Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[guidoStow]

7 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

I almost wonder if the milder winters down there might mean bigger fish in the long term. Longer Falls and no ice should mean more time to feed up and longer growing periods in theory right? 

Assuming we don't go past optimum and start having summer kills... The increase in Cyanobacteria is certainly not a good sign...

[Mr. Aquarium]

5 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

I almost wonder if the milder winters down there might mean bigger fish in the long term. Longer Falls and no ice should mean more time to feed up and longer growing periods in theory right? 

Yea I wouldn’t doubt it, with all the forage and mild winters! I’ve caught topwater fish in February and March! 

[DogBone_384]

14 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Me and my dad both broke our PB.

Congrats!  My season's not over yet.  Gonna be down the Cape this week.  The forecast isn't favorable, but I'm bringing my Ranger & a kayak and playing it by ear....

 

Best of luck to everyone else getting out in the cold.

[NE.Angler]

Anyone have any good recommendations on some ice fishing spots in the area? I've seen some real small bodies of water frozen over so if we keep having this cold weather hopefully some more lakes will get locked up in the next month. I'm also thinking of looking around in southern NH for some real early hard water. 

[MassYak85]

2 hours ago, NE.Angler said:

Anyone have any good recommendations on some ice fishing spots in the area? I've seen some real small bodies of water frozen over so if we keep having this cold weather hopefully some more lakes will get locked up in the next month. I'm also thinking of looking around in southern NH for some real early hard water. 

I've already heard reports of guys out in the Berkshires. Big thing is to find smaller shallow ponds that are sheltered from wind. Those will lock up first. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got a beautiful smallie on a quick after work trip. Only 30 min before sunset. Got it on the first cast. She hit a lead free bass jig ball head jig with a zoom fluke. 

[Frezzy]

Does anyone have any recommendations on a pond or lake in the Plymouth area or Cape that has very good shore access and quality fishing?  A spot with Smallies and largemouth would be nice.  I pretty much only fish the Chu and Sudbury and they are closed, but I'm not ready to hang it up for the season yet.  I'm stuck on the bank, so good shore access is obviously important.  Thanks for the help!    

[Mr. Aquarium]

Strap on the waders and hit hedges pond for smallies! No largemouth or pickerel only smallies! 

[MassYak85]

I've got Monday off and I'm seeing 60s forecasted. Might make the trip down to MA for some kayak fishing. I'm sure wind will be brutal with that kind of temperature swing. 

[Frezzy]

2 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Strap on the waders and hit hedges pond for smallies! No largemouth or pickerel only smallies! 

Thanks Mike!  I will give that a shot.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got a 8 bass 3 picks today on swimbaits . only half hour to fish before sunset. 

[MassYak85]

Any of you guys fish A-rigs or know the rules about fishing them? I tried doing a little research and some people seemed to think it being 1 "rig" kinda bypassed the 2 hook/line rule but I don't see how it wouldn't fall under that as you absolutely can catch multiple fish on it. But either way, have any of you rigged it with just two hooks? I was thinking of picking up one of the Tactical Bassin A-rigs and cutting off the middle wire on the bottom. Not sure how that would affect the action though.

[Frezzy]

2 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Any of you guys fish A-rigs or know the rules about fishing them? I tried doing a little research and some people seemed to think it being 1 "rig" kinda bypassed the 2 hook/line rule but I don't see how it wouldn't fall under that as you absolutely can catch multiple fish on it. But either way, have any of you rigged it with just two hooks? I was thinking of picking up one of the Tactical Bassin A-rigs and cutting off the middle wire on the bottom. Not sure how that would affect the action though.

I throw the rig at the Chu.  I always thought you were allowed two baits with hooks.  No reason to cut off any of the wires.  Just use "dummy" baits with no hooks for anything over two.  That is what most guys do in states that limit the number of hooks. 

