Trout, trout and more trout was the word from Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay. That has been the theme for the past few weeks as the stocking trucks continue to hit Cape ponds on a weekly basis. Some anglers are finding good action with the trout while others have struggled, but overall, most people giving it a go are catching fish.
Most of the time, trout aren’t too picky until they’ve spent a week or two in a body of water and they tune into the natural foods available to them. But some trout have already switched over. Dan at the Hook Up in Orleans reported tons of trout rising to insects on the surface, but ignoring his shiners and night crawlers and spoons. When this happens, it’s time to pull the gloves off and break out the PowerBait. This crazy concoction will grab a stocked rainbow trout’s attention no matter how many bugs are on the surface.
Falmouth Bait and Tackle weighed in a pound-and-a-half tiger trout this week, suggested this brown trout/brook trout hybrids have been stocked. The tigers stocked are generally on the bigger size, 16 inches plus, and they have beautiful coloration. Most anglers reported catching rainbows, however.
Smallmouth made their appearance in this week’s reports for the first time in a couple months. Seems this bronze battlers have been getting more active as the ponds warm up. Dan at the Hook Up found good action with smallies to nearly 4 pounds by fishing shiners on the bottom. Roy Leyva at Riverview also mentioned smallmouth, suggested these fish will be hitting jerkbaits in 10 to 15 feet of water are they come out of their winter torpor.
Largemouth fishing trudges onward, with shiners accounting for some big numbers of fish. With water temperatures topping 50 degrees in many ponds, the largemouths are striking a number of lures now including jigs, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, shallow-diving crankbaits and more.
Pickerel are also active, including some big ones. Chris Megan had a pair of 2-foot long picks the other night by slowly retrieving a Smithwick stickbait in a shallow cove. Though largemouths were the target species, tangling with a big thrashing pickerel is a welcome alternative.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Though this warm weather appears to be leaving us for the weekend, there should still be good trout fishing for those willing to venture out. After all, rain and temperature in the 40s is how March is supposed to be.
The last big show of the season is taking place in Plymouth this weekend, the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association Fishing Show. If you’ve been spoiled by this nice weather and want to spend the rainy weekend indoors, that would be the place to go.
“ON THE WATER” with a better sense. Thank You.