If you’re a hardwater junkie, chances are you prefer your New Year with ice underfoot as opposed to in a glass. For you, just maybe the “countdown” has begun, and it has nothing to do with some overhyped ball drop but rather dropping temperatures that some are betting will be making safe ice soon!
We in New England are fortunate in that in spite of sketchy local conditions, safe ice is often but a road trip away. With a sustained blast from Alberta predicted between Monday and Wednesday of next week, there could very well be at least the genesis of hardwater in some places. Obviously, safety should be your main priority, and I would check with the shops that provided me with this information before topping off the tank.
Local news shows often point to the town of Orange when showcasing the lowest temperatures in the Bay State. Rod from Flagg’s in Orange offered up three early gems that are all in close proximity to each other. Clubhouse Pond (Sheomet Lake) is legendary as a first-ice/last-ice location. It is stocked with trout and has some slab smallies swimming around in it. Regarding slab smallies, a few years ago Rod weighed in a 6¾-pound bronzeback and the following day one of 5¾ pounds, all iced by the same angler from Lake Moore in Warwick. Both super-sized smallies were mounted on the same display and, not surprisingly, it’s jaw-dropping! Laurel Lake is within 4 miles of Moore and is known for big largemouth bass and yellow perch. How nice are those “hawgs”? Last spring, Rod weighed in two nearly identical largemouth bass of 6¾ pounds that were caught from Laurel Lake.
Granby’s Bait is a baitfish distributor and normally they have at the ready about 4000 pounds of shiners now, but because there has been nothing normal so far about this winter, they have in stock a paltry 400 pounds. Regardless, Brandon has a hunch that starting next week some places will be making ice. The sheltered, evergreen-shrouded backside of Aldridge Lake often freezes over quickly and has a multitude of warm-water species. Pan-fishermen who live by the jig-stick and their sonar have been known to have fast action here. Dean Pond in Brimfield is another early possibility and offers a good bite for fair-sized largemouth bass. Nearby Little Alum Pond is stocked with trout and is a great place to jig up a bunch of bluegills. Brimfield Reservoir is also close by, is a far bigger water body and gives up some impressive largemouth bass which are best targeted at the edge of the old river channel. There are also pike prowling in this place.
Jim from JCB in Cheshire said that skim ice on local water bodies has caused a buzz among the frozen fraternity. With the mercury expected to plummet to the lower teens for a good portion of the first three days of next week, we could be on our way to first ice. Moreover, Jim suggests a few first-to-freeze spots to keep in mind. Plainfield Pond in Plainfield is tucked away in the higher elevations of the Berkshires, is stocked with trout and is one of the first to lock up. Other considerations are picturesque North Pond in Florida, which is stocked with trout, and Windsor Pond in North Adams which in addition to rainbow trout has some hefty largemouth bass. It might even be time to pay attention to the 480-acre warm water and cold water species in Pontoosuc, which is sporting slush near the shoreline.
Fishing Forecast
While waiting for first ice, there are still plenty of open water options. Rapidly cooling water temperatures have brought trout closer to the shoreline, including holdovers. Long and Little ponds in Plymouth are two of the more heavily stocked in the Southeast District and have the full palette of trout species swimming there. Closer to Boston, Jamaica Pond, Cochituate, Walden and White ponds are frequently visited by the hatchery trucks. In the Northeast, Sluice Pond in Lynn is a solid spot as are Plugs Pond and Forest Lake. Out west, however, the wait is on for a host of water bodies that are almost at the “tipping” point to freeze up. Time to get those traps and other hardwater essentials in order and hope that Mother Nature has a New Year’s Resolution of her own, namely to make good on ice!