What is the first open water species you target?

[westernmas]

For me it is always trout.  The snow melt usually can make for some rough water and wading but once the water starts to warm and the bugs start to hatch I like to get in the river before the crowds start chasing the stocking trucks.  This should happen much earlier this year than last with the lack of snow and ice that we had this year.  It sounds like stocking will start out in the southeast soon.  Do some people start right off with prespawn bass, ice out pike, is the salt a possibility, or do guys with boats get out there and start chasing whatever they can mark with electronics?

I'll be out somewhere with the fly rod this weekend.  Just got a bunch of new flies that I ordered and they look and feel amazing.

[ICEHOLE]

it's a toss up between bass and carp now...I seem to always be chasing bass but  last year at ice out i was catching carp

[Bass to mouth]

it's a toss up between bass and carp now...I seem to always be chasing bass but  last year at ice out i was catching carp

Have u seen any sign of carp in the shallows yet? I really want to get into them. I've put countless hours in carp fishing without a bite but I never chummed. Im gonna buy a big bag of deer corn,boil it and soak it in koolaid before I chum with it. I hear canned corn works fine but when chumming the cost can pile up.

[westernmas]

it's a toss up between bass and carp now...I seem to always be chasing bass but  last year at ice out i was catching carp

I've never targeted carp before.  There are just so many species out there it is tough to chase after them all.

[Bass to mouth]

I usually go after holdover trout with powerbait or a bouyant/Colorado. I also like to throw small spinnerbaits for bass.

[Baitbucket]

Allready a couple walleye trips in the books

[BOULDERDASH]

Cape trout and then Chu trout and May 1st its Saltwater time!!

[lowaccord66]

Stripers.

[Mac Attack]

browns in Lake Ontario

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Bass, pike and walleye

[westernmas]

Allready a couple walleye trips in the books

Any luck?  I need to give them a try.  They are pretty rare in MA but I know the upper most sections of the CT river has a decent population.

[westernmas]

Stripers.

In MA?  I'd think it was too early for them to make their way up the coast.  I did read on On The Water that a schoolie was caught in the last week of February in one of the bays in MA.

[Jetmec89]

This year might be different with the lack of ice. There is usually still safe ice this time of year and well into the month if not the beginning of april. So after ice out for me on a normal year its always the return of the stripers in the spring that get me going. This year though I think my time is going to be in the garage. My boat has no motor as its sitting on the bench of my garage still with milky oil in the pan and me still needing an intake/exhaust manifold. I rebuilt this 3.0L Volvo penta GL 3 years ago its a 1994. Last season I started getting milky oil and water in #4 cylinder. Still trying to troubleshoot but my manifold is pretty corroded and could be cracked which would explain water in the cylinder and milky oil. So I'm hoping I solve the issue so I can start learning the waters of Gloucester for the fall run.

[lowaccord66]

In MA?  I'd think it was too early for them to make their way up the coast.  I did read on On The Water that a schoolie was caught in the last week of February in one of the bays in MA.

You can catch holdovers in Mass any time of the year. 

[Fishermantim]

Unless I travel to some remote waters, I shy away from the stocked trout you usually get here within the 495 belt.
I would usually target spring pickerel, bass or whatever I can entice with my lures.

Maybe this year I'll try for carp (I say that I will, but never do....)