As if the allure of spending a day ice fishing among the great outdoors was not enough, this weekend there is the appeal of derbies! We have a tip or two for those hoping to spend some time in the winner circle of New England’s biggest ice-fishing event and it may mean steering clear of Winnipesaukee!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Joe of Granite State Rod and Reel Repair in Nashua spent some quality time with family recently on Fort Eddy Pond in Concord, which is a multi-species warm water fishery which features largemouth bass, crappie and pickerel! Good reports have been coming from Mill Pond with the added bonus of bluegill. Potanipo is also producing as is Beaver Pond.
There’s a bit of a big deal going on this weekend in the Lake Winnipesaukee area you might say, as the Greater Meredith Rotary is holding its highly anticipated annual ice fishing derby. For an insider’s perspective, I consulted Jim at The Tackle Shack in Meredith and he offered Spindle Point and Gilford Beach as two hot spots for rainbow trout as well as lake trout on Lake Winnipesaukee. What I found most interesting was that he said that many regulars will be fishing less pressured water such as Squam, Winnisquam and Newfound Lake. Some are even making the haul to the Connecticut Lakes Region! As of this writing the shop has in stock all the goodies including jigs, smelt and mixed sizes of shiners but expect a tackle/bait buying frenzy to hit the shop like a tsunami so you had better get there early!
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Scotty from Dag’s Bait & Sportgoods in Auburn tipped me off to the Houligan Riders Derby on Little Sebago scheduled this weekend. Dag’s is also a benefactor of this feel-good event, the proceeds of which benefit Maine kids. It looks like a winner on all fronts: a day of fishing/fun with a bunch of new friends, just maybe a little prize money and the afterglow of knowing your entrance fee helped benefit a youngster who is less fortunate! As for reports, the Frye Leap has been good for lakers but it’s often a tale of timing. The fish follow the bait and if that’s where you are wetting a line then you’re in luck, if the prey is far away then not so much. Sonar short circuits the search. A pal of Scotty recently tallied plenty of Thompson Lake togue in only ten feet of water! Regardless of where you fish for these hardwater heavyweights, keeping on the move until you find the fish or the forage is essential. Zach from Saco Bay Tackle Company also mentioned the Frye section of Sebago as one of the more reliable spots to catch lakers. His tip for togue is to top off a jig with a minnow strip or head and hole hop until you mark fish. A surprise is that Wilson Pond in Winthrop gave up a whopper pike recently and has been good for expected species such as brown trout. Bryant Pond is also a good bet for browns along with the added attraction of salmon. The reports from the smelt camps remain favorable provided that anglers are concentrating on an outgoing tide!
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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
With little snow and plenty of ice, it would be hard to paint better ice fishing conditions. If you’re one of the thousands who are flocking to fish the Meredith ice fishing derby consider the Spindle if you don’t mind company while alternatives such as Winnisquam might be worth a shot. Depending on the unpredictable wiles of those togue, Sebago is either really hot or real cold! Regardless, Frye Island seems to be among the most consistent spots. For those who view smelt as more food than forage, the catching off the camps has been good provided that the tide is ebbing!