I spoke too soon, last week, when I said don’t dust off your tip-ups just yet. I’d start dusting them off tonight. We have some serious cold coming in between Thursday and Saturday, and even though there will be big winds accompanying that cold, many smaller ponds already have a skim ice layer to build on.
Remember, 4 inches is the minimum recommended thickness for ice fishing. And, ice doesn’t freeze uniformly over a pond. While one area might have 4 inches, another area nearby could have 1 or 2. Bringing a spud bar and checking the ice in front of you is essential when venturing onto a pond that has just iced over.
Sunday looks like the best pick for the weekend, following two days of good ice-building conditions, and not being terribly cold and windy. Friday looks like a day to build a fire, hunker down, and read the OTW Angler’s Almanac.
For actual fishing reports, the only news we heard this week was about trout. Rainbows continue to bite well at the larger ponds, with some browns mixed in. Evan at Eastman’s Sport and Tackle recommended Grews, Mares, and Peters, where his customers had recently had success.
Jeff at Red Top said trout is the best bet at the moment, and said bait-and-wait is out-performing cast and retrieve. “Blown-up” nightcrawlers, small shiners, and even PowerBait are tempting rainbows right now.
If we do see some fishable ice, live shiners will be in high demand, so call ahead to the shops to see who has them in stock.
Fishing Forecast for Cape Cod
Get your ice gear ready for the Cape’s first shot at hardware fishing in a few years. Above all, be safe. Check the ice thickness, and make sure you have ice spikes and a rope on hand in case the worst happens.
Small ponds will be the best bet for thick ice and hungry bass and pickerel. Shiners under a tip-up will be the best best for action, but don’t forget a jigging rod so you can pass the time with perch and panfish.