As you’ll deduce by the lack of pictures in this post, the Lake Trout gave me the slip again yesterday. This time I tried for lakers on Quabbin. It was opening day on the big reservoir. I got some good advice from one of our regular blog readers, and contributors (thanks Will!), on where to try for Lake Trout so I early Saturday morning I headed out.
This was my first time fishing Quabbin and it was a bit daunting to be honest. I wouldn’t say that stream fishing is easy but identifying where fish are located in streams is much more straightforward, at least for me. Finding fish and tempting them with fly gear on large bodies of water, especially when being confined to the shore, is something I’m still learning. It’s doubly hard when the particular fish I’m chasing are not usually visible, are generally confined to deeper water, highly mobile, and not very abundant overall.
I fished a lot of good-looking water but came up empty-handed. Deep dropoffs with smelt imitations and sinking line. The sinking line was key, not only for getting down, but for powering casts through the stiff wind. It was nice to get out, and if nothing else, I scouted some really awesome looking bass spots that I’ll hit up in a few weeks.
Anybody else been getting out?
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What was the water temp. on the big pond?
Hey Jim, I didn’t take a temperature. Maybe someone else will chime in on this discussion and let us know.
My buddy spotted a lot in 15-20′ of water. Lost two trolling large shiners. Personally for flyfishing I would rent a boat and try points and drop-offs with sinking lines and smelt/ baitfish imitations. Drift with the wind. Intersperse that with some good old streamer trolling with the same set up and maybe you could pick up some salmon! Its a challenge any way you try it!
Renting a boat would be a good idea. I figured with it being opening day the place would be a zoo. Maybe next time.
I admire your determination!
I took my boat out opening day out of gate 43. No luck fly fishing for lakers or salmon but I did get a half dozen smallies two of them over 20″ long. Water temp. Was between 43-48, the bass were all on the north side of islands out of the wind witch seemed to be mostly out of the south. I got them in 30′ of water making cast to the shore and letting my full sink line get down 8-10′ and making slow strips. All the fish were taken on a red and yellow clouser minnow about 3.5″ long.
Wow! Smallies over 20″? Congratulations, as they must have fought like madmen. Curious, what weight fly rod do you use for stillwater fishing and to land such hogs?
I have a newly purchased 7wt sage with a sage 2200 series reel. This might be a little over kill when fishing sub-surface flies that cast well, I really got this rod to cast big wind resistant deer hair poppers dor summer bass fishing. I am new to the blog great content being from central mass it’s nice to have a resource that I can turn to with like-minded fishermen to share ideas and knowledge. If you’re interested in seeing picture of one of the smallies my instagam is @Andrew_Bombard
Nice fish (here)! How about a guest post?