Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[MassBass]

On 6/7/2021 at 11:29 AM, Mr. Aquarium said:

 

That is the exact musky doc that I lost two years ago up the Merrimack  must a drifted down to you

[MassYak85]

Got another 5lber! 

 

Got a really late start, like after lunch late. Water was high from the rain so we tried targeting areas of inflow to start. I had a defcon crankdown tied on and absolutely blew it on two fish.

 

There was a stream pouring down a hill into a cove and a couple laydowns right in the area. Got the defcon to deflect off one branch right in front of the stream. I saw the fish roll over trying to throw the bait....good fish, never hit her with hooks. I thought the bait hung up on the branch and never set it...hard to say size but I'd guess at least 4....maybe 5. Next laydown, perfect cast....crank down, deflect...boom another fish, again didn't set the hook (idiot). This time I hooked it but not well, it came up and threw the bait by the boat. About 3lbs that one, not a heartbreaker. The other fish was still in the back of my mind. 

 

With those fish I figured there was a pattern to go by. We went to another inflow and I didn't get any more interest in the defcon, switched to my go-to 10" power worm and fished the channel the inflow creates. Good bite, set the hook and I knew right away it was big. It jumped close and I thought for a second I had another 6. But she "only" went 5.41. I'll take it though lol.

 

One more 6 and I'll have hit my goal for the year of 5 over 5 including two 6s. This has been my best year ever for big fish! This makes the 3rd fish this year that would have been my PB in previous years. 

 

I thought I was aiming high with that goal, so stoked to actually be on track to beat it! I'm sure that other 6 won't come easy though. Next year I'm gonna be ambitious and set out for 10 over 5 including a 7. 

 

I also saw another guy out there fishing worms slow haul in a beast. Looked at least 5 maybe 6.

[DogBone_384]

On 7/10/2021 at 6:50 PM, MassYak85 said:

like after lunch late.

That's just early for dusk...

[DogBone_384]

Zero’d at Wequaquet today. I managed a few bites from perch on my drop shot.

 

That’s about how it’s been since I bought the Ranger.  I’m starting to think that’s why the previous owner got rid of it. 
 

Water temps were 74.x. Winds were nearly calm when I launched but got to 15+ within half an hour. It was cloudy. Air pressure was 30.2.

[Styguy922]

11 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Zero’d at Wequaquet today. That’s about how it’s been since I bought the Ranger.  I’m starting to think that’s why the previous owner got rid of it. 
 

Water temps were 74.x. Winds were nearly calm when I launched but got to 15+ within half an hour. It was cloudy. Air pressure was 30.2.

 

Haven't tried Wequaquet yet but really want to - are there herring there?  I see the centerville river feeds it so it begs the question.......    In general, I've been trying to take note of a body of water's forage and how it impacts the health of the bass population in terms of total population density and average bass size. 

 

I fished a few smaller ponds in Chatham and Harwich last week and did well.  Found an isolated hump in about 12' of water with some vegetation and caught one fish after another on a slow rolled keitech and a creature bait on a swing head jig (all LMB).  Most bites were on the fall or shortly after dragging a few feet.  All were around 2 lbs but real fat with smaller heads and healthy looking.  The pond is routinely stocked with trout so they might be feeding on them.  Water temps were around 76.   

 

Fished a kettle pond near Nashua NH on Sunday and caught pretty much every fish on a senko in shallow.  Was really trying to force a moving bait bite but gotta do what you gotta do.  Biggest was around 3.5 lbs and the rest were smaller.  All were skinny but there are a ton of bass in that pond so I'm guessing that may be why?  

[DogBone_384]

6 minutes ago, Styguy922 said:

Haven't tried Wequaquet yet but really want to - are there herring there? 

@Saltysmalljaws and @Dunks N Dinks are more knowledgeable on the bigger Cape Cod waters.  Lesse if they chime in.

