Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[Janderson45]

Nice fish Mike!

 

I bought a boat today guys, a big boy boat ?- Stay tuned!? 

 

[LadiMopar]

Janderson45 bought a boat today...congratulations to you!

 

And I bought a trailer so I can finally leave hubby (aka LM's kayak sherpa) at home and get onto waters that have been "off limits" because there was no shoreline fishing for the sherpa!

Woohoo!!!!

[Lunker88]

Went out yesterday, pretty humid afternoon. Ended up pulling in this big smallmouth!

 

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

nice smallie dude

[Janderson45]

Plan to hit the Quabbin in a rental on Saturday- anyone been out there past few days?  How's the spawn looking?  I hear it got stalled and most of the smallmouth are still prespawn, but I haven't been out there in a few weeks so can't confirm.  Hoping the bite has progressed well since my last time out and I can find a bunch of late prespawn smallies chomping.  Best time to catch em, fingers crossed.

[Dunks N Dinks]

Cape Fishing Report (Fresh & Salt!):

 

Got out on Lake Wequaquet Saturday morning from 6am to noon and much like last weekend, the overcast/low pressure/drizzly conditions made for a decent bite. However, I do think the cold front has put the largie spawn “on hold” for now or the weather at least created a window between waves. I saw only a few very skittish fish holding in bedding areas, while most other pre-made beds were left unguarded (no sign of fry). Hopefully the tail-end of this week will see bedding activity resume given the weather we’re being blessed with currently.
 

I started in the southeastern-most portion of the lake with a rebel pop-r (water temps ~63), but after breaking it off on a decent-size pickerel and a few small followers, I switched to a jig (strike king 3/8oz) after the sun rose and set to work on docks and the multitude of flooded bushes in that part of the lake. My thought there was that the cold-front was going to decrease the strike-zone and bury the larger fish into deep cover or deep water (so I started shallow first). I picked up a few good largemouth that way in the first few hours before slowly working my way into the mid-section of the lake where rock/gravel becomes more prevalent than wood/muck. Switched to tube/shakeyhead combo and caught a half-dozen smallies under 2lbs and one decent 3lb largemouth of a sunken tree that way. Most fish were holding in about 6-10ft of water around brush or rockpiles.

I called it a day thereafter, as I wanted to get back to the ramp and out of the water before the other >20 boats (team tournament was going on). All said and done I had about 15 bites, landed 14 and best 5 went for ~13.25lb. From the looks of the team tournament results that got posted (winning duo had >17lbs), I was about one or two good bites off the pace. Oh well. If only the 6lb pickerel I caught on the s-waver was a bass (see below).

Lastly, I got out striper fishing later in the ‘yak that afternoon near the mouth of stage harbor in Chatham and the schoolie bite was on fire. Found a lil current eddy off a sandy spit that had them stacked up and could catch 14-18” fish nearly every other cast on a SP Minnow or topwater popper. Plenty of fly fisherman were also nailing them from shore on 3” streamers. Hoping that the bigger ones get in this weekend.

If anyone wants to go PB smallmouth hunting at long pond (Harwich) next Monday/Tuesday…shoot me a PM

[JG233]

Caught about a dozen today. It was a mix of bass and pickerel. The largest bass went about 2 lbs and didn't seem to have spawned yet. I caught my first fish on a baitcaster, which was also my first fish on a jig: productive day overall. I fished a pond in southeast MA from seven to around two when the wind picked up.

[Janderson45]

1 hour ago, JG233 said:

Caught about a dozen today. It was a mix of bass and pickerel. The largest bass went about 2 lbs and didn't seem to have spawned yet. I caught my first fish on a baitcaster, which was also my first fish on a jig: productive day overall. I fished a pond in southeast MA from seven to around two when the wind picked up.

 

Nice!  You just unlocked a whole new world for yourself by the sounds of it.    I grew up fishing all spinning gear and it wasn't all that long ago that I got my first baitcaster.  Now a days I would be lost without them, for bass fishing I own 3 spinning rods and 9 casting rods... so you can probably guess which I favor.  

