There’s not a lot to love about the state of limbo anglers are stuck in at the moment in the Bay State. Higher elevation and smaller northern ponds had caught ice but then the monsoon over the weekend struck and put an end to most safe ice options. Moving forward, shop owners are filling their bait wells which choice shiners and the phones are wringing with the question of the week being, “Any ice?!
Massachusetts Fishing Report
Just prior to the thaw there were reports of ice in Northern Mass according to Donny from Merrimack Sports. Some are betting the coves of the Merrimack will lock up during this cold snap and requests for pike bait are coming in prompting the shop to begin carrying the big stuff beginning on Friday.
Eddie of B&A in West Boylston sold some shiners on Thursday for anglers looking to target nondescript smaller water bodies in the Hubbardston area. Eddie’s leaning towards Moosehorn as one of the first to freeze. When asked if anyone had been targeting offseason lakers in the Stillwater River, he said he hadn’t heard of anybody.
A tidbit for those who never fully exorcise the Chu’ from their brain is that the Thomas Basin is all locked up. The only ice fishing action Rodney from Flagg’s from Orange had to pass along was that some were already out on Clubhouse Pond. Perennially an early/late hardwater playground, this place makes ice faster than a Zamboni machine. For a local best bet when spots eventually freeze, Rod recommended nearby Rohunta for bass and Mattawa for trout and bass. Lake Mattawa was stocked in the fall with a number of 4 pound brown trout and hardly anyone has fished for them. Go big with shiner selection here not only for the broodstock trout but the big smallmouth and largemouth bass which are seldom targeted in this “trout” lake.
Patrick Barone of Charter The Berkshires has already scouted out some choice Hilltown honey holes which should be hot slices of hardwater heaven within a week or two. Patrick knows these Berkshires water bodies intimately and is sure that the action will be impressive at first ice. He’s booked more often than not come the first of the year, but if prodded he might be able to squeeze you in a bit earlier should he find suitable ice, you can reach Patrick at (413) 429-5366.
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
With options at the moment skinnier than skim ice, hardwater junkies are more jittery than tiny tykes on Christmas Eve. However, as the Fab Four once sang “There’s a place”! That place or places are just over the border in New Hampshire and Maine and thankfully you can read all about it in the New Hampshire/Maine portion of our Fishing Forecast!
Thanks for the update, total limbo indeed here with the ice on the south shore…tough to find open water, main open water bite rn is chain pickerel they are active most of the year. Slow fishing jerk baits and finesse style soft plastics is the only way I’ve been able to catch fish, but it can be done!!