DogBone_384

How dense is the vegetation in your waters? A heavy or heavy-medium-heavy (Kistler) would be a good addition. I have a Helium HMH. It's just enough extra backbone without feeling like I'm fishing a broom stick.

My brain tells me I'm still in my 30s, early 40s, but my body tells me much different things sometimes. Yes the torch has been passed. I'd like to see the new generation fish a few 'fun' tournaments against the 'old guys' using the 'old days' technology. That'd be worth a good long thread on this forum. The same thing is going on with my FD. We've hired so many new kids in the last 5 years (some are younger than my daughter) I don't know many of their names. Having young blood is good - they can hump the 4" feeder line down the street to a hydrant in full gear!

I’m lucky to have caught fish in open water for 3 years 10 months, through New Years’ 2025. I tossed my sled, tip ups, and ice rods in my truck and drove to Plymouth. There I found 5-6” ice … booo … I set tip ups at 12’, 15’, 18’, and 20’ off a point. Two bald eagles cruised overhead while I drilled more holes around the area and jigged a brown hair jig, white/chartreuse feathered jig, and gold blade bait. My 12’ flag went up and through the ice came a 5_2 LMB, like a bag of sand. I’ll take it! I stayed until winds got past 20 mph. I moved my tip ups around the pond and continued with my jig rods without a bite. Water temps were 36.x, winds started light and increased steadily from the NW. Air pressure was 29.8.

Welcome to BassResource!

Welcome.

Good morning and welcome to BassResource!

I use a Kistler KLX, 6’9” M/MF with a Vanford 2500 spooled up with 8# fluoro. Kistler didn’t offer one at the time so I had them build a copy of their casting version, which is my #1 JB rod. Kistler now offers a dedicated JB spinning rod.

@Delaware Valley Tackle - thanks for marking me as a 'solution', however, YOU are the solution, not us. Have a great week Mike!

I'm looking forward to using mine. I was under the impression they were made in the US, but I was wrong. The show price was worth trying one. My two jig rods are Kistler Heliums, so I have high expectations. Perhaps by the end of the month? You have to try Onns Specialties' jerky.... They have a website but I'm not sure you can order online. They usually have a booth/tent at all the craft shows around MA, especially the Cape.

I'm sure you're not the only one. I buy reels because I like to try different brands and/or catch them on clearance. I own 13 Fishing, Abu, Shimano, Pflueger, and Diawa reels. There are things I like about each brand and fish them based on need/mood. Shimano and Diawa are the highest quality of the brands I own, but they all fish well.

I have a Pixy that I use a couple times a season.

What's winter in Texas? I've been to Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio ... It's a balmy 25* right now and all the fresh water around me has at least 6" of ice on it. I'm in Southern New England on the ocean.

I'll second @Columbia Craw's second ....

LIke other members, I have my favorites and not 'lucky'.

Did you put your Crayolas back in the box in the same order when you were a kid? All 64 or 128 of them?

Nothing on the fishing front to report but I swung by the New England Fishing Expo in Marlborough. I arrived about 1/2 hour after it opened and found it pretty packed. It looked much like last years’ show with many small vendors from around the area. Sean from ReelNorthernBass, a NH YouTuber, has a booth there. He has 4 seminars scheduled this weekend. If you’ve seen his live broadcast on Wednesday nights, you know he’s knowledgeable and well spoken. Look him up and support a local fisherman if you can. I bought a couple flannel shirts from him that might be good luck this late winter/early Spring. Ranger had one of their new Alpha boats on display. It looked great with a big wide deck, but even the show price of $65K was too much for my liking. I picked up three Douglas rods from Ben’s Tackle Shop, a Xmatrix 745F, LRS S704F, and ICE 32. Their show pricing was worth picking up a couple more rods I really don’t need that fill a couple ‘holes’ I kept telling myself I had in my collection. Now all we need is a quick thaw so we can get at it again. Lets hope Punxsutawney Phil gives us a quick Spring.

I found out today that Douglas rods are made overseas. I had bad information. I picked up a Xmatrix 745F today. I’ll give a report when I get to fish it after the thaw.

Firstly, welcome to BassResource. Secondly, who cares what anyone says about your gear? If you're happy with it, fish and enjoy it. Thirdly, the only 'gear hate' I have is that I can't use my gear now because we're iced out.

No interest and NO PATIENCE.

I posted earlier that Cape Cod was still open. Sadly that’s not the case anymore. The ponds I ice fished had 5-6”. I’m placing a bet on February 20th for open ice.

I packed up my ice gear and met @Mr. Aquarium and a couple of his friends 'over the bridge' in attempt to pull some fish though the ice. The pond we fished was more crowded than I've ever seen it while open. There were four groups in what we thought were the good spots. Nobody chased flags during the day. @Mr. Aquarium pulled up a few perch on one of his homemade jigs. We grilled up some food and waited... and waited ... I talked to another group that had the choice spot on the pond and they reported no flags and combined they pulled up one LMB, one SMB, one pickerel, and a few perch on jigs. By 3:00-ish, we were the last group on the ice and with the wind picking up, we packed it in. I stopped at my favorite Plymouth kettle on the way home for an hour or so with the same result as Cape Cod. There was one other guy drilling holes when I arrived. He said he'd had no luck. I ended up feeding my shiners to a seagull that was hanging around. Even though I didn't catch anything, the weather was good and I got out and ate some good food. The ice thickness was 5 - 6". Air pressure was 30 and winds were 12 mph from the SW until the afternoon when they picked up to over 15.

I’m sure it’s a great rig…. but I paid $45,000 for my first house …. I’ll pass.

I drove over the bridge this morning with my auger & tape measure... My #2 kettle had 5" of ice. I'll be back Sunday when I have time to really set up and drill some holes. Anyone else looking to hang around in the cold hoping for a bite, drop me a PM.

It looks like we're ice fishing .... who else ice fishes around New England. It might be a good chance to get together. I have a shelter and plenty of tip ups...

I'm sure surveying our waters isn't a huge priority with state money and resources being spread so thin. Just like Las Vegas ...... what happens in the water .... The less public information about the waters I fish the better. Right @Mr. Aquarium!