[MassYak85]

31 minutes ago, Frezzy said:

I throw the rig at the Chu.  I always thought you were allowed two baits with hooks.  No reason to cut off any of the wires.  Just use "dummy" baits with no hooks for anything over two.  That is what most guys do in states that limit the number of hooks. 

So the Tactical rig at least has 3 on top, 3 on bottom, with the top being dummy baits. The middle wire on the bottom is longer than the other two. I've always been under the impression you use smaller baits as dummies and that that middle one on the bottom was supposed to be like "The One" that is usually hit. If you are only allowed two hooks would you just rig that middle as a smaller dummy and then the two side bottom ones would be larger with actual hooks? Or just remove it altogether? 

[MassYak85]

I'm headed out in the Yak tomorrow. Might try little Chauncey but I've got a feeling it might be starting to skim over. Plan B might be lake Boon. Never fished there but I think its deeper. Loaded up with blade baits, hudds, and jigs.

[guidoStow]

Haven't been near the ones you list, but the smaller ponds and puddles in the area definitely have skim ice as does the banks of the Sudbury River around Wayland. Lake Cochituate didn't have any. Hope this helps...

 

I'm still mired in trailer setup but hope to be done and able to get out in the afternoon tomorrow or Monday.

[DogBone_384]

Here's my Cape recap from last week:

Tuesday: 

• LPH: Two hours of chasing my tail.  I didn't mark much.  A few groups deep, but I couldn't coax them into biting.  Threw dropshot, tube and blade bait.  Water temps were 47.x, air pressure was 30, and winds 12-15 from W.
• Wequaquet: Fished the afternoon.  No bass, but three big picks took a fast moving blade bait.  Two were over three pounds.  The biggest followed the blade to the boat and turned off.  I let the bait drop in front of it and it took it.  Nothing on jerkbait, or tube.  Water temps were 44.x, air pressure 29.9, and winds 12 mph from W.

Wednesday:

• Private pond, Chadham: I ran into 5 small LMB straight away on a V110 near the launch.  Nothing after.  Most traffic was marked on the wind blown shore where it drops to 20+ feet.  I met the resident swan up close.  It swam right up to my kayak, didn't make a sound, and raised its wings a little bit.  I said good morning and pedaled away.  Water temps were 45.x, air pressure was 30.1, and winds 15 mph from W.
• Sheep: Met @Saltysmalljaws here after lunch.  It's one of his home ponds and one of my least successful.  Nothing changed here.  We fished close to each other using blade baits.  He pulled up two SMB around three pounds.  I pulled up two yellow perch barely bigger than my blade.  Water temps were 49.x, air pressure 30.1, and winds 15 mph from W (though blocked by terrain). The highlight here was fishing with @Saltysmalljaws and seeing a bald eagle while pedaling back to the launch. I'm taking Sheep off my list. 
• Hinckleys: I dropped into Hinckleys late to try to save face over Sheep.  I barely got the kayak wet before dark.  Marked lots of perch.  Nothing, and didn't really expect anything, but figured a 'hail mary' can't hurt.  Water temps were 43.x, air pressure 30.2, and winds 15 mph (but dying down) from W.

Thursday:

• Great Herring: Fished for a couple hours in the morning before some family duties.  It was typical GH for me.  Near calm when launching, 2' swells and stiff winds after launch, and near calm shortly after boat's on trailer.  Spent most time driving around looking at the Lowrance.  Didn't mark much more than perch at the northern end.  Water temps were 43.x and air pressure was 29.9.  I've not caught much of anything here in the last two years.  I should probably take this one of my list too.
• Snake Pond: I fished here after my family obligations were done.  I generally catch a couple decent LMB or SMB here.  Only one yellow perch barely bigger than my blade bait and one big pick on a green pumpkin/chartreuse Ned in 25' of water.  Water temps were 46.x, air pressure was 29.6, and winds were 10-15 mph from SE.

This trip wasn't what I'd hoped for, but the weather wasn't as bad as originally forecasted, and I still caught a few fish.  If I don't get out again this year, I caught fish in open water every month except March.

