Coastal New Hampshire and Maine Fishing Report- December 22, 2022

We’re back! While hardly hardwater heaven, anglers are starting to heed the call of “ice in” on their favorite ponds and lakes! Once we get past the nuisance wet weather at the beginning of the weekend, the backdoor forecast looks frosty and a week from now there should be ice fishing options aplenty!

New Hampshire Fishing Report

While I was hoping that The Tackle Shack in Meredith had news of hardwater, I wasn’t prepared for a Winnipesaukee report just yet! It seems that a couple of guys have found a cove full of 3 1/2” of ice! Odds are that it won’t withstand the downpour predicted but after that things look promising for at least the coves of the big lake to lock up! Meanwhile there has been some catching at Cedar Pond in Milan where rainbows and both species of black bass swim as well as Mirror Lake in Woodstock where there are a number of species of trout as well as smallmouth bass and pickerel.

Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair in Nashua will be stocking the full range of ice fishing baits in anticipation of options next week. Early local freezes usually are Mill Pond, Flynt Pond, Round Pond, Pleasant Pond, Potanipo Pond and Robinson Pond. Joe’s grandson did test out the ice on Mill Pond recently and found 1 1/2” there and while unsafe now should be in the running by the end of next week.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Andrew from Sebago Bait and Tackle told me that anglers are greatly anticipating that first day on the ice partly because the IFW recently stocked some beautiful broodstock brook trout in a number of water bodies! A few fishermen have already gotten out on ice looking for just such a fish on Chaffin Pond in Windham as well as the Otter Ponds in Standish. Some of those brookies are corker 19” specimens.The shop is locked and loaded with bait and gear in anticipation of Sebago and other nearby water bodies catching ice.

Brady from Dag’s Bait & Sportgoods in Auburn told me that a few guys have already been out on the Turner section of the Androscoggin River but there have been no reports of any size to the pike yet. The gut feeling is that pike-plentiful Sabattus Lake should be ice-in sometime next week. The shop has the big baits necessary to coax a hit from those large predators and Brady should know – he traps a number of them.

Zach from Saco Bay Tackle Company had no word on expectations from the Smelt Camps as to when the first shacks will be towed out on the estuaries but fingers are crossed that next weekend will be a go for at least some. Meanwhile those looking for a hardwater fix are finding it at the Otter Ponds.

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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast

During the last few days ponds and lakes have been skimming over at a rapid rate and it is expected that ice-in will be a common call among many water bodies next week. This may be your last weekend where you have time to prep the hardwater gear without losing out on fishing time on the ice. Have the Merriest of Christmases may there be hardwater high times for you ahead!