Jones River Fishing Guides
A short South Shore tidal river with a restored herring run and a remnant sea run brook trout population, emptying into Kingston Bay beside Plymouth.
Guides on the Jones River
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About the Jones River
The Jones River is short by any measure, running only a handful of miles from the outlet of Silver Lake through the town of Kingston and into Kingston Bay at the north end of Plymouth Bay. What it lacks in length it makes up for in significance. This is one of the most closely studied small coastal rivers in Massachusetts, the subject of decades of restoration work, and the tidal reach below the head of tide supports a genuinely diverse assemblage for a river that a strong caster could nearly throw across.
River herring are the engine of the system. The run up the Jones was severely depressed for most of the twentieth century and has recovered substantially since fish passage was improved and the Wapping Road area obstructions were addressed, and the alewife and blueback that push through in April and May bring striped bass in behind them. Schoolie bass are the most commonly caught fish in the tidal reach through the warm months, with larger fish working the mouth and the flats off Kingston Bay on the bigger tides. White perch hold in the brackish middle reach year round and winter flounder are still taken in the lower river and the bay.
The freshwater half of the river matters too. The Jones carries a remnant population of brook trout, and some of those fish are sea run, dropping into the estuary to feed and returning to the cold tributary water. Salters of this kind persist in only a short list of Massachusetts streams and they are the reason the river attracts attention out of proportion to its size. The gauge reports both discharge and stage, which on a tidal river means the record has to be read with the tide in mind rather than as a simple flow series. Anglers who learn the timing of the tide at the gauge quickly find that the river fishes on a two hour window either side of the turn rather than on the clock.
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Access
Kingston - the town the river runs through, with the main public access points and the nearest services.
Silver Lake - the headwater pond at the top of the system, a water supply with restricted access.
Kingston Bay - the receiving water at the mouth, with flats fishing for striped bass on the tide.
Plymouth - the larger town immediately south, with tackle shops, boat ramps and full services.
Jones River Landing - the community landing on the tidal reach, the most straightforward river access.
Town Brook - the neighbouring Plymouth stream with its own herring run and restoration work.
Boston - an hour north, with the nearest airport and the bulk of the region's services.
Seasons
Spring: the herring run arrives and the first striped bass follow it into the river, making this the peak of the year.
Summer: schoolie bass hold through the tidal reach and the fishing settles into a tide driven routine morning and evening.
Fall: bass feed hard on the way out and the sea run brook trout move back toward the freshwater reaches.
Winter: the river is quiet and largely unfished, with the estuary holding a few resident white perch.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Jones River?
As of Oct 18, 5:15 pm, the USGS gauge JONES RIVER AT KINGSTON, MA reads 27 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Jones River?
Anglers target American Eel, Bluefish, Brook Trout, Chain Pickerel, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, White Perch, Winter Flounder on the Jones River in Massachusetts.
Where can you access the Jones River?
Kingston - the town the river runs through, with the main public access points and the nearest services. Silver Lake - the headwater pond at the top of the system, a water supply with restricted access. Kingston Bay - the receiving water at the mouth, with flats fishing for striped bass on the tide. Plymouth - the larger town immediately south, with tackle shops, boat ramps and full services. Jones River Landing - the community landing on the tidal reach, the most straightforward river access. Town Brook - the neighbouring Plymouth stream with its own herring run and restoration work. Boston -...
When is the best time to fish the Jones River?
Spring: the herring run arrives and the first striped bass follow it into the river, making this the peak of the year. Summer: schoolie bass hold through the tidal reach and the fishing settles into a tide driven routine morning and evening. Fall: bass feed hard on the way out and the sea run brook trout move back toward the freshwater reaches. Winter: the river is quiet and largely unfished, with the estuary holding a few resident white perch.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Jones River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Massachusetts agency site: https://www.mass.gov/recreational-saltwater-fishing