Cape Cod anglers enjoyed the ice over the weekend, catching good numbers of bass, perch, pickerel and trout.
OTW’s Andy Nabreski took advantage of the new Catch and Release categories in the Awards Program, submitting a qualifying 14-inch perch and 26-inch pickerel last weekend. Fishermen who have a soft-spot for panfish love this time of year because usually, the biggest perch and bluegill of the season are caught through the ice.
Some of the Cape’s trout ponds have iced over enough to allow fishing. Trout, unlike bass and panfish, tend to cruise above the bottom, so setting a shiner a foot or two below the ice is the best bet for tempting trout. They can also be fooled with jigs, especially metal spoons that give off some flash.
No word yet from Wequaquet, but as the Cape’s only pike-holding pond, some impressive esox are bound to be feeding there. Pike are looking for a large meal under the ice, so go for extra-large shiners, dead or alive.
Fishermen looking to make casts into open water will likely be able to find some in Cliff’s Pond in Nickerson State Park.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Cape temperatures fluctuated this week, but anglers should still be able to find fishable ice. Shiners under a tip-up are best, but jigging with Swedish Pimples, Kastmasters or small ice jigs can add a more active element to your weekend ice fishing.
Above all else, be safe. Don’t go alone, wear a pair of ice picks around your neck, and leave a length of safety rope close by in case you need to perform a rescue.