Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[Mr. Aquarium]

headed to the canal at midnight! hope the cows are chewin

 

[je1946]

15 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Let's put it this way. I've had better luck fishing drainage ditches in the middle of downtown than in any of the major reservoirs. And by better luck I mean I caught two fish each time...

 

That was the thing, I was using a chartreuse tipped roboworm on a shakeyhead and the only bites I got were bluegills eating the last 2 inches of the tail. I've had one fish on a shad crank after it deflected off a rock but it was a dink. I've seen plenty of small shad jumping and I've tried flukes without much luck. I'll try your tip with the steeper banks though. 

 

Problem is most of the lakes I'm fishing have a foot of visibility if you're lucky. Anything that isn't bright or pitch black disappears from sight before you can say "1" on the fall. It's definitely a different world than up north. 

If there's fish in those lakes they're eating, think vibration, and sound.  Buzz baits. poppers, frogs, fast action baits with lots of wobble to them.  High visible plugs in yellows, pink.  Think outside the bubble.  you can do this.

[Mr. Aquarium]

It was a good weekend!! 

Lost count! Fishing was epic' the big fish smashed a topwater! Hit 3 or 4 times before it inhaled it! 

It wont let me upload the big fish! The only picture was one of the smaller ones we caught 

[Jones508]

Man this threads still going?  That's dedication!

 

Haven't logged on here in years.  Glad to see you guys still at it.  Grampa, Rhino, Tate, jigfishn hope all is well with you guys!  How's the fishing right now?  Only been out a handful of times this season.

[DogBone_384]

Took my wife's friend's son Evan to Hedges Friday afternoon to see if I could get him his first SMB.  I put him where I'd caught them the other night and told him to toss a blade bait.  He got some hits but was unable to get them to the boat.  I hooked onto a couple good ones too that managed to free themselves while in mid-air.  

 

We moved around some but didn't have much luck so back to our starting point.  Evan got two perch to his kayak and I managed 2 decent SMB and three perch.  Had a PB perch just about in my hands but it shook free as I reached for him.  

 

Have some work to to landing SMB with treble hook baits.  They're very good at shaking themselves free.

 

Water temps were 83.x - 84.x

[Jigfishn10]

4 hours ago, Jones508 said:

Man this threads still going?  That's dedication!

 

Haven't logged on here in years.  Glad to see you guys still at it.  Grampa, Rhino, Tate, jigfishn hope all is well with you guys!  How's the fishing right now?  Only been out a handful of times this season.

Jonesie, how's it going bud?!? Glad to see you popped in. Whatcha been up to?

[gjfisher]

Fished Whitehall Friday morning in my kayak. It would've been my best day bass fishing this year had I not lost a huge fish due to a broken line.

 

Caught this 5.2lb LMB about 30 minutes after launch, then bagged two 2.5lb LMBs within the next 20 minutes.  Over excited, I forgot to check/retie my line.  On my next cast, I felt something big and set the hook.  A huge LMB jumped out of the water about 40 ft in front of me.  It looks to be even bigger than the 5.2 I caught earlier (could beat my PB of 5.3).  The fish dove into weeds, dragging my kayak as I struggled to reel it in.  When it finally got closer, I grabbed the line with my other hand and started pulling it as the fish wrapped itself in weeds.  Then my 20lb fluoro leader snapped about one inch above the hook.  Boy, I still have that bitter taste in my mouth till now.

 

In hindsight, my leader could've been frayed from the fish I caught earlier.  I should remember to check my line after every catch.  Lesson learned.

 

All in all, still not a bad day with ~10 fish in about 3 hrs, including 4 over 2 lbs.  I fished mostly tubes, frog, 10 inch worms and spinner baits. All but one fish came on a 4 inch tube in chartreuse color rigged on a 1/8oz jighead.

 

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

this fish hit a topwater 4 times before inhaling it!  epic day sunday!! 

[Janderson45]

Canal cows.  Good work.  I know the big ones run through there but I hate fishing the canal lol.  Kudos to you for putting in the time and reaping the rewards.

