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Date: January 12, 2020 Body of Water: Walden Pond, Concord MA Moon Phase: Full Wolf Moon + 2 days Boat: None (shore) With: Alone Target: Trout Time: 12:30 PM - 3 PM Conditions: Unseasonably warm - almost 70 degrees F. Westerly winds near 20 mph. Bright and sunny. Water was clear. Crowded! With chores completed, I took advantage of the record warmth and chose to chase trout, this time in nearby Walden Pond. I hoped the warmth and sunshine would awaken some trout. With the local bait store unexpectedly closed for the day, I continued to rely on Powerbaits (eggs and Mice Tails in various color combinations), often paired with my remaining mealworms. These were presented under floats and on a Carolina Rig. But, for the third trip in a row, I went fish-less. My Massachusetts Fishing Career is off to a slow start! The pond was ringed with fishermen. The driving westerly wind made the eastern (and easily accessible) portion of the lake pretty much unfishable with my light presentations. But, I'd previously scoped out a small bay adjacent to the railroad tracks at the lake's western extent (Long Cove), and I found a nice spot to set up. A group of fishermen on the other side of the cove reported they'd caught a couple of brown trout on minnows, close to shore. After 2.5 hours of trying my best (including tossing small stick baits and French spinners in lieu of bait, on occasion), and including several moves to other casting areas, I'd not yet seen a sign of a fish; I packed up and made it home in time to walk Oliver before total darkness set in. What do I have to say about this? I've caught many fish (including trout) on Berkley powerbaits of various kinds, and I've no doubt they are productive for recently stocked and/or active fish; but I think I will make sure I have some minnows or crawlers before I target pond trout again. The only fish I've seen or have heard about have all fallen to minnows. Plus, it's just plain fun to watch a float dance on the surface, or to monitor one's line for a subsurface pull. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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Date: January 4, 2020 Body of Water: Grew's Pond - Falmouth Massachusetts Moon Phase: Waxing, Full - 6 days Boat: None - shore With: Alone Target: Rainbow Trout Time: Noon - 1 PM Conditions: Foggy and misting rain; very calm and quiet. About 45 degrees F. Water was clear. This was just a quick, fun session included as part of a day of errands, visits, shared meals and exploration with A and O. This pond was chosen based on quick internet research combined with geography, accessibility and the possibility of trout being present. The duration was constrained, and I relied more on faith than skill or determination. Still, I was pleased to see a few others obviously targeting trout, and a pretty nice rainbow was captured to my left on a minnow as I set up. I fished with a Carolina-rigged Powerbait egg (with meal worm) and a float-rigged Powerbait Mice Tail-and-meal worm combo. I tucked into a sharp corner of the pond, hoping this would converge two travel routes for any trout and up my chances of success. Once again, I caught nothing; but I saw some fish activity including a few dimpled rises and hesitant splashes. I also had an aggressive swirl near my floated bait as I jiggled this offering. Perhaps I was close to something resembling "success". What do I have to say about this? Overall, this was a very enjoyable session. I appreciated the quiet, muted atmosphere of the pond, and this was a pretty, picturesque (off-season) setting for some simple fishing. I would definitely choose to return to this pond, and I'll have to remember to bring my waders and/or float tube for any future session(s). O enjoyed his long car ride and walk in a new park, A and I shared a nice meal with Uncle M and N, we completed our chores, and it was a really nice day of exploration, only enhanced by an hour of fishing! But the real benefit of the day? As I arrived at my corner of the pond, I realized that a young boy had lost control of his remote control boat (with float and minnow attached, for good measure!) It was out of range of both his remote control and his father's casts. On my third cast (one to calibrate distance, one to calibrate heading and one for success) with an S5 Rapala outfitted on a Fenwick ML rod and 6-pound Nanofil line, I snagged his setup and reeled it in. I'd reunited this child with his Christmas present, and both he and his dad were super happy! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: January 1, 2020 Body of Water: Horn Pond - Woburn, Massachusetts Moon Phase: First Quarter (Waxing) Boat: None - shore With: Alone Target: Rainbow Trout Time: 11:30 AM - 2 PM Conditions: Clear and about 37 degrees F with a strong westerly wind, and with gusts well over 20 mph. The lake was about half frozen over; precipitation in the previous couple of days created decent flow through the culvert dividing the two water bodies. The water was clear but stained brown. It's been too long since I've wet a line, and the original plan for the holiday was to try for a holdover trout from nearby Walden Pond (of Henry David Thoreau fame.) I'd spent the previous weekend introducing myself at the local tackle shop, acquiring some Gulp! trout baits, as well as some meal worms and basic rigging materials, and then prepping a couple of suitable, light rods. With everything collected and a Massachusetts resident license acquired (fresh- and saltwater!), I arrived at Walden Pond at about 10 AM. To my surprise, there was quite a bit of snow here (we'd gotten only a bit of slush and quite a bit of rain at home), and this deep kettle lake was totally iced over. There was no sign of anybody having tested the ice, but it was ominous gray, and the recent weather really didn't indicate any possibility that it was safe. So I switched gears and headed to White Lake, a couple of miles further west, and also reported to contain trout. This gem, too, was iced over but devoid of activity. I'd not accomplished much, but at least I'd located the access points for these two nearby and potentially convenient fisheries. I turned next to Horn Pond in Woburn. Closer to home, and perhaps exposed to more familiar and moderate weather, I expected no ice. But I also suspected that a culvert connecting the two bodies of water at Horn's northwest section might enable me to hedge my bets for access to open, fishable water. Plus, I know that Horn gets stocked with trout and also experiences a herring run. There might be some big trout in there! That culvert saved my day and allowed me to fish! When I arrived, the biggest area of open, accessible water was at the mouth of the culvert. Other areas (boat launch, dam, flag pole beach) were all locked in with gray ice. But with the strong wind behind me at this position, it was reasonably comfortable. And, the wind pushed more ice away with time, and so I was able to present baits to "new water" as the session progressed. As for the fishing, I presented a Gulp! power egg paired with a meal worm in two ways: on the bottom with a light (1/8-ounce) Carolina rig; and also under a clear casting bubble, lightly shotted and about 4-5 feet below the surface. I used orange and chartreuse eggs; and I also worked in a Gulp! "Mice Tail" in pink and white (with and without a meal worm) under the float. I used 6-pound line with 6-pound fluorocarbon leaders. There was never any indication that I'd attracted the attention of a fish. What do I have to say about this? This was not the trip I'd have imagined for myself, but it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of free hours. I got to scope out three new bodies of water, and I'll likely return to each. I'm officially a Bay State citizen, now; my new fishing license proves it! Even with the cold temperatures, I think I'll add a third rod to my pond trout arsenal. It might be worthwhile (even with the cold water) to toss and slowly swim back a small sinking Rapala, hair jig or spoon. It would also be fun to have a lively minnow beneath the float; that could happen! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
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