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Conference wahoo::fishing

Title:Fishing Notes- Archived
Notice:See note 555.1 for a keyword directory of this conference
Moderator:DONMAC::MACINTYRE
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Sep 20 1991
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1660
Total number of notes:20970

67.0. "Its almost time" by AKOV68::SHANAHAN () Thu Feb 20 1986 22:23

    	Well, its almost ice-out time here in Mass and I'm looking to
    find out where the best early season waters are. The trout stockings
    don't happen till usually the 3rd week in March but does anyone
    know of any good early season fishin holes in the central mass.
    area. 
    	Also, what are the best early season baits/tactics to wake up
    them lazy old trout? I'm gettin reel itchy to put the new gear to
    use.
    
    Denny
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
67.1Try Fort PondMIGHTY::DILSWORTHKeith DilsworthFri Feb 21 1986 11:206
    One of the better places in North  Central  Massachusetts  would  be
    Fort Pond in Lancaster.  It has a very good boat ramp just off of Rt
    2.  and has hold over Rainbows and Browns.  I also heard that it was
    stocked with Landlocked Salmon last year.

    Keith
67.2The Merrimack?TORCH::MACINTYREFri Feb 21 1986 12:563
    The Merrimack River north of Manchester NH looks just about fishable,
    but I know little about it, I'm not sure if the fishing is good
    *anytime* of year... maybe I should take this to a new note...
67.3The secret's out now!!AKOV68::SHANAHANFri Feb 21 1986 15:4315
    re 67.1
    	So thats why all those fisherman were in my way last summer
    while I was trying to learn how to water ski. My brother bought
    a cottage there last summer and I knew there was some good trout
    in there but I thought it was just rainbows. We did try a little
    bit of fishing there in the fall but I usually just fish for trout
    in the spring. We didn't have much luck last fall nor has there
    been much luck thru the ice.
    	I haven't heard anything about salmon being in there but I'll
    look into it and report back here what I find out.
    	Keith, what do you suggest for early season bait/lures/tactics
    (before the stocking). I usually stick to live bait before they
    stock, such as worms and pinhead shiners.
    
    Denny
67.4Was is a secret??MIGHTY::DILSWORTHKeith DilsworthMon Feb 24 1986 10:4214
    re 67.3

    If you want to fish fort pond before it is stocked, you have up to a
    week after ice-out.  The ice usually leaves around March 24, and the
    stocking truck makes it's first delivery shortly afterwards.  I know
    they  stock  at  the launch ramp and around by the island.  A lot of
    people fish worms and marshmallows by the launch  ramp.   I  usually
    used a 3/16 oz.  silver Thomas spoon and had very good luck casting.
    If you plan early spring trolling, the favorite seems  to  be  small
    dark  streamers.   For  the  early  season, I usually worked shallow
    flats (5') next to a drop off.


    Keith
67.5Fort Pond and largemouths????FELIX::SCHOLZIn Search of Mr. SpockTue Feb 25 1986 15:368
    re: Fort Pond.........
    
    Okay, now that all the trout fishermen are alive and looking, what
    about us few that like to follow ol' bucketmouth??? I never fished
    the pond and with a good launch for my ranger I'd like to know if
    the lake offers any "good" bass fishing. Can you help me here?
    
    Thanks in advance, Ron (waiting_for_Spring)
67.6Not the best bassin hole, but...AKOV68::SHANAHANTue Feb 25 1986 16:3111
    re.5
    	Although Fort Pond is really a trout hole there is some bass
    in there. I haven't seen any real big bass come out of there but
    I've seen a few in the 3 to 4 lb range. Bass fishin here during
    the day is almost impossible do to the large amount of water skiers
    ( I'm one of them ) but late in the day isn't to bad. I would suggest
    trying the northeast cove area as that seems to be the spot all
    the bassers' head to first. As for lures I'd go with the 1/4 oz
    spinners and jigs. I'll see ya out there some time. Good luck.
    	Denny
    
67.7A few bass in Fort PondMIGHTY::DILSWORTHKeith Dilsworth DTN 264-5245Tue Feb 25 1986 16:3614
    RE: 67.5

    I did catch a bass while ice fishing in Fort Pond a few  years  ago,
    and I once saw a pickerel caught there.  If you live in the area and
    need a good launch, Whalom Pond in Lunenburg has  a  excellent  one.
    Whalom  also has trout, but is a better bass lake.  The ice goes out
    about the same time as Fort Pond.  The pond and  launch  are  behind
    Whalom Park, off of Rt 13.

