Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[MassYak85]

On 11/29/2022 at 2:07 PM, DogBone_384 said:

No plastic boat or waders?

If we get blessed with a nice day this month I might sneak out one more time we'll see. I did get some waders this year.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got out before the storm. Did well. Got 4 bass, couple nice perch and 2 pickerel. Got a 4-4 Larry on a tube, a smallie and few other Larry’s on a blade bait. Also got a nice bass on my jig. 

[Frezzy]

As much as I love fishing from the bank, it's time to hit the water.  I'm going to buy an AutoPilot 136 with a trailer this winter.  I love the idea of a trolling motor with spot lock on a kayak.  Admittedly, I'm not the most handy guy and plan on adding a fish finder and potentially even Live Scope.  Does anyone know of any Kayak shops within an hour or two of Metrowest MA that specialize in rigging up fishing kayaks?  

[DogBone_384]

On 12/7/2022 at 9:09 AM, Frezzy said:

I'm going to buy an AutoPilot 136 with a trailer this winter.

Congratulations.  It’ll open a whole new world for you.  I prefer my kayak over my Ranger boat.  Don’t get me wrong, the boat is nice, especially when friends come along, but overall I can hit 30 ponds for every one my Ranger’ll fit in.

 

Funny you’re getting off the bank where I’ve been relegated to the bank for the last 6 weeks, which from the Cape I just got back.

 

I fished Hedges, Snake, LPH, Goose, Bloody, Bucks, Schoolhouse, and Mashpee-Wakeby over the course of this week.  I struck out at Bucks and Mash-Wake, grabbed a small yellow perch at Bloody, a small Larry at Schoolhouse, and a small Sally at Snake.

 

Goose gave up two nice yellow perch and a 2 pound rainbow.  I lost a good size LMB too.  It unhooked itself at my feet, running into my leg as it escaped to deep water.  Everyone at Goose grabbed a 4” Bluegill Flash Easy Shiner on a drop shot, dragged slowly at the bottom of a steep drop off.  The rainbow was a nice suprise.

 

Hedges never disappoints.  I landed a total of 6 SMB over three trips.  Three came on a 3.5” Electric Bluegill Easy Shiner on a drop shot and three ate a Hot Snakes Finesse TRD.  #6 was hand reeled in: I cut my line because of a wind knot / blow up and was bringing in my Ned - it felt like dead weight all the way in.  No matter, I’ll take it.  S L O W or still was the key here.  All Sallies were 1.5 to 2 pounds and had their winter ‘rosy throat’ in full display.

 

LPH was a pleasant surprise this morning.  I had a miserable ‘22 here and all but wrote the place off but figured I’d try a steep drop off accessible with waders.  I saw minnows breaking the surface shortly after arriving.  I switched my drop shot to a perch V110 and just a few minutes later landed a chubby 2.22 pound SMB with great colors.  This morning’s fish was just the third smallie I’ve caught there in the last 10 trips here, dating back to November ‘21 (LPH is NOT my friend).  There were huge clouds of minnows tight against the shore here, which a handful of ducks were chasing around trying to get some breakfast.  

 

Overall, a good week fishing.  S L O W was the ticket.  Air pressure was 30.3 - 30.4 on the days I goose-egged.  

 

I caught fish in open water each month for the 4th year in a row.  It doesn’t mean I’m done for ‘22, but mission accomplished if I don’t catch anything else the rest of the year.

On 12/7/2022 at 9:09 AM, Frezzy said:

Admittedly, I'm not the most handy guy and plan on adding a fish finder and potentially even Live Scope

PM me when you’re ready.  I can help you out with wiring & setup.  

[Frezzy]

On 12/9/2022 at 6:31 PM, DogBone_384 said:

Congratulations.  It’ll open a whole new world for you.  I prefer my kayak over my Ranger boat.  Don’t get me wrong, the boat is nice, especially when friends come along, but overall I can hit 30 ponds for every one my Ranger’ll fit in.

 

Funny you’re getting off the bank where I’ve been relegated to the bank for the last 6 weeks, which from the Cape I just got back.

 

I fished Hedges, Snake, LPH, Goose, Bloody, Bucks, Schoolhouse, and Mashpee-Wakeby over the course of this week.  I struck out at Bucks and Mash-Wake, grabbed a small yellow perch at Bloody, a small Larry at Schoolhouse, and a small Sally at Snake.

 

Goose gave up two nice yellow perch and a 2 pound rainbow.  I lost a good size LMB too.  It unhooked itself at my feet, running into my leg as it escaped to deep water.  Everyone at Goose grabbed a 4” Bluegill Flash Easy Shiner on a drop shot, dragged slowly at the bottom of a steep drop off.  The rainbow was a nice suprise.

