While many were sweating out the recent “great thaw of 2014” concerned that it would reduce most hardwater to puddles, others found it was just the catalyst to put fish, from trout to toothies, on a tear. All across the Bay State, a number of 15-pound-plus northern pike made fishermen’s days. Experienced hardwater junkies are looking at the season with a fresh perspective as ponds and lakes are heavy on re-oxygenated water and light on stifling snow cover.
Massachusetts Ice Fishing Report
Jim from JCB Bait and Tackle in Cheshire said it best, “We got a lot of ice man!” The lack of snow from the recent nor’easter combined with minus morning temperatures has resulted in water bodies in the western part of the state looking like frozen fiestas on most weekends. Big groups gathering and having a blast out on the ice have been the norm. And with 12-plus inches of the hard stuff, some are even taking their trucks onto the ice. One of Jim’s sons iced a 36-inch, 15-pound toothie recently on a big golden shiner from Cheshire Reservoir. In fact, Jim is having a hard time keeping up with the list of the nice pike that are being iced from this place—it is sounding a lot like the Massachusetts version of Maine’s Sabattus. There’s also rumblings about a trophy 20-pound pike that was taken from Pontoosuc recently. It is thought that melt-off during a thaw brings bait as well as pike in close to the shoreline, but Jim’s advice now is to stick to deeper water for northerns. Another option is Woods Pond in Lee, which doubles as a target for pike and bass; the latter of which is best fished for from the middle basin/south section.
Jim from Barry’s in Worcester sounds as if he’s been working out as he talks in terms of 300 pounds – of bait that is! The need for northern-sized bait has Jim stocking out-sized shiners and suckers, which will pull line from your trap if you don’t have a bait clip. But don’t discount the luck factor: A patron of Jim’s was recently fishing Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester with medium shiners and relatively light monofilament, hoping for trout, when a 17-pound pike crashed the party. It was no easy feat landing that fish, but the angler took his time and it will soon reside as a keepsake memory on a wall in his house. Jim recommends Singletary Pond for a mixed bag including smallies; Flint Pond flies under the radar of most of the bronzeback brigade but it is one of the better ones if you’re looking for that 4-pound plus trophy. While Comet has been pounded for a while, Dyson Flannery is sure glad he didn’t overlook it as he took from it a terrific tiger trout of 21 ¼”, 3-1 ounces on a shiner. It may be time to double-down on those pressured trout spots.
Rod from Flagg’s in Orange talked in terms of single-digit temperatures and double-digit pike from Quaboag Pond when we spoke. No big deal here, just another day and another “ordinary” 36-inch pike! They are out and about among the multi-species playground of Barton Cove off the Connecticut River where walleye, pike and some pretty big catfish are known to frequent. Lake Moore in Warwick got a bounce from the warm weather of last week and the trout fishing has picked up. For slab crappie, go light with tungsten jigs, Maki plastics and jig them up from North Spectacle Pond.
Dave from Merrimac Sports said that the big chill should be locking up coves off the Concord River where a few tight-lipped toothy hunters have taken impressive pike. Lake Attitash is usually slow for pike, but they are present, while a better bet may be the bass fishing there. For those that go crazy for crappie, Dave’s advice is to cross the border into New Hampshire’s Big Island Pond which has a panoply of panfish including perch in both yellow and white varieties.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel in Nashua told me that some in New Hampshire are making a reverse migration of sorts back to the Bay State for bows, browns, brookies and tigers from such Massachusetts gems as Baldpate and White’s ponds. If you would prefer giving it a go in the Granite State, check out Pawtuckaway Pond for panfish and other warm-water species; special mention should go to Lake Potanipo in Brookline where 14-inch crappie are not uncommon. If you need gear of any sort that needs resuscitation, realize that Joe has been repairing this stuff since the ’60’s!
Jamie from Dover Marine is a Jeffrey’s Ledge junkie and having not talked to him in the longest time I just had to ask for an update. He was last out in December and those painful playmates – 25-pound drag-pulling pollock – were plentiful in 300 feet of water. We all know full well how cod fishing has degenerated to where a 20-pounder is a newsworthy fish, but Jamie did say that not long after the Gulf Of Maine was closed in November, encouraging schools of 15- to 20-pound brown bombers began to show up in their spawning grounds. Just maybe there is hope! Regarding recent ice-fishing activities, Jamie said that the bays of Winnipesauke, especially Wolfeboro, have been hot for rainbow trout as big as 3 pounds. Shallow here is the way to go. One trick of the trout trade is to “seed” a bunch of holes to see where the trout are congregating. This is done in skinny water where a few salmon eggs are dropped into random holes. Anglers wait a bit, belly-up to the holes and peer in to see if the eggs have been eaten. They then saturate that area with their traps – try it, it works. Another best bet is Jamie’s neighboring Great East Lake where fast action with 16- to 20-inch forktails is no problem. What makes this water body so prolific is that it has a plentiful forage base of smelt and alewives.
Lon from Suds ‘N Soda said that the first few verified smelt have been caught from the Squamscott River, and while this isn’t cause to invite one in all to a fish fry, it’s at least a start. A better bet may be Kingston Pond for trout where Lon recommends targeting the deeper water where the resident trout are less harried since the pressure is mostly shallow. Greenwood Pond is good for fast action for pickerel in shallow stretches.
Maine Fishing Report
Normally contrite Ken from Saco Bay Tackle couldn’t stop yakking about the togue action on Sebago. The togue can be tricked with a ¾-ounce chartreuse jig/Gulp! Nugget danced very slowly just off the bottom. When asked for a “specific” bottom he told me the action is coming in from all points of this massive lake. Brown trout have been hitting pretty well from Horn Pond which hosts a derby this Saturday. There is also a derby this Saturday on Crystal Lake. Barker Pond is a solid bet for brown trout as well and if panfish is more to your liking, especially white perch, Ken suggests Lake Arrowhead. For bass consider Little Ossipee as well as Kennebunk Pond. And just in time for all things salmonids, the shop will be carrying smelt beginning this weekend. And if it’s after hours you can pick up your smelt along with shiners and other morsels from the shops 24-7 self-serve bait dispenser.
Dylan from Dag’s in Auburn described an uptick in the brook trout action from Moosehead Lake when we spoke. If you can set your wares in one foot of water with a shiner or smelt hanging below you’re catch rate will increase tremendously. He also recommended the derby this Saturday at Crystal Lake where it takes a tagged trout to take home the prizes.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Saturday morning holds promise if the weather forecast holds firm with predicted seasonable temperatures combining with an incoming front. Pike have become strangely active, more reminiscent of what ordinarily is found in last-stage ice in March. Good bets remain Cheshire Reservoir, Pontoosuc Lake and Quaboag Pond. Other options are The Oxbow, Lake Chauncy, the Charles River, Fairhaven Bay and the coves of the Concord River. For trout try Lake Moore, Webster Lake, White Pond and Foster Lake. Across the border the panfish bite is solid at Pawtuckaway and Potanipo, the latter a consistent crappie producer. For smelt, the camps of Southern Maine are reporting moderate action while Sebago Lake is quite the opposite as the togue are on a tear!