Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[DogBone_384]

I took the kayak to Plymouth and Cape Cod over the last few days and boy did it pay off.  I fished my normal waters and felt more like @Mr. Aquarium and @Saltysmalljaws.  While I didn't break my PB, my average LMB was almost 4 pounds.  Most were shallow and took a Keitch or jerk bait.  I got a couple decent SMB, but LMB were the majority catch.

 

Unfortunately that all ended when I woke up Thursday AM and wrenched something in my back.  I drove off the Cape and swapped my kayak for my Ranger, since I don't have to pedal it.  I fished the 'normal' Cape Cod waters you can get a bass boat in and couldn't buy a fish over a pound with Apple Pay.  80% of my 'Ranger' catches were picks and yellow perch via a Perch Stunna 112 +1.  I managed a few dink SMB on the Cape water I love to hate.  Don't know what it is, but I can't catch JACK with my boat.  It's time to dump it and stick to kayak fishing.

 

The weather was perfect, winds were light, and water temps were high 60's to a hair over 70.  Air pressure started at 30.2 and were 30 when I drove home today.

[MassYak85]

I got out on the home lake Friday before the storms. Got on a decent big worm bite in the deeper weedbeds outside spawning areas. Got a few 17 or 18 inchers but they were skinny from the spawn and didn't even crack 3lbs. Managed 7 or 8 bass in total, was decent for a half day.

[DogBone_384]

I drove to Plymouth yesterday afternoon.  Caught 2 LMB, 1 SMB, 1 white perch, and 1 sunfish.  The biggest LMB came in at 3_6.  It took a 5" orange/brown Senko.  Everyone else, even the little sunfish, bit a perch Stunna 112+1.  All bass were F A T, so they're eating well.

 

The weather was mixed, with thunderstorms passing through around supper time.  Water temps were 68.x.

[Mr. Aquarium]

That was a nice fish @DogBone_384

I haven’t caught a striper since April. I think it’s time to go back to bass fishin! 

[DogBone_384]

I drove back to Plymouth around lunch time in search of some good smallmouth action.  Instead I picked up 3 Larry's, and 2 Sally's.  The biggest LMB was 3_6 and 2 even for the SMB.  A baby bass Yamamoto single tail grub and perch Stunna 112+1 did the damage.  I had a good SMB follow the Stunna close to the kayak, but it turned away.

 

Water temps were 64.x - 66.x, which are about 5 degrees cooler than this time in ‘22 & ‘21.  It was overcast with nary a breeze.  Air pressure was 29.7. 

 

It's been a strange year so far.   I did well during the winter, had a lousy March/April, and seem to be having a pretty good early Summer ..... hopefully I didn't just jinx myself...

 

Best of luck to everyone getting out there! 

[DogBone_384]

I fished Massapoag Lake in Sharon today because I didn’t have time to go to Plymouth. I should have gone striper fishing behind my house.

 

I fished here six times this year and have a lonely white perch to show for it.  I expected something today, but didn’t mark much of anything deep or shallow. The one surprising thing also NOT on my Lowrance was vegetation.  The western shore is primarily rock but the east had vegetation. Today there was none, where Ponkapoag and ponds I fish on the South Shore & Cape Cod show healthy salad.  The water also had a dark tea stain to it, similar to Sunset Lake and Canton Reservoir.  I’m crossing this lake off my list.

 

I can’t say for sure the vegetation was killed off, but one guy coming to the landing the same time as me said there was a fish kill within the last couple weeks.  Another angler came in just after us and said there was still vegetation at the southern end where there are few houses.  
 

Water temps were 66.x-68.x and air pressure was 29.7.

 

 

[DogBone_384]

I dragged my kayak around Plymouth & Cape Cod the last three days.  With the exception of Sheep's Pond, the bass were biting.  The smallmouth were out of control, making Cocaine-Bear look like Valium-Bear..... 

 

Water temps in shallower ponds peaked in the low 70's and deep kettles were still in the high 60's.  My biggest smallie was 2_9 and big Larry came in at 4_14 (ALMOST!)....

 

The highlight, I guess you'd call it, was a BLUE chain pickerel I caught in the same pond my 4_14 LMB.  I've heard of blue lobsters, but blue picks?

[MassYak85]

I'm gonna get out for a bit tomorrow morning with my dad for Father's day. Hopefully the bass cooperate.

[MassYak85]

Well the bass didn't cooperate this morning for my dad but I was able to snag a nice one. Absolute blimp of a fish that had a bluegill in it's throat went after a 3pc PB rat. It's not often I feel outgunned with a swimbait rod but this fish hit hard and managed to get a few good headshakes in. The first headshake I thought it was a giant as I caught a glimpse of it's side. It only ended up being 20 inches but had the girth to still come in at 5lbs 10oz. Fattest fish I've ever caught at that length. That thing has some genetics for sure. 

[Frezzy]

On 6/18/2023 at 1:34 PM, MassYak85 said:

Well the bass didn't cooperate this morning for my dad but I was able to snag a nice one. Absolute blimp of a fish that had a bluegill in it's throat went after a 3pc PB rat. It's not often I feel outgunned with a swimbait rod but this fish hit hard and managed to get a few good headshakes in. The first headshake I thought it was a giant as I caught a glimpse of it's side. It only ended up being 20 inches but had the girth to still come in at 5lbs 10oz. Fattest fish I've ever caught at that length. That thing has some genetics for sure. 

That thing looks like a rodent eater.  Well done!

