On Friday, Peters Pond in Sandwich, Mashpee/Wakeby ponds in Mashpee, Long Pond in Plymouth, Hamblin Pond and Shubael Pond in Barnstable, Ashumet Pond in Falmouth and John’s Pond in Mashpee were all stocked with rainbow trout.
If you can take the cold weather, trout fishing is a good option now as the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife finally got to do some stocking on Friday. Peters Pond in Sandwich, Mashpee/Wakeby ponds in Mashpee, Long Pond in Plymouth, Hamblin Pond and Shubael Pond in Barnstable, Ashumet Pond in Falmouth and John’s Pond in Mashpee were all stocked with rainbow trout.
Even though there’s still plenty of snow on the ground, birds were singing their spring songs on Saturday. I had a busy day scheduled, but after reading the fishing report on the MassWildlife website, I toyed with the idea of taking a drive to one of those ponds to try a few early season casts, but it was only wishful thinking.
Just the thought of it, though, was a reminder to start getting my fishing gear ready. If I remember correctly, my chest-high waders are leaking and, if I can’t patch the holes, I’ll need to buy a new pair. I also want to change the line on my reels and purchase some new lures.
A few years ago I bought a new pair of flippers and a pair of waders so I could use a belly boat for spring trout fishing. A belly boat is just a fancy inner tube with a harness to sit just below the surface of the water while using the flippers to paddle with your feet, leaving your hands free to fly fish or cast with a spinning rod. I was planning to use the belly boat last spring, but besides finding out my waders had holes, I discovered the inner tube wouldn’t hold air, so that also needs patching.
If I don’t get the belly boat repaired I can always get out on the water using a kayak or canoe. But to start off the season I especially enjoy the simplicity and quiet relaxation of wading the edges of a pond just before sunset when the trout are feeding on the surface. That’s all I did last spring the few times I got out and the fishing was good each time.
My first trip of the year is usually to Fearing Pond in Myles Standish State Forest or Little Pond in Plymouth. The woods around these ponds are different than at home and I like the smell of the sandy soil, scrub oak and red pine. There is also good access to fish from shore at these ponds.
My shoulders are not what they used to be, but I usually try to start off with a fly rod to limber up my casting arm, which is usually quite stiff after shoveling snow and handling firewood all winter. I also bring some light spinning gear, which is easier to cast if my torn rotator cuff begins to ache.
Everyone has their own choice for flies and lures, but for early season fly-fishing I like to use a black or olive wooly bugger with a bead head fished close to the bottom with a very slow retrieve. For spin-casting, small gold, silver or orange spoons usually work well early in the season. There are many brands of spoons on the market. Al’s Goldfish, which is back in production by a new owner, is one of my old-time favorites.
While looking at my list of things that need doing, I realized I haven’t bought this year’s hunting-and-fishing license yet. That’s a must before I go fishing and it’s easy enough to do online at the MassFishHunt website. While there I also need to buy a turkey permit, waterfowl, archery and primitive-arms stamps and apply for an antlerless deer permit.
Meanwhile, the first day of spring is this Tuesday and we could be in for another nor’easter Wednesday and Thursday. That would put a damper on my thoughts of fishing and also on the state’s stocking schedule, but so far the weather forecasters aren’t sure of the track of the storm or if it will be snow or rain.
Last week’s second March nor’easter wasn’t as bad as the first, but it was still powerful. We didn’t lose power, but many did especially in the Plymouth area and on the Cape. The birds weren’t singing that day, but there were plenty around the feeders including robins, bluebirds and mourning doves trying to fill up their crops before roosting for the night.
Even though the wind didn’t blow as hard as it did during the first blizzard, the snow was wet and heavy and we lost more trees and branches. Our yard and the surrounding woods are a mess and it’s going to take some time to clean it up once the snow melts.
It’s one more spring chore that I wasn’t planning on, but I would like to get it done before the toms start gobbling and the fish start biting. April is a good month to scout for turkey-hunting areas and trout fishing will be heating up as the weather gets a little milder.