Massachusetts Fishing Report – April 11, 2019

Boaters dumping in their vessels aren’t the only one’s making a splash this week as the haddock season kicks off on Monday, April 15th! Farther north a few flounder reports are trickling in prompting shops to start carrying seaworms. Of course, it is still mid-April and sweetwater just got a whole lot more interesting now that Wachusett Reservoir is open!

Freshwater Fishing Report for Massachusetts

Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics said that trout is the word from Jamaica Pond, Horn Pond, Walden Pond, White Pond and Sluice Pond. Pre-spawn largemouth bass, as well as pickerel, are stirring also in Wright’s Pond and Martin’s Pond. Trout, bass and pickerel – oh my! Wouldn’t it be something to be able to catch all three? To accomplish that you’d probably have to haul along a tackle box the size of a footlocker or you can simplify things as my friend Paul Cuzzuppe does and stick with a Clouser! Fly casting just a yellow Clouser at Badacook Pond last Sunday, Paul put a triple whooping on quality examples of those species; how’s that for making it simple?

By all accounts, more than a few of you were counting the days until Wachusett Reservoir opened for the season last Saturday. Eddie of B&A in West Boylston said that not only was business brisk over the weekend but dozens were also parading into the shop during the week. Thankfully access is far better than last April at the Chu’ with plenty of room to roam and spread out along the 37 miles of shoreline. Lakers in the 3 to 4-pound bracket have been a common catch with similar sized rainbow trout being caught in the Quinapoxet River. There’s no news on smallies, white perch or landlocked salmon yet, but the season is still in it’s infancy.

Patrick Barone of Charter The Berkshires is waiting for the flow to slow down from the ripping Connecticut River before he ventures back out for walleye and pike. Once the current cools, shad should begin making an appearance in the Holyoke section of the Connecticut River. For the remainder of the spring season, Patrick suggests that anglers take a shad-ready outfit with them every time they fish the Connecticut since the arrival of those fish are imminent.

Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Report

Pete Belsan’s Belsan Bait is back in business at 4 Brook Street in Scituate Harbor just in time for the haddock season which opens up Monday, April 15th! There really is nothing like groundfishing and this early in the season the fun factor is ratcheted to the nth degree since the haddock are often on top of Stellwagen in water less than a 100 feet deep! The game changes considerably when you are able to downsize your gear to jigs and sinkers under 10 ounces. The braid revolution combined with aluminum reels and graphite rods has made the clumsy, heavy gear of your grandfather obsolete. Terminal tackle has changed in lockstep with the improvements in other gear. Many have ditched Norwegians and squids and are all in for Butterfly Jigs and Gulp teasers. From my perspective any color will do as long as it is pink! If you’re looking for a closer alternative to Stellwagen Bank for haddock on the South Shore than Mr. Belsan has the answer – Stone Ledge, which is only about 9 miles from the Scituate shoreline. Stone Ledge is a spawning redd for sea hearing and all that commotion along with those herring eggs draws in the haddock!

Captain Jason Colby has 600 new horses which are powering the Little Sister and his dump-in at his new digs in Marina Bay in Quincy is scheduled for this Friday! Next week I hope to have a fresh haddock report to go along with some fresh haddock fillets! Maria from Fore River said that she hasn’t heard of anyone targeting flounder from boat or from shore yet. Considering that I have a report of flounder from Gloucester Harbor, it might be time to consider Nut Island Pier and Pemberton Pier.

Norman of Monahan Marine in Weymouth said that customers are getting stoked about the haddock opener next week and they are also talking in terms of the shad run in the North River. Meanwhile, he along with fellow MSBA members are planning a Wachusett excursion for this Saturday. Considering the reports I’m hearing, I think they will be in for a pleasant surprise!

Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem told me that not everyone has been waiting for April 15th to jump into the groundfish game. Several of his patrons have been jumping aboard headboats such as Eastman’s in Seabrook New Hampshire and reeling in ridiculous numbers of redfish. The bite has been best between Tillies Basin and Stellwagen Bank where there are steep drop offs. The shop is carrying seaworms now for those looking for that first flounder of the year from Lynn Harbor, Swampscott Harbor, Beverly Harbor or Manchester Harbor. Some are also putting those seaworms to good use in the Squamscott/Exeter Rivers in Great Bay New Hampshire for white perch. Skip from Three Lantern Marine had a lot of reasons to be optimistic when we spoke in spite of it being only mid-April! A few flounder have been found on the feed in Gloucester Harbor prompting the shop to start carrying seaworms. Holdover stripers in the Cape Ann rivers are becoming more active and best of all, the shop is putting on a 3 day open house extravaganza beginning this Friday! Prices have been slashed for this big event and they are also serving complimentary grub to go along with all those great deals on gear! Chris Valaskatgis of Manolin Charters will be starting the season with a sweet new ride – on Friday he’s picking up a brand new, custom 24’ Sea Ox! Next week the mighty Manolin sets it’s sights on haddock!

Fishing Forecast for Massachusetts

Finally there is a pinch of salt to accentuate the forecast! Some have already had groundfish game for redfish among dropoffs between Tillies Basin and Stellwagen Bank. For the rest, beginning Monday it’s haddock time on Jeffrey’s Ledge, Stellwagen and for the southeast crew Stone Ledge. Of course those groundfish are not going anywhere soon but the same cannot be said for coldwater-loving lakers in Wachusett where right now – it’s prime time!