While the wait is on for any “ice in” declarations among New England’s major lakes, anglers are keeping themselves sated with productive sheltered coves and smaller water bodies.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Hardwater junkies should be wringing in the New Year in fine form, according to Lon from Berry’s Bait on Alton Bay. Not only are smaller water bodies locked up and loaded with fish, but the bays of the big lake are sporting anywhere from 7”-10”! Alton Bay and 19 Mile Bay are good to go with lakers, rainbows, and slab white perch in play. Should you desire warming up the season with something a little less expansive, then check out White Lake, Highland Lake, and Mill Club Pond – all three of which hold brook trout, along with the warm water species. Rivaling the voluminous local fishing possibilities is the bait/tackle options you’ll find at Berry’s, including small to X large shiners, smelt, and – soon – suckers.
TJ from TJ’s Bait in Pittsburg already had his Bob House out on Lake Francis and was ready to go on New Year’s Day. This cold water species gem is all iced in and featuring 5”-9” of good ice. TJ’s is close to all the Connecticut Lakes, which puts his patrons in close proximity to lake trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout. While unsung, there are monster pickerel in Lake Francis as well.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Dag’s Bait & Sportgoods in Auburn has an almost unfair bait advantage over other shops in that staffer Brady traps it himself! You can put those shiners to good use at Cobbosseecontee, where black bass and brown trout rule. Similar success can be had at China Lake. For smallmouth bass, Hobbs often delivers a nice haul. For bigger water thrills, Thompson Lake and Sebago are not quite there yet, but Mooshead is a different story. The word from the Rockwood section, which is on the shoreline of Moosehead, is that there is 5” of ice up to 100 yards out from the shoreline. Further good news is that both lakers and brook trout often chase smelt in close at this time of the year, so you might not have to go far to get action. Regarding the smelt camps, the word is that they are beginning to set up shanties on the ice. Some solo artists are even going it alone in the Brunswick section of the Androscoggin River and finding smelt.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
Small things matter, at least when it comes to smelt with big water bays holding salmonoids, which are driving smelt in close. Shops across New England are all carrying smelt as bait, with Lake Francis and Alton Bay two promising places to put that forage to good use. Those looking to warm up with warm water species should check out the shallows of 19 Mile Bay, White Lake, and Hobbs Lake in Maine. Alton Bay is worth a shot for one of Winnipesaukee’s exceptional white perch. If Maine is more to your liking and you’re looking for a mixed bag of salmonoids, check out the Rockwood section of Moosehead, where lakers and their brook trout cousins are in close and hungry.