We have real options this weekend! Sort of… Stick with me here.

First and foremost, for me, will be trout. All major ponds and rivers in our area have been stocked. I’ve heard rumors of some browns and ‘bows in the four-pound range taken out of Peters, Mashpee-Wakeby, and Long Pond (Plymouth). So, if you’re trophy hunting, a spunky shiner fished close to the bottom can’t be beat.

If you’re like me, and would absolutely love a four pound brown, but will definitely settle for a slightly smaller rainbow or brookie, I’d be casting woolly buggers and other streamers (spoons and small jerk baits for you spin guys and gals) to hungry trout patrolling the shallows. I’m thinking the warmer weather will get these fish eating again. Could be banner spring trout days Friday/Saturday mornings and nights. We may even start to see some hatches. Make sure to have a few dries and emergers in your box.

A cool alternative to fishing stocked ponds is to try out the rivers. Eel river, Town Brook, Beaver Dam Brook, Mattapoisett River, Agawam River have all been stocked. And they’ve been stocked with some big fish. A recent report from an unnamed river: “Browns stacked up like mackerel in a pool.”

Hey, what about largemouth? Don’t worry, we won’t forget about our old, gluttonous friends. These fish are in pre-spawn mode right about now. Target them with sinking jerkbaits and softbaits off ledges and weedbeds. Want a shot at a true lunker? Get yourself a hefty swimbait, preferably in the rainbow trout color scheme. (The cheaper ones work just fine, I’m not a swimbait geek). Big bucketmouths make a habit of chasing down the newly stocked rainbows.

Haddock season opens on April 15th. From what I’m hearing, they’re in thick on Stellwagen. For those of you ballsy enough to get out there and load the cooler with some delicious fillets, good on you. Just be safe. The water isn’t exactly comfortable this time of year if you happen to find yourself in it. The Mal de Mer went to the shop yesterday to get her spring-erization (and hopefully nothing else). Once shes all buttoned up, we’ll be looking to take her out to the bank to take part in this awesome fishery.

And the stripers… Oh yeah, those guys. Holdover fishing in all the usual rivers is getting hot. I would try to find one of these rivers with a nice dark bottom and fish an outgoing tide. I bet you’ll find some eager schoolie action.

We’re probably a week or two out from the first trickle of migratory bass. But if you’re going to be on the front lines like me, waiting for that first onslaught of micros and schoolies, get ready, because they were spotted recently in Connecticut. So they could get here early.

That’s it. Tight lines, folks. Get out there and catch.