Happy Cinco de Mayo weekend folks! The weather has not been the best here in Western Ma, but the jigheads are still out there on the water in search of fish!
Nelson got out this past weekend both Saturday and Sunday. He said that his goal was to try and get as many species as he could for the Chronic Trips Multi-species Tournament. Saturday was much more productive than Sunday with the dropshot and NED rig doing all the work for me. Nelson caught smallmouth and largemouth bass, bluegills, bullhead, and trout mostly on the dropshot but the NED did some work too. He reported that all of these fish (23 total) were in 8-12 feet of water and the water temperatures were in the upper 50’s.
Sunday, Nelson reports, was much slower but he was able to check off a bucket list species. I caught my first ever Bowfin and it was a good one, coming in at 27-1/2 inches long. Unfortunately I didn’t have my scale with me so I couldn’t get a weight on it.
He landed 5 fish all day with a jig and a crankbait in 2-6 feet of water. The water temperatures were in the low 50’s.
Nelson also stopped at the CT river just below the Holyoke dam looking for some striper action, where he did see a couple Stripers caught by guys fishing with bait. He gave it a go for about two hours with several different lures but didn’t get anything. I also saw a few shad being caught. Get out there and get em!!
Tim was able to get out once for a club tournament. He said that it rained again which made things difficult and the water temperature was 61 degrees. All my fish but one came on a ned rig in the 5-10 ft transition range. I only had one bite on a jerkbait, which I lost at the boat. Looking forward to some warmer drier weather!
Bobby Roast Beef said that since his last report he has only been out twice. First when he went to a brand new body of water to try out his own particular brand of bullshit. He said it DID work, and he caught the most in one trip using a swim jig catching 4 in total, all of which were held right to submerged wood. The first two were of nibbler size between 10-12″, but the third went 17.5″ and was big welcome surprise! Upon making his way back on one of my many “last casts”, Bobby did manage a final nibbler of the week.
Now the second trip was another thing completely, similar conditions but this time it was May 1st and there is money on the line with the Jigs and Bigs Multi Species Scavenger Hunt, so you know this will change things. Mr. Roast Beef set out on Monday just fishing a spot where he knows there is a good diverse number of species, and he said he certainly saw them! Bobby started out throwing his swim jig and first got a strike from a small pickerel that came out of nowhere and swiped right at the boat. He then stuck a huge LMB right in some submerged timber, and ultimately she shook off (full details in next week’s Jigs and Bigs show ,so don’t miss it!). This fish went broadside at one point and it was a tank. He said that the steep bank had him thinking that he might find a larger fish there as well and he then followed that bank but wasn’t getting any bites. With the clock winding down on my day, I decided to downsize to a finesse swimbait in hopes of finding a bite off a point that’s produced trout and other species previously, before making my way along back to the ramp. I did get a tap from what looked like a small rainbow trout right at the boat.
Here’s to Moosehead for Cinco De Mayo weekend! 🍻
Jerry reported that he hit the water twice this week. First, on Saturday in southern Berkshire County after the heavy rain all morning. He said that the weather broke around noon and he was on the water by 1:00, fishing until about 6:00 with winds were around 15 mph and the water temperature at 53 degrees. Jerry’s first cast yielded a rock bass and he proceeded to catch almost every cast; the Largemouth bass were on fire! Jerry caught 34 largemouth, 8 rock bass, 3 crappie, 2 pickerel, and a bluegill all on a Ned rig and spinnerbait. It was a fun afternoon of fishing!
Jerry’s second outing was Sunday in Hampshire county at the Oxbow on the Connecticut river looking for some multi species action, which didn’t work out unfortunately. He ended up only catching four largemouth bass on jigs and had a really large fish on a spinnerbait, probably a pike, almost got it to the kayak before it ended up coming off.
Mass F&W Trout stocking is still in full swing! They stocked a lot of trout yesterday including browns, brookies, and rainbows. This weekend’s looking like it will finally yield some sun so get out and fish! Good luck folks and tight lines!
Wild Woman 