Hi everyone! Recently got back into fishing big-time after a trip to south Florida. I live in Boston proper and do not own a car, so I'm typically limited to spots that I can bike to easily enough (i.e. Charles River, Chestnut Hill Res, Brookline Res, etc.). Been pan fishing on an ultra-light for the past several weeks and recently upgraded to a medium action rod with 10lb test. I had a three main questions:
1.) Are there more and less appropriate times of day to use different types of lures and/or baits? I currently have a small arsenal of topwaters, spinners, and senkos, but often feel a little lost with them. I have yet to catch anything, or even receive a hit, on my strike king mini and my tiny torpedo (I realize it requires patience, but I'm talking about the last several times out with them).
2.) Did the heat-wave a couple weeks back affect the fish populations at all? I remember seeing an article about a big fish-kill out in a pond in western MA that the author attributed to the heat, but my biological knowledge when it comes to fish is non-existent. I ask because I was having pretty regular success right up until the heat broke, and since then I've done probably 20-25 hours of fishing at my regular spots and have had hardly even a hit to show for it.
3.) Can you offer any tips on how to identify where fish are more likely to be when shore fishing? I'm learning the terminology pretty quick, but feel very uncertain of whether or not what I'm identifying as structure would actually be a place where fish would hang.
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've got about three more weeks of freedom before my work schedule is likely going to end my season. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!
1.) Are there more and less appropriate times of day to use different types of lures and/or baits? I currently have a small arsenal of topwaters, spinners, and senkos, but often feel a little lost with them. I have yet to catch anything, or even receive a hit, on my strike king mini and my tiny torpedo (I realize it requires patience, but I'm talking about the last several times out with them).
2.) Did the heat-wave a couple weeks back affect the fish populations at all? I remember seeing an article about a big fish-kill out in a pond in western MA that the author attributed to the heat, but my biological knowledge when it comes to fish is non-existent. I ask because I was having pretty regular success right up until the heat broke, and since then I've done probably 20-25 hours of fishing at my regular spots and have had hardly even a hit to show for it.
3.) Can you offer any tips on how to identify where fish are more likely to be when shore fishing? I'm learning the terminology pretty quick, but feel very uncertain of whether or not what I'm identifying as structure would actually be a place where fish would hang.
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've got about three more weeks of freedom before my work schedule is likely going to end my season. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!
yea throw your senkos to cover (not structure, 2 different things) durring the day, top waters at night, dusk and dawn also around cover. in my opinion best cover is fallen trees. wacky rig the senkos, you'll get almost all your hits on the initial fall. and yes dusk and dawn is best fishing for almost all spieces. the close you get to dawn and dusk the better the fishing will be. senkos will also work when at dawn and dusk when there is still a little light.
Structure mostly somthing you are looking for out on a lake like sunken trees, rocks, weedlines and drop offs. Cover is more like downed trees on shore lines, lily pads, bridges places where the fish can hide and ambush prey. If you can see laydowns like tall grass under the suface try a crank bait thru that as well. If you got a brezze blowing my fav is a spinner bait. If you are wacky rigging a senco in cover use weedless hooks. Always catches fish.
We didn't like the heat wave neither did the fish the warmer the water the less active they become. (dog days of summer)
Best advice I can offer is find a lure you are comfotable with
and keep using it they will come. Don't drive youself crazy fishing is fun enjoy it
We didn't like the heat wave neither did the fish the warmer the water the less active they become. (dog days of summer)
Best advice I can offer is find a lure you are comfotable with
and keep using it they will come. Don't drive youself crazy fishing is fun enjoy it
Thanks for all the responses, guys. It's really helpful. I'm definitely going to give some early morning fishing a shot this weekend. I finally had a little luck today near the Brighton boat ramp on the Charles. Got a couple decent sized largemouths with a senko, will post the trip soon.
I'd invest in a few more lures to have a better arsenal at your disposal. Try a black buzzbait, a jitterbug, or weedless frog for early morning and dusk/night topwater fishing. Like everyone else said try and fish them around cover or through it if possible. The best conditions for a topwater are after a real hot day when the water is like glass. The fish will blow up anything on the surface. Another important thing to remember is to make the lure look realistic. They're made to imitate something whether that's a bug or dying fish. Change up the speed of your retrieve until you find the sweet spot.
You just gotta remember that sometimes the fish aren't hitting but patience and persistence pays off eventually
You just gotta remember that sometimes the fish aren't hitting but patience and persistence pays off eventually
Thanks for all the responses, guys. It's really helpful. I'm definitely going to give some early morning fishing a shot this weekend. I finally had a little luck today near the Brighton boat ramp on the Charles. Got a couple decent sized largemouths with a senko, will post the trip soon.
If you can make to the brigton ramp just down the road in Watertown square is a boat dock that I have caught fish from.
I live only 2 mins from the ramp and fish there often I know many places near there where you can catch quality fish. try the boardwalk that runs from Waltham to Boston there is lots of areas to fish