Will The Blizzard Bring Good Fishing?
My bait and tackle shop friends echoed similar feelings about the impending storm – they all felt that it would curtail the efforts of the casual angler and embolden the hardwater junkie. The reason is that the intrepid ice fishermen knows that the pressure will be off pounded water bodies during and immediately following the storm, the fish will be less spooky, and there will be more action for them. It begs the question: which camp are you in?
Eddie of B&A told me of Tim Corbett who took a nice 3-pound, 11-ounce pickerel on a shiner out of East Waushaccum Pond. This place also has some fine smallmouth in it as well. This just might be a sleeper pond being so close to West Waushaccum, which has a higher profile because it is stocked with trout. Be careful on big water such as Comet, the windswept freeze we enjoyed a couple weeks ago kept some spots thin and the resultant thaw didn’t help, but anglers are out and about and finding safe ice on Comet and Eddie is hearing of the trout/salmon fruits of their efforts.
Jim from Barry’s said that there is plenty of ice on smaller water bodies but some of the wide open lakes have indeterminate sections. From personal experience I’ve been spending time on 6 inches of black ice, all the while facing what looks like an ocean of open water off in the distance. This is definitely a year for ice picks, a buddy, and a spud for checking ice depth every step of the way. Be especially careful if you’re trotting out there with Barry’s Bait – some of those suckers and shiners are so big they might stress the ice! There’s been warm-water species success on Flint Pond, Ripple Lake, Dorothy Pond and Jordan Pond. Guys are targeting toothies on Lake Chauncy and the 1A Site, but stick to sheltered coves until you can gauge safe ice.
Just when I was determined not to write about Lake Mattawa this week, Rod from Flagg’s told me of someone who slid some slab perch onto the ice. Most anglers in trout water target trout, but if you fish for panfish, you’ll probably not only catch fish but some really nice ones at that. Grab a sensitive jig stick and a tungsten jig/small soft plastic or a Swedish pimple/waxie or Jigging Rapala and try to sound a place where a drop-off meets up with a deep bar or flat; that’s where the perch will be. They continue to do well at the “Specs” for warm water species and for panfish check out Lake Ellis and Tully Lake.
Eric from Lunkers told me that Cochituate had remained open but guys were fishing in some capacity on Farm Pond, Ashland Reservoir and Hopkinton Reservoir but don’t take any step for granted, it has been that kind of a year. He did say that an angler came into the shop with one of the most beautiful brown trout that he had seen in a long time but it came from Comet. The fish was about 2 ½-pounds, brilliantly spotted, olive on top with golden/yellow flanks. The good news is that there are brown trout stocked in Ashland and Hopkinton as well.
Fred from Suds ‘N Soda was lamenting the transient ice and negligible smelt bite on Great Bay when we spoke; for some reason the little buggers are by and large absent there this year. Fortunately the pond/lake fishing there is phenomenal. Lamprey River has a good largemouth bass and crappie bite going on now. You can also catch the occasional smallmouth bass there. There’s also solid warm water species activity at Wheelright Lake and Pleasant Lake. For an additional New Hampshire perspective Jamie from Dover Marine clued me in on some rainbow trout possibilities as well as fine white perch fishing in Bow Lake. Willand is still a standout for largemouth bass and crappie remain king in Bellamy. Other options are big ‘gills in Turkey Pond, yellow perch in Wash Pond and bass and white perch in Baxter Lake.
Of course the ice really gets serious in Maine. Panfish are largely overlooked in Maine but there has traditionally been some pretty good perch fishing in a number of water bodies and there’s a surge in a relative newcomer – the black crappie. For un-pressured perch try Little Sebago, Lake Arrowhead, Thomas Pond or Auburn Lake. Crappie are being found in new water bodies at a dizzying rate. Jig up some slabs at Mousam Lake, Balch and Stump Ponds, Estes Lake and Rock Haven Lake. Of course Maine would not be Maine without some solid salmonid opportunities. Dylan of Dag’s in Auburn suggest Lake Kezar for landlocked salmon and West Grand Lake for nearly every coldwater species that swims in Maine especially togue.
Fishing Forecast
As the snow flies and drift depths begin to mount, promise yourself that when the shoveling and grumbling is done your just desert will be an ice-fishing outing! Check out the trout/salmon bite from Comet or seek out some slab crappies from the Spectacle Ponds in the Connecticut Valley Region. For a northern moment, soak a big shiner or sucker at the 1A Site or Lake Chauncy. In New Hampshire, the bull bluegill bite is good at Turkey Pond while bass are cooperating at Baxter Lake. Down Maine, take advantage of the underappreciated perch action in Auburn Lake or tempt the gypsy black crappie, which are flourishing in Mousam Lake and Balch and Stump Ponds. But if Maine just would not be Maine to you without cold-water species chills than check out the landlocked salmon bite at Kezar Lake or tug in a togue from West Grand Lake.
Hey Ron, What’s your email? I caught a 16.5″ Brown that weighted 1.5lbs out of Hopkinton a few weeks ago. I’d like to send you some pictures.
You have to love those brownies! An unexpected benefit from the discontinuation of the broodstock salmon program may be an improvement in holdover brown trout numbers. I know of a few water bodies that used to harbor big brown trout and those fisheries largely disappeared once those ponds were stocked with big hungry salmon. It may have been a case of too many mouths to feed for the forage base, we’ll see in a few years. Jason send those pics to me through feedback@onthewater.com
Thanks Ron, just sent the email too you. Enjoy! It will be interesting to see if they make a come back and if the forage improves. I think there will be a waiting period though until holdover salmon are caught and fished out. It’s really too bad they are stopping the program.
Pssttt, there is some great fishing west of the Connecticut River, and you are still in Massachusetts.
One of these ponds was stocked with salmon and it has browns bigger than many of the salmon.
I was thinking of fishing either lake mattawa or comet on Saturday. Which one would I have a better chance at catching a salmon and where are some good spots there. Thanks and happy fishing.