Massachusetts Fishing Report - December 29, 2022

Above: The Berkshire Bass boys have been out on higher elevation hardwater where pike are willing!

Those who prefer their New Year with ice underfoot as opposed to in a glass aren’t liking this thaw one bit. Anglers out west, however, are not sweating it in the least, save the sweat caused from cutting through what in some instances is 8 to 10 inches of ice.

Consider one huge caveat with this report please, with the expected prolonged unseasonably warm weather expected over the foreseeable future, not even Nostradamus could predict what ice is safe and what isn’t. Your ally in determining whether to tempt the ice is the shops which are so essential to making this forecast relevant, make sure you check in with them before you hatch plans to fish a water body. And of course, never discount common sense – if the ice looks sketchy, decide that it is so and call it a day. As fun as a day on hardwater is, it is not worth risking your life.

Hardwater watchers know that ice this time of the year is usually resilient. While a sustained thaw in late March could be a death sentence to the ice, right now there’s not much panic out west and at higher elevations.  Shorelines should be watched closely as should inlets/outlets and areas known to hold springs. According to Spencer from Berkshire Bass in Sheffield, ponds and lakes in the Berkshires are featuring anywhere from 5 to 8 inches of ice, with the number climbing the higher the elevation. The crew at the shop is also keeping a close eye on oxbows throughout the Housatonic River. It pays to patronize this shop since three of those “setbacks” on the river are only accessed through private property and Spencer has an in on all three for guided trips. It’s pretty hard to top a shop where you can grab gear, bait and real time ice intel on ice conditions and a hot bite.

Jim from JCB Bait and Tackle is passing the mantle to Martin Farrell who calls his new shop B&R Bait and Tackle and is located at 34 South State Road in Cheshire. While Martin has big boots to fill, Jim took him under his wing and is showing him the ropes. Thank goodness excellent bait and service in the Cheshire Reservoir area will continue. I intend on featuring Martin’s take on things beginning next week. Timing for taking over from an iconic ice fishing shop is good since reports peg the ice on Cheshire at 8 to 10inches. Hilltown water such as Windsor Lake, which has trout as well as warm water species, also have ice fishing activity.  The same conditions cannot be said for Pontoosuc and Onota which are still unsafe.

It’s been awhile since I’ve heard Rod of Flagg’s Fly and Tackle “complain” about running out of bait! Such has been the case as anglers craving ice throughout the Connecticut Valley Region are finding it. Lake Rohunta has been the top pick for crappie and bass with some real hawgs, including 6- to 8-pounders, having come out of there over the years. Reports for warm water species have been favorable from South Athol Pond as well. Warwick State Forest has been bustling with ice fishing activity with three water bodies to choose from. Clubhouse Pond which is stocked with trout usually gets the most attention.

If you’re curious what Wachusett Reservoir looks like at the moment, Eddie B&A Bait and Tackle in West Boylston always has one eye on the reservoir. The Chu’ is socked in with ice from the Thomas Basin to beyond the causeway and as far as the eye can see. The view from the other side of Wachusett is wide open. What’s also interesting is that if you were there during the last week of the season you would hardly recognize the place as water levels are up nearly six feet! As for ice fishing prospects, locally it’s just not happening yet but anglers are finding ice fishing options up north in Gardiner and Rutland.

Fishing Forecast for Massachusetts

For about as long as it takes for your coffee to cool, there was sufficient ice mid-week on the South Shore according to Pete from Belsan’s Bait and Tackle in Scituate. Folks got out on Lilly Pond, Old Oaken Bucket Pond, and a few other smaller, shallow, sheltered warm water ponds. With the sustained thaw bearing down on us, any thoughts of ice fishing anywhere but up north or out west will have to be shelved for the time being. Open water options still exist closer to the coast and will only get more numerous. Eric from Lunkers in Ashland said that Hopkinton Reservoir was still giving up brown trout as well as rainbows and this thaw should shake free open water there as well as Cochituate.  The browns have shown cannibalistic tendencies with brown trout-colored Kastmasters working best while the rainbows aren’t nearly as selective. Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett told me that trout remain the top target among shop regulars who are still in the game. Walden, White and Horn all have their fans with the common denominator being that anglers are taking advantage of casting opportunities that don’t always happen as the calendar turns to the new year.