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Summer Freshwater

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mikez2

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5 mins ago, bob_G said:

Me too, sort of.

 

Now that that fate of the stripers is all but fait accompli, I've been looking for something else to do.  LMB fishing, and fly fishing for trout seem like options. 

Due to the crowds, the Swift in Belchertown is now widely regarded at the Cape Cod Canal West, so that's out. So maybe lmb moves to the top of the list.

Legend has it that some of the biggest bass in the state are quietly hiding on the Cape. Ponds with herring runs grow em big.

I haven't tapped the Cape Ponds yet despite decades of saying I would. Some big trout in those Ponds too.

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2 mins ago, mikez2 said:

Legend has it that some of the biggest bass in the state are quietly hiding on the Cape. Ponds with herring runs grow em big.

I haven't tapped the Cape Ponds yet despite decades of saying I would. Some big trout in those Ponds too.

Oh, that's a fact. The Cape ponds are completely untapped I'm told.  About 10 years ago I was standing at a local pond that has an active herring run. It was early Oct, and I was watching herring fry drop back from the pond into the stream.  I saw an unusual swirl about 15' outside the mouth of the stream.  I put on my sunglasses and shaded my eyes, and couldn't believe what I saw!  There had to have been twenty five lmb swimming around under the fry.  Most were in the 2-4lb range, several were well in excess of 5lbs, and a couple were as big as any lmb I ever saw in Ma.

I know of a few other local ponds that have similar lmb, and none are really fished except by local kids fishing for perch.

The Sultan of Sluggo

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17 hours ago, NewAtIt said:

Awesome - love the big bait game. 

Yea Me2 brother. It’s helped increase the size and my knowledge of bass.  
 

even just using it as a search tool. Big bass will follow it just to look at it. Then you know where that beast lives.  Come back with a jig or something else. 

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1 hour ago, mikez2 said:

Legend has it that some of the biggest bass in the state are quietly hiding on the Cape. Ponds with herring runs grow em big.

I haven't tapped the Cape Ponds yet despite decades of saying I would. Some big trout in those Ponds too.

I’m lucky to live close.  My buddy has 5 8s in 5 years. I’m still looking for my first but I’m getting there. I had a week last Apri where I lived at certain spot on the cape. I had 3 for 5 bass over 5 lbs. lost a new Pb at my feet. I didn’t fish anywhere else for a week.  I sat for hours waiting. Kept fishing knowing one was there. Just waiting for it to feed. 

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So in regards to above.

I start every season with a 4'6 UL with 4# line. That is lots of fun!

Then I move to a medium action setup.

Once summer comes the weeds thicken,Bass get bigger and want a bigger meal.

I go with bigger gear for 2 reasons. Once hooked these fish head for the weeds and it happens quickly. 

Also I want to land these fish as quickly as possible to not stress them out in the warmer water. 

If I was under gunned I would be standing there with my big bass in the weeds with no options but to break off and leave a lure in its mouth. (Unethical). Or tire a fish to no return (same).

I fight these fish in so fast and get them back before they know what hit them. 

So anyone can fish any way they choose I don't really care but I have been fishing largemouth over 40 years and have lots of large fish under my belt and that works for me.

 

 

troll #122  <*)))<

 

 

 

 

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4 mins ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

So in regards to above.

I start every season with a 4'6 UL with 4# line. That is lots of fun!

Then I move to a medium action setup.

Once summer comes the weeds thicken,Bass get bigger and want a bigger meal.

I go with bigger gear for 2 reasons. Once hooked these fish head for the weeds and it happens quickly. 

Also I want to land these fish as quickly as possible to not stress them out in the warmer water. 

If I was under gunned I would be standing there with my big bass in the weeds with no options but to break off and leave a lure in its mouth. (Unethical). Or tire a fish to no return (same).

I fight these fish in so fast and get them back before they know what hit them. 

So anyone can fish any way they choose I don't really care but I have been fishing largemouth over 40 years and have lots of large fish under my belt and that works for me.

 

 

Oh I totally get that. I hope you didn't take my remarks as criticism. I was only saying what does or does not move the needle for me personally. 

 

If catching big bass meant alot to me, I'd probably use the heavy gear too.

 

I still don't see me ever spending $50.00 - $150.00 on a swimbait though.

 

I'm a casual bass fisherman at best. I would rather avoid the heavy pads and wood and stick to places I can use 8 lb test and spinning rod. If I get a couple 4 lbers in a season, I'm happy. Mostly I tag along with my boys for the company when they go for bass.