[MassYak85]

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

 

That’s about how it’s been since I bought the Ranger.  I’m starting to think that’s why the previous owner got rid of it. 

Did you check to make sure there aren't any bananas in it ? ?

 

 

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Did you check to make sure there aren't any bananas in it ? ?

 

 

Nope, no bananas. A nut behind the wheel sometimes, but that’s it.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Congrats @MassYak85.  I need to switch to bass. Striper fishing  has been horrible.

On 7/10/2021 at 6:03 PM, MassBass said:

That is the exact musky doc that I lost two years ago up the Merrimack  must a drifted down to you

I’ll send it back to ya lol. Striper fishin has been horrible and this “magic lure” doesn’t work for me ? 

[bass.slayer69]

7 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Congrats @MassYak85.  I need to switch to bass. Striper fishing  has been horrible.

I second this. Been out 4 times in the past week on a mix of shore and boat, and zeroed every time. Not even marking fish on the boat in our old go-to spots. I’ll be trying for cape smallies for the next few days 

[Jigfishn10]

Looks like some of you guys have been crushing it this year! Keep up the good work and keep posting. Love hearing about PB's being broken!

I haven't fished for freshwater bass since early spring but have been on a pretty good run ground fishing in Maine. Still looking for my first black sea bass, but have read reports of people catching them, so off I go for the next couple of days while the seas are cooperating.

Good luck boys. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

17 hours ago, bass.slayer69 said:

I second this. Been out 4 times in the past week on a mix of shore and boat, and zeroed every time. Not even marking fish on the boat in our old go-to spots. I’ll be trying for cape smallies for the next few days 

 My boats broke , needs a new engine. I’ve been out to some great spots that are pretty well known for good stripers. It was slow both times. I caught one high 20 inch or low 30 inch striper in a spot the were crushin it for big fish. My buddy who owns the boat got 3 teen fish. Teens in pounds not Inches. Then the 2nd time we fished the monomoy rips on my uncles badass boat. My brother caught 2 schoolies. I caught everything but stripers and blues. May was good for smaller fish.  But since June 1st I’ve caught a whopping total of 3 schoolies. even getting  live macks or pogies, or surf casting the area I’ve been fishin for 30 years it’s been slow 

[DogBone_384]

Fished Aaron Reservoir in Wampatuck State Park this afternoon. Covered a lot of ground, threw various soft baits, a couple topwaters, and a couple more square-bills.  Would have suffered yet ANOTHER skunk this season if it weren’t for a Crappie that ate my brown/orange Ned in the 9th inning. 

 

Earlier in the trip that same Ned took off all by itself.  It was T-rigged and I missed the hook-set. It felt like a good fish, for a moment.

 

Water temps ranged from 77.x to 80.x. Winds were light from the south and air pressure was 30.1.  It was overcast when I arrived and clear, bluebird like when I left.

[Don51]

Do you still have to pick up the gate key or are you launching from the Cohasset side?  I always found it to be a tough place. 

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, Don51 said:

Do you still have to pick up the gate ke

I pick the key up at the camping office.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Fished a big fish spot of mine. Never done well from shore for big bass but have caught a few. Almost took the skunk.  Fished a few big topwaters And other swimbaits.  Tried a frog, whopper plopper 130 And 90x. A glide bait, a  weedless swimbaits, big wooden jitterbugs, and other wake baits. Manged a dink 2lber on a lanciotti psycho gill in the bottom of the 9th. Only hit I had 

[MassYak85]

8 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Fished a big fish spot of mine. Never done well from shore for big bass but have caught a few. Almost took the skunk.  Fished a few big topwaters And other swimbaits.  Tried a frog, whopper plopper 130 And 90x. A glide bait, a  weedless swimbaits, big wooden jitterbugs, and other wake baits. Manged a dink 2lber on a lanciotti psycho gill in the bottom of the 9th. Only hit I had 

You got any of the new real prey weedless models yet? I want to try a weedless shiner.