 

Jig fishing is a bit weird to get used to if you didn't cut your teeth on it, but just like baitcasters if you put in the time and learn it you'll be lost without it.  I probably fish a jig 30% of the time now.  One thing that was a bit counter-intuitive to me when I first started fishing a jig was the concept of fishing them vertically.  So many baits we use as bass fisherman we cast out and work and/or retrieve all the way back to the boat.  Most jigs are not designed to be fished this way and it can be a tough habit to break.  The majority of fish that I've caught on a jig have been when I'm target casting (typically pitching) to specific cover or structure.  I make my pitch and let the jig fall on slack line, plenty of bites happen right then and there so be sure to watch your line... if I don't get bit on the fall I let it settle on the bottom and sit there for a few seconds, then I'll usually lift up and hold it still suspended off the bottom or shake it a bit and let it fall again.  If I still don't get bit I reel it all the way back to the boat, make another pitch and repeat the same process.

 

This obviously doesn't apply to football jigs or swim jigs which are a whole different ball game.. a football jig is one of my all time favorite ways to catch fish, but it generally requires deeper and weed free water to be effective.

[JG233]

@Janderson45

 

I'm used to fishing bottom contact baits. It's probably my preferred approach, so it's not that different for me. The sensitivity with my jig/bc combo is waaaay better than my other rods though. Yesterday I was tossing a football jig into rocks and at submerged boulders. It was pretty effective.

[Mr. Aquarium]

i love jig fishing, swimbaits and jigs is what i normally use now.  jigs are a different ball game, but very good, flip'n and pitch'n. biggest thing is detecting the bite. rather thats line movement or a "tick" you felt. 

[DogBone_384]

I took my new Lure 11.5 Overdrive out for its maiden pedal tonight, launching at Great South around 1700 hours.  I left around dusk, tossing a bluegill jig, chrome Zara Spook Jr., and T-rigged Zoom U-Tail worm.  I started at the two flats all the way across from the launch and worked back to the “known producing” flat that’s right of the canal.  If it weren’t for the fat frying pan looking pumpkinseed (or bluegill, not sure), I’d be 0/6 here this year.  This place sure has my number. Maybe I’ll give a drop-shot a try, I’ve only tried it a few times. Water temps were 65.x - 66.x.

 

I fished Little South for a few minutes on the way back to my truck.  A small Sally liked my bluegill jig but shook me free on the way to the kayak.

 

Even though I didn’t catch squat, I sure woke up a set of muscles with the new pedal kayak.  In short, it’s faster than paddling, is a little more difficult to steer with the hand control rudder.  I might give a local pond a try in the morning.  I’d love to keep at Great South, to get revenge, but it’s $20+ for a round tripper.  There’s better fishing in Plymouth, but I’ve got to weigh the ROI with a truck that gets the same gas mileage as the ‘72 Skylark convertible I had in college....

[LadiMopar]

23 minutes ago, DogBone_384 said:

I took my new Lure 11.5 Overdrive out for its maiden pedal tonight,

 

Hope it was wonderful, but my Lure 10 is jealous...although it shouldn't be. It gets to ride in comfort tomorrow on nice soft comfy bunks on a brandy new Load Rite trailer. Maiden voyage at O'dark thirty!!!!!! 

Woohoo! The yak and I can now go on a date without the hubby (kayak sherpa) as a chaperone! ??????

[DogBone_384]

We have two Lure 11.5’s here.  Our first was in ‘14.  I sold my ‘14 Ascend 128T to get the new Overdrive unit.  The first trip pedaling was good, and will take a few trips to modify my fishing style.

 

FeelFree’s seat is so comfortable, my wife, errr, boss, naps in it sitting up.

 

If you didn’t spring for the rudder, do it.  As stable as the Lure is, it’s like paddling a bathtub without one.

