13 minutes ago, DogBone_384 said:

That's sure not a bad thing... '21 was the only year since '17 I didn't catch fish in open water in MA.

 

Dunno what happened in March '21, but I couldn't buy a bite in any water, from my boat or kayak!

 

Poor @Saltysmalljaws and @Mr. Aquarium suffered through my ranting and complaining (that's why they're ALWAYS welcome on my boat)!

 

 

... tomorrow's another day....

I was ranting and complaining today. It happens! 

I got 4 Rainbow Trout in the 16-18" range yesterday morning.  44 degrees at 8:30am got up to 48. Rain off and on and just enough wind to be raw. Cold feet and fingers cut off the trip at about 3.5 hours.

It’s been a grind the past 3 days. 
Friday, fished a new pond, 37 degree water, 3.5lb pickerel and a small bass on a tube quickly right when I got there. 
Saturday went for a Hail Mary. Trying to start the new year with a giant bass. Missed 3 pickerel at the first spot.  They wouldn’t bite!!! 2nd spot, a new spot.  I finally got fish! A 2lb bass and a 3.5 lb pickerel on a jerkbait at sunset. They were chasing bait up shallow. Water temps 41
Sunday. Fished another new spot, got lot of pickerel and a big pondie up shallow, water temps 38-43. Saw lot of surface activity. Got lot of hits on a few different baits, deps 175, Swaver, real prey, jerkbaits, imakastu stealth swimmer, square bills. With no bass to show, I decided to pack up,  close to the ramp. I saw a few fish jump, took a cast, spooked a big school up really shallow. Last cast of the day got a 3.8 lb bass on a jerkbait. 

Then I decided to try for some topwater bass. Got 2 bass and missed 2. Slammer got it done! Super stoked!

On 1/1/2022 at 5:46 PM, MassBass said:

Holy smokes it was warm today, this can't be normal? Back up north Haverhill/Lawrence you used to be able to rely on safe ice by the new year, I say that and I'm not even that old. The ice sculptures didn't even make it past 8 o'clock last night. I might have to go fish open water tomorrow if it is going to be the same weather. I have some new blade baits to try. Anyone capitalize on this weather and conditions? 

Same man. Ice season used to be AT LEAST a solid 2.5-3 months. 

 

It's gonna be wild when kids 20 and 30 years from now look up the old MA record bass and wonder "how in the heck did someone ice fish that part of the state?"

21 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

It’s been a grind the past 3 days. 
Friday, fished a new pond, 37 degree water, 3.5lb pickerel and a small bass on a tube quickly right when I got there. 
Saturday went for a Hail Mary. Trying to start the new year with a giant bass. Missed 3 pickerel at the first spot.  They wouldn’t bite!!! 2nd spot, a new spot.  I finally got fish! A 2lb bass and a 3.5 lb pickerel on a jerkbait at sunset. They were chasing bait up shallow. Water temps 41
Sunday. Fished another new spot, got lot of pickerel and a big pondie up shallow, water temps 38-43. Saw lot of surface activity. Got lot of hits on a few different baits, deps 175, Swaver, real prey, jerkbaits, imakastu stealth swimmer, square bills. With no bass to show, I decided to pack up,  close to the ramp. I saw a few fish jump, took a cast, spooked a big school up really shallow. Last cast of the day got a 3.8 lb bass on a jerkbait. 

Then I decided to try for some topwater bass. Got 2 bass and missed 2. Slammer got it done! Super stoked!

I would consider that fast action this time of season! I went to the river Charles yesterday, I had a yellow perch show as a follow early on with a blade bait; so then I had high hopes for a fast perch bite, but that was not to be. I had another fish show as a follow, looked like a river herring? Tried two different colors of blade bait and some spinners. Tide was unfavorable, and I don't think the flow was high either. I tend to do best when the river is high tide and full.

18 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Same man. Ice season used to be AT LEAST a solid 2.5-3 months. 

 

It's gonna be wild when kids 20 and 30 years from now look up the old MA record bass and wonder "how in the heck did someone ice fish that part of the state?"

They might also wonder if the fish was brought in from Georgia??

31 minutes ago, MassBass said:

I would consider that fast action this time of season! I went to the river Charles yesterday, I had a yellow perch show as a follow early on with a blade bait; so then I had high hopes for a fast perch bite, but that was not to be. I had another fish show as a follow, looked like a river herring? Tried two different colors of blade bait and some spinners. Tide was unfavorable, and I don't think the flow was high either. I tend to do best when the river is high tide and full.

They might also wonder if the fish was brought in from Georgia??

Thanks dude! Was hoping for multiple bass each day. I’ve seen people slay this time of year locally. Chance for a striper in the Charles 

4 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Thanks dude! Was hoping for multiple bass each day. I’ve seen people slay this time of year locally. Chance for a striper in the Charles 

Charles can definitely be an underrated place, especially this time of year. 

