Charles River

[CO Fisher]

I went down to the Charles River in Boston for the 1st time since moving here. I saw plenty of blue gill, carp, and what I think where shad (they where about 8-10in long and in large schools going nutz, think they where gettin' it on). Are there other fish in this area? And is it worth fishing? It is good to know that there is a local place to wet a line and that I don't have to hop in a car every time I want to have some fun.

[Soundking]

I went down to the Charles River in Boston for the 1st time since moving here. I saw plenty of blue gill, carp, and what I think where shad (they where about 8-10in long and in large schools going nutz, think they where gettin' it on). Are there other fish in this area? And is it worth fishing? It is good to know that there is a local place to wet a line and that I don't have to hop in a car every time I want to have some fun.

Sounds to me like herring you saw. I lived along the Charles for three years and fished it every spring. One very important thing I learned my first year around that system. This time of year fishes very well. Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie all kinds o fun stuff.

ps: In regards to anywhere in the Charles, Confucious Say: Where herring are, striper not far.

[CO Fisher]

stripers you say? In that case I know where I will be tomorrow. Seems to be worth the walk

[albacized]

stripers you say? In that case I know where I will be tomorrow. Seems to be worth the walk


One thing about those herring - just remember that they are illegal to possess...the ban runs through at least next year before it's re-evaluated. So if you do want to go after stripers chasing the herring, use something artificial - fly or lure.

The charles river spring striper run used to be a well guarded secret - but not any more. There are certain areas where the herring congregate (won't mention specifics on the open forum) and mostly, people used to go down with nets and fish only for the herring. Now everyone has a surf rod in hand and it looks like a miniature version of the cana herring run with all the yahoos down in the areas I'm talking about. My hopes are that the herring ban will stave off some of the crowds since livelining herring was one of the most popular methods employed down there. But that wasn't the case last year as many still ignored the ban and used herring and there also seemed to be more fly and lure fishermen in those areas.

[NatickDave]

In order to attract attention away from the herring and stripers, I'll answer your question "are there other fish...?"

The Charles runs thru my 'hood in SoNa, so that is where I mostly fish it. In the ~1 mile of river I tend to visit, we have:

bluegill
pumpkinseed
yellow sunfish
largemouth bass
smallmouth bass
crappie (calico bass)
pickerel
shad
perch
carp
suckers (quite the spring run, too)
catfish
stocked trout

It is best fished in a canoe, but wading is also a good option. Shore fishing is tough except in a few areas, which I learned again this weekend...I was out for about 45 minutes during nap time on saturday, and picked up a few bluegill on a hard popper. They are up in the flats (which is actually in the woods right now) and kind of spooky. I couldn't reach the best spots for the bugger. Next time will be in the canoe. My limited experience says that the middle Charles picks up later than local ponds.

So, if you go down to the herring runs and get a yozuri in the back of the head, try going upstream. You probably won't catch a huge fish, but you won't see anybody else on the water.

ND.

[cambrandt]

There are also pike higher up the river that can be caught on fly.

Oh, and don't forget the tilapia out in front of the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge....

[CO Fisher]

wow, so there is some real fishing right in the middle of Boston, good to know. I have no intrest in fishing shoulder to shoulder with a 100 other people. Kinda of the opposite of what makes fishing fun for me. I saw one other person with a rod yesterday. I am going to head back down there in a bit and try my luck, who knows maybe I will hook into one of those bass.