Aldrich Lake, Granby, MA Fishing Report

Pig On A Frog

Saturday morning I made it out around 6am for a bit of fishing at a small western Mass pond, Aldrich Lake. It's never been that great a place, but it's convenient and relaxing and I know how to get around the place.

The sun was up and it was already heating up a bit as I fished my way along the pond from shore. It was totally dead, not even the bluegills were up for some fun. I was throwing a buzzbait for a bit, mixed with a super fluke and a senko. I had brought my frog rod with me in hopes of finding some decent weeds, but it all looked like crap.

I spent the first two hours fishing through a channel that goes to a back cove that I hadn't seen yet. I get one bite but the fish is gone when I set the hook. Not even a couple laydowns that are perfect spots yield anything. The sun is cranking and it seems like the fish are being post-frontally sedate.

I get to the back cove, and there are a few more weeds, maybe enough to hold fish in this weather. I throw the spro bronzeye around, but nothing happens. A local guy comes through in a canoe, throwing a stanley ribbit. He gets a nice blowup, but either misses the hookset or loses it in the weeds. At least there is life.

I move down the shore a bit and there's still nothing going on. The local finishes his round with no more action and heads out as I change spots yet again. It's now around 9am and the sun is out in force. Walking through the woods, I spot a narrow access spot and head down. I can only just cast without trouble, in a narrow arc. Nothing happens on the first pass, and I toss it out again. The frog is about 40-50 feet from shore when the water erupts and the frog goes under. Deep breath, don't set the hook too soon. I feel the line, and it's got it so I slam home the hookset and connect solidly. At last, fish on!

I put all the pressure on the fish that I can manage, to bring it out of the weeds and towards shore. With a heavy rod and 50# braid, it's usually not too bad, but this one is refusing to go quietly and is digging around the junk weeds.

I i wrestle it upwards a bit and get it to around 30 feet, but still haven't seen the fish when it makes a beeline right, through more weeds. I catch a flash as it turns and it looks like a real good fish. I'm riding my gear hard, but the fish is not relenting and my rod is arched over with the strain. For what feels like forever but was only about 10-15 seconds we duke it out and the fish finally gives in when it's covered in enough weeds to hamper it.

I bring the whole salad towards shore, and can barely make out the fish. I can see a bit of tail fin and a little flopping, but not much else. When I get it close to shore, I peel off some of the weeds by the head, and do a double take: Did I just catch a catfish or something else? The head looks big and grotesque, but it looks bassy enough and there are no extra teeth or spikes or anything, so I lip it and hoist it out of the water, weeds and all. Some of the grass comes off and I can see the side, and it's wide. This is definitely a monster bass!

In an adrenaline frenzy I peel off the rest of the weeds and fumble for the phone to get a picture. My arm is straining to hold it, and I am shaking enough that I need 3 or 4 tries to get a decent shot. I finally get the scale out and realize I don't have my weigh bag with me once again, so I gingerly slip the scale under the gill plate without harming the fish. It calmly obliges me by staying still, and the scale settles on 7lb 4oz! A second weighing comfirms it, and I get another good look at the fish before getting her off the frog. She even looks a bit skinny, this could be 8+ easy if she had a bit more belly.

I get her unhooked and am amused that my hand easily fits inside the mouth completely when I remove the frog. What a bucketmouth indeed. With one last goodbye I get her back in the water, and she angrily takes off back into the weeds. After settling down I take a few more casts, but it feels kinda pointless since it's unlikely to get any better than that. So I pack it up and head home, thanking the month of June for my second 7-pounder.

PS: If anyone has a suggestion on how to get better pictures when you are out by yourself pounding the shoreline, please feel free to share. I would have loved better photos of both lunkers.

• Added By: michaelk on 06/20/10 05:36 PM
• Location: Aldrich Lake, Granby, MA
• Report Date: 6/19/2010
• # of Hotspots: 1
• # of Photos: 4
• # of Fish Caught: 1
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