8 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

they're always moving and wanting something different and if I'm going to catch them, I have to find them again and again and again.

So true and hard to teach at the same time  

 

Great post

JF10

Saturday I fished for a few hours out at Walden pond, fishing was terrible, 3 hours no bites. Aside from some trout roaming the shallows ignoring all my offerings, the bass were locked on the bottom in around 30ft and took nothing I offered either. This place gives me one good outing for every 10 times I go, sometimes I wonder why I keep going back...

 

Sunday was much better, I tried a new spot on the south shore known for large fish, I didn't luck into anything of size but I landed 5 bass and 2 yellow perch. The day started off hot with 3 fish in 45 minutes but then the wind died and the bite slowed down to a halt, pretty much only picking up when the wind started again. Most fish came on the wind blown banks, some were next to docks, and others were on points. The largest came on the grass piece off the windiest point, around a 2.5lber, what an awesome lure that grass piece is. I fell into the hype and bought two and so far they've been working great, they chatter immediately and come through cover great.

 

I may go out after work again on Wednesday, and this weekend looks pretty juicy with more seasonal weather coming up. I hope everyone on here has a good week, the fishing is still pretty good so get out there!

I threw my waders in my rent-a-dent and 'mozied' down to one of my favorite Plymouth SMB holes.

 

I took one rod, some Neds, Senkos, small paddle tails, and tubes.  I managed to beat the skunk with a yellow perch weighing in at just over a pound.  Mr. Perch ate a green/orange tube.

 

The only signs of life, other than the perch, was two ducks and some water bugs.  

 

I think it's time to get the blade bait box out.  My body shop should get my truck back to me in a couple days so I'll be back on the water next week.

 

On 10/27/2025 at 9:57 AM, AverageAngler said:

This place gives me one good outing for every 10 times I go, sometimes I wonder why I keep going back...

 

I've got a couple ponds in Plymouth and Cape Cod I usually leave wondering the same thing.... 

Even though the air temps are in the mid 50s for the most part, the water has been

C O L D.  49 degree water temps both Sunday and Monday, but the fish are still pretty active. I went out on Sunday to fish my favorite river and even though I skunked I had a good time enjoying the breezy afternoon. The river has gotten really high, getting closer to typical spring levels which doesn't bode well for me; I usually do a lot better when the water levels are much lower. I lost a couple good bites on a jig, one being at the boat, but my memory served me right as the bites all occurred on the rocks that were exposed in the summer and submerged now. A good learning experience, even with the lack of fish slime on me.

 

Yesterday I called out of work for a... uhh, mental health day, and I went out to a pond further away to try and make up for the skunk. What a great decision I made because even though I got out later than expected(honestly forgot about how drastic the change in daylight is with the clocks going back) the fishing was great. Water temps were still in that high 40s-low50s and the fish were moving! I had so many bites from pickerel and smaller bass, but was only able to land 6 good sized bass. I lost two good ones at the boat, and had a couple hooksets fail on me, but overall the wind and cloudy/rainy conditions were too good to not have success. Bladed jigs did the damage as the grass was still too prevalent for treble hooked baits to succeed. The grass piece has been on fire for me, what an amazing bait, and the bladed jig came in clutch with an 18.5 incher when the fish got used to the other presentation. The fish would eat the lure so hard that it knocked slack into my line, hence some hooksets failing.

 

I will be away this weekend so no fishing for me, but these cruddy weather days should force a feed before it starts getting really cold. When I come back I will start heading to Wachusett to try my luck at some late season smallies and lake trout, I've never caught anything at the Chu, if anyone has some advice on what to look out for I would be forever thankful.

1 hour ago, AverageAngler said:

EThe grass piece has been on fire for me, what an amazing bait, and the bladed jig came in clutch with an 18.5 incher when the fish got used to the other presentation. The fish would eat the lure so hard that it knocked slack into my line, hence some hooksets failing.

I've been holding back on trying these because the last thing I need is another expensive "Go-to" Japanese bait I have to stock up on lol. 

 

Do they really make that much of a difference over a jack hammer or similar bladed jig? 

The rivers will be cold and high from the rain we’ve had. Good job getting out there and getting it done! 

I checked off November yesterday on Cape Cod while working out my Active Target's bugs.  I could only manage handful of dink perch and LMB, with the biggest LMB a scale shattering 1.09 pounds, which has been my pattern this year wherever I wet a line.  A clown V110 was my most productive bait.  I had one BIG SMB follow a Ned back to the boat and turn off, so I know they were there.  

 

It was overcast, windy, but mild for November.  Air pressure was 29.8 Water temps were 56.x when I launched and 54.x when I left.

 

Overall, 2025 has been a bust.  I'm glad it's almost over.  I'm going to have to come up with a better plan for 2026.  

 

I also want to push members following this thread to get together for a day or two on the water.

2 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

I also want to push members following this thread to get together for a day or two on the water.

That's a good idea. A nice centralized location and a chance to fish a new body of water.

I took advantage of yesterday's good weather and drove to Cape Cod in search of some late season smallies.  I launched around 1030 and gave up around 1630.  I covered the whole place, threw everything from jigs to Neds to blade baits and had but a lone smallie follow my jig back to the boat and turn off.  I couldn't even manage a jerkbait bite.  I spoke to another guy on the lake and he was only catching perch.

 

Water temps were 55.x when I launched and 53.x when I left.  Air pressure was 30 and winds were light from the south.

