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Author Topic: Spy pond  (Read 2364 times)

Offline bumps

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Spy pond
« on: Jan 12, 2022, 08:40 AM »
So I used to fish this place years ago and always did well. I moved and haven't been back in like 10 years. I heard they dredged it a few years ago and it devastated the fish population? Has anyone ice fished there in the past couple years? If so how did you do? Hoping to get out that way and fish it again soon. Thanks for any info.
-Bumps

Offline nachothegreat

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #1 on: Jan 12, 2022, 10:13 AM »
I fished Spy Pond last year, and the pond was buzzing with fisherman and pedestrians alike. We had flags all morning with fat perch, and then my two buddies decided to call it by noon  >:( . Some folks had traps set up for pike but I didn't see any action there.

Offline fishermantim

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #2 on: Jan 12, 2022, 10:30 AM »
with two "halves" of the pond, I always fish the side near rte 2.

The side near Mass Ave used to have some great weed beds and fish, but when the geese were allowed to pollute the water and shorelines, the weeds died off and the fish all but left that section.

I fish that pond thru the ice and from a kayak, and I always have had some luck.
They used to stock it with tiger muskies, but  haven't seen one of those in decades. (of course I'm not really targeting them, so that could have some influence in the results)
The pond does have or at least it did have) some good bass, perch and pickerel. I recall one trip fishing near the shore, and seeing what had to be close to a 10 lb. bass swim past the kayak. tossed a number of lures in the direction it was going but never even got a look from it.

All in all, it's a pretty good pond.

Wonder if Arlington Bait and Tackle is still open? I know the prior owner retired and sold it some years back...
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy" - the Existential Blues

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Offline nachothegreat

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #3 on: Jan 12, 2022, 10:39 AM »
Yes, the Rt 2 side is where I (and most others) were fishing.

Arlington Bait and Tackle was open as of this past summer, and I believe they are still open.

Offline bumps

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #4 on: Jan 12, 2022, 10:56 AM »
Thanks for the input. I definitely fish the rt 2 side. And like I said, I used to do well there. Happy to hear it is still producing. I'll let you knownhow I do if I get there on Monday. Tight lines!  :tipup:

Offline city slicker

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #5 on: Jan 12, 2022, 04:43 PM »
So I used to fish this place years ago and always did well. I moved and haven't been back in like 10 years. I heard they dredged it a few years ago and it devastated the fish population? Has anyone ice fished there in the past couple years? If so how did you do? Hoping to get out that way and fish it again soon. Thanks for any info.
-Bumps
It was not dredged, But every 4-5 years the " Spy pond committee " they do a weed kill and screws up the pond for at least a year, They say the chemical does not kill fish.. 
Yes maybe true but...  the dying weeds kills the O2 and the fish die by the hundreds, I have seen it for years, and turns the water a milky color
I love that pond Ive fished it for over 40 years.
They have not done a weed kill for a few years, the water was crystal clear last winter.

Offline bumps

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #6 on: Jan 12, 2022, 08:39 PM »
Thanks cityslicker!

Offline derekinhawaii

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #7 on: Jan 13, 2022, 10:53 AM »
So I used to fish this place years ago and always did well. I moved and haven't been back in like 10 years. I heard they dredged it a few years ago and it devastated the fish population? Has anyone ice fished there in the past couple years? If so how did you do? Hoping to get out that way and fish it again soon. Thanks for any info.
-Bumps
I ice fished with a friend, Little Spy on the Belmont side of Rte 2 a few years back.  I left a very detailed account of what happened in a ice shanty thread, but in summary, two officers showed up and threatened me with arrest if we didn't get off the pond.  Needless to say after that threat and my reaction afterwards with the town manager and the Belmont Police department, THEY WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.  Two SUCCESSFUL complaints against the officers were made.  A lawsuit was/is threatened by me IF they ever threaten me with arrest for ice fishing or anything else that's legal.

Arlington Police and Fire do it the right way.  I've been approached over the years by their local officers and even the Fire Chief asking about the ice conditions.  They are proactive with ice safety and the public .  Some Belmont officers on the other hand, do not engage with the locals and could careless.  They do not educate themselves on ice fishing nor do they know the access points of their local ponds.  All they care about are the local millionaires who live along the shores of towns ponds and pay their wages.   

