What’s Biting in April in Massachusetts?

Cod, Lakers, and Larrys

I’m not going out on much of a limb predicting that from May through October, most of you will be preoccupied with chasing a certain seven-striped favorite. Far be it from me to judge; by wader, by kayak, and by boat, I’ll also be focused on them. The beauty of April is that it allows us to sample the other species our state has to offer, species that might be afterthoughts as of next month. 

One of those species is what, for generations, was the real squeeze in these parts, the brown bomber itself, the mighty cod. This could be the very definition of the adage, “You don’t know what you’ve got until It’s gone.” Our state fish is far from recovered, but along with many others, I had been relishing the chance to fish for them again after essentially a moratorium. 

That point was driven home at a few holiday get-togethers this past winter organized by my friends, Captain Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics and Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sport Fishing.  If ever there was a diverse crowd, these parties had it. At one fete, I sat next to a harpooner, a tuna-spotting pilot, and a guy who ran an education program for city kids. However, the one common thread was that everyone enjoyed groundfishing, especially for cod. 

Over the last few years, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and federal regulators have granted two weeks of limited cod fishing in April and up to a month in the fall, and anglers have been loving it. That should continue, but even if it doesn’t, there are other ways to scratch that groundfish itch. In recent years, the southern New England area has had an open cod season up until May 31 and the bag limit there has been a much more liberal 5 fish at a 23-inch minimum. If you’re looking for a way to tap into what’s available off the South Coast, consider my friend, Captain Jason Colby, who is planning on keeping his Contender boat Little Sister at Westport, intending to fish his proven cod waypoints during April. 

Closer to the Hub, you shouldn’t have to go far to catch cod. The ledges off Hull, such as Ultonia, Hardings, Thieves, and Three-and-One-Half Fathom, all should hold cod. You may even find a few off Toddy Rocks. Those lumps and bumps by the B Buoy are cod magnets as is the varied bottom between Nahant and Dread Ledge. Cod are nothing if not voracious, and while they will hit a variety of baits, they are most sporting when caught while jigging. This is especially so in the shallow waters, where they are now. Speed jigs, slow-pitch jigs, and even the venerable Norwegian-style jig will all do the job. While it’s easy to feel frustrated at what has befallen our cod stocks, for many, all is well in the world when a flopping cod hits the deck.

Lake Trout

If there’s a more fervent fan base than those who fish Wachusett Reservoir, I haven’t met them. The cruel irony for those fanatical fishers is that the Chu is one of only three water bodies in the state that has a closed season. While the months without are incurably long, the wait this past year for the faithful seemed less cruel…because it was. Our friends at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Department of Conservation and Recreation chose to bequeath us an additional month as we got to breath the rarified air of fishing this cold-water-species gem in December.

The pain was still palpable because the fishing was so darn good right up until the final sunset. The good news is that the groundwork was set for what should be an awesome year. As always, a fishery thrives or dies depending on the bait, and the lakers, salmon, and rainbows have been robust and chock-full of rainbow smelt. Smelt numbers are cyclical and we seem to be on an upward trajectory, making the future bright for Massachusetts’ second-biggest water body. 

While classic tactics of soaking shiners and casting spoons such as Kastmasters and Krocodiles will always have their place, it may be worth shaking things up a bit. During my final trip last year on the day before it closed, I had a bit of an epiphany. My buddy Billy Eicher and I took Eric Harrison, who writes the OTW Kayak Corner, to my go-to location on the Gate 35 side of the reservoir. Eric had an interesting outing that raised my eyebrows by downsizing and working a close-to-shore weed line with a small tungsten jig/soft plastic. In fact, he had more action than I had as I fished the Chu conventionally while casting “heavy metal” toward the horizon. 

Later that day, we met Nick, who along with his brother Joe, developed the Facebook page Wachusett Reservoir Addicts. Because he spends an inordinate amount of time on the reservoir, he is prone to experimentation and has come up with some interesting findings. In addition to the usual arsenal, he’s inclined to throw salty armaments with surprising results. One of these was a needlefish plug, which at the far end of a lengthy cast stuck an enormous laker that exhibited power far beyond what is normally associated with fresh water. That monster came unbuttoned, but the point was solidly driven home that it pays to experiment when fishing a big-fish factory such as Wachusett Reservoir. 

As of this writing, water levels are down; I have a hunch that there might be access aplenty this April. As to the “where,” a more appropriate question may be, “Where not?” Smelt will be spawning this month in shoal water, with lake trout and other salmonoids hot on their tails. Shallow, skinny water that is oft-ignored will be prime for a solid bite. Keep your eyes and ears out for those smelt bait balls. If you’re taken aback about my suggesting relying on your acoustic abilities, then consider this anecdote. Last April, I was startled by an unusual sound that reminded me of a giant aerator. I thought it had to be a passing rain shower until I peered into the water and observed a tightly wound school of smelt. Not surprisingly, I had found the honey hole, and the fishing was awesome.

Largemouth Bass

If you’re jazzed up after ogling On The Water tidbits about black bass during the offseason, then now is a good time to get your Larry love on. As passionate as we are about stripers on the East Coast, that fervor pales compared to the nationwide appetite for largemouth bass. In April, largemouth are in pre-spawn mode.  With rising water temperatures, they become eating machines in preparation for spawning early in the summer. 

Like many of you, I’m so preoccupied with saltwater addiction from May through October that it leaves little time for Ned-rigging, wacky-worming, jerkbaiting, swimbaiting,  and the other tactics that make freshwater bass fishing unique. While I’m a work in progress in most of these disciplines, this is the month I pretend that I’m a better bass angler than I really am. 

Fortunately, largemouth bass are active enough to be an enabler this month and even the middling can catch like a pro. One of my favorite spring spots is a shallow, muddy-bottomed cove on the eastern side of a Greater Boston water body. The afternoon sun bakes that skinny water, drawing in sunfish, perch, and bass of all sizes. This is not the time to rush to the water’s edge as I’ve seen 4-pound bass spook from water so shallow that their dorsal fins stuck out of the water. 

Stumps, rocks, and downed trees that retain heat and concentrate forage make ideal ambush points for bass. I fish old-school in such conditions and toss weedless soft crayfish, Senkos, and wacky worms. Should there be a muddy inlet feeding into an area, all the better. 

Of course, something can be said for simply loading up a bucket with shiners and floating a big one near a likely largemouth lair. In fact, while doing just that last year, the bobber I was using sank like an orange stone and I found myself tied to a 6-pound hawg. For a brief moment, I could relate to those high-profile, decorated bass pros who are treated like rock stars in the rest of the country … the only difference being that I felt no urge to smooch that bass! 

Related Content

Massachusetts Lake Trout State Record Broken Twice in One Week

The Best Lake Trout Lakes by State

Early Spring Largemouth in Small Ponds

Source: https://onthewater.com/whats-biting-in-april-in-massachusetts

$post[‘post_content’] .= ‘Source‘;