New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Fishing Report – January 28, 2016

For those who prefer their ice fishing on a large scale & big water bodies continue to find it challenging to catch. While some of the bays of Winnipesauke have game increasingly, Sebago is looking like a lost cause. Anglers in that region are not sweating it however, thanks to locked-up smaller water and willing brown trout.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

Many have begun hand-wringing over when or even whether Winnipesauke will catch completely this year. Tim from Tim Moore Outdoors has a hunch it will at the backend of next weeks thaw but in the meantime he is making the best of the current conditions.

Ice fishing should always be pursued with safety being the number one priority but this year especially so. With Mother Nature showing a “Sybil” side with rapid and frequent fluctuations in temperatures, all blended together courtesy of high winds you should view every step as one over what could be unsafe ice. A recent check of 19 Mile Bay showed what appeared to be a steady 8 – 10 inches when the very next hole revealed a mere 4 inches! If you do nothing else, be careful out there.

Tim did find some panfish action among the weedy Suissevale section of the lake, while 19 Mile Bay and outer Moultonborough Bay had some white perch and laker catching. Regarding lakers, a 22 pound laker was recently jigged up on the north side of Winnisquam, where the ice is said to be solid. Other spots with reliable ice are Wicwas and Waukewan. Turkey Pond remains terrific for panfish especially bluegills while crappie are king at Pemigewasset and Bellamy. Joe from Granite State R&R Repair in Nashua had a busy weekend selling shiners for guys getting out on 5” to 8” of ice on Mill Pond, Rocky Pond and Potanipo. While the Nashua River was open, some of the “setbacks” have been looking pretty solid. Joe advises anyone checking these coves out do so with a huge slice of caution, strap on some ice picks and fish with a buddy. Some “setbacks” Joe suggests worth exploring are those along the Connecticut River which winds along the border of New Hampshire and Vermont. This water is like a bouillabaisse of species with everything from perch to pike to walleye fair game. Jason of Suds ‘N Soda is steering patrons northward to where he’s hearing of catching at Pleasant Lake, Round Pond, Pawtuckaway State Park and Willand Pond. Pleasant is a multispecies 480 acre water body which features trout, bass and panfish and is worth considering.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Brady from Dag’s said that Sabattus featured 10” of good ice. Other water bodies such as Thompson have yet to lock up. Another pike place which has been delivering is Great Pond but other than the coves Brady has no confirmation of good ice so be careful. The coves of the Andro are still solid but open water is apparent in the middle where there is current. While the Androscoggin has a reputation for pike, it is an unheralded producer of fast action for yellow and white perch as well as crappie. Another multi-species water body, which also has pike as well as some nice largemouth is Cobbosseecontee Lake. Notable about Cobbosseecontee, spelling aside, is the variety of bait from shiners to smelt to killifish there are plenty of forage to keep both warm and coldwater species healthy. For brookies, check out the fall-stocked ponds such as the Lower, Middle and Upper Ranges as well as Worthley Pond in Poland.

In spite of dire expectations whether or not Sebago Lake will catch, Sebago Bait is still bustling with activity. Brown trout are biting and taking a bite out of the dread over Sebago as well. Anglers fishing close to the shore of Hancock Pond, Horne Pond, Cold Rain Pond, Sabbathday Lake, Little Sebago, Bear Pond are catching browns. If you have sonar it is helpful to find and target the bait and not necessarily browns which will usually be luring nearby. Right up there with the uncertainty about Sebago is the situation with the smelt camps. Last week some camps in Dresden had set up shop and the bite was quite good. But with the predicted thaw it’s not looking optimistic.

Fishing Forecast

If you’re looking to spend some of your weekend on Lake Winnipesauke than along with your gear bring a goodly dose of caution and common sense. Reports of up to 10” of ice are out there in Suisseville as well as 19 Mile Bay but you should live by the credo that there is no such thing as completely safe ice. A more reliable option for lakers might be Winnisquam where a jig with a strip of sucker was responsible recently for a 22 pound laker. For a chance at another species which grow that big, give pike a shot at Sabattus, Great Lake or Cobbosseecontee in Maine. Instead of singing the blues because of a lack of ice, Sebago fans are downsizing to Hancock Lake and Little Sebago Lake where brown trout are making for a nice consolation prize.