ne_dan

Make sure they’re not on the trout waters list; if they are they’re closed until the second Saturday of April

^ I agree everything has been iced over since around Christmas, even the rivers around here are either locked up or have ice 5-10' out along the banks. Going from fishing 5+ days a week to nothing is killing me. Last year winter was great, this year is horrible. I'm hoping that when March hits some open water shows up.

Skipping with a baitcaster isn’t that much more difficult than with a spinning setup. If you have the motion down to skip a worm, skipping a jig is mostly about find the right jig that has a flat head and a trailer that also has a large flat surface area. I like jigs like the Berkley Flipping jig but any casting style that has that flatish bottom works. Trailer, Berkley Pit Boss pretty much any creature bait of the same profile. Like mention above you really have to commit to the cast, if you try to finesse it you’ll get mixed results.

Been fishing all summer haven’t posted in a while. Fall is definitely fast approaching, fish are getting their feed bag on. Went out to the local river today. Water is still a little low, water temp in the low 70s. Fished a 1/2oz jig along the bank where it drops from 1’-10’, picked up about 15 bass, all fat. Capped of the trip with a 5.2lb bass on the jig, thought it was a pike at first the way it just went deep when I set the hook.

Daiwa Rebellion 2 piece, I believe Daiwa discontinued them this year. Don’t know if you’ll be able to find one. Phenix also makes the Feather in 2 piece that’s nice.

I have the older Fantasista Premier 7’ MH Fast (really a heavy), I also have the new Fantasiata X 7’ MH Extra Fast. The premier is a great general purpose heavy rod, I primarily use it for skipping jigs. The X, is my bottom contact rod up to 1/2 football jig and trailer. I think I only paid around $200 for it, if you can find it on sale it’s worth it.

I've been out 5 or 6 times since my last report. Once in the kayak and the rest from shore. Kayak trip was ok nothing to write home about. Seems like most of the bigger fish have pulled back from shallow waters around here, and gone tight lipped . Shore fishing for Smallmouth in the local river has been great though. Multiple days with pretty much no stop bites in the all the areas you'd think in moving water. Lots of topwater fish as well. Friday I had 4 fish over 2.5lbs, which for the river I was fishing is good. Biggest was 2.8 and came from a little eddy below a dam right above some rapids, fun fight trying to get it through the short section of class 2 rapids. Everything has been on a 4' tube and a Choppo 90.

Got out twice last week. First trip was to a smaller lake, earlier in the week for a couple of hours. Got on decent jig bite 4 Bass, 3 Pickerel. Biggest bass was 3.6lb all were healthy and fat. Second trip was after the cold front came through on a river that had finally come down to a fishable range after a month of high water because of all the rain. River completely changed from the last time I was there on the 17th of March. Water temp was actually cooler by a couple of degrees from a month ago, fish weren't pushed up on the banks, barely any grass growth in the shallows. Only managed 5 bass with the biggest at 2.6lbs, and a few big pickerel.

Got out the last two days after work. Monday was a bust, dead calm, eclipse, no fish. Yesterday at a different lake; windy, water warmed more. Managed to get a boat load of fish, I think it was between 14-17 fish lost count at one point. All over 2 pounds, biggest two were 3.3lbs same exact weigh but two very different fish. Fished the wind blown shore, they were shallow anywhere from 2'-5' hanging out on any blow down or rocky piece of shore. Missed a bunch of fish as well when the wind was really blowing, they would hit the jig and swim towards the kayak while I was getting blown towards them and couldn't manage a good hookset . Everything was on a 1/2oz Black and Blue jig with a Green Pumpkin Berkley Pit Boss trailer. Weather ahead is looking pretty good and hopefully the cold weather is behind us.

Went out for a couple hours this afternoon, it was tough. Only one fish but it went 6.1 lbs, flipping a jig to a down tree in 6ft of water.

Tatula 150 is pretty good.

