The author with a beautiful bronzeback pulled through the ice.
Our bait shop friends across the state are having a hard time keeping shiners in stock. Interest in all things fishing remains exceptionally high and hardwater is hardly immune.
Come spring most anglers thoughts in these parts turn toward the salt and who can blame them? Ice fishing however represents more than just a way to while away the winter, it gives anglers an opportunity to catch some pretty special freshwater species. White and yellow perch, smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, pickerel and trout are just not in the offing for many once April kicks in!
Massachusetts Fishing Report – January 14, 2021
Hilltown Ponds are hot!
While the wait is on for winter to start behaving like it close to the coast, those seeking safe ice have been on the move. Should you decide that you simply can’t wait for neighborhood water bodies to cap over, point your ride to the valleys and the hills!
Massachusetts Fishing Report I was pleasantly surprised when David of
Merrimack Sports spilled the beans on a number of ice fishing options in the Merrimack Valley. First on the list was Millvale Pond which was producing good numbers of rainbows, bass and pickerel but the number which most stuck out was 7”, which was the average depth of ice! Other spots that have been producing are Plugs Pond, Rock Pond, Country Pond and Tuxbury Pond. In anticipation of what seems like an imminent lock-up of the coves of the Merrimack (again!), the shop is supplementing its “heavy” shiners (5”) with bigger bait for the pike that prowl there.
December 31, 2020
Cod are prowling a short distance from shore right now making them a catch-and-release target for small boaters and when conditions are right, even kayaks!
If you prefer celebrating your New Year’s with ice underfoot rather than in a glass, things aren’t looking very good. However while kibitzing with a few fellow kayak owners, I came up with an interesting saltwater alternative.
Those of the hardcore, hardwater community already know of anglers who were out on slivers of ice but for all but the most reckless that is just not in the offing for the foreseeable future even for those willing to travel to northernmost New England. While I did get reports from nether regions of New England of icy endeavors, we cannot suggest them with a clear conscience. Conditions just aren’t safe at the moment, even Captain Patrick Barone of Charter The Berkshires who hails from the Hadley area and is as familiar with “Hilltown” hardwater as he is with the back of his hand
Massachusetts Fishing Report – December 17, 2020
December 17, 2020
Hawgs such as this one caught by eleven-year-old Michael Morrill should soon be fair game through the ice!
My shop owner friends from Plymouth to Plum Island have all echoed the same opinion this year – Covid 19 has converted more to angling than any time in memory. For those new to the sport or for those simply looking to stay active, it’s increasingly looking as if ice fishing has to be on your agenda.
Your ally in hardwater pursuits are the small business owners who own tackle shops throughout the Bay State. For a peak into their pro perspective I’ve dusted off some of their best bets through the years!