Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[bass.slayer69]

Got out yesterday after some smallies. Got a ton of bites but kept coming off while jumping. I really need to switch from mono to braid for single hook baits. Anyways, I did get a 1-6 pushed up against a deep rock face on a green pumpkin fluke rigged on a shakey head. Today, while I was eating lunch at the Needham Reservoir, I saw tons of fish on beds, and while I only got 1 to bite, I pulled a senko out of his mouth. Solid weekend for me though.

20 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

I know we're not there yet but at least around me it seems we've had at least some fish make the push and are done.

From what I’ve seen from where I’ve fished the big girls have already laid their eggs and moved off the beds. I’ve only seen smaller males fending off bluegill from the beds. However, as this is my first time spring bass fishing, I am still getting used to the prespawn/spawn/postspawn cycle. Not looking forward to postspawn ?

[MassYak85]

3 hours ago, bass.slayer69 said:

Got out yesterday after some smallies. Got a ton of bites but kept coming off while jumping. I really need to switch from mono to braid for single hook baits. Anyways, I did get a 1-6 pushed up against a deep rock face on a green pumpkin fluke rigged on a shakey head. Today, while I was eating lunch at the Needham Reservoir, I saw tons of fish on beds, and while I only got 1 to bite, I pulled a senko out of his mouth. Solid weekend for me though.

From what I’ve seen from where I’ve fished the big girls have already laid their eggs and moved off the beds. I’ve only seen smaller males fending off bluegill from the beds. However, as this is my first time spring bass fishing, I am still getting used to the prespawn/spawn/postspawn cycle. Not looking forward to postspawn ?

That's kind of what I've been seeing. My local lakes this weekend were in the low to mid 60s and I did see a lot of fish shallow but mostly males. A couple 3lb females but I always feel the truly big ones spawn first and a little deeper.

 

Anyways, it's been a good spring I'll probably hit up some deeper lakes the next couple weekends to find some fish still spawning. I'm gonna take a more relaxed approach to this summer and enjoy some of my other hobbies. I went hard last year and didn't really have much to show for it until the Fall, felt kind of burned out. I did what I set out to do this Spring in breaking my PB so I'm okay taking a step back until the Fall. 

[bass.slayer69]

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

I'm gonna take a more relaxed approach to this summer and enjoy some of my other hobbies. I went hard last year and didn't really have much to show for it until the Fall, felt kind of burned out. I did what I set out to do this Spring in breaking my PB so I'm okay taking a step back until the Fall. 

Congrats on the pb, ironically I am going to be doing the exact opposite of you. Anyone got any summer fishing tips? (Just in general?) 

[DogBone_384]

17 hours ago, bass.slayer69 said:

I really need to switch from mono to braid for single hook baits.

You don’t.  Make sure you’re keeping the line taught when you’re fighting a fish, especially when Mr. SMB is in the air.

 

I use braid and the’ll still get off if I allow any slack.

[MassYak85]

5 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

You don’t.  Make sure you’re keeping the line taught when you’re fighting a fish, especially when Mr. SMB is in the air.

 

I use braid and the’ll still get off if I allow any slack.

I think rod selection is key for smallies especially. I've lost big ones using too stiff of a rod where they're able to just completely unload it with a headshake.

[DogBone_384]

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

I've lost big ones using too stiff of a rod where they're able to just completely unload it with a headshake

For sure. My go-to SMB rod is a Kistler KLX LMH. The best way to describe it is that it’s a mod-fast MH with a light tip. To me, it makes a great ‘all purpose’ rod.

[MassBass]

Anybody have any luck with striped bass to report? I had a decent evening last weekend with 2 keeper LM, dink LM, YP, and WP. I have seen herring activity but the striper remains elusive. 

[bass.slayer69]

12 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

You don’t.  Make sure you’re keeping the line taught when you’re fighting a fish, especially when Mr. SMB is in the air.

Thanks for the tip. I get myself too caught up in line choice, leading to myself acquiring a casting combo with each type of line... only 1 has a fish at the moment. I really need to figure out jig fishing with my 20 lb flouro setup and can't wait to do some frogging w/ the braid.

 

6 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

I think rod selection is key for smallies especially. I've lost big ones using too stiff of a rod where they're able to just completely unload it with a headshake.

Gotta agree with u there. I've been leaning towards lighter rods in general, both for their sensitivity and how fun they make fighting fish 

[DogBone_384]

2 hours ago, MassBass said:

Anybody have any luck with striped bass to report?

Mr. Aquarium’s aleady out catching them.

 

Try this too: https://www.onthewater.com/regions/massachusetts

[Mr. Aquarium]

15 hours ago, MassBass said:

Anybody have any luck with striped bass to report? 

Had a good weekend catching stripers. Friday night was good. 6 fish at sunset, went home came back at 10. Missed 2 big fish. Then hit another spot, got one more and got a hickory shad.   Hot lure this weekend was a 1/16 ounce trout jig I tied up.  6 Fish last night on it, biggest 26 inches. 3 fish Sunday. 

[DogBone_384]

Installed my Ghost trolling motor so I dropped into Great Herring this afternoon to calibrate and play with it.  It’s much better than the Minn Kota Edge 45 that was on my boat.

 

Anyway, I fished an orange/black Ned, 3.8” bass colored Keitech on a CoolBaits underspin, LV500, Vision 110, and a couple different Whopper Ploppers.  Three SMB made it to the boat: one dink, one around a pound-ish, and the last just over two. Two took the Ned and one on a bone WP, size 90.  Had a couple hits and lost a good fish on the Ned - too quick on the hook-set. Nothing else got so much as a look.

 

Weather was mostly sunny, 10-12 mph wind from SE, and air pressure at 30.2. Water temps were 63.x - 64.x.

