timcauliffe

You can use the Bedford boat ramp on Carlisle Rd. There's a larger boat ramp with parking on one side and a smaller / walkdown launch on the other for a kayak. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.5085914,-71.3129098,533m/data=!3m1!1e3 http://www.mintz.net/pavlik/Outdoors/BedfordBoatLaunch.html

Get something you can use if it doesn't work out for her I hear great things about the Black Max and an Abu reels. I have a Revo Beast which was my first ever bait caster and I have to say - for a bait caster that intense as my first one - learning to cast was one of the most enjoyable experiences thus far. +1 for Abu reels.

Same here! - Here's my report of last week: Had a great night this past Thursday. Launched my small boat around 7pm. Soon as dark hit, the bite was on. Fished an opening in some thick pads with the BBZ-1 Rat in Ninja color. Had a strong hit, but duffed the hookset. 2-3 casts later - nailed her. I've pulled a bunch of 4+ pounders this season, but this was was my seasons best at 5.07lbs. Moved down the opening in the pads...about 4 casts later, landed a 4.15lb slob. It started getting late and really buggy, so I called it a night. The next few days, I spent the weekend with a good friend at his parents cottage on Lake Ossipee (NH). Took a half day from work and fished throughout the afternoon up there on his Whaler with no luck. We had some beers and BBQ then set out for some more night topwater. Landed a nice 2lb smallie on the ninja rat. Duffed the hookset on another. He had luck with 2 smallies and a largie on a popper. Next day, we setout for the main lake. He pulled in the first smallie, mid-day on a craw in some pads. We moved on to a rocky section of the lake fishing tubes. 2 smallies each for both of us on tubes and craws. One gut hooked itself so bad that is basically died when dragging it in - he was a little bummed. My friend also earlier lost a fat smallie on a jump. The night dropped down to the 40's. I had one hit, but we were unsuccessful the rest of the night. The following day, we set out on Purity Lake and were only able to pull in 1 slime dart each. Bummer. Went back to Lake Ossipee. He pulls in a giant slime dart which shakes off at the boat. We start heading in as the wind is unbareable - I get a hit on the Jackall Ganatrel running it horizontal near his dock. Some decent followers, but no luck. This one lived, but got herself a little bloody. All in all - good weekend!

Lake Boone - Saturday night topwater rat action. 3.15lb on top / 4.10lb on bottom: Stump Pond - Sunday morning - my wife with a 4lb EVEN - pulled from a 3ft shallow of lily pads on a TRUST stick bait (http://www.bassachusetts.com)

Weed guards are few, far and between. Here in MA - the weeds are everywhere and really bog down your trolling motor. But, these two purchases have made life a whole lot easier for me: http://www.ninjagrassblade.com http://www.kipawapropellers.com

Thanks! Greatly appreciated!

Bedford boat ramp - here's some info: http://www.mintz.net/pavlik/Outdoors/BedfordBoatLaunch.html

Thanks! Always shore fished it, but finally took the bass raider out and went upstream. She killed a TRUST 5" junebug stick bait www.bassachusetts.com

4.15lb out of the Concord River last night

How to tie the strongest knot for braided line

I have a 2011 Mazda 3 Hatchback with aftermarket $20 roof-racks on top. I have been hauling a 8ft bass raider style boat on the roof, strapped down through the handles and around the front/back door dividers for close to 2 years now with no issues. Only downfall is the "wind noise" from these being so hollow, but I saved myself a couple hundred bucks.

Are you fishing mono or braid?

Upgrade to a H rod. Cabelas and BPS have some great "lower end" rods that would do the job - a bunch of them rated up to 3-4oz. I would highly recommend upgrading to a Okuma Guide Select H rod - they all come with a lifetime warranty and have been one of my top favorite swimbait rods to date. Reasonably priced and built like a workhorse.

These are the same ones as the $6-8 swimbaits from overseas on eBay. as gobig stated, you're better off putting the money into a proven bait.

Haven't fish both yet, but if it interests you at all - there's a tutorial on Swimbait Underground of how to turn the LC into a glide bait aka glue the back piece together

Had this happen to me when I ordered a refurbished MacBook Pro direct from Apple and shipped to an Apple store. UPS delivered it to a house rather than the only Apple store in the mall. Never saw it. 3 months later, I received my refund and had to purchase a brand new MBP that cost me around $1,500 more than what I originally paid for the one refurbished MBP I wanted.

I have an 8ft Bass Hunter / car topper. I'm looking for a cheap anchoring alternative similar to a power pole or stake out pole. What do you all recommend?

Try different baits. Senkos may catch big fish from time to time, but switching it up never hurts. Change your presentation of lures / baits and work the water column. Throw some topwater / wake baits, shallow crank baits or jerk baits, fish some football jigs on the bottom, etc. There may not be much in there, but again - the smaller guys may be used to seeing the same style bait and are instantly attracted to it.

That looks tasty. Taken it out for a swim yet?

Start cheap - the best thing about smaller swimbaits is they are cheaper and as effective as bigger swimbaits. You should definitely be able to throw the River2Sea S-Waver 168, Savage Gear 6" Slide Swimmer, Savage Gear 6" line-thru trout or the Savage Gear 5"-6" trout (top hook), Cabela's Live Image Swimbaits, Kanan Swimbaits, Spro BBZ 4" swimbaits, etc. Mostly all can be purchased at Cabela's, Tackle Warehouse, Bass Pro or your local tackle shop. Your best bet is to start with a slide-swimmer / s-waver or get 1 of each kind: 1 sinking trout (moderate or fast), a s-waver, a wake bait, and anything else you think would do well in your local ponds & lakes. This will give you the basics to learn not only the individual swimbaits themselves, but retrieves and techniques that will help trigger the bites.

Concord River in the Bedford area is open under the bridge - fished it yesterday. As well as the Assabet River down the street from my home in Hudson - fished that as well. No luck yet, but everything is breaking up nice. Ponds are starting to show open areas at the channels, so I too am hoping this upcoming warmer weather and rain will help break up these winter omens.