Neponset River Then Ponki
Second trip to the Neponset. Launched from Signal Hill in Canton and paddled upstream toward Norwood. The water was significantly lower than last month but quite navigable. Lots of deadfall and "fishy" structure. The water is quite murky, I sure wouldn't want to fall in, and I was throwing a chartreuse square lip crankbait and a perch Rapal up against the wood and along the weed edges. Nothing was taking my bait, in fact, I didn't see any signs of fish activity at all. Finally, after passing under Route 95 a short distance up river there is a channel or catchment area on the left with no current. As I paddled into it I spooked a lot of fish near the surface. Finally, proof that something actually lives there. Still, I couldn't scare up a bite. I was finally able to hook into a bass deep into some deadfall. It shook the hook as I was bringing it in. My very next cast I nailed a decent and very lively pickerel. After that, nothing. I did notice that some of the baitfish I spooked were crappie but there were definitely larger things in there too. After that I called it quits for the Neponset and went over to Ponki where I proceeded to slay the slime darts once again on a perch Rapala. There was one small bass and a lunker yellow perch in the mix too. Interestingly, I couldn't scare up a hit on my white spinnerbaits. No matter, who can argue with a beautiful day on a beautiful pond catching scads of fish, even if they aren't bass.