Happy Thursday! Let’s dive right in.
Ryan went out on the ocean and landed his first ever bluefin tuna on light tackle, which he said was an absolute blast. On spinning gear it was intense! Throwing topwater into the swarm and having it hit and feeling the runs it makes is incredible! I recommend everyone try to get one on spinning gear! I’ll have some fresh water updates next week with a special new vessel!
Tim got out for a couple hours on Congamond over the weekend and reports that it was the first day in about a week that the lake was opened to boat traffic due to the recent high water issues. He said that he thought the fish would chew better, but only managed 3. Tim’s first fish came off a main lake hump on a weighted soft plastic. He reports that they should have stayed on that pattern, but that they also wanted to try shallower and docks. He managed two more smaller fish on a finesse ned rig. Off to the New York side of Lake Champlain later this week!
Brett got out a few times this week, mainly in the Housatonic River. He landed a few small pike with the biggest being 26.25 inches. Brett said that the dirtier water has been producing brighter colors for pike, smallies, and trout. With the water cooling down quickly, Brett also suspects the browns will be moving towards the mouths of the smaller streams to get ready for the spawn soon. He said that everything he has been catching has been on moving targets; i.e. spinners/spoons of all sizes. Brett even got a pike on an old school Mepps Musky Killer. A lure he has been wanting to try for ages, but couldn’t justify the price tag; and it produced!. It’s always good to look into something that’s been around for decades. You don’t always need the latest and greatest thing to catch fish.
Nelson’s report isn’t from Western MA this week but from Western VT. This past weekend he had the chance to go up to Lake Champlain, which was an absolutely amazing lake. There are so many species to target and the views are incredible. Nelson only fished a very small area of the lake, and it did not disappoint. He was able to catch a few largemouth, pickerel, and pike. If you’ve never been to Lake Champlain I would suggest planning a trip up there. I will definitely be going back!
Shawn the Fisherman also made it to Champlain, as vividly documented on this week’s episode of Jigs & Bigs! He accompanied Nelson, Bobby, and Bobby Sr. up to Champlain for a weekend of fishing and shenanigans. Shawn fished from the kayak on both days. He landed numerous smallmouth over 17 inches, and about the same number of ike that were over 25 inches. He also sprinkled in a few largemouths to round the weekend out. All of the fish he landed at Champlain fell to a natural patterned Chatterbait.
Shifting gears to Wednesday, Shawn got out for a couple hours to pre-fish Lake Garfield, where this week’s final MAKB Western division trail stop of 2021 will take place. He managed to land a decent smallie, a perch, and a very out-of-place bluegill. More details on the what and why next week!
The September Jigs & Bigs Multispecies tournament is happening now, and you can still sign up! Get out and fish!
Tournament Information
Massachusetts Kayak Bassin
(Kayak only, membership required)
9/1-9/31, State Monthly Challenge
9/16, Thursday Night Throwdown, TBD
9/18, Eastern Div, Walkers Pond/Upper Mill Pond/Lower Mill Pond, Brewster
9/18, Western Div, Lake Garfield, Monterey
Jigs and Bigs
9/1-9/30 September Nationwide Freshwater Multispecies Tourney
Chronic Trips
10/1-10/31 October Nationwide Freshwater and Saltwater Multispecies Tourney
Wild Woman 