whitehall reservoir hopkinton,ma

[Bass Tracker]

Anyone know if this place has a 10HP Limit? I was planning on going saturday but, maybe not? i have no idea. Thanks

 

[Jim B]

I dont know of any HP restriction on that lake. I have taken my 882 out there plenty of times wirh a 150hp motor. There is a speed restriction, its more or less no wake the whole lake.

 

[Rich Winters2]

According to the link below there is a "speed limit which prohibits water skiing" but doesn't say 10 MPH anyhwere. I was there 7 years ago - I went much greater that 10 and when I got back to the ramp someone told me I wasn't suppose to go fast. I haven't been back to it so that may be dated info.



http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pdf/dfwwhite.pdf
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pdf/dfwwhite.pdf

 

[Reno G.]

No HP limit, but there is a 7mph speed limit.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Ah ok, Very good to know, Going to make my first trip there this weekend sometime. So they talk this place up pretty well on the masswildlife page, is it worth its reputation? Thanks again all.

 

[Jim B]

Personally i think there are so many better places to fish. The tings i dont like about whitehall is its totally weed choked and the fishing is average at best. I live about a 10 min ride away from it and i have fished ti twice in the last 5 years. My opinion is there are better places to go.

 

[Bass Tracker]

really, dam. is there lots of lillybeds to fish? also, i want to fish a "bigger" lake, rather than same knops pond, badacook, concord river (<- Worst bass fishing in america). What places do you recommend. that are within an hours drive from Billerica? thanks

 

[Bass Tracker]

one more thing, JIM B. incase I do end up going to Whitehall. Can you give me directions from Billerica,MA area? off of 495 preferably. Thanks alot.

 

[Bruce Yeaton]

I agree with Jim. Plenty of other places to fish. I haven't been there in a few years, it's way over fished.

 

[Bill Wright]

Concord river worst bass fishing in America? You must not know how to fish it, not saying you dont know how to fish as your awesome pictures show but I have had great success on the river.

 

[Bass Tracker]

lol, I tell you Bill I have been fishing the Concord River for easily 12-15 years. And I VERY rarely have Largemouth Bass success. I know the Billerica part of the river (after the dam) is dirty as it gets and thats probably why. But the Bedford 225 area is very nice and I do get Northens out of there alot. However, maybe your right, because I fish ALOT. and I catch Bass everywhere I go. EXCEPT the concord river. I dont know why, it seems that I will get 5 bass a year (tops) out of that river and i dont get it, I try worms, topwaters, spinnerbaits, jigs, etc.. and no luck...any locations that you recommend and lure types / presentations? I would GREATLY appreciate. Thanks I launch boat at 225 in bedford and usually go left towards the "sudbury/assebet"..maybe i need to start going towards billerica yamaha and RT3? thanks

 

[Jim B]

There are plenty of pads on that lake. the thing i dont like about it is its choked with milfoil and the lake is so shallow it just mats the surface. It will clog the trolling motor in short order. And like Bruce said it gets pounded with a lot of fishing pressure.



To get there is easy. Just take 495s to the Hopkington exit( not sure what the number is). Its the exit just past he mass pike. You will want to get off on the second offramp, the first one heads to upton. Once you get off the ramp go straight thru the forsat set of lights by the gas station and restraunt, when you reach the top of the big hill you will hit another set of lights. Take left at those lights, you will be turning left onto rt 135. The ramp is down the road a bit on the left, its at least a couple miles down. You wont be able to miss it, it hasa big parking lot.



I dont know too many places up your way or within an hour. I dont know if places like singeltary or manchaug are within an hour. The only places i fish up there are shirley res, the nashua river and masspaoag(they close the gate for the summer). you could also head to NH and try someplace like masabesic, bow lake or pawtaukaway or head up to the lakes region( thats where i fish the most)

 

[C C]

 

[Bill Wright]

BassTrackerMA, I would gladly show you the spots I know, cant gurentee anything. Love to help out another Bassman. I will be fishing out of 225 in bedford next Wendsday if you are interested. 5:00 as it stands now but I might take the day off and fish all day. Buy the way, I think we worked together at Stouffers in Bedford (I think).

