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40 pound 2 ounce Carp. Caught in the Ct. River on Friday, May 24. Caught on corn. Transported in a large cattle watering tub to an official weigh station then taken back to where it was caught and released unharmed.

Trying for shad, ended up carp fishing. Shad fishing was very slow. I caught only one and my friend caught one as well. Carp were more cooperative. Caught 4 during two partial days of fishing. All caught on canned corn. Weighed from 12 to over 20 pounds.

First trip to Quabbin this year. Went to Gate 43, water was extremely low for this time of year. Water was also very cold. Never got above the 40s all day. We trolled with planer boards and down riggers, targeting salmon. Fishing was on the slow side, we ended up with 2 salmon, about 20 inches each. 1 laker, about 4 lbs and 2 smallmouth bass, about 3 lbs. All fish caught trolling on the surface and down to about 8 feet. The highlight of the day happened when we were in about 11 feet of water, along a drop-off. The down rigger we had set at 6 feet went off and my brother grabbed the rod. The fish immediately came up to the surface and attempted to jump. I say attempted because it was so big it just barely came out of the water. It was a smallmouth bass, the biggest I have seen in over 50 years of fishing. My personal best smallmouth was a hair under 6 lbs and I have caught many between 4 and 5 . This fish was a lot bigger. Unfortunately, she threw the hook on the first jump, leaving my brother and I staring, open mouthed, at each other. We gave her a rest and tried again later for her but to no avail. That's OK though, I know where she hangs. Next time!

Just saw on the news - a couple of Ice fisherman went through the ice today at Lake Metacomet. They had to be rescued by the fire dept. Lake Metacomet is a small, relatively shallow body of water. If the ice is not safe there I can't help but think it isn't safe anywhere in central Mass. I already had one swim this year and don't plan on another. Putting my ice fishing gear away tonight. Those die hards out there, please be careful. I didn't think it was going to happen to me but it did.

Just got home and got my wet clothes off. Fell through the ice today about 200 feet from shore and in about 15 feet of water. If I didn't have two friends with me I probably wouldn't be around to write this.

For those of you familiar with South Pond, we were fishing on the left side of the pond. If you were to stand on the boat ramp and look out onto the pond we were probably about halfway to the point on the left. At about noon my friend was walking back from checking a flag when his entire left leg went in up to the hip. We didn't think too much of it at the time thinking it was probably an old hole that had not frozen back over. There was a lot of sloppy slush on the surface but there seemed to be about 6 inches of good ice under the slush. At approximately 2:30 my other friend had a flag and we both started to walk towards it. About 10 feet from it I suddenly went in. It happened so fast I couldn't believe it. I was in up to my armpits and was trying to hold onto the edge. Stupidly, I don't have a pair safety picks so I was trying to hold myself up by grasping the edge. Well, those of you that ice fish know how much clothing you wear to stay warm. I had long underwear, under some coveralls and very heavy boots. Everything was immediately soaked and became very heavy and I was having difficulty holding on to the edge because it was so slippery. One of my friends laid down and spread out reaching towards me while my other friend held his ankles. They were able to pull me out.
I have been ice fishing for over fifty years and this is a first for me. I have always been careful and waited until I saw others on the ice before I would venture out. There were a number of others out there today and I thought it was safe, even if it was a little messy on the surface.
So, if you are an ice fisherman, please be careful. you never know what the ice conditions are. Just because one area is safe doesn't mean the whole pond is. I have come to find out that there are springs along the side we were fishing today and that is probably what made the difference. Please make sure you fish with a partner and definitely carry some safety ice picks with you a all times. I will from now on!

4 lb. 9 oz. LMB caught on ultra light jigging rod with shiner. Also caught 3 other LMB between 1 - 2 lbs. and a bunch of pickerel. All fish caught on shiners in 7 - 9 feet of water.

Went out Wed. Morning to R&R Sports in Belchertown to pick up shiners. They were out. I talked with 3 different area bait shops and all have run out of shiners at one time or another this year. So, if you're planning a trip you may want to get your bait the night before if you have an aerator to keep them alive. Finally got some bait and arrived at Metacomet. One guy had just released a bass he said was about 4 1/2 pounds. Another had caught a salmon, about 6 pounds. Two of us set up 8 tip-ups and used two jigging rods. We ended up with 6 nice crappie, one yellow perch and one white perch. I had never seen a white perch in that pond before. Most fish were caught on jigs. Although we did have about 8 flags during the day most just ran a little bit and dropped the bait. Everything except the yellow perch was taken home and filleted. There is not much better fish around than crappie or whit perch, taken through the ice, cleaned, put in a little batter and fried !

First ice fishing trip of the year. Was lucky enough to get invite to a private pond in Athol. About 4-5 inches of mushy ice. Arrived about 7:30 am set up 14 tip-ups and had 1 jigging rod (3 guys). Fished till around 2:00 pm. Caught 12 Largemouths, 4 Pickerel, 2 Perch, 1 Bluegill. Bluegill caught on jig, everything else took shiners. Fish bit very aggressively and every time we got to the hole when a flag went up the line was screaming out. One fish had taken very inch of line out before we got to him. Nothing huge, all bass between 1-2 lbs. Had something really weird happen at one hole. Had a flag, ran over and set hook. Fish took me into a snag and line broke. About 1/2 hour later, same hole, flag goes up. My son went and set the hook and fought a good fish right up to the edge of the hole when the hook pulled out. When he pulled the line out I noticed there were 2 shiners on the hook! I asked him why there were 2 shiners on the hook and he had no idea. Can only surmise that the other shiner was in the fishes mouth and somehow became hooked. When the fish got off both shiners stayed on the hook. Strange.

smallies & largemouth bass

1 Laker about 4 lbs. plus 4.6 lb. and 4.4 lb. Salmon. Had several other hits but did not hook up. Not too many boats out but everyone who was out seemed to be catching fish.