The Ice Out is almost complete in the North East and the competitors are itching to wet a line or practice a new lure, jig or a style to fish the "Pre-Spawn Bass Season". In my back yard and former bass club, the Burrillville Bass Club (BBC) opened their season on April 18, 2014 at Pascoag Reservoir or Echo Lake in Glocester, R.I. where the boat launch area is located and last years champion set the frost bite opener in motion and let every one know that they are still the team to beat. Yes Dave Royer weighed in a limit of 5 Largemouth at 9lbs 9 oz for first place and Master Brian (Spoony) Parenteau followed in a close second. Small non-lead jigs, soft jerk baits and a Rapala Blue/Chrome twitching technique landed the sluggish fish. Water Temp was 51-53 and if you found a small section about 4-5 degrees warmer, you found the lethargic fish.
Over at Mashpaug Pond in Massachusetts, the local bass club e-mailed me the results and a lot better fishing across the state line. 18lbs 5oz. took first place, second place 16lbs. 9oz and third 15lbs 3 oz on a warm afternoon in a very hot cove. Temperature is the whole key to spring pre-spawn bass fishing.
The Burrillville Bass Club (BBC) will now fish 27 consecutive weeks on the Thursday night schedule, rain, snow or shine. The Bass Club started in small prams and canoes about 1973 and is what you would classify a working persons fraternity. Friendships made last a lifetime and the club the last few years even has a year end Banquet. 7 local ponds and lakes in Northern Rhode Island on a rotating schedule and 100% catch and release and heavy penalties for not adhering to it.
The last count was about 34 organized bass clubs in the area and stable. Some are closed memberships because of the size of our boat ramps and parking area's. Some are National recognized for points and some are Open Tournaments. Some even have a waiting list or a fill in list to see if you really have what it takes at this level. Remember, 99% percent of this club type of fishing is 'NO Live Bait".Most are two man teams and 5 fish. Some are single or pairs and 10 fish, the Rhode Island limit is 5 bass, Largemouth or Smallmouth creel limit.
My E-MAIL
waynewnri@yahoo.com has just started to get a few of the schedules and are in no way the only events that have the required State permits to hold one over three vessels, no fee in Rhode Island from Al Libbe at the Great Swamp Headquarters. Mass. and Conn. have their own set of abstracts so check before you take for granted you're date is not already spoken for.
May 4 Kent County Rhode Island Open at Watchaug Pond R.I.
May 10 RI.Bass Nation Team Trail Two Johnsons Pond R.I.
May 18 Rhode Island Bass Federation Trail Watchaug Pond, R.I.
May 4 NH Bass Federation Spring Opener Squam Lake, NH
May 17 Mass. Bass Youth Tournament Lake Cochituate, Mass.
May 18 Mass Federation Team Trail Opener Mashpee Wakeby, Mass.
May 18 NEBA of Mass. Webster Lake, Mass.
May 11 NEBA of Conn. Candlewood Lake, Conn.
Check you're local Bait &Tackle Shop for any flyers on local Fishing Tournaments in you're town or on a town hall website. Wayne
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