March 4, 2010

By Rick Bach

“Rambunctious.” That’s the word Stan at Red Top Bait and Tackle used to describe the Cape fisherman’s disposition, a result of frustrated angling ambition until finer fishing comes to fruition. March has a tendency of propping the winter-weary angler up with one or two 50-degree days and then sucker punching him with whiteout squalls, wet heavy snow, and howling winds. But, we’ve got to roll with the punches, keep the rod at the ready for those March angling opportunities, and await the more abundant April options.
     For freshwater fishermen, the problem becomes access to ponds, as temperatures dipping into the 20s at night leave a layer of skim ice on many Cape ponds and make finding open shoreline a challenge. Right now, there is more open water on the Outer Cape, in places like Nickerson State Park in Brewster.
     From the Goose Hummock in Orleans, I heard of open water on the larger ponds like Big Cliff. And fishermen are still cashing in on the winter salmon stocking. Two young anglers brought a couple salmon in the 7- to 9-pound range into the Goose this past week. The salmon were hitting both shiners and lures. Colorado spoons and Thomas Buoyant spoons were both getting salmon hits, according to the guys at the Goose. Especially for larger ponds like Big Cliff, a canoe or kayak is preferable to cover more water.
      Especially this time of year, kayak and canoe safety is paramount. Frigid water temperatures mean that an unplanned dip can mean more than just losing gear and getting wet, hypothermia is a real danger on ponds and lakes right after ice-out. To get your season on the water off to a safe and smart start, check out Bob Oberg’s article on kayak safety in the March issue of On The Water.
       From the window at my desk here at OTW headquarters, I can see snow blowing horizontally. I knew if there was one guy crazy enough to be fishing in this weather, it would be Dan Jones from the Hook-Up in Orleans. Sure enough, Dan got on the water this week, although even he wasn’t out there long. He fished a pond in Nickerson State Park on Tuesday, when this most recent snowstorm really got cranking. He said it was howling about 40 miles-per-hour, and he didn’t last long. However, ever the optimist, Dan hit a local pond in Yarmouth later that day and caught a good number of pound-plus pig perch right before dark. The moral: know when to get off the water, but never give up.
      The good news is that this weekend looks to be much improved over the current conditions. With temperatures climbing into the high 40s, there is likely to be some improved freshwater fishing possibilities. Concentrate your efforts on the side of a pond that the afternoon sun warms up, and now is the one time of year when you’re excused to fish mid-day into evening hours, foregoing the crack-of-dawn crowd. Warmer afternoon temperatures will get chilly fish active and feeding, so this is your best bet early on.
     It’s also a great weekend to head out on a headboat. Check out the Rhode Island report for information on the Lady Frances sailing out of Point Judith, Rhode Island.
      If you’re looking for some alternate adventure in the angling arena this weekend, the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association is holding their Annual Fishing Expo this weekend at the Stonehill College Campus in Easton. If you’re in town, stop by and check it out, and swing by the On The Water Booth and say hi.

Best Bets for the Weekend

Do you have a current great catch photo? Email it to us and you might just see it in the fishing report. Send photos to photos@onthewater.com, and be sure to include the angler's name and the size of fish.