Allow me to sum up the 2012 fishing season so far. It’s bitter cold, then unseasonably warm, then bitter cold, then unseasonably warm. Mother Nature can’t seem to settle on a consistent weather pattern for more than a couple days – and the indecision is killing us!
Many shallow lakes have a ring of ice along their borders making open-water fishing a chore, while the lakes that have completely skimmed over don’t have enough ice to support anglers. Most of the larger, deeper ponds are wide open, kept that way by the warm and windy days, and there are some trout and salmon are being caught.
Roy Leyva at Riverview Bait and Tackle suggested Cliff and Sheeps ponds for trout and salmon action. The shallower waters are mostly iced up, leaving trout and deepwater smallmouth bass fishing as the only options.
Peters Pond has been slow in recent days according to Chris from Bad Fish Outfitters. Over the bridge, Long Pond in Plymouth has been giving up trout and the occasional broodstock salmon on shiners.
Neither Falmouth Bait and Tackle nor The Hook Up had heard anything about this week’s fishing. With the pond conditions in limbo between ice and open, not many anglers have been giving it a shot
Best Bets
The best bet this weekend on the Cape might be watching football. If you’re into fly fishing, consider heading up to Marlborough and visit OTW at the fly show. Sign up for a subscription, which comes with a complimentary gift pack from Hogy Lures.
If you’re determined to wet a line, stick with the bigger ponds. Either Peter’s in Sandwich, Cliff or Sheep in Brewster or Long in Plymouth. The water is cold and the fish are sluggish, so bait may be the best choice. Bring a variety and see if the fish have a preference. Shiners, killifish, worms and even PowerBait has produced in the past week. For lures, metal spoons that swim even with a slow retrieve and stickbaits should work.
Also, anglers unwilling to let a winter pass without spending some time on the hardwater can find fishable ice in the western part of the state. Check out Ron Powers’ forecast for more information on off-Cape ice action.