A signpost as to what’s ahead is when saltwater shops are fielding more requests for shiners than seaworms. The glaring exception is green crabs, as anglers can’t get enough of tautog. Striped bass remain an option, with those still in the chase shifting priorities from surefire catching to being satisfied with chance encounters.
Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Report
It was either the fourth or fifth stop after having little more than chilly spray, big offseason back sea bass, and nursery tautog to show for our efforts that Little Sister Charters‘ captain Jason Colby quieted our anxious crew with this reassuring nugget, “There are fish everywhere we’ve stopped; we just have to wait until they turn on”. Sure enough, it was as if divine intervention was at work; keeper tog seemed to flip the feed switch, and the hits just kept on coming.
Experienced toggers sometimes resemble giant praying mantises as they slouch over their rods waiting for just the right moment to pounce on the right bite! Until the action kicks in, things can get whisper quiet as anglers focus on distinguishing the bump of a rock from the thump of a tog. The exception is when tog are not all that interested in feeding, leading to frustration and colorful language.
But all is well when the right feel coincides with feeding fish. Suddenly the all-too quiet boat is filled with anglers beckoning someone, anyone to “get the net”! A little trick I employ, which paid off this past Sunday in a solid limit, is to dabble a drop or two of crab scent on the sorry remains of a missed tog attack. We often refer to the leg or two, resulting from tog teeth, as a chicken bone. Dropping down that chicken bone towards the bottom is a waste to time, but that all changes when a touch of crab scent is added to the morsel. I’ve experimented probably more than is sane a number of times, and unquestionably scent on the crab scraps makes a difference. Aside from conserving crabs, not having to change out for another crab saves time, and because there is so little bait on the hook, the hook-up rate is higher.
When winds finally lay down, expect tog to be actively feeding in close to the Westport River, off Gooseberry Point and over towards Sakonnet. However, as long as the seas remain rough and roiled, poor sight lines will hinder tog from feeding in shallower water, making offshore ledge between 45-70’ more productive. While not likely to rival the South Coast, the South Shore has tog too, according to Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate. Collamore Ledge has been going up a few fish with West Willies and Tobias Ledge solid options as well. Eels as well as soft eel imitators are proving effective for ninth-inning striped bass off Black Rock Beach as well as Damons Point.
Lisa from Fore Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy told me that the Weymouth Back River has been among the hottest spots for striped bass. Anglers picking up eels are doing well while casting from shore or drifting with small boats/kayaks throughout Bare Cove Park and Great Esker Park. While not something anyone can bet on, a few striper surface feeds have been popping up by Slate and Grape Islands, and out towards West Gut Hewitts Cove, Nut Island and Pemberton Pier remain reliable for mackerel by day and smelt by night. For many, however, the switch is on to freshwater. Fortunately for them, a fresh batch of trout are swimming in Houghton’s Pond and Jamaica Pond.
Not all freshwater is trout or bust, as the shop is dolling out shiners for bass at Sunset Lake, Whitman’s Pond, Ponkapoag Pond and Pope’s Pond.
While that day has to come every fall, it’s still a gut punch when I hear from Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem that he’s pulling his boat for the season! He’s also going to take a hiatus for the week, not wanting to join the macabre mob who own spooky town for the time being. Not surprisingly, striper effort has dropped off considerably, but there are a few fish to be found primarily in rivers/estuaries and off rocky shorelines. Bait acquisition remains the easy part, with mackerel still swimming within shot of Beverly Pier, Salem Willows Pier, the Marblehead Harbor Commercial Pier, and Fisherman’s Beach Pier.
Possibly the most consistent fishing is courtesy of cod! When there has been a break in the boomers, keeper cod have been caught close to shore with Dread Ledge, Halfway Rock, Tinker Island, Saturday Night Ledge, and the Magnolia coastline all possibilities. Tomo did tip me off about a couple of accomplished kayakers who have been catching cod up to 30 pounds on live mackerel!
Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle in Newbury said that she’s gotten a few requests lately for shiners. While this iconic North Shore shop carries an extensive assortment of bait and tackle, as belied by its name, the shop caters to the saltwater set. The point, however, was not lost in that as saltwater opportunities dry up, freshwater options step forward. Fortunately for the few never-say-die casters still at it, stripers can be found with Parking Lot 6 in the Parker River Wildlife Refuge, with at least one angling anecdote of a recent epic day. Topwaters and eels have been among the most consistent producers. However, if you’d like to procure a few eels to finish out the season, don’t delay as the current order is the last one the shop will make for the season. Mackerel also remain a fixture in close when seas settle, whereupon anglers can sample what’s out there.
Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report
Rick from Gerry’s Bait in Milford told me some of his customers are doing well at Wachusett Reservoir on salmon by drifting shiners under a float between the Stone Church and through the Thomas Basin. Many are boasting about the impressive size of the rainbows recently stocked this fall, with 16”+ fish reported. Tiger trout up to 20” have been caught on spoons in Hopkinton Reservoir, while Pratt Pond has been productive with Power Bait getting it done. For a brown trout best bet, it’s hard to top South Pond in the East Brookfield/Sturbridge area. This pond is managed for trophy brown trout with a one-trout minimum of 15” regulation. Another reason this place produces big browns is its landlocked alewife forage base. Trolling shiners over drop-offs and humps is a proven trout technique here.
While no one is likely to replace the late Eddie Fair, who ran B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston, Ben’s Tackle Shack in Leicester is a nearby shop worth considering. I had a great conversation with Dave on Wednesday, who works the shop, and I could tell that he and the shop were the real deal. Among other area fisheries, the shop keeps tabs on what’s working and what’s hitting at the Chu, and I’ll be sure to pass that along. As water temperatures drop, expect lakers to increasingly come within distance of the array of Kastmasters that line the walls. Floating a shiner up tight to contour lines is a great way to catch spring-stocked rainbows which have done a lot of growing over the ensuing months. A few gates to keep in mind are Gates 8, 13, 19, 22, and 35.
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Additionally, the shop is dialed into the heavyweight of the area – carp! Dave got me up to speed quickly as to how so many watersheds in the area contain carp. Apparently they were brought in on railcars along tracks throughout the Worcester area, which bordered all kinds of rivers, ponds, and lakes. A few were tossed here, a few there, and with so many rivers connecting everything, it didn’t take long for them to propagate. If you’re looking to give your drag a real workout, patronize this shop where, not far away, you’ll find 30-pound tanks. Two that often pay off are Lake Quinsigamond and the Connecticut River.
Shawn from Nukes Bait and Tackle told me that he’s increasingly getting requests for large shiners, which means only one thing – the Merrimack River pike bite is on! Go-to hot spots for toothies are by Kimball Island, Stanley Island, and where the main river mixes with the Spicket and Shawsheen Rivers. Another area worth considering is near the Greater Lawrence Yacht Club, especially by the cove. In addition to shiners, jerk baits, paddle tails, and big spoons and spinners will all catch pike. The shop is also selling worms for salter white perch pursuers who are getting them once again in the Squamscott/Exeter River watershed in the Great Bay estuary.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
With the cod season screeching to a halt on October 31st, it might not be a bad idea to see if you can coax in that one last keeper of the season. On the South Shore you may find cod – and tog – grabbing green crabs and clams at Tobias Ledge and Collamore Ledge. Farther north, the ledges off Hull as well as Dread Ledge off Swampscott and Magnolia’s bait-rich ledges should all hold cod. For a shot at a steaker, consider live-lining mackerel over interesting marks. Of course, there is the ever-present possibility of having a cow snatch up that mackerel before a cod does. Striped bass best bets consist of patronizing estuaries and rivers which harbor herring runs. Pot luck chances exist with occasional surface feeds popping up among oceanfront areas such as the Parker River Wildlife Refuge.
Of course, the Bay State best bet continues to be South Coast tog, which will chew crabs into the 12th month.
The benevolent Mother Nature seems to have our backs in that as the saltwater door closes, the sweetwater door creaks open. The mighty Merrimack flow is just about pike perfect, and with dropping temperatures, anglers can expect the bite to only get better, especially where the river meets up with oxbows and tributaries. As challenging a species as a big pike is, some consider them a mere light heavyweight compared to Central Mass carp. For them, it’s game on throughout the Connecticut River and Lake Quinsigamond. Rivaling those rivers in trophy potential – but far superior in grandeur – is Wachusett Reservoir, where bunker smallies, lakers, salmon, and rainbow trout are all in play.