Not surprisingly, angling effort has run inverse of shoveling effort. It seems like just yesterday we were reveling in 8 inches of black ice with near limitless opportunities, and now even the hardest of the hardcore are finding conditions “challenging”.
Pete Belsan at Belsan Bait in Scituate said that business is so slow that if it weren’t for the rumble of plows, he’d be nodding off. Take heart knowing that eventually that rumble will be courtesy of hatchery trucks that usually begin sometime in March (with the huge caveat being: weather permitting). Regardless, relentless anglers are filling up with shiners and hitting Scituate Reservoir, Cohasset Reservoir and Aaron River Reservoir for warm water species especially pickerel and perch. A few are making the trip also to Plymouth where trout swim in Fearing, Little and Long Ponds.
Eddie of B&A in West Boylston said that most are more concerned with frostbite than the fish bite. Activity is so diminished that he is beginning to recognize some of his shiners swimming around in his tanks. It could be worse…he could be naming them! There has been some foot traffic on South Meadow Pond in Clinton, probably courtesy of snow shoes. Eddie applies a little self-therapy every time he crosses the Route 12 Causeway and looks out at a locked-up Wachusett Reservoir, which looks like artic footage. He said he temporarily drifts off to a happy place as he imagines all those trophy salmon, rainbows and lakers that are fattening up on smelt under the ice and will be a cast away come April.
Jim from JCB in Cheshire did his homework during the last week and unearthed some frozen nuggets of the Housatonic River. The “Housy” is home to pike and those northerns are nothing if not nomadic. Oxbows, ponds, setbacks and coves off the Housatonic River are underappreciated prizes for pike. The Hinsdale area has a number of no-name locations where you just might be able to find that pike of your dreams. Specific spots to consider are Ashmere Lake, Plunkett Reservoir and Woods Pond. Of course Cheshire Reservoir is always worth a check.
Fishing Forecast
A thousand pardons for such an abbreviated report, but the extraordinary conditions are keeping anglers at bay and off the ice. If you do head out, be very vigilant; the volume of snow has insulated the ice and in many cases eroded holes and breaks, causing unsafe conditions. Toss a set of ice picks over your neck, buddy-up, and be careful out there. The fish are still there, fishing pressure isn’t. and I for one am hoping that a recent weather forecast for next week (which calls for a few whopping 32 degree days) actually comes through. A worthwhile option to consider is the smelt camps of southern Maine. If you’re dismayed by lackluster reports of the last couple of years, cheer up, this year’s results are far better! Get your smelt fix at one of these camps: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/recreational/smeltcamps/
Ron,
Any idea of what the biggest bass caught this season so far is? The state website doesn’t update the sportfishing awards leaders sheet until March. Just trying to get an idea, if you have any information.
Joe Levign in Carver caught a nice 7.5 pounder through the ice on muddy pond.
Hey Troy, Don’t know…but I think I had her on last week! Murphy’s Law here – if one of your traps is rendered invisible from a snow squall as you’re preoccupied with your sonar you are guaranteed to hook a monstah! That tank nearly emptied an Indian Hill spooled to the lip!
I’ll see if I can give Rich Hartley from Masswildlife a call on the big bass standing. Man, a 7.5 is a beast!
Haha! Thanks Ron! I’ll be fishing hard tonight to try and get one before the blizzard! If the 7.5 was certified, I bet it’s in the lead. Thats huge!