 

I got into some nice blues over the weekend.  

 

Im fishing Champlain next weekend, excited for that!  

[MassYak85]

On 7/24/2017 at 8:24 PM, gjfisher said:

Fished Whitehall Friday morning in my kayak. It would've been my best day bass fishing this year had I not lost a huge fish due to a broken line.

 

Caught this 5.2lb LMB about 30 minutes after launch, then bagged two 2.5lb LMBs within the next 20 minutes.  Over excited, I forgot to check/retie my line.  On my next cast, I felt something big and set the hook.  A huge LMB jumped out of the water about 40 ft in front of me.  It looks to be even bigger than the 5.2 I caught earlier (could beat my PB of 5.3).  The fish dove into weeds, dragging my kayak as I struggled to reel it in.  When it finally got closer, I grabbed the line with my other hand and started pulling it as the fish wrapped itself in weeds.  Then my 20lb fluoro leader snapped about one inch above the hook.  Boy, I still have that bitter taste in my mouth till now.

 

In hindsight, my leader could've been frayed from the fish I caught earlier.  I should remember to check my line after every catch.  Lesson learned.

 

All in all, still not a bad day with ~10 fish in about 3 hrs, including 4 over 2 lbs.  I fished mostly tubes, frog, 10 inch worms and spinner baits. All but one fish came on a 4 inch tube in chartreuse color rigged on a 1/8oz jighead.

 

 

I'd consider that a good day at whitehall even with the lost fish. There are definitely big ones in there but I don't run into them too often. I did get a 5lber out of there last summer but other than that I've never gotten anything over 4. Allegedly some kid caught a 10 lber out of there a couple years back (pic was in bassmaster too). The lake always challenges me but I think if you put the time in there you can get some nice ones.  

[gjfisher]

MassYak, whitehall is usually tough for me as well, especially in the summer.  It definitely holds some nice fish.

[Quarry Man]

I'm back in town until Sunday. My dad and I walked down onto our dock and went 5 for 5 on our first casts. All 12-14"

[Mr. Aquarium]

caught a 25lbs striper last night! had another solid hit cast after. went bass fishing after had 2 hits, missed a good fish! 

[RyanDR]

Tough time of the year. Past few years I haven't been able to get a pattern down from late/mid July-early August. Just got skunked at Chauncy Lake. Only action I got was a lost crappie. 

 

Anybody been having success on a particular pattern right now? I've been having my best year so far. Been killing it since a week or two after the last ice out. But the past couple weeks I've been having some trouble. What's everybody's success like right now? 

 

-Ryan

[CTBassin860]

I've been catching them pitching beaver baits and the Spro rat. That's it. Can't get hit on a frog,swim jig or anything else.

[Bassachussetts]

Hello fellow Mass anglers!

 

I'm new to fishing the central/northern MA area and having trouble finding some nice bodies of water to bass fish. So I was hoping you folks could give me some suggestions.

 

Here are a couple of points to note:

 

1. I'm strictly shore fishing as I have no kayak/boat.

2. I have a lightweight fishing outfit (ML Rod with 6# Test)

3. I'm fishing mostly plastics as I'm a beginner angler and can't afford expensive lures

 

I live in Shirley, MA currently, so if anyone knows some nice places to fish within about 30 mins of that area I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

 

Thank you

[MassYak85]

On 7/29/2017 at 1:36 PM, Bassachussetts said:

Hello fellow Mass anglers!

 

I'm new to fishing the central/northern MA area and having trouble finding some nice bodies of water to bass fish. So I was hoping you folks could give me some suggestions.

 

Here are a couple of points to note:

 

1. I'm strictly shore fishing as I have no kayak/boat.

2. I have a lightweight fishing outfit (ML Rod with 6# Test)

3. I'm fishing mostly plastics as I'm a beginner angler and can't afford expensive lures

 

I live in Shirley, MA currently, so if anyone knows some nice places to fish within about 30 mins of that area I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

 

Thank you

You might not have a ton of success in the middle of summer from shore with artificials but Wachussett Reservoir is within driving range of where you are and offers the potential for some trophy smallmouth. 

