Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[DogBone_384]

Dropped into Ponkie around 10:00 this morning hoping for some big LMB on square bills like I did last year...... didn’t quite work out that way

 

Even though water temps were 48 degress, the best I could muster were two picks, each just over a pound.  The first chomped a perch Senko and the second on a bass colored square bill.

 

The wind picked up significantly by early afternoon, so I packed up, went home, and took my M/C for a ride....

[MassYak85]

Another day, another skunk (for me, my dad did get one small bass). Not even the pickerel were tempted by our offerings. Fished Monponsett for the first time, which was actually our third choice of the day so we got a late start. We were wanting to try snipatuit but we got there too late, there's really only 4 maybe 5 trailer spots there. Went to long pond next door but there were no spots left, I think there was a tournament. Or should I say there were no spots left that would fit our trailer due to some, *ahem* "creative" parking jobs (I'm always amazed how poorly people park their trailers and end up taking two spaces). 

 

Felt like we tried everything from jerkbaits, bladed jigs, jigs, ned rig, underspins, swimbaits, cranks. Fished shallow, deep, near the inlet, the outlet, tight to shore cover (this produced the only bass), near weeds, over rocky areas, windblown shore, sheltered shore, warmest and coldest temps we could find (varied 44 to 50 degrees). Just one of those days I guess. 

 

The wind was pretty brutal going into the afternoon so we left early. At one point there was about 8 other boats out but we were the second to last to leave, I guess everyone else wasn't having great luck either. I didn't see anyone land a bass all day other than the one. 

[Dunks N Dinks]

Cape Update: Yellow & Brown Submarines

 

Dropped in on Long Pond Saturday for the first full-day there since last October and managed to track down a few small-jawed craw-consumers. The weather was fantastic (partly-sunny, 10mph SW, air 55, water 43-45), making it an enjoyable search for signs of life. At about 11:30am I was still scoreless, so decided to do a bit of graphing to find bait or anything resembling a prey-fish, and ended up stumbling on a rather subtle little underwater ridge that had a few text-book arches in the neighborhood. While it was a lil deeper than my confidence zone, having been inspired by the Elite Series highlights on Lake Lanier (https://***/2HQ4W9c), I decided to invest some time in finesse-dropping the depths. Over the next few hours, I nabbed 4 chunkers off that ridge (one pushing 4lbs), and then filled out a limit later that afternoon a bit shallower. Definitely a lesson learned in patience and persistence. I could tell you all the spot, but then I'd have to share it with you. Sorry, but my mom always said im just not a great sharer lol.       


    

[je1946]

2 hours ago, Dunks N Dinks said:

Cape Update: Yellow & Brown Submarines

 

Dropped in on Long Pond Saturday for the first full-day there since last October and managed to track down a few small-jawed craw-consumers. The weather was fantastic (partly-sunny, 10mph SW, air 55, water 43-45), making it an enjoyable search for signs of life. At about 11:30am I was still scoreless, so decided to do a bit of graphing to find bait or anything resembling a prey-fish, and ended up stumbling on a rather subtle little underwater ridge that had a few text-book arches in the neighborhood. While it was a lil deeper than my confidence zone, having been inspired by the Elite Series highlights on Lake Lanier (https://***/2HQ4W9c), I decided to invest some time in finesse-dropping the depths. Over the next few hours, I nabbed 4 chunkers off that ridge (one pushing 4lbs), and then filled out a limit later that afternoon a bit shallower. Definitely a lesson learned in patience and persistence. I could tell you all the spot, but then I'd have to share it with you. Sorry, but my mom always said im just not a great sharer lol.       


    

Congrats on some nice brown bombers.  Long pond, there's only 3 that I can think of across the bridge, but I'm pretty sure I know which one you were on and they don't come easy on that body of water, and throw in a very windy day and you did well.

[Janderson45]

8 hours ago, je1946 said:

Congrats on some nice brown bombers.  Long pond, there's only 3 that I can think of across the bridge, but I'm pretty sure I know which one you were on and they don't come easy on that body of water, and throw in a very windy day and you did well.

