need directions to Quabin gate 8 and salmon trolling advice

[e-sea-e]

I am heading to gate 8 tomorrow and I'm hoping to get the directions for the best route to gate 8 from arlington. I'm guessing the pike is the best route out west, but cant remember how to get there from the pike. I need the route from the pike to rt 202, if I remember right, gate 8 is right on 202.

Also, can anyone offer any advice about trolling for salmon, especially if you have fished for them at Gate 8? I am totally new to this fshery and dont know jack. we plan on slow trolling flies and spinning gear with castmasters and spoons. I need some help on what areas near gate 8 produce the best, and any other info anyone thinks would be helpful.

also, anyone got a link to a good chart of the quabin? The one on the mass fisheries website stinks.

Thanks!

[ruge13]

There is a submerged road bed near the gate 8 area, Rosie's Rash. Heard of fish taken in that area. J knows where it is.

[albacized]

By far, your best bet from Arlington is to take Rt 2 vs the Mass Pike to the Quabbin. With the exception of the Concord/Acton area, it's all highway to the Rt 202 exit. Take 202 south and stop at Flaggs (tackle shop on left) for Quabbin directions/info. He's literally 5 minutes from one of the gates. And get there early...I saw reports of the parking lot at the gates filling up early and anglers being turned away.

[e-sea-e]

well, we tried our hand at salmon fishing and got blanked. trolled streamers and spoons and rapalas and just about everything else we could think of at varied depths close to the surface with no hits at all. We trolled though cold wind and rain and toughed it out, but couldnt buy a strike, never mind a fish.

apparently we were about the only boat that didnt catch fish, many others doing the same things we were reported multiple fish, and a few boats at the ramp at the end of the day had some nice fish.

I must also note that JJ showed up prepared for early season fishing, having ditched his shorts for full length jeans. But, the rest of his early season gear consisted of a T-shirt and sandals. (#$119) Luckily, I insisterd that he take one of my coats with him, and had he not, he wouldnt have lasted 10 minutes on the mighty quabbin. We had to wrap one of my shirts around his feet, but to his credit, he didnt whine or complain.

hopefully next time will be better fishing.

[SamRiley]

Thanks for the report. How fast were you trolling? What areas did you work?

[e-sea-e]

Thanks for the report. How fast were you trolling? What areas did you work?

sam, we worked the entire shoreline on the left side of the main arm of the lake as you leave the boat ramp. it looked fishy and there wereralot of baots in that area, and we figured 12 boats cant all be wrong. and they werent, as they all caught fish. JJ and I just suck at salmon fishing i guess.

we would have worked the other side as well, but the weather just got terrible, cold and raining, and i was afraid i'd have to rush JJ to the hospital for treatment on his feet if we stayed out longer.

we were trolling at slow idle speed, but varied it a bit from time to time. we were trolling fast enough to make the spoons wobble just right ( or so i thought). hard to say for sure, no speed indictaor on my little portable fishfinder.