If your New Years resolution is to shake up your normal fishing inclinations and challenge yourself in new water, there may be no better time to do it. While Mother Nature take’s her sweet time making coastal ice, anglers out west are burning through bait by mid-morning!
Central Massachusetts Fishing Report
While big windswept water bodies such as Lake Quinsigamond are slow to lock-up, coves in such places as Comet Pond in Hubbardston feature good ice, willing trout and happy anglers. Eddie of B&A in West Boylston told me that a few trout have been taken from Peter Carr. Bass are an option there as they are in South Meadow. But most patrons are heading north and out west where there it is a virtual smorgasbord, albeit one with frozen entrees.
Connecticut Valley Region
Five minutes into getting the goods from Rodney Flagg of Flagg’s in Orange, it became obvious that choosing the Connecticut Valley Region to fish is a wise move! Barton Cove is a best bet if you’d like to ice a Massachusetts walleye. One of Rod’s regulars has caught six so far this year up 4 pounds. This place has some scary-big pike and big smallies as well! In fact last summer among the “Quarry” section of Barton Cove, Rod took a 4 1/4 pound bronzeback on one of his hand-tied flies! Rod said that what separates the quarry section from the rest of Barton’s is the prominent ledge which make for ideal ambush spots for predators. Visit the shop and I’m sure Rod will give you the specifics of the old quarry. One guy crushed the crappie and yellow perch at North Spectacle Pond, tearing through 2 dozen shiners in no time resulting in an additional trip to Flagg’s to reload on bait by 10 in the morning! He also caught some impressive pickerel up to 4 pounds. Rod has heard of solid trout action from Clubhouse, Mattawa, Moore’s and Comet in Petersham. He heartily recommends the latter which is frequently fed by the east branch of the Swift River.
Massachusetts Western Region
When I spoke to Jim from JCB Bait in Cheshire, he was more pumped than a a guy who just caught his personal best pike! The reason was “big” fish, but in this case, big bait which barely made it off the truck at Granby’s Bait before Jim scoffed up suckers and over-sized shiners for his customers. There’s good reason for the big bait interest since in addition to ice solid enough to in some cases support snowmobiles anglers are catching pike! While the western portion of the state is noted for plentiful pike water most of those water bodies such as Pontoosuc, Onota, Buel and Cheshire are big! But according to Jim, his patron who is landing the most toothies is catching in smaller tributaries which lead to those places. While his customer is not likely to give up coordinates, Jim does suspect that all the catching is happening among smaller basins which connect with larger lakes! Drop by the shop, odds are good Jim will be able to point you in the right direction. Regarding Hilltown trout, it’s not every year that more southern and more readily accessible locations have such early ice as this year so they are seeing a lot of pressure. If you’re looking for less crowded conditions and less pressured fish, Jim suggests that you travel a bit farther to such places as Plainfield. You just might be glad that you did.
Massachusetts Northeast Fishing Report
Pike fishermen have already been at it among the quieter stretches of the Concord and Merrimack Rivers as they have found good ice and even better fishing. David of Merrimack Sports said that the toothy talk is of 36″ river ‘gators, big bait and the requisite 10″ auger holes! For fast-paced action for smaller cousins of the pike, Lake Attitash is a good place to get a work out chasing flags for always willing pickerel. The top local trout pick has to be Round Pond in Haverhill which is frequently stocked. For bait nearly as big as stocked trout, the shop is stocking pike-sized shiners and suckers!
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
It’s hard to top the Connecticut Valley Region for no-worries ice conditions and variety of species. While the walleye is hardly the Bay State’s favorite fish, anglers are catching them right now at Barton Cove on the Connecticut River. Comet Pond in Petersham is more preferable if you’d like trout. The pike game is on at Cheshire Reservoir and Pontoosuc Lake, where anglers are having the most luck in smaller basins. Farther north, northerns have been hitting well among the Merrimack and Concord Rivers just exercise caution, these are rivers after all.
Smelt where and when?