After seeing the small pond in his yard skim over this past week, a buddy of mine bemoaned how the chill is effecting fishing. My reply was that trout don’t care! There’s plenty of reasons why New Englanders have for generations had a love affair with salmonoids above all and at no time is that more obvious than when spring behaves more like winter.
You’re really loving Wachusett Reservoir aren’t you? Who can blame you, the combination of aesthetics, access and angling potential is unmatched in the Bay State. A buddy and I were there over the weekend and we set up in a multi-acre basin which was no deeper than 6’. I lost track of how many groups of anglers walked right by us apparently not expecting lakers to be cruising in such a shallow area. Had they witnessed what we caught we surely would have had company!
With shoreline water temperatures in the sweet spot for lake trout and smelt in close and spawning the bulk of lakers will remain nomadic as they prowl for prey. Right now and especially when overcast they can be found most anywhere among the 37 miles of shoreline. If bait is your preferred offering then make sure you inflate your shiners with a worm inflating bottle. The correct way to do this is insert the needle in the anal opening of the shiner. The goal is to add a small pocket of air but not to over-inflate and kill the bait. Also, keep your leaders (12 pound fluorocarbon) short at about 14”.
I met one guy who was frustrated that for him the fishing was all forktails but no Sallys and despite years of effort could not catch one. In addition to bait and Kastmasters, he was dragging jigs/trailers along the bottom. When I had too much time on my hands I closely observed smallies in action this time of the year and noticed that they were primarily fish eaters. That script would flip in May when crayfish would come out of their lairs and be part of the menu. Once available those mini-lobsters would become the main course for smallmouth and they would give short-shrift to shiners. It just made sense: warmer water temperatures equals more energy for the smallies and with their primary forage suddenly available they no longer had to settle for shiners.
The wildcard is yellow perch which is apparently just as high on the list of culinary delights for fishers as it is for fish. Nothing that swims in Wachusett will pass on yellow perch fry regardless of the time of the year. Rezy regulars who have a stash of small perch handy habitually tell me that they out-fish shiner soakers by a huge margin. Obviously that would make perch patterns a good choice as are lures which match smelt – dark backs/silvery sides. Should Sally be tops on your list in addition to shiners, lean towards fish imitators such as jerk baits or crank baits and not so much tubes/jigs just yet. Employ those crayfish imitators later this month and into May if a PB smallie is your goal.
Massachusetts South Shore Through Greater Boston Fishing Report
Boy those stocked trout are beauties this year! Conditions must have been ideal for a good growth rate for rainbows and their kin because those hatchery fish are hefty.
Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate said that with water temperatures stuck in the 40s trout have been much more cooperative than bass. Patrons of the shop are religiously scanning the Masswildlife trout stocking report and cherry-picking which type of trout they would like to target. For rainbows, in addition to Kastmasters, Little Cleos, Swedish Pimples and Thomas Buoyants the panoply of Power Baits will work but for brown trout, brook trout and tigers – worms, meal worms and small shiners may be better choices. Should bass be your preference then Pete’s picks are Oldham Pond, Furnace Pond, Little Herring Pond and Hobart Pond.
In spite of trout madness, Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy had a solid Larry report when we spoke this week. Both bait and lures have been working well at Triphammer Pond, Lilly Pond, Ponkapoag, Pope’s and Houghton’s. While there’s been no news on the flounder front, with encouraging news coming from the North Shore local fatties have to be feeding. The tipping point for blackbacks is 50 degrees when they strap on the feedbag but – they are there now and sporadically will feed. If you’re looking for an excuse to splash-in your boat then flounder in Portuguese Cove/Perry Cove along with Sculpin Ledge and Hospital Shoals should be stirring.
Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett said that incessant winds have limited the opportunity for Jimmy Walsh to find the haddock, but willing redfish are making up for it. Should seas settle, no doubt Captain Walsh will have his American Classic out of Lynn hovering over schools of haddock. When Captain Jason Colby of Little Sister Charters used to keep his Contender in Boston, he would find haddock about now in 170’ of water approximately 5 miles Northeast of the B Buoy. As for freshwater fishing, most of Mr. Santini’s customers are targeting trout in Jamaica Pond, Walden, White and Horn but some are shaking it up and hanging with the cats in the Merrimack. White catfish along with their bigger channel catfish cousins can be found at the effluences of the Shawsheen, Spicket and Concord Rivers. You don’t have to be fussy – a few crawlers resting on the bottom will work just fine. Just be prepared to occasionally hook Into a sturgeon which are becoming more populous. These prehistoric behemoths are protected so release with care.
