Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[MassYak85]

Never fished the Q. The system seems like a huge hassle but I have to respect it if that's what they feel they need to do to protect that lake. Almost seems like you nee to dedicate a smaller boat to the lake if you're serious about fishing it. I've heard some guys have "Quabbin Rigs" just for that. 

[Fishing Rhino]

No, you do not have to re-seal the boat.  They do it at the ramp.  You get to the check in shack and the ranger will check to see if your boat has a seal.  If it does, they will cut the seal so you can launch your boat.  As you leave, they will re-seal the boat.

 

The only way to get the boat off the trailer is to cut the seal.  

 

There are also some  seemingly odd rules regarding boat size and engine horsepower.  For example your outboard cannot exceed 1/2 the rated horsepower of the boat.  No matter the rating, your motor cannot exceed 20 horsepower for a two stroke and 25 for a four stroke.  

 

How often do you plan to fish Quabbin?  If it is fairly often, getting the boat resealed would be a pain.

 

Get online and go to the department of natural resources.  Just google fishing quabbin reservoir and you should find all the rules and regs for fishing Quabbin.

[MassYak85]

58 minutes ago, Fishing Rhino said:

For example your outboard cannot exceed 1/2 the rated horsepower of the boat. 

I never understood this part of the rules. What are they trying to accomplish...just prevent people from going fast? I'd think if you had a couple guys and gear in a small boat half the horsepower rating would mean you couldn't even get on plane?

[Jigfishn10]

I work in Natick right by Lake Cochituate and it looks like it about 50% - 60% open in the area I drive by.

 

I never even thought about going by the Res in Canton this morning. I have 2 options of getting to the highway and going by the res is 1 of them. I'll go by tomorrow and will check it out.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Sad report from my first  steelie trip.  I go every year in the fall to the same spots. Fishing was tough. Bad conditions, high muddy water. Fish were there, some guys were lucky to get a few fish. Unfortunately I wasn't one of them, I GOT THE SKUNKED =(. I saw a dead skunk on the side of the road driving to the spot, I think it was an omen. 7.5 hour drive for no fish. We had lots of laughs tho. Really happy my buddy got his first steelie on his first ever trip to NY. Hes addicted now. My buddies caught 1 fish each 1.5 days of fishing.  I had a few hits. One good run of a nice fish but spit the hook. 

I wish it wasn't so far away so I could go back this weekend for revenge. That's the problem with these trip. We plan a trip weeks in advance and hope the weather cooperates. If it was 2-4 hours away even 5. We could plan our trips around the weather. but with such a long drive, we have to check work schedules, pay days all that stuff. So we have to hope for the best. 
 

Going back in April. My buddy told me the run is better then. In the winter the fishing is a little slower cuz of cold water. Hes fished up here before in April, done very well. Hes never been there this early.  Hopefully conditions are better. 

NOW ITS TIME TO GRIND FOR BASS!!!! WOOOO, MISSION 8 POUNDER STARTS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dunks N Dinks]

Cape Update: Working out the Kinks

 

Pulling up to the Wequaquet ramp Saturday morning with a lap full of coffee, plug-less, and with a flat trailer tire, I knew it was going to be one of those mornings...but hey, we all know what they say about days fishing and days working.

After some tire-sealant handi-work, a jerry-rigged boat plug, and the ceremonial first-cast bird's nest...the day was off to a lovely start. 

Anyhow, the conditions were about as optimal as can be expected for an Ides of March launch; 45-degree air, 41-degree water temps, 3ft clarity, and a 15mph gust out of the NW... 

I started off working anything beyond 12ft that could hold heat on the Northern banks: rocky points, offshore hard-spots, etc. Threw a combination of (hair) jigs, blade-baits, and finesse swimbaits. In sum, I hauled water (and some hold-over vegetation) for the better part of 3.5hrs.

Into the early afternoon, the wind picked up to ~20mph and I was forced in tighter to the northern banks to allow for effective casting. Lo-and-behold I spotted a few pickerel milling the banks in pockets...soon discovering that in some cases, the water temps were as high as 44-degrees in some wind-devoid spots.

