On 4/22/2026 at 7:32 AM, Swamp Girl said:

Have you ever used the Yamamoto craws (Yama Craw)? I like the Crush City Cleanup Craws too. Although they're quite popular, I have less success with the Crush City Bronco Bug. My local bass like the swimming craw action of the Yama Craw and Cleanup Craw.

I actually haven't tried either craws, my allegiance lies with the sk rage craws and the zoom speed craws. Both of them provide a different type of aggressive leg kick. I use jj's magic sometimes and while it absolutely stinks I do believe that the fish hold on longer. My favorite way to rig them is either on the back of a jig or a bladed jig. If I'm using a texas rig I prefer a beaver style bait or a brush hog.

Here are some highlights from the past week. I’ve been truly blessed enough to fish a lot this month, and while I didn’t get that spring giant, I did catch good numbers and have really upped my confidence fishing colder water. I also gained a lot of confidence in the soft glide bait. Sometimes the YouTubers really put you on to a gem of a technique.

Anyone else use the Beast Coast Tungsten Lil' Magnum Jigs? I love those things but the trade situation has made them straight up unaffordable (12 bucks each on TW??!!). Anyone here have good alternatives that comply with our lead laws? I love how compact and small profile they are and the head design was great for pitching to cover. Felt like the weed guard was in that sweet spot of no too stiff but not get hung up either. They also have the double wire keeper so trailers stayed in place.

I caught 21 tonight and 19 last night, so even though the air and water are still cool, the fishing is heating up a little. However, they are hitting lightly. Here are my biggest from last night (19 inches) and tonight (17.5 inches), as well as an especially muscular 18.25-incher from last night on the bump board:

:

40 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

21 tonight and 19 last night

You always find a way to inspire me and crush my spirit at the same time lol

What were they hitting?

1 minute ago, Banned User said:

You always find a way to inspire me and crush my spirit at the same time lol

What were they hitting?

I caught the vast majority on T-rigged craws by Yamamoto and Crush City. It was windy both evenings. This evening it was whitecapping and I'm a little woozy still from the canoe going up and down in the waves, but the biggest challenge was the wind pushing me into the bog again and again and again, but that's where the bass were, beneath the woody bushes on the edge of the windblown bog. They hit ever so softly. I detected more bass by watching my line than feeling the hits.

If I catch 4 in a few hours I had a good trip... I know you've heard me say it before, I hate where I live.

16 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

T-rigged craws

What weight? Dragged slowly? Popped lightly? Big hops?

8 hours ago, Banned User said:

What weight? Dragged slowly? Popped lightly? Big hops?

I used 3/16th oz tungsten weights.

Little hops with some pauses. I've tried quick, snappy hops, but those didn't work. I also tried dragging and slow retrieving, but they also didn't work. Now, I'm nearly certain that slow, steady retrieving and faster, steady retrieving will work once the water warms, but in this cool water, they want little movement.

I also tried just letting the lure lay on the bottom here and there, but that never triggered a single strike. So, I'd do one little twitch, two little twitches, three little twitches, and then repeat. I used black and dark blue craws and some garish, brightly colored, blue craws with sparkles and both worked equally well. Just recently, red craws were hot for me, but then they stopped working. I expect they'll soon switch again to some other color.

Two times I cast into those little bushes and the lure dropped through them and right into a bass's mouth. The wind kept blowing me into the bushes, so when it did, I kept testing depth with my paddle. I was surprised to find about three feet of water beneath the bushes and only about two feet away, four to five feet of water.

One time, I nosed into the bog itself where the water is one to two feet deep. I hadn't triggered a single bite yet in water that shallow, but this time, I did, hooking my first shallow water bass. All the rest came on the edge of the bog, except for the few open water bass I hooked while travel trolling. Look to the right of the bass below and you'll see the edge of the bog. There's water behind those brown bushes and there's bass under them. The bushes grow on a water-logged soil, but on the edge, there's pure water under them. I think of them as car ports and bass park under them. The far shoreline to the left of the bass isn't bog. That's largely rock.

I fished a 60 acre pond in the kayak yesterday from 2:00 - 6:00. I have no clue about the water temp since my fish finder is apparently dead. I've fished this place once before and only caught a couple. Not sure I'll go back again.

It seems like there's one spot near the outlet that produces. I caught basically nothing until getting to that spot. But once there I landed 2 LMB of 3+ lbs. They looked very similar, with big bellies, as you can see below. I got both on a wacky rig up close to some reeds. I'd call it a good day!

Seems like things are heating up!

On 4/27/2026 at 2:52 PM, MassYak85 said:

Anyone else use the Beast Coast Tungsten Lil' Magnum Jigs? I love those things but the trade situation has made them straight up unaffordable (12 bucks each on TW??!!). Anyone here have good alternatives that comply with our lead laws? I love how compact and small profile they are and the head design was great for pitching to cover. Felt like the weed guard was in that sweet spot of no too stiff but not get hung up either. They also have the double wire keeper so trailers stayed in place.

I definitely missed the memo on these jigs, they seem awesome but yeah 12 dollars is insane.

57 minutes ago, JG233 said:

I fished a 60 acre pond in the kayak yesterday from 2:00 - 6:00. I have no clue about the water temp since my fish finder is apparently dead. I've fished this place once before and only caught a couple. Not sure I'll go back again.

It seems like there's one spot near the outlet that produces. I caught basically nothing until getting to that spot. But once there I landed 2 LMB of 3+ lbs. They looked very similar, with big bellies, as you can see below. I got both on a wacky rig up close to some reeds. I'd call it a good day!

