"hamma"

That map on d**n yankee's post is also found in the new "Quabbin guide" they will provide you at the ramp areas,... I was handed one when I asked about the depth maps. Its the depth maps I was looking for,.. as last I knew?,... you could buy one at the ramps,..(which makes sense). But they are only available at the Quabbin visitor center now,. So if you want a "Quabbin depth map"????,.. no more "at the ramp availability"

Was there monday and the lot attendant stated that the maps are at the visitors center now, so you will have to inquire there for a map.

perch patterned rapala x-rap, black/blue jig and pig, white spinnerbait for the wind, and a silver/black spotted torpedo. These are alternatives to soft plastics that will expand your "plastic techniques", and all excel in waters I've fished in Halifax, then yet,.. I haven't fished them all.

I may start my day with one on the deck, or ten. Depends on where I'm fishing, and what I plan on doing. Of course, I will have more tucked away in the rod box, and things can change as the day rolls on, but I try to maintain clear decks as I dont have a football field for a deck to begin with. Am I guilty of having a crapload of rods on my deck? Sure, at times yeah. Once I dail in whats going on, I will weed some out to the rodbox

Check Berkleys cross lock snaps, A bit to get used to, but the strongest Ive ever used. Some eyes will give ya a hard time, but nothing some needle nosed pliers cant carefully irradicate.

I'm guessing that your referring to spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. I rarely throw either without a trailer. Be it a twin tailed spinnerbait trailer, or a certain grub,.... But for trailer hooks? I usually don't add one, unless I'm fishing a tournament, or have missed several strikes in a row.

I dont usually listen to music while I fish,....but when I do, it's Ozzy and Metallica,... Stay thirsty my friends,...lol

Although any of them I can apply over here, I'd have to lean towards the chrome model. Ticking the weed tops with that flash of silver,.? Simply deadly, and often overlooked by many.

Im not sure if they still make it, last bottle I found was 3 years ago, and it was the 1 and only there so I grabbed it even though I had plenty back then. Its become a difficult find as of late,..but works so well I wont fish a jig and pig without it. Of course if I cant find anymore, and run out, I will most likely switch to another brand like the liquid smelly jelly, or maybe even the new bio-scents. They are supposed to be made from actual forages, and Ive had success with their herring scent fishing the salty stripers up here. So, if the real craw runs dry, I may try them.

1) original floating rapala, perch patterned 2) bomber long a, gold flash and silver flash 3) Manns baby stretch 1-, white belly silver sides and blue or black top 4) Rapala x-raps xr10, olive green, and perch 5) Kvd's deep diving 300 series, sexyshad, bluegill thats eight,... How did I end up with two plano 3700 jerbait boxes,....lol

I use real craw on jig and pigs, smelly jellies and fish formula's on other baits. I will say that I add scents on every lure I throw,. I have smelt scents, herring scents, shiner scents and so on. I will use what ever scent the prevailing baitfish in that body of water is, or,. whatever the lure I'm using imitates.. Many years ago my bass fishing buddy and I tested the scent theory out for a full year, and found, a scented lure overwhelmingly out fished a non-scented lure.

Once I learned about bedding bass? I've targeted the pre-spawn "highways" ever since. Im not touting whether bed fishing is right or wrong, just informing ya'll that I prefer to allow bass to do what they need, to replenish the population. Does my "highway" tactic effect the spawn? I dont think so as I let my fish go right away after a few seconds of admiring them. They may have lost the nutrition my lure tricked them from, but they have food available to them to replenish. If you choose to bed fish? go for it, I just choose to target the prespawn highway as a option that allows me to still catch fish during that time, without pounding beds, and still have a good chance at a really big bass. Of course if the big girls are up on the beds laying eggs, these fish are not available to me, but then yet these girls are usually "hard to get" like a lead cheerleader thats sweet on the quarterback. So I feel, its just a futile attempt to target them bedding to begin with. But, back to the issue, it takes all kinds to make the world go round, so if you do,..or if you dont, bed fish? Doesnt fire up my skivies at all, Do what ya'll decide to do. Either way you choose isn't, and shouldn't be my concern anyways. I do what I do for "my" reasons. Im sure ya'll have yours, and I respect that. I feel weather, water level changes, predation, and timing may have more effect, on bedding bass than us fishing anyways. Mother nature does have her ways, and as many of us know "It's not nice to fool with mother nature" her leaway, and co-operation is welcome during that specific time of year.

Nice!,..any fishing in feb. should be considered a plus,..but thats awesome!

Wed. nites tie at bears den tyers meeting. It's supposed to be a sculpin,.. The fly was much more life like, I just added what I could to a powdercoated jighead I had. Im figuring that when it finally gets wet, that maribou on top is all gunna laydown and look awesome in the water. tail is a rabbit zonker, belly is laser dub.

a couple pieces of 1/2 inch plywood works wonders, just lie them on the ground where you intend the jacks wheel to navigate, leapfrogging each other as you move the rig. Its what I do when I need to move my boat over grass without the trucks help.

