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Date: March 27, 2021 Body of Water: Ashumet Pond - Mashpee, Massachusetts Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous; Full - two days Tides: N/A Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Trout Time: 10:45 AM - 2:15 PM Conditions: Post-cold front; about 55 degrees; clear and bright; northerly winds swinging to the south, about 10 - 12 mph; water was clear/green and 44 - 45 degrees F I returned to Ashumet Pond, but this time with amybaby22 ready to go! The pond was quiet; only a single trailer was in the lot. Equipped with bait, casting options and trolling gear, I started by trolling in order to quickly find some fish. In the first 10 minutes, just as I marked a group of fish in about 14 feet of water, my F11 Rapala (silver/black; 100 feet back on the line counter) was slammed over about 10 feet of water. Unfortunately, this fish escaped before I could grab the rod, but it was something of an auspicious start! After another 15 minutes without action, I returned to this same stretch of shoreline and switched out my small Stinger spoon on two colors of lead for a favored trout bait; an S7 in silver/blue, presented 80 feet back. Trolling as slowly as able into the wind, trying to stay between 8 and 15 feet of water, I'd just set the two rods when the S7 rod bent heavily; mission complete! My first fish of the season was a pretty, 14- or 15-inch rainbow trout. Another pass along this stretch produced two more trout, and a third pass resulted in a double-header. One of these fish was the largest of the day at about 17 inches. Netting two rainbows, each with double trebles in their face simultaneously turned out to be a mistake, but it was fun! After a couple more fish and when the bite had clearly slowed, I circum-navi-fished the pond. The wind calmed and switched during this period, and I'd caught about a half dozen more trout by the time I returned to my "hot" stretch of water. Going the opposite direction but still into the wind, the bite for the last hour or so was strong and steady. By this time, I'd paired the blue S7 with a silver/green S7, but the 'bows still showed a strong preference for Old Blue. When Number 22 of the day came aboard, I decided to call it an Easy Day. A fellow fisherman at the ramp indicated no luck with bass for the day, but a 20-inch trout the week previous; so, I guess there are bigger fish available. All in all, this was pleasant; and the day I will choose to remember as the start of my 2021 season. What do I have to say about this? It sure felt nice to catch a few fish and find myself in a productive groove. To do so on a pleasant, mild day with little competition were added benefits! And while I truly miss the opportunities of Lake Michigan trout and salmon (and especially the shallow-water Spring fishing for Brown Trout), I'll take my experience with me, wherever. My downscale emulation of Great Lakes tactics paid off well, this day. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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Date: March 13, 2021 Body of Water: Ashumet Pond - Mashpee, Massachusetts Moon Phase: New Moon Tides: N/A Boat: none, shore fishing With: Alone Target: Stocked Trout (Rainbows) Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Conditions: 42+/- degrees; full sun; northwesterly, gusty breeze to well over 25 mph; clear water I had a couple of parameters for being dropped off at the day's convenient trout pond; it couldn't be so crowded that I couldn't move around, and I couldn't be fully exposed to the day's hellacious wind. Ashumet Pond's boat launch/access point met these requirements, and so A drove off for a couple of hours of shopping. As I approached the pond, I noticed the filamentous algae blobs; and a few casts in, I knew my efforts were doomed. Each cast came back fouled to a degree, despite my high rod tip position and my hastened retrieve. Ordinarily, I would have relocated to a different position or pond; but my transportation had left. I settled into a pattern that minimized this aggravation, but this also minimized my chances of catching a trout. While I floated a variety of Gulp! and Powerbaits over the growth, I casted and "ripped" a small crank-bait in the upper two feet of the water column. Nothing happened in my time, and I relaxed as much as I fished. It was simply important to be outside. What do I have to say about this? While the fishing was unproductive and uninspired, the day offered some benefits. I scouted the boat ramps at Saquatucket and Sesuit Harbors; observed a prolonged mating or pairing display between two high-soaring redtail hawks; and made a quick pilgrimage to the Goose Hummock Shop in Orleans (mapped below). I'll admit, I got overwhelmed, but I did pick up a few baits that have been otherwise scarce. It was a good day! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
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