THE IPSWICH RIVER: GREAT SPRING TROUT FISHING

As spring trout stockings start many fishermen rapidly grow tired of fishing local lakes and ponds where fishing pressure is heavy and fishermen seem to be shoulder-to-shoulder leaving little more room than is necessary to change one’s mind. These are the times when we wish we could enjoy the quiet of a peaceful trip to the secluded streams of Maine and New Hampshire. We may not be able to head north but there are still locations within Massachusetts’ North Shore that a quiet fishing trip is possible.

The Ipswich River is a popular river among fishermen. There are many locations along it’s path that are secluded and provide fishermen with the tranquility of a northern journey. The Ipswich provides easy access as well as secluded and well sheltered pools.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife does an excellent job stocking quality trout in the state’s many rivers, streams and ponds. Because of it’s fishing popularity, the Ipswich receives a generous allotment of hefty trout each season. Fishermen boast of catches of fifteen to eighteen inch trout throughout the length of the river. No longer do fishermen have to wait until the third Saturday in April to start their quest for trout. The anticipation of "opening day" has been replaced by the hopes of an early "ice out".

The Division starts stocking ponds during the month of March but rivers are generally done later in the season. Water levels will generally be part of the equation that dictates just when river stockings will take place. If all goes right, water levels will be low enough to start stocking when the trout are ready to be released. If water levels are too high, stocked trout can get "lost" in the bog and flooded areas when the rivers drop. Generally, trout stocking starts to take place in the rivers around the first or second week of April. The Division like to have initial trout stockings of all trout waters in the state completed by the Patriot’s Day holiday.

Fishermen have a tendency to overlook the lesser known bodies of water in favor of the popular trout spots. These lesser known areas are sometimes harder to fish but generally provide equal if not superior fishing to the heavily fish ponds. The Ipswich River has many locations that are easily accessible and generally "fished out" early in the he season. Novice fishermen give up on the river all too quickly. Seasoned fishermen report excellent trout fishing well into the summer months and sometimes keep fishing for trout all summer long.

The first location along the Ipswich we will look at is on Rt. 114 in Middleton. Rt. 114 crosses over the Ipswich River on the Danvers/Middleton line. There is enough parking for a few cars to pull off the road and a canoe or car-topper can be launched. The pools located near the road are heavily fished during the beginning of the season but become drastically reduced as the season lengthens. By moving down river only a few hundred yards, fishermen find themselves in a relatively barren section of the river where fish outnumber fishermen by a long shot. This is largely due to the somewhat difficult conditions fishermen must negotiate in order to reach this area. During the period right after ice out, this section of the river sports hard to travel areas with water swelling over the river banks. As the season progresses, the traveling becomes easier. The most difficult obstacle to overcomes the massive swarms of hungry, flesh devouring mosquitoes that attack any visible skin. These obnoxious bug will drive you crazy unless you come prepared with repellent loaded with DEET or citronella oil.

The next location is at Liberty St., just off Rt. 62. This is a good location for later on in the season. It also becomes an area of limited activity as the season progresses and the growth along the river reaches peak.

One of the best sections of the river is the section that runs along Rt. 60 in North Reading. This section of the river is easily accessible but for some reason is seldom fished. The area is overgrown with brush and somewhat difficult to fish with artificial baits that require a great deal of casting. By late summer there are some areas in this section that water flow is reduced to a trickle but this can make fishing easier as it limits those areas where trout can hold. This is a location that fishing the basics of night crawlers and garden worms can’t be beat. Casting a worm, rigged with only a "BB" sized split shot to the head of a pool and allowing the worm to gently bounce the bottom with the current’s action is sure to trigger a strike.

Another spot that is popular among trout fishermen is Thunder Bridge. This is one of the areas that the stocking truck drops fish. It is heavily fished during the beginning if the season but drops off as soon as fish "spread out". By moving a few hundred yards up stream or down stream, fishing improves greatly.

There are a couple of locations along Rt. 97 in Danvers and Topsfield that can provide fishermen with plenty of activity. There is a stretch of the river that runs along side the road that can be very good. Also there is an old railroad bed that if followed will bring you to a nice deep pool that is generally fruitful throughout the year.

Everyone knows where the Topsfield Fair Grounds are and along the fairgrounds are numerous locations where the Ipswich River can be accessed. There is generally good fishing all along this area. During the early part of the season, the river can overflow it’s banks making it difficult to get near the riverbed.

Another section of the river that is well fished is the stretch of river that runs by the Bradley Palmer State Park. Numerous pools hold fish all season long and few fishermen can be seen working the river after the July 4th holiday. There are a couple of pools that are well oxygenated in the area. Plenty of riffles keep conditions favorable throughout most of the season.

There are many more locations that require a bit of scouting but are sure to pay off. There is a pumping station road off Russell St. in Peabody that requires a bit of a hike to reach the river but is productive. Also in Peabody the river is productive on the Middleton line.

Spend a little time scouting the area and checking maps and I am sure you will find a nice quiet yet productive area along the Ipswich to cast a line, drift a worm and just let life pass you by while enjoying the thrill and excitement of tight lines.