i used to live in hingham, MA, what part of northeast mass and what ponds are you talking about? I know of a couple guys out there that have starting throwing the Charlie Megabaits, not the 8 inch but the smaller 5 inch and have been catching good bass. If i were still out there i would either throw swimbaits in rainbow trout, or perch. I dont throw swimbaits to much but i think the easiest thing to do would be to wake a swimbait slowly on top, since there isn't probably anyone that has started doing this on the water out there, and with the generally clear water everywhere out there fish will come up for a nice trout goin over them. Again i dont really know anything at all about swimbaits, but you definately came to the right site to ask the question.
ps. any of the california guys with some answers, keep in mind that the fish out there very rarely, or have never seen any type of swimbait, and most of the ponds and lakes stocked with trout are deep and clear and stocked with rainbow, brook, and brown trout.