Had a day yesterday. Started out good, non existent bass bite, I haven’t been skunked in a while. The crappie bite was good, caught a dozen on my homemade jigs. Hit spot two, 2nd cast in a broke a rod and lost an expensive swimbait, on the way home I stop at Wendy’s almost got bit by a dog, I was CLOSE!!  Then realized I left my favorite fishing hat the spot! Oh to make matters worse still haven’t got a decent bass in a month. I NEED THE SALT!! 

On 4/16/2024 at 10:45 AM, Mr. Aquarium said:

I NEED THE SALT!! 

The Fisherman reported 20# stripers at the CT river…. Only a 2 1/2 hour drive!

Tried a spot here in southern NH after work from shore. Wind was blowing the right way into shore. Got one bass on a spinnerbait then tried a crawler for a bit hoping for an upgrade but no dice. Seemed like a promising spot though. Gonna hit it again for sure 

Went out last night and tonight and caught a bunch in 3 feet of water or less. The warmer days seems to have sparked them up. Most were 1-2lbs though I did get a 4.2 last night and this 4.11 tonight. Also, missed a big one at the end tonight as the sun went down. Most everything was on a spinnerbait. 

I live on a small 75-acre pond in central mass and was out on Monday mid-morning. Water is up to 55 and allot of bass have pushed shallow where pads are starting to come up. Caught a half dozen bass on a zoom fluke - all smaller around 1.5-2lbs. Went out to the same shallow flat last night throwing big wakes and swim baits and got a skunk. Had one blow up on a rat but didn't connect. Fish were there and rising occasionally just couldn't get them to commit. 

I fished a west suburban pond today. Temps started around 52 and got to 55 by 3:00.

I had a fair amount of activity with little to show for it. Saw some sizeable LMB following, making passes or nibbling the fly but it was very hard to seal the deal. Got two smallish clone SMB:

 

Then this guy...

 

But the larger SMB/LMB just didn't seem settled enough to really eat. 

 

But it is good to get on the scoreboard for the year and prove that the new boat can catch fish...

Got a good one the other night. It’s a slump buster.  She went 5-2. Got 3 more dink fish.  They only wanted a DS ninja wake! 

2 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Got a good one the other night. It’s a slump buster.  She went 5-2. Got 3 more dink fish.  They only wanted a DS ninja wake! 

Nice fish Dude!

I fished one of my favorite ponds in Plymouth yesterday afternoon.  The forecast called for 7 mph, but it sure felt like 15+.  No matter, I picked up a 3.02 SMB on a red 3XD in about 12' early in the trip, then nothing more than a 2.66 pickerel on a Stealth Shad Stunna 112+1 in the next two hours.  Late in the trip I found 2 more smallies, each around 2 1/2 pounds and a 2.68 LMB, all on the Stunna.  The last three fish were caught in about 8-10'.

 

Water temps were 55.x when I showed up and 52.x when I left at dusk.  It was mostly cloudy and the air pressure was 30.1.

 

'Boss Lady' is in NYC with her sister for the weekend, so weather permitting I'll be out today AND definitely tomorrow.  Best of luck to the rest of you getting out this weekend.  @Mr. Aquarium, maybe I'll see you somewhere on the South Shore.

Last day to fish before wife gets home from NYC.  I met some friends at a car show early this morning with my '68 GS400 convertible (😁) and decided to fish a big flat shallow pond in Plymouth after putting the car back in the garage.

 

It was blowing pretty hard when I showed, but off I went.  Got 2 big picks pretty early, one on a Ghost Minnow LV500 and Perch Stunna 112+1, then nothing for a while.  The temp dropped quick so I started back to the truck and got stopped dead by a 3.6# tank of a smallie.  I was trolling a Stealth Shad Stunna 112+1 and thought I got snagged.  Got another pick and a big fat yellow perch the same way.  Not a bad day.  Everyone was roughly 10' deep.  I still haven't bagged anything shallow.

 

Water temps were 56.x.  It was cloudy and air pressure was 29.9.  

Well my 3 days of fishing turned up a whole lotta NO BASS. Fished Friday afternoon, Saturday morning 5-11 and a

today 6-11 no bass. Did catch some picks and crappies. 

Got out twice last week.  First trip was to a smaller lake, earlier in the week for a couple of hours. Got on decent jig bite 4 Bass, 3 Pickerel.  Biggest bass was 3.6lb all were healthy and fat.  Second trip was after the cold front came through on a river that had finally come down to a fishable range after a month of high water because of all the rain.  River completely changed from the last time I was there on the 17th of March.  Water temp was actually cooler by a couple of degrees from a month ago, fish weren't pushed up on the banks, barely any grass growth in the shallows.  Only managed 5 bass with the biggest at 2.6lbs, and a few big pickerel.