Rod from Arlington Bait & Tackle told me that the white sucker run is on throughout the Mystic River; the run seems particularly healthy this year with some specimens huge! Rod recommended to few young customers who were catching them that they try to live line a few for pike/tiger muskie in Spy Pond, Heard Pond, Fairhaven Bay or near Kimball Island on the Merrimack River!
Boston Metrowest Through Central Machusetts Fishing Report
Rick from Jerry’s Bait and Tackle in Milford said that Tony “Famous” Ferrera has switched his torment of pond trout to that of rivers. He’s been having his way with Charles River rainbows which have a hard time passing on sunrise Thomas Buoyants. The Sudbury River has had fast action on trout as well. As for Wachusett Reservoir, the resident bass-master, Dan Southwick, has been giving if a go in this own unique style and while successfully targeting smallies, he dropped an estimated 12-pound plus laker shoreside. Dan’s been getting it done in 20’ of water with jerk baits, stick baits and swim baits.
As for Wachusett Reservoir central, Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston is understandably one busy guy! The Chu is checking off all the boxes including salmon, most of which frequent the moving water beyond the causeway. While the heavy Kastmasters have been picked clean off the wall pegs, he still has a solid supply of 1/2 ounce in most every color. My Wachusett Reservoir mentor, Rick Holbrook, who has fished it for some 40 years almost exclusively fishes the 1/2 ounce versions of the lure. His logic is that on the upswing of the jigging motion he’s able to put more motion in the lure and an erratic action is often what most interests trout. Additionally the lighter Kastmaster is more versatile and can be worked over rocky, shoal water which would hopelessly snag the heavier spoon. Just make sure that when fishing the deep stuff you give the lure ample time to settle deeper in the water column. Later in the season when the lakers settle into the depths heavy metal for casting distance will matter but not now.
Gerry from Crack of Dawn Bait in Phillipston told me that two of the more successful trout ponds in the Connecticut Valley Region lately are Silver Lake in Athol as well as Clubhouse Pond in Warwick. In spite of trout being the top target in these ponds some will eschew what they consider “bait” for lunker Larrys which seem to appreciate the freshly stocked trout as much as anglers. The Oxbow section of the Connecticut River has been fishing like a veritable fish-bowl with everything from channel cats to bowfin to pike and to crappie all cooperating. Some are crossing the border into the Hinsdale New Hampshire section of the river and working jerk baits as well as jigs/trailers and catching walleye.
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
Peter from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that the shop is moving a lot of flounder rigs with some of them to repeat customers! While the anglers are taciturn as to where they are targeting the flounder, spots worth considering are Lynn Pier, Heritage Park in Lynn, the Fisherman’s Beach Pier in Swampscott and Manchester Harbor. The whipping winds have put the kibosh to most attempts to groundfish but folks which have caught a break in the seas have found redfish off the slope of humps on southern Jeffrey’s Ledge. Trout have been taken from Stiles Pond, Baldpate, Forest, Plugs and Sluice with Kastmasters, Mepps Spinners and Swedish Pimples all accounting for angling success.
TJ from Three Lantern Marine and Fishing expects to have a mackerel report most any day now! Meanwhile the shop is selling seaworms for those focusing on flounder in Cripple Cove as well as off Pavillon Beach. Some are scoffing up seaworms to target salter white perch, the rum which is peaking in the tributaries of Great Bay.
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For more on that Liz from Surfland Bait and Tackle in Newburyport said that her shop is selling seaworms as well as rigs for the Parker River and Exeter River white perch runs. Those fish will also hit all manner of small offerings such as shad darts. Regarding shad, there has been no word on them yet in the Merrimack River but that is due to change. While you’re tooling around in the Rocks Village area for that first shad of the year try tossing out a jerk bait or bounce the bottom with a jig/trailer – there are some impressive river smallies which call this stretch their home. Reports from the headboats is that redfish are raging with haddock a work in progress.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Our sport fishing realm remains skewed towards trout with local ponds joined by Wachusett Reservoir as well as numerous rivers. Other river options are catfish in the Connecticut as well as the Merrimack Rivers. White perch are optimally running now with the Taunton River, Assonet River, Parker and Essex all possibilities. A tick or two in water temperatures should improve Larry luck with erratically worked jerk baits effective in Oldham Pond, Triphammer Pond and Artichoke Reservoir. Some shops are beginning to carry seaworms as well as move Zobo Rigs which is a surefire indication that the Bay State’s favorite flatfish is beginning to feed!
Ocean temps warming up! hang in there bucko’s, weather will break soon as we try and shake this winter goon! Tight lines.