Quabbin Opener

[Baitbucket]

Long flatline and real simple hooked through the bottom lip with an octopus hook.  Never had a spin issue but keep in mind some bait sewing is done specifically to introduce spin.  Also have nailed them on smaller krocs going that speed but they ear the shiners better.  If you are lucky enough to find large fatheads those are prime.

Ive had issues with the shiners staying on with a single hook setup. Little basteds always seen to find a way to pop off.

[JoeGG]

I troll them the same way Iowa. I had trapped some tiny ones and had them in a bucket for the entire derby one year at my feet and didnt use them.  These were only 1/2 inch long and I could barely hook them with a salmon egg hook. I decided to try one with an hour left in the derby. We caught 3 salmon and 4 lakers in an hour. We missed just as many hits as well. I have yet to trap any that small since but would love to find some. We weren't catching many fish either. Size matters😳😳😳

[JoeGG]

Ive had issues with the shiners staying on with a single hook setup. Little basteds always seen to find a way to pop off.

When you come up through the bottom lip, come through the bony part of the head in between the eyes and not so close to the front of the top lip. They won't shake off and will stay alive if they don't spin.

[lowaccord66]

Crazy isnt it?  You could have 1000 trolling spoons and a small shiner is the ticket.  Im sad we dont have cloudy weather forecasted for Sat...the salmon seem to prefer it but I have some new Nk28's the big lakers will love.

[JoeGG]

I'll give you something that has work very well for me in the past. In the spring, when nothing else is working, I put a small Hornberg fly on a spinning out fit with 2 oversized splitshot about 8 feet up from the fly. I've had this work like a charm on a 1/2 dozen occasions and all the salmon I have caught doing this were big fish (3+lb)

[lowaccord66]

Thats a good one Joe!  Will give it a go.  Gray Ghosts seem to do it for me.

[Grumpus52]

Do you sew them on or just lip them?

I just hook them through the lip and have a small treble hanging loose behind on a rig I tie up in a fly tying vise. I use a small octopus type single hook up front which helps keep the shiner on the hook. Using a regular J type hook I noticed the shiners can sometimes escape. I also use very small shiners. In my opinion the Salmon and trout seem to prefer the smaller baits.

[JoeGG]

I just hook them through the lip and have a small treble hanging loose behind on a rig I tie up in a fly tying vise. I use a small octopus type single hook up front which helps keep the shiner on the hook. Using a regular J type hook I noticed the shiners can sometimes escape. I also use very small shiners. In my opinion the Salmon and trout seem to prefer the smaller baits.

I used to use that as well, but trebles are illegal now. Only a single hook point may be used for live bait. This is law in NH. Not sure about Ma

[lowaccord66]

I used to use that as well, but trebles are illegal now. Only a single hook point may be used for live bait. This is law in NH. Not sure about Ma

Legal in mass.

[james1981]

  I talked to a lot of guys, Live bait is killer early season, then flies and hardware. Just my 2 cents.   For salmon  6lb flouro single salmon egg hook through lips. 4 ft leader on flat lines with planerboards. I have both types of inlines cabelas brand looks like church boards and redirig small ones. Those are really killer this early as it brings the line way out to the sides. I catch more salmon on boards than dragged behind the boat.

 FYI I will be taking the opener off as my wife's due date is looming actually the 16th or sunday.... I hope to hear some good reports on the water level and how everyone is doing out of area 2.

 the two go to flies are the canopache and manard marvel. VERY Easy to tie. a close second is the Miss Sharon tied with 6-8 strands of multi colored bucktail. It looks god awefully skinney and counter intuitive but it works. I tie them in size 6 and 8 on streamers. I use a manard marvel body with Guinea hen feathers instead of bucktail. That works very well I head flagg started tying them for a client last year.  Be sure to paint the heads and put eyes on them, it just adds to the realism. Baitbucket. I will bring some just incase we meet up at the launch again.
 tight lines.

[Baitbucket]

  I talked to a lot of guys, Live bait is killer early season, then flies and hardware. Just my 2 cents.   For salmon  6lb flouro single salmon egg hook through lips. 4 ft leader on flat lines with planerboards. I have both types of inlines cabelas brand looks like church boards and redirig small ones. Those are really killer this early as it brings the line way out to the sides. I catch more salmon on boards than dragged behind the boat.

 FYI I will be taking the opener off as my wife's due date is looming actually the 16th or sunday.... I hope to hear some good reports on the water level and how everyone is doing out of area 2.

 the two go to flies are the canopache and manard marvel. VERY Easy to tie. a close second is the Miss Sharon tied with 6-8 strands of multi colored bucktail. It looks god awefully skinney and counter intuitive but it works. I tie them in size 6 and 8 on streamers. I use a manard marvel body with Guinea hen feathers instead of bucktail. That works very well I head flagg started tying them for a client last year.  Be sure to paint the heads and put eyes on them, it just adds to the realism. Baitbucket. I will bring some just incase we meet up at the launch again.
 tight lines.

Pre Grats on the new addition man! Ill be out there all next week. Let me know when you plan to get out.

[stripernut]

FYI I will be taking the opener off as my wife's due date is looming actually the 16th or sunday....

Congrats!!!
Over my years of guiding I have had two calls from wives in labor, when on the water with clients (both times guiding out of a canoe), we had to paddle like hell! Both made it in time!

[lowaccord66]

Congrats james.  Feels weird sitting at home still.  But we dont need to be first to get the job done so were launching around  8. 

[james1981]

 Thanks,  I think I missed a bunch of openers the last few years.... I just don't seem to have the rush to be out when there are the crowds.  I personally like may and june better. Fishing the smallies after trolling for a few hours.

 I am really interested in knowing how low the water is this year... It got bad towards the end last fall.

  I am also praying for the baby to come out before turkey hunting starts. But then again I will only be a 5 min walk from home to do that and not an hour.

[Baitbucket]

James, it's still down about 12ft. But it's about 2ft higher than it was at the end of last season. They also fixed the second ramp at gate 31.

Allan and I had a couple hits but ended up with the skunk. Only heard of a couple salmon and lakers caught from the others we talked to.