Massachusetts Fishing Report
Nothing ruins a good fishing day quite like regretting you didn’t go elsewhere. That thought hit me like a ton of bricks when I spotted a pickup with a Jet Sled perched on its tailgate. Very quickly the euphoria of a day spent catching lakers at Wachusett depreciated to one of envy knowing that someone out there was already ice fishing!
If the big freeze predicted for this weekend comes through then Christmas will come early to hardwater addicts. Some however just aren’t waiting! Martin Farrell of B&R Bait in Cheshire was busily procuring choice baits when I reached out to him which means only one thing – the hardwater game out west is on. Ice core checks reveal 3-4” of good ice on the northern basin of Cheshire Reservoir while Plainfield Pond is coming in at 4”. As to likely quarry, Cheshire is a champ when it comes to pike and largemouth bass. Plainfield Pond habitually is one of the earliest Bay State ponds to produce trout through the ice – although each year a few Larrys big enough to eat a trout are pulled out of here.
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Current ice depth will soon be moot with the mercury not expected to top 30 degrees for nearly a week. Those temperatures also bode well for much of the rest of the state. For ice fishers, things are sure looking frosty.
The conundrum meanwhile, until state-wide safe ice, is the dreaded skim ice which will be prevalent on many water bodies until they lock up. The sheer size of Wachusett Reservoir is a buffer from significant skim ice and should remain open for the remaining week and a half of the season. That’s a good thing since the laker and rainbow bite remains impressive and access is at an all time high. The first time out on a water body that is 37 miles in circumference can be intimidating but the time of the year now is the great equalizer. With near-uniform, ideal water temperatures throughout Wachusett there almost is no special spot. Lakers are just as likely to be found in 40’ of water pushing smelt as they are in 4’ pummeling perch fry. The reservoir rainbows are roamers and ceaselessly cruise the shoreline, furthering the even playing field. I suggest you swing in to B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston and ask Eddie for a few 1 ounce Kastmasters in blue/chrome and gold for the faraway fish while opting for 1/2 ounce to 3/4 ounce metallic perch Kastmasters for shallow stalkers. Regardless, get your Chu fix in while you can because when it’s over – April will feel like light years away!
Rivers will continue to be the antidote for skim ice throughout the state, at least for the time being. My buddy Steve Langton has made repeated attempts to stash his kayak for the season until windless conditions call him back to revisit Greater Boston rivers. Recent trips have been perch-fests with white and yellow versions all cooperating. Tiny tungsten jigs with 2” soft plastic stick baits have been the ticket with the fish averaging around 10”. In other parts of the country fish of that size would wind up on the menu.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Exit open water and enter hard water! Time’s quickly running out for casting opportunities with Wachusett Reservoir salmonoids and river-run panfish among the better open water bets. Expect Cheshire Reservoir and Plainfield Pond to have plenty of company soon thanks to a weather forecast which should make ice faster than a Zamboni. Hopefully, you of the frozen water brigade have been more nice than naughty and Santa will leave a few Indian Hill Traps under your tree! Either way, I hope you have the merriest of Christmases!
why is the last report 12/19?