what color cranks you use in new engand

I stick to three (sometimes 4).

Very good writeup, thanks!

don't forget the perch colors, the Rapala Jointed Shad Rap in that color has always been a killer.

I stick to three (sometimes 4).

Very good writeup, thanks!

don't forget the perch colors, the Rapala Jointed Shad Rap in that color has always been a killer.

absolutely. not all lakes have perch (most around here do) so i usually start off with the blue gil, but finding a square bill in perch i like has been tough....im not a big fan of the jointed crank baits just never had a ton of success

The jointed rapala is my go to perch bait. It's a little on the light side though which makes it harder to cast

bobby, grab these. they are my go to for perch colors. it should cover both silent / rattle.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/River2Sea_Ish_Monroe_Biggie_Square_Bill_Crankbait/descpage-R2SBSB.html

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_HC_Square_Bill_Silent_Crankbait/descpage-SKKVDHC.html

i always match the hatch - perch, bluegill, crappie. or the usual natural / bright variations in certain water clarity.

Good question raised by the OP.

So what is the primary food for bass up here in MA? Is it mostly Perch, BlueGill, Crappie, Crawfish? I guess trout on certain ponds.

Are there others that I should be matching too? Do we have a lot of shad in the north east?

Sorry if it's a dumb question.

up around here? perch, bluegill, crappie and crawfish.

some places have stocked trout and additional forage like white perch or herring.

I'm a huge sucker for buying perch and bluegill cranks and other baits - but my success usually comes from the crappie colors and the charts

oh yeah, they sometimes dump shad in the charles.

Sam, who dumps shad in the Charles?

i think the watershed association?

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/07/17/baby-shad-released-into-the-charles-river/OEDp9dFIi6B9lmAMOY9T7H/story.html

I do have them samf but I have been using spro john both big and little shallow and deep and had a lot of sucess and yes wigglewarts awsome always have them in my boat

the 5.6 in my profile pic was caught on a spro little john baby md. i love those crankbaits. watermelon red (clear water lake). i think some of the orange craw patterns can also mimic yellow perch pretty well.

6th sense covers most forage pretty well for square bills.

i think the watershed association?

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/07/17/baby-shad-released-into-the-charles-river/OEDp9dFIi6B9lmAMOY9T7H/story.html

In the summer I sometimes see huge schools of shiny 1" bait in the Charles. I always assumed that they were baby herring but I guess they could be shad?

like blueback herring? i don't know the specific type of shad released into the Charles but probably the most common kind.

i love the excalibur pumpkinseed crank

I like the Excalibur cranks. Gotta change the hooks though. Almost all the stock hooks suck.