 

[Bass Tracker]

Thanks to all who have posted, Cass: I have also fished Mascuppic alot over the years even this past friday i was there, and I also am not very impressed. I always think about fishing the merrimack for some smallies but I have only fished thier once in my old V-hull boat, and I am wary only becasue like you said, "water flucuation" anybody else having good luck on the merrimack river (launching out of lowell/chelmsford)? Also is "forge pond" in westford suitable for a 18' bass boat and 25hp? if so were is it? and is it better than "bear hill" or whateva it is called in Harvard,ma?



Jim B: I was also thinking of doing the Masabesic in NH as I think that is within an hour or so from me., and thier is a "couples type" tournament on thier in July and I was gonna do that also, so mind as well get some practice. Now thats in Concord,NH or Hookset? is thier a way i can get directions to the boat launch? i was looking online and thier was a few launches.. is Masabesic good for smallmouth? ok thats plenty of questions for one post lol Thanks alot everyone



Bill: I will gladly make the trip to the 225 area next wednesday at 500pm. I am actually going out tonight around (430-500) to 225, got to show my buddy the boat, which way should i go? towards RT3 or towards "sudbury/assebet"? thanks.. also I never worked at stouffers in Bedford, but its funny you say that because it hasnt been stoufeers in a LONG time, my grandmother actually retired from stoufeers in Bedford..

 

[Bill Wright]

If you go towards Rte 3 fish the right side of the first bend and in the middle of the river. I like it up towards Sudbury about 10 minutes at 35 40 mph it is hard to explain were it is. The only way to describe it is when you cant go fast anymore and the river shrinks to 20 or so feet wide. If you foind it facing the 225 boat launch fish on your right along the bushes. Then about 3/4 down the bushes 30 feet or so theres a suken tree with some good fish around. Not sure if your into pike but I have pulled a ton out around that area. GOD LUCK.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Just a little confused on the last part (where the pike are ) "If you foind it facing the 225 boat launch fish on your right along the bushes. Then about 3/4 down the bushes 30 feet or so theres a suken tree with some good fish around. Not sure if your into pike but I have pulled a ton out around that area". were is this now, right near the 225 launch or up towards the sudbury? also if it is up towards the sudbury, is it after the first brisge you come across up that way? or before it on that long straight away? Thaks alot Bill, looking forward to leaving work a little early tonight

 

[Bill Wright]

Go under the 225 bridge travel about 10 minutes it is when the river gets smaller. Turn around so your heading back to the bridge and you will have bushes on the right side. Sorry, its the best way I can describe it.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Is it the "pool" that is off to your right, if you are facing the boat launch? (very small pool, that is on right hand side after the "skinny" of the river ends?)

 

[Bill Wright]

Sounds like it. I have had no luck in the pool just along the brush and tree.

 

[Bass Tracker]

cool, i will look into it tonight for sure, cant wait. thanks for info.. by the way, what are you mostly using out there?

 

[Bill Wright]

75% rubber, 20% spinner and I just got into pig and jig.

 

[Bass Tracker]

just to be a Pain in the Ass. What color rubber u usually throwin? thanks

 

[Jim B]

BasstrackerMA

Massabesic i believe is in Auburn. Its pretty easy to get to. If you go up 93n get onto 101e where it merges. its the first exit off 101e. its rt28 i believe. Off the ramp, take a right and head to the rotary. you want to go 3/4 of the way around the rotary and head down 121. The exit off the rotary will be the one that is in in between a gas station and convience store. the ramp is down a bit on the right, its a dirt road and i believe thee are boat ramp signs. the other ramp that is trailer boat accessable is further down 121 and yuo will be able to see it from the roat, its on the other side of the lake. There is also a nice sport shop at the rotary thats worth checking out. There are smallies in the lake, actualyl lots of them. there are also a lot of unmarked rocks so you need to be careful. The lake is patrolled pretty heavly by marine patrol and fish and game so make sure you have your fishing lisc, save boater cert and all the saftey gear in order.



