If the forecast holds true you may be doing something you haven’t done in a while, namely working up a good sweat! Next weeks 50 degree predictions are one thing but the real reason is that March ice fishing is getting hot!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Imagine your first drop of a jig through the ice on massive Lake Winnipesaukee and coming tight to a 2 1/2 pound white perch! Odds are pretty good that subsequent drops would be largely anticlimactic but for Clamcorp Pro-team member “Drew”, while fishing with Tim Moore of TimMooreOutdoors, the fun was just getting started! White perch fishing is at its peak on Lake Winnipesaukee and not very far behind is some impressive fishing for lake trout and cusk! Tim and the Clam crew are cranking them in from only 30’ of water in shallow basins. Smelt stuck below Clam Tip-ups are working as is jigging Clam pink blade spoons.
Jim from the The Tackle Shack in Meredith told me that Guilford Beach has been fishing well for cusk as fish are coming closer to spawn. The catching is best when a squished smelt is put right on the bottom. While ice conditions are generally good, next weeks thaw is expected to wreck havoc among much of the shoreline, making it important to take advantage of great conditions while they last!
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair said that recent reports of bass fishing among the coves of the Merrimack River by the Bow Power Plant have been good. He has been seeing some super shots of trout that he suspects are coming from Canobie and Cobbetts.
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for New Hampshire
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Dag’s Bait & Sportgoods in Auburn’s own Tracey told me of terrific togue action from Sebago Lake. She is itching to try it herself from Standish Point and Jordan’s Bay. Crappie fishing has picked up a notch from Androscoggin Lake but for fast action the local pick is Sabbathday Lake. From IFW Fisheries Resource Technician Brian Lewis regarding the Sebago Lake Region: “As we enter the month of March springtime is within sight and minds are already turning to our favorite varieties of open water fishing. While some are eager to be rid of the ice and cold of the past two months, we must not forget that we still have a few weeks of ice fishing left in southern Maine. With longer days and a warming sun, these last couple weeks on the ice can be the most pleasant and productive of the entire season. Likely spots include Keoka Lake in Waterford, Cold Rain Pond in Naples, and Knight Pond in South Berwick.”
IFW Fisheries Resource Supervisor Jason Seiders weighed in on the Belgrade Lakes Region: “This is a great time of year to catch large fish in the Belgrade Lakes. Many anglers target pre-spawn pike that move into shallow water, but there are other species that should be considered. This is a great time to catch large bass and lots of them. East Pond, Great Pond, and Messalonskee Lake provide superb smallmouth bass fishing because they have great habitat and a plentiful food source. Smallmouths spend much of the winter near rocky habitat and usually prefer 20-30 feet of water. As spring nears, these fish will start moving up into rocky and gravel shoals with around 10-20 feet of water. It’s not uncommon to catch 10-20 bass in a few hours, especially if you’re jigging. Largemouth bass will start moving into shallower water, typically preferring vegetation and softer substrate than smallmouth. Both species are in a pre-spawn feeding mode, meaning that they are quite willing to hit whatever you put in front of them. Jigging is very productive, but it’s a lot of fun to catch them on jumbo-size shiners.”
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Maine!
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
While Winnipesaukee is an enormous lake, with cusk available in only 25 feet of water and white perch on the feed in 30, you shouldn’t have to go far to find the fish! Togue are on a tear in Sebago Lake. For crappie or “calicos”, Androscoggin Lake has been very productive. Trout remain the top ticket in Keoka Lake as well as Knight Pond. Something can be said for a slab of a smallmouth of course, with pre-spawn urgings brining them in close along the Belgrade Lakes.
