Plummeting temperatures are locking up water bodies faster than you can say black ice! All indications are that this should be a break-out weekend for those looking to chip a few hardwater holes and bait and tackle shops have topped off their livewells and stocked their shelves with gear in anticipation. As for those longing for a trip Downeast, the scuttlebutt from the smelt camps in Maine is that the ice is fine and they are open for business.
Okay folks more than a few of you have been waiting for this news – the smelt camps are open! Here’s your link for the lot of them; http://www.maine.gov/dmr/recreational/smeltcamps/index.htm, book now! The delayed season has made many anxious to get out there and vacancies will soon be in short supply.
To continue with the Maine theme, on Thursday Dylan of Dag’s took a break from chopping holes through the ice to tell me that his gang had already iced a beauty of a 38” northern pike. The trophy toothy was taken from Taylor Pond on a dead slab shiner from about 12” of ice. Trout fanciers should set their sights and as well as their traps in shallow water in Middle and Upper Range Lakes where the brookie bite is good. Togue fans are hoping the big-water lakes lock up soon so that they can target these heavyweights.
Bay State Esox enthusiasts have been out and about among the coves of the Charles and the bays of the Sudbury. Be careful but some are reporting 5” of ice already. Heartier hardwater exists in the central part of the state. According to Rodney of Flagg’s in Orange another nice salmon was taken from Lake Mattawa in Orange, this time a 12-pounder from a trap from 6” of ice. Rohunta continues to please the warm water species crowd and the crappie bite is brisk from North and South “Specs.” There’s even a Bob House on Barton Cove which is upstream of Tuners Falls in the Connecticut River. This is one of the few places in Massachusetts where you can catch a walleye.
Barry from Barry’s Bait and Tackle in Worcester is doubly-pumped up this weekend. First of all he’s a Pats long-term season-ticket holder and just as importantly he’s expecting a lot of traffic through the door from the frozen fraternity. In anticipation of this he’s filled the tanks to the brim with bait including the highly coveted “size 32” shiners. I now know that this is how those in the bait business describe the biggest bait. The 32 indicates the size of the slats in the bait-separating grates used to cull the minnows. If you desire pike or big bass, those “32s” are for you. Eddy Pond in Auburn had 20 hardcore anglers on it mid-week so they must be onto something. Elsewhere Lake Ripple in Grafton has had action.
Eddie of B&A Bait in Boylston told me that Jaime Tetreault took an 11-pound, 12-ounce broodstock salmon from Asnacomet Pond in Hubbardston. The fish hit a shiner just under the ice. And the highly coveted crappie killer, Indian Lake in Worcester, has 5” of the hard stuff.
There is finally some hardwater hubbub from of Lunkers B&T in Ashland; Eric said that a colorful 16” tiger trout was taken from Ashland Reservoir. Folks have also been out on Little Chauncy Pond in Northborough. “Just today, they’re out there”, announced Jerry of Jerry’s B&T in Milford when describing Hopedale Pond in Hopedale. He also told me that ice fishermen have been out on Lake Louisa in Milford where there are trout.
Don from Merrimac Sports reminded me that Lake Attitash in Amesbury is one of the few places on the North Shore where northern pike prowl and it has locked up. Last year 10-pound class pike were taken during a tournament. Nearby Tuxbury Pond is also frozen and it has a nice mixture of warm water species. Plan on Plug Pond for salmon and trout.
Chad from Dover Marine told me that some of the tributaries of Great Bay have frozen over, look for the first Bob Houses on the Exeter River to pop up this weekend. Expect the Oyster to follow thereafter. This is good news for smelt fans. Most of the smaller water bodies such as Massabesic Lake in Auburn have plenty of ice and some of the bigger ones such as Bow Lake are beginning to freeze up, some fishing by the dam is occurring in the latter. The bays of Winnipesauke such as Alton Bay, Wolfeboro Bay and Paugus Bay are all entertaining ice fishermen.
Best Bets
Book a shanty at one of the Maine smelt camps for a uniquely New England treat. Just do it soon because the phones are no-doubt ringing. For broodstock salmon, give Ashland Reservoir, Plug Pond, Comet Pond or Lake Mattawa a try. If pike is more your style check out the coves of the Charles River, the Sudbury River, Lake Attitash or the Winthrop Lakes region in Maine. In the Granite State they’re anxiously awaiting a smelt shindig on the tributaries of Great Bay. And for bigger fish from bigger water the bays of Winnipesauke can’t be beat!
broodstock salmon in ashland reservoir??? hopkinton maybe
Ooops, my bad! I get those two confused all the time. However, during a rain deluge if a salmon were to slip from Hopkinton Reservoir into Indian Brook and meander its way into Cold Spring Brook it could conceivably wind up in Ashland Reservoir! But that is a bit of a stretch…
Ice on Hopkinton is no good. I was out there today checking and only had 2″, same goes for Dug pond in Natick, and Lake Cochituate… Didnt even think of checking Ashland Res… bummer I should have gone west or north. Doesn’t look good with rain coming Monday and temps near 50 on Monday and Tues.