Massachusetts Fishing Report – March 12, 2015

Warmer days, ease of access, and feeding fish are resulting in unprecedented March ice fishing. Big pike are popping up in some unusual places while more expected quarry such as crappie are crushing jigs among water bodies noted for them. And if trout are your target, rainbows, browns and even brookies are beginning to binge.

Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate said that the brookie bite out of Little Pond has been impressive. Most are small in stature but eliciting big grins from young and old. The fun factor comes in the format, which has been light jig sticks with tiny jigs tipped with spikes. For a chance at a wall-hanger trout, target holdover browns in Long Pond. Sonar is a godsend in this pursuit because it will help mark suspended fish under schools of bait in water as deep as 50’. Improving weather has improved interest in ponds such as Jacob, Lilly and Pitts. For bass set a bead for Great Herring Pond in Plymouth.

Eric from Lunkers commented that Cochituate had been light on the lunkers but heavy on action, especially by the Kaufman’s Cove section. A steady of the shop burned through dozens of shiners on pickerel and bass up to 2 ½ pounds. He hasn’t heard much on Heard Pond in Wayland, but this spot does occasionally get infused with pike from the adjoining Sudbury River. It’s also a place known to have a pretty good white perch bite. The brown trout are beginning to stir among Walden and White Pond. There’s also smallmouth bass in the former and mostly largemouth in the latter.

Rod from Arlington B&T keeps muttering something about “the pictures.” Those pictures concern huge pike that clandestine customers flash him in the corner of his store that were taken at – Spy Pond! The million dollar question continues to be how those fish got there since there has been no known legitimate stocking! The Aberjona River creeps into Spy, but it is not known as a home for pike.  Regardless, pike have been caught there up to 40” and they are healthy-looking fish! Most fish are being released. As to where? Look for reeds, pike are in close now.

Laura from Ippi’s in Lynn said that the recent Sluice Pond derby was a smash as two 13-year-olds took the top fish and the cash. Johnathon Harriott’s 13” trout topped that category while Andrew Langley’s 16.5” bass bested all comers. Two recent converts to ice fishing, Nate and Rob, have been finding the going good for trout at Rock Pond in Georgetown. If a shot at a big largemouth is a priority of yours get to know Artichoke Reservoir in Newburyport. Laura has learned of “Larrys” to 5 pounds that have been iced there lately.

Dave from Merrimack Sports told me that they are taking toothies throughout the Merrimack and Concord rivers recently. While there is still plenty of ice among the coves and quieter stretches, be cautious of sun-drenched shorelines, especially those that are rock-faced and look to the southeast. For trout a best bet is Baldpate in Georgetown although holdovers are still being found at Forest Lake in Methuen.

For all those who are dreaming of Wachusett Reservoir on such a late winter’s day, I have some eventual hope from Eddie of B&A in West Boylston. The view this morning from the causeway revealed a 150 X 50 yard swath of open water! Additionally Thomas Basin is beginning to break up! For those who believe the Resi’s time will come but now it’s time for ice fishing, they are crushing the crappie at South Meadow Pond in Clinton. Pike pursuers are chasing them at Indian Lake as well as Quinsigamond.

Rod from Flagg’s is having a problem, he’s been running out of bait – midweek! Part of the reason is the brown trout bite out of Lake Mattawa in Orange. Rod recently weighed in an orange-spotted, hook-jawed 4-pound brown trout that was taken in there on a shiner just yards away from the boat ramp. Opt for big bait here for not only the brownies but the big black bass.

For a tip on brown trout, I consulted my friend Russ Eastman of Monahan Marine who has been taking nice trout from South Pond. He suggests looking for suspended bait in deep holes and placing a large shiner near the forage; sooner or later those ferocious browns will sniff out that shiner. For a crappie-fest check out North and South Spectacle ponds. Select larger bait for the big largemouth bass which swim here.

Jim from JCB in Cheshire said that his gut was telling him that Cheshire Reservoir was “ready to pop” at any moment. The snowmelt should be stirring spawning instincts among the pike that prowl this water body, which often leads to the biggest, nastiest northern of the season being duped. Crappie are active in Lake Buel as Jim has been selling a lot of smaller shiners. Other destinations for small bait have been the “Hill Towns” of the Berkshires where trout are the target among Windsor Pond, North Pond and Plainfield Pond. The latter which gives up the occasional nice largemouth bass as well.

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Try jigging close to shore on Little Pond in Plymouth for a brook trout, or suspend a shiner in deeper water for a big brown in nearby Long Pond. The coves of Lake Cochituate are providing some of the faster action in the Metrowest region. Farther west, big browns have put on the feedbag at South Pond and Lake Mattawa. As pike heed hormonal stirrings, Cheshire Reservoir could be ready to explode. On the North Shore, a good bet for bass is Lake Attitash as well as the Artichoke Reservoir. If trout are your target, Forest Lake should be a favorite.