On 3/19/2019 at 5:04 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:

been open water fishing all winter in MA. but had some periods a week or 2 of ice, ALL OPEN NOW!! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!!  only 40s and 50s, but ill take stable weather.! 

I’m in mass also everything reasonably close to me was froze up. 

Just checked, my faverite pond is open. Pretty sure two others will be good by this weekend. 

15 hours ago, Derek1 said:

I’m in mass also everything reasonably close to me was froze up. 

Just checked, my faverite pond is open. Pretty sure two others will be good by this weekend. 

I was out yesterday in MA. Only fished 2 hours. Had a bunch of hits, lost a big fish, spit the hook on the jump. Got a hard hit on a glide bait. All fish were on swimbaits. Fishing a wind blown point on the northern end of the pond. 

That’s good news. Hoping to get out this weekend. 

I'm trying to get out as well @Derek1, looks like Sunday will be the day to be outside...Near 60* and sunny. Hopefully the surface temps will warm by mid-afternoon.

I'll be out basically everyday. going to the same place today as yesterday

 

8 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

I'm trying to get out as well @Derek1, looks like Sunday will be the day to be outside...Near 60* and sunny. Hopefully the surface temps will warm by mid-afternoon.

Our fish are much too educated to bite during “chamber of commerce” sunny warm weather .......

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Our fish are much too educated to bite during “chamber of commerce” sunny warm weather .......

Our fish are much too educated to bite period. I just want a warmer breeze coming off the water. It’s bad enough I gotta spray my clothes with Fabreeze cuz I know I’m smelling of skunk on the way home, Id rather be warm while getting skunked

@Crestliner2008: Today, Sunday, April 7, I finally got back to Cheshire Lake. Saw four kayaks and one boat out fishing in the northern section. I was fishing from the fishing piers on Farnum Road. The northern section appears to be open.  The center section is open along the western side but still iced on the eastern side. I’m getting my kayak down because I can access either from Farnum Road.  I tried a lipless crank, chatterbait, jerkbait, jig, and T-rigged senko with no luck, but a wacky-rigged senko lying on the bottom resulted in my first Northern Pike!  Measured over 28 inches and gave me a tussle on my spinning rig. Wish I’d taken my scale just to see its weight. It was fat and healthy.  Haven’t checked Onota, but heard it was still pretty iced up.

On 4/7/2019 at 10:47 PM, GrumpyOlPhartte said:

@Crestliner2008: Today, Sunday, April 7, I finally got back to Cheshire Lake. Saw four kayaks and one boat out fishing in the northern section. I was fishing from the fishing piers on Farnum Road. The northern section appears to be open.  The center section is open along the western side but still iced on the eastern side. I’m getting my kayak down because I can access either from Farnum Road.  I tried a lipless crank, chatterbait, jerkbait, jig, and T-rigged senko with no luck, but a wacky-rigged senko lying on the bottom resulted in my first Northern Pike!  Measured over 28 inches and gave me a tussle on my spinning rig. Wish I’d taken my scale just to see its weight. It was fat and healthy.  Haven’t checked Onota, but heard it was still pretty iced up.

Good to hear things are breaking up out there. Won't be long now. Congrats on your first northern! Back in 1984 I took a beaut out of Onota, trolling musky sized inline bucktail spinners - 22 lbs.. There are some big ones in there. Never fished Chesire. Just Onota and Pontussic. Have even taken some decent 12 - 15 lb. northerns out of our Oxbow here too. I love northerns. :)

Checking in from Western MA as well. Water's been open for like 2 weeks around me, but only recently have I gotten any bites. Went out 4 times the last 2 weeks, immediately after ice out, struggled to get any action. Rivers are flowing too fast, and too high, so those were a bust, and with lakes and ponds I've been searching for that magical 55+ water temp, finally found it this past weekend. Drove by the Oxbow, and the water looks HIGH. Not sure how I'd fare in there with a kayak lol.

23 hours ago, superkamikazee said:

Checking in from Western MA as well. Water's been open for like 2 weeks around me, but only recently have I gotten any bites. Went out 4 times the last 2 weeks, immediately after ice out, struggled to get any action. Rivers are flowing too fast, and too high, so those were a bust, and with lakes and ponds I've been searching for that magical 55+ water temp, finally found it this past weekend. Drove by the Oxbow, and the water looks HIGH. Not sure how I'd fare in there with a kayak lol.

There have been some kayakers out on the Oxbow this past weekend. And one guys was able to launch on the Rt. 5 ramp yesterday, but the water was half way up the parking lot!