I caught a 29" striper April 11th last year in comming tide. Whats the earliest others have caught? I start around the second week of March and hope for the best. Caught um on a atom popper white and blue right at dusk in 6ft of water.

the weather hits 40 degrees for a week in a row thats my cue to get things ready!!!!:happy: :happy: :happy:

Third week in March usually. maybe not til April this year. One year i went 7 times in April and caught fish every trip. I almost lost the perfect record when I traveled to Jersey to fish with Tim and Charlie. Managed a lone shad on a bucktail jig to finish that April 7 for 7. I 've had some Aprils where i didn't do as well! :)

March 29th, 21" on a chartruse clouser 9:00pm

Caught a lot on the 1st and 9th of this month and if this damn cold ever lets up to thaw out my holdover spot, I'll be fishing in February as well. Can't miss a month, I've caught stripers every month since 4/11/00.

Originally posted by Got Stripers
I've caught stripers every month since 4/11/00. Knock on wood! :smash:

The earliest I've gotten my first micro bass was a few days after St Pattys in March at Da Wall. Last few years I've gotten holdovers in mid to late Feb when I start occasionally chasing them. First smaller keepers I usually get in late April.

Last year I had holdovers 3rd week of Feb on my first try out dozen fish up to 24 inches... First "REAL" fish (though still likely holdovers) was the last day of March ? Bow I need to go look...

GS - take the outboard off and push the boat to the edge of the ice. If there's no edge ya might want to do it the old fashioned way, make a hole -n- jig :laughs:

I just checked me logs and my first So Shore fish were the 9th of April... I had been getting plenty of holdovers in the Prov & on the Thames with GS but I had a stretch of sick son and didn't get out much end of March beginning of April...

Here was the thread : http://www.striped-bass.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2995

first fish was good friday march 29

I wait till it warms up quite a bit, I like the water temps in the 50's before I start fishing. Most of the fish real early are small. I would rather catch flounders. As of today, the bottom temp 1 mile offshore is 32.6 degrees....that is cold man! http://mvcodata.whoi.edu/cgi-bin/mvco/mvco.cgi?Units=English
Unless a heat wave shows up in march, it is going to be a late spring.

but can you still get cod in march in close they like cold water!! maybe get that cod trip in that got cancelled!! im game to take a few brave souls out in march!!! how bout the mackeral when do they start showing up!! i could use to fill the freezer this year instead of buying them!! and oh filet of sole!! hmmmm!! are they around in cold water!! serious i dont know when the good times are for any species except tuna in nov around narragansett!!!:happy:

Mr Macey,
As soon as the ramps/harbors defrost I'll be bouncing jigs or using clams from scituate --> manomet, the cod bite usually stays pretty constant in close until mid June, but its fishing so one day you'll killem the next day they're gone, but at least you're out there.

Thanks for the posts! I looking for rain to help warm up the shallows alittle, then a few sunny days.....

I look for My first fish over 30lbs the 1st week of may. 3 years in a row, hope its 4 may 7th may 5th and may 6th. the fish over 40lbs come the 4th week of may cept for this year:smash:

i like your style with this little warm up im ready to head out im going down monday get my trailer registration sticker and im putting boat back together ive had enough of this winter thing i might be rushing it but i like cod and the boat will be ready if it hits a 60 degree day if i take it out and it goes into another cold spell ill stick portable heat out there im ready lets go!!! i figure 2 or 3 times out in feb then march will be here I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!:happy: :happy: :happy: