Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[MassYak85]

The Okuma guide select I have is rated 1-6 oz but I feel like that is a huge exaggeration on okuma's part. I wouldn't want to fish anything over 4oz with it which is why I went with the 68. But I'm not going to get another rod until I know swimbaits are something I want to stick with in the long run. 

 

*Update*

Went fishing from shore with the new hudd today for about 3-4 hours. Stopped at the dam on the north end of whitehall and fished for about an hour, no luck. Then I went to A1. There were a couple of guys out in a boat and from what I could tell they seemed to be throwing swimbaits too (whatever they were using made a hell of a splash when it landed). I fished for about a half an hour before getting a bite. Bass weighed in around 2 1/2. He was on the skinny side but still easily inhaled the 68. 

[Janderson45]

I'll be out there at least once, possibly twice on Monday-Wednesday.  If anyone has availability and wants to meet up let me know...  

Planning on hitting 1 smallmouth lake (likely great herring) and 1 largemouth lake which I haven't decided on yet.   Possibly Whitehall, A1, Webster, or Nippenicket.

Im hoping to get a few more real good bites, it's definitely a good time of year to catch some hawgs, but we will see, been a bit more of a tough go for me here lately.  

[DogBone_384]

J45 - I've got day shifts off this week.  Great Herring sounds like a possibility.  

ADD: How's Saudy look Tom?  Might be a late season option ....

Heading to Long Pond in Plymouth this morning...   with any luck I'll  bring home dinner...

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

bite sucked this weekend! caught 2 fish saturday.  1 pickerel on a swimbait during the day, then at about 9pm that night i caught my next fish1. 2.5lbs largemouth on a rat. not even a hit sunday 

[Janderson45]

I wanted to get out today with the nice weather but didn't manage to do so.  I'm blaming the Patriots..

looks like light rain and mild temps tomorrow, and more of the same on Tuesday.  I'll probably get out there on one or the other.  Might try to go throw some topwater or something from shore for an hour or two tonight and see if I can't pick anything up.. 

[MassYak85]

Next possible time I can get a line wet is gonna be the 25th, I'm guessing water will be well down into the 40's by then. I'm seeing forcasted night temperatures starting to be consistently below zero for next week. 

[Janderson45]

11 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

Next possible time I can get a line wet is gonna be the 25th, I'm guessing water will be well down into the 40's by then. I'm seeing forcasted night temperatures starting to be consistently below zero for next week. 

Most temps are creeping down into the upper 40s already, especially inland.  Some of the waters closer to the coast are where the warmer water temps are currently, as still unseasonably warm ocean water buffers their overnight lows a bit more.  

[MassYak85]

1 hour ago, Janderson45 said:

Most temps are creeping down into the upper 40s already, especially inland.  Some of the waters closer to the coast are where the warmer water temps are currently, as still unseasonably warm ocean water buffers their overnight lows a bit more.  

Well as long as my lure doesn't bounce off the surface I guess I can't complain . I'll probably stick with my new hudd and some jigs and just fish super slowly. I wonder if there will be ice this year or it'll be like last year with me casting from shore in shorts on christmas eve. Had to wait until February last year in central mass before there was "safe" ice. 

[DogBone_384]

Launched at Long Pond late, the wife wanted to go out to breakfast as I was packing up, but you know what they say, " happy wife, happy life."  

Long Pond was picturesque: just a breeze from the West, a cloud here or there and surface temps 54.x.... I had high hopes for catching something today, especially when an old timer fishing at the ramp pulled in a nice rainbow as I unloaded.

I kept it simple with a perch lipless Rapala, a blue/brown jig with just a flash of pink/yellow, and a 1/8 oz Mepps spinner.  After 3 hours of nothing I lost interest (Though I'd say I wasn't the only one suffering, with Swamp Hawgs not having a great weekend - a rarity for him?), packed up and  drove home to do laundry and rake the yard.

To make some lemonade out of today's goose egg, I found some submerged trees and rock piles I hope to capitalize on next season.

I hope to get out again this year, but if I don't, I had a good year with two personal bests and time on the water with other BR members.

[Mr. Aquarium]

i found the shallow ponds are alot colder then the deeper ponds.  noticeably colder.  2 weekends ago i found water on a small shallow pond staying put a 50. while the big deep clear pond was any where from 53-56 

[DogBone_384]

Got the 'honey-DO' list done yesterday and hit Sunset Lake in Braintree for a few hours before work.  Water temps were 54.x, most of the weeds wilted, and the water level was up a little since the last time I fished here.  Kept it simple with a lipless perch flavored Rapala, a 1/8 oz. gold Mepps spinner, and a jig dressed in bluegill.  I worked along a 5' - 10' drop off and managed a PB yellow perch (didn't weigh it, but was the biggest I've caught BY FAR) and a feisty white perch on the Rapala and Mepps, respectively.

