Countdown Keepers
 

When do the first keepers not holding over come to your neck of the woods?

2nd / 3rd weekend of April seems to bring the first sprinkle of keeper length bass, just how much is not holdover can be debated :hee:

So when do you see them?

April 22 will be my first keeper with sea lice...

With projected SEVENTY degree temps next week tho it's anyone's guess now.

Up here on the N. Shore of Ma. it will be very late in May before any sizeable fish show. Usually do not see my first keeper until the first few daze of June.

2nd week of April in my hole in CT.
End of the third week in April they'll be right in my backyard. I'm psyched because I just got a new job. Not only is my new job less than 5 minutes away from where I like to fish, but I start at 8:00 instead of 7:15. I figure this gives me close to an hour more fishing every morning!:jump:

I am planning to take the cover off my boat in the first week of April and start fishing by mid April. Should be some fish showing by then. I hope! :tooth:

Al

earliest I ever caught a 30" fish out of the canal was May 5

aww spin your killing me.

i start looking mid april

boat gets wet april 1 even if just for a ride.

I'm hoping for my first keeper in mid to late may, maybe sooner if I can get out enough. June should be really good at one spot but it also depends on fresh bait and me having enough time.

My first day of heavy schoolie action last year was 5/6/06 and we had them on every cast until we decided we'd had our fun. That area has changed, it could be better, it could be worse so we'll see...

Its so close I can taste it.

sorry Hunters, I gots to agree with Spinn. Last week of May seems to be when they show up around here.

Yep, Last week of May seems to be it for us.

Thats why God gave us Automobiles....I'll be hitting some more southern waters in Early May

1st step denial :jester: :jester:

do I hear North Shore guy road trip?

I'm in..... :hee:

May 1st for my area, but being at school I am hoping I will have a shot at fish 3rd week in april. Gotta keep optimistic

Fish w/ lice by first week of May up here. Big fish w/lice very soon after.

This year, I am not sure there is still some floating ice on the sound here in New Haven CT, water temp is still only in the mid 30's.Next week should warm it up a bit but middle of April is my guess. With all the rivers near here it's hard to tell which are holdovers and which are not.

April 19-22 in the last 4 years like clockwork

Just checked the log it was not 14-17 like I thought :doh: it was 19-22

Yup. Every year you hear "rumors" of keepers in late April from the Canal, but the earliest I ever saw one with my own two eyes was right about then. Mother's Day weekend is usually a good bet to hang the first decent fish.

Last year, the first trickle of herring didn't hit the Run until very late in April--well after Patriots' Day :(

Keepers that aren't holdovers, I would say say 1st to 2nd week in May

are holdovers less hungry?

1st week in may thats if I can stop myself..Tog 3rd week april

who knows... but they just don't count as "fresh fish" meaning they didn't migrate

That raises an interesting question....

Does sea lice always mean "new arrival"?

Many of the "keepers" I have taken in that span have had lice all over them... weird. :huh:

-Dave

I have never caught a bass earlier than May 1

Hers's one from 4-14-06. A shade over 20#. notice no leaves in the trees.

Here's the fish after the ride home. Looks a bit different after sitting on ice without the extended arm pose. A shade over 20# even though this pic doesn't seem to do it that justice. It started raining on the way home, so I was able to slap the date right on the window. That was the first day of my April vacation week. I slammed nice fish that whole week and even caught more then a few 15#s on my last day of vacation in Western MA! It was a tad warmer this time of year last year however.

Here are a few of the western MA fish from the end of that week. Notice the sea lice. I kept only 3 fish that week and your seein em. One for me and mine, one for my parents, and one that was supposed to be for my grandparents but went to my neighbor.

Another Spring peeper from April 05. This one went 25#. Figured I just post some old pics to start getting people fired up.

that is one bloated belly

Historically I have been able to keep a 28" fish by the second week in May fishing off of Plum Island.