[JG233]

On 6/18/2023 at 7:34 PM, MassYak85 said:

Well the bass didn't cooperate this morning for my dad but I was able to snag a nice one. Absolute blimp of a fish that had a bluegill in it's throat went after a 3pc PB rat. It's not often I feel outgunned with a swimbait rod but this fish hit hard and managed to get a few good headshakes in. The first headshake I thought it was a giant as I caught a glimpse of it's side. It only ended up being 20 inches but had the girth to still come in at 5lbs 10oz. Fattest fish I've ever caught at that length. That thing has some genetics for sure. 

That's a beast! Nice one!

[Mr. Aquarium]

That’s an awesome fish! 

[Frezzy]

Figured I would give A1 Site a shot this morning.  Bad idea!

 

The entire pond is basically a giant grass mat.  The only area that was truly fishable was the eastern end near the launch/dam.  This was my first (and last) time trying it in the summer.  Is it usually this bad?

[MassYak85]

8 hours ago, Frezzy said:

Figured I would give A1 Site a shot this morning.  Bad idea!

 

The entire pond is basically a giant grass mat.  The only area that was truly fishable was the eastern end near the launch/dam.  This was my first (and last) time trying it in the summer.  Is it usually this bad?

It varies so much. I've had summers there without any of those grass matts and only isolated lily pad groups. THOSE summers are epic there. But lately it seems to want to choke up really bad in the summer. Great if you like punching though.

[guidoStow]

Been lost in trout land for a while but this SMB and it's twin has me rethinking...

 

 

[DogBone_384]

My cats woke me up early again (have to hide the coffee better!) so I took one rod to Plymouth and found a few angry smallies from shore.  All they wanted was a perch Rapala Shadow Rap.  Grabbed a couple small yellow perch too.  It was near calm and overcast with a little on/off drizzle.

 

Not a bad start to July.  I'm still on track to catch fish in open water here in MA.

 

Happy Independence Day to the membership, and best of luck to everyone getting on the water!

[DogBone_384]

Threw a dart at the map and fished a new pond on Cape Cod today.  Ended up with 7 LMB and 1 SMB to the kayak and a handful of hits/misses.  All the baits I threw worked: jerkbait, crankbait, Senko, and jig.  All fish were in 10’ or deeper.

 

Water temps were in the low 80’s.  It was overcast when I arrived and bluebird when I left around 1400….   

 

I gottsta win the lottery and move to the Cape!

[Don51]

How's the bridge traffic? Things must be in full swing about now.  ?

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, Don51 said:

How's the bridge traffic?

Traffic is light at 0530 in the morning .... I avoid it during 'rush hours'.  

[MassYak85]

Went out yesterday for a half day alone. Fishing was slow but got a few on the PB Rat again. Two were dinks barely longer than the bait itself, but I did get another nice one that went 4-10. Interestingly enough this fish was a quarter inch longer at 20.75" than the fish I caught a couple weeks ago but was a full pound lighter. Poor guy was missing an eye too so I can't blame him for being a bit skinny.

[1984isNOW]

On 6/17/2023 at 5:00 PM, DogBone_384 said:

I dragged my kayak around Plymouth & Cape Cod the last three days.  With the exception of Sheep's Pond, the bass were biting.  The smallmouth were out of control, making Cocaine-Bear look like Valium-Bear..... 

 

Water temps in shallower ponds peaked in the low 70's and deep kettles were still in the high 60's.  My biggest smallie was 2_9 and big Larry came in at 4_14 (ALMOST!)....

 

The highlight, I guess you'd call it, was a BLUE chain pickerel I caught in the same pond my 4_14 LMB.  I've heard of blue lobsters, but blue picks?

Pic of the blue pick?

[DogBone_384]

I kept the oil companies profitable yesterday by fishing in Rochester, Plymouth, and Wareham.  Rochester and Plymouth gave up some good LMB, with a few getting close to three pounds.  Wareham almost gave up a smallmouth, but he spit me OTW to the kayak.  A nice assortment of panfish made it to the kayak in Wareham.

 

A Berkely Stunna 112 was the most successful bait of the day.  Soft plastics got a couple fish, but that's it.  My jig got some panfish nibbles.  Shimano's Flash-boost World Minnow and a Vision 110 also brought a few fish in the kayak.

 

Weather was cloudy/rainy/cloudy, in that order.  Winds were light and air pressure was 29.8.

 

@Kites R4 Skyfishing - here's a picture of the  blue pickerel I caught on Cape Cod:

 

 

[GSil]

2 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

I kept the oil companies profitable yesterday by fishing in Rochester, Plymouth, and Wareham.  Rochester and Plymouth gave up some good LMB, with a few getting close to three pounds.  Wareham almost gave up a smallmouth, but he spit me OTW to the kayak.  A nice assortment of panfish made it to the kayak in Wareham.

 

A Berkely Stunna 112 was the most successful bait of the day.  Soft plastics got a couple fish, but that's it.  My jig got some panfish nibbles.  Shimano's Flash-boost World Minnow and a Vision 110 also brought a few fish in the kayak.

 

Weather was cloudy/rainy/cloudy, in that order.  Winds were light and air pressure was 29.8.

 

@Kites R4 Skyfishing - here's a picture of the  blue pickerel I caught on Cape Cod:

 

 

i just saw another guy in a facebook bass fishing group post up about catching a blue pickerel a few weeks ago. so crazy

[MassBass]

That's weird 

[DogBone_384]

That pick was caught at a pond just outside Otis AFB …. ?