No OT this morning, so off to Great Herring went I, in search of some late season smallmouth.  I launched about 8:45, with water temps high 51.x and an overcast sky with nary a breeze.  Deciding to start at the far end and work my way back, I trolled a jointed Rapala DT10 in smallmouth down the west side.  Without a bite down 2/3 of the pond I stopped when I found two humps 25' off a dock and switched off between the DT, a Silver Buddy blade bait, and a black/blue jig.  Still striking out I moved across to 'the Red House' to work the shallows.  A little smallmouth ate the Silver Buddy straight away in 8' - 10' of water.  Again switching between my three baits I produced nada, and around 1:00 I decided to head back to the shallows left of the launch.  By this time the wind picked up considerably too.  Again I trolled two different jointed DT10s up the eastern shore - without so much as a sniff.

I stopped at a point my Lowrance said was LITTERED with fish and tossed my three baits PLUS a bright red Mepps spinner.  I wish I had a grenade, because nobody liked my offerings.  I even tried a smaller Rapala Scatter Rap, but struck out.  When I got to the shallows my Lowrance AGAIN told me I'd hit the jackpot.  I threw my Silver Buddy, a gold Mepps spinner, and a Ned rig (since nothing else worked!) landing a little yellow perch with the Mepps.  

A lot of work for just a few small offerings, but the highlight was around 2:00, when a 6 point buck walked into the water by the first point (left of the launch) and swam across, only 20 - 30 yards in front of me.  

If I don't snag an OT tomorrow, I might just give it one last go for the season, possibly Big Sandy in Plymouth, maybe to try a drop shot.  If the bass don't cooperate, I'll hopefully get some nice rainbow trout again.

Best of luck to everyone else that's still out there.

[Janderson45]

That's awesome that you saw a deer in the water... Similarly, I got out for a few hours this afternoon at A1.. As it was getting dark and I was paddling back two beavers appeared to scare the **** out of me with massive tail slaps.  Probably about 10 yards away and I couldn't see them at all, darkness had fallen and I was still surrounded by stumps so I had to paddle slowly out of there not knowing where the Beavers went.  I was a little spooked haha.  

Caught 2 largemouth and a pickerel.  Missed a few good bites too..  Water temps were 47 and it was fairly windy out until dusk.  Tried various slow retrieves on paddle tail swimbaits without any luck, couldn't get any action on a spinnerbait either (though I gave up on it quicker than usual).  Started very meticulously working a weighted/weedless wacky rig and that's what I got bit on.  I think a jig or weedless Ned rig might've produced nicely as well.  

Heres the bigger of the two LMB, 2.23

[DogBone_384]

Janderson45, I'm trying to stay away from soft baits because I don't use hard baits or jigs as much as I think I should, especially this time of year.  In fact, I can't remember catching a bass with a jig at all, just a good sized rainbow trout at Long Pond last fall.

Admittedly I get pretty frustrated not catching anything for long stretches, but I have to force myself to use different baits and be diligent about keeping track of where/how I use them so I can better my skills.  

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

[Janderson45]

21 minutes ago, DogBone_384 said:

Janderson45, I'm trying to stay away from soft baits because I don't use hard baits or jigs as much as I think I should, especially this time of year.  In fact, I can't remember catching a bass with a jig at all, just a good sized rainbow trout at Long Pond last fall.

Admittedly I get pretty frustrated not catching anything for long stretches, but I have to force myself to use different baits and be diligent about keeping track of where/how I use them so I can better my skills.  

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Absolutely, I do the same thing all the time.  Most hard baits are pretty much a no-go at A1, so I had to improvise.  I haven't thrown a wacky rig since summer, and both the way I rigged it and the way I presented it were entirely new for me.  Felt nice that it actually worked!

[MassYak85]

Those beavers really do sneak up on you sometimes at A1. You hear the water explode behind you and give yourself whiplash hoping to get a glimpse of that "8 lber" that just jumped only to realize it's another beaver. Last few times I was there there were like 3 muskrats that have taken a liking to the right shoreline looking out from the launch. They even seem to have built a home out of mud. You can see it sticking up out of the water like a mini beaver den except it's totally made of mud and weeds it seems like. 

The lily pad edge right near there is one of the few spots where you can throw a hard topwater with trebles at A1, I got like a 3.3 literally 5 feet away from the muskrat den last time I launched my kayak. 

