Stumpfield Marsh - Hopkington, NH

[nhxrunner]

Fellow NH guys, any recent reports from the Stump?  Co-worker and I are thinking about making a trip there tomorrow afternoon.  Any colors that seems to work better than others there?  What's the baitfish of choice there?  Just trying to get a feel for things since it will be both of our first times on that body of water.   

[ShaneJ]

The water's low right now, so watch your lower end. Besides that, if it's sunny, try Watermelon Red or Falcon Craw, both with just a trace of chartreuse on the ends. Last time I was there a couple weeks back, I got a 6 pounder off the submerged roadbed before you go under the bridge(can't miss it, there's a weedline along one side of it). Everybody and their mother pitches the stumps, so you can do that and catch dinks all day, or you can find channels and deeper water and catch the bigger ones. Jigs and drop shots (w/ Rage Grub), my friend. Good luck. I suggest getting there early.

[nhxrunner]

I'll only have the Pelican.  I don't bother taking my boat out of the lake for day trips, she likes her spot on the dock.  So not too worried about bumping the bottom.  Thanks for the tips.  Hopefully I'll have something good to report Wednesday morning.

[ShaneJ]

Sooooo... How'd it go? I saw you out there when I drove by today. Hopefully you guys were on 'em.

[matstone]

Sooooo... How'd it go? I saw you out there when I drove by today. Hopefully you guys were on 'em.

Lol, I know you really want to know, you made a special trip by to see how he was doin.  

[ShaneJ]

Not exactly, Matt. I drive by there everyday when I'm done my route for work, but I am curious, because that place can be tough.

[ShaneJ]

Dude, you're killin' me.

[nhxrunner]

My co-worker had a family emergency that day so we never made it out.  Today is the day though.....hopefully with the all the rain and the cooler water temps we'll see some good action tonight.  I promise this time I'll post our catch.

[ShaneJ]

Ok, cool. Guess it wasn't you I saw. Let us know, and good luck!

[nhxrunner]

Got on the water just before 5pm.  Hit up the submerged road before the bridge first.  I was on a Dirty Jigs swim jig with a falcon craw trailer.  My buddy had a hack attack jig in black with green flake and an amber green black trailer.  We hit it from all angles, no luck.  Headed south under the bridge and out into the lilly pads.  I switched to a 3/8 oz Dirty Jig California Swim Jig in the LC Crack Color and threw on a chartruese 4" Big Hammer swimbait tail.  First cast got hammered.  Got the little pig all the way to the boat and he shook it just before I could lip it.  About 3 seconds later my buddy had it hooked on his rig. He was just finishing his retrieve. Weighed out at 3-3.  I've never had that happen before.  We had a few laughs over it.  We tried the stumps, nothin doing there either.  Headed back north under the bridge.  Caught a few dinks after we got past it.  I went back to my bread and butter this year, the 3/8oz Dirty jigs California swim jig in alabama bream with a hard candy craw trailer.  First cast back at the road and boom another ~3lber, this time is jumped clean out of the water.  Lets just say I almost got a jig in the face .  Well the sun faded and we were about to call it a night and WHAM.  Big girl of the night.  On a KVD Tour Grade bluegill swim jig with a blue smoke single tail grub a nice 4lb-5oz largie.  So all in all a decent night.  Numbers weren't what we had hoped but still had a good time.

Happy now Shane?   

[ShaneJ]

Yes, I've been wondering how it was gonna go for you guys. At least you got on some decent fish, which at times, can be tough to do there. I'm glad you gave the road bed another shot, because all in all, it's better than the obvious standing timber over by the bridge. Now, come pre-spawn, go waaaay back (south end), to where it gets shallow around all those other trees, and have a field day! Nice job, bud.