Well after I did my usual Saturday routine (trout fishing), I drove around to some of the ponds/lakes that I fish during the season so see if perhaps there might be some open water.  Yes!  I'm going BASS fishing tomorrow with my brother in the canoe, and I can't wait  ;D

There are some patches of ice out there, but 90% of the lake is ice-free, and there are some bays that are protected and that get a lot of sun.  I'm hoping to nab a few.

As I was driving around, I realized that a 1.5 acre pond where I sometimes fish for carp was ice-free.  There are also bass in there, but I doubt that there are any much more than a pound.  Anyway, I had my rod with me, and with a 1/8 oz finesse jig I caught my first bass of 2008  ;D  It was an absolute dink (quarter pounder, no cheese), no question about it, but it was a bass, and I haven't been that excited about catching a dink, maybe ever.  

Anyway, you Yankees should check out some of your ponds before the snowstorm tomorrow - odds are there'll be fishable water.

I'll post a report and hopefully some pics when I get back tomorrow night.

Any more details???

Tony- We lost a father and son up here last yr, in a canoe, at ice out.  PFD's were in boat but no on.

PLEASE wear your PFD'S!!  Not "Take",....WEAR!

Good luck, be careful.

Wake me in mid March....

Anyway, you Red Sox should check out some of your ponds before the snowstorm tomorrow - odds are there'll be fishable water.

your original post was slightly offensive, so i fixed it for ya....

Thanks LBH - we did wear them the whole time, and we stayed close to shore the whole time too.  

Anyway, the F'ing lake froze again overnight, so the fishing was not good.  We broke through about 75 yards of ice to get to open water, then headed back to one of those protected bays that should have warm water and many many lunkers, but it was frozen.  We threw a few casts in a few areas, but all the good spots were frozen.  After 30 minutes we decided to salvage the day, head back in, and go to one of our trout holes.  In an hour and a half my brother got 8 and I got 10, all brownies except for one rainbow I got on a 65 Pointer.  

Really disappointed about not being able to bass fish, but at least we got our fix for the day  

A few days ago, a member of MaAnglers took some pics of the Quabbin Reservoir. Wide open! * DoooooL *  ;D