Early Season yields few fish

• The recent string of warm, sunny days has heated our waters up to springtime levels typical, to a tad cooler, than levels expected for late April. A year or so ago I promised not to use the word "normal" when it came to matters of the outdoors, because over the years it has become apparent there is no such thing.
• In talking to a fair number of fishermen and local shops regarding the season opener, for the most part fishing activity levels were high because of the gorgeous weather, but catching levels were low-to-medium at best because of the radical changes in weather and water temperature our local fish populations have endured during the past month-and-a-half.
• The recent cold spell delayed springtime fishing conditions by two or three weeks when combined with the recent flooding rains. The high waters spread fish downriver from angler access points and simply make it more difficult for anglers to present their offerings properly to the fish.
• In ponds, water temperature levels were on the rise, but the fish appeared slow to respond, particularly in the deeper "trout lakes" in the area. The short-term, radical rise in temperature just appeared to be making a difference in the waters I've been on and observed earlier in the week.
• For example, Mohegan Park Pond, in the shallow and warmest area on this lake, the swimming area was 47 degrees fahrenheit on April 13 and 69 degrees on April 23, yet there were not many bluegills or bass cruising in the shallows. The fish will catch up to the increasing water temperatures anytime now, if they haven't already.
• Early largemouths: Because of high water levels in area rivers my son, Jared, and I opted to fish for bass in a shallow area pond, rather than join the crowds on the popular trout lakes for the season opener. The plan was to let the warming rays of the sun cook the shallow weedy coves and shorelines of our chosen destination, then cruise this lake from our eight-foot cartop boat and pound the warm edges of this pond with spinnerbaits and soft plastic jerk baits. The plan worked.
• But despite a day-and-a-half of bright sun and mild temps, it took the bass until nearly 2 p.m. to begin cooperating. The first two-and-a-half hours produced only a trio of two-pound average largemouths and a half dozen sunfish and one calico bass. The panfish were for supper; the largemouths were released.
• During the warmest part of the day in a shallow, weedy, protected cove that was lined with submerged stickups, we hit the mother lode. During the next hour, which took place during a small drop in barometric pressure, we landed 18 more bass, all but one on gold spinnerbaits ranging in color from gold and purple to black and chartreuse. It didn't seem to matter much, because the fish were on the prowl.
• We fished using a classic early spring technique that is fun, usually productive and easy. The area we fished was only a couple feet deep with most of the bass hanging close to the shallow, dead weed beds and loose strife near shore where the water was warmest.
• That morning water temps in the main body and other coves on this lake was perhaps 51 or 52. By late afternoon in this particular spot, which had been soaking up the sun's heat for nearly two days by then, it had to be 60 degrees, so the party was on.
• This time of year, before waters warm too much in the region's shallow lakes, spinnerbaits or soft plastic jerk baits such as Slug-Go's or Zoom Fluke's are very effective lures. Cast them in and around beds of emerging new growth lily pads and the dead weed growth that is so abundant in many lakes in this region.
• The dead plants, rocks, clumps of mud around root systems and rocks soak up and radiate heat into the water, creating small zones of warmer than ambient water that attract bass and other fish-like magnets.
• By necessity, these lures should be run near or just below the surface to minimize fouling. Retrieve spinnerbaits fast enough to create a bulge and wake on the surface, occasionally letting the lure settle into the deeper holes and visible pockets in weed beds.
• Watch the lure during every retrieve, rod tip down close to the water to allow for a good hook set. Occasionally swing the rod from side to side in order to add sudden changes in direction to the lure. This tactic will often cause a reluctant bass, pickerel or pike to close the deal by eliciting an age-old "strike reaction" that is programmed into the psyche of all predatory species, including Felix, the house cat.
• The trick to maximizing hook-ups when strikes occur is not setting the hook the instant a bass is observed boiling on the lure. Modern rods and super lines are so fast, the lure will often be pulled away from the fish before it really has engulfed the lure.
• Instead, quell that desire to set the hook instantaneously, wait until the weight of the fish is felt, then set the steel home hard a couple times. Once hooked, the trick is keeping tension on the fish in weeds and other trash to prevent it from shaking itself loose if it gets any slack line.
• In the right small, shallow, bass pond, large shallow cove or shoreline of a larger lake during the right time of the spring, it is possible to rack up some pretty good catch totals on bass of all sizes, with a real good chance to catch some trophy-class fish. This highly productive period will vary in duration, depending on the depth and water temperatures of each different body of water. This hot-bite period will occur sometime between now and mid-May in this area. (Bob Sampson, Norwich Bulletin)