Massachusetts Fishing Report - January 8, 2015

It’s not every year that we get the heavenly hardwater combination of a serious cold snap and lack of snow, and as a result water bodies all across the Bay State are making ice faster than a Zamboni machine. All this good icy stuff has anglers scrambling to gear up and bait and tackle shops doubling down on bait orders!

Jim from Barry’s in Worcester sounds as if he’s been working out. He talks in terms of 150, 200 and even 300 pounds – of bait that is! If you know little of this shop, you know that little doesn’t describe the size of some of the baitfish swimming around in his tanks. Some are big enough to spring your trap if you’re not prepared. Shiners and suckers up to 7 inches will be joined by much larger as soon as the truck arrives. If you’re wondering what to do with baitfish of that size, then obviously you don’t know northerns. You can find that hardwater heavyweight in Lake Quinsigamond, Brimfield Reservoir as well as Flint Pond. The only numbers that matter regarding pike fishing is the ultimate size of the intended quarry. For those that have never iced a gator, it’s mind-expanding stuff to pull through a hole a 36-inch long fish! It’s often a slow, patient process, but the eventual rewards are high.

Two tips I’d like to pass on from a friend who is in that rarified 20-pound pike category. First, an impending front matters. I’ve noticed that most every photo of a monster pike that he sends me is shot while there is cloud cover. Second, a fresh-killed (with belly split) bait resting on the bottom will usually out-fish all else. And to up the ante even farther, my friend kills the bait the night before and soaks it overnight in BioEdge Eel Potion. I’ve had amazing luck with BioEdge Smelt Wand. When fish are near-dormant, it takes every tweak available to get them to hit.

If smallies are more your liking try Singletary Lake. Electronics help since the fish will often be stacked in a tight spot over a deepwater hump or depression and you need to find such structure.

Eddie of B&A saw something you don’t see every year: Wachusett Reservoir locked up in early January! To put things in perspective, last season it didn’t tighten up until February! They’re getting a mixed bag of tiger trout, browns, brookies and rainbows from Comet in Hubbardston. For tigers and brookies stick a small shiner/worm or jig close to the shoreline. Browns will often be in deeper water over humps and rainbows could be anywhere. Although, bows that have been in a water body any length of time will often mirror baitfish schools. That may take them down to 30 feet of water if that’s where the forage is or for that matter anywhere in between. Sonar, or a flasher that enables you to pick up the baitfish, helps a lot. A couple other tout favorites of Eddie’s are Peter Carr and Eagle Lake in Holden.

Rod from Flagg’s in Orange told me of a patron who picked up a dozen shiners to fish for trout in Lake Moore in Warwick and then came back in because the trout tore through his bait. North and South Spectacle Ponds are gems just off Route 122 in New Salem that benefit from abundant crappie, big hornpout and the aesthetics from being in the Quabbin Reservoir watershed. So far there has been little fishing pressure on such local standards as Lake Mattawa and Lake Rohunta, and with plenty of ice and no snow now might be the best time to take advantage of them.

Jim from JCB Bait and Tackle would like to issue a pike public service announcement to all those who are making pilgrimages from afar to tackle a toothy out there – upgrade your tackle before you lose the fish of your dreams! Jim can only do so much. He’ll fill up your bucket with bait, give you his best bet along with his learnt leanings from years of experience, but he can’t prevent a pike from straightening a shoddy hook, and that is exactly what has been happening! The best pike that Jim’s aware of so far from Cheshire is a 12-pounder, but look for that to tumble soon. First ice is often best ice and this weekend that should be the case for Onota, Buel and Pontoosuc – all of have produced trophy pike through the years. Often pike producers are overlooked for panfish and prove to be hot for crappie and other species.

Eric from Lunkers in Ashland was extolling the virtues of the mighty Charles River when we spoke. Some aren’t aware that upper reaches of the Charles are stocked with trout! There are also plenty of white catfish, which grow larger and are better fighters than hornpout. While it’s been a while since anyone has heard of a solid pike taken from the once prolific Charles River, the coves in the Waltham stretch have a reputation for fast-paced pickerel action as well as the occasional stack of crappies. A better bet for pike is the Sudbury River, where it takes some poking around/homework to find the coves/bays/sloughs where the pike prowl, but the effort can be well worth it. Look for the backside of White Pond in Concord to be giving up impressive holdover rainbows and the much revered Walden Pond to feature the occasional big brown trout which shadow schools of smelt. This is another spot where electronics are essential to find depth drops, humps and schools of bait.

Even the South Shore is finally getting in on the hardwater good times according to Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate. In fact Pete was fresh from a phone call from “Indian Hill Mike” of Indian Hill Ice Fishing Traps in Worcester as he was rush-ordering sets of tilts and Nor’easter rod-traps. Knowing the untapped potential of the south shore combined with first ice results, Pete is betting on a 7 or even 8 pound bass coming from a nearby water body. One hunch is Lilly Pond in Cohasset, and another is Accord Pond in Hingham/Norwell and the mill pond in Norris Reservation.

Rod from Arlington B&T suggested nearby Spy Pond as a producer of bass and yellow perch as well as the near mythical home of the once most sought after ice fish we had in these parts, the tiger muskie! Could there be a survivor or two still lurking in there? The highly-stocked Horn Pond was tightening up as was the upper Mystic Lake. While the going in the upper Mystic is usually slow, you’re liable to catch anything in that place from largemouth and smallmouth bass to the full panoply of panfish.

Laura from Ippi’s in Lynn said that Sluice Pond, which is one of the North Shore’s deepest Glacial Ponds, is locking up nicely. This shop is sponsoring a derby here soon which should be fun considering how often Sluice is stocked with trout. What I didn’t know is that the pond is also renowned for pot-bellied jumbo perch. Patrons are besting bass in Brown’s and Buchanan’s ponds. Not all that far from there is Chebacco Lake in Hamilton which is the tailwater of the Essex River and its herring run and because of all that forage has impressive largemouth bass and crappie. I know of a few hardcore anglers who jig this place at night and catch slab “calicos”.

Dave from Merrimack Sports told me that the bait he’s carrying looks big enough for Sea World. And there’s good reason since pike prowl among the quieter stretches of the Merrimack, Concord and Shawsheen rivers! They are also in Lake Cochichewick in North Andover, which has some mighty fine bass fishing also. For trout try tempting them from Forest Lake, Plug Pond, Baddacook and Baldpate.

Fishing Forecast

Whoever has been busting ice-dancing moves has been doing a heck of a job pleasing the weather gods since we have no shortage of that stuff. Suspend a small shiner at Lilly Pond in Cohasset for crappie while a large could catch you a 4-pound-plus largemouth! Coves of the Charles River in Medway and Millis may hold trout, while in Waltham you’re likely to catch pickerel. A far bigger member of the pickerel clan awaits in Cheshire Reservoir, Quabog Pond and Lake Quinsigamond, and new ice is often the best time to catch a northern. On the North Shore, northerns can be found coursing the quieter coves of the Concord, Merrimack and Shawsheen rivers. But if it’s a rainbow you’re after, patronize Plug Pond or Forest Lake.