Where The Wild Things Are
In a state so enamored by the arrival of the seasonal trout stocking trucks, Massachusetts anglers frequently overlook the myriad of wild, native gamefish we have at our disposal. Though I enjoy fishing for stockers just as much as the next guy or girl, wild fish are more prolific, especially during the shoulder seasons. Furthermore, they provide unique challenges that take us to some of the most scenic corners of the state.
When people hear wild, native fish here in New England, their minds almost always jump immediately to brook trout. While brookies are certainly a native species, and one especially deserving of our attention, there are numerous other fishes, inhabiting both cold and warm water, as well as salt and fresh. These species are quick to take a fly or lure, but also present difficult challenges in their own rights.
Wild fish are not only the backbone of healthy aquatic ecosystems, but also a necessary component of any notable fishing region. States like Montana are often praised for their outstanding wild trout populations, but most people fail to recognize the terrific fishing for wild species we have right here in our own backyards. Highlighted below are four native, wild species Massachusetts anglers can reliably target and catch across the commonwealth this spring.
Chain Pickerel
If you’ve never chased pickerel before aquatic vegetation chokes shallow water, you’re truly missing out. Chain pickerel prefer to inhabit shallow water where weeds thrive, so by the advent of summer, it’s difficult to fish for these predators without hooking globs of grass every cast. In the spring, aquatic vegetation is yet to reach its full size, though pickerel still hang around their shallow water haunts. It’s during this time that pickerel fishing is at its best.
Lucky for us, pickerel are one of the few species that remain ultra-aggressive regardless of the water temperature. It doesn’t matter if the water temps are in the 30’s right after the ice releases its wintery grip or in the 70's as spring turns to summer, pickerel will smash a fly or lure with vengeance. Another benefit of pickerel fishing is that they’re widely available; you can catch them in shallow ponds, deep reservoirs, and gurgling streams alike.
Any angler who has accidently caught a pickerel when fishing for other species understands that they eat a wide variety of lures and flies. Before weeds take over many water bodies, large flies and lures with exposed hooks can be quickly fished around emerging vegetation. Some of my favorite lures for springtime chain pickerel include hard-bodied swimbaits, jerkbaits, in-line spinners, and my all-time favorite, a weightless Texas-rigged pearl fluke. Fly casters will find luck on bulky streamers like jerk-style flies, bulkheads, wooly buggers, and gamechangers.
2. Yellow Perch
Though they spend the early part of spring spawning, perch quickly resume their voracious feeding habits after the dirty work is done. These panfish aren’t frequently considered a worthy gamefish, but they put up a good fight on light gear, and can be caught in sizes that rival most Massachusetts trout. Like chain pickerel, yellow perch are relatively active in cold water compared to most other fish species, making them the perfect target until the water temps experience a significant boost.
Perch hang in deeper water until they spawn, during which time they move to relatively shallow flats and marshes to spread their eggs. When actively spawning, these native fish should be left alone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t target them on their journeys to-and-from spawning sites. Dropoffs adjacent to both relatively deep water and shallow spawning areas are excellent places to start, especially when emerging vegetation or brush are present.
Some sure bets for hot perch action in the spring are small jigs, tubes, spinners, and crankbaits. Fly anglers should try wooly buggers, unweighted Pat’s rubber legs, san juan worms, and leech patterns. Perch will occasionally eat a surprisingly large lure, especially for their size, so don’t be afraid to go relatively big.
3. Fallfish
In most circles, fallfish are considered trash fish, worthy only of a sloppy release or toss on the bank. I would venture to say a majority of fallfish are caught when anglers are really targeting trout, as they inhabit similar water types, especially in stocked rivers and streams. However, we are missing out by not specifically fishing for these voracious predators, especially when their appetite is on the rise before a mid-spring spawn.
Fallfish, especially the larger ones in the 14-18 inch range, prefer deeper, slower stretches of most rivers and streams. That isn’t to say they won’t occasionally tuck up behind a current break in quicker current like a trout, but most of the time they prefer to remain in slower sections. Speaking in a trout angler’s terms, that is some of the more marginal water that isn’t quite a pool, but also isn’t swift riffles.
Many people are surprised by the lures and flies that fallfish can be caught on. While most consider them bottom feeders akin to a sucker, fallfish are actually quite predatory and will readily strike almost any pattern that swims. Some top lures are spinners and small jerkbaits. Flies that should be tried include streamers (I am yet to find one they won’t eat), large nymphs, and mice patterns. Yes, you read that right: mice. I had one of my best days of “fallfishing” ever using a morrish mouse, hooking 16-18 inch fallfish on nearly every cast.
4. Brook trout
Of course, what list of native, wild Massachusetts fish species would be complete without the brook trout. Often inhabiting small tributaries here in the Bay State, brookie fishing in small streams really heats up this time of year. These brookies won’t go on drag-streaming runs or bend your rod to the butt, however their beauty rivals that of any fish species in the country, and their presence here should not be taken for granted.
Brook trout can be found in a variety of water types, but finding streams that hold these fish can be a bit of a challenge in such an urbanized region, especially in the easternmost third of the state. If you want to learn more about finding brookie streams, I wrote a piece in the April edition of On the Water New England magazine that highlights some helpful resources. In general, it’s best to look for fast-flowing, boulder-strewn streams, preferably with some elevation change. Larger streams with adequate water quality can also harbor brookies, and more so now than when they warm up by summer.
Many anglers are surprised by just how surface-orientated wild brook trout are in the icy waters of spring. Just about any small-to-medium-sized dry fly is sure to elicit a strike, but some of my favorites are purple hazes, klinkhammers, and stimulators. Still, don’t count out subsurface offerings such as hare’s ears, pheasant tails, tube jigs, and small spinners. It’s far from difficult to get brookies to bite once you’ve found them, but the trick is just that: locating fishable populations.
Wild, native fish are all around - the hardest part is willing the courage to leave the stockies behind and chase after a new species this spring. Though these species are nothing new for most of us, many forget about them when the stocking trucks start rolling. Those that chase these and other native, wild fish this spring will be rewarded with some of the hardest fighting, though underrated, quarries in the Bay State.
