DogBone_384

Still in the 50’s here in the Boston area. Last week water temps were 58.x.... not for much longer.

Firstly, welcome to the forum. More information is needed before the membership can chime in with good information. Don's asked all the questions we need to get started. Also, do you fish from shore or on a boat/kayak?

Dropped into Hedges yesterday afternoon in search of some late season SMB. I caught a 2 pound SMB on a black/blue Ned and another, about 1 1/2 pounds, on a black/blue tube. Both were caught by dead sticking the bait, a true test of my patience. I also caught two nice yellow perch. One on a chartreuse lipless and the other on a brown/purple hair jig. I was pretty breezy. Water temps were 58.x - 59.x and air pressure was 30.2. My Lowrance was lit up like a Christmas tree in 16’+ areas that butted up to steep rises. I’ll probably get out a few more times this year, packing blade baits and in-line spinners on light setups. Best of luck to anyone else soldiering on too.

Welcome to the forum from eastern MA.

Firstly, congrats to Mr. Aquarium ... looks like you had a great weekend! I took another shot at Great South yesterday afternoon, focusing on deeper drop offs and the two humps in the south west end of the pond. Got one nice SMB, between 2 1/2 - 3 pounds, on a Rapala jointed deep runner dressed in pike (though it looks like a Smallmouth), the biggest SMB I've caught there this year, I didn't weigh it because one of the trebles nicked/cut one of the fish's gills and wanted to get it back in the water as quickly as possible. Not much happened the rest of the afternoon. I got three nice White Perch, two on a SMB flavored LV500 lipless, and the third on a bluegill Rapala pencil. I also threw a couple different tubes and drop-shotted a small Keitech impact that worked for me at Great Herring. Other than some perch nibbling on the Keitech, nobody wanted soft baits. I marked most traffic between 30-40', suspended at different depths, and on the bottom. Water temps were 59.x - 60.x. Air pressure was 30.1 and fell just a bit when I got back to my truck. Looks like it's time to break out my blade baits....

Yes I do. A Shakespeare spinning combo I bought from BraWey Sports in the late 70’s, early ‘80’s. I don’t use it anymore. I guess I keep it for sentimental reasons.

Yes, MH Kistler tips are awesome. I have Heliums (2 & 3), Magnesiums, and KLXs in MH and they're all great with baits down to 1/4 ounce.

Here, read this thread:

I was going to go out too, but the TO DO list and Bluebird conditions made me think otherwise. OK, it was the former more than the latter, but I'll go out tomorrow if I don't pick up an extra shift.

I fly Jet Blue. They allow my Akuma and Diawa travel rods as carry ons. They’re both in short, semi-soft cases. Any tackle/hooks bigger than a trout hook need to be checked baggage, according to TSA rules. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/small-fishing-lures

I got an email from Dick’s Sporting Goods yesterday. They’re offering 20% off your entire web order this weekend.

Fished Bucks Pond yesterday, Hinckley’s and Snake today. It was very windy at Bucks, but I managed a nice LMB on a green/gold 5” wacky Senko, two dink LMB on a bluegill Yozuri square bill, and a tiny SMB on a white/pearl 4” wacky Senko. I can’t count the big LMB because the hook broke and it never made it to the kayak. It was in the 70’s, water temp was 68.x, and the air pressure was 30.1. I struck out at both Hinckley’s AND Snake. I threw everything I had except a jig, blade bait, and jerk bait and couldn’t buy a bite. I added a small Keitech on a drop shot at Snake in a last ditch effort to save the day ... no such luck. I didn’t mark much at Hinckleys, but Snake looked like a yard sale, with targets EVERYWHERE. It was drizzling when I got to Hinckley’s before dawn and then overcast the rest of the morning. I fished deep and shallow, fast and slow. The only thing I can come up with is that it was just the calm after a rainy night and the bite was shut off. Not exactly what I expected from the Cape, but I gave it my best. See above ....

Nothing crazy about that!

I thought the same, but decided on the kayaks. I’m glad I did. FeelFree’s Overdrive gets me almost 4 mph pedaling normally and can be removed/replaced with a storage pod when not used. I leave the OD unit home when I fish shallow, weedy ponds. The drawback to a kayak is that it’s a single seat. Best of luck deciding.....

I got an email from FeelFree Kayaks today announcing clearance pricing on Moken and Lure kayaks. I have ‘14 and ‘18 Lures 11.5’s and love them. Their Overdrive works great. https://www.feelfreegearus.com/collections/kayaks?utm_source=Feelfree+Gear+Shopify&utm_campaign=7d355f24e5-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_22_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_55d0a8fce4-7d355f24e5-343266945&mc_cid=7d355f24e5&mc_eid=c7aedcefac

Live bait's not fishing .... it's waiting! ?

