Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[JG233]

Have a great trip Rhino. See you when you get back!

On a completely different subject, I'm looking to put together a camping/fishing trip this summer. I'd like to do this in CT or MA--NH and VT are possibilities.

I'll be taking my brother with me. He's not a huge fisherman, but he likes going out. I don't have a boat, so we need to be able to bank fish or rent a boat. 

I'm not sure where we should go. Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

[DogBone_384]

12 hours ago, BostonBasstard said:

Whats going on fellas, new to the site and first post here. Thought I'd share a little bit of knowledge for anyone in the Newton,  MA area and Waltham, MA area looking to fish the Charles River. For the past 4 years, starting in April I have had the luxury of being able to fish the Charles from my boat and from the shore every single weekend starting around mid-May and ending in early October. Without giving up some of my favorite and most productive spots, I will say that the Charles is no doubt the BEST fishery inside of the 95 belt. The BEST lure for producing the highest number of bass caught is BY far the 6 inch black senko with no specks or flakes. This imitates extremely well a baby eel or a crayfish,  which are by far the best source of protein and favorite food of a hungry largemouth. Lily pads that are located near deeper water and at the edges of beginning of coves will almost always produce a hit with a Texas rigged senko with no weights. When the weeds and water chestnut choke the water by mid summer, I always switch over to a pad crasher frog (made by spro or live target) and this is my favorite technique and style of fishing. Toss the frog in the thickest of slop and pads, and get ready for a heart stopping crash of the water as a bass attempts to destroy your frog. Although it may take many casts before producing a single bite, the one bite is well worth the wait. This technique works best on the hottest of days when the sun is shining brightest and the bass are seeking shelter in the well oxygenated and shady waters of the slop and pads. The edges of the coves , especially around fallen trees and other debris, will be the best places to cast. I have also had a few northern pike rip off my frog and thrash violently at my lure- I am sure they are pike because of the sheer size of the splash and subsequent wave produced in the water. On any given day, if you have a boat, I can guarantee you will catch at least 3-4 good sized bass while working up the shorelines using a black weightless senko. For the real lunkers, I recommend the frog - however, some days it can be hours and hundreds of casts before you get a bite, let alone land a fish. But when you do, you can be sure it's gonna be a big one. Message me if you want more info, happy to share more about this great river. 

- The BASStard

Thanks for the info, and welcome to the forum.

21 hours ago, ranger7717 said:

excellent...next couple of days off and 5 inches of snow in my yard.....it was 70 degrees in february ....what a trip this state is - gonna try for some smallies at the chu , i guess

dress warm 

[DogBone_384]

Stopped by BHR for a few after work, mostly to try out my new Con**pt E the Tackle Monkey forced me to buy on sale at TW - STEEP DISCOUNT.  Was only there for 45 minutes or so, but the new reel, right out of the box and mounted on a 6'6" MF Veritas tossed a Rapala Shadow Rap Shad and Rapala lipless crank at least as far as other reels DVT tuned for me.  I sure wouldn't pay full retail for this new reel, but at its discounted price, first impression is it's a steal.

I also tossed a 1/8 oz Ned rig on one of my ML spinning rigs a little.  

Not so much of a whiff, but that's to be expected there.  There are a few big fish there, but I don't think there are many fish in there.  BHR is only 7 or 8 years old, and the last couple years I've seen very few bait fish, little bass, or any other species there.

[DieselInc]

On 4/5/2016 at 3:54 AM, BostonBasstard said:

Whats going on fellas, new to the site and first post here. Thought I'd share a little bit of knowledge for anyone in the Newton,  MA area and Waltham, MA area looking to fish the Charles River. For the past 4 years, starting in April I have had the luxury of being able to fish the Charles from my boat and from the shore every single weekend starting around mid-May and ending in early October. Without giving up some of my favorite and most productive spots, I will say that the Charles is no doubt the BEST fishery inside of the 95 belt. The BEST lure for producing the highest number of bass caught is BY far the 6 inch black senko with no specks or flakes. This imitates extremely well a baby eel or a crayfish,  which are by far the best source of protein and favorite food of a hungry largemouth. Lily pads that are located near deeper water and at the edges of beginning of coves will almost always produce a hit with a Texas rigged senko with no weights. When the weeds and water chestnut choke the water by mid summer, I always switch over to a pad crasher frog (made by spro or live target) and this is my favorite technique and style of fishing. Toss the frog in the thickest of slop and pads, and get ready for a heart stopping crash of the water as a bass attempts to destroy your frog. Although it may take many casts before producing a single bite, the one bite is well worth the wait. This technique works best on the hottest of days when the sun is shining brightest and the bass are seeking shelter in the well oxygenated and shady waters of the slop and pads. The edges of the coves , especially around fallen trees and other debris, will be the best places to cast. I have also had a few northern pike rip off my frog and thrash violently at my lure- I am sure they are pike because of the sheer size of the splash and subsequent wave produced in the water. On any given day, if you have a boat, I can guarantee you will catch at least 3-4 good sized bass while working up the shorelines using a black weightless senko. For the real lunkers, I recommend the frog - however, some days it can be hours and hundreds of casts before you get a bite, let alone land a fish. But when you do, you can be sure it's gonna be a big one. Message me if you want more info, happy to share more about this great river. 