[MassYak85]

Mission Failed.

 

I took a look at my logs and today was trip #50 for me this year (excluding shore sessions). Little Chauncy had some ice so I fell back to Big Chauncy. Never been a huge fan of the place honestly and that continued today. Took the big skunk. Put a solid 6 hours in and threw the gauntlet at them. Blade baits, jigs, ned rig, jerkbaits, swimbaits.  Not even the pickerel or perch were interested. On the bright side it was pretty nice out. I was very comfortable most of the day until the sun started setting. Might be my last trip, might not. I'm not gonna brave the 20+mph winds forecasted for tomorrow in my kayak, might try a couple spots from shore. 

 

My reels are screaming to be cleaned lol. A long season has a bunch of the bearings getting noisy. 

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Might be my last trip, might not.

Same here, but NEVER say NEVER. I keep a couple 2-piece rods in my car with a small tackle bag … just in case.

 

I did pretty well @ Canton Reservoir this time last year with jerkbaits. 

3 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Never been a huge fan of the place

Have a few of these too…

[MassYak85]

Alright Mother Nature might be nice here...

 

Originally looked like tomorrow was gonna be a washout hurricane. Looks like wind is gonna stay fairly calm until about 1pm, and looks like a break in the rain until then too. Might be able to squeeze a short 4 hour morning trip.

 

Still got my gear loaded up. There's a local pond that's got some depth and harder bottom I might hit up in the morning if the rain isn't too bad when I wake up. 

 

Fingers crossed. My skunk streak is at two at the moment...three would suck lol. 

[MassYak85]

Got out for a few hours this morning in the Yak. Slick calm with a little drizzle and actually a few patches of ice that were putting off some serious fog with the air temperature difference. Spooky lol. 

 

I saw some surface activity which I think were trout. Had a few slap at a blade bait never hooked up. Mainly worked steeper banks that had rock with a blade bait and ned rig. The ned rig came through with my only fish. I've never been happier to catch a 13" bass lol. The sun started to peak through around 10-11. The water was still slick calm but I could see the clouds above me were absolutely racing by so I knew it was about to get bad and I started to pack up around 12 as the wind started. Hey I didn't skunk I'll take it lol. Looks like next weekend is supposed to be 60 and raining again. So much for ice anytime soon I guess. 

 

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got out yesterday for some smallies. Slow pickings. I got 2 smallies and a white perch. Biggest went just shy of 3.  I lost a big fish. Fish didn’t fight, just heavy with head shakes. All fish were on tubes dead stick on bottom. 

No fish finder. 

[guidoStow]

Spent the day on the Sudbury dodging rainstorms and finished in a remarkably warm wind. I had thought with the approaching front I would have finally hit the Northern bite but it was not to be. A 21" Chained Pickerel kept me company which was really nice. The pike of massachusetts still elude me... The water was dammed cold...

We have a nice week ahead more chances to come...

[MassYak85]

17 hours ago, guidoStow said:

Spent the day on the Sudbury dodging rainstorms and finished in a remarkably warm wind. I had thought with the approaching front I would have finally hit the Northern bite but it was not to be. A 21" Chained Pickerel kept me company which was really nice. The pike of massachusetts still elude me... The water was dammed cold...

We have a nice week ahead more chances to come...

The "approaching front" theory didn't do too much for me this year to be honest. Actually thinking back on it I think most of my 5lbers this year were post frontal. But that's for bass. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got out after work yesterday . Fished my winter honey hole in the kayak. Got a smallie, largemouth, few big perch and a nice pickerel all on tubes. Haven’t gotten a smallie here in a while.
I decided to try for a topwater bass after dark. I want to get a topwater fish each month. All I need is January.
2 rods 2 lures. Fished a spot I love at night but wasn’t feeling it, I don’t know where they sit in the winter. So I hit another spot that I know I’d be fishing right over their heads. Few whacks and 3 bass. The DEFCON and shell cracker got em. Nothing big but stoked for mid December topwater