That looks way bigger than 3lbs 😆

4 minutes ago, AverageAngler said:

That looks way bigger than 3lbs 😆

She THICC

haha - yeah maybe bigger?!

but I don't fish with a scale these days

I moved abroad a few years back, which means I only get to fish when I'm back visiting -- that also means my gear is super limited and I'm trying not to invest in too much new stuff

Anybody know how water levels are at The Nip? Considering making the trip this weekend but the lake is sketchy enough as it is at full pool nevermind when it's down 2 feet.

This will be my last update. I've been out 24 times this year in MA, NH, and currently CT. I've ZEREO'd 20 of the 24 times so far. I fished Candlewood today. Water temps were in the high 50's. I spoke to a guy coming off the water who did well, including multiple 5 # LMB. No matter what I throw, and where I throw it, I come up empty.

I'm going to try again down here while I'm here because my hotel is non-refundable. I'm done after this trip, at least for the rest of the year.

If anyone local to Boston is interested in a '17 Ranger RT178 with ALL the accessories, drop me a PM. I'll let it go for a fair price. The boat has to go. It's mint, and taken care of the way @A-Jay takes care of his Lund.

Thanks for all the good information my BassResource family has given me over the years, and best of luck to my fellow New Englanders. I hope you ALL have a great 2026.

And for you old timers, I'm still going to try to get @Fishing Rhino out a couple times this year. I'll likely just pilot his Nitro for him and let him do his thing.

@DogBone_384: You'll be missed.

@DogBone_384 When I read your post, I found it quite a shock. I've only been out once on the kayak this year and you've been out 24X - wow - hardcore fisherman.

I've always found April really tough anyway, as of late, I was thinking of trying for stripers in the Taunton River but upsteam as they follow the alewives.

I have found May to be the month where the fishing really begins in this area and very dependent on the body of water. Some postings about other areas of the country, I could never match the numbers they seem to produce. I just don't think this area supports that kind of numbers.

Plus, honestly, I was hoping for a meetup at Norton Reservoir this year as discussed earlier and I was going to suggest mid May.

Anyway, take care and I hope the fishing drought soon disappears.

2 hours ago, Angler Andy said:

you've been out 24X

I'm retired.

13 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

This will be my last update. I've been out 24 times this year in MA, NH, and currently CT. I've ZEREO'd 20 of the 24 times so far. I fished Candlewood today. Water temps were in the high 50's. I spoke to a guy coming off the water who did well, including multiple 5 # LMB. No matter what I throw, and where I throw it, I come up empty.

I'm going to try again down here while I'm here because my hotel is non-refundable. I'm done after this trip, at least for the rest of the year.

If anyone local to Boston is interested in a '17 Ranger RT178 with ALL the accessories, drop me a PM. I'll let it go for a fair price. The boat has to go. It's mint, and taken care of the way @A-Jay takes care of his Lund.

Thanks for all the good information my BassResource family has given me over the years, and best of luck to my fellow New Englanders. I hope you ALL have a great 2026.

And for you old timers, I'm still going to try to get @Fishing Rhino out a couple times this year. I'll likely just pilot his Nitro for him and let him do his thing.

Oof I know that feeling. Once on my HOME LAKE in October we were having a super slow day and then these two teenagers in a Bass Tracker rolled up on a spot we already tried and got two 5s.

April is tough don't feel bad, but I get the feeling of burning out on something that's supposed to be relaxing and fun when things aren't lining up the way you want them to.

21 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Anybody know how water levels are at The Nip? Considering making the trip this weekend but the lake is sketchy enough as it is at full pool nevermind when it's down 2 feet.

I work 10 minutes from the Nip, I’ll try to get by tomorrow before work to check the level.

18 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

This will be my last update. I've been out 24 times this year in MA, NH, and currently CT. I've ZEREO'd 20 of the 24 times so far.

I’ve had a below average start to the season as well, I don’t keep meticulous records but I’ve been out 18-20 times and zeroed at least 1/2.. but it’s just starting to break lose for me now. I hope you reconsider… I probably wouldn’t still be alive if I hadn’t found fishing.

@DogBone_384 Man, I feel like a dumb dumb--I'm at my family's house in CT and I would've fished Candlewood with you (if you had a open seat). I should've reached out. In general, I feel like you're being too hard on yourself. Fishing twelve months a year doesn't really set you up for success. I've always thought of the New England fishing as May - Oct. It's just so unproductive otherwise. Just my two cents. Hang in there man.

On 4/29/2026 at 4:01 PM, MassYak85 said:

Anybody know how water levels are at The Nip? Considering making the trip this weekend but the lake is sketchy enough as it is at full pool nevermind when it's down 2 feet.

I’ve been rechecking the site all day to post my findings… I’ve seen it lower I’ve seen it higher. I think this is definitely on the high side which was a little surprising since every other pond nearby that I frequent looks like they’re in danger of going dry.

On 4/30/2026 at 12:51 AM, DogBone_384 said:

I'm retired.

Bass is a warm water fish. If you put all your effort into targeting warm water fish during the cold water period, you will be often disappointed. I think about now would be a good time to try hard for bass. And striper.

12 minutes ago, TheSwearingAngler said:

I’ve been rechecking the site all day to post my findings… I’ve seen it lower I’ve seen it higher. I think this is definitely on the high side which was a little surprising since every other pond nearby that I frequent looks like they’re in danger of going dry.

Thanks man! Looks good enough to me.

4 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

Thanks man! Looks good enough to me.

I may hit it too… if I can wake up, been a tough week.

Here's one of 15 I caught this afternoon in the wind:

I'm going to try surface lures tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed they're active enough to feed upwards.