- The BASStard

He's right on...The Charles is awesome...always catch biggies in there....Im out there every day i can be after May 1st. Maybe I'll see ya on the water one of these days...Tight Lines

[YungAngler]

Can anyone recommend some good ponds with shore fishing near Burlington, MA?  I'm now working down here and just looking for a few spots to hit on my lunch break or after work.

[Janderson45]

I was out on Saturday 4/2, took the kayak down to Wordens pond in South Kingstown, RI to meet up and fish with a few of my buddies.  We knew it was going to rain but we weren't anticipating it to be quite so bad, we got pounded my numerous heavy downpours.  One of my friends was a bit under dressed for the conditions so we only managed 4 hours of fishing or so, from 8-12.  I caught 2 yellow perch (on a yellow perch rapala xrap funny enough) but that was it, neither one of my buddies even got a whiff.  I was throwing suspending jerks, lipless cranks, and the new spro BbZ-1 Rat (really just to try it out and see if I could tempt a large pike, I wasn't overly optimistic about a cold water top water bite in pouring rain), my friends were throwing soft plastic t rigs of different flavors.  

 

That was the last time I got out, had a bit of a crazy work schedule lately, but I'll be getting out again tomorrow as I've got the day off.  Can't decide if I want to get back out in the yak somewhere or if I want to go and give wachusett a shot.  Seen lots of pics of salmon/lakers getting caught there recently, along with a handful of smallmouth.   Thinking that the fishing might be better at wachusett, but I'd prefer to fish out of my kayak than from shore, so it's a toss-up! 

Ill report back with where I went and how I did...

[DieselInc]

Went out today for 2 hours at spy pond in arlington. Caught 2 largemouth and 3 pike..was a little cold out...sunday and monday look like good days to fish with the temps in 60s and 70s.

[Janderson45]

Any info on spy pond?  Been wanting to fish it for a little while now, one of my fishing buddies just moved to Arlington and we're thinking about hitting it soon. 

[DieselInc]

6 hours ago, Janderson45 said:

Any info on spy pond?  Been wanting to fish it for a little while now, one of my fishing buddies just moved to Arlington and we're thinking about hitting it soon. 

trolling motors and only 9.9 hp on the pond, tons of action in the far left cove for bass.Pike are all along the reeds on the left side after the island. Spinners and buzzbaits and t rigged worms = killer on this pond. good luck.

[BaitMonkey1984]

I have been having great success with a jerk bait worked 6 ft below the surface in my neck of the woods. Moderate retrieve. 

[timcauliffe]

21 hours ago, BaBaBooey said:

Can anyone recommend some good ponds with shore fishing near Burlington, MA?  I'm now working down here and just looking for a few spots to hit on my lunch break or after work.

I live in Hudson - work in Burlington. There's some somewhat close spots around here. You have the Mill Pond / Burlington Reservoir (shore access only), Spot Pond in Stoneham, Horn Pond in Woburn, Russell Mill Pond in Chelmsford, Nuttings Lake in Bedford, etc.

[YungAngler]

3 hours ago, timcauliffe said:

I live in Hudson - work in Burlington. There's some somewhat close spots around here. You have the Mill Pond / Burlington Reservoir (shore access only), Spot Pond in Stoneham, Horn Pond in Woburn, Russell Mill Pond in Chelmsford, Nuttings Lake in Bedford, etc.

Thanks for the info.  i took a ride over to Horn Pond on my lunch break today.  looked like a decent spot.  I've heard good things about Spot Pond as well. 

["hamma"]

Lake quanapowwitt has some decent bass in it too, beware of the tiger muskies though they get huge here,  the lake had a 10 hp limit, and not much fishing pressure. and its right off 128,.. on the southeastern shore theres a park with a tiny ramp just after the cemetary. many years ago we used to fish it out of a coleman crawdad, We'd catch some white perch first, and troll them live very slowly with wire leaders at the northern shore for the tiger muskies in the am,.. then spend the afternoon on bass. was some huge bass in there, Also Ive seen guys fishing off the shore  with spinnerbaits over by the honeydews donuts recently

[DogBone_384]

I've been lucky enough to get an hour / hour & half at BHR before work the last couple days.  I think the bass are on vacation though, because whatever I threw at them, they didn't like.  Today's special was a smallmouth flavored jointed, sinking, Rapala that I've done well with.  My backup was a black/blue flake Kreature on a 1/8 oz. weighted hook.  I'm still waiting for my first Kreature catch, but it resembles the Chigger-craw I caught my 4/11 right here just month ago, so I figured what-the-heck.

