Many anglers are greatly anticipating this weekend and it has less to do with ice in a glass than ice under-foot, in spite of New Years eve. One location where there’s cause for celebration is Winnipesaukee where bays and coves are locking up.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
January 1st is a bit of a big deal at AJs Bait in Meredith, New Hampshire since Winnpesaukee is open to ice fishing beginning the first of the year. Interest is brisk in the shop, as it’s no secret that early ice is often the best ice. Al from AJs said that Center Harbor has good ice and he felt that most bays and harbors on the northeastern section of the big lake should be good to go. The species of interest will be rainbow trout, white perch and lake trout. For bows, stick close to the shore among sandy bottom with small shiners, smelt, and worms. The sweet zone for white perch should be around 30′ to 35′, while lakers likely will be somewhere between 20′ and 40′. Both these species will be shadowing schools of smelt so keeping on the move until you find the forage is a good idea. A jig/fish strip is effective for lakers while a much smaller jig with a grub is deadly for the perch.
If you’d like to short circuit the daunting task of the Winnipesaukee learning curve, then a belated Christmas gift awaits you courtesy of New Hampshire Fish and Game and Registered Guide Tim Moore. This Wednesday, January 4th, Ice Team Pro Tim Moore is going to share his considerable knowledge of targeting white perch and lake trout from Winnipesaukee at the DFG headquarters in Concord. And while most things hyped as free come with a catch, this really is something free that helps you catch!
If you’re looking for the possibility of a big fish from smaller water, check out the black bass fishing in Pemigewasset Lake. “Pemmie” has both largemouth and smallmouth bass; with no trout to speak of and attention focused on Winnipesaukee, you may have this 250-acre lake mostly to yourself.
Chad from Dover Marine said that both interest and the catch rate is up for rainbows from Willand Pond. Bellamy Reservoir has been better for bass and crappie.
Regarding bass, Jason of Suds ‘N Soda said that a shop associate has been catching bass among the quieter stretches of the Lamprey River. If you’re looking for relatively quiet trout ice, Bow Lake may be your best. Pawtuckaway Lake is more promising for perch, pickerel, largemouth bass and crappie. Jason recently got to sample the fruits of a smelt outing from the York River. They were caught from open water but reportedly they were more numerous than in recent years! Hopefully Great Bay will lock up soon and it will be a good year for smelt there, something which was lacking during the last few years.
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair recommends Rocky Pond, Mill Pond and possibly Potanipo for warm water species. Recently stocked Pleasant is always a possibility for trout but it has been pressured. Less harried Bow Lake may be better for rainbows.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
For those who’d rather not wait for Great Bay to lock up, the game is on among the smelt camps of Merrymeeting Bay and the Kennebec River. I called James Eddy and Worthing’s and both camps have shacks out on the ice and the fishing is off to a rousing start! When we spoke, Peter from Saco Bay had just tended to the shop’s 24-7 shiner tank, which is always accessible and funded through an honor system. He has good reason to keep those shiners in stock because patrons have been busy catching trout from Kennebunk Pond and Barkers Pond.
A 22-pound pike was recently pulled out of Sabattus according to Brady from Dag’s Bait in Auburn. For some however, there’s no better way than to ring in the New Year than with a landlocked salmon on the line. Brady suggests Long Pond in Naples for a shot at a salmon, while upper and middle Range ponds are a good idea for trout. Halls and Hobbs ponds have a mixture of trout as well as some solid black bass. The Androscoggin River has been surprisingly quiet on the northern front. Brady said that the smallies in here are something special and with all the focus on pike are not pounded. Beginning this Sunday January 1st, Sebago Bait will be open at 5:00 a.m. seven days a week! While Sebago has a way to go before locking up, anglers are out on Highland Lake, Little Sebago, Horn Pond and Otter Pond. Highland is a highlight in that it has a smelt forage base which provide plenty of protein for splake, brown trout and smallmouth bass!
Maine, New Hampshire And Vermont Fishing Forecast
If you feel that Winnipesaukee and the Maine smelt camps are two of New England’s most cherished winter pastimes, you are in luck – you can fish both this weekend! In Winnipesaukee search out beachfronts, the sandy shorelines of which belie the best habitat for rainbows. Sabattus remains your best bet for quantity and quality of pike fishing. And the word from Worthings and James Eddy is that they have shacks out on the river and the fishing is fantastic!