As we weather the latest storm here on Cape Cod, there is a huge bright spot awaiting us midway through the weekend. Daylight savings time.
The redistribution of the daylight hours means, for us nine-to-fivers, that after work there will be an extra hour of daylight that can be spent at a nearby pond.
Judging by the weather forecast, it looks like Mother Nature is using Daylight Savings as a cue that we’ve had enough winter weather, and it’s time for some sun and warmth. Heavy winds will persist through Saturday, but on Sunday, the clouds will part, the winds will calm and the fish will feed.
On Saturday, I picked up a bucket of shiners, a few bobbers and some size 2 hooks. I fished a few of the shiners in Peters Pond hoping for a leftover salmon, but only a small brown trout was interested. I must have picked the wrong spot at Peter’s however, as several anglers reported great action on rainbows with shiners and worms. I did see three salmon –two cruising and one hot on the tail of my Yo-Zuri PINS Minnow.
With my leftover shiners, I stopped by a shallow pond where my bobber spent more time underwater than above the surface. Pickerel from 10 to 20 inches attacked every shiner I cast out, except for three, which were gobbled up by 1- to 2-pound largemouth bass.
I fished from my kayak on Sunday, fishing a shallow-diving crankbait over weeds in shallow water and caught a half-dozen largemouth with a pair of 4-pounders.
For ponds, the shallower, the better. Not only will these ponds warm faster, but the fish, many of which are still hunkered down, will have fewer places to hide. It’s much easier to get a lure or bait in front of a fish in 3 feet of water than 30 feet of water.
The trout stocking hasn’t happened yet, but it will soon. We’ll keep you posted for when and where the hatchery trucks make their rounds. In the mean time, anglers can chase the holdover trout, which are plentiful in large ponds such as Peters and Cliff.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Finish up any chores or work on Saturday to free up what is forecasted to be a nice day on Sunday. Light winds, sunshine and a countless number of ponds with hungry bass and pickerel should help you kick off your spring fishing. For lures, suspending jerkbaits, shallow crankbaits or Senko-style worms will draw strikes, but if you don’t want to fool around, get some shiners.
I recently purchased a subscription to your magazine on line.However I didnt know about the free lure offer.Is their any way I could recieve the free lure?
Yes! Go walk the tide lines outside the canal during the drop and use your eyes around Memorial Day. Should be plenty of free lures. Good Luck!