 

Hedges never disappoints.  I landed a total of 6 SMB over three trips.  Three came on a 3.5” Electric Bluegill Easy Shiner on a drop shot and three ate a Hot Snakes Finesse TRD.  #6 was hand reeled in: I cut my line because of a wind knot / blow up and was bringing in my Ned - it felt like dead weight all the way in.  No matter, I’ll take it.  S L O W or still was the key here.  All Sallies were 1.5 to 2 pounds and had their winter ‘rosy throat’ in full display.

 

LPH was a pleasant surprise this morning.  I had a miserable ‘22 here and all but wrote the place off but figured I’d try a steep drop off accessible with waders.  I saw minnows breaking the surface shortly after arriving.  I switched my drop shot to a perch V110 and just a few minutes later landed a chubby 2.22 pound SMB with great colors.  This morning’s fish was just the third smallie I’ve caught there in the last 10 trips here, dating back to November ‘21 (LPH is NOT my friend).  There were huge clouds of minnows tight against the shore here, which a handful of ducks were chasing around trying to get some breakfast.  

 

Overall, a good week fishing.  S L O W was the ticket.  Air pressure was 30.3 - 30.4 on the days I goose-egged.  

 

I caught fish in open water each month for the 4th year in a row.  It doesn’t mean I’m done for ‘22, but mission accomplished if I don’t catch anything else the rest of the year.

PM me when you’re ready.  I can help you out with wiring & setup.  

Thanks DB.  I appreciate the offer!  Will keep you posted.

[MassYak85]

Ice fishing season just around the corner by the looks of it!

[Mr. Aquarium]

48 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

Ice fishing season just around the corner by the looks of it!

DONT SAY THAT!!!!  I’m thinking of going out this weekend in the boat! I won’t quit! 

[DogBone_384]

12 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

DONT SAY THAT!!!!

Breath deep Mike, @MassYak85 lives further north … we have Cape Cod, which freezes last, if at all…

 

And IF it freezes, I have a shelter & tip ups….

[DogBone_384]

… and of course I put my foot in my mouth … nothing but ice in Abington & Hanover this morning.

 

It should open up with this week’s rain.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Got a 4.6 today on a DS 8 inch glide bait. Quick shore trip. Missed 2 other decent fish on the glide 

[DogBone_384]

Went for a drive today.  I have good news and bad:

 

Boot: skimmed over along.

Bloody: locked up with thin ice.

Halfway: 75% skimmed over.

Hedges: locked up with thin ice.

Long (Plymouth): a little ice along ramp, otherwise open.

Little Long (Plymouth): skimmed over.

Mash-Wake: wide open.

Orchard: 50% skimmed over.

Peters: some thin ice along beach/ramp.  Otherwise open.

Pimilco: skimmed over.

Ponapoag: locked up with thin ice.

Santuit: 75% covered with thin ice.  Mr. & Mrs. Bald Eagle were snacking on a carcass on the ice.

Snake: 90% open with some skim ice along the beach.

Sunset Lake: 75% covered with skim/thin ice.

 

There’s a bit of a warm up coming this week.  I expect everything but Sunset & Ponkapoag to open up.  Good luck to everyone getting out!

 

[DogBone_384]

Went west today.  You poor guys out there are all pretty well locked up.

 

Ashland Reservoir: Thin ice from ramp to 100 yards out.  Otherwise, open.

 

Blue Hills Reservoir: Locked up.

 

Buckmaster Pond: Locked up.  Looks too thin for ice fishing yet.

 

Lake Cochituate: Skimmed over at the ramp, which is closed, I assume for the season.  Most of it is open. I've never fished it.  It's a tight ramp.  Maybe I'll give it a go in the spring.

 

Houghton's Pond: Locked up and too thin to walk on.

 

Lake Winthrop: Locked up.  Sign at ramp said electric motors only.  Too bad, it looked like a good fishery.  

[MassYak85]

On 12/27/2022 at 5:51 PM, DogBone_384 said:

Went west today.  You poor guys out there are all pretty well locked up.

 

Ashland Reservoir: Thin ice from ramp to 100 yards out.  Otherwise, open.

 

Blue Hills Reservoir: Locked up.

 

Buckmaster Pond: Locked up.  Looks too thin for ice fishing yet.

 

Lake Cochituate: Skimmed over at the ramp, which is closed, I assume for the season.  Most of it is open. I've never fished it.  It's a tight ramp.  Maybe I'll give it a go in the spring.

 

Houghton's Pond: Locked up and too thin to walk on.

 

Lake Winthrop: Locked up.  Sign at ramp said electric motors only.  Too bad, it looked like a good fishery.  

Winthrop in Holliston? I've fished it a couple times in the Yak. Seemed like a good place but I struck out hard when I went during the summer.

[DogBone_384]

On 12/29/2022 at 8:52 PM, MassYak85 said:

Winthrop in Holliston?

