Switching over from ice fishing to open water season - - although, ironically, there was a half inch of snow on the ground - - I did some scouting this morning/early afternoon.
Earlier in the week, I caught a glimpse of a pond that (incredibly) I had never noticed before across Route 8 from the Berkshire Mall in Lanesboro. (Just to show how oblivious I can be to my surroundings, I've passed it hundreds of times before, and never even suspected it existed). It lies along Gulf Road and (according to the online map) is a wide spot in the Hoosic River.
Today, I checked out this Gulf Road Pond (which sits behind the Brook Haus restaurant) - - and it looked promising. The only problem was that it was covered with a thin coat of ice - - which, while much too weak to support my weight, was just thick enough to prevent me from fishing it from shore. Oh, well, I'll save it for another day.
Next, I tried to check out Goodrich Pond in Pittsfield. I found it, but could not locate anywhere you can approach it without passing through someone's yard.
Then, I proceeded to West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield, and fished the SW Branch of the Housatonic, where I fished by the Greendale Avenue bridge and under the Clapp Park trestle. Nothing doing. The water was cold and high, with no signs of any fish.
On my way back north, I stopped by the dam and fished the waterfalls where the 1st Cheshire Lake drops down into the South Branch of the Hoosic River. Once again, the water was high - - in fact, it was roaring, and there were no fish to speak of. Ditto for the little "spillway" pond just above the dam.
Finally, I tried my old stand-by brook closer to home and, after a considerable amount of trial and error, finally managed to land a couple small (5" and 6") brookies.