I own Concept A, C, E, and Z reels. They all work great. I find the Z is very finicky and requires too much adjustment. My Z doesn’t throw light baits very well. I installed Z ‘bearings’ in one of my A’s and it’s phenomenal, so I’s attribute the Z’s poor performance to something else inside the reel. For the extra $20/30, get a Concept C (or Shimano/Diawa). The C is much smoother than the Z and requires little/no readjustment when changing baits.

If bluebird weather produces little, what about rain? I gave it a shot this afternoon at Great South. I launched around 3:45 and stayed a little after dark. With a light rain, wind from the E/NE, and temps in the 60’s I fished deep where I marked targets with a 3.8” Keitech. The rain got heavier, but not bad enough to stop. I zig zagged in the 30 - 40’ areas between the island and south points and moved shallower when daylight waned. In the end, I managed 2 good white perch by dragging the Keitech on the bottom deep, a 2 pound LMB with the same Keitech in 15-20’ on the SW bank. I caught two SMB (1.5 & 1 pound) while trolling a Rapala DT6 in Ike’s Demon back to the launch. Gonna try to get back there before the weekend .... I’m making progress in figuring out GS. Water temps were 69.x - 68.x, winds were roughly 10 mph from the E/NE, and BP was 29.8 inHg. ADD: I got an email from MA fisheries this afternoon with the stocking calendar. Cliff Pond and Sheep were trout stocked yesterday. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/trout-stocking-report

Dropped into Ponkie for a couple hours this evening to see what was what... The water level is down from just a couple weeks ago. My Lowrance showed 4' where it's normally 7'. The weeds are still very thick but browner. Water temps were 68.x and BP was 29.9 inHg. Winds were 5-6 mph from the east. I managed two fat dink LMB. One on a green 5" wacky Senko and the other on a Yozuri wakebait in bluegill. Lastly, I saw a good, healthy coyote getting a drink at the launch as I paddled back. The deer I've seen recently have their winter coats on too. I might have to put the fishing rod down for a bit and get out the bow & shotgun.... Naw, I'll just have to make time for both!

Sounds like deep is the key this week ....

I've never had much luck with Whopper Ploppers. I have much better luck with walking baits, for whatever reason.

I launched at Great South just before dawn yesterday with perfect glass-like conditions. I hooked up with a pretty decent smallie on the first cast using a white/red Zara Spook. Unfortunately, it spit me at the kayak. Once the sun came up it was a perfect, blue-bird day, just like Wednesday when Fishing Rhino and I fished the Quabbin. I fished shallow, deep, and in the middle, switching off between a 3.8" Fat Impact, brown/purple hair jig, and various Rapala DT's. My only fish was a 2.51 small mouth that took the Keitech off the bottom in 30+ feet of water. I don't think the kitchen sink would have bought me a shallow bite. The grass/weeds I found were in better shape than the Q and Ponkapog. I saw groups of fry near the beaches almost all the way around GS. I also marked many bait balls, but couldn't scare up any bites in and around them. My Lowrance showed the most arches near/on the bottom in 30 to 40+ feet. I got a few hits deep, but no hook-ups. Water temps started at 68.x and finished at 72.x. Air pressure was 30.1. Gonna give it another shot next week.

Fishing Rhino and I launched at Quabbin area #3 at 0600 sharp. It was 46 degrees according to my truck's dash. The weather quickly turned beautiful ... too beautiful. We covered a lot of water today. Some regular spots and some new. Tom ended up with a pile of smallies. I managed one and one bluegill. All fish weighed in ounces ... I think our 'limit bag' might have been just under two pounds. I tossed everything but the kitchen sink..... should have brought one. Water temps were 69.x - 70.x. There was nary a breeze most of the day and the air pressure was 29.8. Tom left at around 3:30. I stayed until 5:00, determined to finish the day with a bass that weighed one pound! Just like the Red Sox bull pen .... not so much. The day's highlight was the sandwiches my wife made. I'm glad the 2019 Quabbin season is over. The long drive for me just isn't worth it when I have better fishing closer by in Plymouth/Cape Cod.

I have the same problem .... two more Kistlers OTW.

Kistler’s sweetening their clearance sale with an additional 11% off an order with the code BONUS11... It’s gonna be hard to keep the monkey out of my bank account now!