MassBass

Went out Saturday and got a decent LM on a glide bait, and some yellow perch. I am going to keep checking the weather and going out when I can. Next outing I may try for catfish.

I remember this, and yes it was kind of ugly. I thought they should have modeled the sport after the MLB season. Of course not so many games, but the timeline; it starts in the spring, goes through the summer, ramps up, cuts (playoffs) and then you have the Classic in the fall.

LPO sells a good titanium wire leader.

I would argue that Esox, and especially the pickerel family, are the definition of ambush predators. They are streamlimed and powerful, but they are built for quick bursts of speed. In some lakes where there is a healthy pickerel population, you can see the juveniles lurking in the shallow grass. They just sit there perfectly still, waiting for an ambush opportunity. Their metabolic rate dosen't allow them to chase for sustained time, for example a huge musky can tire quickly and become very stressed.

Im a chain pickerel die hard, glide baits and soft jerkbaits I will suggest, along with the baits already mentioned. Big pickerel that have been pressured and are wise are very difficult to catch, live shiner through the ice tends to be the most productive way.

I think 1 oz is good. Bank sinker or pyramid sinker depending on current. On a slider above a swivel, so the fish can take line without feeling the weight.

I would say in a weedy natural lake, the best time is spring, when the pads are just starting to come up and are still red and underwater...run a black/chart. Crankbait through that stuff. If you arent using electronics and want to fish weedlines, you need multiple (like a box or two) of crankbaits of varying depths. You are going to pull in a lot of grass, bit thats ok, dont let it scare you from crankin the weeds for largemouth. Summer is good for that. If you can find baitfish in the fall, throw a lipless around.

Made these for clear water conditions. Black lures catch fish, no exception with the spinner.

I have been taking trips to maine since 2019, the open water fishing is very abundant, but ice fishing is cold and bleak. I know guys do it and have success, but it is not easy. The local knowledge probably goes further in ice fishing. Some bass, some cold skunks to. I have seen some real misery out there. Anyways my point is if you live in Maine year round, maybe take up skiing.

Ok, if you must, but isnt this thread about the fall?

We could have slightly different definitions of finesse, but it seems in smallmouth bass fishing at large, it has become finesse first, ask questions later. The smallmouth, especially in current, is very excitable and curious, easily triggered, and I think reaction/search baits can really bring out the smallmouths' inner savagery. I would include topwater with reaction baits, even in clear water, popper, walkbait, whopper plopper. Buzzbait also but more for less clear water or dark.

So are you not supposed to twist the frame wire, just crimp it and put a bead or sleave over it? The spinnerbait was acting strange in the water, maybe it is because of the blade swivel having a hard time.

Its just that to catch river smallies, I find rarely is finesse required. Lake smallies are different and I will always have a tube or fluke jig rigged. In a river spinners and or spinnerbaits are good, but I usually try to go to a topwater for a big bite.

Any thoughts on this spinnerbait? I have always tinkered with and customized spinnerbaits, but this is the first I have made, from a pre made frame.

Must have hatched in the Hudson?

Thats intersting..a river?

Yeah, blade baits are in my box and arsenal now after that expedition. Did get a nice largemouth on a chatterbait (first cast first day) and had something huge show for a glide bait in the back of a marina. Bank fishing, hopping around in a rental car.

Strictly moving baits. In water that clear it would be a small black spinner during mid day, topwater in evening.

Its a great multi-specie bait, in creeks and rivers they always work. Just a matter of twisting wire, and playing around with color for different conditions. I really like about a 1/4 oz for bass. Here is some more recent makes;

First week of November was pretty bleak in New Hampshire last year, I won't bank on repeating a trip at that time.

@TnRiver46, Its a search bait. Run and gun. Sure the fluke jig will out fish the spinnerbait if you are soaking a spot, but for a fast drift with the spinnerbait, one or two cast on a spot and then you are onto another target. Another good use is when you need to fan cast. Say there is a big flat of submerged weeds, all looks the same, you can fan cast a spinnerbait over the flat and get bites, reaction strikes.

Good job, looks like it was good fishing weather for the trip.

Always a lot of love for spinnerbaits here, justly so. I found that painted blades are good in clear water. And you can jump the gun with the hookset, I try to let the fish load on to the rod a little before I set the hook. I am usually fishing a steady retrieve, speed based on where I want the bait in the water column.

Recently I was at a coldwater lake in the norh of New England. My buddy and I approached a bank, with overhanging oaks. The acorns were falling in with a slight breeze in a particular spot, PLOP, PLOP. I threw out a floating crankbait, bam smashed as soon as it hit water. Landed the fish, close to 3lbs. Next cast, smash on splashdown, didnt connect. My bud had two hits to, on splashdown. By then I had tied on a walkbait, with another hit, on splashdown, not on the walk. When the frenzy cooled off I said man we should have had 5 fish there, only got one. I thought you could throw a kiwi over there and it would get hit. My point is, I think these fish were keyed in on acorns. The sudden loud splashdown would trigger a reaction strike, whether the smallmouth ingested the acorns I am not sure. The way the fish reacted to lures made me think they were looking for that splashdown. Would a smallmouth react to a blueberry, blown off a blueberry bush on the edge of a rocky island? There was a myth at a campground I once stayed at that this was so. Thoughts on herbivorous smallmouth behavior?

Hey I was also in Portland for my cousin's wedding. I fished alot, I wrote about it in the Western forum. My main takeaway is if you want to score a salmon or steelhead in some of the smaller streams, best fish in the spring when there is more water. I stayed in Troutdale on the edge of the city. Homeless camps under every bridge.