The chatter concerns the cold in a number of ways, and it has nothing to with the weather. Blue ribbon cold-water bodies such as Quabbin, Wachusett, Winnipesauke, and Sebago all feature a solid salmonid bite. While in the salt, the deep has been giving up cold-water delights such as haddock, cod, and redfish…and there’s even the first-of-the year whispers of winter flounder.

Saltwater Fishing Report

Russ Eastman of Monahan’s Marine in Weymouth has a few hardy patrons who took advantage of a respite in recent gusts and sailed out to Hospital Shoals in Boston Harbor and came away with four blackbacks for their efforts. And for further flounder proof, they provided photos! Another Harbor harbinger for flounder flans comes courtesy of Bob Pronk of Green Harbor Bait and Tackle who told me of a resident of Brant Rock who has seen seagulls dragging flounder from the shallows onto the beach. Bob also said that most charter captains scouting for cod have found little to show for their efforts at Stellwagen and points east. One bit of encouragement came courtesy of Captain Jeff DePersia who did find a pocket of promising fish.

While it’s hard to get a handle on the cod open season, which began April 16th in the midst of raging seas, haddock trip reports provided from the Yankee Fleet out of Gloucester showed good numbers of wayward cod as the crew targeted haddock. It looks like Jeffreys Ledge again may be the place to fish for a gadoid grab bag. Respectable numbers of redfish have also figured into the mix.

Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report

Rod from Flaggs in Orange told me of terrific lake trout fishing from the shore of Quabbin right from opening day on April 12th (shore fishermen only). Many of the gates I listed last week had cars parked nearby with word that 31 and 35 were especially good. Some respectable rainbows were taken also but the trophy of the week was a 5½-pound smallmouth bass that is believed to have hit a shiner. What I was most interested in was the shape of the lakers, and they were fat but for the wrong reasons! I was hoping their portly physicality was due to a rebound in smelt numbers but stomach surveys show a disturbing amount of Senko-like soft plastics! Rod also recounted similar contents in a lot of trout that are caught. This is a sore spot for many and the debate has only just begun.

One place smelt are not an issue is Wachusett Reservoir! Twelve seems to be the magic number so far. Eddie of B&A in West Boylston so far has weighed in three 12-pound lakers, the biggest being long-time regular Doug Warbin’s 12-12. But the most interesting was Leonardo Fernandez’ 12-2. Never having caught a laker before, Leonardo brushed up on gear and tactics at B&A and later that day returned with a fish that many who have invested decades into Wachusett have never caught! While no salmon have been brought in, they are biting as are a few smallies. If you’re reluctant to make a haul, the fish this time of year seem to know no bounds and can be caught right next to the bridge off the causeway, by the boat ramp off Route 110, and they are catching them in the Quinnapoxet and Stillwater Rivers as well. If you’ve been paying attention to the blogosphere, you probably heard of the 18-pound beast which was taken opening day and was “released.” Evidentially the angler intended on releasing the fish but was convinced to keep the “gold pin” lake trout. The fish was tenuously secured to a chain/snap stringer when it wriggled free of the snap and swam away. Provided that it survived that’s good news for the fish and incentive for others to keep on casting.

Pete from Belsans Bait in Scituate said that some of the rivers on the South Shore such as Bound Brook, the Third Herring Brook and Indian Head River have been stocked with brook trout. River herring are coursing the North River and it won’t be long before the first American shad appear. More good news on the flounder front: Pete told me that lobsterman are starting to find a few in their pots off The Glades!

Laura from Ippis in Lynn said that patrons are very pleased with the trout they are able to take from Sluice and Horn Ponds. On April 26th, Ippi’s is partnering with the Lynn Fish and Game to sponsor a derby on Sluice Pond which features something for everyone. Meanwhile the bass bite is pretty good at Buchanan’s, Flaxx Pond and even the glacial pond-deep Sluice. Eric from Lunkers in Ashland told me of another terrific tiger trout which somehow survived the ice-fishing onslaught and was caught from Ashland Reservoir. For more expected fare, the rainbows are biting well also. For bass check out Winthrop Lake and a sleeper crappie spot is Fairhaven Bay in the Sudbury River.

New Hampshire and Southern Maine Report

Most trout in New Hampshire does not open up until a week from this Saturday but there are exceptions. Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair told me some rainbows were being caught from Beaver Lake, Canobie Lake and Cobbetts Pond. A better bet for bass is the quieter stretches of the Nashua River. Jason from Suds ‘N Soda said that the Lamprey River, while catch and release now, is a good choice for New Hampshire anglers dying to catch a trout from open water. Check the regulations here before you give it a go. Chad from Dover Marine complemented the crappie fishing at Willand Pond as well as the Bellamy Reservoir. The big prize is landlocked salmon from Lake Winnipesauke, the bays of Alton, Moultonborough and Meredith are largely open and guys are trolling smelt, steamers and spoons such as the DB Smelt and Mooselook Wobbler.

Dylan of Dags in Auburn was busy winding line on a downrigger trolling reel when we spoke. Soon it will be prime time to troll for salmon at Lake Auburn and Thompson Lake. Meanwhile that “conduit fishing” I spoke of last week is the rage for landlocked salmon right now as Salmon Point on Lake Auburn is wide open and anglers are catching. You can get your trolling fix right now at the locks area of Sebago Lake just be prepared for “combat fishing” as many are partaking of one of the few fishy games in town. To avoid tangling others, Dylan recommends you troll smelt close to the wash of your outboard which will reduce hassles and can be quite effective this time of the year. Peter from Saco Bay also heard positive reports from Sebago, even from shore fisherman. Once the Mousam River settles down he expects the sea run brown trout pursuit to continue; for alternatives he recommends the Ogunquit and Salmon Falls Rivers.

Fishing Forecast for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine

Quabbin anglers must wait to April 26th to launch a boat, but the shore fishing among the gates is providing some relief; while the lakers are hitting now, expect smallmouth bass to begin stirring in earnest over the next week. Wachusett Reservoir has big lakers and leaping salmon, and it is all fueled by balls of roaming smelt. For something different try for the trophy white perch in the Thomas Basin; a blown-up crawler is about the best bet for these fish which can top 2 pounds. Shops are starting to carry seaworms, which is perfect timing for flounder fisherman. Hospital Shoals has already given up a few and you may score some off Peddock Island, Sculpin Ledge and Deer Island Flats. Haddock are hitting well off Jeffreys Ledge with headboats also finding cod. The hottest fishing in New Hampshire and Maine right now is trolling for salmon with smelt, spoons or streamers at locks and tributaries at Lake Winnipesauke and Sebago Lake.