Massachusetts Fishing Report – April 7, 2022

While far removed from January 1st, it’s kind of feeling like a new year. With the groundfish game kick-off and the fact I’m hearing from some of the top rod charter captains who augment this report, I’m getting a whiff of salt! Something can be said for stellar sweetwater however and there’s plenty to report on there.

Massachusetts Fishing Report

Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters is ready to pick up an impressive 30’ Hysucat center console catamaran to the delight of his charters. The boat is bare-bones at the moment but he has grand plans to personalize the craft from bow to stern. He told me that the speed at which this thing can cruise over 6’ waves is incredible. What’s also noteworthy is that he’s hearing of cod and haddock just outside of Duxbury.
 
Captain Rich Antonio of Black Rose Charters has upgraded side-scan electronics which he feels is especially gong to give him an advantage on Nantucket Shoals when the target will be doormat fluke. He intends on warming up the electronics soon on haddock which he’s hearing are suspects are north of Stellwagen.

Pete Belsan of Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate did not have much to report regarding groundfishing, the winds have kept most at bay. Fortunately reports on brook trout from First Herring Brook and Norris Reservation have been much better!

A philosophical fisherman might say, “If the haddock bite was good, yet there were no anglers fishing it – did it really happen?”. The lack of intel regarding groundfishing is ready to end big time! Not surprisingly Captain Jason Colby is among the first to begin a reign of terror on cod and haddock with a three day assault beginning this weekend! The Little Sister will be featuring a host of improvements not the least of which is a new chum dispenser. Among other things, the captain is a ‘bait-master” and incessant chumming makes the difference. While others must find the fish, he “calls’ them in with a clam chum slick.

The other local top-rod skipper who is ready to pound the haddock, beginning next week is Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing. To be honest, I had been seeing so many carp pictures from him that I was wondering if he was ever going to return to the salt! Captain Coombs has a brand spanking new Jones Brothers Center Console which will enable him to add groundfish and tuna to his expansive inshore repertoire.

Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy had no groundfishing reports to talk about except a few skunkings from intrepid kayakers who were dumping in from Winthrop. The shop is scheduled to stock seaworms soon for what is hoped to be an early flounder season off Peddock Island, Rainsford Island and Deer Island. Meanwhile, trout remain the draw locally with rainbows swimming around all the designated trout ponds in Greater Boston.

When asked for an inshore cod (and maybe haddock) pick, Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett took time from tying his unique Pelican Green Teaser cod/haddock rigs to mention President Roads and Little and Great Faun Bars. For kayakers seizing a good day, I’d look more towards Saunders Ledge and Egg Rock off Nahant. Pete did say that Fishing FINatics trout diehards have been boasting about Lexington Reservoir! He said that any type of Power Bait will do the trick as long as it is bubblegum Power Eggs!

Things are brisk to say the least at B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston! Eddie is going flat out due to significant interest in Wachusett Reservoir during it’s first week of fishing. Highlights are 5 pound smallmouth bass from Gate 36 on yellow perch fry and 24” salmon from Gate 25! There was also a stocking truck observed at Gate 25, which is unusual since ordinarily, it’s the tributaries that are stocked! As you would expect, lakers are the draw with at least one 7 pounder caught out of Gate 35.

Rod from Flagg’s Fly and Tackle in Orange told me that trout from Lake Mattawa and the Miller River are getting the most interest. There have been a few nice bass taken out of North Spectacle Pond as well as Lake Rohunta. The wait is on for the mighty Quabbin to be open for fishing beginning April 23rd! Rental boats will be in high demand with many anglers sleeping overnight in their trucks to procure one from Gates 8, 31 and 43! The truth is that with the fish so close to the shoreline and on top in April, shore fishing can be quite good at this time of year, not only in the designated launch areas but also Gates 16, 22 and 35.

Nothing says “New England” quite like a bait and tackle shop! Certainly the unique Merrimac Sports falls into that category. In addition to bait/tackle-dispensing vending machines they also have a self serve/honor system shed where regardless of the time of day, anglers can get their bait fix! The shop is also the only one I know of at the moment which is not only carrying seaworms right now but you can find them in their dispenser anytime of day! You might want to put those worms to good use on the white perch that are running big time at The Exeter River right now! The catching was described as “clobbering them”! Anyone who knows white perch well knows that bloodworms are the crystal meth of perch baits – highly addictive! To that end, the shop is expecting to carry them within the week! David also sailed out for haddock aboard one of the Eastman’s Fleet and easily caught enough fish to fill two limits! The haddock have been doing some serous growing with reports of very-good-on-average size with few shorts. Even better, the bite has been on top of Jeffrey’s Ledge in less than 200’ of water! Post-spawn pike are packing on the pounds once again in the Merrimack River.

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

As nice as freshwater is, the options are all the sweeter when there’s a little salt sprinkled in! Haddock/cod reports are just beginning to trickle in with “up north” appearing to hold more fish than Stellwagen. The white perch run in the Exeter River is in full bloom and just maybe a few are also running up the Parker! Elsewhere Wachusett is delivering its usual mixed bag of smallies, salmon and lakers! A tip to consider is to chill a bit and let the rest of the predawn-obsessed streak through the woods to lay claim to their “chosen spot”! Many times I’ve leisurely pulled in to park in the early afternoon and passed the mob stumbling out of there after a full morning of fishing and then slipped right into a sought after spot!