No harm.  The last couple years here started really slow for me.  That, and I'm convinced the bass population is very low.  BHR is less than 10 years old and I've caught only one perch here.  I don't think the food supply is enough to support a big population.

I'm off to Williamsburg VA with the family for school vacation.  My Ascend 128T is on the ladder rack, ready to go.  I'm going to fish Waller Mill Reservoir one day (maybe two IF I can get away with it) in hopes in catching some VA bass.

[Mike2841]

Went out for a little bit last night, and again this afternoon. Managed a decent pickerel and a small smallie. 

[carlm01]

Went out on nutting in billerica today, nada , the 8 other guys nothing too ???

[JG233]

I'm going out tomorrow--will report back. 

[Cyacnba]

I went to the Charles River today and caught 4 bass. 2 of them were over 3lbs, and I also snagged 2 huge carps

[JG233]

I tried fishing the rocks at the southern end of Spot Pond today--no luck. I threw a small jig with a rage craw trailer and a rage menace on a 1/8 jig head. 

Anyone have advice on how to fish that place? 

[bass_masster]

Glad to see I'm not the only one getting skunked, haven't had a spring fish this bad in at least 2-3 years

[DieselInc]

On 4/17/2016 at 5:02 PM, carlm01 said:

Went out on nutting in billerica today, nada , the 8 other guys nothing too ???

That place sucks.Such a waste of time.

6 hours ago, JG233 said:

I tried fishing the rocks at the southern end of Spot Pond today--no luck. I threw a small jig with a rage craw trailer and a rage menace on a 1/8 jig head. 

Anyone have advice on how to fish that place? 

I dont know where the southern end is but i usually bike in there with buddies and fish off the rocks by the DPW brick building.Went out there today using nothing but black worms and lipless crankbaits....we caught 6 Bass and 3 Smallies in about an hour.Try that spot if you can find it, its the only small brick building about the size of a garage.Place is deep so use a bullet weight to get down.

[Cyacnba]

Went out to the Charles River again today. First few hours were tough with just one decent bass on a jig. After lunch, I switched to a mini Rapala minnow, catching a few bass, bluegill, and 2 crappies. I saw a bass jumping to chase my minnow, so I changed my lure to the whopper popper. Man, I never caught so many bass on a topwater lure like this one. I caught over 10 bass with it, including 4 decent ones.

[JG233]

1 hour ago, DieselInc said:

That place sucks.Such a waste of time.

I dont know where the southern end is but i usually bike in there with buddies and fish off the rocks by the DPW brick building.Went out there today using nothing but black worms and lipless crankbaits....we caught 6 Bass and 3 Smallies in about an hour.Try that spot if you can find it, its the only small brick building about the size of a garage.Place is deep so use a bullet weight to get down.

I was fishing the rocks near Quarter Mile Pond. There was a building there. Is that where you mean? 

[DieselInc]

8 hours ago, JG233 said:

I tried fishing the rocks at the southern end of Spot Pond today--no luck. I threw a small jig with a rage craw trailer and a rage menace on a 1/8 jig head. 

Anyone have advice on how to fish that place? 

 

 

I couldnt tell you for sure by name but if theres a small brick building and a gate with a chain fence u have to walk over then ya.

45 minutes ago, JG233 said:

I was fishing the rocks near Quarter Mile Pond. There was a building there. Is that where you mean? 

 

[Janderson45]

Went out on the A1 on Thursday, about 4 1/2 hours in the yak, got skunked.  Threw a jig/craw trailer a shakey head with 6.5" plasma tail, and a big lizard. Nothing.  The water was really muddy, temp was 54.x degrees all afternoon.

Went to the Wachusett res yesterday in the gorgeous weather, bluebird day with 70+ degree air temps, water was still only 48 degrees.  Was slow for the majority of the 5 or so hours we put in out there, but within ten minutes me and my fishing partner both Hooked up on good fish, my friend with a 3lb 13oz lake trout and I hooked up with my new PB smallmouth.  4lb 15oz , 20" long. 

Smallmouth hit like a freight train, I couldn't believe the size of it when I got it in.  Friend kept the laker to eat, I considered for a moment that I had a state pin fish, but quickly decided I'd rather release her.  we also saw numerous eagles and loons, awesome spot.