[Mr. Aquarium]

12 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

You got any of the new real prey weedless models yet? I want to try a weedless shiner.

I got a chaddle tail. Looks awesome.  Faster bait but the whole body shimmy’s. Definitely need a wedge tail.  I absolutely love the hudd weedless shad. But it’s gets beat up. It’s not durable and hook sets are tough but it gets so chewed.   I’m really excited for the new RPs. They are so durable and get chewed as well. 

[DogBone_384]

I fished Canton Monday evening and Great Herring yesterday afternoon.

 

I hooked onto a decent LMB in the lili pads at the far end but had a knot failure. Larry bounced off the side of my kayak so I’m counting it.  I’d guess it was around two pounds. It hit a green pumpkin/black 8” worm.

 

Great Herring was, well, Great Herring. I managed one white perch, one SMB, and one LMB. My whole bag weighed under three pounds.  
 

water temps were high 70’s, low 80’s.  Air pressure both trips was 29.9

 

It’s been a tough year. Just gotta keep at it.

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’m switching back to bass fishing. I’ve caught a total of 3 stripers since June 1st. I’m dying 

[Jigfishn10]

1 hour ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’m switching back to bass fishing. I’ve caught a total of 3 stripers since June 1st. I’m dying 

I hear it hasn't been all that good down here. I've been doing well with ground fishing in Maine, but this weekend will be the first time this year chasing stripers. Although, based on the reports I've read, it hasn't been great up there either. 

We shall see. Good luck boys.

[Mr. Aquarium]

52 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

I hear it hasn't been all that good down here. I've been doing well with ground fishing in Maine, but this weekend will be the first time this year chasing stripers. Although, based on the reports I've read, it hasn't been great up there either. 

We shall see. Good luck boys.

Go to north shore. My buddy has been doin well

[Mr. Aquarium]

Stripers have been non existent for me the past few weeks.   I haven’t done much bass fishing since April. Decided to hit a pond I haven’t been to in years. Started of with a BiCo jig and Lanciotti psycho gill working my way past an island  No fish on the gill. Had a few small whacks on the jig.  Saw some mid lake stumps ive did well at years ago.   No jig fish or gill fish. Switched up to a bone whopper plopper 130 and a Roy L slammer. Got one on the slammer. They loved the  whopper plopper but I couldn’t break 2lbs. Got 10 bass on the whopper plopper.   I worked my way up around shallow pads and stumps.  Tried  a weedless hudd 68 in the pads and a lemires 5 inch wooden jitterbugg. Nothin. More Whopper plopper fish.   I had a big blow up on the slammer snake. I had some loops in the swimbait reel after I cast. So trying to pull them out that’s when the fish hit.    After more WP fish. I needed something picture worthy.  I tried out my new Real Prey weedless paddle tail. After a few cast, this 5.13. She hit after I ripped the bait through the weeds. Super pumped!!!  
 

All my big bass this year have been on a real prey 

[MassYak85]

@Mr. Aquarium Tank dude! Congrats! 

 

I really gotta start mixing in my softbaits I haven't done great on wakes like the Psycho Gill this year. Which is weird cause last summer I did great on it. Maybe I'm just fishing it less idk. No slammer fish this year for me either which is odd.

[Mr. Aquarium]

50 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

@Mr. Aquarium Tank dude! Congrats! 

 

I really gotta start mixing in my softbaits I haven't done great on wakes like the Psycho Gill this year. Which is weird cause last summer I did great on it. Maybe I'm just fishing it less idk. No slammer fish this year for me either which is odd.

Thanks buddy. Weedless swimbaits in the weeds.  You find one that sinks slower you can basically fish it like a frog. Pitch it to cover and real out.  You have a few options. I love fishing soft baits like a jig down deep. 
 

I have gone like 3 times since April.  This is my 4th bass over 5lbs. 

This year