Massachusetts Fishing Report – December 15, 2016

While Bay State hardwater junkies are chomping at the bit in anticipation of local ice, their brethren from over the border are already catching. If you’d rather not wait than maybe you’d like to take a road trip. If that’s not enough incentive maybe the news of 20-pound Maine pike is!

Odds are as solid as black ice that next week we’ll have reports of Massachusetts anglers catching locally. Meanwhile it might be a good time to take a look at a New Hampshire/Maine primer about water bodies where the game is already on.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

“They’re already out there!” replied Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair when I asked about ice fishing prospects. The “out there” he referred to was small, sheltered water bodies up in North Country. But Joe did creep out on a local water body close to shore and is predicting solid ice this weekend as the mercury plummets through Saturday. While there’s no substitute for caution and common sense, especially this early in the season, Joe’s hedging that there should be hardwater on Mill Pond soon. This spot is a warm water species haven with big pickerel and big crappie the stars. Rocky Pond in Hollis is habitually one of the earliest local places where you stand a chance at icing a smallie. Other potential warm water winner is Flints Pond where largemouth bass rule.

Jason of Suds ‘N Soda surprised me when he recommended trout water as potentially a first ice possibility. The reason is because of the penchant for rainbows and brook trout to cruise close to the shore under the ice in only a few feet of water, making for not only a productive first journey but a safer one! Two early season trout favorites of Jason are Pleasant Lake in Deerfield and White Pond in the Ossipee area. You don’t have to fish fancy for early season trout, a trout worm or small shiner should be a magnet for shallow-cruising trout.

While I was hoping to hear of some angling effort from Al from AJs in Meredith, I never expected so many early season options. Wicwas Lake in Meredith should be a go by this weekend and this 350 acre warm water species lake has smallmouth bass and easy access by a paved ramp. Hawkins Pond in Center Harbor already has anglers sampling the warm water species buffet it offers. Alternatives are Manning Lake and Waukewan Lake with the latter getting the nod for smallies and light pressure being so close to Winnipesauke. Manning Lake has smallies and largemouth bass in addition to brook trout.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

The folks at Sebago Bait have bait and gear and water bodies locking up as the mercury plummets. Maine has complex regulations which no doubt explains why the fishing is so good, so it would behoove you to download a copy of the current abstracts before you venture out there. And there’s plenty of reasons to pounce since Maine’s IFW just finished up stocking well over 400,000 trout this past fall/early winter. And the vast majority of trout were brook trout! Early season favorites are the Otter Ponds in Standish, Worthley Pond in Poland, Halls Pond in Paris, Moose Pond in Acton and Simms in Newfield. Biologists suggest you capitalize on these recently stocked water bodies first and then tackle the togue places later which you’ll have all winter to focus on.

Scotty from Dag’s in Auburn said that several anglers have already iced some impressive northern pike out of the Androscoggin River including at least one 20-pounder! If you’re considering a trip there, your timing may be ideal. Not only should there be plenty of ice but with the approaching low pressure front on the forecast those pike should go on a tear. Early freeze spots which also have brook trout are McGrath Pond in Oakland, Dutton Pond in Knox and Sanborn Pond in Brooks. Less you think that the recent stocking news is code for tiny trout, think again! In the mix are a number of broodstock trout and some of the browns are crowding 10 pounds!

Fishing Forecast

There are two options for Bay State hardwater addicts: wait, or take a trip up north and enjoy what northern New England has to offer right now! For sheer volume of options in New Hampshire, you can’t beat the Meredith area with Manning Lake more to your liking if you’d like to mix it up with warm water species and brook trout and Wicwas a winner if you’d like to best a bronzeback or two. For those looking to tame the undisputed hardwater heavyweight champ in these parts then plan on putting in a few hours for pike by the Turner section of the Androscoggin River.