Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[DogBone_384]

Haven't had much success on anything lately. The Carolina rig is never something I've put time into, let us know how it goes.

 

Will do.  Might get out for a little while in the morning before work.

[Jigfishn10]

Anyone use a Carolina rig around here with any success?

Looking to give it a whirl next couple times out... Which is hopefully SOON!

Yep...I use tubes with a foam ear plug stuffed into it give it some buoyancy...works great

[ARagucci2000]

Hello All,

I just signed up today for this forum and have been reading some great reports, thanks for sharing! I live just north of Boston and I am looking to get out and do some fall fishing. I fish off shore and would really appreciate any recommendations on where I can fish over the next couple of months? I typically fish with Chigger Craws, had some good results with them up in the Maine over the past couple of weeks. Thanks in advance for any insight!

[DogBone_384]

Hello All,

I just signed up today for this forum and have been reading some great reports, thanks for sharing! I live just north of Boston and I am looking to get out and do some fall fishing. I fish off shore and would really appreciate any recommendations on where I can fish over the next couple of months? I typically fish with Chigger Craws, had some good results with them up in the Maine over the past couple of weeks. Thanks in advance for any insight!

 

Welcome to the forum.  You'll find great people and a wealth of knowledge and experience here that's shared willingly.

[DogBone_384]

Had half a day off so to Houghton's Pond I went with my waders and a 9'6" ML spinning rig (It's really cool to throw a 1/8 lure roughly 50 yards) to try out some new light tackle I picked up at Kittery Trading post recently.  Caught only two small bass and a small pickerel, but using lighter tackle made them feel bigger than they were.

 

Got bored and hungry so down the street to Dunkies to grab a snack and ice coffee.  While eating, it dawned on me I was near Ponkapog pond, a place I never fished.  I found my way to Ponkapog and tossed a 5" Senko into the MANY weeds, and just a couple casts later a little bass decided he could eat that 5" Senko.  I moved over and tossed that Senko next to some lily pads and caught another bass, around a pound.  Ok, not bad for a first trip....  Putting a fresh Senko on, I caught a really ticked off bass, about 2 pounds, near where I caught the second one.  I think #3 was ticked because I might have hit him on the head with that Senko, from the way he hit it as soon as it landed in the water.

 

I met a local resident walking the dirt path that circles the pond on my way out who was nice enough to point me in the direction of the car-top boat ramp.  Looks like I know where I'll be on Monday, and maybe Tuesday, if I don't scare up some extra work.

 

Ponkapog looks like a very interesting place to learn.  I plan on using topwater lures to start, it looks very shallow.

 

Have a great weekend everyone...

 

[FinCulture]

Had half a day off so to Houghton's Pond I went with my waders and a 9'6" ML spinning rig (It's really cool to throw a 1/8 lure roughly 50 yards) to try out some new light tackle I picked up at Kittery Trading post recently.  Caught only two small bass and a small pickerel, but using lighter tackle made them feel bigger than they were.

 

Got bored and hungry so down the street to Dunkies to grab a snack and ice coffee.  While eating, it dawned on me I was near Ponkapog pond, a place I never fished.  I found my way to Ponkapog and tossed a 5" Senko into the MANY weeds, and just a couple casts later a little bass decided he could eat that 5" Senko.  I moved over and tossed that Senko next to some lily pads and caught another bass, around a pound.  Ok, not bad for a first trip....  Putting a fresh Senko on, I caught a really ticked off bass, about 2 pounds, near where I caught the second one.  I think #3 was ticked because I might have hit him on the head with that Senko, from the way he hit it as soon as it landed in the water.

 

I met a local resident walking the dirt path that circles the pond on my way out who was nice enough to point me in the direction of the car-top boat ramp.  Looks like I know where I'll be on Monday, and maybe Tuesday, if I don't scare up some extra work.

 

Ponkapog looks like a very interesting place to learn.  I plan on using topwater lures to start, it looks very shallow.

 

Have a great weekend everyone...

 

Ponkapoag is a great spot with some solid fish. Topwater's a great summer option there. But be warned, you'll probably catch at least 3 pickerel for every one bas, the place is loaded with them. Throw a hollow body in the pads, or a buzzbait/frog around them. If you have a boat, it get to about seven feet in the middle, as well. Good luck!

[Mike2841]

I'll always love Ponkapoag, me and my buddies used to go there all the time in high school. Shore fishing is pretty limited, but being your kayak and you'll get some nice fish.

[DogBone_384]

Thanks for the tips... I've got a Live Target mouse that should be fun. I'm bringing my kayak for sure on Monday.

[Janderson45]

Anyone use a Carolina rig around here with any success?

Looking to give it a whirl next couple times out... Which is hopefully SOON!

 

 

I'm starting to get into it a bit more,  I want to start getting into it a lot more.  Currently I'm fishing it on a 7' MF inshore spinning rod (fishes like a MH freshwater rod), typically using 1/2 oz tungsten weights with about a 12-18" leader.   I've only really fished worms and lizards on it thus far, with the majority of my catches (haven't caught a ton on it to be honest) coming on 4" or 7" strike king elaztech worms.  I believe it's because elaztech floats a lot better than most plastics, so it gets the bait off the bottom a little bit extra and perhaps gives it a bit more action.  