Sorry this was a bit off topic but I wanted to comment about Spy Pond, Arlington vs Belmont.  FLAAGS!!!!

Offline fishermantim

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #8 on: Jan 13, 2022, 12:26 PM »
Fortunately the number of officials that don't know or won't put in an effort to know is quite low.
What I've found is that the officers I've encountered will inquire so they can plan on heading out on their days off.

Had an incident with a Westwood PO years ago, but he made it clear that he was only checking because of numerous calls from residents who didn't know the ice conditions. To be fair, I told him I understood how the calls could be more for concern than being a bother.
Seems that the weekend I was fishing was after a rainy period, with standing water on top of 6-8" of ice.
Because I was probably the first person to hit the ice there, the water made it look like there was lots of open water and little ice.

After jumping up and down to show how good the ice was, the PO understood and wished me luck as he drove away.
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy" - the Existential Blues

I am a legend in my own mind!

Offline city slicker

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #9 on: Jan 13, 2022, 03:44 PM »
I ice fished with a friend, Little Spy on the Belmont side of Rte 2 a few years back.  I left a very detailed account of what happened in a ice shanty thread, but in summary, two officers showed up and threatened me with arrest if we didn't get off the pond.  Needless to say after that threat and my reaction afterwards with the town manager and the Belmont Police department, THEY WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.  Two SUCCESSFUL complaints against the officers were made.  A lawsuit was/is threatened by me IF they ever threaten me with arrest for ice fishing or anything else that's legal.

Arlington Police and Fire do it the right way.  I've been approached over the years by their local officers and even the Fire Chief asking about the ice conditions.  They are proactive with ice safety and the public .  Some Belmont officers on the other hand, do not engage with the locals and could careless.  They do not educate themselves on ice fishing nor do they know the access points of their local ponds.  All they care about are the local millionaires who live along the shores of towns ponds and pay their wages.   

Hey Derek, are you the guy who tried fishing the Charles basin by Mass ave a few years ago ?
I've fished little pond 30 yeas ago , Open water the pond is only knee deep.

Sorry this was a bit off topic but I wanted to comment about Spy Pond, Arlington vs Belmont.  FLAAGS!!!!

Offline DanR

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #10 on: Jan 14, 2022, 05:44 PM »
What’s up Slicker? Hopefully ice soon.  I’d never done well on Spy.   Met an old timer on the ice last winter who’d been out 8 days straight with 1 fish to show for it.  He was on the right side of the island from the boat launch.  Apparently, terrible spot.  There were also three coyotes on the island, so be wary early in the AM.  I fished Spy heavily in the late summer and fall and did way better than I expected.  Really thought fish were few and far between and undersized.  I was quite wrong.  I pulled some 4+ bass, big yellow and white perch all over, no pickerel, carp sightings, and landed a pike.  Couldn’t believe it.  The owner at Arlington Bait and Tackle told me that someone unofficially slipped some pike in their a while back.  At least one survived. Also, a dude caught a giant tiger Muskie this summer and his picture was on display in the Robbins Library with the fish.  Thing was absolutely enormous.  Still haven’t met one myself.  Don’t have the answer to ice fishing.  Went twice last year and caught a couple perch.  Ice was thin. But the fish are there.  Giants are there.  Plenty of potential.  I so hope it’s fishable in the next two weeks.  Good luck man. 

Offline fishermantim

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #11 on: Jan 19, 2022, 04:42 PM »
As in real estate, it's "location, location LOCATION"!

I've fished the pond from a kayak, and you can see where the weeds are, the drop offs and areas that might hold fish.
Knowing that fish migrate from the summer to the winter spots, there are areas out in the middle of of the pond (rte 2 side) that are deep enough to hold fish. From the island west to rte 2 there are lots of weeds, which should hold all species of fish.