My pond melted out on Saturday night so I went out for a few hours sunday in the yak. Should have checked my fish finder battery prior because it was dead when I got on the water. I was able to find some bass on the bottom in green weeds about 15-20 ft of water. Got 8 bass and 2 Perch on a 1/4 oz blade bait. Whenever my blade bait got snagged in grass I would rip it to clear the grass and that's when most hits came.  Did see a few fish up top but I think they were perch rising. Woke up this morning to 12 degrees and a skim of ice across the whole pond. It was nice to get out in January and catch some bass. Felt like fall conditions. 

19 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Charles can definitely be an underrated place,

Never done too well there. A small bass or pickerel here and there. Carp can be good

1 hour ago, bass.slayer69 said:

Never done too well there. A small bass or pickerel here and there. Carp can be good

In my one year and a day there, I have caught zero pickerel or any Esox. I may dust off the carp tackle and try for some in '22, I have seen them hither and thither.  

On 1/4/2022 at 7:45 PM, MassBass said:

I may dust off the carp tackle and try for some in '22, I have seen them hither and thither.  

I tried 4 times for them throughout the year, caught one on two of the trips. Wicked hard fighters I must say. Comparable to a striper of its size.

They are fun!  Last time I went was 2020. I lost the rod due to a closed bail. Fish hit and took the rod. I caught the rod an hour later with the fish still attached. So i caught the rod with my other setup, reeled in the fish on the rod I just lost

I'm trying to get out on some hardwater this weekend and I'm looking to send it up to southern NH. Anyone got any recommendations for some good bass lakes in that area? I'm also looking to get onto some trout whether it be the usual three species or some lakers. Not looking to steal any honey holes just generic locations to start. 

Was doing the math on if/when we’ll get ice and the FDD formula says we’ll have 4 inches of ice by the weekend… intriguing.

Time to tie flies...

On 1/10/2022 at 11:39 AM, bass.slayer69 said:

Was doing the math on if/when we’ll get ice and the FDD formula says we’ll have 4 inches of ice by the weekend… intriguing.

Today should add significant amounts to any place that's locked up. I've heard reports of 2 to 4 inches of mixed iced in Central MA. Being this cold I'd think there should be close to 6 on a lot of small ponds this weekend but we'll see.

I had to drive to Sheep Pond in Harwich to find open water.  I fished mid afternoon to dusk.  I landed 8 small yellow perch, all on a gold Damiki blade bait, in 25+ ft of water.  I hooked, but lost, one more on a TacticalBassin’ crank bait (burn, burn, burn, pause… if you watch their channel).

 

Water temps were 40.x and the air pressure was 30.  It was nearly calm and mostly cloudy.  

 

I drove past Bloody Pond, Hedges, and Snake ponds.  The first two were locked up solid.  Snake looks like it could open back up with a couple warm days.  Unfortunately, that’s NOT this weekend’s forecast.

Did you happen to check Wequaquet lake? Was that locked up too?

 

Thanks!

1 hour ago, guidoStow said:

Did you happen to check Wequaquet lake? Was that locked up too?

 

Thanks!

No. I had my kayak.

8 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

No. I had my kayak.

Ah. Thanks!

Anyone here going to Boxborough fishing show in a few weeks? What time does the line usually start forming on Friday? Thx!

FYI,

Wequaquet lake Coves freeze up pretty quick, if it does freeze up. I use to fish the coves, ice fishing, many moons ago. And, Sheeps pond by the boat ramp would freeze up first too. If the Cape gets solid enough ice to fish this year, most of everyone on this board, would be crazy not to go. I used to catch 4lb largemouth  averages through the ice at several cape ponds. And, I’m talking about 10-15 fish a day. The bigger ones tend be the more aggressive ones in the water. It’s a simple matter of being bigger, they are more active.

It's ice fishing season boys! 

 

 

Got out today for the first time. This is the first season I've had a shelter and it was much appreciated today lol. Single digits and winds around 15mph made for brutal conditions and real feel temps in the negative teens to start. Ice was good. Solid 4 to 5 inches of mixed iced. There was a decent section of pure black ice that froze last. It was only like 2.5 inches. Probably would have been fine but I wasn't gonna risk it. It started slow but the bass made their way around. Ended up with 7 bass, 3 pickerel. Biggest bass was probably around 3.5lbs. Pretty good day to start the season.

Massyak85,

Where did you go, if you don’t mind me asking. 

On 1/15/2022 at 8:57 PM, JAB50 said:

Massyak85,

Where did you go, if you don’t mind me asking. 

A1. Usually gets hit pretty hard during ice season. Left of the island was a bit sketchy for whatever reason there was a good stretch that must have opened up during the first snow storm.