Unintentionally, Vegas odds makers have thrown Pats nation an anesthetic for the painful ending to the season, in that the betting line has your team once again favored to hoist the Lombardi trophy next year! Bait shops have done their own version of hedging their bets as they’ve stocked shiners of all sizes, hoping you’ll shake off the chill and get out on the ice.
The “catching” of ice on water bodies is hardly an exact science but rarely as unpredictable as this year. Guys who are out on a spot often and know the peculiarities of a pond or lake are fishing the most safely. As for the rest, you should treat each and every step as if it’s over potentially unsafe ice. I can’t recall so many instances of fishermen falling through! The biggest reason seems to be the last rainstorm/thaw, which eroded auger holes. Some of these holes are three feet in circumference and disguised by skim ice/snow. Make sure you spud or chisel your way out, have ice picks at the ready, buddy-up, and steer clear of inlets.
Most shop owners are mentioning sheltered coves as the best bet. Bait and tackle shop owners are your best friend regarding safe ice conditions, few know neighboring waters as well as they do. It would behoove you to stop in first, fill up with bait, gear and insider knowledge, and then head out for a safer, more productive outing. And don’t be stingy while you’re there. The majority of these small businesses are having a tough go of it through no fault of their own. Those shops that cater also to saltwater enthusiasts were at one time a one-stop shopping headquarters for a 365-day fishing season. With the virtual extirpation of the cod and smelt fishing reduced to a sliver of what it once was, their business season has been halved. With the instability of the current ice-fishing season, they’re not even selling shiners. We recently lost Ippi’s in Lynn, and with that we now have a huge void in the urban North Shore. The late Rick Newcomb of Fore River B&T in Quincy once told me that 25 years ago there were over 30 bait shops between just south of Boston and Plymouth, now there is but a handful. And when they close their doors, they don’t come back!
Once again, the most sensible ice fishing spots are out west. Brandon from Granby’s had some patrons who were intent on putting in some time at Barton Cove on the Connecticut River for a possible walleye or pike. Brimfield Reservoir has had some interest regarding bass and pike enthusiasts. Find the weed-line, which borders the channel, and you’ll find more fish. One of the more consistent options continues to be The Oxbow, which is a multi-species fishbowl if there ever was one. Just in case you’re tired of reading about pike and more pike from Cheshire Reservoir, Pontoosuc, Onota, and Buel, then Jim from JCB would like to clue everyone in on the burgeoning yellow perch fisheries taking place there. Prolific pike numbers have “thinned the herd” of runt yellows, leaving fewer but bigger perch throughout the western part of the state, and these fish fly under the radar of most. Our friends in Minnesota would kill for some of the jumbos the locals are jigging up in these places.
If you don’t mind traveling across the border, Lake Winnipesaukee represents a rare opportunity in mid-February, namely fresh ice! I just got word from Al from AJs in Meredith that the big lake finally “caught,” in fact Winter Harbor is now sporting 7 to 8 inches of good ice. Because of the balmy winter, this place has not been pressured and the fishing should be fantastic. So bundle up, be careful and catch ’em up because next week’s weather includes rain and a lot of melting!
On the local Bait and Tackle Front Arlington Bait and Tackle and Fishing Fanatics both have Shinners.ABT is open everyday except tuesday . Pete is open 7 days a week there is a number on his front door if its locked he is two mins away