From Andover. Coming back from college dec 28th after bowl game. Is there ice up on the ponds yet in the cape/ even up around Andover? If there isn't what's my best bet to catch? Jerk baits still working? Or Weeks looking great with temps in 40s then a 55 degree rain..
Thanks for any help
Thanks for any help
I can't speak for the Cape or Western Mass, but there is currently no ice in the Andover area. Or there may be a thin layer right now, but it will be gone in a few days. It's just too warm; we can't get a solid week of 20 degree temps. But people are still catching fish now, on the warmer days, and I believe most have been caught deep. Maybe a jig or a deep diving crankbait.
Ponds in eastern MA might get some skim ice overnight but days have been consistently warm enough to prevent buildup. I was able to get a couple trout at the local pond yesterday and this week's looking pretty warm. I have my fingers crossed that I'll be able to log a January trout without having to drive to the cape or the Swift.
I caught over 20+ fish on Friday then 60+ fish on today before pats game is on. water temp was 37-39. I fished at dropoff or slope, whatever you called it. Hammered them on jerkbait, senkos, and jigs. whatever they want on that moment. Being super slow presentation is key. At one point, I haven't moved my jig for like a minute then small twitch, boom. bass is on. But yes, caught various of fish out there. Crappies up to 2lbs, up to 5lbs pikerels, up to 2lbs yellow perch, and up to 4lbs bass.
I had a really crappy year too until late fall. Since mid-November I've fished one day each weekend and scored on every outing. Numbers aren't huge (except for one epic day before Thanksgiving) but they have been reliably steady. All trout. Haven't seen a bass since October.
Time to take up fly fishing
Yeah!
I've been doing much better with the flies than with spinning gear. 3+ trout from mid-November to today, including 4 the other day. Being both a fly and spin fisherman, I firmly believe on any average day, I can outfish spin fisherman 2:1. 
I firmly believe on any average day, I can outfish spin fisherman 2:1.
On rivers I agree 100%, but I think it's a bit easier to spin fish at a pond. I don't know though, I've heard some people do very well fly fishing at ponds.
And this fall and winter was slow for me too. My last bass was in October, and haven't seen one since. Fortunately fly fishing has given me something to do, since the spin fishing was so slow for me.