Took a drive to my favorite kettle in Plymouth with one rod and water shoes...

 

Came up with 3 SMB on a Rapala Shadow Rap jerkbait and 2 more on a PINK 3.8" Keitech.

 

All in all it's been a good year.  Both size and quantity have been good.  

 

Hope everyone else is having the same luck this season.

 

I need to get back to freshwater my striper fishing has been absolutely horrible. Can’t seem to catch em no mater where or when I go 

Did a half hour shore sesh in Tyngsboro yesterday with the PB rat while it was raining. Had a massive fish swipe at it 10 feet in front of me as I lifted it out of the water....pain.

Packed up and headed south yesterday.  I fished two ponds in Plymouth and one in Bourne.  Plymouth gave up a few good SMB on a perch V110+1 jr and clown Shimano Flash-Boost.  It was my first time at the Bourne pond.  It's small.  I caught a nice Sunny, Yellow Perch, and three dink Larries.  The panfish came on a green/chartreuse Ned.  Two LMB liked a 4" black/blue flake Senko and the third took the Shimano jerkbait.

 

It was hot, humid, and pretty breezy.  Water temps were in the low 80's and air pressure was 30.1

I stuck close to home and fished Hingham yesterday for a couple hours.  Came up with 2 LMB and a slab of a Crappie.  The big bass just broke two pounds and smashed a clown Shimano Flash-boost jerkbait.  The second bass ate a green/red flake jig under a ledge/rock on a steep shoreline.  Mr. Crappie tried to fit a table rock colored Stunna 112+1 in it's wittle mout ....   

 

Drop shot, Ned, and wacky Senko didn't produce.  It was hot, mostly sunny, and winds were about 10 mph from the SW.  Water temps were 86.x - 87.x and air pressure was 30.

 

Good luck to those getting out.  It's been a pretty good season so far.

I usually do good in the summer on a whopper plopper 130

@Mr. Aquarium what set up do you throw those big ploppers on?

 

I been having luck at night with a buzzbait, but might give the plop a go

2 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

@Mr. Aquarium what set up do you throw those big ploppers on?

 

I been having luck at night with a buzzbait, but might give the plop a go

It’s not a heavy bait! Just my normal bass gear. The 130 is the middle size the 190 is the beefy musky size! They are awesome. I caught some big fish on during the day on WPs

@Mr. Aquarium 1 3/8 oz is definitely a beefy lure, is your normal bass gear a mhf rated up to 3/4 or xhmf rated up to 1 1/2?

 

I have a heavy fast and heavy mf, both rated up to 1 oz, I figure 14-20 pound mono? I see some dudes throwing 65 brain for plops on heavy/xheavy flippin sticks.

 

That's why I was askin, everybody got a different perspective and approach and I was wondering what works for you. I hear those launch so a 100 size reel probably too small ya think?

 

I've only got a couple I think , WP 90s and one BPS ploppo that's I think 1 oz or so

6 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

@Mr. Aquarium 1 3/8 oz is definitely a beefy lure, is your normal bass gear a mhf rated up to 3/4 or xhmf rated up to 1 1/2?

 

I have a heavy fast and heavy mf, both rated up to 1 oz, I figure 14-20 pound mono? I see some dudes throwing 65 brain for plops on heavy/xheavy flippin sticks.

 

That's why I was askin, everybody got a different perspective and approach and I was wondering what works for you. I hear those launch so a 100 size reel probably too small ya think?

 

I've only got a couple I think , WP 90s and one BPS ploppo that's I think 1 oz or so

I've thrown mine on a normal 7'2 MH no issues. I also use my 7'9 swimbait rod rated 1-5oz if there'd not another lure on it. That thing will bomb it a solid 60 yards.

 

Part of me wants to make another "topwater" setup for those 3/4 to 2oz baits that are just a bit heavy for most mormal rods. Something like a 7'6 H mod-fast and straight 50lb braid.

On 8/1/2023 at 7:39 AM, Frezzy said:

How's the top water bite been for everyone?

I've not been out early/late much this Summer.  The only pond I've done OK with topwater on was in Harwich.  Other than that, a few bites, nothing worth a d**n.  

 

Jerkbaits and jigs have been my best baits this year.  I'm finding fish deeper this year, 10' - 12'.