I walked down to my pond yesterday afternoon and cast about 15 times from the one spot where I can stand. I used a paddletail on an underspin, but skunked. I think the water's just too cold for them to react. Still, I had a good time being in the woods and my pooch sure wanted to bite my lure. I had some gravel in my trailer from erecting my fence, so I towed that to the pond and spread it around the turnaround area for my car. Gosh, I'm getting old. That gravel was so heavy and I had to take several breaks. 

If you slowed it down, dragged a worm etc., I bet you would have got bit.  🤔

5 hours ago, Don51 said:

If you slowed it down, dragged a worm etc., I bet you would have got bit.  🤔

 

To be frank, I don't know a thing about catching cold water bass, so you're probably right.

10 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

To be frank, I don't know a thing about catching cold water bass, so you're probably right.

I like you better as Katie and not Frank  

1 minute ago, Jigfishn10 said:

I like you better as Katie and not Frank  

 

Me too because Frank can't catch a single cold water bass and Katie's pretty good at catching bass!

That you are @Swamp Girl!   

Drew a ZERO today in Plymouth.

 

Water temps were 48.x. Air pressure was 29.9.

 

6 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Drew a ZERO today in Plymouth.

 

Water temps were 48.x. Air pressure was 29.9.

 

I always found the shallower ponds are easier to fish and produce much better in that temp. range. Your "home pond" , Billington and many of the shallow bog ponds throughout the south shore are a better bet.  🤔

 

 

On 11/15/2025 at 4:07 AM, Don51 said:

I always found the shallower ponds are easier to fish and produce much better in that temp. range. Your "home pond" , Billington and many of the shallow bog ponds throughout the south shore are a better bet.  🤔

 

 

You like fishing shallow pond better than deeper in the cold? That’s something I need to work on. Rather go finesse fishing down deep

5 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

You like fishing shallow pond better than deeper in the cold? That’s something I need to work on. Rather go finesse fishing down deep

The fish are much easier to find. The sun exposed banks will usually hold fish. Too much guess work fishing the deep ponds. Some of the shallow bog ponds fish really well in the cold weather. 

Very cold and windy out here this past weekend. I was out of town last weekend so even with the weather I needed to go out. I hit up two new spots for me, one south shore and one out west. Neither were particularly successful. The south shore spot yielded one smb on a dropshot with two lost fish on a blade bait. Both fish in water less than 10 ft deep.

 

The west spot was promising, but with the intense wind gusts I had to strategically place myself in certain spots, which limited some of my range. The fish finder showed me tons of stacked up schools, but they ate nothing I offered; jerkbaits, dropshots, a-rigs, crankbaits, jigs did not get me a single bite. I tied on a finesse jerkbait on my dropshot rod and discovered that the big schools were actually white perch, and pretty good ones at that. I landed a couple to get the skunk out of the boat, and made myself dinner out of them, shallow fried perch is quite tasty! Both spots had water temps in the mid 40s, with the highest being 48 and the lowest being 44.

 

Hopefully next weekend will be better fishing, I made it a goal of mine to try to catch 20 bass a month, so far I'm at 7 in November, most likely will fall short of the goal but I believe I can at least get 3 in the next two weeks to make it 10, then I might shift to trout. I've seen some crazy fish pulled out of the pond next to my work...

20 minutes ago, AverageAngler said:

goal of mine to try to catch 20 bass a month

 

20 bass per month going forward is going to be tough.  I recommend sticking to shallow waters.

 

Good luck getting there.

6 hours ago, Don51 said:

The fish are much easier to find. The sun exposed banks will usually hold fish. Too much guess work fishing the deep ponds. Some of the shallow bog ponds fish really well in the cold weather. 

I need to find those spots 

1 hour ago, AverageAngler said:

and made myself dinner out of them

You are a brave man. I would not eat any freshwater fish in Ma. except fish that were stocked.

Here is a Freshwater Fish Consumption Advisory List for Ma.

 

4 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

 

20 bass per month going forward is going to be tough.  I recommend sticking to shallow waters.

 

Good luck getting there.

Thank you! If I make it to 10 I will be happy, anything more is a bonus.

 

2 hours ago, Angler Andy said:

You are a brave man. I would not eat any freshwater fish in Ma. except fish that were stocked.

Here is a Freshwater Fish Consumption Advisory List for Ma.

 

I appreciate the concern, I did do my due diligence and fished a place that gets trout stockings and isn't on the advisory list. I understand that doesn't mean much considering every place has been contaminated, but in my mind the risk is low; I had around 8oz of meat, the water was cold, and perch rank low on the totem pole of mercury accumulation. The funny thing is that they tasted SO much better than the trout that get stocked here, no "pond" taste and the meat was firm and flakey.

Thursday, Nov 20, 2025

Air Temp: high 40s

Water Temp: N/A

Partly cloudy to sunny skies

North winds about 5mph

Time: 1PM - 3:45PM

 

Since the marine vessels are covered for the winter, I decided on such a nice day to do some shore fishing at the local lake.

Took only plastic (neko) worms and jerkbaits.

As I walked along the rocky shoreline, I remembered how non-nimble I have become  I looked at some places and said, "Nah, I'm not going down there. I'll look for a more friendly area."

NO bites on the jerkbaits and only a couple of nibbles on the neko worm. The nibbles must have been small perch. If it was a bass, I would have got'em! 🙃

There was one spot I thought for certain I was going to get a bite but nope - none.

However, it felt good to be out and fish for an afternoon.