Massachusetts Fishing Report
Two opening days came and went with polar opposite results. If you pursued salty favorites you probably left shivering and shaking your head at water temperatures which were still too cold. Thankfully the temperature has been significantly higher at Wachusett Reservoir as lakers have been landed large enough to excite the most hardened salt water fishers.
Unless you haven’t returned yet from a “totality” trip to view the all-encompassing solar eclipse, you’re well aware of the series of monstrous lake trout which have been caught and released at the Chu. Certainly the 37 miles of shoreline is daunting but it gets a lot easier when you understand what drives lake trout. In April and then again in late fall, lake trout come cruising in close because of a combination of ideal water temperatures and other natural stimuli. Come fall the trigger is the need to breed but now it’s the desire to top off the tank with smelt. The strain of rainbow smelt which currently inhabit Wachusett Reservoir are more inclined to spawn in sandy/gravely shoal water as opposed to streams or rivers. This a good thing for a water body which is primarily managed to provide much of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with drinking water.
Problems arise when those little buggers become hell-bent on traveling upstream and inadvertently clogging filtration systems intended to assist in the purification of drinking water. Suffice to say when that happens smelt lose and there goes the salmonoid fishery. Fortunately that is not the case now, as currently in Wachusett, smelt numbers are very robust! Expect the combination of smelt and big lake trout close-to-shore to continue for the rest of the month with the peak right about now. As to what lures work, I’d say that it’s more a case of putting your wares in the right place at the right time. Like most predators lake trout are opportunistic and will feed on darn near anything in their domain be it dead or alive. To put that in context take the gentleman who arguably caught the biggest lake trout ever in Wachusett. Twenty years ago and right around this time, the late Mike Sienkiewicz landed a beast of a lake trout: all of 40 1/2” long and 24 pounds! Shortly thereafter I had the pleasure of fishing with and interviewing Mike and found him to be a great guy with an amazing story to tell. Not the least of which was his lure selection that day. When he tossed me a replica of what he was using I hardly expected to be looking at a 3/8 oz candy Kastmaster!
In the summer the advantage of catching lakers consistently lies with those who are capable of casting 3/4 or 1 oz Kastmasters, Deadly Dicks, Hopkins Smoothies and other types of heavy metal into far away deep drop-offs. But not now, not as long as smelt and temperatures are firmly in the shallow water sweet spot. With word spreading quickly Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle in West Boylston not surprisingly is busier than he’s ever been! While lakers are the buzz fish, Eddie also told me that the smallie bite has been good along with ‘pin” salmon and rainbows rounding out the Wachusett catch.
Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate said that if skunkings mattered then the ground fishing would be considered great. With water temperatures struck in the low 40s, the general feeling among experienced anglers is that we need a bump up in the mercury to bring haddock and their other groundfishing counterparts in closer. For most however it is still time to take advantage of the swell job Masswildlife is doing with trout stocking with brilliantly colored brook trout a standout from the South Shore through the Cape.
Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy told me that the languid largemouth of a few weeks ago are no longer a thing. It seems as if anglers floating shiners in most every nearby pond are catching solid bass now with Robbins Pond in East Bridgewater especially good. For those looking to get their hands on one of last year’s most sought after baits, there’s good news as the ladies of Fore River have scored some Fish Lab mackerel lures! They are not likely to last long so swoop in while you can.
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Even though it’s a bit early for flounder, the talk of them is always on the agenda at Fishing FINatics in Everett! For those looking to be among the first to find a few flatties, the shop will be carrying seaworms by this weekend! Peddock Island, Rainsford Island, Dorchester Bay, Deer Island Flats, Lynn Harbor and Swampscott Harbor are among the earlier favorites. Freshwater fishing continues to be dominated by those fishing for trout. Thankfully several ponds are holding rainbows so the pressure is evenly spread out. Among the more noted are Berry Pond, Silver Lake, Griswold Pond, Jamaica Pond and Sluice Pond.
Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that some of his customers have been doing well aboard Eastman’s Fleet in Seabrook. The catch has been weighted towards redfish, haddock and there has even been halibut reported! Locally all is quiet save sea herring in Misery Channel. As for freshwater, anglers are still targeting trout at Baldpate, Stiles, Forest, Plugs, Round and Millvale. Merrimack River is a best bet for bass and pike.
Gerry from Crack of Dawn Bait and Tackle in Phillipston told me that while anglers await the start of the Quabbin season, they are getting their casts in at Wachusett. A buddy of his, Jeremy Hastings, caught a 4-1 salmon off of the Chu causeway. Comet Pond is getting a lot of attention after a recent stocking of brook trout and tiger trout. As for rivers, they are raging high and dirty and not inductive to much fishing effort.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Cold water temperatures have been a spoiler to saltwater efforts save a pretty good redfish/haddock bite off Jeffrey’s Ledge. Once we get closer to the May flowers than the April showers look for a decent haddock haul maybe as close as Stone Ledge. Buzzards Bay blackfish should be cooperating also but we need 47 degrees plus temperatures to shift things in our favor. Meanwhile Wachusett Reservoir should still be making angler’s dreams with Qiuabbin but a week and a half away from rivaling it. Elsewhere tiger trout and brook trout are adding a splash of color to trout ponds with largemouth getting more active by the day.
Ron, what can you say about the trout caught at the Chu but WOW! Congrats to those guys for being at the right place at the right time and landing those beasts. What a place that reservoir is. You would need to travel north of the border to match that quality.
First stripers have arrived off backside of the cape people! Git’ur gear ready Freddy!. Tight lines.