Jonesing.......Can't take it anymore

[Spankey]

I know it's a bit too early to start my Smallie fishing but I can't take it anymore.

 

I believe they will be in the deepest part of the river, bridge pileings and dam breasts still not quite ready to move much yet.

 

Been through this time to time over the years where I have to set my mind straight. My expectations will not be high but I'm coming off of a good fall season.

 

Jig & pig, grubs, creatures count downs and some deep diving cranks. Force myself to fish slow. Maybe they are already on the move. Assess the situation. Have to start the game sometime.

 

What can I say. I'm feeling trapped, time to excape. Sunday go over the puddle jumper and Tuesday will be the kick off. Suppose to be 65 deg air temp. 

[jr231]

Love those countdowns. I usually fish for largemouth.. and they work well on them too 

[Spankey]

If I was a betting guy I'd bet my first Smallie would be on a Rat-T-Trap. That has happened more than once. Starting a bit earlier than my normal.....??????? Who knows. Wind blowing 60 MPH here today. I'm sure there are mini white caps on the river. Just lucky that I not devastated like a lot of our fishing friends in the south. 

[TheRodFather]

I have been out the last few days on some of my spots on the Conestoga for Smallmouth and some farm ponds for Largemouth.  Water temp in the Stoga is at 52 degrees and the ponds are 54 degrees.  So far only one Smallmouth, it was a very good one for the Stoga though.  Great start to the season for the first fish!

 

Almost time for the smallies to turn on, it will be a bit yet for the LMB I think though.  I hear guys are tearing up the Walleye in the evening on the Susqy.

 

 

[Robeng]

Lake St Clair is still 46 degree temperature.  Though, they are catching many perch along the shorelines in areas.  Some walleye, and a few small mouth.  Open water everywhere.  Might as well go to Florida and fish some sea bass and grouper.

[DogBone_384]

I caught my first '17 smallies last week in Plymouth, MA. They liked suspending jerk baits a lot.

 

Water temps were 46.x - 47.x for the most part.

 

Don't fret too much. Your Season is near!

[Bluebasser86]

Caught my first coldwater smallmouth of the year Thursday, water was 43 degrees. I was straight retrieving a 3" smoke no flake Kalin's grub on a 1/8oz jighead in about 8' of water. Had what I believe was a pretty nice smallmouth pull off a jerkbait before I got to see it later that day. Caught a few more at a different lake today, again on a grub and jerkbait. 

[clayton86]

I got my first six smallies of the year last week Friday. 3 on a inline spinner when targeting trout once I realized small mouth were in the creek I tied of a lipless and got a few more and found the trout with the crank. Water was 46* a little stained just up stream from Lake Ontario. 

[TnRiver46]

On 3/3/2017 at 1:34 PM, Robeng said:

Lake St Clair is still 46 degree temperature.  Though, they are catching many perch along the shorelines in areas.  Some walleye, and a few small mouth.  Open water everywhere.  Might as well go to Florida and fish some sea bass and grouper.

I'd rather fish smallies in 46 degree water than anything in the world 

[Spankey]

Finding my kick of to be a tough start between high winds, snow and a Nor'easter coming in for this Tuesday have not been unable to get in the water. Only positive thing going is boat is rigged up, my tackle is straightened out and arranged, my rods are rigged and ready, touched up a lot of my treble hooks and now my weekends are free from here on out. Just trying to stay positive. 

[MNGeorge]

With a few exceptions, we can't legally fish for Smallies until mid May here in Minnesota.

[FryDog62]

6 hours ago, MNGeorge said:

With a few exceptions, we can't legally fish for Smallies until mid May here in Minnesota.

 

Agree, frustrating - especially when there's an early Spring.  Was it 2 years ago then was opener was moved earlier to the walleye opener..?  That helped I thought.  Wonder what the rationale was to do that - but then to move it again last year back to the end of May?  It's a long wait for many of us that aren't walleye/meat hunters.

[MNGeorge]

Bass can be legally fished for when Walleye season opens May 13th on a catch and release basis. My guess as to the reasoning for the earlier opening for Bass is to make life easier for Conservation Officers...under the old rules, guys would try to say they were fishing for Northern Pike when asked about using spinner baits in the reeds before Bass opener...wink wink.

[8pt172]

I have mixed feelings on Catch and Release. I am a fan of a closed season on the Great Lakes, unfortunately our MI DNR has opened catch and release all year for ALL Bass in Michigan.  With the gobie infestation on the Great Lakes and adjoining waters, I fear too many fish are being caught off their beds which is causing the numbers of younger class fish to decline as the gobie eat the eggs and the very immature fry.  

 

 

 

 

[Spankey]

This nor'easter has fried my nads some. Bass mail box broke, couldn't take impact of hurled snow anymore, don't want to see snow around my boat let alone on my cover. We are going backwards. Every time I think about the smallies  or some tidal bass fishing the weather takes a turn for the worse.