You may have noticed that we’ve been in a bit of a drought. This first dose of significant precipitation in months should be a catalyst to improved fishing all across the Bay State. This week we’ll tap the knowledge of some of our shop friends for best bets on better fishing in their areas because of the rain. Salty pursuits for the most part are immune to the Mother Natures vagaries which is good because there are a few of those options still hanging in there.
This week’s forecast would be lacking if I didn’t mention the recent passing of a consummate angler, family man, farmer and invaluable friend – Richard “Dicky” Kicza. He was a frequent mate aboard Captain Brian Coombs’ Get Tight Sportfishing boat and more often than not was making headlines by landing the biggest bass. While I never had the pleasure of meeting Dicky I often reveled in the stories Captain Coombs would tell me of his personality and fishing prowess. All who knew him, greatly miss him and no doubt he’s holding a tight line somewhere.
Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report
A few buddies and I were treated last week to a trip aboard my friend Captain Jason Colby’s Little Sister. I love the reaction when the uninitiated targets tautog, especially when served up in the inimitable environment provided by the colorful captain. To put it bluntly there was no break in the action or the lively conversation. Between endless yarns and calls of “get the net”, the five hour trip flew by. If anyone knows of another captain who can conduct a 6 man crew single handedly, deploy all the gear and bait, hold tight to spot specific tog lairs and then make short work of a cooler full of fish, I say – care to get a witness! Cod loins are now routinely part of the bags full of tog fillets making for some scrumptious eats. The action is taking place a short steam from the Wesport River off Route 88 where there is a roomy launch/lot. While we were disembarking we saw schools of silversides which would rival smelt for size by Tripp Marine. As is often the case, in spite of the calendar, there was a predator pummeling it’s prey – in this case hickory shad! Those acrobatic shad grow up to 18” and are a blast in their own right on ultra light gear. Small jigs/spoons or shad baits will catch them up!
With rivers rocking and a rolling thanks to the rain, Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate told me that he wouldn’t be surprised if hickory shad weren’t pounding herring fry being carried along by the current into the bays. The mouths of the Plymouth Town River as well as the North River are good starting points. Structure of any sort, be it docks, bridge pilings, or even marina mooring fields will stage the shad looking to ambush the fry. As for stripers, one patron who frequents Cohasset continues to request eels, which makes one wonder!. Mackerel and harbor pollock are providing the most action for those who still have a boat at the ready and both species are proving plentiful almost as soon as anglers clear South Shore launches.
Greater Boston Fishing Report
The increased river flow from the downpours should result in better fishing in the Charles and Weymouth Back Rivers according to Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy. Holdover stripers should be in the offing in both, and as proof, there has been a bump in the demand for eels! The area where the Muddy River merges with the Charles is one spot to consider while Bare Cove Park and Great Esker Park are possibilities in the Back River. Stranded herring fry in Whitman Pond should be moving through now triggering a better black bass bite. Regarding black bass, Braintree’s Sunset Lake is a good option. Lisa continues to be familiar with her waders which is a sure indicator that smelt fishing is hot and there’s a demand for grass shrimp! Spots which are delivering the goods are the Summer Street Bridge, the A Street Pier, the Hull Public Pier, Pemberton Pier and Hewitts Cove. Dave “Dee” Do told me that daytime has been best in many of those areas for smelt possibly because the bigger, more aggressive whiting are moving in at dark! Of course the latter species are fun to fish for in their own right and aren’t half bad on the dinner table.
Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett said that trout ponds such as Jamaica Pond, Walden and Horn should stack up rainbows at inlets as current attracts the fish. Increased flow should also be the fuel for better bass, crappie and white perch fishing in the Charles River and Mystic River. Farther north the same applies to the Merrimack River with pike the top draw there. Do your homework and look for the numerous smaller rivers, sloughs and ponds in such areas as North Andover and Methuen. There has been little flow from those areas for months with a sudden current sure to lure pike in close looking for panfish prey.
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
The word from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem is that more than just ghosts, goblins and other things which go bump in the night have gone quiet. About the only options left is off piers where some angling effort is being attempted. Piers to wet a line are in Beverly Harbor as well as the newly constructed Salem Willows pier. Species which might be in the offing are mackerel, sea herring, tommycod, squid and maybe whiting. Toss out a flashy spoon/jig to see if there aren’t hickory shad swimming around there as well. A few feeds are still taking place behind the shop as well as in the Danvers River with the predators indeterminate. Could the bird/bait shows be the work of late-inning linesiders?
Things have been slow farther north according to TJ from Three Lantern Marine and Fishing with the only options amounting to a gamblers chance off harbor docks for mackerel, herring, tommycod and squid as well. A safer bet are the headboat trips for pollock and haddock. As in the past, now would be a good time to try for flounder as cooler water temperatures would lure them back into bays and harbors. Manchester Harbor, Fort Point Park and Stage Fort Park are two accessible spots in Gloucester Harbor where you may be able to connect with a blackback. With seaworms no longer in stock, clams and Gulp bloodworms/sandworms are alternatives to consider.
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report
Eric from Lunkers in Ashland expects increased current from the Charles River to result in better fishing in South End Pond in Mills. A plethora of warm water species swim in there with panfish and pickerel known to grow to good size. The pike-aplenty Sudbury River should be refreshing Heard Pond in Wayland making the effluence of those water bodies worth a shot. Another pike-promising spot would be the bend where the Sudbury River meets up with Fairhaven Bay. Any bay, oxbow, setback, pond or lake off the main flow of a river will energize a number of species once the current starts cooking.
Rick from Jerry’s Bait and Tackle in Milford threw out Quaboag Pond as a possibility. The East Brookfield and Quaboag Rivers feed into this place and may concentrate the northerns. Timing for a call was good since Mike Ferrera, the renowned fisher of the family, had just had a successful outing on Pratt’s Pond for trout. The key to his success is trolling sunrise copper Thomas Buoyant spoons. Another store sharpie – Steve J – has been hanging big bows and browns to 3 1/2 pounds from Big Alum Pond. Justin E has been having similar success at Hopkinton Reservoir. Other anglers are finding increased activity for pike from the Merrimack River with swimbaits accounting for pike to 34”.
Moving water should do wonders for Wachusett Reservoir landlocked salmon according to Ed from B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston. The flow should bring the last wave of salmon into the tributaries. Eddie himself spotted about 12 the other day on a redd in a pool of the Stllwater! One was a corker, but they all showed indifference to the spawn sacks as well as crawlers Eddie threw at them. Elsewhere on the reservoir, smallies continue to fall for jig/trailers, jerkbaits and shiners. The ledges is producing solid lake trout action with word of a 12 pounder landed there.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Current is often the calling card for rivers with the Town River and North River washing herring fry downstream and awakening hickory shad and possibly holdover stripers. Bog ponds throughout the South Shore have a solid largemouth bass bite with big shiners floated in between pockets of weeds working well. Higher water levels from the rainstorm should provide more water volume from which to work bait and lures. The South Coast tog bite is sensational and with the addition of a cod or two makes for a saltwater best bet in the Bay State. Some who are into smelt in piers/bridges from Hull through South Boston may differ. For Greater Boston bass, Sunset Lake in Braintree is a good choice. Finally there is some serious flow from our rivers which should awaken holdover stripers from the Charles, panfish from the Mystic and pike from the Merrimack.
We used to fish for flounder with nightcrawlers