Monatiquot River Fishing Guides
A short urban tidal river in Braintree, newly reopened to sea run fish by dam removals, already carrying one of the strongest herring runs in Massachusetts.
Guides on the Monatiquot River
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About the Monatiquot River
The Monatiquot River is a small, heavily urban river that forms in Braintree where the Farm River and the Cochato River meet, and runs barely two miles from there to the Weymouth Fore River and Boston Harbor. For most of the last two centuries it was among the most obstructed rivers on the Massachusetts coast, dammed for mills at several points within a very short distance and effectively closed to sea run fish above the lowest structure. It is included here because that has changed, and changed dramatically.
The removal of the Armstrong and Ames Pond dams reopened the river and the tributaries above it, and the herring run that followed has been one of the clearest restoration successes in the state. Counts climbed quickly into the hundreds of thousands, making the Monatiquot one of the strongest alewife and blueback runs in Massachusetts within a few seasons of the work being completed. That density of bait is what makes the river worth an angler’s attention: striped bass move up from the Fore River on the flood in spring and early summer to intercept herring, and they are followed later in the season by bluefish working the harbour end.
Above the tide the river is a modest urban stream carrying largemouth bass and panfish through the slower reaches, with brook trout persisting in the colder tributary water of the Cochato system. American eel are abundant and use the newly opened passage in numbers. The gauge at East Braintree reports discharge and stage close to the head of tide, and because the reach is tidal the record has to be read against the tide cycle rather than as a simple freshwater hydrograph. The most useful thing it shows is the spring freshet, which is what draws the herring in and sets the timing of the whole season here.
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Access
Braintree - the town the river runs through, with the main road crossings and the nearest services.
Weymouth Fore River - the receiving tidal water, with striped bass and access to Boston Harbor.
Cochato River - the tributary above the confluence, holding the coldest water in the system.
Farm River - the other headwater branch, joining at the top of the Monatiquot.
Armstrong dam site - the removal site on the lower river, the focus of the restoration work.
Quincy - the neighbouring city north, with boat ramps, tackle and harbour access.
Boston - fifteen minutes north, with the nearest airport and the region's full services.
Seasons
Spring: the herring arrive in enormous numbers and the striped bass come in behind them, by a wide margin the best time here.
Summer: schoolie bass hold in the tidal reach and bluefish appear at the harbour end as the water warms.
Fall: bass and blues feed hard on the way out, and the herring smolt drop back down the river.
Winter: cold and quiet, with almost no angling activity and only resident white perch in the estuary.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Monatiquot River?
As of Oct 18, 5:00 pm, the USGS gauge MONATIQUOT RIVER AT EAST BRAINTREE, MA reads 16 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Monatiquot River?
Anglers target American Eel, Bluefish, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, White Perch, Winter Flounder on the Monatiquot River in Massachusetts.
Where can you access the Monatiquot River?
Braintree - the town the river runs through, with the main road crossings and the nearest services. Weymouth Fore River - the receiving tidal water, with striped bass and access to Boston Harbor. Cochato River - the tributary above the confluence, holding the coldest water in the system. Farm River - the other headwater branch, joining at the top of the Monatiquot. Armstrong dam site - the removal site on the lower river, the focus of the restoration work. Quincy - the neighbouring city north, with boat ramps, tackle and harbour access. Boston - fifteen minutes north, with the nearest airport...
When is the best time to fish the Monatiquot River?
Spring: the herring arrive in enormous numbers and the striped bass come in behind them, by a wide margin the best time here. Summer: schoolie bass hold in the tidal reach and bluefish appear at the harbour end as the water warms. Fall: bass and blues feed hard on the way out, and the herring smolt drop back down the river. Winter: cold and quiet, with almost no angling activity and only resident white perch in the estuary.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Monatiquot River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Massachusetts agency site: https://www.mass.gov/recreational-saltwater-fishing