[Michael]

Sunday I arrived at the funeral home at 2:08pm with conditions being overcast, cool, and southerly flow. Winds eventually picked up becoming a steady 8 mph with gusts 12 to 15.

I threw a number of small soft plastics to attract the bluegills and yellows, but the gills still seemed to be kinda sluggish and the yellows wouldn't touch anything just like last time. The only fish that was being aggressive was pumpkinseeds. Also tried throwing a Texas rigged 4" Berkley Power Worm for the bass, but they would just look at it.

Checked on the Pequonnock at Unity Park but a fisherman throwing a nice spinner wasn't into anything and saw nothing.

Next was Twin Brooks, where I played with a number of different Rapalas and topwaters.

First stop produced a 9" crappie a chunky cookie cutter no bigger than a pound on a yellow perch HJ-6. Was getting many perch swipes with it too. No bass, crappie, or pickerel followed to touched any topwater I threw.

Stuck with the yellow perch HJ-6 as I covered a few spots at the main pond, which caught me a 6.5" bluegill.

Once I got to the main cove at the main pond is when I started playing around more. Nothing happened there, but when I got to the same area I was catching the yellows and trout at last year, I caught 2 yellows and had 2 other hits. 1 came on a brown trout J-7 and the other brook trout FLR-6. 1 was 7" the other was 4".

Went to the larger pond and threw a variety of lures to cover depth and distance. No matter what I threw nothing was interested.

By the time it was 6:30 I headed back down to Beardsley to see what it was like at the ballfields. 2 people were fishing in the spot I was nailing the trout at last time but they weren't into anything with yellow Power Bait. Once they left I checked it out a threw a few of the lures that were working last time. Lost a trout on the gold XR-6 and had a number of followers and swipes on the firetiger HJ-6.

Hit the road around 8pm.

Yellow perch seem to be waking up at Twin Brooks and am looking forward to getting into a May bite in the same area I caught the 2 today and landed my PB last year. The crappie spit up a dead 2" shiner when I landed it.

[doctorjay1970]

I don't know what kind of fish a "cookie cutter" is referring to.

[Michael]

[Bolygan]

I really like (eating, catching) yellow perch, but it's a really a struggle to catch a few, and the ones I caught so far (4-5 ?) were tiny.

If you want to catch some rainbows, try a different color. I usually try at least 3 different color powerbaits.
For example, I've been catching rainbows and a few browns, using pink powerbait in the past few weeks.
Just recently though, they don't want it, so I tested yellow. Within 5 minutes I had a bite.

Also, here is a secret to my rig, when they are really lethargic or just very picky:

It's a special Carolina Rig.

1. So you have a weight coming down your main line (sliding), and finish it up with a pearl pebble (not necessary, but I like the weight not directly hitting the swivel)

Then tie on a tiniest swivel you can find.

4lb test line fluorocarbon leader (2 feet long) and the tiniest hook you can buy.
They are usually sold as an egg-hook. It can be a challenge to tie one on, they are so small.

Now, baiting it up - and I use this, when they are not touching any powerbait for some reason -

Put one meal worm or even better- butter worm on the hook.
You can buy them in Walmart if you buy them before everyone else buy them up.

Now, about 2 inches above your hook, make a ball from powerbait and pinch it on the fishing line. This will float up the worm from the bottom and also serves as an attractant.
If the trout goes for the powerbait, you will still have a very good chance to hook him. But 90% of the time, they go for the mealworm floating front of their face. .

Here is one of the nicer results: (around 2lbs)

[img][/img]