2020 Fishing thread

In Ma.. Yeah April ,2nd week I think . . . . I'm talking in the late 50's . . . . Huge deal with me and my Dad . . . . Good Times . . . Then there was the Sportsman Show. . . Hunting and Fishing stuff . . . Ted Williams fly casting Demo , trout pool for kids.
Remember the log rollers at the Sportsman show? Ma. did away with the opening day in the 70's
 
Remember the log rollers at the Sportsman show? Ma. did away with the opening day in the 70's


Yes. I do ! and the fly casting into the small ring . . . and all the " old guys " smoking pipes and cigars wearing red and black plaid woolen shirt/jac's . . . reminds me of gun show " commandos" today . . [coffee]
 
Question: Pins - fish eligible for MA state SF Awards or potential award-winners??

Because I've always assumed I've been off of the #'s. Now I gotta start measuring fish and taking pictures! Although LANDING a quality pickerel is a challenge. They don't like getting in the boat. But a 25" pick isn't unpossible.

Thanks!

PS - do you GET a pin or something??? I'm a lifelong-socially-distanced fisherman. LOL
 
Question: Pins - fish eligible for MA state SF Awards or potential award-winners??

Because I've always assumed I've been off of the #'s. Now I gotta start measuring fish and taking pictures! Although LANDING a quality pickerel is a challenge. They don't like getting in the boat. But a 25" pick isn't unpossible.

Thanks!

PS - do you GET a pin or something??? I'm a lifelong-socially-distanced fisherman. LOL
Both
We typically try for as many species as possible. I got a nice pick in August last year from one of my go-to ponds for multi species. Sent it in even though I already had a pick. Ended up winning the gold for the year. 99A2D70E-A5AA-4370-BC64-4B809AA0A78D.jpeg
 
Yeah, Remember the planning for "Opening day"? It was like waiting for Christmas. Then Mass. did away with Opening day. I heard many reasons, but I think that it was the intent to create more license sales. Many of the Guys I worked with (Mass NRO's then EPO"s) all said how they used enjoy the opening day energy.

Doing away with opening day was a mistake IMO.

Third Saturday in April.

Yep, third Saturday in April.

Oh I'm totally doing that! So cool! Thanks.

The information is here for the awards program. Good luck.

Enter your catch in the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program

Bob
 
Got info last night. City of Taw'n is currently "figuring out how to get boat inspections" for Ass of Wompsett. I was really hoping to get my boat in next week.

Maybe I should call the Mayor. LOL. See if she can light a fire. Fellow boater and such. I guess I'll give the Water Dept a week. I can mail them a stupid check. (It's like $10.). I can pull the boat into the yard for inspection. All the same damned info as every other year for the last 10. And it isn't like half the boats on the lake aren't registered anyhow. Sheesh! I will say last year was a bit better. In the past, you'd have the inspector look at your boat AFTER you filled out the application. Then he'd give it a green light. THEN you'd have to go to the Water Dept and give them a MO (or cash, but they liked a MO. For $10!). THEN the inspector would have to COME BACK and put your stickers on. It was mega-stupid. Last year it was one trip, at least. They took the check and put on the stickers. I foresee a pay-online sort of thing for my $10 permit it'll end up costing $15 in online processing fees.

So no prespawn fishing for me. :(
 
Got info last night. City of Taw'n is currently "figuring out how to get boat inspections" for Ass of Wompsett. I was really hoping to get my boat in next week.

Maybe I should call the Mayor. LOL. See if she can light a fire. Fellow boater and such. I guess I'll give the Water Dept a week. I can mail them a stupid check. (It's like $10.). I can pull the boat into the yard for inspection. All the same damned info as every other year for the last 10. And it isn't like half the boats on the lake aren't registered anyhow. Sheesh! I will say last year was a bit better. In the past, you'd have the inspector look at your boat AFTER you filled out the application. Then he'd give it a green light. THEN you'd have to go to the Water Dept and give them a MO (or cash, but they liked a MO. For $10!). THEN the inspector would have to COME BACK and put your stickers on. It was mega-stupid. Last year it was one trip, at least. They took the check and put on the stickers. I foresee a pay-online sort of thing for my $10 permit it'll end up costing $15 in online processing fees.

So no prespawn fishing for me. :(
I was legal :) Just put er in. They are snarfing the herring right now...Not saying you should do anything illegal...
 
I would but there's been so much turnover I don't want to get jammed up. I love how they decided to wait until now about this. I've asked for a few years if they wanted me to scan the form for them. I got blank looks. LOL.

It isn't rocket science. And I think all of the inspections are volunteer now. Oh well. I'm not in a fishing mood this week anyhow.
 