Went to Agawam Mill looking for some herring eaters. Caught one pickerel and got a jig bite that I missed. Water temps 55.x. Brutal day overall. Felt like I was fishing in a pool. Barely any signs of baitfish at all.

Certainly funky weather...

3 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Felt like I was fishing in a pool. Barely any signs of baitfish at all.

I’ve seen baitfish on shore at only one pond in Plymouth. Could leave my Lowrance off everywhere else.

Went out from shore for a bit after dark under the full moon. The water went slick calm and I noticed some shallow bluegill activity around dusk so I gave the crawler a shot for about an hour. Had two blowups but didn't hook up with either. The bass weren't having any of my "revenge" session. Still so peaceful being out at night when there's no wind and the moon is out. And NO BUGS.

Saturday evening went to a small bog pond nearby. Sat in my canoe under an overhanging tree until the rain let up. Pond went to glass and and caught three bass around 2 lbs and missed about 4 others. Like a switch went off for about twenty minutes. Got quiet after that. 

 

Sunday and Monday nights fished a larger pond. Monday caught a couple pickerel while I got knocked around in the wind for hours. Monday more wind, only managed to catch a couple.

 

Probably go tonight somewhere nearby and small.

 

 

Had a little bit of redemption today. Managed 10 bass and my dad got 7. Most of mine came on spinnerbaits and most of his on chatterbaits. I got the biggest off a dock on a jig at 3-15. The fish were fat and definitely ready for the spawn. Water temps were 51.x to 55.x and we did find a decent shallow bite. But it seemed like the bigger fish were just a step back in those areas. Still looking for that first 5 of the year.

Stopped on my way to pick up groceries yesterday, basically just to cast my new Tatula Elite. Didn't expect to catch anything.

 

Much to my surprise I pulled in a bass on my home made spinnerbait... 

I banged up the swivel and it got wonky. Switched to a chatterbait

 

then bagged a pickerel... then a big pickerel... then a big bass.

 

I think there was a bug hatch or something, lots of activity.

 

To leave, I swung my rod like a baseball bat to get the farthest cast I could. And in did, bombed my chatterbait the farthest cast of the night. It did nest a bit and snap off midcast, but I accomplished my goal as a buffoon. Lost my only red craw Picasso Shock Blade.

 

 

Went out for a couple hours tonight and got a 4.2 at the very end.  Felt like a snag at first but then started moving to the side. Real nice healthy fish. Caught it on a worm that I dropped down near some new lily pads in about 5ft of water close to the shore.  

I fished a new pond in Plymouth today.  It was mostly cloudy and winds were 10-12 from the west.  I bagged two yellow perch, two smallies, and one pick in short order on a smallmouth LV200 and orange/red 6th sense square bill.  The sun came out, the wind died down and the bite shut off like a light switch.

 

Not a bad first trip.  I found a few rocks & trees in the water and spotted some beds in 5' - 8'.  Water temps were 55.x - 56.x.  

 

It's getting good now.  Best of luck to everyone getting out.  I'll be on the Cape again May 1st to 3rd.  I'm not sure if I'm taking my kayak or Ranger.

I had a pretty good day yesterday.  I hit 3 ponds on the South Shore.  Pond #1 is shallow and almost void of vegetation because the town treats the water.  I managed one bass, about 2 pounds, on a 6" Senko, and a handfull of dink pickerels on a red chatterbait and Rapala BX Brat.

 

Ponds #2 & #3 are both deep bowls.  I grabbed two smallies at each, on a combination of a perch Stunna 112+1 and purple/blue flake swim Senko.  There were many more beds since my last trip here and there were fish on them.

 

Water temps were 57.x, 56.x, and 54.x, respectively.  It was pretty blue-bird but chilly for late April.

I hit the west suburban pond yesterday. Bluebird indeed! One long follow from a LMB observed in the clear water but no contact. water temps started 52 going to 54. I did get this other brown fish...

On 4/27/2024 at 7:21 AM, guidoStow said:

I hit the west suburban pond yesterday. Bluebird indeed! One long follow from a LMB observed in the clear water but no contact. water temps started 52 going to 54. I did get this other brown fish...

Nice brown. Jerkbait by-catch?

Friday skunk.

Saturday went out to Robbins pond, fought the wind. 3.9 saved the day.

Sunday got a couple of 3's on a small bog.

Tonight got this 5.5 on third cast. Missed a brute that broke off.