Massachusetts Fishing Report – April 16, 2015

Forage figures prominently in our fishy fortunes this week. The anadromous alewife and smelt will be drawing fire from stripers and salmonids, respectively. Anglers wetting a line where alewives are swimming stack the odds in their favor for a holdover harbor striped bass. While the Bay States two blue-ribbon water bodies – Quabbin and Wachusett – open this Saturday… which just might coincide with spawning smelt.

If you chuckled at Jimmy Fee’s take of the madhouse that passes for opening day in Rhode Island, then you may have also thanked your lucky stars that there is nothing comparable to that in Massachusetts. But the reality is that there is, sort of! While meaning no disrespect to Ocean State Anglers, they have nothing comparable to Wachusett and Quabbin reservoirs. Wachusett has 37 miles of mostly fishable shoreline, and yet it is dwarfed by Quabbin! So that “five guys at every hole” stuff you can leave to our southern neighbors.

This is a rare Saturday indeed in that both reservoirs are open for fishing on the same day; in fact, I can’t recall that ever happening. Actually Quabbin does not open for boat fishing until the following Saturday the 25, but as of this Saturday, you can hike the shoreline and cast to your heart’s content. The timing also fortuitously falls in line with the new moon. Many feel that smelt come inshore to spawn around the time of the first new moon after ice is out, and that happens this Saturday! If it’s anything like what is happening right now in more northern lakes such as Winnipesauke, where swarming smelt have turned the fishing on, then it could be spectacular! As you go, keep one eye on the shoreline and should you see spent smelt washed up on the shore, go no farther; odds are good that you’ll find lakers, salmon and maybe rainbows close by.

Eddie of B&A in West Boylston gave me further good news in that water is low at Wachusett, making for plenty of shoreline access. He also stocked the shop with standard-issue goodies for the ‘Chu. Kastmasters and Kastmaster XLs, Trophy Spoons and Krocodiles of every conceivable color line the shelves. I’d opt for blue/chrome patterns and perch patterns, including firetiger, which most closely match available forage which principally consists of yellow perch fry and smelt. He also has the must-have Gut-A-Bites, which are the sweetest bait strike indicators in the business. Since opening day was so close to ice out, the water is cold and lakers could be most anywhere, including shallows, so there is no “wrong spot” now.

Rod from Flagg’s in Orange is suggesting that anglers target Gate 31 at the Quabbin for some of the one thousand rainbow trout Masswildlife just stocked. Of course, to some Quabbin is not about stocked rainbows but rather lake trout and landlocked salmon, and for them there are plenty of shoreline options. I’d focus on spawning smelt by brook mouths. From Gate 22 you can access the mouth of Hop Brook. Haul in from Gate 37 and you’ll find the east branch of Fever Brook. Other popular shoreline destinations are Gate 35 and, although the parking lot gates will not be open yet, there is Gate 8 and 43. This is a rare opportunity to fish this massive, cold-water species gem and look out and not see a single boat out there. It’ll just be you, the eagles, loons and hopefully some fish!

By this weekend, trout will have been stocked in most every Masswildlife district in the Commonwealth. For those looking for something a bit wilder, check out those largemouth bass that are stirring among tailwater of the herring runs. Herring are really cruising upstream now; I have personally seen them in Greater Boston rivers and the hawgs that prowl among those watersheds are on the feed. Floating a shiner where those largemouth lurk is one of the easiest way to catch now. Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate said that where the North River joins up with the Indian Head River is a place to pull out a largemouth or two. The shad should be running soon in this stretch as they often do in mid-April. It’s also a place where you can tug in an occasional carp which are fond of corn. A few handfuls of corn thrown in first will draw them in and put them on the feed.

Rick from Fore River in Weymouth recommends the Whitman Pond dam area in Weymouth, which is at the tailwater of the Weymouth Back River. Last year saw a nearly 350,000 strong river herring run in the Weymouth Back River! The Charles River features a 500,000 strong herring run and both holdover stripers and largemouth should be blasting those herring right about now. On Tuesday I saw my first surface-smack as a striper pummeled an alewife; it was glass-calm conditions and it was enough to give me the shakes. The bite could be anywhere between the Hotel Sonesta to the Muddy River to the Watertown Dam. The Mystic River/lakes have plenty of herring right now along with holdover stripers as well as hungry largemouth bass.

David from Merrimack Sports talked of a toothier river-run species when we spoke. Pike are becoming prolific throughout this river, especially the Haverhill section. The ice fishing season was great and open water appears to be beginning right where the hardwater fishing left off. Anglers are getting them with jighead/curly tail combos. Another option is a dead sea herring or pond shiner allowed to settle on the bottom. Splitting the belly for scent will uptick strikes as will dousing the bait with BioEdge eel potion. One of the best big pike fishermen I know swears by this stuff.

Kay from Surfland in Newburyport said that it is usually mid-April when the first American shad begin coursing the Merrimack River. From all accounts last season was fantastic and many are anxiously waiting for this one to begin. For all practical purposes last year was my first stab at shad and it was a blast. The bittersweet part was that I broke off what my friend Dave Panarello called the biggest shad he ever saw. I have to admit, I was unprepared for the blistering run and totally choked on that fish. But I always look at fish lost as an accomplishment that I even hooked it. My learning curve was shortened when I swapped out my shad darts for flutter spoons. Surfland carries these and they are an elongated hook welded to a willow leaf blade. As the name belies, they flutter, and shad can’t resist them. I just got off the phone with Martha who said that Surfland has a shipment of 200 due in any day!  Terminal tackle should consist of a sliding worm weight or egg sinker, barrel swivel, and 3 to 4 feet of 6-pound fluorocarbon leader. Choose a weight just heavy enough to get your offering down to the bottom but not so heavy that you are dragging. I found a slow “reel and pump” retrieve worked well.

For a north shore herring tailwater which holds big largemouth check out Chebacco Lake in Hamilton/Essex.

Fishing Forecast

Just because it’s mid-April doesn’t mean we can’t think in terms of big such as the big water of Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs, both of which are open for shore fishing this Saturday the 18. Lace-up comfortable boots, take a rod rated to throw Krocodiles and Kastmasters between 3/8- and 1-ounce, and explore what these pristine places have to offer! If bass are more to your liking, check out the Charles and Mystic rivers along with Whitman’s Pond and Chebacco Lake. If you’re fishing the former two and you see herring scattering, take note: it could be the handiwork of holdover stripers!