Cutting to the chase, I managed to nab 2 smallies and a decent-sized pickerel fishing a perch-colored jerk-bait in the mouth of a channel connecting the main-lake area and one of the warmer-water pockets (transition from 41 to 44-degrees). All the bites came within a 15 minute period in 10ft or less (and after 1pm). That was the only action of the session, but I think(?) it made up for all the morning's headaches...

 

  

[Jigfishn10]

11 minutes ago, Dunks N Dinks said:

After some tire-sealant handi-work, a jerry-rigged boat plug, and the ceremonial first-cast bird's nest...the day was off to a lovely start. 

Sounds like you hit the trifecta...

 

Can't tell you how many times I get amped up to fish, string new line on the reel, tie on my favorite I think this will work lure, head to the water, rear back and let it rip. Turn around, head back to the truck to string more line on and, this time, adjust the cast control and drag...

 

BTW, why does jerry always get all the credit for a fix?

[DogBone_384]

I drove by Ponkie and Canton Reservoir today.  Both are wide open.

[Jigfishn10]

That's good news @DogBone_384

[MassYak85]

I explored a little bit into some of your guy's territory today with the car. Checked out the ramps at Snipituit, The Nip, and Monponsett. I've heard good things about them and they looked like very nice lakes from the shore (isn't that always the case though lol). Any tips/recommendations for these? I helped my dad get his boat "un-winterized" this weekend and we're thinking of trying one of them. Only thing I do know is The Nip is insanely shallow (too shallow for a full-size boat?). Oh, all three were wide open by the way. But I think that's the case for pretty much everything south and east of the taunton area at this point.  

[DogBone_384]

I fished ‘the Nip’ once in my kayak. At the time the right side of the island was so shallow I had to raise my trolling motor and walk my kayak through the most shallow section to avoid grounding it.

 

I could see a Jon boat, but anything bigger, I’d be careful.

[MassYak85]

@DogBone_384 Yikes, sounds like a no-go for the boat then, thanks. Looking at the Navionics map Snippatuit looks a bit deeper. 

 

Also, anyone know about Quacumquasit pond? Quabog flows into it, which I've fished a bunch of times with decent success but I've heard Quacumquasit is more a trout pond (although some BIG pike have come out of there). I'm not sure how well the bass do there since it seems like there's minimal cover and a good portion of the bass would be on the food chain. Although I do have the itch to get a pike after I'm 95% sure I dumped a good one in Quabog last summer on a frog (I swear every time I use Trokar hooks they give me a reason to hate them more). 

 

 

[RyanDR]

On 3/17/2019 at 7:47 PM, Fishing Rhino said:

No, you do not have to re-seal the boat.  They do it at the ramp.  You get to the check in shack and the ranger will check to see if your boat has a seal.  If it does, they will cut the seal so you can launch your boat.  As you leave, they will re-seal the boat.

 

The only way to get the boat off the trailer is to cut the seal.  

 

There are also some  seemingly odd rules regarding boat size and engine horsepower.  For example your outboard cannot exceed 1/2 the rated horsepower of the boat.  No matter the rating, your motor cannot exceed 20 horsepower for a two stroke and 25 for a four stroke.  

 

How often do you plan to fish Quabbin?  If it is fairly often, getting the boat resealed would be a pain.

 

Get online and go to the department of natural resources.  Just google fishing quabbin reservoir and you should find all the rules and regs for fishing Quabbin.

I live about an hour away so I was planning on sealing the boat and making the drive for a week or two then cutting it so I can fish elsewhere. It's such a great body of water I want to bring my new rig out there for at least a few days. 

[Fishing Rhino]

Just curious.  What size is your new boat?  What does it have for an outboard?  Depending on who you talk to, it seems the rules are not as hard and fast as they once were, but I wouldn't take the chance on stretching the rules.

 

You can always rent-a-boat, which is what I do.  Too cheap to pass up for seniors over 70 years of age.  I get the boat with fuel, from sunrise to an hour before sunset for 23 dollars per day, including parking.  I bring my own trolling motor and fish finder.

 

It ain't fast, but you don't need to go far once you learn your way around a bit.  Some of my best fishing has been right at the ramp.  A buddy and I spent a day with only five or so to show for our efforts.  At the end of the day, we caught nine large and smallmouth of two pounds or more in fifteen minutes within sight of the ramp.

