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 Post subject: First Open Water
PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 10:14 pm • # 1 
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Joined: 08/27/15
Posts: 781
Location: New Jersey
The lakes and ponds here in northern NJ have been locked up with ice since the beginning of 2018 but that finally came to an end this week. Moved my reels from ice rods to spinning rods and hit my local pond.

Saturday I tied on a 2.2 g mocha colored Japanese spoon and worked my way around the pond’s fishable perimeter. No hits, nothing for maybe 2 hours. Then near the end of the fishing area there’s suddenly some weight on the line so I reel quicker to test and any doubts are erased. Lift the rod to set the fine single hook and moments later I have a nice little bass in hand. Continuing to work that section produces no more bass but three beautiful yellow perch.

Image

Saturday night brought 8” of snow but that wasn’t going to stop me from fishing Sunday. This time I headed straight to the previous day’s productive section with the same spoon but alas it didn’t produce. Not even a bump. Switched to a nose hooked robo worm on a drop shot rig so I could cast out to deeper water. After just a couple casts it feels like a fish but turns out to be a snag. I start pulling hoping the drop shot weight will break off, as designed, and it does but then to my surprise it’s fish on! Really on! Didn’t need to see it to know it was a bass. The Daiwa Presso UL rod and Shimano NASCI 1000 reel did a great job of protecting my 2# line and I landed big bass. Another would follow about a half hour later plus a sub-one pounder that got off at the net. Last fish of the day was a perch under a beautiful sunset.

Image

Blessed to fish.


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 11:13 pm • # 2 
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Joined: 08/31/15
Posts: 1042
Location: Coppell, TX
Nice report and pictures. Guess this has been a cold winter for you. Here, its in the high 60's for a week and then in the 30's the next week.


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:10 am • # 3 
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Joined: 10/11/15
Posts: 410
Great job landing those on 2# test.


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:40 am • # 4 
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Location: New Jersey
Thanks guys.

Jim, this was my first winter ice fishing. Just couldn’t handle sitting around waiting for open water.

Joe, landing good sized bass on 2# isn’t much of a problem if...

- obstructions are few
- hooks are small, sharp and barbless
- drag is set lighter than you think you should
- don’t “bass set” the hook
- take your time but keep rod bent at all times

I have friends who make the argument against UL, stating that fighting a fish too long could weaken and kill it. That may be true on rare occasions but the flip side of the coin is that you’re not driving large hooks, possibly through the eyes or brain, of some of the smaller fish, which happens all too often. Even with 2# the fight is not usually very long.

I’m preaching to the choir.


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:17 pm • # 5 
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Location: southern Ohio
Nice fish!
It's been a long winter here this year. Actually more like the winters we had years ago instead of the short cold snaps we've had the past few years. First January with no open water for a few years, but the ice didn't get thick enough for me to trust.


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:45 pm • # 6 
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Location: Rusagonis, New Brunswick, Canada
wow, Knotty! I'm envious. The only open water I've seen in months disappeared in a mini-whirlpool when I hit the lever on the side of the tank.
brent


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:38 pm • # 7 
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Location: Oklahoma
Also envious. I have a trout stream about 30 miles away, but my results over the past 2-3 months have been worse than dismal (read that as nonexistent). I can hardly wait for warmer weather when the bass and sunfish start moving around. Overall our weather has been fairly nice this winter. Just last week we had one or two 70 degree days. This morning I awakened at my daughter's house, almost 200 miles from home. Ice in all the trees, streets starting to get slick. Temperature was in the high 20's, and while watching the weather forecast, noted that the highs for the day were expected to be 69 degrees in New York City and 67 degrees in Boston. I live in southern Oklahoma; this is just wrong! Took me about 5 hours to get home; had to cancel and reschedule a doctor's appointment I had this afternoon. Tomorrow is supposed to be really icy and we may get some snow this evening. Something to look forward to.

Larry


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 5:50 pm • # 8 
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Location: Southwest Florida
Don't you love when the "snags" swim away!


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 Post subject: Re: First Open Water
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 11:17 pm • # 9 
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Location: New Jersey
strummer wrote:
Don't you love when the "snags" swim away!


Now that it’s happened a few times I don’t get instantly bummed when I snag because things aren’t always what they seem.


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