Sad to see they can't find any fish, but I like how they are testing for contaminants.
From my experience, Spot Pond is the toughest fishery I've encountered. Very clear water, hardly any sign of fish arpund shore even though the whole shoreline looks like excellent fish habitat.
Only luck we've had is with shiners. Even that only accounted for a handful of dink smallmouth.
From my experience, Spot Pond is the toughest fishery I've encountered. Very clear water, hardly any sign of fish arpund shore even though the whole shoreline looks like excellent fish habitat.
Only luck we've had is with shiners. Even that only accounted for a handful of dink smallmouth.
I fished spot a couple summers with my wife most times. We took either the canoe or rowboats they had for use. Very disappointing place to fish after staring at this place for 20years just dreaming what could be in there. I'm sure there are bigguns, but I'm pretty convinced there are few and far between of them even with all the deep weedy habitat. Only place I found pretty consist luck in the whole pond was the whole area straight out from the boat rentals all the way to that island. Nice size smallmouth and largemouth around the island area, but all other sweet looking areas came up with sparse results each and every time I fished here. Most days you have to put up with all the nonfishing kayaks that roam around on a nice day. These idiots have a total disregard for people that are fishing. The bass I'm sure get very spooked on most busy days there. I have been out on cloudy days where it seemed we were the only ones out on the water with pretty much similar results...very perplexing place to fish!
I agree JT. From someone who has fished for decades, and have a real passion for it; fishing Spot makes me think the last 20 years was all in vain.
I've only fished from the boat once, but made a few trips there in the past year from shore, and even though most spots look like you'd catch a fish every cast....it never ends that way.
I've spent hours walking the shoreline, trying a dozen lures a trip, without a bite.
I've only fished from the boat once, but made a few trips there in the past year from shore, and even though most spots look like you'd catch a fish every cast....it never ends that way.
I've spent hours walking the shoreline, trying a dozen lures a trip, without a bite.
So for the last three years, I've been fishing almost exclusively at Spot Pond. The boat rental has a season pass for either individuals or families. I haven't caught any monsters, but consistently caught fish between 4 and 5 pounds. I agree with jt07, the leisure kayakers have little regard for someone fishing, and yes as a result it is a high pressure fishery, also due to the shore access areas being so heavily fished daily. The biggest fish seem to be roamers, caught from the shoreline at least. There are a few elevated flats in between the islands and eastern shoreline that have produced good fish consistently. The map at the boathouse show these areas pretty well, they have added a few pedal kayaks for this year but I mainly use a rowboat and Anchor for stability.
My bait of choice has always been senkos, but the last two years I have been trolling a Rapala shadow shad rap deep behind me as I row out to my spots, with decent success. My profile pic is a 4lb 10oz LMB I caught at one of those flats about a month ago on a 5" green flash senko. For everyone shore fishing there, regarding trash: CARRY IN -CARRY OUT! the place is getting littered pretty badly
I lived about 10 minutes away from Spot for a number of years. I have walked completely around it, fished in coves on the 93 side, walked around Turtle Rock and fished in that cove, walked to the boat house and around, fished the parking lots and the few beaches.
Only success I ever had was on a rooster tail inline in the first cove walking down from parking at the Ice Rink. I grabbed back to back smallies that day, biggest was about 2 1/2lbs. Out side of that, nothing.
I have seen giants swimming around the rocks, drop offs. They never seem interested in eating....and watching the bluegill around them chilling tells me they aren't eating them at least.
I have never taken the boat out there....but for the boat fees at Spot compared to the fees at the Q, I would never. I'm under the impression they rent hourly and for a daily rental for a motor boat and gas at the Q, I get a few hours of rowing at Spot.
If you want giants, keep testing the depths. If you want fish, walk across the Fells and fish Dark Hallow. Not any big 'uns, but you will get a couple. I only fish Spot for trout at this point. And I still avoid it unless they just stocked or I drive by and see peoples rods popping from shore.
Even ice fishing we get skunked A LOT. Good chance to get to water you can't from the shore though. And one of the islands has a 1600's gravestone on it and a few really large bald eagle nests. There is a resident couple that winters at Spot so keep an eye out for them.
Good luck and tight lines....but if you're at Spot hopefully it's not tight because you are stuck on a rock!
Only success I ever had was on a rooster tail inline in the first cove walking down from parking at the Ice Rink. I grabbed back to back smallies that day, biggest was about 2 1/2lbs. Out side of that, nothing.
