Eastern Ma & New England Area Fishing Reports

[DogBone_384]

The Boss Lady was busy so I hit my favorite little kettle in Plymouth.  It was near calm and overcast with rain coming, I was hoping for some topwater smallies.

 

I hooked onto four SMB.  One on a perch V110 and the other three took a green/red flake Rage Tail Grub on a Matt Allen head.  All four came out of the water at least a foot.  The fourth was the best, I was switching the grub from a ML to M rod and dropped the grub in the water.  As I was tying a Ned on the ML rod I thought it would be a good idea to put my foot on the M rod, even though the other two fish took it off the bottom.

 

Sure enough, a couple seconds after I put my foot down, the rod bent over.  The fish came out of the water and hit the kayak's bow as I set the hook and still managed to unhinge.  I'm counting it.  I'm also getting a hook sharpener.

 

Water temps were 77.x and air pressure was 29.9.

 

@MassYak85, There's only a couple weeks left this Summer anyway, I'll be on Cape Cod with my Ranger a couple times in September if you have the time/interest.  I'm going to break the code of my nemesis lake, no matter the cost.

[1984isNOW]

August has sucked so far, but I've only been able to fish in unfavorable conditions, in the same spots, soo weedy I can only use the same things.

 

But I've now got a question for another post soon, punching in a kayak, I think that's my only option at this point.

[Don51]

I always found August to be one of the slowest months of the year. Dog days! However in another month thing should pick up significantly. Especially after those first few "chilly" nights. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

On 8/19/2023 at 3:45 AM, Don51 said:

I always found August to be one of the slowest months of the year. Dog days! However in another month thing should pick up significantly. Especially after those first few "chilly" nights. 

I’ve caught some big bass this month 

[1984isNOW]

28 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’ve caught some big bass this month 

Doin what?

[MassBass]

22 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’ve caught some big bass this month 

Night fish don't count.. hehehe

[DogBone_384]

Dropped into my home pond for a little bit this afternoon.  I was surprised the water level was low, especially compared to the South Shore & Cape Cod.

 

I managed a good pickerel straight away on a light green 7.75" Kut Tail.  That was it.

 

The top eye of my MH rod lost a chunk and the reel on my M rod threw up.  I was already tired and not in the 'mood', so I called it a night.

 

Water temps were 78.x, it was dead calm, and air pressure was 30.  We've got cooler nights OTW and September is a week away ... it's gonna get good right quick!

[guidoStow]

I checked in on a local river, it was super high and 73 degrees. I got my motor yesterday. Ready to rumble!

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

On 8/21/2023 at 2:46 PM, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

Doin what?

Big wakebaits, jigs, chatterbaits, I’ve had good days this month! 

[1984isNOW]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:38 AM, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’ve had good days this month! 

"Days" you say? You're known for wetting lines at 2am, these fish were caught in daylight?

 

I've got way too much growth here for chatterbaits, they only chatter for a second then stop after finding a new hat made of milfoil or some other weed.

 

Wakebaits may have a place, but narrow coverage. I only have 1, I'll give it a go.

[Mr. Aquarium]

On 8/25/2023 at 7:40 PM, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

"Days" you say? You're known for wetting lines at 2am, these fish were caught in daylight?

 

I've got way too much growth here for chatterbaits, they only chatter for a second then stop after finding a new hat made of milfoil or some other weed.

 

Wakebaits may have a place, but narrow coverage. I only have 1, I'll give it a go.

Yep days!!! I’ve caught a few fish over 5 this time of year during the day. 

Got out yesterday afternoon.  Did well. Got 9 bass. Struggling to find em at first picking off random fish. Then sunset back to my usual are I fish. Ended up getting 6 here.  They were loving the jigs I made and tubes. My jigs, tubes, chatter and a whopper plopper got em. 

[1984isNOW]

@Mr. Aquarium good stuff my man, I'm getting into making some tackle too. And my own rods.

 

I gotta try to find some better water back home, hopefully that big pickerel pond I posted about will produce some chunky bass too.

[Mr. Aquarium]

6 minutes ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

@Mr. Aquarium good stuff my man, I'm getting into making some tackle too. And my own rods.

 

I gotta try to find some better water back home, hopefully that big pickerel pond I posted about will produce some chunky bass too.

That’s awesome. I’ve only made jigs so far. I need a better work shop to build rods and  other lures.

[guidoStow]

Got to a local river this afternoon to start to break in the new motor and to see if I could find any interested fish. Had one swirl that I think was a pickerel but that was it. Then the jet skis started to buzz through. Do with there was an open season on them...

 

Water is still 70-72 degrees and really high.

[MassYak85]

Fished Webster this morning. Got 5 decent ones on a spinnerbait, missed 2 more. Fished about 4 hours before a thunderstorm chased us off.

[DogBone_384]

I took my Ranger to Cape Cod last Tuesday - Thursday, fishing the bigger waters I generally struggle at.  Tuesday & Wednesday went well.  I marked baitfish clouds near bottom in ~ 25' and a few groups tight to shore at the island I stopped to eat lunch at.  My big smallies, a 3-11 and 4-11, came on a Stunna 112+1.  The 4-11 hit my bait as it landed and was one of those bites where I set the hook and the fish held its ground like I snagged a stump or something.  My next biggest SMB was 2-8 and it ate a 3.8" Keitech at the bottom of a steep drop.  The 3.8 also got me a 4-5 catfish on top of a hump, a first.

 

I fished two different ponds Thursday and had very different results.  I marked little or nothing and that's what I got.  The second pond looked like pea soup.  It was in the 90's and humid, so that was a short trip.

