Pictured Above: Dropping water temperatures are bringing in more keeper cod along the South Coast.
For a small state, it’s pretty amazing how quickly anglers can find a far different world than what’s around them. While most have been casting to stocked trout, out west they have actually already been fishing on ice! It’s reckless to take a chance this early but with water temperatures almost there, it shouldn’t be long!
Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Report
Buzzards Bay tautog and cod can breathe a big sigh of relief as Captain Colby is pulling his Little Sister from its slip in Westport. It was a memorable year when weather allowed with plenty of keeper tog with the added bonus of keeper cod for the cooler. I think it’s safe to say that if you knew of anyone catching comparably lately you had better bring a witness!
Tautog will still be found in diminishing numbers among rocks, wrecks and other interesting types of structure all the way into December. Cod fortunes will run inverse of tautog as dropping water temperatures will continue to bring more cod in close. You don’t need a box full of different rigs to target those species. We did quite well with the same Tidal Tails Jig’z and crab combination for both species. Jason is done but there’s no reason that you should be done!
The only other salty options are smelt with the area around Boston’s Reserve Channel fishing the best and mackerel which are still being caught in the Salem area. While there’s not much going on in the South Shore salt, Pete from Belsan’s said that hog largemouth are stirring right now and make for a nice panacea for salt withdrawal. Two best bets are Jacob Pond which is shallow but can be hot as well as Hadley Pond, which has some deep, hog holding holes and some interesting structure. That “structure” is rumored to consist of a few cars which were ditched there through the years!
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report
For some, strange, wonderful reason there are bigger rainbow trout than usual in Wachusett Reservoir. Eddie of B&A in West Boylston said that he’s continually seeing photos of healthy, colorful fish up to 4 pounds. The word from the Chu’ is that the fish have fattened up on a robust population of smelt. Eddie emphasized the Route 70 side as a best bet for those beautiful bows as well as lakers up to 5 pounds! The Scar Hill Road section as well as Gates 19/22 got a special nod. Don’t forget a crankbait or two since smallmouth bass are still active.
Salmon remain in the Stillwater and Quinapoxet Rivers as well. Rod from Flagg’s in Orange told me that anglers are catching a real mixed bag of salmonoids among the West Branch of the Swift River. The catch and release sections have plenty of rainbows, native brookies and the occasional corker brown trout. Electroshocking studies by biologists have revealed trophy brown trout up to 17 pounds in the river!
The only drawback to the Swift is fishing pressure, the antithesis of which occurs in the Miller River. According to Rod, while flocks fish the Swift the Miller is lightly fished and heavily stocked with brown trout!
Patrick Barone of Charter The Berkshires is booking up quickly for ice fishing escapades which he expects to begin somewhere around Christmas. The “Hilltown” gems will be among the first to fish, since these higher elevation ponds/lakes nestled in the Berkshires are quick to freeze. While those water bodies are noted for trout, Patrick has a bead on impressive bass and pickerel spots as well making outings with him, multifaceted.
In spite of smaller ponds beginning to skim over in northern Mass, according to David from Merrimack Sports some of the better open water fishing is taking place right now thanks to pike! Dropping water temperatures along with bigger breaks among dying weed beds are giving pike more of an edge on their prey. Pick coves and confluences where current collides among rivers, tributaries and other types of moving water. Pike can be found among the Merrimack, Concord and Shawsheen Rivers.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
While saltwater options are coming to an end, you can still shove off from the Westport River and target tautog/cod holding structure in Buzzards Bay. For a sweetwater treat, smelt-swollen rainbows at Wachusett Reservoir remains an impressive option. Farther west, big weary browns lurk in the Swift River and while lacking the pedigree of the Swift, the Miller offers plenty of brown trout and far less pressure. Unheralded are the hawg largemouth which roam many non-descript water bodies, some of which are undoubtedly near you. Late fall is often prime time to catch that big bass and for that it’s hard to top a lively shiner!
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
What about SMELT ??????????
Saltwater Ice Fishing
already have been out ice fishing 3 times