Yes.

[DogBone_384]

I closed out ‘22 fishing with @Saltysmalljaws Thursday and Friday on Cape Cod. Thursday was a grind on Mash-Wake with not so much as a whiff for the day.  Jake found yellow perch with his magic blade bait.  Water temps were 40.x - 41.x

 

Yesterday started out like Thursday at Peters Pond, but we found a large group of perch and got them fired up where it was a perch on every cast for a little while, with a blade bait, of course.  One of my perch was a fat 1_6, a new PB.

 

We moved over to a hump and started the same perch dance.  We marked bigger targets at the base of the hump so I tied on a green/black flake Swim Senko and dragged it   S  L  O  W  L  Y and came up with a beautiful 1_10 smallie.  Water temps were also 40.x - 41.x.  Air pressure started on Thursday at 30.3 and didn’t drop until Friday afternoon.

 

Everything we marked both days was stuck to the bottom in deep water.

 

Happy New Year and best of luck to everyone in ‘23.

 

 

[DogBone_384]

Struck out at my favorite little SMB pond this afternoon.  Stuck with the basics: a blade bait, drop shot, and Easy Shiner.  

 

I was on foot.  I bet I just couldn't reach them.

[DogBone_384]

Took a short trip on the kayak to a shallow, weedy pond on the South Shore.  Got on the board for '23 with a nice 2_8 LMB on a chrome/black/red Damiki Slim Jack jerkbait.  Larry didn't have much fight in him and the bite was just some weight.  It was the only one that ran shallow enough not to get bogged down in gunk.

 

Water temps were 43.x and air pressure was 29.9.  

[Mr. Aquarium]

Hit old faithful. I love this place for winter bassin. They bite, fat and feisty.  Picked off a couple. Got 6 bass, biggest 3lbs 12oz. They loved the tubes, my hair jig and a jerkbaits. We got a bunch of pickerel and some big yellows. Biggest yellow was 1lbs 6 oz

Surprisingly  there was a ton of surface activity. We saw so many blow ups!  We made some chicken soup in the boat as well. That’s a first! 
 

STILL HUNTING MY WINTER GIANT 

[Don51]

That's great open water January fishing!  ?

[Mr. Aquarium]

5 hours ago, Don51 said:

That's great open water January fishing!  ?

After a few very slow bass less trips it felt good getting on em. My last 2 good trips were from the same pond! 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Did some shore fishing after work today. Bite was good, had a few whacks on my DS glide, few whacks on hudds, and Tu bes  I got 2 bass on the glide, 1 on a hudd, few pickerel to. Stayed after dark, 5 whacks on a shell cracker just creepin on top!! Had one spit hook on the shore before I could grab it!

I frigging love this glide bait 
 

[MassBass]

Walked a lot of shoreline from Boston to Cambridge River Charles. I was banking on an easy perch bite but that was not materializing. I was hopping a silver blade bait off the bottom in a small channel off the main basin. Had something on very big, started moving over towards the bank and snags, I could not move the fish, I think I gave it too much pressure and she came unbuttoned. Holy smokes. I moved on briefly then came back with a glide bait, no second chance. Lost a couple more blade baits in snags, snow started coming down, still couldn't find any perch, that was that.   

[MassYak85]

22 hours ago, MassBass said:

Walked a lot of shoreline from Boston to Cambridge River Charles. I was banking on an easy perch bite but that was not materializing. I was hopping a silver blade bait off the bottom in a small channel off the main basin. Had something on very big, started moving over towards the bank and snags, I could not move the fish, I think I gave it too much pressure and she came unbuttoned. Holy smokes. I moved on briefly then came back with a glide bait, no second chance. Lost a couple more blade baits in snags, snow started coming down, still couldn't find any perch, that was that.   

I'm guessing you either locked into a striper or hooked a carp

[MassBass]

2 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

I'm guessing you either locked into a striper or hooked a carp

Certainly could have been snagged carp that popped off. I snagged a carp last year that was ripping drag, had no idea what I had till I brought it in and landed it, and that was on a blade bait as well. There were no scales on the hooks, no bends. 

[Frezzy]

Hey Guys,

 

I'm picking up my Old Town Autopilot 136 on Wednesday.  Got it fully rigged by Black Hall in CT.  Excited to finally get off the bank in 2023.  

 

I had a question.  Does anyone on BR have experience at A-1 Site in Westborough?  I live in Hopkinton on the Westborough line and it looks very fishy.  Plan on spending some time there this spring.  I heard it "used" to be a fantastic bass fishery, but not so much anymore.  Anyone fish it in the past several years?

 

Also, If anyone wants to meet up in the kayaks this year and fish let me know (I'm always up for night fishing as well).

 

Later,

 

Jason