While most are still fixated on freshwater, increasingly, anglers are tasting the salt. Foremost of what they’re finding are flounder, haddock and – stripers! The jury may still be out on whether those stripers are holdovers or migrants but for the folks catching them it probably doesn’t matter.
Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Report
When that first fresh striper swims into the South Shore, one of Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate regulars just might catch it. The effort has certainly been there, according to Pete Belsan, as surf sharpies have been putting some serious hours into Kingston Bay, Green Harbor, the North River, and the Weir River. The results so far haven’t been news-worthy- yet! The shop is stocking seaworms, which, for holdovers, will out-catch most anything. Tog are also being targeted as now is the time that they begin moving into estuaries to spawn. Attempts have been heavy on effort and light on results so far. Change may be coming soon however as Captain Jason Colby is briefly splashing the Little Sister into the Westport River to see if tog nave moved into to spawn yet. While togging, he’s going to see if there are any flounder in the river as well. While Westport is known for summer flounder, their winter cousins are not often targeted there. Surely if there’s a vestige population of flounder along the South Coast, Captain Jason will find them. Pete Belsan had no reports of shad in the North River, which doesn’t mean they aren’t running there. It only stands to reason that if anglers are catching shad in the Merrimack River, they have to be in this South Shore river.
Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy doesn’t sweat a few dandelions sprouting in her lawn, as most do; in fact, she looks forward to them. It has nothing to do with the desire to keep a sloppy yard, but rather she views the status of the blooms as a hint of what’s swimming. She told me that when those yellow flowers “pop” that’s an indication that tog are in the estuaries spawning. Crazier superstitions persist, one of which was popular when apple trees were more prevalent, was that when those trees would bloom, white perch would be engaged in their spawning run. One area to consider for white perch is the Assonet River in Freetown, A jig/curly tail or shad dart should interest them.
As water temperatures rise, holdover stripers are getting more active, with some fish caught in the Charles River, Weir River, Weymouth Back River, and along the reserve channel in South Boston. To meet demand, Fore River is now carrying seaworms for both stripers and flounder. While stripers of all types will hit a plethora of lures, fresh seaworms make a huge difference when water temperatures are as cold as they still are.
Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem recently rode shotgun with Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing and was treated to his first striped bass of the season! Brian broke in a new 24’ “bay boat” in fine fashion for harbor holdovers up to 37”. As good as reacquainting with the northeast’s favorite fish was, not all was a thumbs-up outing as the skipper had his first hook straightened out by a beast. The rig the captain deploys is the embodiment of simple: sinker on the bottom, dropper loop/leader/hook just above, along with a nice, sharp circle hook. As we spoke, Brian had just pulled up at Fishing FINatics in Everett to load up on his real secret sauce – Zobo worms!
Regarding all things Zobo, Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett told me that the shop is moving the oft-intimated but never topped Zobo Rig for flounder. Best bets for a Boston blackback are Deer Island Flats, Perry Cove/Portuguese Cove off Peddock’s and Lynn Harbor. Toscano tubes/worms are getting it done for holdover stripers at the mouths of the Charles and Mystic Rivers, with the latter giving up fish in the saltwater side, which has some wondering if those are fresh fish! The headboats are reporting a much better haddock bite now that they are dialed into their whereabouts. First on that list of boats, according to Pete’s patrons, has been the American Classic out of Lynn.
Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that anglers are beginning to catch flounder from shore. While there were no specifics as to where, the best guess is probably the Lynn Pier, Heritage Park in Lynn, the Fisherman’s Beach Pier, and Manchester Harbor. Garrett from Three Lantern Marine also had reports of flounder off of the Dogbar Breakwater. Last week, anglers scored some flatties off Niles Beach, while in the past, Pavilion Beach and Cripple Cove have been good about now. The few who have splashed in their boats are finding mackerel, harbor pollock, and sea herring off the coast of Cape Ann. Martha from Surfland said that two 24” striped bass were taken from shore at the mouth of the Merrimack River! While those fish could be holdovers, this spot is not ordinarily a place to encounter them, which has shop regulars buzzing. Most likely, the fish were caught on 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce paddletails or bucktail jigs. Shad can be found upstream in the North Andover section of the Merrimack River behind the dance studio.
Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report
If Wachusett Reservoir so far this year is leaving you lacking, you’re not alone. Historically low water levels have thrown a monkey wrench into most expectations. The “oohs and aahs” normally reserved for the fishing or the sunrises this year are more often used to describe exposed shoreline and structure no one thought was there. The result for many, including yours truly, is that lake trout are not where they are “supposed to be”. But there are signs that there is change coming to the Chu. The shallow-spawner smelt derivative, which calls Wachusett their home, usually spawn in April near gravelly, rocky shoal water near shorelines. And in April, it is not unusual to see the tightly wound schools of smelt swimming along the shoreline. That has not been the case this year, and my theory is that with so much exposed “bottom” pushing through the surface far out, the smelt have been spawning beyond where even the most herculean caster can reach.
About the first thing I ask Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston each week is that if anyone is spotting smelt and until this week the answer has been a resounding – no! But that was not the case this week, as angling anecdotes have been rife with the scuttlebutt of smelt. Just maybe the smelt are finished spawning, can now be found closer, and with them a host of salmonoids. Lakers aside, now is prime time for Sally as pre-spawn trophies are but a cast away with Gates 6-8 buzzing. During a recent outing on the other side of the reservoir, I watched father/son team Nick and Archer have their way with impressive smallies.
Quabbin Reservoir has hardly been immune to the shock and awe of the drought, as many are experiencing heretofore unheard-of low water levels. Gerry of Crack of Dawn B&T in Phillipston said that while the challenging conditions are affecting those searching for lakers and salmon, the same cannot be said for the smallie fishing, which is excellent. Gates 31 and 35 have been among the best for smallmouth with shiners and jerk baits accounting for fish up to 5 1/2 pounds! With so much shallow water in close, lakers and salmon are tough to find and not in their ordinary haunts. Anglers are also reporting having difficulty finding smelt. Shorebound anglers who are doing well are heaving heavy Kastmasters towards the horizon off Gate 8.
It looks as if Wachusett and Quabbin anglers have more in common than ever this year.
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Lake Mattawa in Orange has been busy since the word is out after multiple stockings. Rainbows, browns, and tigers up to 19 1/2” are falling for small Kastmasters, jigs/grubs, and trout magnets.
According to Josh from The Fishing Hole in South Hadley, while walleye are still in play in the Connecticut River, increasingly, anglers are targeting smallmouth bass. White/silver/blue jerk baits – especially the Rapala X-Rap 8 – are money for some of the biggest bass of the year. Shad in the Holyoke section are increasing in numbers almost by the day as the run gains momentum. Just be prepared to match the weight of your shad dart with the current, as the flow goes up, you’ll have to tie on a heavier jig, as shad are known to feed close to the bottom. Schoolies up to slot stripers are feeding with increased aggression now that herring and shad are in the river. Seaworms/bloodworms are a deadly albeit expensive option to consider; chunks work well also. Not all drag-screamers in the area sport stripes, which is why the shop carries an extensive line of carp goodies. Josh settled into a cove off the Connecticut River recently and pulled three carp up to 25 pounds out of it. There’s no need to get fancy for these finned freight trains, as corn and boilies (preferably in the 15mm range) will entice carp.
Shawn from The Nuke’s Bait and Tackle in Meredith said that anglers up there are facing a dilemma in that shad, white perch, pike and smallmouth bass are all options now. It looks as if times are tough in the Merrimack Valley Region. Pike are taking down shiners, glide baits and jerk baits where the Spicket River mixes into the Merrimack River. Shad are beginning to wind their way upstream towards the Lawrence Dam, and as for smallies, you’re liable to find them anywhere from Haverhill to West Newbury. Blue/black jigs/trailers will catch small jaws. As for white perch, the beat goes on as the bite continues just over the border into the Exeter/Squamscott River.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
While still fun and productive, freshwater pursuits are beginning to be overshadowed by the salt. Holdover stripers from the Connecticut River through the Weymouth Back River out to the Charles and Mystic Rivers have expanded their feeding window as herring are now on the menu and water temperatures are more favorable. There’s also an uptick in flounder reports with even shore success out of Lynn, Swampscott, Manchester and Gloucester. It took a few weeks of searching but headboats such as Walsh’s, the Yankee Fleet, Eastman’s and the Bunny Clark have found the haddock with 4-5 pounders rounding out the catch. That’s not to suggest that freshwater options are waning, quite the contrary, with some anecdotal evidence that the lake trout and smallmouth bass bite is improving in Wachusett Reservoir. To see if my gut proved good, I took a trip out there on Thursday and noticed that the lakers appeared heftier.