 

I have no confidence in d e e p water, 20'+.  Hit up @Saltysmalljaws... he's a deep water Jedi Master around here.

 

Am I the only one in eastern MA getting out?

 

I fished the Plymouth pond I love to hate today.  I picked up a pile of white perch on deep jerkbaits, a Rapala jointed crankbait, and a LV500.  A couple thought they were smallies with the way they hit and faught.

 

Only found two smallies via drop shot.  They were DEEP.

 

I am getting out so much these days because I'm OTW to retirement and have the time.

The heat has just stopped me in my tracks. But once I get a few things straightened out (for instance check out the Flea market...) I should be back out with a vengeance...

2 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

<snip>

 

I am getting out so much these days because I'm OTW to retirement and have the time.

Retirement is sweet, you'll like it...

12 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Am I the only one in eastern MA getting out?

 

I fished the Plymouth pond I love to hate today.  I picked up a pile of white perch on deep jerkbaits, a Rapala jointed crankbait, and a LV500.  A couple thought they were smallies with the way they hit and faught.

 

Only found two smallies via drop shot.  They were DEEP.

 

I am getting out so much these days because I'm OTW to retirement and have the time.

Yea I've been getting out like once a month this year. I might head out today for a bit if the thunderstorms hold back.

Fished a big pond yesterday with a buddy. Only been here a handful of times. Slow bite. Only got one fish late into the trip on a chatter bait, went 4lbs 

Got out for a bit today. Super windy but did okay on a spinnerbait. Got 9 bass and 5 pickerel. No fish over 2lbs but they were hitting like frieght trains. Thought for sure I had hooked up with a 4lber more than once. Fish were in deeper areas of weedbeds, not close to shore at all. 

Fished in Hingham yesterday.  Came up with three Larries between a 1 - 1.5 pounds.  They weren't interested in anything with treble hooks on it.  I found them tight to cover with a wacky Senko.

 

Water temps were 81.x, winds were stiff from the SW and air pressure was 29.8.

I'm probably not gonna get much more summer fishing in but hoping for a few good days in October and November. ?

The Boss Lady was busy so I hit my favorite little kettle in Plymouth.  It was near calm and overcast with rain coming, I was hoping for some topwater smallies.

 

I hooked onto four SMB.  One on a perch V110 and the other three took a green/red flake Rage Tail Grub on a Matt Allen head.  All four came out of the water at least a foot.  The fourth was the best, I was switching the grub from a ML to M rod and dropped the grub in the water.  As I was tying a Ned on the ML rod I thought it would be a good idea to put my foot on the M rod, even though the other two fish took it off the bottom.

 

Sure enough, a couple seconds after I put my foot down, the rod bent over.  The fish came out of the water and hit the kayak's bow as I set the hook and still managed to unhinge.  I'm counting it.  I'm also getting a hook sharpener.

 

Water temps were 77.x and air pressure was 29.9.

 

@MassYak85, There's only a couple weeks left this Summer anyway, I'll be on Cape Cod with my Ranger a couple times in September if you have the time/interest.  I'm going to break the code of my nemesis lake, no matter the cost.

August has sucked so far, but I've only been able to fish in unfavorable conditions, in the same spots, soo weedy I can only use the same things.

 

But I've now got a question for another post soon, punching in a kayak, I think that's my only option at this point.

I always found August to be one of the slowest months of the year. Dog days! However in another month thing should pick up significantly. Especially after those first few "chilly" nights. 

On 8/19/2023 at 3:45 AM, Don51 said:

I always found August to be one of the slowest months of the year. Dog days! However in another month thing should pick up significantly. Especially after those first few "chilly" nights. 

I’ve caught some big bass this month 

28 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’ve caught some big bass this month 

Doin what?

22 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’ve caught some big bass this month 

Night fish don't count.. hehehe

Dropped into my home pond for a little bit this afternoon.  I was surprised the water level was low, especially compared to the South Shore & Cape Cod.

 

I managed a good pickerel straight away on a light green 7.75" Kut Tail.  That was it.

 

The top eye of my MH rod lost a chunk and the reel on my M rod threw up.  I was already tired and not in the 'mood', so I called it a night.

 

Water temps were 78.x, it was dead calm, and air pressure was 30.  We've got cooler nights OTW and September is a week away ... it's gonna get good right quick!