Wachusett

On one of my recent small stream trips I decided to switch it up and fish a bigger body of water. As the second largest body of freshwater in the state, the Wachusett Reservoir certainly qualifies as "bigger".

Though I was too late for the reservoir's famed Lakers and Landlocked Salmon, I hoped to find some of the monster Smallmouth Bass I've heard inhabit its waters.

I got one decent smallmouth from the main shoreline before the wind drive me into a cove. There, I found a nice sized largemouth slowly cruising one section of shoreline. I tried every fly in my box - wooly buggers, poppers, and finally a mouse, but I couldn't entice it to do anymore than take a quick look at my fly.

Just as I was about to leave, I ended up getting a hit on the mouse from this small rock bass - I'm not sure how he would have swallowed a real mouse, but props to him for the effort.