While “normal” folks are reveling in the incessant thaws, the frozen-water fraternity is not liking it in the least! Southern environs and those close to the coast are feeling it the most, especially the shorelines. However, if you talk to hardwater fanatics out west, they are not worried in the least.
There’s no substitute for common sense, so if your gut is telling you not to tempt local ice, don’t even consider it. Shorelines among much of the Bay State are shot—especially those which have a southern face—making a trip up north or out west a smart idea.
Fishing Report for Massachusetts
While eastern Massachusetts shops are smarting, B&Ts out west are struggling to keep bait in stock. If Rodney from Flagg’s in Orange appears a little more sinewy than usual next time you see him, it might be because he’s been having to make repeated runs to Granby’s Bait to haul back more bait because he’s running out during the weekend! His tip of the week is Littleville Lake in Huntington, which is located on the middle branch of the Westfield River. This is a Connecticut Valley coldwater species gem that grows some impressive brown trout! One of the things that makes this place special is its forage base of rainbow smelt.
Despite the steady spotlight, Lake Mattawa and Moore’s Pond are still local best bets for rainbows. Rod’s “backdoor pond” Lake Rohunta, which is conveniently located behind the shop, continues to please with jumbo perch as well as largemouth bass.
If you’re worried about Bay State ice obviously you haven’t been hanging with Patrick Barone of Charter the Berkshires Outfitters, who has been standing on up to 16 inches of hardwater. As the season progresses, the goal shifts from merely catching to plucking from the ice something special. To that end, Patrick suggests spending as much time as possible among “big water” where the potential payoff is higher. Tops on that list are Lake Pontoosuc and Lake Onota, both of which are two-stage water bodies which are just as likely to produce a trophy panfish, a huge pike or a brown trout worthy of wall space! If you can squeeze in a pre-dawn launch to jig some smelt, all the better, since the preferred buffet item for most of what swims among these two is smelt.
Jim from JCB is also finding it tough to keep bait, especially the big stuff, in stock. Of course, for a bait shop owner, that’s a good problem to have. While neighboring Cheshire Reservoir is famed for giving up big pike, it also holds some impressive largemouth bass such as the recent 5.4-pounder caught there by Jim’s son. With the focus on big water, less attention has been given lately to many of the higher elevation trout ponds, which can be an aesthetic and angling treat. A few of the shop’s patrons are enjoying the relative solitude of North Pond as well as the slight pressure and, of course, the trout.
Eddie of B&A in West Boylston did say that he’s been hearing a lot of buzz about an insane tiger muskie, especially noteworthy in that it was allegedly knocked off at Newton Pond in Worcester.
I was relieved to hear from David of Merrimack Sport that in spite of the thaw, the hardwater game was still on among northern Massachusetts. The shop keeps suckers and pike shiners in stock because of the strong pike fishery on the Merrimack and Concord Rivers. In addition to pike bait, the shop is carrying pinhead shiners for trout. Top trout picks locally according to the shop are Pleasant Pond in Wenham and Plugs Pond in Haverhill.
Fishing Forecast for Massachusetts
If the rapidly disappearing snow banks are causing you to sweat, relax. If you head out west, you’ll sweat from having to cut through up to 16 inches of ice! If you’re making the trek from afar and want to limit travel, pike are a possibility among the coves of the Merrimack River while for their more exotic Esox cousins, tiger muskie, Worcester’s Newton Pond should get the nod. Farther out west, Littleville Reservoir is a special trout water body while the multi-species Pontoosuc is perfect for those who relish the whodunit aspect that precludes a flying flag!