Wachusett Reservoir Tips

[BLUEGILL WHISPERER]

I have caught Lake Trout and Salmon in Vermont through the ice but never through open water and never in Massachusetts. I'm planning on hitting Wachusett the third weekend in April and was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to catch Lakers and Salmon on live bait and artificials and or what gates to fish out of, any help is appreciated thank you.

[Baitbucket]

Krocodile spoons are good for lakers. Ive never had much luck with live bait, and dont much care for how it locks you to an area (unless u wanna move around with a bait rig). I have had much better luck walking the shorelines and tossing Krocs and other lures.

[lowaccord66]

Best advice is go early.  Many a day spent there where all the action was sunrise to 11am. 

[LENZ]

wear tick repellant

I have had luck with both lures (castmasters) and live bait (dead floated off the bottom)

no preference for gates this time of year, fish are in close

burp

[ICEHOLE]

this place kills me...I can pull out a smallie almost on command. but lakers have NEVER paid me a visit...i have thrown alot of spoons around that place. THIS IS THE YEAR! plus Manitron is gonna put me on fish like we talked about 

[james1981]

  Just my preference, but I like the rt 70 side as it takes longer for the sun to hit the water so it stays dark a little longer...  pretty much when the sun gets above you the action really stops... But I have taken Lakers there in July and august... small ones but none the less... 
 
 The salmon I have caught there have been incidentals caught while fishing for lakers. But you could always try on a windy day casting out a live shiners  and letting the wind drift them, water bobbers work pretty good..

[Jschumacher]

Live bait use I use heavy shiners below an egg sinker.  I prefer hardware though. Krocks are my favorite but I'll also throw a gold 3/4oz kastmaster. Krocks I buy the ones with the holographic refelection. You can only find them on ebay. blue and silver are my favorite although I have caught fish on all colors I throw. For Salmon I like the Chartuce with red tear drops on them. As for areas. RT 70 side Gate 6 and 8 are both good bets as well as scar hill Rd. RT110 Gate 35 is a good spot. You can get both lakers and salmon just about anywhere on the Chu. Why wait till the 3rd week. It opens a week from Saturday.

[Jschumacher]

Forgot. Like Jon says go early. 1st light is often best. 11:00 it can shut right off or get real slow. I have also done very well after work from say 5:30 till dark. Chances are you'll run into a lot of us out there. It will be the go to spot for at least the 1st month until the saltwater action picks up.

[manitron]

this place kills me...I can pull out a smallie almost on command. but lakers have NEVER paid me a visit...i have thrown alot of spoons around that place. THIS IS THE YEAR! plus Manitron is gonna put me on fish like we talked about 

Matt, I will do my best to put you on the fish but Jeff and Kevin[ Lavaman] are the gurus. Take all the advice they give you and try to wrangle a meetup.

[lowaccord66]

this place kills me...I can pull out a smallie almost on command. but lakers have NEVER paid me a visit...i have thrown alot of spoons around that place. THIS IS THE YEAR! plus Manitron is gonna put me on fish like we talked about 

Speed up retrieve...lakers prefer things going fast when they hit.  Also, add some scent.  On LG some guys will put a small piece of sponge on the hook and lace it up with smelt oil.  I prefer a particlar piece of small plastic.

[SkunkLuvver]

I mostly stick to metals at the Chu because I'm incapable of sitting still. I think at least half of the lakers I've caught have been on the drop especially in shallower water. I get tension on the line the second it hits the water then let the lure flutter towards the bottom. A surprising number of hits happen as the lure's falling.

I have a love hate thing with the Chu. …. she's lucky she's pretty

First post here BTW
Howdy y'all 

[Ash82]

Welcome SkunkLuvver and Bluegill, I agree with the tips on here... I caught my very first laker ever last year in fall on a kastmaster and it was an amazing feeling...

I agree with the last post. Definitely a love hate thing. Longish drive and not even 1 fish can be frustrating, but it so awesome just to be there. Looking forward to my first spring laker this year and hopefully a smallie too. Hope to see you there.

[lowaccord66]

I hear ya on the drive Ash...2hrs for me if the cops are asleep...normally 2.5....but so worth it.  This year I want to take a full day and target smallies there.  Havent done that yet, only lakers so far.

[Ash82]

Wow... with that much driving, I should not complain. I drive half of that.

Let me know when you head out to target smallies. I want to get my first Chu smallie this year. Will take day off for fishing. Been trying to save vacation days for fishing this year

[Yachtzy]

Th Chu been handed me a good beating last year. Five trips and one 10" smallie to show for it. I haul trash out every trip so I kept going back figuring I'd get paid off, lol.

I've been looking for just one laker, and the big smallies, haven't found them yet, but you will know when I do. Been throwing goldens and perch, but just nose hooking them, not Carolina rigging them. Figuring that may be the problem. Also throwing Krocs and Kastmasters with no luck. Went with a friend the day after opener last year, he did ok with a Bomber long A jerkbait.