While there is no proof because we’re not face-timing, I have a hunch shop owners I’m talking to are enjoying a good laugh! My enquiries of who, what and where I suspect are landing with a thud because, believe it or not, there isn’t a whole lot of anglers fishing out there. Still, some solder on and are too busy trying to catch than bemoan.
Captain Carl “Carp” Vinning of Somerville spends more time eyeballing Greater Boston Rivers than resident eagles and his reports are that the curse of skim ice does not hold sway among the rivers. Regarding birds he’s also seeing what he and his boat-mate Captain Dave Panarello refer to as “loony tunes” (cormorants) diving with increasing purpose. It’s almost as if they are engaged in preseason workouts awaiting the first alewife scouts which will arrive later this month.
While for other species it is wait-and-see for the time being, carp can always be counted on. For the price of a can of corn and a simple slip sinker rig/size 6 bait holder hook anglers can hook into a tank that pulls as hard as a striper pound-for-pound. The area should be “seeded” with a few handfuls of corn sprinkled about prior to casting out a line with a couple of kernels attached to the hook. Rather than randomly set up anywhere, look for boils or breaches in the water. Carp are not subtle and owing to their size and power it’s obvious when they are around.
The other bottom groveler worth considering are white catfish which can be found in a number of places including the Merrimack River, Charles River, Connecticut River and a plethora of ponds and lakes. Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy has emerged from her hibernation and on most days is tending to the shop. David Do is glad the shop is open as he stopped in to pick up Menhaden Oil which he claims gives him the edge when catfish are his quest. Lisa wasn’t sure whether the cats David had in mind were white catfish, channel catfish or just plain brown bullheads but he’s been catching them from Billington Sea in Plymouth. She’s also dolling out shiners for trout and bass from ponds just south of Boston to the Cape.
After looking out my window and seeing the Greater Boston pond across the street from me cloaked in white, I was optimistic that some water bodies in Central Mass had finally caught. Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston told me that nothing could be further from the truth as anglers were having to travel north of the border or to the higher elevation ponds farther out west. The good news for the West Boylston area, is that opening day for Wachusett is but one month away!
As has been the case all winter long, redemption came from my conversation with Martin Farrell of B&R Bait and Tackle in Cheshire. Fishing and catching pike and bass on hardwater continues unabated on Lake Pontoosuc as well as Cheshire Resevoir. Unless you were exiled in Iceland you know how variable this winter has been so don’t take a single step onto the ice for granted. Unforeseen springs are active right now as are inlets; this, along with oscillating temperatures has many experienced ice fishers saying that they’ve never seen such unpredictable conditions such as this year. A better bet for consistent ice is what you’ll find in higher elevation areas of the Berkshires such as Goose Pond, North Pond and Plainfield.
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
While a month removed from February 2nd, it’s feeling like Groundhog Day – the movie version that is. Things aren’t changing a heck of a lot with skim ice obfuscating open-water options. While hardly glamorous, carp and catfish can be found among the Connecticut, Charles and Merrimack Rivers as well as countless closed water bodies. If you want to stay fishy during these lean times than you have to remain versatile. While historically March for many means ice fishing if you’re looking for a real frozen water fix you’ll have to head to the Hilltowns or seek salvation north of the border.