[Icemike]

Got out to portland today.Put a big plastic palatte @ end of the makeshift ice ramp-thank-you. Two guys out jigging up the usual in the back end.-Real sloppy getting on but if you got the good boots-you're golden. 4-5" under the slush- lots of spots where you can keep on the crust-but I wouldn't venture too far out from the back-big finger of open water ripping across the cove from the inlet.Caught a few nice perch-biggest went 12". And I got a bass w/spots. like a dalmation or a hound dog. never seen anything like it before. snapped some quick pics, measured length & put her back so maybe I can see spotted largemouth in the river. NOT a spotted bass-but a color variant of largemouth. very unique.

[pikePERSUADER1]

No, it's a parasite I think, we get them all the time in wethersfield and keeney

[AfternoonFisher]

I believe it's black spot disease. Did he look like he was sprinkled with pepper?
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PB LMB: 4lb 13oz
PB Pickeral: 6lb 8oz

[PECo]

I've read that neither black spots nor black blotches are particularly harmful to largemouth bass. . . or humans.

Black spots are caused by an intermediate life stage of several different species of parasites. I've seen this very often in panfish, including largemouth bass, but most often in yellow perch. Here's an article about it by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries:

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/health/vol2issue9.htm

Black blotches are a kind of hyper-pigmentation (aka melanosis). I've seen this only in largemouth bass, but I don't catch many smallmouth bass. I haven't seen any studies that have determined the cause of the melanosis. Here's a report about it by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission:

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/newsreleases/2012press/bass-spots.htm
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[Icemike]

It's not those little trout specks-seen that before-this guy looked like a dairy cow! It is that hyper-pigmentation thing-whyI released it so quick-figurede it wass genetics-want to post the pics-haven't even seen one oneline so extreme. Awesome fish. @ portland today the cold is really firming up the slop-hard to walk yesterday-tosay solid on top! ice is looking good again-same two guys from yesterday today had flags-picked up a 30 or so pike & a bowfin right as I was walking on! gonna bring the gear to work a few times this week to hit those coves.

[JesseC]

i wanna try fishing this "cove" this week sometime cause i'm right next to portland in cromwell, just not sure how to get there. i tried to find out some more info on it and a map but all i can manage to find is a "Wrights cove/(Pecauset pond)". is this the same place that you're talking about? and if so is it easy to access the area by foot? or the name of the road the area is off of etc. ? any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Icemike]

peccaussett pond is off rt. 66 in portland.park @ the dinosaur mini golf and walk a ways to the "on" trail. watch out for high tide though; it can break off a shelf where you get on sometimes- good luck-it's only deep right where you get on -then it gets down to 2-3 ft. watch the open finger where the water comes in: sometimes it can cut the cove in half. But the fish are there.

[JesseC]

thanks alot for the info/directions icemike! i'll let u guys know how i make out when i get out there this week.