I got out for a couple of hours after work today. Just like @DogBone_384 I got my April bass. 4 in total, biggest was right around 2.5lbs. The only thing they wanted was a Keitech 3.8” smallmouth magic on a 1/4oz jig head dragged down drop offs from 6’-15’. Water temps were 48 degrees.

Can spring come back please? I’m sitting here looking outside and it’s 38 degrees and pouring rain. Last couple of weeks spoiled me with getting out. River near me finally came back down to a fishable level, got out a handful of times. Did really well, biggest was a hair over 4lbs flipping into submerged trees in 6’-8’ feet of water. Also managing to find them in 12’-15’ on the outside bends that had rock bottom. Water temps were in the high 40’s. With all this rain today and the forecast for the end of the week, the river will be off the table for a while.

Already happened in RI back in February, kayaker went out in Narragansett Bay on a windy day and never came back.

Skipped work on Thursday and went looking for smallmouth at a big lake. I didn’t know there was a tournament there Saturday and everyone was out prefishing. Was a little busy and hectic being in a kayak with bass boats running flat out. Then the two idiots on jet skis showed up. No luck actually hooking up with the smallmouths, but did get one 4lb largemouth with a grub off a shallow hump surround by 20+ foot water. Finally found schools of smallmouth before I left and could get them to follow but never commit. That’s when the jet skis showed up and started doing donuts; that was my cue to leave. Water temp started off at 41 when I got there and was 46 when I left.

Picasso Fantasy Football Jigs. I buy the jig heads and skirts separate. Buying them sperate they comes out a couple dollars cheaper per jig, then buying them complete. Really good jig, paint stays on, good hook, recessed line tie. Comes in a standard and a HD version.

Rapala has a 6 inch grip

Spro McStick, Ima Flit, 6th Sense Provoke, Lucky Craft Ponter

I didn’t get to get out and enjoy the nice weather yesterday, but I was able to sneak out for an hour before sunset this afternoon. Found fish on the transition from 10’-15’ to 5’ with a jerkbait, which worked well as I was wading. Managed 3 pickerel, 1 slab crappie, and 4 bass that ranged from 2.4 to 4.6lbs. They were definitely energized by the warmer temps. The 4.6 jumped out of the water when I hooked it, better then the frozen no fight fish from earlier this month. Of course winter is coming back this week so who knows how the rest of the month will go.

I like the Biffle Hardhead and the Trokar Swing Head. Paint on the Trokar sucks. I'll use the Biffle before the Trokar but both are good.

Got out for an hour after work the last two days, took advantage of the dropping water levels to wade. Ice is on its way out around here; the difference between yesterday and today was pretty drastic. Found out my waders are still leaking which if I had remembered to seal them would have helped. Yesterday I found a pile of trout that really wanted a jerkbait. Today I could fish a few more areas with the ice disappearing, managed a couple of small bass on a jerkbait. So I have my February bass on the board. Hopefully the groundhog was right and we get an early spring

Waders; it really doesn't matter as long as they're breathable ones. Expensive waders will eventually leak just like cheap one's will. Just make sure you get a good wading belt. Wading boots; if your river/streams has a lot of rocks, spend the extra $$ and get a pair of wading boots with aluminum bars (Patagonia, Korkers). They cost a little more but the aluminum sticks to wet river rocks like glue.

3.5” swim senko

10lb Big Game is always good.

Light wire gauge around vegetation, heavy wire gauge in/over and through vegetation. Trailers I'll use anything from a Rage Magnum Meanace Grub, Keitch's in 3.8" and 4.3", Reaction Innovations Skinny/Little Dipper. I don't really use heavy gauge swim jigs much, especially up in the Northeast. I have a couple but get a much better hook ratio with the normal/lighter gauge jigs. I mostly use 1/4oz jigs, once you add a decent trailer you're easily over 1/2oz and for me personally swim jigs are a shallow water lure (less then 8').