The arctic vortex that enveloped the Northeast earlier this week was something of an answered prayer for Cape Cod ice fishermen who have been waiting all season for a chance to hit the hardwater close to home.
As of Thursday afternoon, smaller ponds throughout the Cape had a sheet of ice and fishermen were getting out and catching fish through the ice. Bass, pickerel and perch are all falling to live shiners suspended under a tip up.
This is the time of year to catch slab panfish, like pot-bellied perch, bull-headed bluegills and platter-sized crappie. A crappie worthy of a state pin (1-pound, 8 ounces or better) was checked into Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay on Thursday. Rich from the Hook Up in Orleans caught several jumbo yellow perch on Thursday, and even brought a few home to fry up and eat.
Dan at The Hook Up hit the ice this past Sunday at Pilgrim Lake, catching a mix of small perch and good-sized largemouth bass. Dan reported that the ice thickness varied considerably throughout the lake with some areas holding 4 inches of white ice while others had only 1-inch of black ice.
Dan reported that Cliff Pond, Bakers Pond and Sheep Pond all remain open, and that only smaller ponds had formed enough ice to support fishing.
Friday morning may be the last shot at ice fishing for the weekend, as the temperature is forecasted to stay in the 40s through the middle of next week. Forecasts of rain also aren’t likely to help out the ice situation.
Best Bets for the Weekend
If you want to get on the ice, you better call in sick Friday and go in the morning. By Saturday, the conditions will be 50 degrees and rain, not your ideal forecast for standing on ice.
For Friday morning ice, be sure to have live shiners to set under fish traps for bass, pickerel and plus-sized panfish. To stave off boredom between flags, bring a jigging rod and work a teardrop rig sweetened with a waxworm or piece of minnow to target perch and bluegills.
As always, be careful. Check the ice repeatedly, and remember that ponds will not freeze uniformly. As Dan saw on Sunday, some parts of a pond will have 4 inches while others may have 1. Make sure you always bring ice-picks, a rope and a fishing partner when hitting the hardwater.
On the larger ponds, the warmer, wet weather should put the trout in a feeding mood. Trout love feeding during these warm-ups, especially when coupled with an overcast day. My pick for Saturday would be hitting a larger trout pond such as Peters, Cliff, Sheeps or Bakers and slinging stickbaits, spoons, shiners or nightcrawlers.