[LadiMopar]

6 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

We have two Lure 11.5’s here.  Our first was in ‘14.  I sold my ‘14 Ascend 128T to get the new Overdrive unit.  The first trip pedaling was good, and will take a few trips to modify my fishing style.

 

FeelFree’s seat is so comfortable, my wife, errr, boss, naps in it sitting up.

 

If you didn’t spring for the rudder, do it.  As stable as the Lure is, it’s like paddling a bathtub without one.

 

Hey Dogbone-

Now that I have a trailer I might consider a bigger Feelfree model, if I can manage the L10 on and off without too much trouble. I have been living for many years with some physical limitations thanks in large part to a serious car accident back in '84.

 

I bought the Lure 10 for several reasons, one of which is it's not designed to have any "stock" adaptations like the rudder. Aside from being able to get off the shore and closer to the places where bigger fish hangout, it also serves as "physical therapy" .  I didn't want to be tempted by the lure ( pardon the pun) of convenience. 

 

Like you mentioned though it can be a bit of a struggle to paddle, especially in a good stiff breeze and a rudder system would help it track a bit better, but I'm not in any hurry to cover large amounts of water and I don't figure the fish care if I'm zig zagging  a bit 

 

The seat is absolutely amazing!!!! I can certainly understand why your wife can sleep in it. Imho, who ever designed it put a lot of thought into it because it sure is easy to put 6+ hours in with little or no issue.

 

So, congrats on the upgrade! Time for me to hop in the RAM and christen the new trailer. 

 

[JG233]

4 1/2 lb'er from the weekend's trip:

 

[Fishing Rhino]

On ‎5‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 6:17 PM, JG233 said:

4 1/2 lb'er from the weekend's trip:

 

Look familiar?

 

 

 

 

[DogBone_384]

On 5/28/2018 at 6:17 PM, JG233 said:

4 1/2 lb'er from the weekend's trip:

 

Yes, that canoe sure looks familiar!

[JG233]

What? No sun gear Tom?

[Janderson45]

Hit the Q on Saturday, it was HOT out there in more ways than one.. I found water temps from 62-68 depending on location and time of day.  Saw a good deal of bedding bass, but not as many as I thought, as of Saturday there were still a lot of aggressive prespawn fish roaming the shallows (10-20 feet).  Caught them on an assortment of lures, topwater, jerkbait, swimbait, dropshot and football jig.  Drop shot and topwater were our top 2 producers.  I was with a friend from New York who is very inexperienced, I think he caught 7 or 8 throughout the day, his first ever smallmouths and all on new techniques to him.  I probably boated somewhere around 20 myself, wasn't really counting.  Nothing over 4lbs however, big fish on the day was 3.75lbs

 

 

Fun day despite out rental boat issues to start.. had issues with the fuel line and didn't end up getting to my first spot until almost 10AM.  Luckily they hit topwater prett much all day..

 

Fished the Nip in my kayak for a few hours on Monday, caught fish on topwater, paddletail swimbaits, and finesse worms.  Lots of pickerel mixed in, caught a pretty good largemouth (4+, didn't have my scale) on a frog.

 

 

Fishing has been pretty good now for a few weeks, it's about time!  

 

Cant wait until I get th new boat, tight lines everyone.

[Mr. Aquarium]

thats a nice day, good fishing bud, beautiful smallies

 

[DogBone_384]

Pedaled over to Great South at 0600 this morning in search of redemtion for my 0/6 streak.  Caught one SMB on a Yozuri pencil and another shortly thereafter on a green/red Menace.  Nothing for the next three and a half hours until a third SMB liked the black/blue jig I hit him with.  All three were 1 1/2 - 2 pounds, chubby, and full of fight.  I promised a friend I’d work on his Harley so I beat feet around noon-ish.

 

Water temps were 66.x - 67.x.  

 

I saw some fry in the shallows, and a big eel, plain as day, sitting on the bottom in 8’ of water.  

 

Some frying pan bluegill and a few turtles took quite the interest in my overdrive unit hanging under my kayak. 