 

The one in Harwich, and you’re right it can be pretty stingy especially early and late in the season.  I fished it with Dunks&Dinks and another buddy of mine my last time out in Nov 2018 and we all got skunked despite 8+ hours of efforts.

 

 

I got out on Sunday for the first time in 2019.  Picked a great day for the first outing of the year with 1/2” of rain and 30+ mph gusts.

 

I ended up at Whitehall with my buddy, we fished from about  11am to 5pm.  We each managed a few bass and some pickerel up in the shallower warm water. Nothing of any size, biggest bass on the day was only ~1.5lbs.  It was 52 degrees shallow in the northern end and 46 degrees deep in the southern end.  All of the fish came in the shallower warmer water on a mix of reaction baits, a 1/4oz lipless and 3/8oz spinnerbait were our weapons of choice the majority of the day as we did a lot of chucking and winding up in the abundant shallow cover.

 

Certainly nothing special, as we didn’t find  any bass of decent size, but I’m not complaining for March 31st.  Felt good to be back out there again.  I’ll be making my way to the cape/south shore for some smallie fishing this weekend, weather permitting.  

[Jigfishn10]

Fished Saturday for the first time in 3 years. Fresh water fishing that is. Only could get 2 hours in, I had plans to have lunch with my dad who turned 80. Got skunked. Tried again on Sunday for a couple of hours as well before my son's practice and didn't do any better. One of these days I'm gonna get time on the water. Hopefully when I get the TM in I can take a day to enjoy the sport again.

[Neonsnow78]

Went to The d**n in Swansea, skunk....few little hits here and there but nothing. was on shore,throwing everything in my bag. hopefully this week i can venture out in the canoe in milford and maybe shoot over to westport.

[Mr. Aquarium]

fished yesterday after work at a honey hole, No big bass, the pickerel were chewing good, I caught one small dink on a swimbait.

[DogBone_384]

Hit Ponkie for a bit this morning.  Got three dink picks, a LMB a shade under a pound, a 2_10 pick, and a couple of misses.  One pick chomped a perch Senko and everyone else a bass colored square bill.

 

It was cold in the morning but warmed up nicely by lunch with bright sunshine and a light breeze.  Clouds rolled in gradually.  Water temps were 48.x - 49.x.  

 

Soon enough ....  well ....  NO NOT SOON ENOUGH!

[Mr. Aquarium]

hit a shallow bog pond yesterday after work. Few hits, 1 dink bass on a topwater swimbait. 1st topwater fish of the year. I saw lily pads coming up.  Fished another spot. One of those places where I knew I'd get skunked but if I did get one hit it would be a big fish. Never gone out there and crushed it but if I get one fish its a good fish. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got a good fish yesterday. 4.6 on a hudd shad. Saw the fish chilling up shallow near brush. Pitched the bait to it, BAM fish on. Super pumped first good fish of the year. 

[Jigfishn10]

A beauty for sure @Mr. Aquarium!

[je1946]

Way to start the season.?

[LadiMopar]

Hi Guys! Nice to see everyone excited for the new season. I'll finally be getting out for the first time this weekend, and goodness knows I could use some time on the water with the winter I've had. Most of you know about my dad passing, but the last two months have been on "mom duty" as she tries to recover from a hip replacement. Fun, fun, fun!

 

Anyway, went to Concord, NH today to pick up my new ride...Feelfree Dorado125 Can't wait to drop the peddle drive in, and the motor drive and glide across the water in search of the first LMB of 2019!

[je1946]

5 hours ago, LadiMopar said:

Hi Guys! Nice to see everyone excited for the new season. I'll finally be getting out for the first time this weekend, and goodness knows I could use some time on the water with the winter I've had. Most of you know about my dad passing, but the last two months have been on "mom duty" as she tries to recover from a hip replacement. Fun, fun, fun!

 

Anyway, went to Concord, NH today to pick up my new ride...Feelfree Dorado125 Can't wait to drop the peddle drive in, and the motor drive and glide across the water in search of the first LMB of 2019!

Nice looking rig Lady M.  Best of luck with it.