[DogBone_384]

Well, the feed bag is on now.  I launched at Hedges around 10:30 and left at 4:00 PM.  I threw four baits: a purple/brown tube, orange/brown Senko, bluegill chatter bait, and yellow perch flavored jointed Rapala.  Each bait worked, especially the tube.

 

All in all I got 14 SMB, ranging from 1-1 to 1-15, in the kayak and missed 3.  Most of them took the tube off the bottom in about 8’ of water, near where it drops to 15-16’.  

 

Water temps were 44.x and BP was 30.4, with mixed clouds/sun.

 

It’s finally on.  Go get’m!

[Jigfishn10]

Awesome job @DogBone_384, good to hear you got on em! 

[Mr. Aquarium]

awesome day dogbone!!  I cant wait to get out this week, today tomorrow the rest of the week, GAME TIME!!!! WOOOO

[Jigfishn10]

Looks like Sunday is going to be the day to be outside!

[Saltysmalljaws]

Great work dogbone. I can’t wait to fish that place. A smallie is a smallie no matter what size.

I’ve been having great luck with trout lately so i went out this afternoon on a local cape pond that’s stocked and also loaded with bass. Took my boat on her maiden voyage this year. Water temp was 43-45.

I got into some great largemouth action catching ten fish in just a few hours. The biggest of which was just under 4lbs and came on a Swimbait. All the others came off the drop shot, gold blade bait, and marabou hair jig. Caught them out depths varying from 15-30ft. Fun day. Game on gentlemen!!!! The season is upon us!!!

[Janderson45]

On 3/18/2019 at 8:34 PM, MassYak85 said:

@DogBone_384 Yikes, sounds like a no-go for the boat then, thanks. Looking at the Navionics map Snippatuit looks a bit deeper. 

 

Also, anyone know about Quacumquasit pond? Quabog flows into it, which I've fished a bunch of times with decent success but I've heard Quacumquasit is more a trout pond (although some BIG pike have come out of there). I'm not sure how well the bass do there since it seems like there's minimal cover and a good portion of the bass would be on the food chain. Although I do have the itch to get a pike after I'm 95% sure I dumped a good one in Quabog last summer on a frog (I swear every time I use Trokar hooks they give me a reason to hate them more). 

 

 

 

Nip is fine in a bass boat if you know the hazardous spots (there’s a handful that come to mind) FYI.  If you don’t know the hazards I’d be happyto point them out for you, or just take it slow.  It’s only a few hundred acres so not a big deal to go slow.  The majority of hazards are in the northern end of the lake, especially the far north east corner as dogbone mentioned.  I rip it up in 90% of the lake on plane without an issue.  

 

Dogbones not wrong, it is very shallow, the majority of it is 4-6’ deep.  That said we just hosted a bass tournament on it this past season with 12 full-size bass rigs and no one had an issue.  A few years ago it was far below normal water levels, I think that’s when dogbone must have kayaked it.  It’s been a good deal higher for a while now, and water tables across the state are very high.  My guess is the Nip is very flooded right now.  I fish it frequently, will probably be out on it for the first time in the next week or two. 

[Janderson45]

Here’s some recently arrived goodies, anticipation is strong. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Went out yesterday, 4:30 to 7 pm. Found fish quickly on a wind blown point on the north side of the pond. Fished jigs, chatterbait, and swimbaits. All hits were on swimbaits. Had a big hit on a glide bait early. Tried my  favorite early spring swimbait, Lots of hits on that bait. Missed a large fish, spit the hook on the jump.  Caught 1 2lbs fish on a different swimbait in the same area.

[Jigfishn10]

Hey guys, do we have any north shore fishermen here that fish the Nashua River?

[Deeare]

On 3/20/2019 at 8:29 AM, Jigfishn10 said:

Looks like Sunday is going to be the day to be outside!

Looking to take my kayak out Sunday.  I live couple miles north of Boston.   Anyone got any recommendations for spots within a half hour?? Not sure what spots have no ice.  Thanks in advance for the help!

 

was thinking of bare hill pond in Harvard.  If anyone knows how it looks (ice and water level) please let me know. 

[DogBone_384]

Fishing Rhino and I fished Devol pond in Westport for a few hours this morning.

 

Tom bagged five Larries, one over 5 pounds. I grabbed one, just over 2 pounds.  All fish had good bellies on them.

 

Water temps were 44.x.  It was partly sunny with mixed wind.