Massachusetts Fishing Report- December 28, 2023

Massachusetts Fishing Report

For those who prefer their New Years with ice underfoot, as opposed to in a glass, conditions could be better. However, a few diehards did manage to creep out on flash-frozen Berkshire black ice, which while not plausible now hopefully will be a harbinger of hardwater to come. 

Long before black bass became the rage in freshwater circles, trout were the darlings of New England anglers. Fishers who are still having fun can certainly relate to their forebears. Pete from Belsan’s Bait and Tackle told me of a recently caught monster brown trout that was taken from a spot in Morton Park in Plymouth. Owing to their proclivity for being nocturnal hunters, the angler knew enough to target the browns at night with dead shiners fished on the bottom. A few anglers have tried for smelt in Scituate Harbor but their stories began and ended in the “try” category. With hopes of hardwater to come, Pete has been stocking ice fishing goodies in anticipation of some semblance of an ice fishing season. Here’s to Mother Nature including ice in these parts as part of her New Year’s resolutions!  

According to Eric from Lunkers, anglers have been grabbing worms and shiners at the shop and targeting trout in the usual spots such as Hopkinton Reservoir, Ashland Reservoir, Lake Cochituate, Walden Pond and White Pond. While no one is talking of a stellar outing there’s just enough action to keep anglers in the game. Dylan from Concord Outfitters told me that by far most of the angling activity from shop regulars is divided among rivers such as the Swift, Deerfield, Miller, Quinapoxet and Stillwater. Each of these rivers have their own character but the one thing they have in common is they all carry trout, with the latter also holding landlocked salmon which have returned to Wachusett Reservoir post-spawn. A recent report from one of the shop sharpies was of nice browns gathering above the Route 9 section.  Whether you’re well versed in the vernacular or looking to learn the nuances of nymphs, streamers or dry flies the folks at this shop talk your language.  

Much of the “language” I’m hearing from shops all across Massachusetts is of Wachusett Reservoir. The decision by the fine folks at the MWRA and DCR to keep the Chu open for another month has been a warmly embraced encore to the Bay State freshwater fishing season. If you haven’t taken advantage of it, the good news is that you have until this Sunday to give it a go. The debate over which wares are most preferential can almost be divided among generational lines. Old school anglers who strap a pack-basket on their backs and carry tattered and faded red Julie Gut-a-Bite strike indicators are almost always bait first guys while the younger crowd are more inclined to toss out metal, soft plastics and jerk baits. Each has it’s advantages and disadvantages with the bait often catching more of a variety of species while those deploying artificials having the freedom of being able to stick-and-move until the fish are found. Wachusett is a big place with 37 miles of mostly fishable shoreline and with ideal water temperatures lake trout could be virtually everywhere. One tip is to look for the bait, which in the case of smelt is often obvious as they tend to pack tightly in big bait balls and when pushed come to the surface.  

On Wednesday I was out with buds Billy Eicher and Steve Langton and while a slow day, the activity did pick up when a bait ball became apparent on the surface, followed by a swirl and then – voila – a hooked fish! While grabbing gear and bait at B&A Bait and Tackle in West Boylston and ogling the impressive display of Kastmasters, I noticed far fewer Krocodiles. For some reason those things are the Rodney Dangerfield of reservoir metal, but for me, they are the first thing I snap on when fishing shoal water or areas I’m unfamiliar with.

Once I gauge that the water has some depth to it than out come the 3/4-ounce or even 1-ounce Kastmasters to afford the option of occasionally ticking the bottom in 30’+ of water. Bob from Granby’s Bait told me that while the wait is on for the “ice in” anglers have been enjoying open water trout fishing among places such as Hampton Pond and Littleville Lake. Granby’s Bait is more than just a shop, they are a bait distributor so you know you can always count on the gamut of bait a well as someone minding the shop.   

Leave it to Josh of the Fishing Hole in South Hadley to find a short window to take advantage of flash-frozen black ice on one of the Hilltown higher elevations trout ponds. He along with a few chums enjoyed the fleeting Yuletide gift of good ice and good fishing for trout. They unloaded a spectrum of trout candy on the fish including shiners, crawlers and spawn sacks. Doubtless recent rains put an end to solid ice but another lockup has to be imminent. Thanks to the folks at the Fishing Hole, we’ll be first to report it. While we are on the subject of ice, I spoke to Martin Farrell from Cheshire who last year took over from JCB Bait for ice fishing enthusiasts out west. His continual watching of weather forecasts while keeping one eye on the progress of skim ice is becoming an obsession. He’s ready to go and so should be his reports soon.  

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Happy New Year folks and with it may we see ice fishing opportunities aplenty! Meanwhile Plymouth brown trout are not a bad way to kick off 2024 as are rainbow trout from Ashland Reservoir or Horn Pond. Anglers are still crushing it at the Chu with lakers providing equal opportunity thrills for both the bait brigade as well as the casting cadre. The Swift River remains one of the best river bets because of both flow control and the volume of stocked and wild trout. Hilltown and other western hardwater honey holes should be imminent as January ushers in more seasonable temperatures!