 

 

[MassYak85]

18 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Installed my Ghost trolling motor so I dropped into Great Herring this afternoon to calibrate and play with it.  It’s much better than the Minn Kota Edge 45 that was on my boat.

 

Anyway, I fished an orange/black Ned, 3.8” bass colored Keitech on a CoolBaits underspin, LV500, Vision 110, and a couple different Whopper Ploppers.  Three SMB made it to the boat: one dink, one around a pound-ish, and the last just over two. Two took the Ned and one on a bone WP, size 90.  Had a couple hits and lost a good fish on the Ned - too quick on the hook-set. Nothing else got so much as a look.

 

Weather was mostly sunny, 10-12 mph wind from SE, and air pressure at 30.2. Water temps were 63.x - 64.x.

 

 

You seeing a lot of spawning fish down your way still? 

[DogBone_384]

2 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

You seeing a lot of spawning fish down your way still? 

Saw beaucoup beds on Mash/Wake two weeks ago and not many at Great Herring.  I saw a few at Hedges three weeks ago, where a local resident told me they were already off the bed, which I thought was early.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Couple warm days would get them up and spawning.  Water warms quick. 

[bass.slayer69]

Had another fantastic day today at my semi secret spot. Fished a weightless senko exclusively, landed three sub 1 pound bass and a decently bigger one, which weighed in at 1-8.

1 hour ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Couple warm days would get them up and spawning.  Water warms quick. 

I am fairly confident where I am (Greater Boston area) we are in the postspawn. I saw a lot of bluegill on beds today, and the fish I have been catching have had torn up tails and are less fat than they were a month ago.

[MassYak85]

On 5/19/2021 at 8:11 PM, DogBone_384 said:

Saw beaucoup beds on Mash/Wake two weeks ago and not many at Great Herring.  I saw a few at Hedges three weeks ago, where a local resident told me they were already off the bed, which I thought was early.

I feel like depending on the year we start the spawn earlier than people think. As soon as we get warming trends in May I think they go at it. I definitely saw a big postspawn female moving around lethargically outside a shallow flat where it drops deep quick and there's a bridge piling it was just kind of clinging to. Main lake temps were still below 60 and shallow areas in the low 60s. I think those big females find areas like that where it drops quick and they can just find a rock or something on the drop and bed right beside it. Quick access to deep water, they can use the first opportunity they get to spawn and get right back out of there. I'm no biologist though just a theory. 

 

I usually feel like I "miss" the spawn sometimes. But that's because I only fish weekends most of the time so I might have 3-4 trips where they're spawning and that's it for me usually. 

[Don51]

Missing the spawn is not a bad thing!  ?

[bass.slayer69]

Sheesh, anyone seen these weekend temps? Any idea what a stretch of heat does to the bite/how it’ll be looking for next week? I wont be able to make it out this weekend, but good luck to you if you can!

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, bass.slayer69 said:

Any idea what a stretch of heat does to the bite/how it’ll be looking for next week?

If the air pressure is high, be prepared to fish slow. Sunday’s forecast is for rain, so keep n eye on that.

I don’t think one warm weekend will raise water temps very much.

[Meowmicks]

Seeing water temps in the low 70's already, this weekend is going to warm things up quite a bit. Hopefully it'll get em out of this post-spawn funk quickly.

 

Went out on Lake Sabbatia for a few hours around noon today. Got 1 real nice 3.5lber in the boat on a bico jig. Still trying for my 1st frog fish of the year but only panfish are hitting it so far. Pre spawn was NOT long enough this year... sheesh

 

Trying again early tomorrow morning for a couple hours.

[MassYak85]

5 hours ago, bass.slayer69 said:

Sheesh, anyone seen these weekend temps? Any idea what a stretch of heat does to the bite/how it’ll be looking for next week? I wont be able to make it out this weekend, but good luck to you if you can!

Idk well see lol I plan to fish both days. They're calling for clouds tommorow. I'm hoping the warm temps and cloud cover will have them out and chewing. Gonna try for my first frog fish of the year! If we get high sun and 90 it's gonna be a struggle for sure. 

1 hour ago, Meowmicks said:

Pre spawn was NOT long enough this year... sheesh

Right? I got out probably a dozen times when the water was just hanging in the upper 40s for what seemed like forever. Then once it broke the low 50s it went up to 60 like a switch. Those low to mid 50s are my favorite time of the year.

[gjfisher]

Had I not sucked so much at hooksets, this would've been a 30-40 fish day.  At least a dozen fish unhooked themselves in mid air.  Being in a kayak and also trying a new hook could have something to do with that.  Still, I landed 20 fish, by far my best outing of the year.  Nothing huge, the biggest was a 3.2lber.  I fished topwater, jigs, drop shot and ned but most of the fish came on the drop shot.  

 

Where I fished in southern MA today, water temp was 63-68.  Half of the fish I caught had bloody tails.  I think we are between late stage of the spawn and post spawn.

[Don51]

gfisher I feel your pain! It is tough to get a good hookset in a kayak. I miss at least 50% of my fish when fishing t-rigged plastics. All part of the game!  

[MassYak85]

1 hour ago, Don51 said:

gfisher I feel your pain! It is tough to get a good hookset in a kayak. I miss at least 50% of my fish when fishing t-rigged plastics. All part of the game!  

Frogs are the worst too. It's such a tease to be able to get so deep into cover with a kayak and then whiff on every other frog bite.

[gjfisher]

9 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Frogs are the worst too. It's such a tease to be able to get so deep into cover with a kayak and then whiff on every other frog bite.

Yup.  I miss like every two out of three frog bites on hooksets but I keep fishing them.  I fish poppers and WP around wood and in open water but many of the places I fish are covered with so much lily pads and weeds in the summer, frogs are the only choice for topwater.