 

Water temps were in the mid-high 70's.  Air pressure started at 29.9 and dropped to 29.8.  It was bluebird and very humid.

 

Most fish I marked were still deep, but my biggest SMB were shallow.  The fall feed is upon us.

 

Good luck to everyone getting out.  I'll be back on the Cape this Sunday - Tuesday, though I've yet to decide whether to bring the Ranger or Kayak...

[MassYak85]

Nice smallies @DogBone_384!

 

Me and my dad got out for a half day this morning. Got 5 on a nice topwater bite with the Monka crawler to start, then got another 5 on spinnerbaits in deep milfoil beds. We both snagged a 4lber back to back just before the rain rolled in.

[1984isNOW]

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

Nice smallies @DogBone_384!

 

Me and my dad got out for a half day this morning. Got 5 on a nice topwater bite with the Monka crawler to start, then got another 5 on spinnerbaits in deep milfoil beds. We both snagged a 4lber back to back just before the rain rolled in.

You rollin over the milfoil or in pockets?

[DogBone_384]

2 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

Got 5 on a nice topwater bite

Awesome!  I've not been able to buy a topwater bite this year.  I've not thrown a popper or frog ... I'll bet that's the ticket.

 

I'm heading back to the Cape tomorrow through Tuesday.  I'm leaning towards the kayak so I can hit smaller ponds.  There's one in Harwich I'm confident I can get a couple good smallies on topwater.

 

Congrats on the 4's!

[MassYak85]

9 hours ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

You rollin over the milfoil or in pockets?

Mostly ticking the top. The last couple days we did well on two deperate lakes finding the deeper beds in 8 to 10 feet and fishing them. Couldn't put much of a shallow bite together.

 

7 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Awesome!  I've not been able to buy a topwater bite this year.  I've not thrown a popper or frog ... I'll bet that's the ticket.

 

I'm heading back to the Cape tomorrow through Tuesday.  I'm leaning towards the kayak so I can hit smaller ponds.  There's one in Harwich I'm confident I can get a couple good smallies on topwater.

 

Congrats on the 4's!

The Monka has a tendency to slay 2lbers for me lol. They were all about the same size and it was hardly sporting dragging them in on a 7'9" swimbait rod lol. Such a fun bite with that bait though. And yea I bet you would do well with a popper. It was just one of those "fishy" feeling days and the fish agreed haha.

[DogBone_384]

I finished up another trip to Cape Cod, this time with the kayak.  I started at Blueberry Pond because I never fished it and took directions to the ramp from the state website (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-pond-maps) and when I got to what I thought was the ramp, found a locked gate with signage saying membership only.  Off to another pond I never fished before.  Luckily it still has public access.  I did well there, finding a bunch of Larries between 1.5 & 2 pounds in ~ 20' at the bottom of steep drops, with a bluegill 6XD. 

 

After a while I decided to go to one of my favorite Cape Cod waters.  I found a lock and chain when I pulled up to the dirt road I usually launch from.  Quite a surprise!  I called Harwich town hall to ask why the chain, and they directed me to Harwich Land Trust.  I called them and spoke to one of the Trustees.  As is turns out, this dirt road was private property  where the owner didn't mind people launching 'car tops', but the property was sold.  The Harwich Land Trust bought the property to prevent developers from buying it and building houses, which would eliminate public canoe/kayak launching.  Erosion, litter, and vandalism to the property are the reasons the trust locked the road access - a few bad apples ....  You can still launch a canoe/kayak, but for now you have to park at the Cape Cod Rail Trail and wheel down the bike path and then to the beach/water.  

 

I lucked out and got permission to launch through a resident's property.  I figured it was my last trip there and wanted to make it count ... I caught white/yellow perch and a 2 1/2 pound catfish (my second in a week!) on jerkbaits and crankbaits.  On the LAST cast of the evening I bagged a 2_3 SMB on a jerkbait.  Nice finish!

 

My last pond on the Cape produced too.  Jerkbait, crankbait, drop shot, and 3.8" Keitech brought up an assortment of pickerel, white/yellow perch, and one each SMB, and LMB.  Larry weighed 3-3 and Sally came in at 2-9.

 

All fish the last two days were deep.  I saw a few groups of minnows tight to shore, but not many and didn't mark much shallow.

 

It was cloudy/drizzly Monday and turned bluebird this afternoon.  Water temps were back to the low 80's and air pressure was 30.

[guidoStow]

I fished two "long" ponds this week. Both were around 79 degrees and I marked nothing within fly rod range even with a type 6 fast sink line, 90+ foot casts and long count downs. Not fall pattern yet! The 10 day forecast keeps suggesting some moderation but it just doesn't seem to show up 8-(

[padlin]

You eastern folks getting any wind yet? I'm guessing not as you're out with a fly rod.

[guidoStow]

1 hour ago, padlin said:

You eastern folks getting any wind yet? I'm guessing not as you're out with a fly rod.

It was starting to pick up a touch yesterday but this morning was nearly dead still. But starting at sunrise Friday and peaking at sunrise Saturday it is going to be building to over 30 sustained before tapering off...

[DogBone_384]

@padlin - I’m on the coast, south of Boston.  Winds are light.

 

I fished in Hingham the last two days.  Did OK Thursday but couldn’t buy a bite with Apple-Pay yesterday.  All my panfish were on jerkbaits in ~ 10’ and the bass were tight to shore on steep shorelines.  All the bass wanted was a Senko.

 

I’ve fished here on/off since the early ‘80’s and never caught bass over 2 pounds here.  The water is black tea/coffee colored.  The panfish are good sized and the bass are short and fat.

 

Water temps were 80.x and it was about as bluebird as you could get.