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1 min ago, mikez2 said:

Oh I totally get that. I hope you didn't take my remarks as criticism. I was only saying what does or does not move the needle for me personally. 

 

If catching big bass meant alot to me, I'd probably use the heavy gear too.

 

I still don't see me ever spending $50.00 - $150.00 on a swimbait though.

 

I'm a casual bass fisherman at best. I would rather avoid the heavy pads and wood and stick to places I can use 8 lb test and spinning rod. If I get a couple 4 lbers in a season, I'm happy. Mostly I tag along with my boys for the company when they go for bass.

Not taken as criticism at all.

50-150 yikes

All those plugs were made for me by friends. 

Even saltwater I never paid 50 or more for a plug.

These fish are so mad when they get hooked!

20190605_100334.jpg

troll #122  <*)))<

 

 

 

 

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3 mins ago, mikez2 said:

Oh I totally get that. I hope you didn't take my remarks as criticism. I was only saying what does or does not move the needle for me personally. 

 

If catching big bass meant alot to me, I'd probably use the heavy gear too.

 

I still don't see me ever spending $50.00 - $150.00 on a swimbait though.

 

I'm a casual bass fisherman at best. I would rather avoid the heavy pads and wood and stick to places I can use 8 lb test and spinning rod. If I get a couple 4 lbers in a season, I'm happy. Mostly I tag along with my boys for the company when they go for bass.

The way I look at it. I want the biggest baddest fish. Also you are literally using what they eat. They eat trout, shiners, perch, sunnies, birds, mice you are mimicking their food source. Yea you can get big fish on a senko or rubber worm.  

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My late friend, Kenny Johnson, was the best lmb fisherman I knew.  He lived right on the Kettlebrook Reservoir system that supplies Worcester with it's water. The reservoir cops all knew him, and allowed him (and occasionally me) exclusive  permission to fish there. 

He kept accurate records of all his lmb fishing, beginning each spring at ice out, and concluding when the reservoir froze for the winter.  An average season was 1200 fish to as high as 1500 lmb. The last ten years of his life he only fished two lures.   A Jitterbug for night fishing, and a senko the rest of the time.

The Sultan of Sluggo

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15 mins ago, bob_G said:

My late friend, Kenny Johnson, was the best lmb fisherman I knew.  He lived right on the Kettlebrook Reservoir system that supplies Worcester with it's water. The reservoir cops all knew him, and allowed him (and occasionally me) exclusive  permission to fish there. 

He kept accurate records of all his lmb fishing, beginning each spring at ice out, and concluding when the reservoir froze for the winter.  An average season was 1200 fish to as high as 1500 lmb. The last ten years of his life he only fished two lures.   A Jitterbug for night fishing, and a senko the rest of the time.

Anything large caught in that reservoir? 

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6 mins ago, gray gables said:

Anything large caught in that reservoir? 

Not really.  Thousands, upon thousands of fish over the years 1.5-3lbs. 4 pounders were fairly common.  But nothing over 5.

His feeling was the lmb had exceeded the carrying capacity of the reservoir, and they never were able to achieve trophy size.

The Sultan of Sluggo

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Just now, bob_G said:

Not really.  Thousands, upon thousands of fish over the years 1.5-3lbs. 4 pounders were fairly common.  But nothing over 5.

His feeling was the lmb had exceeded the carrying capacity of the reservoir, and they never were able to achieve trophy size.

I believe that there are trophies in every body of water

troll #122  <*)))<

 

 

 

 

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1 min ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

I believe that there are trophies in every body of water

Funny story.  Kenny caught tens of thousands of lmb in the restricted reservoir over the years, without a real trophy fish.  However, his largest lmb was caught just up the road at Peter Carrs, a public pond, while taking his dogs for a swim.

 

The Sultan of Sluggo

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5 hours ago, bassturds said:

The way I look at it. I want the biggest baddest fish. Also you are literally using what they eat. They eat trout, shiners, perch, sunnies, birds, mice you are mimicking their food source. Yea you can get big fish on a senko or rubber worm.  

Exactly this - I’m not looking for dinks - it does happen though - I’m looking for the tough guys and the big guys. Finesse fishing is very effective but its not for me. 

 

Here’s a few I got today in very dirty water. 

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A855AF98-468B-4DBE-BEC1-171437B416CF.jpeg

89AD76BF-96BF-47CE-99F4-13CBD6195E4A.jpeg

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