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Author Topic: Charles River (dedham area)  (Read 1321 times)

Fishermantim

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Charles River (dedham area)
« on: May 20, 2019, 10:33 AM »
All this rain we've had over the past few weeks has flooded many waterways in the area.

The Charles River is one of them.

I launched my kayak in Dedham, intended to head up river towards Needham, but couldn't make it past the first bridge.
The current was so strong all I could do was reach the opening of the bridge. No advance, just stay in one spot until my arms wore out.

So...I headed down river and fished all the way down to Millennium Park.
Started out with some decent pre-spawn bass hits, but all were hits and misses.
Then I started getting a mix of fish. Pickerel, Crappie, Perch and then Bass.

Besides the unfortunate negative visuals of the businesses and trailer park, some of the areas were pretty darn good.

It always impresses me how a waterway can adapt to changing water levels and how we as anglers must do the same!
"God is playing to an audience that's afraid to laugh" (George Burns from "Oh, GOD")

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!" - The Existential Blues

bogtrotter

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2019, 02:54 PM »
That's quite a mixed bag.  Congratulations!

westernmas

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2019, 02:55 PM »
Sounds like a good day.  I'd be curious what type of lure or bait you were using to get such a mixed bag as Bog described your catch.
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Fishermantim

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2019, 03:26 PM »
White and white/green paddle-tail worms rigged on 4/0 offset worm hooks.
The key is persistent casting, trying every nook, cut and pocket in weeds you can find.
Eventually you will find the fish.

The crappie was further out from shore, but everything else was close to shore, in "weedy ambush" areas.

I never get tired of watching people unfamiliar with fish habits, buzzing around "looking for the bite" and more often than not I can get a 3-5 lb. fish literally within casting range of the boat/kayak launch site.

I guess years of patience, persistence, trial and error have taught me well.....
"God is playing to an audience that's afraid to laugh" (George Burns from "Oh, GOD")

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!" - The Existential Blues

westernmas

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2019, 04:10 PM »
White and white/green paddle-tail worms rigged on 4/0 offset worm hooks.
The key is persistent casting, trying every nook, cut and pocket in weeds you can find.
Eventually you will find the fish.

The crappie was further out from shore, but everything else was close to shore, in "weedy ambush" areas.

I never get tired of watching people unfamiliar with fish habits, buzzing around "looking for the bite" and more often than not I can get a 3-5 lb. fish literally within casting range of the boat/kayak launch site.

I guess years of patience, persistence, trial and error have taught me well.....

Thanks for the info.  I usually don't tend to catch crappie and perch on that style bait but I'm sure I would if I sized down.
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AKA-westernm@$$hole prior to a mod change
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lowaccord66

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2019, 08:18 PM »

I never get tired of watching people unfamiliar with fish habits, buzzing around "looking for the bite"


I'm with you on this.  I watch guys fish Farmington river very haphazardly.  They rush through the large pools picking apart a couple of the best seams and leave after 20 mins.  I'm sure they had a day or two that they were successful...but more often than not it pays to be thorough.

Might get a giant pike out that way.  Also stripers should be on the fresh water side in boston...

taxid

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2019, 08:26 PM »
Two summers ago the wife and I stayed at an Airbnb in Mass (I posted it here). Anway it was a very shallow lake (lily pads in the middle) and I watched bass anglers pound the shoreline over and over again with little results. Meanwhile I'm drifting out in the middle with jigs and could have filled the boat with bass, bluegill, yellow perch, and crappies. It seems some anglers are stuck in their ways.
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Fishermantim

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2019, 11:32 AM »
Thanks for the info.  I usually don't tend to catch crappie and perch on that style bait but I'm sure I would if I sized down.

Yeah, I was surprised that they took these lures. If I were targeting crappie and perch specifically, I'd be using small "Mr. Twister" style grubs on small jigs.

It's always good to know that some fish don't know that they aren't "supposed" to hit big lures....
"God is playing to an audience that's afraid to laugh" (George Burns from "Oh, GOD")

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!" - The Existential Blues

Fishermantim

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2019, 11:39 AM »
Two summers ago the wife and I stayed at an Airbnb in Mass (I posted it here). Anway it was a very shall lake (lily pads in the middle) and I watched bass anglers pound the shoreline over and over again with little results. Meanwhile I'm drifting out in the middle with jigs and could have filled the boat with bass, bluegill, yellow perch, and crappies. It seems some anglers are stuck in their ways.

I can brag because I used to be that kind of angler.

Then I learned that I didn't know all there was about fishing and I am always willing to learn new tactics and techniques when out on shore or on the water.

I believe my first good lesson was to always have a selection of lures. Not a massive one, but a couple different colors and styles.
For example, sometimes the fish strike darker color lure and other times lighter. Some want surface lures and others sub-surface ones.
I whittled my selections down to 2 or 3 variations so that I can carry them in my tackle bag.
Next big lesson was how to fish each lure. that takes some time but was VERY productive!!!

My latest lesson is that even when I think I know enough I realize I don't, and the learning continues...
"God is playing to an audience that's afraid to laugh" (George Burns from "Oh, GOD")

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!" - The Existential Blues

Fishermantim

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Re: Charles River (dedham area)
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2019, 11:33 AM »
You know the old saying "What a difference a day (or week) makes?"

Well not so much here in the Northeast. I fished the same section of the Charles River in Dedham yesterday and STILL could not make it up river to fish.
I could launch up river, but to get to the spots I want to fish would require me to risk going under a second bridge upstream from the first.
If the conditions are similar at both bridges, I would not be able to get back up river to the pull out spot.

Add to that the fact that I believe the bass are spawning, and all I got yesterday was pickerel....but BIG pickerel, so it was a good day!
"God is playing to an audience that's afraid to laugh" (George Burns from "Oh, GOD")

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!" - The Existential Blues

 



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