DogBone_384

I'm augering around Eastern MA/Plymouth and find ice getting thinner the closer to the Sagamore Bridge (the gateway to Cape Cod) I get. Ice was 4-5" five miles from the bridge and 3" at best one mile out. I nabbed one SMB and one yellow perch yesterday. The smallie bit a 1/4 oz blade bait and the perch ate a shiner off a tip up. Cape Cod hasn't frozen in the last few years. I'm hoping for open water by mid March.

I have a few 2nd gen Concept C's. One can't make up its mind if it wants to keep its brake settings for more than a few casts - like it has a mind of its own. I've tried braid and fluro with no difference between the two. The others are fine but don't feel as good or cast as well as my 1st gen Concept Cs. My troublesome one was maybe made on Friday afternoon? Good that you have good ones.

My 3 year 10 month streak of catching fish in open MA water is shot too. I'm making the best of it. I augured holes at two Plymouth ponds this afternoon. Came up empty at #1 and pulled up a SMB and YP (both a hair under two pounds) at #2. The SMB went for a 1/4 oz blade bait straight away. The perch took a shiner via tip up. The perch was gut hooked but I got it freed and let it keep the shiner that was half way down its throat. The ice was 4 - 5" at the first pond but a little sketchy at the second pond, maybe 3" and gray. The second pond is close to the Sagamore bridge. Water temps were 36.x at both ponds. We might just have open water on the Cape by early March if we're lucky.

@Mr. Aquarium strikes again! Only 6 more weeks until open water and we can terrorize the SE coast. I've got a whole box of swimbaits ready to go this year!

Welcome back.

What about balut? How many members would go for that? 🤔 Rice & eggs w/ tomato and onion is a staple in our house. I'm lucky a neighbor has chickens and a surplus of eggs.

True. I mixed a few colors in one bag to keep in my sling pack. They bled a little.

Spool it up and fish it.

I’d have to put a crankbait first, followed by a jerkbait, and lastly a wacky Senko. I fished jigs a lot more in ‘24 and am continuing that for ‘25. Hopefully they’ll replace Senkos in the near future.

The next 30 minutes of play will tell. Anything can happen. The Budweiser Frogs are still the best.

….28-3….

Ditto

We're locked out here in SE New England. No February crankbaits for me this year, at least not with the forecast ahead of us.

I have dual super powers. My first super power is my wife that works full time and wants me to stay retired. My second is that I can still get @Fishing Rhino on his boat, fishing, a few times a year. I've posted before that Tom's in his 80's and no longer drives and can't operate a boat by himself. He was generous with his Nitro's back seat when I joined this forum in 2013, so I now put him there with his favorite baits and run his boat. There's going to be a last fishing trip for all of us, and for now, I can keep his off in the distance.

I wonder how far south we have to go to get open water ?!?!??!?!?!?!?! I guess it's my auger and shiners tomorrow ....

OK …. I need OPEN WATER!!!!! Anyone else?

I use 1st generation Concept A, C, and Es. They are workhorses. Like @dk2429, I have a couple 2nd generation Concept reels and would pass on the Z-slide, even at $99. The new generation reels are decent, but don’t see them as durable. I’d spend $99 on a Shimano or Diawa.

Are you good with a pin striping brush?

I’m right handed, reel with right, and hold rod with left.

Yeah, I tell my wife the same thing. I’’ve slowed down quite a bit, but trying new stuff is part of the game I guess. Also, in the 30 years we’ve been together, boss-lady’s never pulled me drunk from a bar.

I was betting you got on a plane and went south! The only open water I know of is the at the end of my street … the Atlantic ocean.

11 years for me, and I AIN’T stopping!

I’d probably crash Glenn’s server if I listed all my rigs. In short I mix & match my rigs based on mood, like my wife & daughter wear shoes. Most of my rods are Kistler. I have a few new Douglas rods I’ll put in service when open water returns. I use Shimano, Diawa, 13, and Abu reels.

I keep a 7’ M/F Diawa Tatula travel casting rod in my truck for quick stops. It’s on the heavier side of medium and comes in a nice padded case. Fit and finish is typical Diawa. It’s around $130. Look at Ike’s travel rods since you’re already familiar with how Abus fish. They offer casting & spinning models. They also come with padded cases. Good luck picking out your new rods.

…or a ‘68 GS400 convertible … 😉