I wouldnt limit yourself to an hour from home, another hour north and you have some of the best smallmouth and largemouth fishing in the north east at Winni and Squam.

 

[Bass Tracker]

JimB: Thank you very much for all the info. I took the boaters saftey course in massachusetts years ago, and I did pass the test, however I beleive i have since "lost" my liscence, is there a place I can go to or call to find out how to get it back? also, is the "NH, and MA" saftey boat liscence compatable? Thanks again..is the directions above to massabesic to the "claires landing" boat launch? thanks.



Bill: I went to the Concord Last night, ended up being busy, so I went "right" out of the boat launch, fished the shoreline about 1-2miles down (right before billerica yamaha) throwing a white medium sized buzzbait along the top with a 10" worm as a trailer, got about 2 fish to aggresivly jump at it, but no hook-ups. I also went as far down as "river st" in billerica, past RT3 and fished some sunken trees, no luck though, although i only fished for about an 1 1/2.

 

[Jim B]

The second boat ramp i mentioned is claires landing. Both ramps are on 121. I actually prefer the claires landing one because its wider(my 882 barely fits on the first ramp, were talking like inches on either side) even though its a longer ride off the highway.



Im not sure if the saftey courses are interchangable. From what NH tells me the course needs to be NASBLA approved to be accepted in NH. I took a coast guard one years ago and it didnt have the seal on it even although they put it on the new certs they sent me. I took the NH one just to be safe. I did it back when you oculsd take it online.

 

[Bass Tracker]

I dont like the "rocks unmarked" comment, i hope its not too bad, Is this a very highly pressured fishing lake on a Saturday morning? And im glad there is lots of smallies, I really want to hit them up this weekend,.



now its a choice of buying a NH liscence and going here or not buying a NH liscence and going to maybe whitehall or bear hill?

 

[Bass Tracker]

Ok, its official : im going to shirley res tommorow. are there smaillies in here?

 

[Jim B]

Nope no smallies in Shriley Res. Big LM yep, smallies nope.



If you go to massebisic its not too bad from a pressure standpoint. there are some rocks on that lake that have no markers. you just need to be careful near ashore and runing around the islands.



If you want smallies, head up to Winni or Squam. They should be on fire up there right now.

 

[Bass Tracker]

good to know for sure, I will hit up squam very soon. Thanks alot Jim.

 

[Mad Kayaker]

BassTrackerMA - my club just recently had a tourney at Whitehall. The good news is that just about everyone caugt their limit. The bad news? Everyone had a total of between 6lbs - 7lbs (the fish are pretty small and abundant). The winner was someone who nailed a 6lb'er along with his four 1 lb'ers.



If you like pads and want to catch some good size bass - and it sounds like you fish NH, try Swains Lake in Barrington, NH - about 90 minutes from Boston.



I used to go there when I first bought my boat and then I decided to not fish the same lake more than twice in the same season to experiment different bodies of water. now, at least three years later and tons of new bodies of water, I went back yesterday.



I caught 8 largemouth (all between 1 1/2 lbs and 5 lbs) and one smallmouth. The only problem is that the lot gets full (supports 6 trailers) and the fish are defintely weary so you will have to finesse them during daylight hours. The only two lures I used were a new finesse jig head with a wacky rigged senko and a cane toad. I'd hit the pads right between 4:30am - 6am and 5pm - 7pm. The lot gets full quickly but there are streets off the main road you can pull your trailer and car onto and not get ticketed. My brother and I were the only bass boat out there yesterday by late afternoon and had the run of the place.



If you want smallies, also try Bow Lake. That is how I met GregD. That is a beautiful lake and you should be able to catch some nice smallmouth thre. There is also a hidden place to catch some real nice largemouth but you have to like spiders (that's a hint).



If you want other places to fish, let me know how far and the type of waters and I will send you some of my favorite places.



Next year, when the smallies are spawning, I will send you an invite to fish lake winnisquam. I saw JimB there briefly this year and it was fun. I even posted a video link from this year in another message here.



Here is a photo of a bass from Swains yesterday. Try out that place.

Bill, the Mad Kayaker