Crazy morning today. Yesterday was a shit show at most rivers because they were stocked the day before. I figured today would be a good day keeping the crowds away due to the rain, cold and wind. I was right. Started off in spot number one. Caught two lost two. Not bad considering there were six people at this little creek when I drove by yesterday. Then I decided to hit a spot that I have hit last year and a couple times this year. I have never caught a fish here. I know it gets stocked. But is a small section of river, probably averaging 8 to 10 feet in most places. Water was ripping. Tried right off the road; nothing. Started to work my way down. Getting down stream quite a ways I come to a slight bend in the stream. The tail waters, which were flying, lead to the bend. It looked like the water got a bit deeper before spilling into a larger, more open and shallow area. So I set a drift. Whack! A 16 inch rainbow. Sweet, I got lunch. Do another drift. Whack! What the heck? I never get more than one out of such a small area. Well after about twenty fish, I lost count. Never mind the ones that got away. I had to stop and just leave. I think every fish that was dumped into the stream was stacked up in this one hole.

Heading back tomorrow morning and dragging future son in law with me. I hope the fish are still there. He will have the time of his life. I will just sit back and enjoy the expressions on his face. They really have stocked some pigs in our streams. First time in my life I have had the time to go after them.

20200403_130606.jpg

My shiner traps have favored me the past couple of days. Was hoping to go tomorrow to Wachusett for opening day but DCR in their infinite wisdom determined that the fisherman would be having group hugs along the shoreline, therefore spreading the coronavirus. Opening day delayed until May 9th or longer. Idiots. The pics above of the perch and crappie though have me excited to sacrifice our minnows. I would love some perch and crappie. I have so many rainbows at this point that I have actually given a couple to friends. I hate to give away fish :)
 
Crazy morning today. Yesterday was a shit show at most rivers because they were stocked the day before. I figured today would be a good day keeping the crowds away due to the rain, cold and wind. I was right. Started off in spot number one. Caught two lost two. Not bad considering there were six people at this little creek when I drove by yesterday. Then I decided to hit a spot that I have hit last year and a couple times this year. I have never caught a fish here. I know it gets stocked. But is a small section of river, probably averaging 8 to 10 feet in most places. Water was ripping. Tried right off the road; nothing. Started to work my way down. Getting down stream quite a ways I come to a slight bend in the stream. The tail waters, which were flying, lead to the bend. It looked like the water got a bit deeper before spilling into a larger, more open and shallow area. So I set a drift. Whack! A 16 inch rainbow. Sweet, I got lunch. Do another drift. Whack! What the heck? I never get more than one out of such a small area. Well after about twenty fish, I lost count. Never mind the ones that got away. I had to stop and just leave. I think every fish that was dumped into the stream was stacked up in this one hole.

Heading back tomorrow morning and dragging future son in law with me. I hope the fish are still there. He will have the time of his life. I will just sit back and enjoy the expressions on his face. They really have stocked some pigs in our streams. First time in my life I have had the time to go after them.

View attachment 344542

My shiner traps have favored me the past couple of days. Was hoping to go tomorrow to Wachusett for opening day but DCR in their infinite wisdom determined that the fisherman would be having group hugs along the shoreline, therefore spreading the coronavirus. Opening day delayed until May 9th or longer. Idiots. The pics above of the perch and crappie though have me excited to sacrifice our minnows. I would love some perch and crappie. I have so many rainbows at this point that I have actually given a couple to friends. I hate to give away fish :)
If the MWRA/DCR the old MDC had their way all the areas you fish would always be closed.
 
I noticed as of today. They took the stocking dates down from the website. Before it used to say what dates they were stocked. Now it just says spring 2020
 
Both
We typically try for as many species as possible. I got a nice pick in August last year from one of my go-to ponds for multi species. Sent it in even though I already had a pick. Ended up winning the gold for the year. View attachment 343420
Check out #7 on this list. Unsure of its accuracy but you might really have something there.

 
Has anyone been out on the fly. I have been tying for Spring fishing and will get out just as soon as it works up a little.
 
I always called them Calico Bass. Bluegills were always Kivers. Nice trout.
Wait till you see the pics of the kivers I hope to be catching soon. We have a pond near us the hold some monsters. And they are good eating too. We dropped the canoe on the pond today but the water is still too cold. I think the panfish are still buried under the weeds (pond is very, very weedy). Caught a few nice largemouth but man were they sluggish.
 
When I was in High School (graduated 1971) and fished pretty much every day, I swear that I could smell the fish when they began spawning (I assumed Blue Gills)... this was on Lake Mirimichi in Plainville.
 
Getting ready for some early season crappie and perch. I have been trying to find a productive shiner pond for over a month. I finally hit the mother load. This was my haul from just one day. Lots of nice small ones in there for the panfish. Larger ones will be saved for the lakers, assuming they ever open Wachusett up.

20200408_171600.jpg
 
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