[JG233]

Caught a bunch of small LMB and pickerel down in windy Fall River yesterday. The catch of the day was a 4+ lb bass on a 4.3 keitch rigged up a jig head. Hooked into it a ways out from the boat and had an excellent airborne fight. 
 

I started the day fishing a fat ika and kept getting hits and missing fish--not sure why. Maybe they were smaller ones? I tried to wait more time before setting the hook, and then I gut hooked two fish. I couldn't win. 

[Quarry Man]

On July 29, 2017 at 1:36 PM, Bassachussetts said:

Hello fellow Mass anglers!

 

I'm new to fishing the central/northern MA area and having trouble finding some nice bodies of water to bass fish. So I was hoping you folks could give me some suggestions.

 

Here are a couple of points to note:

 

1. I'm strictly shore fishing as I have no kayak/boat.

2. I have a lightweight fishing outfit (ML Rod with 6# Test)

3. I'm fishing mostly plastics as I'm a beginner angler and can't afford expensive lures

 

I live in Shirley, MA currently, so if anyone knows some nice places to fish within about 30 mins of that area I'd really appreciate any recommendations.

 

Thank you

 

Lake shirley and fort pond for trout

[Mr. Aquarium]

going to ireland on thursday! anyone ever been there? going to a few places in county kerry

[KenP]

I'll be on vacation starting Saturday in Chatham for a week. Anyone who plans on going out for largemouth or smallies and has room i'll repay the favor in central mass. 

[MassYak85]

An update for how things are going down here in Virginia...

 

Went out for 4 hours at one of the reservoir, I don't think I've ever been so happy to catch one 2lb bass in my life. Got it on a shakey head, right at a rock to clay transition in some shade near the creek channel near an aerator. That's about as close to a "oh, that fish should have been there" moment I've had down here. Wasn't able to put a pattern together though. 

[DogBone_384]

I fished Waller Miller Park outside Williamsburg a couple years ago and had the same experience. It was Summer and no matter what I threw, the VA bass just wouldn't bite. I spoke to a couple locals and they said they piled panfish in their canoe and caught no bass.

 

It took a trip to Gordonsville to catch some VA bass - nothing big, and THANK GOODNESS for Senkos.....

 

Have a busy week, but am planning on some evening SMB fishing in Plymouth towards the weekend.

[MassYak85]

On 8/6/2017 at 5:08 PM, DogBone_384 said:

I fished Waller Miller Park outside Williamsburg a couple years ago and had the same experience. It was Summer and no matter what I threw, the VA bass just wouldn't bite. I spoke to a couple locals and they said they piled panfish in their canoe and caught no bass.

 

It took a trip to Gordonsville to catch some VA bass - nothing big, and THANK GOODNESS for Senkos.....

 

Have a busy week, but am planning on some evening SMB fishing in Plymouth towards the weekend.

Lol, that's both a relief and a confidence crusher to hear. I think I'd rather know I just haven't adjusted yet than that the fishing sucks for everyone at the places I'm going to. Literally every person I've talked to has done terribly bass fishing so far. Saturday this other dude was in a real nice kayak, had some nice combos I recognized, had electronics hooked up and everything. I see him pulling in as I get close to the ramp and I think "oh good, a local who is into bass fishing and knows this place, maybe I can get some tips"....nope, he caught 1 as well, same as me. It seems the only thing people can catch successfully are sunfish and catfish, neither of which I really want to spend time pursuing. I know they're here, and I have a feeling if I could spend some time on a fishfinder scanning around the creek channel swings near the aerators I might be able to put something together but I don't have one on my kayak yet. 

 

My other theory is the summer just hits them harder down here the way winter does up in new england. I'll be back here for the spawn so that should be a good gauge as to the population I'm dealing with at least. 

 

[Quarry Man]

Caught about 15 on fort pond in Lancaster this morning. We fished the bank all along. Once the sun came up the bite died

 

caught 7 trout and a bunch more bass in another private lake