Massachusetts Fishing Report – March 5, 2015

Ordinarily most anglers have hit a hardwater wall come early March after a long season of ice fishing. The bait buying, hauling the gear and those expeditious “journeys” begin taking their toll. But not this year! The incessant storms put most anglers’ aspirations for fishing on “ice” for weeks. With 30 and 40 degree temperature norms, combined with on average 20” plus of ice it is a brand new season out there!

Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate said that the Southeast tip of the week just might be Pitts Pond on the Widows Walk golf course in Scituate. Often ponds or rivers near or in golf courses are overlooked gems. The action here can be fast even if the bass on the small side. Although a 7 pounder was taken here a few years ago. Who knows what you might find if you opt for larger bait on some of your traps. A sometimes over-looked special spot is Old Oaken Bucket Pond which can be a multi-warm water species producer. Stockbridge Pond deserves a not as does Scituate Reservoir where even an occasional errant trout is caught, even though they’re not stocked there. For a better bet for trout do like many of Belsan’s customers head to Plymouth to fish the big three of Long, Little and Fearing Pond.

Eddie of B&A was pumped at the shot in the arm the suddenly swell weather is giving the business. Quinsigamond has been the quest for many toothy hunter with most keeping a tight-lip on how they’re doing. More verbose have been bass fisherman who have caught some excellent fish from East Waushacum, although access can be tough. A courteous inquiry to a resident can sometimes lead to privileged parking rights. Such niceties as “excuse me maam”, “pardon, but could you please tell me…” can go a long, long way and I can vouch from personal experience. Eleven year old Camden Kush caught out of Comet a 2-pound rainbow trout which earned him a Masswildlife bronze pin in the junior division! While others target the trout with shiners, Cam caught on a worm. Often good old worms will outfish baitfish for rainbows. Another deadly bait is salmon eggs, which can be effectively presented to trout with a drop-shot rig which puts the bait right in their field of vision. And keep it shallow!

Rod from Flagg’s in Orange is having a problem – he’s running out of bait on weekends! Both Saturday and Sunday he had to make bait runs to keep patrons pleased. Anglers are pounding a path to fish for pike at The Oxbow; expect company but March is often when the baddest pike of the year are taken! The same can be said for Quabog Pond. Many of these water bodies such as Lake Rohunta have had little pressure because of the conditions and with the calendar in our favor the potential for great fishing is real. Clubhouse Pond is small in size, one of the first to freeze up and last to give up the ice but has a habit of surprising. While it is stocked with rainbows, it is occasionally infused with wild brook trout which trickle in from tributaries which flow in from nearby New Hampshire.

Jim from JCB was telling tales of dinosaurs when we spoke! Or at least the modern day stocked fish version of one. That rarest of toothies, the tiger muskie, apparently still survives in some capacity at Lake Pontoosuc as evidenced by a 34”, 18-pounder that was recently caught there! This is the same lake which gave up the 27 pound record-setting beast to Jim Lambert in 2001. Even though it’s been some years since they were stocked apparently some are still there.

Regarding toothies, Don from Merrimack Sports said that now is prime time since for some odd reason a lot of guys have put their gear away after being frustrated because of lack of access. Pressure has been minimal, pike stir this time of the year and the shop carries over-sizes shiners. Like many places which hold pike, Lake Attitash can be slow but all it takes is that one double-digit pike to make it a good day. What has not been slow is the bass bite here. Adjoining Tewksbury Pond is shallow and can be a warm water species sleeper! For trout, Donnnie recommends Forest Lake in Methuen as well as Berry Pond in the Harold Parker Reservation which sprawls throughout North Reading, Andover, North Andover and Middleton. The places is peppered with ponds which contain a variety of warm water species and odds are pretty good that this winter has reduced pressure drastically. If you’d rather focus on pike, bend the ear of David who is the shop specialist on them. He’ll give you the insider scoop on the Merrimack, Concord Rivers as well as Lake Cochichewick.

Fishing Forecast

It’s no secret that come March, those fish are on the feed. Couple that with 30 degree and even 40 degree temperatures it just could be the best of all worlds out there. For trout in the southeast target the Plymouth trifecta of Long, Little and Fearing Pond. In Metrowest, smallies and largemouth bass should be stirring in Walden and White Pond respectively and of course there’s always the chance of catching a stocked or holdover trout among either. Farther out west, East Waushacum has been a winner for black bass while the trout just won’t quit in Comet. Flagg’s in Orange can’t keep bait in the shop because of the bass fishing in Rohunta and the crappie caching among the Spectacle Ponds. Pontoosuc is abuzz from the tiger muskie that was recently caught there which makes you wonder if there’s larger still! On the north shore, there’s northerns throughout the Merrimack and Concord River systems but for relatively unpressured trout try Forest Lake and Berry Pond.