By the day, ice conditions and fishing options are expanding in northern New England. Anglers have been out sampling smaller water bodies where they are finding willing trout as well as a host of warmwater species. Anticipation is now building regarding big water thrills as well as Maine smelt camps.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Early ice is not necessarily a good thing when a shop owner has a pile of fishing reels in need of repair! Just ask Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair in Nashua, who is torn between mending tackle and tending to patrons already out on hardwater. Mill Pond has been a go with Beaver Lake, Round Pond, Potanipo Pond, and Pleasant Pond, all looking as if they will be locked up imminently. Those looking for open water options are finding it in the Nashua River as well as in Walden and White Pond in Massachusetts. A friend of mine who core tested Todd Lake almost a week ago found 3 1/2” of black ice. This western New Hampshire lake is known for both species of black bass as well as crappie. Anglers are also on good ice on the setback lakes off the Connecticut River in the Hinsdale area.
I spoke to TJ from TJs Bait in the Connecticut Lakes Region, who said that since there is little warmwater fishing in that area, he is not planning on opening until the first of the year, when the coldwater season begins up there. Once it’s on, we’ll have weekly reports from TJ, who has his finger on the pulse of salmonoid activity there.
Coastal Maine Fishing Report
Mike from Dag’s Bait & Sportgoods in Auburn said that patrons are pursuing pike through the ice by the Turner Boat Ramp on the Androscoggin River. The Upper, Lower, and Middle Range Ponds also have good ice with anglers taking advantage of fall-stocked trout.
Andrew of Sebago Bait and Tackle told me that while the wait is on for massive Sebago, most are content to catch a few brook trout from such places as the Otter Ponds. There are reports of good ice at the warmwater Pushaw Lake in Penobscot County. Trickey Pond and Kennebunk Pond are two southern trout water bodies that should lock up soon.
Zach from Saco Bay Tackle Company said that with less than 2” of ice locally, anglers are content to wait it out for safe conditions. When it’s a go, he’ll be sure to let us know. As for the smelt camps, the scuttlebutt from them is that they are hoping for a first-of-the-year opening.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
With ice just building even in northern New England, ice fishing activity is limited to a few shallow water bodies. In New Hampshire, anglers have been out on Mill Pond, Todd Lake and the setbacks of the Connecticut River. The options in Maine so far are the Andro by the Turner boat launch, the ranges, Otter Ponds, and Pushaw Lake. While hardly encyclopedic in scope, it’s not a bad start for mid-December!