New member.... wilmington,ma

Hi All. I live in wilmington trying to get back into fishing and appreciate any leads or anyone who's willing to have fellow join them sometime.
I have a kayak that I use( a spare as well if anyone is interested in joining. )

I've fished field pond in Wilmington 2x .. but other than using just a spinner bait and fake frog just some small 1.5 lbers.

I was thinking of trying martins pond. I'm not too particular of what i fish for but smallies and LM are nice but targeting pike and walleyes would be fun but I have little knowledge.

I was going to try fosters pond this wknd.

welcome to the site, Im sure that the members form the north shore can help you out with some lakes and ponds around your area. MAff also has kyack tourneys. a good way to get togather and meet some of the members

Welcome ! Come join us in our up coming tourney! The sign up thread is up on the page if your interested

would love to try a tourney. i'm a total beginner, however .. that tourney is a bit away for me.....

It's alright MAFF is a good place to learn

Martins Pond is shallow and overgrown with vegetation at this time of year. There are no Pike in there, but you can pull a decent LMB out of there. Since you stated you're using a canoe, if you carry or go under the bridge (heavily used) on Burroughs Road and go up the outlet (Skug River?) a little bit, you're sure to get a couple extra fish.

Fosters Pond has some great fish, but is now heavily pressured (arguably due to this site).

Don't even bother with anything in Harold Parker, it's been way over pressured for decades, lots of dinks.

For a chance at large fish, and an occasional Northern Pike, head up Rt. 125 to Lake Cochichewick, not pressured, no motors allowed.

I thought Lake Cochichewick was Andover resident only and a permit/ cost was needed?

thanks for the input..... appreciate it.

I'll try under the bridge as well ( kayak).. can you take the brook all the way to the pond at the end ( next to the quarry?)

there are Pike in Cochichewick???

About Martins and Fosters. Closest spot for Pike is the Concord River. Not sure how you feel about that with a Kayak.

there are Pike in Cochichewick???

Yes (I have witnessed ONE).

As far as resident only, technically true:

http://www.townofnorthandover.com/pages/nandoverma_dpw/wtp/boating

I am not a resident, but I've fished there for years, no one bothers you there, it's not pressured due to access/electric only/not a lot of shore fishing. You will also notice hundreds of Jon's and other small craft along the shoreline (that's North Andover for you/see Brooks School).

I don't fish there much since purchasing a boat, but it gave the kids and I many days of enjoyment (my son caught his best there).

You can't overlook Silver Lake in Wilmington. We catch big bass ice fishing every year. We release them so give it a shot. Also big pickerel. You can net your own chubs in the shallows, use them for bait and catch fish all day! If anyone knows clean water with big yellow perch nearby please let me know. My sons and I would love a perch fry. Also fall stocking will be completed by Oct 7th.

Welcome. Guys gave you some great info right here. Good luck !!

If anyone knows clean water with big yellow perch nearby please let me know. My sons and I would love a perch fry.

You can shoot up to Haggets Pond in Andover off of Rt. 133, just off of Rt. 93, very clear/clean, no gas motors allowed. However, it is claimed that foreigners/illegals/whatever have over-fished the bait-fish there. Still a fine place to go though.

If you can travel a bit further, go to Newburyport to the Artichoke Reservoir, just of of Rt. 95. Very clear, and lots of bait-fish (i.e. large perch), and use small minnows, Perch eat them up! It doesn't get over-fished, and if you're not white/anglo, you're going to get pulled over guaranteed. Don't think of taking back roads either, because they are worse (just the demographics). Otherwise, it's a fantastic place to fish, even from shore (no boats allowed).