Freshwater Fishing

By RYAN CERVONE '19

People in New England often underestimate freshwater fishing. Freshwater fishing brings a sense of variety and beauty that allows a fisherman to fully experience the sport. While many saltwater fisherman have the luxury of covering many miles on boat to a desired location, freshwater fisherman master the art of the journey and feel a greater sense of achievement when they haul in a fish. The variety of freshwater fish species never keeps New England fisherman satisfied. You could catch a five-pound largemouth bass perched under lily pads. You could catch stocked trout in many Massachusetts ponds. In fact, during the fall and spring, the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks many ponds throughout the state with rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout. Walleye and Northern Pike can also be caught in larger lakes.

The beauty of freshwater fishing is that there are many methods to catch fish. For example, sometimes when I head out the pond in search of bass, I start the day off with a spinner bait, which mocks a small school of shiners swimming through the water. As the day progresses, I often switch my setup. If the temperature outside drops, I’ll switch to a topwater bait such as a frog bait to try to appeal to the hunger and energy of the fish. If the sun begins to heat up the top of the water, I often switch to a texas rig which contains a large hook, a weight, and a plastic worm. The same process applies when I go trout fishing: when I arrive to a stocked pond, I start off the day with salmon eggs. When I cast out the bait, the weight sinks to the bottom and the salmon eggs suspend about 5 feet from the bottom. I often catch 2-3 rainbow trout in the first 15 minutes. But if I want to catch larger trout in the pond such as brown trout, I usually switch shiners or worms, which fit the diet for larger trout.

What I enjoy so much about trout fishing are both the people I meet and the connections I build while out on the water. When I first went trout fishing, I noticed several other fisherman alongside the shore. They recognized my inexperience, and corrected my setup allowing me to have a shot at the fish. Furthermore, they taught me to use a weight rather than a bobber because the trout stay at the bottom of pond where cooler, more oxygenated water lies. Without such information from experienced fisherman in the area, I would not be able to consistently catch fish. My interactions with my fellow fishermen is an amazing part of the experience. I love hearing stories of all of the fish they caught and I appreciate the useful tips they provide me. That type of conversation simply does not occur while isolated on a boat the ocean.

So head out to your local pond or river and enjoy the outdoors and the sport of fishing. Also, talk to those around, you never know what amazing stories they have to tell or the knowledge they have!