New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Fishing Report – February 18, 2016

Handwringing regarding Lake Winnipesauke has been thankfully supplanted by fishing as anglers are reveling in their sudden good fortune of mostly solid ice. The clock, however, is ticking for those who frequent more southern environs, as there may be only about two weeks left to the season. You’ll find no such qualms in Maine, however, where there is plenty of ice and willing togue and pike.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

Fresh ice on Lake Winnipesauke is a rare find in mid-February. According to Harold from AJs anglers have been quick to pounce on their good fortune with white perch and black crappie catches coming from many of the coves on the massive lake. Long Island and Greens Basin were some of the spots which Harold heard good things about. However, not far from the shop in Meredith Bay a young angler had a heck of a laker at the hole which eventually broke him off. A blue #3 and #4 Swedish Pimple seems to be the ticket. For smaller water body crappie fun, check out White Lake and Wynona. For rainbows the best bet is Waukewan.

“Two more weeks!” was the opinion of Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair regarding the legs of the ice fishing season in the Nashua area. But not now as anglers have been out and about, especially among shallow, warm-water fisheries such as Flints Pond, Falls Pond and Silver Lake. Joe also has customers checking out Robinson Pond, where there’s a derby this weekend, and Rocky and Mill Ponds. Patrons who are putting in the time at Lake Winnipesauke are finding white perch and lakers with PK Minnows at 19 Mile Bay and 20 Mile Bay. Roland of Suds ‘N Soda has been staying local and it has paid off in some beautiful rainbow trout from Willand Pond. A tungsten jig with a grub has fished best for the bows and the crappie at Bellamy Reservoir. A recent ice depth check at Bellamy revealed 8” of solid ice.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Brady of Dag’s said that the thaw/rain was a gift which cleared glare ice and has made access much better. You can put that access to good use at Sabattus which is still sizzling with pike of 10 pounds plus. With all the attention to toothies, panfish can be an underappreciated bonus as both crappie and white perch grown big here on an alewife forage base. Much of Thompson Lake had a full 12” of ice when Brady checked it out recently. The togue take was terrific in 30’ of water even if sizes were a little on the small side. Vary your traps between right on the bottom and halfway down to pick off togue shadowing suspending forage. Set up a shanty for a pretty good nighttime smelt bite here. For a brookie best bet hit the Range Ponds as well as Worthley Pond. For a chance at a bigger than average brook trout, try Adams and Coffee Ponds. For browns a better bet is Bickford Pond, Clays Pond, Hancock Pond and Little Sebago.

Fishing Forecast

A jig stick, sonar and some tungsten jigs could be all you need to find plenty of white perch action in “flash-frozen” Winnipesauke. Waukewan might be a more peaceful alternative for rainbows as most others turn their attention to the big lake. It’s a numbers game in Maine as in 10” of ice on Sabattus as well as plenty of 10-pound pike. If for you ice fishing is all about salmonoids, then try the terrific togue fishing on Thompson as well as the brookie bite at Adams and Coffee Ponds.