It’s the brown trout and the brown bombers that are making many people happy at the moment. And there have even been a few fruitful flounder forays for those that believe that the “winter” in winter flounder means that you can actually catch them when it gets chilly. Yet, it’s hard to knock the kicks that smelt provide for their stalwarts. But if you’re bemoaning the days of roaming the surf and casting a long ways toward potentially big fish, Wachusett Reservoir offers almost 37 miles to stretch your legs and put a lure in front of a laker as big as – who knows?
If you backed Russ Eastman, who is the tackle savant of Monahan Marine in Weymouth, into a corner and demanded he fess up to his favorite fishery, I’d be willing to wager that Lake Quacumquasit brown trout would be near the top. Last Sunday this central Mass water body, which is managed for trophy brown trout, lived up to its billing as Russ and a pal landed 15 brown trout up to 2 ½ pounds and had steady action on rainbows. What makes this lake so special is that there are a ton of landlocked alewives and little competition from other species. The brownie bite was courtesy of shiners in 35 feet of water and the bows were hitting Rapala minnow plugs. Russ hooks his shiners with a two-hook harness, similar to a quick-strike rig, and immediately sets up on the hit. I’ve fished with Russ here and can attest that the fish are lip-hooked nearly every time making for easy release. As water temperatures cool and the thermocline isn’t so prevalent look for big bottom-feeding browns to become more active and roam nearer to the surface.
Russ also told me that cod continue to hit with regularity. The only caveat with the cod is that the Winter Cod Conservation Zone regulation took effect as of November 15th. The bad news is that this is about two weeks earlier than past years but the good news is that the size of the CCZ has been reduced dramatically. The off-limits area is roughly between Deer Island and Swampscott. For specifics check out the Mass DMF website and lock those numbers into your chart plotter if you intend on cruising for cod. More good news is that those that are willing to shake off the late fall chill in the hopes of catching a cod or two from noted shoreline spots such as Nut Island, Hull Gut, the Reserve Channel, and Castle Island will be pleased to note that they can fish these spots all winter long! And boaters will be able to drop a jig among President Roads, which perennially gives up some nice late fall/winter cod. The next month will be the best time to catch cod among these places and while it makes for a cold outing, you’ll fare better from dusk to dawn!
Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate told me that the cod-crazed are still finding the brown bombers and some red rock cod as well by Minot’s Light. But for some real fast-paced action break out the Sabiki rig as the tinker mackerel are hanging tough. Yeah, I know they were yesterday’s bait, but you have to be versatile in mid-November to keep catching!
Some very exciting news from Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett, there are actually a few flounder feeding just off some North Shore beaches. Pete got the word from a duck hunter who has been frequenting Lynn Harbor and Revere Beach. Apparently this multi-species outdoorsman wanted to mix fish with fowl. Sea worms may be a tough find at this time of the year but Berkley Gulp! Sandworms and clams will also work.
Pete also told me of a surge in smelt numbers in the inner harbor. As the smelt season progresses they tend to migrate farther inshore and they’ve taken up residency among the Charlestown Marina as well as the East Boston Yacht Clubs. The piers of Hull are still hot as are Hingham Harbor, Hewitt’s Cove and Nut Island. The pair of Paones, Rick Sr. and Jr., continue to catch a few meals worth of the little buggers every outing next to their slip in Winthrop. I prefer a size 6 Sabiki rig paired down to only three hooks with as light a dipsy-style sinker as I can afford that will still tend bottom. Sometimes we drop down to a 1/16th ounce sinker and it is a hoot when the descent of that rig is suddenly stopped by a jack smelt!
Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle told me that anglers tossing Acme Fiord Spoons have been clobbering lake trout up to 6-pounds by the Gate 13 section of Wachusett Reservoir. And owing to warmer than normal water temperatures the smallie bite is still on off Gate 30 and the fish are falling for soft-plastic craw imitators, Senkos and shiners. And then there are those rainbows. Now is the best time of the year to catch ‘Chu rainbow trout, which grow to be among the most colorful in Massachusetts. The stripes on the bows here could best be described as purplish and the fish are usually fat with great growth rates. You can’t beat a small shiner under a float for one of these beautiful bows. The only requirement is to make sure you set up where the wind is to your back so that you can float the shiner out a little bit. Usually the rainbows will prowl the edge of a drop-off, with a good set of shades you should be able to see a contour line that marks a depth break; that edge is where you want to have your shiner. Of course, Roostertails, small Kastmasters and Krocodiles will also catch these trout. And in case you’re not aware, the state record rainbow trout was caught at the ‘Chu!
Bobby Santini has been trolling up some impressive rainbows and browns from Walden Pond in Concord. It all comes down to the forage and while Walden is hardly under anyone’s radar it has smelt! Brown trout become eating machines when they have schools of bait to shadow, especially when the bait is smelt, alewives or threadfin shad.
If the North Shore is closer to your stomping ground you are not out of the trout sweepstakes thanks to the fine folks at First Light Anglers in Rowley. Nat and Derek and the boys spearheaded another stocking of the Mill/Parker River watershed in the Byefield area with brown and brook trout. It is hoped that these fish will become estuarial and thrive in the bounty that is unique to a brackish environment. But don’t fret about waiting for these trout to pack on some pounds in Plum Island Sound before they become a challenge, some of these “stockies” are 3 to 5 pounds! Fly fishers have already caught and released some of the smaller specimens. Derek Springer told me that the fish are taking streamers, white Wooly Buggers and Bead head Prince nymphs.
Best Bets
If you want action and delectable treats, drop a Sabiki rig tipped with grass shrimp off the Nut Island Pier, Hewitt’s Cove or most any marina in East Boston or Winthrop. If you’re fishing right, at night, from Nut Island or Castle Island bring along a surf rod while you’re at it, you might have some cod fillets to go along with the smelt appetizer. The ‘Chu is delivering a hat trick of lakers, smallies and “holdover” rainbow trout. If you quest big browns check out Quacumquasit but if you prefer your trout a little salty, roll-cast a streamer into the Mill River for a brook trout or brown trout.