Got to the lake and up to my first spot right before sunrise this morning.  Expected the water to have some color as a result of the two days of heavy rain this area received. I was pleasantly surprised to find the usual super clear deal with plenty of bait most everywhere I looked.  Had rigged up last night with an assortment of topwater plugs as the forecast was calling for light & variable winds.   Nope, there was wind and it was the in-between wind; where it’s too much for topwater but not really enough to give me a ton of confidence in a sub-surface horizontal presentation.  So for the first couple of hours I was switching back & forth between a topwater and a few moving baits.  Sexy Dawg and a spinnerbait both drew a little interest but not from the ones I was looking for.  

 About 10 am, feeling a little frustrated (just a little) I went all in on an Umbrella Rig.  Had a follow right away from a fat smallie which was a good sign and had me hurling that mess with a little more authority.  Wished I gone to it earlier.  After 15 minutes I had a 5-14 & a 5-9 in the pool.    Both were very healthy & super hearty specimens. So I learned something today.  Throw the A-Rig more.

A-Jay

 

Nice fish.  Too bad A-rigs are illegal in MA.....

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

Nice fish.  Too bad A-rigs are illegal in MA.....

Thanks - 

Yes that is too bad.

A-Jay

Nice vid! They were jumping in front of the boat as well! That was a great spot.

Nice fish.  Really nice fish.  Umbrella rigs are almost a necessary tool up here as summer winds down. 

31 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Nice fish.  Really nice fish.  Umbrella rigs are almost a necessary tool up here as summer winds down. 

Thank You & Thank You.  

 No doubt it's a big bite getter.  I'm an admitted neophyte when it comes to A-Rig use, especially when compared to other presentations.  And - It Is Work fishing it.  Especially shallow where I'm sort of burning it along.  Being in at least average physical condition, it does test ones commitment. 

Especially initially, but once you feel that strike - Un-Real.  It could become an addiction - fast !

  

A-Jay

11 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Yes that is too bad.

yeah, it is.... I have to remember Massachusetts is a Commonwealth..... 

 

if you're bored, read through our gun, fishing, and hunting laws ......  It'll blow your mind....

Just now, DogBone_384 said:

yeah, it is.... I have to remember Massachusetts is a Commonwealth..... 

 

if you're bored, read through our gun, fishing, and hunting laws ......  It'll blow your mind....

 

@DogBone_384

Interestingly - I was born there. (Malden)

Grew up & went to school there. (60's - 70's) (Everett)

Even worked at Kelly's Roast Beef on Revere Beach back when there were amusement rides all along that entire strip.

Majority of my family still lives there. (Peabody)

Although times have certainly changed, and I enjoyed my youth mostly, it was just never my style.

Too busy, too many people, and I always despised having to plan my life around traffic.

Currently reside in what I could consider to be the polar opposite in many regards.

Either way - I am a still and will ALWAYS be RAPID Boston Sports fan !

How about those Red Sox ! 

A-Jay

Sounds about right.  I'm born and raised in Quincy.  It's a great city but like everything else it's just overgrown itself.

 

I'd love to find a house on a dirt road, off a dirt road, on or near a SMB pond....  

 

Yeah, the Sox are something to watch this year, for sure.

 

I'm NOT making any predictions, though.... '75, '86, ..... it ain't over until the trophy's in the locker room.

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Thank You & Thank You.  

 No doubt it's a big bite getter.  I'm an admitted neophyte when it comes to A-Rig use, especially when compared to other presentations.  And - It Is Work fishing it.  Especially shallow where I'm sort of burning it along.  Being in at least average physical condition, it does test ones commitment. 

Especially initially, but once you feel that strike - Un-Real.  It could become an addiction - fast !

  

A-Jay

 

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

Nice fish.  Really nice fish.  Umbrella rigs are almost a necessary tool up here as summer winds down. 

That’s funny because most people throw them in the dead of winter and early spring here. I have a couple but am scared to lose them haha

We do in spring, too.  Winter, they don't work so great through the ice.

Seems like there is a time and a place for the a-rig. It's certainly not a year round lure in my neck of the woods (at least not by my experience). 

 

I will say though, it's a lot less work to throw an A-rig if you get a light weight rig and use smaller lighter jig heads. Or even use unweighted hooks if the rig has a weighted head on it. It takes some work to find 1/16oz jig heads with a 3/0 or 4/0 hook for the larger profile plastics, but they're out there. 

It it also helps to remove one or two of the jig hooks and just use small willow blades in their place. 

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

 

That’s funny because most people throw them in the dead of winter and early spring here. I have a couple but am scared to lose them haha

You'll never catch fish that way! 

Fall and spring are probably the best times to use it. Run it anywhere from 3-10 feet deep wherever you find schooling bait fish. It goes over the bass' head, and they come up and crush the living snot out of it. They expect the little "bait fish" to get spooked and scatter, so they run it down at full speed and hit as hard as they can. Be prepared, it might take the rod out of your hand. 

Winter, slow reel it way down close to bottom in deep water. 15-25 feet or more depending on your lake.