By Guide Rick Buss:
While waiting to get into the salt side of fishing, some of the “plastic navy” has been getting fresh air and exercise on the sweet water.
A couple of NEKF yakmen invited me to fish a North Shore pond last week. We met at the pond around 4 p.m. because in their
experience, the bite around there usually doesn’t start until 4:30-5 o’clock. We set up our boats and were surprised to see that none of us had forgotten anything! This usually happens on these early seasonal outings. We were on the water by 5 o’clock, slowly trolling about 1 mph.
The lures, which were J5 broken-back Rapalas in yellow perch and fire tiger patterns, have great wiggling action and run about a foot or two under the surface. Due to a brisk wind and the angle of the sun, we found that the water along the shore at one end of the pond was about two degrees warmer than everywhere else and that is where all the fish were hiding! My friends quickly hooked up with some “truck bows,” while I hooked and released a half dozen mini pickerel, largemouth bass and a crappie. I did eat trout that night due to the generosity of my friend, Konrad. There is nothing better than trout sizzled in butter with a handful of slivered almonds!
I can’t wait for a week-long stretch of warmer weather. We’ve got a bunch of people on the “will call” list as soon as the flounder start moving. When the water hits about 48-50 degrees, it’s on! Cod season has finally begun, and while it’s not an outing typical for kayakers, there are some serious cod anglers among us. We should be hitting the channels with some jigs as the cod will be using them as highways when they move into their spring haunts.
Fish are getting active, so take your pick on the species! Spring is finally here, so go out there and fish!
FORECAST BY: Guide Rick Buss, (617) 719-2036, www.belleislekayakadventures.com. Kayak specialist and fishing guide Rick Buss fishes, dives, and snorkels off his kayak. He runs his guide service out of Belle Isle in Winthrop but can deliver kayaks to your location.