The searing rays of the sun are triggering inlets to flow and snowmelt to drain into pressure ridges and auger holes—and the fish are on the feed. Combine big bass and nasty toothies with plenty of ice and the soothing effects of the March sun, and for many reasons the time for the gloves to come off is now!
Massachusetts Fishing Report
Eric of Lunkers in Ashland told me of the yet another terrific tiger trout that was taken at the shop’s namesake – Ashland Reservoir. The fish was north of 19 inches and fell for a shiner set up in shallow water. A day with the kids on Winthrop Lake over the weekend wound up being an outing with a lot of company from both fish and two-legged visitors. Shiners were not sitting idly for long as they were besieged by bass up to almost 3 pounds as well as perch and pickerel. The human traffic was because the days are becoming so sweet. Eric is not sure what all the buzz is about at Kaufman’s Cove in Lake Cochituate but this multi-species water body harbors everything from pike to salmon to panfish and has been attracting a crowd. A 20-pound pike was taken from Fairhaven Bay on the Sudbury River and rivers right now are hot; however, any river in March should be viewed as having hazardous hardwater.
Dave from Merrimac Sports said that the shop’s derby over the weekend on Lake Attitash produced a number of largemouth bass between 5 and just-under 6 pounds. Adjoining Tewksbury Pond has been quietly producing some good bass fishing as well. A solid white perch fishery exists in Attitash and some of these are real humpbacks. Pike fishing was very promising at the setbacks of the Merrimack and Concord Rivers as recently as this week but be careful as thaws can make rivers treacherous. Dave did say that the river has opened up from the Bradford Bridge through River Street in Haverhill and this is prime smallmouth water should you have a desire to exercise long dormant casting-muscles. Little Island Pond in Pelham has been a prolific panfish producer.
Just when we’re ready to call tiger muskies extinct, a vibrant-striped 12-pound 9-ounce fish is pulled from Lake Quinsigamond. Eric George took the toothie to be weighed in at B&A Bait in West Boylston and the whopper taped out at 39 inches. Ed Parmeter is now winning the white perch category of the shop’s current derby with a 1-pound 10-ounce slab he caught out of East Waushacum Pond. In addition to nice white perch, this picturesque place also has some solid smallmouth bass. The feeling is that there is little chance Wachusset Reservoir will open on the first Saturday in April as is usually the case. The good news is the water should be high, cold and the lakers will be on the feed. High tributary snowmelt should mean a good recruitment for smelt this spring as well.
Jim from Barry’s in Worcester told me of another nice pike taken by Howie Turcott out of Lake Quinsigamond, this one being a 12-pound toothie. Evidently Jim sold Eric the suckers which were the bait he used to catch that terrific tiger muskie. Eric had been out of the shop barely an hour when he caught that fish. Smallies in Singletary and Webster are hanging in water as shallow as 12 feet and when caught are pot-bellied bronzebacks. They have been getting nice largemouth bass from Dark Brook Reservoir, especially the area behind the BFI plant.
Rod from Flagg’s in Orange reported 24 inches of ice in Tully Lake when we spoke. When asked about the odds of Quabbin Reservoir opening on the planned date on the 3rd Saturday in April, he said that it didn’t look good. That could be a plus for shore fishermen who in the past have been given the go ahead to fish Quabbin while any ice whatsoever will prohibit boats from fishing. Meanwhile Mattawa continues to give up good rainbow and brown trout catches along with nice bass and white and yellow perch for the few who target warm water species. That diverse fishbowl off the Connecticut River, Barton Cove, remains busy and the feeling is that the biggest pike of the season should be feeding actively there right now. Rod also recommends the setbacks off the Connecticut River in the Hinsdale/Claremont area of New Hampshire for pike.
New Hampshire and Southern Maine Fishing Report
I asked Jamie from Dover Marine, who is a groundfishing fanatic, if he was jonesin’ for Jeffreys Ledge this April and what he told me had me excited to get out there too. He hauled in three halibut last year between 30 and 39 inches and lost a mammoth fish that nearly spooled his tuna-tested tackle! Minimum size for halibut last year was 42 inches, so the three he landed were released. The action occurred inshore of Jeffreys in 200 feet of water and THE bait was fresh mackerel on a cod fly!
Closer to reality, the crappie action is great at Willand Pond. Winnipesauke remains the winning choice if your wish is to whip white perch. A patron of the shop tallied 60 the other day on a small gold jigging Rapala. Other awesome white perch wares have been Swedish Pimples, Northland Buckshot Spoons, PK Flutter Spoons as well as small Kastmasters. Check out 30 to 40 feet in Winter Harbor for these 2-pound class white perch as well as Moultonborough Bay. There’s a lot to love about the rainbow fishing at Lovell’s Pond and you’ll find bows at Willand also.
Tim Moore from Suds ‘N Soda has been combining deep water lake trout excursions with panfish outings on Lake Winnipesauke and has been finding the lakers as willing as the white perch. Bigger gear is required for the bigger gamesters with Berkley Power Tubes being the offering of choice. Inside contour turns as 60’ depths where they transition into shallows has been best for the lakers and they even had a 6-pound cusk crash the party. Those same depth changes in the 30 foot range will hold the white perch. If you’re intrigued by this world class ice jigging than book a trip with Timmy soon because regardless of the ice, the season ends when the month ends! A crappie choice is Pawtuckaway Lake where the fish are now suspending and feeding ravenously. This is also a pretty respectable yellow perch place.
Dylan from Dag’s in Maine’s best bet is the nice brookies which were recently stocked in Lower Range Pond. Stick tight to the shore with a jigging spoon such as the ubiquitous Swedish pimple or other small, flashy spoon for the brookies of which 500 were stocked in the “range”. Sabattus is expected to sizzle soon as the pike go on a tear wherever there is current from inlets or near shore melting. Ditto throughout the Androscoggin and Belgrade watersheds where pike have become almost too pervading to list.
Best Bets for the Weekend
It’s hard to pick which is more of a winner the weekend, weather or the fishing; fortunately we don’t have to choose! As predicted, pike are feeding aggressively and remain a best bet especially among the river systems such as the Sudbury, Connecticut, Merrimack and Concord. This is not February, and river systems in March should be treated with extreme caution! Pack ice picks and make sure you pal-up on your trips. Tote along a rope with you just in case. Bass are bingeing and packing on the pounds at Lake Attitash as well as Dark Brook Reservoir. It you’re dying to chuck some crankbaits into open water, check out the River Street stretch of the Merrimack River in Haverhill. Winnipesauke remains a winner for white perch as well as lake trout. For a best bet in Maine consider Lower Range Pond where a 500 brook trout stocking has really livened the place up!