[Janderson45]

9 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Those beavers really do sneak up on you sometimes at A1. You hear the water explode behind you and give yourself whiplash hoping to get a glimpse of that "8 lber" that just jumped only to realize it's another beaver. Last few times I was there there were like 3 muskrats that have taken a liking to the right shoreline looking out from the launch. They even seem to have built a home out of mud. You can see it sticking up out of the water like a mini beaver den except it's totally made of mud and weeds it seems like. 

The lily pad edge right near there is one of the few spots where you can throw a hard topwater with trebles at A1, I got like a 3.3 literally 5 feet away from the muskrat den last time I launched my kayak. 

I was wondering what that was, there are two of them!  I wasn't sure if they had always been there and I had never noticed them or what, but I definitely thought they looked weird, I just hadn't considered it could be a muskrat den.. I know what I'll be throwing for a big topwater presentation there in the spring..

I see the Beavers there frequently, but they've never snuck up on me like that in darkness.. Also, quite the swan colony that has taken up residence there this year, is that typical?  I hadn't ever fished it in the fall before this year. 

[MassYak85]

I think the mound they built is new this year. I initially thought that I was only now noticing it because the water levels were so low and it had become exposed, but it sticks up high enough that I feel like it should be visible when it's full. 

And oh yea the swans never leave. I've never seen so many in one place as A1 before. They always seem to group up in the section past the island with all the stumps. I paddle back there in the summer and fish the lily pads and usually end up getting pretty close to a few as I pass by. They seem rather calm as swans go though. I've heard stories of people getting attacked in their kayak in other places but these ones have never given me trouble. Funny thing is they will even stay there through the winter. Last year there was about 20-30 that stayed and actually kept a decent size area past the island and to the right from ever freezing. It was so weird to stand on a foot of solid ice and then look over and see them swimming around in their own little "pond". Good example of how the ice conditions can vary dangerously though on the same lake or pond. 

[Janderson45]

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

I think the mound they built is new this year. I initially thought that I was only now noticing it because the water levels were so low and it had become exposed, but it sticks up high enough that I feel like it should be visible when it's full. 

And oh yea the swans never leave. I've never seen so many in one place as A1 before. They always seem to group up in the section past the island with all the stumps. I paddle back there in the summer and fish the lily pads and usually end up getting pretty close to a few as I pass by. They seem rather calm as swans go though. I've heard stories of people getting attacked in their kayak in other places but these ones have never given me trouble. Funny thing is they will even stay there through the winter. Last year there was about 20-30 that stayed and actually kept a decent size area past the island and to the right from ever freezing. It was so weird to stand on a foot of solid ice and then look over and see them swimming around in their own little "pond". Good example of how the ice conditions can vary dangerously though on the same lake or pond. 

A1 is definitely a unique and interesting place to say the least.  Water levels seem to be up to around normal.  I too thought that maybe the mound was just something I hadn't seen before due to low water levels, but I agree that it would stick up above normal water line regardless.

I feel like there has to be some GIANTS in there, but I've never had quite the success I've hoped for.  I've pulled 1 5lb and a handful of 3's out of there, but mainly 1-2lbers still.  Here's my best fish to date from the A1:

[MassYak85]

My biggest from there was earlier this year, 4.5 on a swijig. It was pretty early in the season, actually probably only about 50 feet from where that muskrat den is right now. A1's usually good for a few 2's and one or two 3's. But I agree, I feel there has to be some BIG ones in there. I hear stories when I talk to guys at the ramp of 10lbers back in the day but the biggest I've ever seen come out of there personally was ice fishing last winter. Some guys fishing to the left of the ramp in that shallow flat pulled one out and were screaming and hollering. I'd guess it was over 6 by the looks of it but we were pretty far away. I've also seen some massive swirls when paddling around shallow. Last time I launched my kayak in there I was in that same spot to the left of the ramp and something just took off for like 30 feet and it just looked like a mini torpedo got launched by the wake it left. 

Oh by the way, people keep telling me that there are pike and even a few tiger muskies in there. I know they used to stock it but I have never caught a member of either species of any size from it, and I've only seen one picture of a pike coming out of there. Have you caught any? 

[Janderson45]

No, I haven't caught either.  

There are for certain Tiger Muskies in there now.. In 2015 and 2016 mass DCR stocked somewhere in the ballpark of 600 fingerling (8-12") tiger Muskie in A1 as well as Chauncey.  It's illegal to take them before they reach 28", but obviously a large number of individuals will die from predation and fishing casualties.  They're a lot easier to catch when they're young as they feed very similarly to chain pickerel until they obtain a decent size and their metabolism slows down some.  

