For much of northern New England it’s increasingly looking like last call for ice fishing. The one-two combination of rain and spring-like temperatures have the erudite among us predicting that it’s nearing the end. Of course as a sage once said, “as one door closes, another opens” making it about time to reacquaint ourselves with casting muscles.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
I don’t often have a personal ice fishing report from New Hampshire but this past weekend my buddy Steve Langton and I spent two days there on the ice. The pond was in the shadows of Lake Winnipesaukee and we found wildly fluctuating ice conditions on the pond. While for the most part we taxed our Clam Drill Adapter and joints to the limit through 20” of ice, there were pockets of ever-widening open water between exposed structure such as islands, boulder fields and the shoreline. With considerable rain predicted expect higher water volume to float up ice increasing the gulf between the ice and the shoreline.
While shop owners in northern New Hampshire such as Tyler from TJ’s Bait are reporting plenty of ice in the Connecticut Lakes Region their counterparts in Southern New Hampshire are calling it for the season. Regardless, this weekend for most will be a wrap for an early and long season on the ice. We can only hope for a repeat next season.
If you’re looking for open water options than Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair recommends the Merrimack and Nashua Rivers for pike, bass and panfish. Should you be itching for a trout then maybe a trip south to White Pond in Concord is in order. Some corkers have been taken there lately including a 5 pound tiger trout!
Maine Fishing Report
It’s close but not quite closing time for ice fishing in Maine according to Andrew from Sebago Bait and Tackle. As of this writing, anglers were still out on the ice in sheltered, leeward areas of Sebago Lake such as Mason’s beach, A better bet may be to do as Andrew intends on doing this weekend – heading northward to Moosehead Lake where anglers are grateful that they have extensions on their augers! Southerly options are Little Sebago for black bass. Alternatives for a nice bass are China Lake, Lake St. George and Lake Cobbosseecontee. For a decidedly more brownish bass check out the Belgrade Lakes region where smallies are king and slab crappie the supporting cast.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
Hardcore hardwater addicts are having to make a trip northward to satisfy their compulsion with the Connecticut Lakes Region a best bet for New Hampshire anglers. Gone are the days in Southern Maine when anglers can just charge out onto a water body without regards of ice conditions. For the remainder of the season look for shady sheltered coves for ingress on Little Sebago or Cobbosseecontee for bass while for the foreseeable future anglers fishing more northern environs have no such concerns.