I just discovered this forum, the community looks very nice here! I am usually fishing around Natick at whitehall reservoir or ashland reservoir from a canoe with trolling motor catching mostly pike and bass. I love those 2 lakes but would like to discover some new ones (the weeds in whitehall are becoming too dense right now...). Would you have any suggestions? I am looking for ponds at 1h max from Boston that are in quiet/wild places and with a boat ramp or easy access for canoes.
Thanks!
Damien
I tried Mystic lake last year as well as mystic river upstream of the lake (both from the shore next to the bike trail, esplanade with barbecues and people playing football at the lake) and got lots of crappies and perches. However, I found the water to be very stinky and seemed polluted as many fishes had black spots all over their body. I was even reluctant to put my bare hands in the water as it was so dirty... Is the water of better quality in the upper mystic lake?
I didn't know about Dydley pond, I wend once to Cochituate lake just next to it but didn't see the small pond. Lake Cochituate was full of guys going at crazy speeds with their boats for tubing, so it was difficult to go through all the big waves created by these fast boats with my tiny canoe. Is it more quiet in Dudley pond compared to Cochituate lake?
Also I saw boat ramps at upper mystic lake as well as in dudley pond from google map view, are they free to launch and park?
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/maps-destinations/state-pond-maps.html
thanks Enogueira!
I tried Mystic lake last year as well as mystic river upstream of the lake (both from the shore next to the bike trail, esplanade with barbecues and people playing football at the lake) and got lots of crappies and perches. However, I found the water to be very stinky and seemed polluted as many fishes had black spots all over their body. I was even reluctant to put my bare hands in the water as it was so dirty... Is the water of better quality in the upper mystic lake?
I didn't know about Dydley pond, I wend once to Cochituate lake just next to it but didn't see the small pond. Lake Cochituate was full of guys going at crazy speeds with their boats for tubing, so it was difficult to go through all the big waves created by these fast boats with my tiny canoe. Is it more quiet in Dudley pond compared to Cochituate lake?
Also I saw boat ramps at upper mystic lake as well as in dudley pond from google map view, are they free to launch and park?
yeah man upper mustic definitely has much clearer water. it all depends on the amount of rain we had lately but last summer there were days with 7+ feet visibility. same thing at dudley. (LOTS of pickerel there too.)
the MA wildlife site has a list of all of the public sites and boat ramps with pond maps
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/maps-destinations/state-pond-maps.html
thanks! very useful!!
thanks Enogueira!
I tried Mystic lake last year as well as mystic river upstream of the lake (both from the shore next to the bike trail, esplanade with barbecues and people playing football at the lake) and got lots of crappies and perches. However, I found the water to be very stinky and seemed polluted as many fishes had black spots all over their body. I was even reluctant to put my bare hands in the water as it was so dirty... Is the water of better quality in the upper mystic lake?
I didn't know about Dydley pond, I wend once to Cochituate lake just next to it but didn't see the small pond. Lake Cochituate was full of guys going at crazy speeds with their boats for tubing, so it was difficult to go through all the big waves created by these fast boats with my tiny canoe. Is it more quiet in Dudley pond compared to Cochituate lake?
Also I saw boat ramps at upper mystic lake as well as in dudley pond from google map view, are they free to launch and park?
yeah man upper mustic definitely has much clearer water. it all depends on the amount of rain we had lately but last summer there were days with 7+ feet visibility. same thing at dudley. (LOTS of pickerel there too.)
ok great! I will maybe try dudley or upper mystic this weekend then
Thanks for the tip Enogueira! I liked this pond a lot especially as there are not big boats allowed on it so it is very quiet.
Through a lot of weed kills throughout the summer,not quite what it used to be. I grew up in that area, try dug pond in Natick and Heards pond in wayland. Both also don't have too many big boats if any.
Thanks for the 2 ponds info, but I don't see any parking lot next to the water using google maps. Any place where I could park and have a path to but the canoe on the water? I saw the high school parking lot next to dug pond but I guess it is a private one.
Is the name "pike" only for northern or tiger muskie? I thought they were part of the same familly.
Thanks for the 2 ponds info, but I don't see any parking lot next to the water using google maps. Any place where I could park and have a path to but the canoe on the water? I saw the high school parking lot next to dug pond but I guess it is a private one.
They are all the same "essox". Most common is chain pickerel which you caught. Tiger muskie and northern pike are both different as well.
Both ponds have parking. Dug pond there is a public ramp across from the hockey rink, if the lot there is full across the street is the football field lot.
For heards pond there is a launch on Pelham island road, plenty of street parking too.
i tried heard pond last year and the water was GREEN. literally, green. im not sure if it was the extreme amount of pollen or that place was just weird. it did looked good near those branches back there.
and you are welcome for the tip =)
Probably both the water there can get nasty but it also connects directly with the Sudbury so you never know what you'll get in there
