New England Fishing Reports

May 10, 2009

Hi Smitty,
Water temperatures are warming up into the low 50's and the smallmouth bass are getting romantic. Some fresh beds in most of the Cape ponds, however, scraped out by the smaller more aggressive males. The larger females are off the nests and getting riper by the day. The female will visit several nests so it's important to catch and release any site fishing bass caught over the next month or so. That includes the smaller males as they stick around to protect the eggs and fry from raiding perch, sunfish etc...
Top baits are any plastic lizard, worm or tube deposited in or around the nest. The male will pick up the bait, not to eat but to deposit it outside the nest. I like to use a smaller 4" bait giving the hook more of a chance to snag up in the bass' jaw.
Largemouth like the water a little warmer then smallies for spawning. They nest in shallower water then their cousins. Look for LMB nest next month. The same catch and release suggestions would apply as their spawning habits are similar.
Trout action is still in the upper 10 foot level early and late in the day. Midge hatches in the early AM occur in most trout waters. A Griffiths Gnat is a good search fly, dry, on the surface, while wolly bugers will sometimes fool a hungry trout. Early morning trolling after the sun settles on the water is productive. Trolling the 15 to 20 foot contour during the daylight hours will sometimes work as will power bait on bottom from shore.
My best trout of late was a 3.5 pound rainbow from Hamblins Pond, from shore, caught on Gulp Pink Eggs. Browns don't hit the power bait as well as bows so it's always best to bait up one rod with Power Bait and one with crawlers or a shiner.

Good Luck, Lindy

Hi Smitty,
Fishing for trout lately has been like buying scratch tickets. Maybe one winner or one fish for every card or bait-up per hundred. Water temperatures in all the Cape ponds have been down in the low 40's. 41 at Sheep's Pond, 42 at Hamblin's and 41 at Spectacle and 41 at Cliff. No hatches, no rises, no hits. Just been slow for the past three weeks.
Every once in a while one of the stockies will grab the bait, but mouth it like a perch, have to be on your toes to set the hook, then you are rewarded with a 12 inch bow, WOW.
It's not just my group but several others I have talked to, some are getting a few stockies on Power Bait. Fishers trolling have caught a few but nothing like it should be this time of year. Going to try Scargo this weekend in Dennis. Another cold rainy day predicted on Sat. Will fish from shore and sit in my Jeep while listening to the Top 30 Country Count Down.
Well that's it for now, it can only get better, I hope. Later Lindy Bring on the herring

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Website: www.watchoutfish.com

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