ranged from 54.x to 56.x. Winds were moderate, 10-14 mph from the SW. Air pressure was 29.9. All in all a good day. Launching at LPH early tomorrow morning. It’s supposed to be overcast and almost calm: rolling the dice on topwater...

Working tomorrow. Will be on Cape Cod Sunday through Wednesday and am bringing my Ranger and Lure 11.5. Sunday and probably Monday will be too windy for wife, so my backup plan is solo trips Tuesday and Wednesday. Best of luck to the membership that gets out! Welcome to the forum.

I'd start here. The rest of the membership's covered everything else.

Good to know. I might have time to get out tomorrow afternoon but don't have time to pack up & go south. I wonder how I could get my Ranger in there... ??? ?

I have my best luck along the NE side, from the point to the end of the campground beach.

Stick to smaller waters. If you have a cart to wheel your inflatable, Hedges would be my first stop. If you’re driving over the bridge, Snake Pond.

If you're bringing a boat, Wequaquet would be my first choice, followed by Mashpee Wakeby. My second choices are Long Pond (Harwich) and Great Herring in Plymouth. If you belong to the plastic navy, Hedges pond in Plymouth and Snake pond in Sandwich top my list. Navionics maps are available on line for all except Hedges. Hedges is about 20 acres, so it's easy to pin them down. The state's website also provides maps: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-pond-maps

Welcome!

I use a Rigid (Home Depot brand) 22" storage crate. It holds beaucoup 37xx boxes and sits behind my Ranger's seat nicely. It's a little too tall to fit in my main storage compartment.

Welcome! Since I'm from Boston, I have to ask: Yankees, or Mets?

You’re not missing much. With few exceptions, the bite in SE MA & Cape Cod is, well, ugly, to say the least.

Launched @ LPH yesterday afternoon around 2:00 PM and stayed until dusk. @Saltysmalljaws joined me for a bit, which was the highlight of the trip. I hooked onto a SMB in 5-8' with a red LV500. It spit me on its second jump. Stuck with different jerkbaits, a 3.8" Keitech, Ned, purple/brown tube, and Rapala topwater, but that one bite was it. I spoke to two other boats while there. Only one other guy caught one fish. The weather was beautiful, low mid 50's, a light wind from the east, and air pressure @ 30.0. Of the 15 trips I've made this year, I've only caught fish on three of them.

I own and have owned ***, Shimano, Diawa, BPS, Abu, Lews, and Pfleuger and have never had any problems with them. My favorites are Diawa and ***. I clean and maintain my baitcasters religiously, and do little with my spinning reels.

It is very frustrating. Remember, SMB are masters of unhooking!

You've sent me too many pics of big fish of all species ... That's why you're Mr. Aquarium! If you can take tomorrow off, I'm getting the Ranger wet somewhere... Lastly, your reel is still on my workbench!

Look @ FeelFree. I bought my first Lure 11.5 in 2015 and added another in 2018. The ‘18 version accepts FeelFree’s pedal system called Overdrive, which I have. I average 3 1/2 to 4 mph pedaling. FeelFree’s al-la-cart sytem allows you to paddle before you pedal. The Overdrive system also has an optional electric motor. FeelFree has an all day comfortable seat, is super stable, and has a wheel in the keel to ease transport. Their customer service is superb too. Best of luck choosing your kayak.

Quabbin's opening this year! Boat rentals start mid May. https://www.mass.gov/locations/quabbin-reservoir

Looks like Quabbin's open for boat rentals mid May. https://www.mass.gov/locations/quabbin-reservoir