 

Lastly, a loon let me get within 30’ of it early.  Something really cool to see that doesn’t happen much.  All the loon I’ve seen at the Quabbin always keep a good distance from the boat.

 

Not a great day for SMB, but the added attractions made up for it.

 

I hope those of you that hit the Quabbin today ‘crushed it’.

[je1946]

11 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Peddled over to Great South at 0600 this morning in search of redemtion for my 0/6 streak.  Caught one SMB on a Yozuri pencil and another shortly thereafter on a green/red Menace.  Nothing for the next three and a half hours until a third SMB liked the black/blue jig I hit him with.  All three were 1 1/2 - 2 pounds, chubby, and full of fight.  I promised a friend I’d work on his Harley so I beat feet around noon-ish.

 

Water temps were 66.x - 67.x.  

 

I saw some fry in the shallows, and a big eel, plain as day, sitting on the bottom in 8’ of water.  

 

Some frying pan bluegill and a few turtles took quite the interest in my overdrive unit hanging under my kayak. 

 

Lastly, a loon let me get within 30’ of it early.  Something really cool to see that doesn’t happen much.  All the loon I’ve seen at the Quabbin always keep a good distance from the boat.

 

Not a great day for SMB, but the added attractions made up for it.

 

I hope those of you that hit the Quabbin today ‘crushed it’.

Tom and i wound up with about 15 fish, biggest by Tom a little over 4. All on wacky rig and mine on the Necko rig.

[Dunks N Dinks]

Cape Bassin' Report (MDW Special)

 

Lake Wequaquet (5/26)

72 & Partly Sunny w/ ~8mph wind from SW, water 66-67.

 

Slow start, but a sweet day down the stretch. All about adjustments as the shallow power-fishing bite was hard to come by. Fish appear to be almost completely spawned out, though some were cruising near old beds, but very finicky. If they saw you, they werent gonna bite. Picked up most on a drop-shotted 4" roboworm or ned rig in 6ft-10ft near (soon to be emergent) lily pad stems or had to really soak it in front/side of docks. Later in the day as the wind picked up, fished an offshore spot in south-west portion of lake and picked up my first real swim-bait fish of the year (see first pic), which was a solid 3-halfer that bit a keitech 4.8 swing impact fat in ~12ft. The spot was a bottom composition change from rock to muck/grass. Ended up with a limit for a bit better than 12lbs on ~15 bites. 

 

Long Pond (Harwich) (5/27)

75 & Bluebird w/ little wind, water 64-65.

 

Got my butt kicked...no other way to describe it. Caught 6 fish and only 2 keepers (all smallies). Saw a lotta dinks up shallow and couldnt really get much of a pattern going deeper. Tried everything from a power grub to a zara spook to no avail. Sheesh. 

 

Cliffs Pond (Brewster) (5/28)

55 & cloudy, light rain w/ <10mph  from N, water 63-65. 

 

If you havent been here (10mph-restricted), you need to put it near the top of your list. This was the first time here for me with a tin rig (previously a yak), and it was totally epic. Not only is it a beautiful pond, but its also completely secluded within Nickerson State park (which btw has great mountain-biking/hiking trails). It also gets very limited fishing pressure (mostly trout fisherman from shore).

 

All said and done, my buddy and I finished the day with a ~16lb mixed species limit, with a 4lb largie and 3 smallies over 3lbs on more than 25 bites. The key was focusing on the areas of the pond with the largest boulders and fishing verrrryyy slooowww at the risk of losing a few baits to the rubble. The fish seemed very much locked in on crawfish (a few leftover in the livewell by EoD), which we matched by using a variety of football jigs and shakeyhead rigs (1/4-1/2oz). Bites were all very passive (just dead weight after knocking rock), so a braid to flouro leader setup was pretty critical sensitivity-wise to detect strikes. 

[Janderson45]

Good report!  Those largemouth sure are pretty too, nice fish!

[JG233]

I'll have to take my kayak out to Cliff's. Thanks for the info @Dunks N Dinks.