MyFishFinder Forum
MFF US Northeast => Maine => Topic started by: Moses2022 on Apr 17, 2022, 10:02 AM
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Hey everyone. I never have any luck early season. Usually throw the boat in late april and never catch anything. Any tips on where to fish in central maine area during this time of year? We live in Bangor area.
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Hey everyone. I never have any luck early season. Usually throw the boat in late april and never catch anything. Any tips on where to fish in central maine area during this time of year? We live in Bangor area.
You’re not the only one. This time of year sucks imo haha
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Once the temps get closer to 55 it picks up imo. Ice out is typically lights out, and then it’s feast or famine. Typically when the lake is cold warm water = active fish even if it’s 40 vs 38.
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No question for me anyway that the second 6 months of a calendar year are better than the first. There is a whole lot of fish inertia in early spring......a fish at rest tends to stay at rest. With that said, small water can be real good right out of the box on opening day. Less water for them to hide in. A buddy and I teamed up for 50 brookies on opening day. That was toward the coast where winter isn't as harsh. As was pointed out, a couple of degrees make a huge difference. Even though I'm on foot, I've found some very nice fish on bigger lakes lately by watching the wind and chasing pockets of warm water in my waders.
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I usually stay out of moving water early in the season. We like to fish small mouth on the Penobscot up north of Milford during the summer time. Never had any luck when the water is super high. We fish ponds usually but like I said the fish dont bite. Sucks
I appreciate peoples help. I take my teenagers fishing alot. We are not professionals by any means.
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Good luck! I meant to add that you should try a small jig suspended under a bobber. For me, marabou seems to do the best when the water is cold.
I usually stay out of moving water early in the season. We like to fish small mouth on the Penobscot up north of Milford during the summer time. Never had any luck when the water is super high. We fish ponds usually but like I said the fish dont bite. Sucks
I appreciate peoples help. I take my teenagers fishing alot. We are not professionals by any means.
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The water needs to warm up a bit like others said . I took my boat out on 4/9 for a 3 hour troll. I landed one short salmon. I got out for 4 hours on 4/16 in a friends boat and got skunked. I don’t fish the Bangor area so I don’t have any advice. 🎣
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Pushaw can be good if you work the deep water access near the islands and shoals with a jerkbait (and not to be that guy, but it's worth it if you go with a Vision 110/110 Jr. Best coldwater jerkbait period) or a jig. Usually you can find a fat smallmouth or two willing to bite. Pushaw Stream can be good too, work from Hirundo up to the dam (might be hard to put a full size boat in though), cover water, and make sure you throw things that bass AND pike would be willing to hit (Jerkbaits, Spinnnerbaits, smaller glidebaits, keitechs).
Stump Pond in Lincoln is a pretty good bet for Largemouth too early in the season.
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Flat line minnows and troll slow. Even right after ice out you can catch just fine doing that. Also mindset is everything early season, if you think the fishing is going to suck then you will fish poorly or give up early. Also helps if you target the cold water stuff early. Lakers for example are agressive all year round most days.
I second squarepants suggestion. I landed 7 pike, 1 bass and a couple perch past two days. All on a jerkbait aside from 1 pike on a lipless crankbait.
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Flat line minnows and troll slow. Even right after ice out you can catch just fine doing that. Also mindset is everything early season, if you think the fishing is going to suck then you will fish poorly or give up early. Also helps if you target the cold water stuff early. Lakers for example are agressive all year round most days.
I second squarepants suggestion. I landed 7 pike, 1 bass and a couple perch past two days. All on a jerkbait aside from 1 pike on a lipless crankbait.
You know what's funny, I couldn't buy a jerkbait bite this weekend. Threw on a fully rigged fullsize tube (that was in one of my hardbait boxes for some reason) on a whim and went to town. Granted I was trying to dial in the new Shimano World Minnow and was being obstinate about switching to a vision 110, so more correctly I couldn't buy a jerkbait bite this weekend on the newer bait that I refused to switch from (contrary to my own advise given to others)!
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Luckycraft all the way!
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Luckycraft all the way!
