Massachusetts Fishing Report – February 9, 2023

Ice fishing seasons aren’t what they used to be! For most of the state it’s time to pack away the hardwater gear and bid this wimpy winter – adieu. Anglers with a masochistic streak took to the ice last Saturday and the rest of us on Sunday. Personally I’ve amassed quite the assortment of what I deem ice fishing essentials. Lumped onto my sled are usually some combination of battery-powered augers, assorted traps, sonar, underwater cameras, jig sticks, tackle and a trove of other accessories. It would have been nice to give them all a good workout but even an abbreviated season is better than none at all.

While the rest of the world huddled in place and prayed that the big chill would pass without any plumbing casualties, a few of us were thinking the colder the better. While we cheered on the cold we cursed the wind which in many cases overrode the ice making temperatures and prevented swaths of water bodies from icing in. But those who knew ponds intimately and were aware of leeward areas and sheltered coves, capitalized on the brief and fleeting ice. In fact some shops reported business so brisk that they ran out of bait!

Along with my buddy Billy Eicher, I seized a brief window of sufficient ice in a Greater Boston water body and we spent the morning chasing flags thanks to cooperative pickerel and bass. While no trophies came out to play on Sunday, a 2 1/2 pound Larry is just the thing to ward off cabin fever. As the mercury climbed to 40 degrees the melt was on and fearing that we’d be surrounded by a moat we called it a day and a season. Little would I realize that anglers all along the coast experienced the very same reality. Those who knew a pond well saw the opportunity, enjoyed a brief frozen fun flurry and are now turning their attention towards what’s next: open water.

Massachusetts Fishing Report

I didn’t expect Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate to tell me that our South Shore counterparts did the same as we did and took advantage of the flash freeze and got some ice fishing in over the weekend. The topic we then talked about was trout; are we there yet, where we’re wondering when the first round of stocking will begin? Some years when there’s a lot of ice, biologists will hold off on stocking due to access issues and less than ideal oxygen/ph levels in ponds because of a winter-long cloak of ice. There will be no such problems this year so odds are that the hatchery folks will be making their rounds very early in March. Meanwhile there is still trout to be had thanks to the fall stocking in Big Sandy Pond, Fearing Pond, Little Pond and Long Pond – all in Plymouth. Being coldwater critters trout are plenty active in spite of it being February and will willingly clobber all kinds of spoons, swimmers, flies and streamers as well as bait.

Eric from Lunkers in Ashland told me that two of his customers took advantage of a quick freeze on the little cove by the boat ramp on Ashland Reservoir and they picked up a few rainbow trout. That spot may be one to file away for open water which should be imminent. A few folks also had luck on Heard Pond for pike but it’s doubtful that that place has safe ice now. Heard is infused from time to time with pike from the Sudbury River which adjoins the pond and spills into it during periods of higher water. We’ve had a lot of rainfall over the last few months so the potential there could be high.

Because April 1st this year is on a Saturday, Wachusett Reservoir will have a relatively early start. Additionally, with little ice cover to worry about it should be game on from the onset for most every species which swims in the Chu’. Ordinarily the activity level of smallmouth bass and white perch will lag behind their salmonoid neighbors but expect both of those species to cooperate right from opening day. Salmon should be right on top pushing smelt. In fact anglers should be mindful of that preferred forage because early on smelt should be spawning in shoal water and up tight to the shoreline. Often, spent specimens will wash up on the shoreline. Should you find fresh examples of them than congratulations – you have fond a honey hole! Some of my best outings at Wachusett have been when I’ve been fishing with smelt nearly underfoot. As for any chance of catching anything now, B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston did tell me that some anglers were recently on the ice among ponds in the Hubbardston area such as Moosehorn. With 60 degrees predicted on Friday a better option may be to give the Stillwater River a look. Upstream of Waushacum Brook, anglers can fish the river all year round and I have known anglers who have caught lakers there in the middle of winter!

The word from Rodney Flagg of Flagg’s Fly and Tackle in Orange sounded like a tale of “you should have been here yesterday!”. Sunday the shop was so busy that he completely sold out of bait. However as of now, he described the state of local ice as “iffy”. Rohunta has some good ice but also sections of open water. The back end of Barton Cove has recently had ice fishing traffic as well with walleye and pike targeted there. If Rod had to circle one area where the potential for good ice is most possible it would be the Warwick section where Moores Pond and Clubhouse Pond reside. That area almost seems immune to weather fluctuations and holds ice better than anywhere else in the Connecticut Valley Region. Rod loves to tell the story of one year when anglers were still ice fishing Clubhouse Pond on opening day at Quabbin! There are no such illusions that that will happen this year.

Spencer of Berkshire Bass did pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and managed a few guided ice fishing trips over the weekend. However with the decidedly lackluster forecast he’s not expecting a repeat weekend and instead is preparing for open water pike and bass along the Housatonic River. When that happens he’ll be the first to know and I’ll surely pass along that information.

And then there’s the “other guys” and according to Martin of B&R Bait and Tackle in Cheshire that contingent is still living it up on plenty of ice out west! In fact because conditions are constantly being peppered by thaws the pike fishing is only getting better. Ice melt, current, flow from inlets is usually typical fare in March but this year it’s happening now and this is a trigger to put pike on a feeding binge as they shift into pre-spawning mode. Whether the venue is Onota, Pontoosuc, Cheshire or Buel, the big fish bite is on! Fortunately the shop is carrying suckers and the size of shiners which would interest a 40” fish! You’ll have plenty of company out there for sure since there aren’t exactly a lot of other Bay State options, but with pike prowling so close to the shoreline you won’t have to go far. With so much attention towards toothies in the big lakes, smaller “hilltown” trout ponds such as Plainfield, North and Windsor are experiencing less pressure. These bucolic Berkshire gems often offer solitude, pleasing aesthetics and occasionally terrific trout action.

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

The calendar my say early February but the natural world is screaming – March! Already my neighborhood is being serenaded by tufted titmouses! Albeit premature, the same thing is happening among our watery pastime. Where there is ice out west, anglers are finding ferocity among pike that prowl among Pontoosuc, Cheshire and other big lakes out west. High times await Hilltown trout water with the tranquility of the environment almost making catching academic – well, almost. For the rest of us it’s a rod grab once again and in time the rumbling of hatchery trucks making the rounds will be among the sweetest sounds. From a personal note, I’m ready to resuscitate river love knowing that they will be among the first for sweetwater success. That’s on the agenda for sure and I have a hunch there will be plenty to discuss during next weeks forecast!