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EXCITED ABOUT TROUT
Now that the final remnants of winter are melting
away, local fishermen are starting to get excited about the next fishing season
and what it will bring. The first species of fish that truly excites fishermen
is the start of the trout season (Brook, Brown, Rainbow). Within a short period of time, the rumble of
the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife stocking trucks will be a sure sign of
the start of the trout season. Stocking trucks will be depositing their
precious cargo into local ponds, rivers and streams. This years mix of trout
should contain rainbows, bookies and browns. Once the stocking trucks hit local
ponds the banks will be lined shoulder to shoulder with pumped up trout anglers.
All sorts of bait will be cast to waiting fish and will include power bait,
salmon eggs, small spoons and spinners, grubs and worms. Many fishermen will be
pleased with their choices and many will be disappointed.
Generally,
fishermen will start to fill the shoreline during the pre-dawn hours until the
sun rises above the tree tops. Many early morning fishermen choose to present
a wide assortment of baits. These baits are most successfully presented on a
sliding sinker rig. These rigs are made bu using an egg sinker, usually
"stopped" by the snap swivel or a split shot sinker. Depending on the choice of
bait, hook sizes will vary from a size 6 to 10. The addition of a mini
marshmallow will cause the bait to float just off the bottom or just above early
season weed growth. When the trout takes the bait he feels no resistance from
sinkers and as a result feels confident that the bait is real. As the trout
runs, let him take up the slack and then strike him. Before you know it, you
will have an additional trout in your creel to take home.
Many fishermen
will choose hardware over bait as they feel that small spoons and spinners are
far more effective than bait choices. Some of the most popular hardware choices
have been the Roostertail, the Mepps spinners, The Thomas lures and the Panther
Martins. Colors consistently become an issue each and every year. What is the
best color? Most fishermen tend to gravitate towards lures with red in them, To
me, color is not nearly as important as the action of the lure. Spinners seem
to work well for me as they allow me to work the full depth of the water column.
They can even be used as a surface bait. The most important thing to remember
when using artificial baits is that you must give them life. This is done very
easily by varying the retrieve and moving your rod from left to right and up and
down. This makes the lure move in an erratic manner resembling a live bait.
Fishermen also score when they combine live and artificial baits, just remember
to use baits that compliment one another. In other words, don't use a dead
shiner with a very small spinner, instead use a small trout worm with the
spinner. Once the weather starts to warm, fly fishermen do very well as insect
hatches become more regular.
During the first of the trout season
fishermen will generally attract fish along the top of the water column and in
shallow water. As the season grows long in the tooth, trout move into deeper
water and only move into the shallows during the morning when water temps are
cool or during the evening when insect hatches are common. When the sun is high
in the sky, trout have a tendency to go deep or position themselves along
drop-offs so they can move into deep water in a short time.
Now that it
seems that we have seem the end of winter, fishermen have been starting to
search out holdover trout as the stocking trucks start to roll through the
northeast District. The first stockings have taken place at some ponds and
fishermen will be watching for the start of any activity. More than likely,
early morning bait fishermen will be the first to score. My guess is that the
first trout caught will be taken on meal worm marshmallow combinations.
Even though it has not been stocked as yet, fishermen have started
searching for trout at Pleasant Pond in Wenham. So far this season the action
has been limited but there have been trout caught. Successful fishermen have
attracted trout when they present live shiners along the top of the water
column. Power bait fishermen have been successful at Pleasant during the early
to mid morning and presented on sliding sinker rigs. During the early spring
season, shore fishermen seem to have their best luck fishing along the beach.
As the season grows, fish will move and shore fishermen do best along the coves
on both sides of the beach. Boat fishermen seem to have their best luck
trolling small spoons and spinner in front of the camp and along the high ground
to the left of the beach.
Pleasant Pond is a very popular location among
local trout fishermen and is well stocked by the state. Besides the state the
North Shore Rod and Gun Club sell buttons and the proceeds from this sale are
used to stock good sized trout into the popular pond. Good sized trout are
caught at Pleasant each spring and add to the excitement of fishermen of all
ages. Pleasant Pond has such a good reputation among trout fishermen that it is
not uncommon to see more out-of-state plates on cars in the parking lot than
Massachusetts plate. Give Pleasant a try, I am sure you will be pleasantly
surprised.
Sluice Pond in Lynn is another popular trout where trout
fishermen gather to take advantage of the large number of trout that are stocked
by the state. Besides the trout that are stocked by the state, the Lynn Fish
& Game also stock trout and sponsor tagged trout that are part of the "tags
n' trout" program.. If you are fishing Sluice and catch a trout that has a tag
in it save the tag to collect your prize. All prizes have a minimum value of
twenty-five dollars. This program just adds excitement to the spring trout
season. The Lynn Club also sponsors an Opening Day Tournament which takes place
on the third Saturday of April the old traditional opening day. The tournament
is very popular and the numbers of fishermen that take pert in the festivities
is incredible. Boat fishermen seem to fill the pond with all sorts of vessels.
From canoes to power boats, almost anything that floats. Is used as a platform
for fishing.
For more ideas on just where to search out trout within
Massachusetts click on the fish locator on the what's new? Page. The chart that
is displayed will list Massachusetts pond and the different species of fish that
inhabit each body of water. On the day of your fishing trip make sure you take
a good and varied supply of fresh, live and artificial baits. Remember the
rule, "PROPER PREPARATION PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE!". By doing your homework
you are making sure that you will enjoy TIGHT LINES.
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