Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[DogBone_384]

I packed up my ice gear and met @Mr. Aquarium and a couple of his friends 'over the bridge' in attempt to pull some fish though the ice.  The pond we fished was more crowded than I've ever seen it while open.  There were four groups in what we thought were the good spots.

 

Nobody chased flags during the day.  @Mr. Aquarium pulled up a few perch on one of his homemade jigs.  We grilled up some food and waited... and waited ...   I talked to another group that had the choice spot on the pond and they reported no flags and combined they pulled up one LMB, one SMB, one pickerel, and a few perch on jigs.

 

By 3:00-ish, we were the last group on the ice and with the wind picking up, we packed it in.

 

I stopped at my favorite Plymouth kettle on the way home for an hour or so with the same result as Cape Cod.  There was one other guy drilling holes when I arrived.  He said he'd had no luck.  

 

I ended up feeding my shiners to a seagull that was hanging around.

 

Even though I didn't catch anything, the weather was good and I got out and ate some good food.

 

The ice thickness was 5 - 6".  Air pressure was 30 and winds were 12 mph from the SW until the afternoon when they picked up to over 15.

[MassYak85]

Seems like a slow day all over the state yesterday. We went out for 4 hours and only had 1 flag to save the skunk. Couldn't even jig up any perch. The groups next to us didn't fair much better. 

[DogBone_384]

Nothing on the fishing front to report but I swung by the New England Fishing Expo in Marlborough. 
 

I arrived about 1/2 hour after it opened and found it pretty packed. It looked much like last years’ show with many small vendors from around the area. 
 

Sean from ReelNorthernBass, a NH YouTuber, has a booth there. He has 4 seminars scheduled this weekend. If you’ve seen his live broadcast on Wednesday nights, you know he’s knowledgeable and well spoken. Look him up and support a local fisherman if you can. I bought a couple flannel shirts from him that might be good luck this late winter/early Spring.
 

Ranger had one of their new Alpha boats on display.  It looked great with a big wide deck, but even the show price of $65K was too much for my liking.  I picked up three Douglas rods from Ben’s Tackle Shop, a Xmatrix 745F, LRS S704F, and ICE 32. Their show pricing was worth picking up a couple more rods I really don’t need that fill a couple ‘holes’ I kept telling myself I had in my collection.

 

Now all we need is a quick thaw so we can get at it again. Lets hope Punxsutawney Phil gives us a quick Spring.

[Mr. Aquarium]

It was a great show, I bought a lot of apparel , saw some people I haven’t seen in a while. Bought some soft plastics and a swimbait. The theme of the show with lures was trying different stuff!  Also bought some jerky and hot peppers 

[MassYak85]

On 1/31/2025 at 7:05 PM, DogBone_384 said:

Nothing on the fishing front to report but I swung by the New England Fishing Expo in Marlborough. 
 

I arrived about 1/2 hour after it opened and found it pretty packed. It looked much like last years’ show with many small vendors from around the area. 
 

Sean from ReelNorthernBass, a NH YouTuber, has a booth there. He has 4 seminars scheduled this weekend. If you’ve seen his live broadcast on Wednesday nights, you know he’s knowledgeable and well spoken. Look him up and support a local fisherman if you can. I bought a couple flannel shirts from him that might be good luck this late winter/early Spring.
 

Ranger had one of their new Alpha boats on display.  It looked great with a big wide deck, but even the show price of $65K was too much for my liking.  I picked up three Douglas rods from Ben’s Tackle Shop, a Xmatrix 745F, LRS S704F, and ICE 32. Their show pricing was worth picking up a couple more rods I really don’t need that fill a couple ‘holes’ I kept telling myself I had in my collection.

 

Now all we need is a quick thaw so we can get at it again. Lets hope Punxsutawney Phil gives us a quick Spring.

My dad got talked into getting a Douglas XMatrix Swimbait rod at last year's show along with a 300 sized Lew's. I've been pretty impressed by the rod it's got a solid backbone but the tip section is really nice and doesn't make it feel like a pool queue but doesn't load the whole rod either. It's a nice in-between balance. 

[DogBone_384]

5 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

It's a nice in-between balance. 

I'm looking forward to using mine.  I was under the impression they were made in the US, but I was wrong.  The show price was worth trying one.  My two jig rods are Kistler Heliums, so I have high expectations.

 

Perhaps by the end of the month?

9 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Also bought some jerky

 

You have to try Onns Specialties' jerky.... They have a website but I'm not sure you can order online.  They usually have a booth/tent at all the craft shows around MA, especially the Cape.

[DogBone_384]

I’m lucky to have caught fish in open water for 3 years 10 months, through New Years’ 2025.

 

I tossed my sled, tip ups, and ice rods in my truck and drove to Plymouth. There I found 5-6” ice … booo … I set tip ups at 12’, 15’, 18’, and 20’ off a point.  Two bald eagles cruised overhead while I drilled more holes around the area and jigged a brown hair jig, white/chartreuse feathered jig, and gold blade bait.

 

My 12’ flag went up and through the ice came a 5_2 LMB, like a bag of sand.  I’ll take it!

 

I stayed until winds got past 20 mph.  I moved my tip ups around the pond and continued with my jig rods without a bite.

 

Water temps were 36.x, winds started light and increased steadily from the NW. Air pressure was 29.8.  

[DogBone_384]

OK …. I need OPEN WATER!!!!!
 

Anyone else?

[919ProXP]

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

OK …. I need OPEN WATER!!!!!
 

Anyone else?

Yeah same here. I have cabin fever bad!!

[DogBone_384]

23 minutes ago, 919ProXP said:

I have cabin fever bad!!

 

I wonder how far south we have to go to get open water ?!?!??!?!?!?!?!

 

I guess it's my auger and shiners tomorrow ....

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’m dying! I’m over winter. I miss winters when we can kayak fish! I’m over this snow and ice crap! If I was in NH or CO and I can actually enjoy the snow awesome. But down here  it sucks. 

[ne_dan]

^ 

I agree everything has been iced over since around Christmas, even the rivers around here are either locked up or have ice 5-10' out along the banks.   Going from fishing 5+ days a week to nothing is killing me.  Last year winter was great, this year is horrible.  I'm hoping that when March hits some open water shows up.

[MassYak85]

Looking like a more traditional New England Winter. I've been doing some winter hikes and haven't been on the ice much, but with the weather this year I can't see getting out before April on open water. Which will break my streak of going out the first week in march the last 3 years. 

[DogBone_384]

On 2/11/2025 at 9:33 AM, MassYak85 said:

my streak of going out the first week in march the last 3 years. 

 

My 3 year 10 month streak of catching fish in open MA water is shot too.

 

I'm making the best of it.  I augured holes at two Plymouth ponds this afternoon.  Came up empty at #1 and pulled up a SMB and YP (both a hair under two pounds) at #2.  The SMB went for a 1/4 oz blade bait straight away.  The perch took a shiner via tip up.  The perch was gut hooked but I got it freed and let it keep the shiner that was half way down its throat.  The ice was 4 - 5" at the first pond but a little sketchy at the second pond, maybe 3" and gray.  The second pond is close to the Sagamore bridge.

 

Water temps were 36.x at both ponds.  We might just have open water on the Cape by early March if we're lucky.