Spring Migration

[Nebe]

So what do you think guys???? are the big fish running late, on time, or early????


Me, i think the push is pretty weak here in Southern Rhode Island. Yes I have gotten into some nice fish, but i think things kinda suck to be frank... The Wind could be a major factor.. not many South Westery days these past few weeks.


how about everyone else??

thoughts?

oh and I am not talking small fish, I mean fish over 20 pounds.

[BigFish]

On the other hand, the swimming has been good! I am a little ahead of my normal catch rate.....ask me again in a couple weeks.....large should be soon in my normal spots.

[jsullivan]

late for shure and I spoke to some guides I know on the Hudson and the fish almost didnt even happen

[basswipe]

I'm having one of my better springs.....but I'm also fishing ALOT.I also have more purpose suited gear and much wider selection of plugs than I've had in previous years.

I got my 1st keeper size fish(31") last Wed. and released two slightly smaller ones this weekend.I've also hooked into several that I never landed,tonight being a perfect example of that.

That being said I have never fished previously like I've done this year so I have nothing to referance this year against.

I do make the assumption that if the weather were more stable with warmer temps and southerly breezes I would be doing even better.But its only an assumption.

[28inches]

Many,many very small bass (6"-8") on Long Island mixed in with schoolies and keepers. You guys getting them,too? Cute little buggers...looks good for the future.

[capesams]

in the past the fish have been pretty much on time...following the herring in and hanging around till the herring leave. these fish were about on adv. 34-40"+. then they'd leave and go north..the adv. size after this were 34" or so for the month of june. come the first week of july the wall of much larger fish would come in and stay for the summer, till one day in the middle of fall they would just up and leave in the nite.....now these past few years the larger fish never showed inshore[27'- 34' of water] they were here but never left the 40'50' depth....a change from their normal travel...it was found that the amout of fish that came here didn't change,,but what did was their feeding habit's....they stayed where the larger bait was [sandeels in the 7" size].so the guy's that stayed close to shore and the beach guy's were grumpin about the lack of fish....they were there they just never came in.

now there will be a few cows taken from shore for the few lucky one's,,but I think you'll find mostly smaller fish in close because of the smaller bait that hug's the shore line....the old saying is ..find the big bait if you want big fish....

[Clammer]

never ever caught soooooooooo many bass under 12"

[CowHunter]

Things have been really late this year....Just had a nice run of migratory fish this past week here in NJ / NY waters, I fished 5 nights and had boated a hell of alot of bass from 20-25lbs with a few in the upper 20lb and lower 30lb class, no slobs. Couldnt even count how many fish I got on some nights...The bite tapered off the last two nights as that body of fish moved out. The Bluefish have also been horrible! There are still fish around, nothing like last year....Waiting for another push of big fish now. The water is still cold, 57-58 on the ocean side with 60-62 in the back bay and harbors. The areas I fish when the fish are moving out of the Hudson are SLOW so the fish are definately not moving out of the river after the spawn yet, I think another few days before they start dumping out...Cant wait to fish up North, just know its gonna be late...

[eelman]

You know, I thought so until last night, the big ones are in. Or at least they were last night! really cleaned house last night. I think the fish are spread out and nothing is consistant yet but, they are here.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Clammer

never ever caught soooooooooo many bass under 12"

you can have em.. i'd rather catch bloofish than microbass

[Moses]

I mainly fish rivers and the Canal late April thru May. This year my fish count and size of fish caught has been waaayyy down from years past. Not exactly sure if there is one reason/multiple reasons for this.

I have heard and seen with my own eyes, seals at the river mouths I usually fish. For the Canal, someone mentioned in another post the lack of herring in the run. A good thought and perhaps why bass are slowing down on their way thru but not sticking around? Although I did catch my first keeper there 2 weeks ago.

I did have luck was this past weekend, saturday morning, fishing a few bays in SShore MA from a boat. Birds working for hours, most fish bigger than 20" and 1 keeper in the mix.

My cousin has run into some bigger fish in Cape Cod bay already from shore. These fish are between 15-35lbs and all have been around local river mouths with lots of herring.

So, I think they're here but I don't know where.

[BasicPatrick]

I am seeing lots and lots of micro Bass...maybe more than normal

I am seeing a nice class of decent shoolie sized Bass

I agree that the water temps and winds are slooooowwwwing things down....52 in the Canal..47 in Boston harbor....still cold....very cold

CapeSams said a mouthful...the Big fish are staying deep fo at least the last two-three years...tougher to get em from Shore....much more scattered....

[Mr. Sandman]

Its behind the last few years, no question whatsoever. I have polled a few guys who really fish hard as well. No bluefish to speak of. Bass, lots of small to tiny fish. I had one the other night that was about 10". Most are around the keeper size with a 35"er now and again but not much better but nothing that can't whip in a couple minutes. I am giving it a break until thurs night. (local tourny)

Weather.... has sucked. No good UV days. Lots of overcast sky, no SW winds. OH, yeah, the bi-weekly nor-easter m#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g the water up too. Air temp is 10-15 deg below the normal highs most days. My wifes garden is dying.

Normally by now I have several large in the box and am thinking of re-spooling already....not this year.

water temp in the ocean is low 50's, in the harbor, mid 50's (on a good day)

No worm hatch on this moon it looks like (mud is too cold)

WE NEED THE SUN TO SHINE!!! and looking at the 10 day forecast of rain does not get my hopes up.

I think the commerical guys are going to have a field day this year the big ones will show up just as thier season gets underway. It will be unreal.

[kippy]

I agree that the big ones are in but are scattered around. It has been an unusually cold May so I believe there will be another big push of fish once we get you few weeks of warm weather(I hope) There are many microbass around which bodes well for the future.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Well, we are roughly 7 degrees behind the average Bay temp (Lower bay) right now: Newport tide gauge, average for last 2 weeks of may is 57... it was 49.5 at lunch time today.....

[Homerun04]

micro.....micro.....micro.....15 incher....micro........22 incher.....micro.....micro......basically what it's been like down here in RI this year

[JohnR]

With all of these micro bass people are catching, what is the general consensus of where these fish are coming from? IMO, these are likely not fresh run fish from the Hudson or the Chesapeke, certainly not in early April when the fist appeared but are more likely "locally spawned" fish from say the salt ponds or maybe the Thames. I know a few years back I was catching 5 inch bass in the Housy and have caught an occasional 6 inch bass in Narr Bay and the WW... I think its a bit encouraging

Any thoughts?

[Homerun04]

If it helps any JohnR, have yet to see any lice on any of the micros....I suspect they are all local hatchlings also.

[capesams]

one's in my nabahood are all dark green with a ton of lice on them...full of p&v...watchin the thing's coming clear out of the water after small bait.nice salt pond right in the back yard of the house we're redoing,,,tough to get any work done...COFFEe TIMe...run down to the dock an catch a few...walk back to work

[Flaptail]

Ask Frank Daignault, he knows everything. oke: