Massachusetts Fishing Report
UPDATED: 2/12/2026
“I hope the winter never ends”, an anonymous ice fishing addict!
You might have noticed that there’s a bit of a thaw going on out there. The general public is appreciative in that they’re doing less shivering, shoveling, scraping, and cursing, but those who are dialed into hardwater have other reasons to be thankful. After a long season, snowmelt is often the trigger for better fishing. Sun-drenched rocky shorelines are heating up, which triggers a food chain resulting in more active fish. Inlets and springs that were ice-jammed are beginning to flow, sending out come-hither signals to bass, trout, and pike. While in many cases access is challenging, the payoff is often less pressure and productive fishing.
Who is also appreciative of this epic winter is the bait and tackle shop owners who are moving bait and ice fishing gear, the likes of which they haven’t seen in years. It’s a tough business for these folks who for generations have been the lifeblood of the fishing community, and the increased patronage is just what’s needed this winter to keep them afloat. South Shore anglers have a multitude of species to target, but generally, smallmouth bass are not tops on the list. Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate lately has been rethinking that take, as a number of customers have been flashing pictures of some sharp-looking Sallys! Three water bodies that have been giving up bronzebacks are Oldham Pond, Great South Pond, and Bloody Pond. As to where to catch their bucket mouth cousins, Larry fishing has been brisk at Tack Factory Pond, Scituate Reservoir, Jacobs Pond, and Lilly Pond. Long Pond in Plymouth is the pick for trout with occasional trophies, part of the trip.
Rod from Arlington Bait & Tackle proved prophetic this fall by stocking up with plenty of ice fishing gear, and now he is one of the few who still have in stock hardwater essentials. Anglers are putting that tackle to good use for trout at Walden, White, and Horn, with the latter also giving up quality crappie and bass thanks to a herring fry forage base. Nearby Spy Pond is always an interesting option since it holds pike and tiger muskie. What helps keep those apex predators sated is river herring, which somehow wind their way into this water body. There are solid perch and bass here as well.
Nuno from Lunkers in Ashland told me that anglers have been catching 2-3 pound largemouth bass from Winthrop Lake. Some are also having largemouth luck at Stump Pond and Coffman Cove in Lake Cochituate. While there’s been little word on Heard Pond, the thaw may seep water in from the Sudbury River, which should improve the bite for pike, bass, and white perch. Those targeting trout are having at it at Hopkinton Reservoir and Ashland Reservoir. Rick from Jerry’s Bait and Tackle in Milford also weighed in about Hopkinton and Ashland Reservoirs for trout, with the former getting the nod for brown trout.
For obvious reasons, augers have been in demand this year, with supply in a lot of cases exhausted. If you’re looking for the premium ION hole driller and you’re fast on the draw, Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston still has a 10” version at a very attractive price. The shop is also sporting traps and other hardwater necessities. You can test out that tackle at Flint Pond or Indian Lake for pike or Peter Carr for bass and panfish. East Waushacum Pond is a local best bet for smallmouth bass, while the Nashua River spillway below Wachusett Reservoir has been giving up lakers, pickerel, and largemouth bass. Crappie can be caught at the Coachlace Lakes, while Comet Pond still delivers on the trout front.
Through bait and solid advice, Martin Farrell of B&R Bait in Cheshire usually is the one assisting others in a big score, but last Thursday, he was the one getting the goal! Out of Onota, he pulled out a well-proportioned 42”, 23.4-pound pike. His tip is to deploy dead shiners on the bottom and seek out shallow water – he caught his pig in 5’ – near inlets or weedbeds, which can often be tipped off by nearby reeds. The first basin in Cheshire Reservoir by the boat ramp has been good for pike up to 15 pounds. Now might also be the time to revisit the smaller Hilltown Ponds, such as Plainfield, Windsor, North, and Goose. These spots are generally the first to freeze and receive a lot of initial pressure until the big lakes ice in. Now that anglers have taken to the larger water bodies, the smaller ones get scant attention, and snowmelt can lead to surprisingly good fishing for warm and cold water species.
Shawn from The Nuke’s Bait and Tackle in Meredith agreed that some smaller water bodies no longer have the spotlight on them, and with less pressure, these ponds can be more productive. One he highlighted for trout was Round Pond in Haverhill. Another example was an anecdote regarding a drubbing an angler recently received at popular Lake Attitash. After the frustrating outing, the guy sought advice from Shawn, who advised him to try Tuxbury Pond; thankfully, the advice was taken, with the result a happy fisher! The lower portion of the Artichoke Reservoir has been good for bass and panfish.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Incessant snowfall has made access more difficult, with the upside being less angling competition for popular spots. Another advantage of current conditions is that snow/ice melt generally brings fish in closer and hungry. On the South Shore, Long Pond in Plymouth is the prime pick for rainbows as well as the possibility of a holdover brown trout. As for “brown” bass, Oldham Pond, Bloody Pond, and Great South Pond are all solid options. Regarding pike, Spy Pond, Heard Pond, and Fairhaven Bay are all Greater Boston bets. If you’re targeting toothies, drop a dead shiner close to a reed grove, which usually. Indicates a weedy area. Some “enhance” the shiner by squishing it with their boot, believing that the entrails give off a scent which lure in pike. Pike are also in play at Flint Pond, Cheshire Reservoir, and Lake Onota. In quiet coves of the Merrimack River, anglers are also fishing for pike as well as white perch. Artichoke Reservoir on the North Shore is a solid bass producer, while Round Pond holds trout and has less pressure than it did a few weeks ago.