Massachusetts Fishing Report – March 21, 2019

Herring run hawks don’t need the calendar to tell them that spring is here; there is now much more tangible proof as the first waves of alewives are now coursing local rivers! However if you need less visual stimulation, and more fish-at-the-end-of-the-line euphoria, Masswildlife now has most districts stocked with fresh trout.
 

Fishing Report for Massachusetts

 
Bloodhounds don’t have anything on Carl Vinning of Somerville, at least as far as herring goes. Carl sniffed the air recently among a Greater Boston river and pronounced, “They are here”! The presence of herring was later confirmed by lock employees who corroborated his olfactory leanings because they have indeed let upstream the first sorties of river herring. Those herring will wake up larger local linesiders which will concentrate them at obstructions and pinch points that restrict the upward migration of those herring. When bass and bait collide the results can be explosive surface displays and when that happens in March that’s pretty impressive stuff! Night will always be best for the big girls with a jighead/stick bait and Magic Swimmer my perennial favorites.

In a bygone era this time of the year heralded the unofficial kick-off of the winter flounder season. The major difference between then and now is that flounder were a heck of a lot more plentiful back then. Still, winter flounder are spawning now in estuaries and embayments and are within casting distance of the shore in many instances. In addition to less of a blackback biomass, major hurdles include water temperatures and the availability of seaworms. The latter is a quick fix as Noel Leslie and the gang at Bridge Street Sports in Salem are already turning over North Shore flats for worms, the former is more of a deterrent since the flounder feeding window is very limited when water temperatures are significantly under 50 degrees. While out looking to knock the rust off the Little Sister in April with my friend Captain Jason Colby we have found them feeding sparingly at 46 degrees but we didn’t exactly have to concern ourselves with limits.

If that spring sun is just begging for a few casts than you may want to launch a few worms into the mudflats of Dorchester Bay from the Harborwalk by the JFK Library or the Sugar Bowl at the entrance of Pleasant Bay in South Boston. You might also have some luck where Black Creek dumps into Wollaston Beach or even on higher tides the Hummocks section of Wollaston Beach. The boat folks find flounder relatively early off Deer Island Flats which can easily be reached from the shore; when the planned pier is finally built there that will be a prime place for flounder. Lynn Harbor, as well as the Lynn Marsh, has habitually been one of the earliest flounder producers. On the North Shore, there is Fisherman’s Beach in Swampscott. You won’t have to concern yourself with toting along a container big enough for your catch but should you feel that first tell-tale tap on an interested flounder than there will be no denying that hope really does spring eternal!

I spoke to Pete Belsan of Belsan Bait in Scituate and he gave me good news as he is shooting for an April 1st opening for his new shop, which will be located on 4 Brook Street in Scituate Harbor. It’s scary stuff when we come that close to losing a valuable shop and partner in the South Shore fishing realm. As I have for nearly 20 years, I’ll be talking to Pete weekly and keep you appraised of his progress.

There’s some exciting news regarding trout on the South Shore as brook trout have now joined the initial stocking of rainbows in many water bodies. In addition to several places on the Cape, Norris Reservation Pond, Parson’s Pond and Tack Factory Pond all have brookies!

Chu’ watchers are optimistic that maybe the scheduled opening day – April 6th – will go off without a hitch after all! The big reservoir is losing ice rapidly and the rain scheduled for Thursday night will surely help. Because we have over 2 weeks to go, and with negligible snow cover, just maybe there will actually be shoreline access to cast from as opposed to the “casting among the cedars” calamity of last year! Meanwhile, if you’re dying to do some casting in the Worcester area, Lake Quinsigamond and Webster Lake have fresh trout! According to Eddie of B&A in West Boylston his ice fishing wrap-up revealed a few surprises, namely Indian Lake for pike and Newton Pond for tiger muskies. File those two away for next year!

Donny from Merrimack Sports said that there were actually a few anglers still ice fishing on the Merrimack River this week. Thankfully the last of the ice is expected to give away by this weekend before something tragic happens. Ice out time should be good for pike which will be ready to spawn. If you’re looking for something a lot less toothy try for trout in Forest Lake in Methuen!

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

While you can’t “come tight” to a river herring, just knowing that they are here should make you feel somewhat good, eh? It may be a gamble but dropping a seaworm in front of a flounder on Dorchester Bay, Lynn Harbor or Fisherman’s Beach could result in a very pleasant surprise! For a safer bet, break out that bottle of the Power Bait du jour and have at all those freshly stocked trout!