Massachusetts Fishing Report – April 30, 2015

We need to get the “winter” out of the water to get the winter flounder to start biting. While we’re waiting for the lifting of the mid-40-degree water temperature stranglehold of April, the best blackback bite has been in estuaries where an afternoon ebbing tide results in warmer water temperatures. Wachusett Reservoir continues to prove that it is a place of trophies but it’s Quabbin Reservoir which has featured the best laker luck.

It wasn’t from lack of effort but the unofficial flounder king of the harbor, Captain Jason Colby, has so far found the flounder fishing wanting. But if the balmy weather forecast beginning on Sunday holds true than those fish will begin feeding real quick. Meanwhile Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle told me that he saw photos of recently caught flounder from the Lynn Marsh. Late afternoon ebbing tides are perfect warming platforms which should make rivers and estuaries prime for flounder until the bays warm up. Other prospects are outside of Cunningham Bridge, in Cohasset, Stodder’s Neck Park in Hingham and Avalon Beach in the Town River. I also wouldn’t be surprised if you couldn’t catch a flattie or two at Quincy side of the mouth of the Neponset River off Commander Shea Boulevard. Deer Island Flats so far has fished like the Dead Sea. I would check more inshore by Snake Island, the Belle Isle Marsh and up inside the East Boston Yacht Clubs. Farther north, in addition to the marsh the flounder may be feeding among the mud flats of Lynn Harbor, the Jubilee Yacht Club in Beverly and Plum Island Sound.

The laker fishing is kind of lacking at Wachusett Reservoir. At almost two weeks into the season Eddie of B&A in West Boylston has yet to weigh in a forktail bigger than Doug Warbin’s 6-3; usually by now a few double-digit fish have been brought into the shop. The same cannot be said for other trophy specimens, however. Larry Kuettner of Clinton caught a 6-4 largemouth bass that inhaled a 1 ounce blue/chrome Kastmaster; a lure that is not exactly top choice among bassmasters. Larry tangled the spoon in a weedmat and while trying to wiggle it free it caught the interest of the nice bass. Tom Pattisalanno took a 1-10 and 2-2 white perch on blown up crawlers. A slab 2-9 crappie was caught by Joel Mevine and according to Eddie it was a real gorgeous fish. Salmon are finally stirring with the best fish weighed in the shop so far a 4-10 taken on a spoon off the Causeway.

For better laker action you just may want to check out the Quabbin. Rod from Flagg’s weighed in a 15-12 that was portly proportioned at 33”X 18”! The fish was caught in less than 10 feet of water a short boat ride from Gate 31. Shore fishermen are doing quite well and having no problem limiting out on lakers right by the boat ramp off Gate 31 as well as Gates 35 and 37. The landlocked salmon so far appear healthier than the previous years and it’s little wonder because anglers are seeing more smelt. Most anglers will troll shiners or spoons, but Rod recommends you drop a streamer back about 150 feet. Top choices at this time of the year are the Canopache, Maynard Marvel or Quabbin Sunrise. If Quabbin is a bit “big” for your liking than maybe Mattawa is more your style. And the fact that a few 4-pound brown trout were taken there might provide you a little more incentive.

Herring are “loaded’ in the Indian Head River according to Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate, which has him convinced that shad must be coursing this river also. The fish are definitely in the Merrimack River so the Indian Head River should have them also. Striper sleuths in Scituate are anxiously awaiting the imminent arrival of the first schoolies of the season which should start trickling in sometime next week. Dave from Merrimack Sports said that shad have been taken at the Lawrence Dam, by the Chippendale Dance Studio and Rocks Village. A wild card is the ever-present possibility of hooking another species such as smallmouth bass. Millvale Reservoir received a nice slug of rainbows from Masswildlife last week. In fact one of Dave’s buddies took a 19” fish on a spoon!

Fishing Forecast

This is a good weekend to take in what the rest of our fishy fortunes has to offer because odds are good that by next week striper madness will have taken hold! Toss out a Kastmaster or Krocodile from Gate 7, 13, 22 or the Causeway on Wachusett Reservoir and you’re tight line could be the result of a laker, salmon, bass, white perch or crappie! For a chance at a bigger lake trout, Gates 31 and 37 at Quabbin Reservoir may be better bets. An ebbing tide among estuaries will have rising water temperatures and more active flounder. Check out the Weymouth Back River, Town River, Neponset River, Lynn Marsh and Plum Island Sound. While you’re up in the Newburyport area give the shad a go At Rocks Village, the run has only just begun!