Conference wahoo::fishing

    	Well, you can always use my son's ideas.  Toss 1/16 oz. crappie
    jigs, trout streamer flies, and etc.  :-)
    
    	Truthfully, use spinner baits, pig-n-jigs with pork, then start
    going smaller in size until you start catching something.

    
    You might want to try some small shiners. I had some luck friday
    and plan to try them again tonight.
    
                     bartender
    

            I guess it depends what you're after. I'll agree with
    "bartender" about trying small shiners for bass. I've even had
    rainbows and browns hit them in the Contoocook R. I read an in-
    teresting article in Outdoor life, I think it was, about using 
    worms this time of year. As the ground thaws, it becomes satu-
    rated with water, thus causing the worms to come to the surface.
    Along rivers and even lakes they get washed into the water and
    become easy pickings for the fish. Makes sense to me.
            Salmon eggs work great this time of year too.

    		Caught one about 2-2� lbs. this past Saturday on a
    green/red flecked Fat Gitzit. I cast it about 4' off the shoreline
    in an area normally covered with lily pads later in the year. I
    reeled it in about 4' and let it sink back to the bottom. I had
    to put the motor in reverse because the wind was blowing me into
    the shoreline. I pulled up the slack and she was on. Unfortunately,
    so was the motor. I had the stop fighting the fish for a minute
    to turn it off but landed the fish anyway. She just about swallowed
    that Fat Gitzit. This is normally one of my hot early season smallmouth
    lures but it seems to work fine for largemouths too. 
    	
    	One of the other lures that usually produces early for me is
    the black/yellow spinner bait. This is probably pretty well known
    as this is the color the stores around here seem to be out of the
    most.
    
    	In another couple of weeks or so the shad run should be starting
    so bass fishing will be on hold for a little bit. For those that
    haven't yet gone shad fishing I'll say this, if the shad ran all
    year I'd give up bass fishing. There's nothing like catching fish
    in current that average 4-7 lbs. and pound for pound can out fight
    a smallmouth, striped bass, or a salmon (all of which can and have
    been caught while shad fishing). On top of all this, the ONLY way
    to fish for them is on light tackle (i.e. ultralight with no more
    than 6 lb. test). I've seen these fish do 50+ yard runs only to turn 
    around and do the same thing when you get them almost close enough to 
    land. Aside from this, the early "green" fish do aerial acrobatics
    that put even the best smallmouth to shame. Enough of this for now 
    as this is getting into another topic which I suspect we'll be seeing 
    some activity soon.
    
    RAYJ

    Glad you mentioned Shad, RayJ.  I'm looking forward to trying shad
    fishing this year.  All you shad'rs make sure you keep us posted
    on when and where they start!  Don Mac

    re .3
    
    Can you tell me where is Contoocook River?  And How to get there.
    
    
    Thanks

    
    
    	Anybody else out there throwing Rat-L-Traps this spring?  I have
    	had a lot of success with them.  I bring them back with a moderate
    	retrieve....the bass really pound them.  Saturday I had a nice
    	2.5 lber hammer it right by the boat...got to watch it hit...
    	Color doesn't seem to matter....the speed of retrieve does.  If
    	I find myself bringing it in too fast and then slow down the hits
    	pick up.
    
    	I used to view the Rat-L-Trap as a fall lure.  Anyone else
    	having any luck with them.
    
    	Gitzit'  yes_I_have_other_lures_in_the_tackle_box

	Hey Gitzit,

	Our club had a tourney down on the cape a couple weeks ago and the top
3 finishers used a chrome with blue back.....Speed was important as you said,
but they really liked this color... I went back to the same place last friday
and didn't catch a one on that bait...But we tore em up with Gitzits and 
bigclaw crawfish....27 between 1-3 1/2 lb fish absolutely terrific...Arms were
tried at the end of the day....

Bigbird