Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[nhpleasantlakebass]

On 1/14/2022 at 2:40 PM, Frezzy said:

Anyone here going to Boxborough fishing show in a few weeks? What time does the line usually start forming on Friday? Thx!

I’ll be there Saturday 

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’ll be there Saturday 

[LadiMopar]

Hi Guys!

Long time no see...how's everyone been? 

 

Hope you all have had fabulous fishing since I was here last...mid 2020 I think. Hoping 2022 will see me back on the water hauling in a few nice magical green fish.

 

As alway~

LM

[Mr. Aquarium]

Welcome back @LadiMopar. Where the hell have you been! 

[DogBone_384]

Any open water out there, or should I break out the auger?

[MassYak85]

3 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Any open water out there, or should I break out the auger?

8" today in Central MA! There's still open water on Quinsig in worcester if you're willing to repel off the 290 bridge lol.

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

if you're willing to repel off the 290 bridge

Nope.  The last repelling I did was in my Fire Academy 20 years ago...

 

I'll dust off my auger & unpack my ice fishing gear.

[guidoStow]

This cold snap has been no joy for open water fans...

[MassYak85]

7 hours ago, guidoStow said:

This cold snap has been no joy for open water fans...

It is but it's also the best quality ice we've had in years. 8 inches solid black is rare nowadays.

[Chris186]

On 1/14/2022 at 2:40 PM, Frezzy said:

Anyone here going to Boxborough fishing show in a few weeks? What time does the line usually start forming on Friday? Thx!

I’ll be there Sunday. Be sure to check out my buddy Brandon’s booth, Krank’d Up Custom Lures. I work with him, he paints some sick custom lures. Tell him I (Chris from EB)sent sent you!

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’m bummed out I cant Make it to the show. There goes my chance for a psycho trout and a Sherpa 

[LadiMopar]

On 1/20/2022 at 8:06 AM, Mr. Aquarium said:

Welcome back @LadiMopar. Where the hell have you been! 

Hey @Mr. Aquarium I'd love to say I was out paddling some warm bass waters, but I have been settling my parent's estate the past year. Moved into the family homestead a year ago,and updating the many things that had been neglected [new windows/furnace/ oil tank etc].   It's been a long year to say the least, and sort of strange moving back into the house I grew up in...but am grateful and honored they left it all to me.  They built this place with their own hands in 1957, so it truly is the family homestead.

So, that's it in a nutshell. If you guys are out Central MA way my door is always open, got plenty of space to host a gathering. It would be great to finally put faces to everyone.

 

Are you still planning to hit the Expo on Saturday? I thought about it, but the Nor'Easter has changed my mind about that. If you venture out, please be extra careful on the roads.

 

It's good to be back here with everyone...I've thought about you guys a lot..?

 

LM 

[Mr. Aquarium]

26 minutes ago, LadiMopar said:

Hey @Mr. Aquarium I'd love to say I was out paddling some warm bass waters, but I have been settling my parent's estate the past year. Moved into the family homestead a year ago,and updating the many things that had been neglected [new windows/furnace/ oil tank etc].   It's been a long year to say the least, and sort of strange moving back into the house I grew up in...but am grateful and honored they left it all to me.  They built this place with their own hands in 1957, so it truly is the family homestead.

So, that's it in a nutshell. If you guys are out Central MA way my door is always open, got plenty of space to host a gathering. It would be great to finally put faces to everyone.

 

Are you still planning to hit the Expo on Saturday? I thought about it, but the Nor'Easter has changed my mind about that. If you venture out, please be extra careful on the roads.

 

It's good to be back here with everyone...I've thought about you guys a lot..?

 

LM 

That’s so awesome!!!! You’ve been busy!!  If I ever find my way out there, I’m always traveling somewhere to fish, I’ll be sure to

give you a call! 
 

I can’t go to the show I will be out plowing in the storm. I’m making money instead of spending it.

[LadiMopar]

1 minute ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I can’t go to the show I will be out plowing in the storm. I’m making money instead of spending it.

Just think about how many new rods, reels and other toys you can buy with that cash! Besides, the Boxborough show doesn't look as exciting this season...lots of vendors not on the list thanks to C-19 [the gift that seems to keep on giving]

Stay safe out there~ 

[Mr. Aquarium]

15 hours ago, LadiMopar said:

Just think about how many new rods, reels and other toys you can buy with that cash! Besides, the Boxborough show doesn't look as exciting this season...lots of vendors not on the list thanks to C-19 [the gift that seems to keep on giving]

Stay safe out there~ 

Thank you, there was a few swimbaits I wanted to buy and have a few beers with the guys. All Ot for me! I’m looking forward to the check!! 