I have seen giants swimming around the rocks, drop offs. They never seem interested in eating....and watching the bluegill around them chilling tells me they aren't eating them at least.
I have never taken the boat out there....but for the boat fees at Spot compared to the fees at the Q, I would never. I'm under the impression they rent hourly and for a daily rental for a motor boat and gas at the Q, I get a few hours of rowing at Spot.
If you want giants, keep testing the depths. If you want fish, walk across the Fells and fish Dark Hallow. Not any big 'uns, but you will get a couple. I only fish Spot for trout at this point. And I still avoid it unless they just stocked or I drive by and see peoples rods popping from shore.
Even ice fishing we get skunked A LOT. Good chance to get to water you can't from the shore though. And one of the islands has a 1600's gravestone on it and a few really large bald eagle nests. There is a resident couple that winters at Spot so keep an eye out for them.
Good luck and tight lines....but if you're at Spot hopefully it's not tight because you are stuck on a rock!
Info on the grave stone on island........
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/06/20/mystery-surrounds-granite-marker-island-middle-stoneham-pond/MnNVBjq3ubY6d0RyVjCP4I/story.html
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/06/20/mystery-surrounds-granite-marker-island-middle-stoneham-pond/MnNVBjq3ubY6d0RyVjCP4I/story.html
the bass in Spot relate to crayfish. 10 years ago, straw point area was loaded with bass. There were crayfish shells everywhere you looked in that area. Not so much anymore, and the bass are not there like they used to be. Perhaps there are large crops of crayfish that turn up in different areas of the pond. If you find them, you will find the bass.
I would not rely on shocked fish info to judge the population there. The water is clear and they see the boats and move on. Spot is best fished with jigs, on clear line. Big swimbaits at dusk and dawn will yield some good fish as well. They are in there, but have little interest in baits. I have said many times, the bass in there behave different then any place I have ever fished. I'm not seeing the panfish I used to see either. I think we know why. I used to fish it with 6 to 7 inch pike shiners, an hour before dark. Huge fish show up, that you would never know were even around. Huge fish in there if you can get them to bite. Its not easy.
I would not rely on shocked fish info to judge the population there. The water is clear and they see the boats and move on. Spot is best fished with jigs, on clear line. Big swimbaits at dusk and dawn will yield some good fish as well. They are in there, but have little interest in baits. I have said many times, the bass in there behave different then any place I have ever fished. I'm not seeing the panfish I used to see either. I think we know why. I used to fish it with 6 to 7 inch pike shiners, an hour before dark. Huge fish show up, that you would never know were even around. Huge fish in there if you can get them to bite. Its not easy.
Info on the grave stone on island........
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/06/20/mystery-surrounds-granite-marker-island-middle-stoneham-pond/MnNVBjq3ubY6d0RyVjCP4I/story.html
Thanks for a great read. I first discovered the stone about 10 years ago while ice fishing. Our tip ups were all tip down that day, so we took a walk to explore. When I tried to research it, I came across the dueling story from the hotel. The Fellsway used to be a walking/wagon trail and the hotel was stationed on it. I am a history teacher so I really loved the new research that has been uncovered.
Thanks again!
KMan is right, many of the smaller fish Ive caught this year have two antennae sticking out of their gullet
This craw is next to a 5" worm, was dead but tried to use it as bait anyways to no avail. The confluence of bird activity in the past few years seem to have decimated the crayfish and fish populations in areas with little or no cover from the cranes, eagles, loon and osprey I've seen the last 3 years
Wish I knew about the stone before the end of the boating season! Great info, I like learning more history about the Fells
This craw is next to a 5" worm, was dead but tried to use it as bait anyways to no avail. The confluence of bird activity in the past few years seem to have decimated the crayfish and fish populations in areas with little or no cover from the cranes, eagles, loon and osprey I've seen the last 3 years
Wish I knew about the stone before the end of the boating season! Great info, I like learning more history about the Fells
I've been fishing from a boat since the day they opened and every year it gets worse. I catch fish but that's because I know the place in and out. I've brought a depth finder with me for many trips. The asians from Malden keep Everything!!!!...and lots of people fishing with striper Rods keep everything they catch also. I wish the ranger would check their F'in license but all he cares about it kicking out swimmers. The ranger told about seeing a guy catch what he said was a 7 lb bass on a live worm using a hand line. Line wrapped around a coke can that he would throw out by hand. I asked if he checked for a license and he laughed. Disappointing.