The winter wonderland that is Lake Winnipesaukee has been satisfying both the discovery itch and the fishing itch as more of the massive lake catches ice. Big water in Maine is locking up nicely also, but for some, size takes a back step to camaraderie and catching—for those, the smelt camps of southern Maine are where it’s at.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Like moonwalkers, anglers on Winnipesaukee are in a discovery mode as more of the lake begins to catch. Al from AJs said that even The Broads is beginning to ice over. He’s hearing good things about Long Island, Blacky’s Cove, Center Harbor, Wolfboro, Alton Bay and Meredith Bay. In addition to the usual quarry – lakers, rainbows and white perch – anglers are catching a bit of a novelty for here, namely jack smelt! I’ve been hearing similar reports of big smelt, up to 12″, from other sources as well. This could be just the antidote for those suffering from “no-ice on Great Bay blues”!
Chad from Dover Marine said that the crappie are cooperating at Bellamy Reservoir, but you’ll have to cull through shorts to get at the slabs. Willand is still fishing well for rainbows and bass for guys not afraid of upsizing their shiners.
Roland from Suds N’ Soda has been heeding the call of Winnipesaukee and walking straight out from the state landing, locating drop-offs and laying a hurt on the lakers, white perch and rainbows. His crew is also spotting the smelt schools cruising just under the ice. An impromptu check on a bobhouse revealed pails with impressive numbers of big smelt.
Tim Moore of timmooreoutdoors.com report:
To say that this has been a weird winter so far is an understatement. There are areas of Lake Winnipesaukee that have more ice than this time last year, while other areas have less. I can’t figure it out, but the areas that are good for fishing well.
The lake trout bite was on fire when the season opened on January 1 and has continued. We have had no trouble catching lake trout on jig rods with a few eelpout mixed in. As usual, we are finding our share of white perch, which has kept our clients happy.
This is by far our busiest guiding season ever. We have been running trips every day. Hopefully we get another shot of cold weather so that some of the other areas we want to fish will thicken in a bit more.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Scott from Dag’s has a new hat to wear, namely that of a Maine Registered Guide. Now you can check off two boxes at the shop: get gear and get a guide. For his first venture, he is going to be targeting togue. Regarding togue, some of the bigger togue water is “catching” as are the anglers who are out there. Two notable spots to consider are Moosehead Lake and Downeast’s East Grand Lake. Good reports have been trickling out of the latter for everything from whitefish to landlocked salmon. Sebago had skimmed over, but the fear is that the predicted thaw is going to foil any ice fishing plans there. The Sebago regulars are beginning to set their sights on February for relief. Locally, Thompson Lake has lakers and plenty of ice. If you’re looking for big bait for pike or over-sized togue, frequently check in with the shop. They cater to about 6 licensed bait trappers who are always on the lookout for an untapped source; you never know when ten-inch-long forage will be swimming around in Dag’s tanks. This year is shaping up to be a better one than in recent years for the smelt camps with 100 fish tides a reality for some. Personally, I’ve been hearing the most buzz coming from Bowdoinham.
Maine, New Hampshire And Vermont Fishing Forecast
Believe me, your Massachusetts counterparts would trade a bucketful of smelt for a chance to have your ice! Increasingly anglers are venturing farther out into Lake Winnipesaukee and finding fantastic fishing for white perch, lakers, rainbow trout and even jack smelt. Some of the better spots have been Long Island, Winter Island and Meredith Bay. With bigger bodies of water in Maine locking up, anglers are reveling in fishing on “first ice” as it sets up on Moosehead Lake and other big lakes such as East Grand Lake. In addition to the usual quarry these places have whitefish. Business and the catching have been brisk among the smelt camps in Southern Maine as well.
Are there going to be any rental smelt shacks available this year of off Kittery Point?