I'm still using Husky Jerks. ::)
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I really wish that the Husky Jerk wasn't as much of a fast floater. I really like the larger size ones for pike and stripers, because it's more about the rip than the pause when I retrieve for those. Largies and Smallies, especially in cold water, I like to have a true suspender that slashes well with just the right amount of body roll. For me, that's the 110. Now that it's starting to warm I'll add in the Jackal Rerange/Squad Minnow, as well as the LC Pointer/Lightning Pointer. I think this is when that new Shimano one will shine as well (although I did catch one on it the week before last, just last week it was not it). Straight up warm water is Smithwick Rogue time, especially if there are pike around.
Have any of you tried the new Daiwa jerkbaits? They had some at the salesman sale at KTP but I already had bought too much to justify buying another couple $14 dollar baits.
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I have been uaing diawa sp minnows since their inception. I love husky jerks too but as mentioned their suspending qualities vary. Love a good rattling rouge too! I just got a bunch of saltwater pointers. First striper of the season ate one. Hooks suck.
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I bought so many dang SP minnows last (20-21) winter and the one before because of the Dick's clearance thing where you can B5G5. I made my gold Dicks rewards for two years in a row just because of that sale. This year they had less so I didn't. I really want to try out the TD minnow and Double Clutch. Not sure about the HMKL, the tech looks cool but its a little long and looks more like a SP Bullet Minnow than a modern jerkbait body.
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Recently came across a new stickbait that has a mirror-like panel fastened with two springs inside the plastic body. Supposed to catch more light on the wobble and shimmer a certain way that is "sure to trigger a bite." Seems like more hype than anything but I can't remember the name of the bait or who makes it. Have you stickbait aficionados seen or tried these? Just can't see paying more for a stickbait than what Rapala is asking for their X-Raps ($13). Even that price point stings. Hence my reliance on the box full of old HJs I bought years ago.
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Rapala made some like that. I never throw them dont know why. Personally I am more of a natural colors type of guy. The xraps do just fine too. You can save a ton if you find a collection of them for sale on ebay.
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Recently came across a new stickbait that has a mirror-like panel fastened with two springs inside the plastic body. Supposed to catch more light on the wobble and shimmer a certain way that is "sure to trigger a bite." Seems like more hype than anything but I can't remember the name of the bait or who makes it. Have you stickbait aficionados seen or tried these? Just can't see paying more for a stickbait than what Rapala is asking for their X-Raps ($13). Even that price point stings. Hence my reliance on the box full of old HJs I bought years ago.
That's the Shimano World Winnow that I was talking about - https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Shimano_WM-World_Minnow_Flash_Boost_Jerkbait/descpage-WMFB.html . Like I said, it has already caught fish for me, so it did its job. They might still have some at KTP on sale (don't quote me on that though), I picked mine up for 12 during the salesman's sale. And I agree that it stings to spend more money, but especially with the Japanese baits I find you get what you pay for. Especially during the early spring I want a bait that will stay suspended if I let it sit for up to 10 seconds, and will move with the right pattern that will trigger the bite. I will not throw any of my pricier baits in Pike or Musky waters, and if there are picks around I'll still think twice and probably will switch to a Rapala ripstop or the KVD minnow
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Also on the Rapala tip, the Shadow Raps are not half bad either.
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Also on the Rapala tip, the Shadow Raps are not half bad either.
Good to know on the Shadow Raps. Was planning to pick up a few of those for my upcoming smallie trips.
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Good to know on the Shadow Raps. Was planning to pick up a few of those for my upcoming smallie trips.
Send address Ill send you two I dislike with a passion for free.
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Send address Ill send you two I dislike with a passion for free.
Let me guess: The slow sinking Shadow Rap Deep ;D
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Send address Ill send you two I dislike with a passion for free.
Thanks but I don't want any bad mojo! I have a hard enough time as it is!
Was just at Dick's and they had carbon and bone. Almost bought the bone but then didn't.
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Stuck a couple today on the X-Rap. Tough bite though with themp at ~47 deg.
(https://i.postimg.cc/VrHqXT22/14-E6-E24-D-302-E-4-E4-E-A408-883-D195-A2-DC1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/VrHqXT22)
(https://i.postimg.cc/m1zQjjsk/ADAF8-BEB-C325-4227-ACC6-419416528-E49.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/m1zQjjsk)
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A bunch of nice salmon too.
(https://i.postimg.cc/5Y7tyWDQ/9-B87-E61-F-0819-4-E94-96-AB-848-D7-E2-BC49-D.png) (https://postimg.cc/5Y7tyWDQ)