    There are a lot of small ponds around northern Worcester County  but
    your "Ranger" would be impossible to launch on most of them.


    Keith
67.8Thanks for the infoFELIX::SCHOLZIn Search of Mr. SpockWed Feb 26 1986 10:4910
    re: .6, .7
    
    Thanks and thanks........I'll be looking into both of these this
    spring.
    
    You're right about the problem with most of the ponds in the north,
    they are more for car tops than bass boats. If anyone else knows
    of any that are moderatly accessable, please share the info.
    
    Thanks again and tight lines, Ron (still_waiting_for_Spring)
67.9Salmon in Fort PondAKOV68::SHANAHANThu Feb 27 1986 20:119
    	I found out that they did stock Fort Pond with "some" salmon
    last spring, however I'm not sure just how many and if they intend
    to put anymore in this year. I didn't see anyone take any out last
    year nor did I hear of anyone gettin any of them. Bet there's still
    some of them in there for the early birds this year. I'm still countin
    down the days.
    
    Denny
    
67.10Is This A Fish Story?SYSENG::NELSONFri Feb 28 1986 10:2911
    	I find that quite exceptional that they would stock landlocks
    in that pond,  then again I really don't know much about the pond.
    I'm going to see if I can find the boat ramp today.  Can anyone
    tell me how deep the water gets there?  The salmon would certainly
    need some cold water to survive throughout the year not to mention
    there is no preferable food (smelt) existent in that pond that I'm
    aware of.  I'm going to do some digging and see what I can find
    out about this.  If anything turns up, I'll report my findings.
    
    ><%%%("> J   Make My Day
    
67.11Its cold enoughAKOV68::SHANAHANFri Feb 28 1986 16:107
    	The pond gets between 40-50 feet deep in one area. I suppose
    you want me to tell you which area that is. The average depth is
    around 25-30 ft I believe. The deepest part is located slightly
    north east of the center. Roughly about 50 yards just guessing.
    Believe me the water is cold enough!! Hope this helps.
    
    Denny
67.12Salmon in Fort Pond?SYSENG::NELSONThu Mar 13 1986 10:1825
    Well I finally got to talk to some people at the Fish and Wildlife
    Dept. about this rumor and the facts about it.  At first, no one
    could confirm that this occurred, just that it might be possible.
    The reasons given is that there might have been a surplus of brooders
    that had to be unloaded somewhere.  Fort Pond being a holdover pond
    for trout could be a candidate.  We're talking about a few very
    large salmon if that were the case.  I was referred to a biologist
    to find out.
    
    I then finally got to talk to the fisheries biologist for the central
    district.  After a chuckle, he also heard the rumor and doesn't
    know how it got started, this is what he said.  No, they did not
    stock Fort Pond with salmon.  It would be exception and unusual
    behavior on their part to do so.  Salmon is stocked in two waters
    here.  They are Quabbin Res. and Wachuset Res., particularly Wachuset.
    What is interesting that I wasn't aware of is that they also stock
    smelt in various holdover ponds for trout and salmon forage.  They
    did stock along with the usual trout some smelt into Fort Pond.
    This is what he believes possibly started the rumor.  Someone got
    confused with the smelt stocking as being a salmon stocking.  So
    anyways, Fort Pond should at least have some nice size trout lurking
    about as well as some real meals for them to put on the pounds!
    
    <")%%%><  J    The One That Got Away !     Steve
    
67.13Only time will tell....AKOV68::SHANAHANHead for the mountains....Thu Mar 13 1986 21:016
    	Steve what you say does sound more likely than what I was told.
    However, I will be down there as soon as the ice is out anyway,
    so if I happen to come across anything unusual I'll let everyone
    know.
    
    Denny
67.14Way to fish in de iceUSHS01::BEAZLEYMon Mar 17 1986 15:1910
    Jes tought of sumpin mebbe hep you nawthun fishymons. Wot you do
    is to get up real early in de mornin an eat some aigs wit som salsa
    rachero an tobasco an cayenne pepper on dem. Den wen you get in
    de boat de ice she melt all aroun you!! Den move all aroun de lak
    an you can den fish till it freez ober agin. Wun time we did this
    down here an de water boil so much we cud eat dem fish when dey
    come to de top. You din have to eben fish fo dem!!
    
    Coonass Bob