Massachusetts Fishing Report
It’s not even Thanksgiving but some are already adopting the great-gifts-in-a-smalll package mindset! While trout remain the top target, crappie are on the chew and are of size and numbers that would make addicts elsewhere jealous.
South Shore and South Coast
You have to give it up for Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing! While meaning no disrespect to those who obsess about little more than striped bass, locating big blackfish lairs and then catching them is harder. Other than during their brief, full-on migration tautog are the ultimate homebodies in that they find a rockpile, wreck or other interesting piece of live-bottom and stay put. It takes a learned eye and knowledge of electronics to find a whitechin honey hole and Brian – who has only been chasing these things for a few years – has proven to be a quick study. Recently while watching his side scan he spotted what he deemed as interesting bottom and saved the waypoint for another day. That other day came on Sunday and along with his bud and fellow charter captain – Vinny Simeone – the crew proceeded to boat several double-digit whitechins including a 15 pound fish-of-a-lifetime beast. The good news can be extended to the other tog which are still swimming in the area because Captain Coombs is calling is a season – for sure this time! There are no such stays of execution for tautog within reach of Captain Jason Colby of Little Sister Charters who while scrapping ice off the windshield of his car can be overheard, “Now this is tog weather”! I have to admit when I’ve been out with him this time of the year I’ve looked longingly at my ice fishing suits and thought they’d be a good fit. While under power in a center console now you had better dress for it; fortunately an antidote to chilled digits is double-digit tautog and the captain knows that it is prime time. In addition to an improving blackish bite, cod are increasingly part of the catch and in this area five fish per person (23” minimum) can be harvested.
Pete from Belsan’s Bait and Tackle in Scituate told me that some anglers are poking around the plethora of ponds in the Plymouth area and finding impressive largemouth bass. This report coincides with a similar one I heard from a shop out west. That shop has a regular swimbait sharpie patron who has been wracking up ridiculous numbers of huge hawgs, the size of which would make bass-masters in other parts of the country envious. You have quite the selection of water bodies to choose from, so you’ll have to do some searching, but the 5-7 pound Larrys which are lurking there make the investment worth it. Closer to the Scituate area Tack Factory and Stockbridge Ponds are proven possibilities. For something salty Minot Light is chock full of harbor pollock.
Greater Boston
There’s big news regarding a little local fish and proof is in that Lisa from Fore River Bait and Tackle in Quincy is keeping grass shrimp in stock. It’s been several years since this was needed because there simply was not enough demand – an uptick in smelt numbers tends to change all that.
I also heard from David Dee Do who has been not only catching smelt in the Hull/Hingham/Quincy area but they are jack smelt large enough to necessitate the removal of bones before they are consumed. Smelt spots to consider are most any pier you can access in the area. A few perennial favorites are Nut Island Pier, Pemberton Pier, the Hull Public Pier, the A Street Pier and the pier in Hingham Harbor. In the past, Marina Bay has been good as has any spot which anglers can reach from the Reserve Channel in South Boston. From the other side of the harbor the Winthrop Public Pier has been known to give up smelt as has Crystal Cove. While I haven’t heard one way or another, I’m curious how anglers would fare off the well-lit Deer Island Pier. As for stripers the only game in town according to Lisa is holdovers in the Charles River. While those bass are nice, it is the carp which are the true heavyweights there. Bring along a can of corn and check out the shoreline off the Dudley White Path by the BU Bridge. For trout, Houghton’s Pond remains hot while for bass and crappie check out Turner’s Pond and Whitman Pond.
North Shore
According to Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem, peanut bunker are hanging in there and remain fuel for mackerel feeds off Salem Willows Pier, Beverly Pier and from the shore of Marblehead Harbor. A few squid, cunner and tommycod can also be caught from those piers. While I know it’s a fools errand to ask, I enquire about North Shore smelt anyway with Tomo answering in the negative. Historically however the Congress Street Bridge produced smelt and it might deserve a try – ya never know. I was pleasantly surprised to hear TJ from Three Lantern Marine talking of a lot of action in Gloucester Harbor for mackerel. There have even been feeds right behind the shop. The breakwater has been good as has by the lighthouse. The state pier as well as the Granite Pier have been producing fish as well with an occasional squid. I’d be curious to learn what would happen if someone worked a sabiki tipped with grass shrimp at night for smelt from those piers. Headboats such as the Yankee Fleet are still setting sail for the groundfish grounds with pollock the primary quarry.
Freshwater
Eric from Lunkers in Ashland said that anglers are doing well on rainbow trout from the boat ramp of Ashland Reservoir. Power eggs have been the most consistent catcher. Hopkinton Reservoir has been giving up a few trout with bass more readily available from Lake Cochituate and Dug Pond. There has also been some Larry love from Little Chauncy and Lake Chauncy. Panfish, especially crappie, have been coming out of South End Pond as well as Maple Cove in the Charles River. Rick from Jerry’s Bait and Tackle in Milford has weighed in a few “pin-size” crappie recently. As to where, the dad/daugher team was not forthcoming but Rick’s best guess is the they came from either Lackey Pond or Whitins Pond. Until water bodies turn over, expect crappie to be tight to blowdowns, overhanging branches or any other kind of “wood” close to the shore. Once ponds/lakes “turnover” the fish will move out onto flats near weedbeds.
Joe from Granby Bait and Tackle told me that anglers are catching nice brown trout from the boat launch area of South Pond. If I had to pick a bait they couldn’t resist it would be a small marshmallow/mealworm combo. The Oxbow continues to produce pike, largemouth bass and crappie.
My ride does not have autopilot but sometimes when the destination is Wachusett Reservoir I wish it did. It’s not for the 50 minute ride from my home that it would come in handy, but more to take the guesswork out of just where to fish at this multi-species gem! Lakers, smallies and rainbows are all cooperating most anywhere along the 37 miles of shoreline.
But then there’s the draw of the landlocked salmon off the causeway, Thomas Basin and Stillwater River. Of course while wetting a line in any of those places, anglers are giving short shrift to the Quinapoxet River and its rainbows and brook trout – we should always have such headaches! According to Eddie of of B&A Bait and Tackle in West Boylston the two best bets are shiners/lakers at Gate 22 and jigs/trailers for smallies most anywhere but especially at the Cellar Holes and Ledges. Shawn from Merrimac Sports said that dropping water temperatures are widening the feeding window for Merrimack River pike and demand for pike shiners is proof. Tuxbury Pond has been giving up solid largemouth bass. Moreover, Manning Lake is producing a steady pick of quality largemouth bass with large shiners as well as jerkbaits working.
Fishing Forecast
If your boat is not cloaked in white then Buzzards Bay blackfish is arguably a Bay State saltwater best bet. However, those who are taking advantage of what could possibly be a resurgent smelt run may differ. Grab a gill of grass shrimp at Fore River and see for yourself what all the fuss is about! At Wachusett smelt spells bait for salmon, trout, white perch and smallmouth bass and right now all of those species are in play. For white perch and rainbows a blown-up crawler will get them. Rivers rife with pike such as the Merrimack, Connecticut and Sudbury are always an attractive late fall option. Other river options are Oxbow crappie and walleye and Charles River carp and holdover stripers.