Clear water spinnerbaiting "can" be incredible. Sometimes a painted bladed model will outfish a flashy model in clear water. I know, that flash is a major attractant, but at times its just to flashy in clear water. At least thats what Ive found. Days I'm fishing clear water with wind, and a nickle bladed bait isnt producing in a good area? I will change over to a painted bladed model, and be back in business. Also, (depending on prevalent bait) a copper, gold, or brass bladed model may be the ticket. As well as a smaller offering, like a 1/8 oz model. Spinnerbaits can be just as tough to figure out as any other bait. But if you've found the right one, it can become a favorite quickly. They offer that single hook "ease of removal", the ability to call fish from afar, and considering the right retrieve? a weedless option that will fire the fish up enough to call them out of their lair. As for your question?,.. fish them around and over cover, stutter your retrieves and it may just put more fish in the boat. You can bulge the surface when its not so windy, retrieve just under the surface (a foot or so) when it is windy, you can slow roll it around deeper cover, Yo-Yo single bladed models off the bottom. The opportunities are almost endless considering the environment its used in. Study the videos, and past postings here and Im sure you will have a different insight about spinnerbaits afterwards

I'd venture to say that this may have much more to do with your issue., than you think.

Did you ever hear the intro for Roland Martins show? I'd imagine they just about cover it. Maybe not all the legendary waters but a good start anyways One bucket list lake? l dont think I can pick just one Top 5 would be Okeechobee, Toledo bend, Lake Fork, Erie, Toho

good stuff!, and all can be spot on,.... but did you ever consider that the bigger fish, that you've caught in the past, are becoming coherent to your presence? If you have been fishing this place for over 40 years, YOU are the top predator to them, not some snaggly toothed old gator. lol,....Ok, I cant be sure. BUT. I do know this.,... on my "home" lake. About fifteen years ago, I had to completely change the way I fished it, as I went stagnant fishing there for a while. Seemed the methods I grew accustomed to using there weren't working as they once did, almost as if the fish actually knew that jig and pig, was a rouse. So, I changed my offerings from a J&P to a worm, from a spinnerbait to a squarebill, jerkbait to a soft one,.. etc. And this did work. I was back in good graces with my beloved hogs,... I since moved and its been a few years since I've been back there. This year it's all due to change though. My "new" fishing buddy is due some hogs, so im gunna put him on some of what I call my "pig pens". And my old "home" lake? is right up in the top 3

My thoughts and prayers are with you Catt, sorry for your losses.

It's great to see some of you out there at it! Seek out the big girls, they eat too. Dogbone, Rhino said he will be back sometime in March, also that he will notify us, when he returns. I might have the chance to register and float the basshunter soon, it's electric motors offer wintertime fishing if open water can be found. If I do get it registered and going, you can be sure I'll be out there with ya's.

This subject is one I usually have a handle on every year, but this year I'm behind on. The boat needs a battery charger, and a new finder, (helix9 mega chirp si/di, yeah im pumped for a mega chirp), and carpet. And seeing as the boats buttoned up for winter, and March is almost upon us. I wont be unbuttoning it for some time. Other gear? Rods and reels im good with. Actually just spooled up some light braid/flouro leader on my dropshot rod yesterday Tackle? Im happy to say I will be pouring my own non-lead jigs soon. I have the pot, and my first mold and its accessories showed up yesterday. I have most of the safety stuff and will be finishing off the loose ends this week sometime., I kinda feel like a kid in a candy store, the good lord knows where this may lead. Whether its a beneficial, or fruitless attempt? At the least, I'm attempting to provide the jigs I need for presentations I've had to abandon due to the lead ban. Add in there that Ive been attending fly-tyers meetings to learn some of the tricks and tips to tying. The tying for me isnt so I can tie flies, but hairjigs. A fly pattern here or there wont hurt, if I can tie that pattern on a jig,.., so Im optimistic. I have tied some jigs up from u-tube, and videos from jigcraft.com, and they look great, but I'll assess their effectiveness this spring. Winter in the north can be a tough time, Many of you southern anglers dont get the cabin fever thing, and anticipation of iceout. Its kinda like Tiny Tim looking thru the window at the butchers shop at the giant goose. He can see it, almost taste it, but its not within his reach as of yet. Time and weather "may" offer relief from this torture. Northern bass anglers will eventually get out on open water every year, but until then its a long slow burn. Ice may not be safe enough to icefish, but still thick enough to keep boats on their trailers. If your one of the northern anglers that has a heated garage? Im sure your ready to go. But If you dont have a heated garage? Winters icey grip owns your progress, determines what gets done, when it gets done., and thats "if" Jack Frost allows it. Starting Line? When the gun goes off? Are you ready? So far? I'm not, but within a month or so, I should be good to go.

perch, smelt, gold

LOL,... talk about gut feeling! within the last year of employment, one day at work I hurt myself, I tore some stomach muscle (lol) and produced a "umbilical hernia" in my belly button, so at the docs office my surgeon says "I'd rather you loose some of the areas fat, and quit smoking before I do this mesh implant surgery. There's to much risk for infection." facing surgery for the first time, my gut feeling was strong about not going under a knife for some reason, like a "I may not survive", feeling... Plus, surgery was being scheduled for early april,. Umm, aint happening!, maybe reschedule... winters over, and I fish, But, quit smoking? another difficult red flag.. So I didnt have the surgery. (I just push it in if need be) feels weird at times but, no biggie Just turned on the tv and a commercial came on about the surgeries mesh implant for "umbilical hernias" causing complications. "Call 1-800-blah blah blah laywers. And you too, may have monies due to you." I got a good laugh, cuz I was thinking of this thread when the commercial came on. There's a gut feeling for ya!

if thats a male shes looking at (lower right corner of bed)? she must be a beauty!