[DogBone_384]

I drove to Hedges late this morning with my auger, tip-ups, etc., in hopes of some nice SMB and yellow perch.  I was surprised to find the ice only 2-3” thick.  It was very sketchy on the SE area where I have my best luck.  

 

I err’d on the side of caution and returned north.  On a whim I stopped at Little South, where the ice was much better.  Almost 5 hours, a LOT of holes and a LOT of nothing, I gave my shiners to a beach-chicken (seagull for you ‘inlanders’) that hung out with me.  

 

With the upcoming storm, this’ll likely be my only ice fishing trip for the foreseeable future.

[Jigfishn10]

Daily temps are rising and we had a decent amount of rain. 10 day forecast looks to be 40*'s with some some 50*'s mixed in. 

 

I'm guessing in the next couple of weeks or so, we should start some open water reports.

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’m so excited 

[padlin]

Hi Folks

 Kind of a general MA question for you. 

I fish small weed bound ponds in the hill at the western end of the state. How can I determine what the bass normally feed on in a given body of water? I can see the bass fry mixed with a couple other types. I practice catch and release so I have no experience seeing what's in their stomachs.

 

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

17 minutes ago, padlin said:

Hi Folks

 Kind of a general MA question for you. 

I fish small weed bound ponds in the hill at the western end of the state. How can I determine what the bass normally feed on in a given body of water? I can see the bass fry mixed with a couple other types. I practice catch and release so I have no experience seeing what's in their stomachs.

 

 

Around here there’s not much of a variety of what the can feed on. Crappie, yellow perch, pickerel, golden shiners, blue gill, pumpkinseed sunfish. That’s basically what you can find in a place like you mentioned, small shallow weedy ponds. 
 

Some places have white perch, smelt, banded killifish, alewives, rainbow trout, Brook trout, tiger trout and brown trout. You can get even more complicated with bait fish, there’s banded sunfish, darters and other lesser known fish.  But what I mentioned before is basics for 99% of every MA pond. 
 

oh and they will eat birds, snakes and rodents!

[Jigfishn10]

They don’t call him an aquarium for nothing!

[padlin]

14 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Around here there’s not much of a variety of what the can feed on. Crappie, yellow perch, pickerel, golden shiners, blue gill, pumpkinseed sunfish. That’s basically what you can find in a place like you mentioned, small shallow weedy ponds. 
 

Some places have white perch, smelt, banded killifish, alewives, rainbow trout, Brook trout, tiger trout and brown trout. You can get even more complicated with bait fish, there’s banded sunfish, darters and other lesser known fish.  But what I mentioned before is basics for 99% of every MA pond. 
 

oh and they will eat birds, snakes and rodents!

Thanks Mr Aquarium, exactly what I needed. Are there craws in these muddy bottomed ponds?

[Jigfishn10]

17 hours ago, padlin said:

Thanks Mr Aquarium, exactly what I needed. Are there craws in these muddy bottomed ponds?

Sorry, don't mean to jump in, but, really, craws are everywhere. ?

 

 

20 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Daily temps are rising and we had a decent amount of rain. 10 day forecast looks to be 40*'s with some some 50*'s mixed in. 

 

I'm guessing in the next couple of weeks or so, we should start some open water reports.

I saw soft water holes in the res along rte 128. Good sign!

[Mr. Aquarium]

17 hours ago, padlin said:

Thanks Mr Aquarium, exactly what I needed. Are there craws in these muddy bottomed ponds?

Yep there are plenty of craws around here! 
 

id focus on  perch, golden shiner and blue gill for bait fish patterns. 

[DogBone_384]

On 2/8/2022 at 3:31 PM, Jigfishn10 said:

I'm guessing in the next couple of weeks or so, we should start some open water reports.

Good timing @Jigfishn10!  I'm chomping at the bit to catch my February open water fish, so off I went, searching for open water.  After a nearly 200 mile round trip, here's what I found:

 

I found open water in Nickerson State Park!  Flax and Cliff ponds are fishable.  Cliff is wide open and Flax is 80% open, with ice floating in the middle.   Long Pond, Harwich, is also wide open.

 

Partially open are:

• Hinckleys: 1/4 open @ beach.
• Mash-Wake: Mostly open.  Unfortunately, the ramp is locked up.
• Seymour: 1/2 open by beach.
• Sheep: 1/2 open.  Beach/launch is locked up.

 

Locked up are:

Bloody Pond, Bucks Pond, Cahoon Pond, Hedges Pond, Jacobs Pond, Lawrence Pond, Mystic Lake, Peter's Pond, Pimlico Pond, Ponkapoag Pond, Snake Pond, Sunset Lake, and Wequaquet Lake.

 

With warm weather forecasted this weekend, there'll be more open water to fish, if you're willing to drive some.