As for the weed treatment mentioned earlier, they had an issue where they tried to blame the home owners with shorefront property with causing the weed die off from excess fertilizers, but I sent a mailed reply stating it wasn't the fertilizers that were the problem but rather the increasing number of geese that polluted the Mass Ave side. They crapped all over the playground/picnic grass, killing it and causing the town to have to replace it almost annually. The Mass Ave side "used" to have great fishing and abundant plant life.
Now it's void of almost all plants and fish.
Luckily there were a mating pair of swans that stayed on the rte 2 side, and would chase each and every goose that crossed over to "their" side on the pond. Because of that, that side of the pond has a self-sustaining healthy population of fish.

I think the town finally "got the clue" and started posting signs: "PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE GEESE".

It still warrants a trip now and then.

I used to kayak fish while the school crew team were practicing during the fall.
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy" - the Existential Blues

I am a legend in my own mind!

Offline DanR

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #12 on: Jan 22, 2022, 08:22 PM »
Beautiful day and nice ice.  All yellow perch this afternoon.  Couldn’t find anything else.  Still solid outing.

Offline thelucky

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #13 on: Jan 25, 2022, 07:14 AM »
Saw that 3 people fell through the ice at Spy this week, and all had to be saved.   I think they closed the pond or have at least tried to limit access.

Offline Ryan51993

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #14 on: Jan 25, 2022, 07:27 AM »
Saw that 3 people fell through the ice at Spy this week, and all had to be saved.   I think they closed the pond or have at least tried to limit access.
That's unfortunate hopefully all of them will be OK. Not good for a place that already has folks calling 911 on ice fisherman as it is. I can understand being concerned about kids skating on thin ice but if someone is ice fishing they know exactly how thick it is and a call to the police is never warranted.

Offline Rangerboats391

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #15 on: Jan 25, 2022, 08:15 AM »
i've had the entire rescue squad come out for me sleeping in my boat twice.....5k wake up call ;D

Offline sebago2jigtima

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #16 on: Jan 25, 2022, 08:42 AM »
i've had the entire rescue squad come out for me sleeping in my boat twice.....5k wake up call ;D

was it on the ice  :unsure:

Offline Rangerboats391

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #17 on: Jan 25, 2022, 08:50 AM »
was it on the ice  :unsure:it was on my 20 foot bass boat, residence called twice because they could'nt see my lying down sleeping, it was funny to see they whole shoreline with cops and people....it was on the news as breaking news

Offline PerchMan45

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #18 on: Jan 25, 2022, 12:09 PM »
Saw that 3 people fell through the ice at Spy this week, and all had to be saved.   I think they closed the pond or have at least tried to limit access.

I heard they went through a big hole in the ice. This is why a) you shouldn’t make sight holes; illegal in most places anyways or b) make sure you properly cover a hole with logs or large objects to alert people of its presence.

Easiest and best thing is simply to not make these holes.

Good news is all involved were rescued safely.

Offline city slicker

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #19 on: Jan 25, 2022, 03:33 PM »
Saw it on the news this morning too, I'm unclear I think it was a large hole someone cut ???  3 different people fell in at different times, What am i missing here ?

Offline fishermantim

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Re: Spy pond
« Reply #20 on: Jan 26, 2022, 05:10 PM »
They probably fell thru a weaken section where there are underwater springs.

From the video clip they showed on the news, it was between the island and the shore, on the right side if looking from the Mass Ave side.

What I find eerily commonplace is the nonchalant attitude some people have when heading out on the ice.

Now, most (if not all) anglers will check as they go if y=they are unfamiliar with a pond, or unsure of a familiar pond's ice.

I see way too many people just walking out simply because they saw an angler out on the ice.

When I encounter these people the first thing I ask them is "Do you know how thick the ice is?"
They NEVER know. Then I tell them and how I know.

How many of us have gone out on what looked/felt like good ice, and turned right around when it got sketchy?
I did years ago on w pond in Chelmsford.
A friend and I fished this pond on a warmer-than-usual winter day.
Started out with 3 inches, but it soon melted down to 3
We felt it getting "spongy", you know where the ice seems to bounce like a trampoline.
As we were walking off, we passed cracks where the water would push up with each step.
A guy was walking out, and we asked why? he was checking the ice for a derby the next morning.
We walked about 5 steps, turned around and see him walking back (spud bar in hand) saying "NOPE, no way there'll be a derby here.


"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy" - the Existential Blues

I am a legend in my own mind!

 



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