A1 was stocked in the early 2000s with both tigers and northerns, so there is a small possibility that some trophy fish could still exist.  There is no suitable spawning habitat for northerns, and tigers are sterile because they are a hybrid.  Because of this all tigers or northerns in the reservoir were stocked there, either as a means of recreation or sometimes to control panfish or perch populations.  Average lifespan of a northern is 10 years compared to 7 years for the tiger Muskie, but these are averages so obviously individuals can live a good deal longer than this.. All of that said though I personally doubt there would be much for pike or Muskie left over from those stockings.  It's a pretty popular fishery that isn't particularly big, doesn't have any deep habitat, and is prone to fish kills.  

[MassYak85]

I've always wanted to drop some live perch down in that 12ft hole right off the launch while ice fishing to see if any northerns were lurking down there. Good to know about those fingerlings though, I wonder if some will be able to be tempted by a spinnerbait or swimjig in the next couple years. 

Chauncy gets absolutely hammered during the winter so I imagine that population won't fair too well in the long run. I suppose it's also possible a couple of those smaller ones could make their way over to little chauncy and maybe grow up in there. 

[Janderson45]

17 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

I've always wanted to drop some live perch down in that 12ft hole right off the launch while ice fishing to see if any northerns were lurking down there. Good to know about those fingerlings though, I wonder if some will be able to be tempted by a spinnerbait or swimjig in the next couple years. 

Chauncy gets absolutely hammered during the winter so I imagine that population won't fair too well in the long run. I suppose it's also possible a couple of those smaller ones could make their way over to little chauncy and maybe grow up in there. 

Well it's illegal to take them before they're 28", obviously some will still fall casualty to poor handling practices before that, but I'd still bet Chauncey and A1 will be a decent little Muskie fisheries for a few years.  I hope they keep up with stockings for years to come, but doubt they would.  If the fish do well in these places the years 2020-2025 could produce some real trophies.. I still think the better areas will be predominantly western MA with the exception of Wequaquet, which has an established breeding population of northern pike.  If you look back at fishing records kept by the state, each year people catch pike 20-25lbs, while a trophy tiger Muskie is more like 10-15lbs.  

This conversation has got me wondering., what is the the premier LMB fishery in the state now?? In years past it had been Webster, but I think it's been overfished for years now, and they harvested too many weeds I read.. Same thing with Whitehall.  In 2016 Whitehall was the best LMB water according to fishing tournament data, but obviously that doesn't reflect everything.  I think A1 was near the top about 10 years ago, however I've heard rumors of a really really awful fish kill there a number of years back.  Smallmouth my guess would be Quabbin/Wachusett without much hesitation, but LMB I'm not really sure about.  Anyone have any thoughts? 

[MassYak85]

Yea I meant that a lot might die from poor handling, especially how much more vulnerable they are to that during ice fishing. All it takes is a deep hook and someone who can't take it out or cut the line quickly to freeze up their gills. And when they are that small they really make it hard to take out deep hooks during open water season, throw in ice fishing conditions and numb hands and the odds aren't in the fishes favor if it's being handled by someone inexperienced. And chauncy can have easily 100 people on it during an ice tourny. 

I can only speak from personal experience, but I feel like Whitehall gets way too much pressure to be on any top LMB fishery list. I rarely hear of anything big coming out of there. Then again apparently some kid caught a double digit at the dam a couple years back in the early spring, so what do I know. It seems to be very hit or miss for me too, I've had too many days there where I could only manage one or two dinks. I can't say I've ever had a great day there. A few high 3's spread out but I've never caught anything big there. 

I personally would still put Webster in the conversation. I fished there a decent amount over the summer and had some great days. 3/6 of my biggest bass came out of there this year (4.4, 4.5, 4.8). But they really have done a number on the weeds. The thing I like about Webster is you have the potential for a really nice smallmouth or largemouth. I lost a few really nice smallies that hit a 130 plopper there over the summer. It's probably my favorite but I haven't fished too many places in the state. I really haven't done any in western mass other than the Connecticut river for stripers. Haven't touched the Cape or the North shore either other than me living right next to the Merrimack while I am at school. There's a pretty good smallmouth population in there. 

[JAB50]

Webster has some really nice smallmouth in it. Just find the rocky points with some decent depth. Ball head grubs, ballhead creature baits and ballhead tubes worked well. Fish everything slow. Right now the concord river(fair haven bay) in Lincoln Sudbury should be really good. I use to fish it on thanksgiving morning for years. There still could be bait being chased right now. Jig n pig(blk&blue), 3/8 spinnerbait(slow roll it) and a jerkbait. And there is some really big northern pike in there too. They'll hit a jig! Get there early. Our poles would be freezing up at the tips. But, we never got skunked! My friend actually had a largemouth blow through skim ice to hit his jig n pig! It was crazy! 

[MassYak85]

I wish I could have gone yesterday, the weather was absolutely beautiful for this time of year. But I had an ultimate frisbee tournament. Did any of you make it out?