 

I'm looking to buy a bit more dedicated of a set-up for it soon, as I really like how much information the heavy tungsten weight can transmit back to you.  Great for fishing deeper off shore structure or cover, and has become one of my go to rigs when fishing this type of water, as I haven't gotten into drop shotting or deep cranking much at all.  There are of course other options for fishing deep structure, jigs, shakey head, spinnerbaits, texas rigs, but I think the carolina rig is typically a bit more efficient than the majority of these offerings.  I really like the "carolina keepers" too as they allow you to quickly rig up and more importantly adjust the leader length based on what you find the fish are after that particular day.  

 

Also, I'd recommend using a offset round bend hook, not an EWG that it seems everyone loves to fish these days.  

[DogBone_384]

Ponkapoag is a great spot with some solid fish. Topwater's a great summer option there. But be warned, you'll probably catch at least 3 pickerel for every one bas, the place is loaded with them. Throw a hollow body in the pads, or a buzzbait/frog around them. If you have a boat, it get to about seven feet in the middle, as well. Good luck!

Got out to Ponkapog for a while today. Got unloaded and down to the water and didn't I leave my paddle at home... A first . Back home I went to get my paddle.

Back, WITH paddle, I started by the East lili pads with a Live Target mouse. I managed a 1.5 # bass in short order.

Moved over by the rocks and found some holes in the hydrilla and caught three more between a 1.0 & 1.5 #, with one more just under 3 #. All on various 5" Senkos.

I lost a good one from a blown knot, but rereading your post it might have been a pickerel biting through my braid. Other than that, there were no signs of pickerels anywhere else.

I'm going back Tuesday (Monday too, if possible) to explore further.

[Fishing Rhino]

Try the four inch Senkos.  I used to use the five inch but decided to try the four inch, primarily because a few years ago you got more worms per package in the four inch length.

 

I haven't bought a five inch since.  I still have a lot of the five inch and try them from time to time but prefer the four inch.

 

Your experience may be different, but it's worth a try.

[DogBone_384]

I generally use 4" Senkos but have been using the 5" lately to shrink my inventory. I have better luck with 4".

Add: got to BHR for an hour or so at supper time. Lost a couple on bad hooksets because I rushed and had too short a hook on a 5" Senko. Landed one about 1.5 # on a green/red-flake Berkley double tail grub on a 1/4 oz BPS mushroom jig head.

[Mike2841]

I need to try to nab a few more stripers before they're gone for the year

[DogBone_384]

Got back to Ponkapog around sunrise this morning just in time to see three deer watering.  Good to see they still have their Summer coats, I have time to get the rust off my bow.  

 

I Started on the west side and worked east, roughly in the middle of the pond.  Used 5" Senko, chartreuse spinner bait, and my trusty t-rigged chili-pepper Culprit for the most part.  Played with a new Rapala popper for a few, but not for long.

 

I caught a really nice pickerel, probably a couple pounds, but he bit through the braid as I reached for my fish-gripper.  My chili-pepper netted me two bass just over a pound each.  Struck out with Senkos.  

 

By 11:30-ish I got tired of 'weeding' and packed it up.

 

I don't feel bad though, because the Osprey that was fishing 'with' me struck out too.  It was something to see, it dove for fish 8 - 10 times.

[grampa1114]

Blue Bird High Pressure after two days of stormy weather.....tough day to battle through but a couple keepers and a couple nice pics and maybe a perch....a lot of patience made for a nice day with a new friend.

[FinCulture]

Got back to Ponkapog around sunrise this morning just in time to see three deer watering.  Good to see they still have their Summer coats, I still have time to get the rust off my bow.  

 

I Started on the west side and worked east, roughly in the middle of the pond.  Used 5" Senko, chartreuse spinner bait, and my trusty t-rigged chili-pepper Culprit for the most part.  Played with a new Rapala popper for a few, but not for long.

 

I caught a really nice pickerel, probably a couple pounds, but he bit through the braid as I reached for my fish-gripper.  My chili-pepper netted me two bass just over a pound each.  Struck out with Senkos.  

 

By 11:30-ish I got tired of 'weeding' and packed it up.

 

I don't feel bad though, because the Osprey that was fishing 'with' me struck out too.  It was something to see, it dove for fish 8 - 10 times.

the pickerel get big there. always try topwater if they're not hitting on anything else, the bass (and pickerel) love topwater at that pond.

[DogBone_384]

Perhaps I'll try some topwater baits when next I visit Ponkapog.  I've got Friday off, so I can fish.  Tough thing is deciding where to go....    

[JG233]

Killed it today:

 

I started the day with a 3lb bass on a rage craw and ended the day with a 3lb+ bass on a wacky rigged senko.

[FinCulture]

Don't you love it when you hook a 4.5-5 pounder and he unbuttons on a jump?

[Jigfishn10]

Killed it today:

 

I started the day with a 3lb bass on a rage craw and ended the day with a 3lb+ bass on a wacky rigged senko.

 

WTG!

[Jigfishn10]

Anyone know what happened to Tate? I haven't seen him on here for quite a while.

[JG233]

WTG!

 

I couldn't have done it without the kindess and expertise of Rhino and Grampa.

[Jigfishn10]

I couldn't have done it without the kindess and expertise of Rhino and Grampa.

 

Yep, fished with both those gentlemen a few times. Hoping to make time in the next couple of weeks to meet up with Rhino.

 

Glad it's all working out for ya!

[Mike2841]

Saw a bass blow up on a duck, made a few casts with a jig and caught this bad larry

[massrob]

Saw a bass blow up on a duck, made a few casts with a jig and caught this bad larry

Nice fish Mike. I love seeing them and then catching them