[J Francho]

13 hours ago, LadiMopar said:

Most of you know about my dad passing, but the last two months have been on "mom duty" as she tries to recover from a hip replacement. Fun, fun, fun! 

I missed this.  Very sorry for your loss. 

[Jigfishn10]

Sweet rig @LadiMopar, good luck with it!

[Janderson45]

Hitting Mashpee Wakeby bright and early tomorrow.  Hoping to find some active brown fish up in shallow/intermediate depths, but fully prepared to pull out and finesse fish deeper water if need be.  We’ll let you know how it goes one way or the other. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Fished 8-4 today 5 ponds with some buddies! They got fish’ I got 1 all

dinks! They got bit on spinner baits! I got my one fish on a pats early! Few hits on the shell cracker!

we hit new ponds! 

 

tomorrows a new day 

[Janderson45]

We figured out a pretty good pattern yesterday afternoon, and they were chomping.  Probably 15 smallmouth caught between my buddy and I, best 5 went 16lbs ?. 

 

 

Water temps were 46-49, and it was a slug fest on jerkbaits once we found em feeding in a little shallower water with bright high sun.  Only thing missing was a true kicker, two smallmouths pictured were both about 3.5lbs, two biggest on the day. 

[Quarry Man]

When do you predict the bass will start spawning up north?

 

Here in PA the lakes are much colder than in MA somehow. You guys were on open water a week or two before me. That being said, its getting hot here and that might accelerate it a bit.

 

Will hopefully be able to make a trip up and get to bed fish my lake for the first time!

[Chris186]

4 hours ago, Janderson45 said:

We figured out a pretty good pattern yesterday afternoon, and they were chomping.  Probably 15 smallmouth caught between my buddy and I, best 5 went 16lbs ?. 

 

 

Water temps were 46-49, and it was a slug fest on jerkbaits once we found em feeding in a little shallower water with bright high sun.  Only thing missing was a true kicker, two smallmouths pictured were both about 3.5lbs, two biggest on the day. 

I have had some very very good days there April-May on jerkbaits

 

 

[MassYak85]

Got out on Whitehall today with my dad. Water temps at the launch were in the mid 50's surprisingly so I was ready to hit the shallows. Started in a northern cove and immediately saw what must have been a 5 or 6lber dash away from us. About 10 minutes later I got a 3.5lber on a bullshad wake next to a downed tree in the same cove. I was thinking after that we'd be able to put together a nice pattern down that shore...but when do things ever turn out the way I expect lol. That would be the first and last decent bass we'd catch.

 

Rest of the lake was about 50-52 so in hindsight we may have spent too much time shallow and I'm not sure they were really there, I think we just ran into a couple in a choice cove that had decided to move up earlier than the rest. Pickerel were killing jerkbaits in the weedbeds off that shore we but couldn't get the bass to do the same. 

[DogBone_384]

8 hours ago, Janderson45 said:

Water temps were 46-49, and it was a slug fest on jerkbaits once we found em feeding in a little shallower water with bright high sun.

Congratulations on a good trip and thanks for the info.  I'm going to in Harwich/Brewster Tues - Thurs this week.  The forecast isn't stellar, but I've got good rain gear.

[Dunks N Dinks]

D&D Update: PB & J(ack-hammer)

 

Got it crank'd up again on Long Pond Saturday (air 44 to 53f, water 46 to 49f, winds W 7mph) alongside quite a few other boats. The morning bite was all but non-exist (steady cold rain until 9am), but as the sun peeked out and the wind kicked up, the fish began to stir and hands began to numb. Ended up nabbing a half dozen pre-spawn largies shallow, nothing of size (all males likely). The real deal however, was targeting the deeper browns; I caught my new PB smallie, which tipped the scales at 4.82lbs, in 40ft of water! 

On Sunday, I ventured 45 mins North of the Wall, err i mean, Bridge and got into some shallow large-mouth territory (air 45 to 58, water 49 to 55, wind S 10mph). Not much to show for the day (handful of dinkers), but got my first chunky vibrating jig bite of the year at the end of the day up in some shallow grass-beds.