Maine Fishing Reports

Fishing report for item #63.

Fishing Report:   March 7, 2005

While this week probably will be the “last hurrah” for the Great Bay smelt ice fishing, there are still lots of opportunity for freshwater anglers as the season winds down. Ice conditions remain quite stable in the northern areas, while along the coast caution is the word. This week, we have extensive information from New Hampshire and Maine’s Fisheries Divisions, so their reports will dominate our report.
First of all, Dave Ganter at Kittery Trading Post wants to salute young Zach Gile of Alfred, Maine for taking first place in a recent fishing derby on Shaker Pond in Alfred. “Zach’s winning fish was a beautiful largemouth that measured 21 inches and was close to seven pounds. There was a nice crowd of both adults and kids on the ice at Shaker. They enjoyed good fishing and nice weather,” according to Ganter.
“There’s fine fishing in the Range Ponds (pronounced “Wrang”) in Poland. This string of three ponds produces great bass, pickerel and panfish and some very nice lakers and brown and rainbow trout. Middle Range seems to be the hottest of the ponds there right now.”
Dave said he’d been busy getting ready for the upcoming Fishingfest, which he wanted people to know has been moved up from mid-April to March 17-20. “We’ve got some great speakers, seminars and demos slated,” he ended.
At Dave Garcia’s Naples Bait on Long Lake, Lil has been holding down the counter while Dave and his son Tyson are plying the warmer waters of Florida for a few days. Tyson picks Sabattus Lake as his favorite northern pike water. “This is the best time of year to ice fish for pike. At Sabattus, you’re not going to get as many lunkers as you may in some of the other lakes but there’s a lot of good-sized fish to keep you busy. Use big shiners or suckers and stout tackle,” was his advice.
Paul Johnson, soon to be retired Fisheries Biologist in Maine’s Region E (Moosehead Region) filed this report with us: “February 28th marked the last day of the 2005 ice fishing season at three of Moosehead Region's premiere fisheries: Big Houston Pond, Lobster Lake, and Allagash Lake. Of the three, perhaps Allagash holds the most mystique. Allagash Mountain stands sentinel over this 4,260-acre gem of a lake. Spruce, fir, pines and cedars guard its rock bound shoreline. Eagles and ravens patrol the sky overhead. A thick armor of ice, covered with a royal mantle of snow, guards the bountiful trout and togue resources that are the treasures of Allagash.”
“To monitor the status of the Allagash fishery this winter, Moosehead Region fisheries personnel included it in their rounds during the month of February. On three out of the four weekends, anglers were counted, fish were weighed and measured, and catch information was obtained from all parties interviewed. The results of this year's survey will be compared with those from previous seasons, and management of the lake will be adjusted as necessary to insure that the kingdom that is Allagash remains in fact all that is perceived to be.”
“At Moosehead Lake, the closure to the taking of salmon during the first half of the ice fishing season, and the 18-inch length limit for the last half of the season, are designed to help distribute the salmon catch between winter and summer fisheries. With the present lake trout abundance in Moosehead, it is not possible to stock the number of salmon required to support two seasons of good salmon fishing. So the present management strategy is to allocate the big lake's resources to provide the greatest benefits to as many of its users as possible. Lake trout provide the opportunity for good fishing all winter long, but for most anglers, they are not easy to catch through much of the open water season. Salmon, on the other hand, are easily caught both winter and summer. However, a large harvest of salmon during the winter would not leave many for the summer. Without a salmon fishery in the summer, there would not be much of an open water season fishery on Moosehead, not to mention its tributaries and outlet, where salmon support popular fisheries from May through September.”
“Salmon have been legal fare for two weeks now, and unfortunately, some anglers have little respect for the present attempts to provide good fishing for Moosehead anglers, both winter and summer. In patrolling North Bay last Thursday, Wardens Joel Wilkinson and Jared Herrick checked nine parties. Four of the parties they checked had a total of five salmon in their possession. Four of the five salmon were less than 18 inches! The largest of the "short" salmon was 17 1/4 inches; the others all less than 17 inches. Such blatant disregard for fishing regulations leaves us wondering what is happening out there when no one is watching. One thing is for sure, fishery management objectives cannot be attained without the cooperation of fishermen. Life is full of things with which we disagree, but in the interest of the common good, we ask all Moosehead anglers to act as if Joel and Jared were watching. And they will be!” (Edited for brevity)
Gabe Gries, NH Region 4 Fisheries Biologist and Warmwater Project Leader, titled his report, HAPPY ICE ANGLERS IN SOUTHWESTERN NH: “Ice anglers have been doing well in southwestern NH this winter. Silver Lake (Harrisville) has been producing a lot of nice rainbow and lake trout, while anglers are catching rainbows in Granite Lake (Nelson/Stoddard). Additionally, large numbers of brown and rainbow trout are being caught in Laurel Lake (Fitzwilliam). Other locations to try for trout through the ice included Gustin Pond (Marlow), Warren Lake and Newell Pond (Alstead), Deering Reservoir (Deering), Franklin Pierce Lake (Hillsborough), and Horace Lake (Weare).”
“Good locations for warmwater species include Highland Lake (Stoddard/Washington), Island Pond (Washington), Contoocook Lake (Ringe/Jaffrey), Lake Potanipo (Brookline), Crescent Lake (Acworth), and Drew Lake (Hopkinton). The Connecticut River setbacks (Hinsdale to Hanover) are producing some nice black crappies, yellow perch, pike and walleye.”
STAGE SET FOR GREAT NORTH COUNTRY ICE-FISHING is the title of the report filed by Andrew Schafermeyer, NH Region 1 Fisheries Biologist: “Right in the heart of ice fishing season, we got our first real snowstorm up north. Since early January brought us some super-cold days, and late January followed up with warm, sunny weather, it seems as if Mother Nature has followed a recipe for great ice fishing conditions this season. The stage is set. The rest is up to you!”
“In the North Country, pan-fishermen did well early and the action will probably pick up again in mid to late March. Recently, we've seen that big pike are being pulled through Connecticut River setbacks and reservoirs. Don't overlook opportunities to catch fall-stocked rainbows in places like Streeter Pond and Martin Meadow Pond.”
“Not much will entertain a family more than finding a nice, accessible warm water pond and setting a pile of tip-ups. Bass, pickerel, and perch will eat almost any bait and keep flags tripping all day. Look for opportunities like this at South Pond, Burns Pond and Partridge Lake.”
THE BIG LAKES REPORT comes from John A. Viar, NH Region 2 Fisheries Biologist: “Talk of early ice-out in the Granite State has certainly been quelled, with a series of cold fronts, snowstorms, slush, and re-freezing events which have actually added to the ice packs in most areas of the state--but that means some fabulous March ice fishing conditions! As the sun's rays shine down from higher and higher angles, comfortable conditions for a day on the ice are more frequently encountered, and like clockwork, many species, such as the mighty lake trout (aka "togue") once again become ravenous after a perennial mid-winter lull.”
“Despite the mid-winter slow down overall, the 2005 ice-fishing season has been "Big Togue Time," as several behemoths have been iced across the state. The largest confirmed to date comes from a lake in the southwestern corner of the state; Chris Wesoja of Webster NH manhandled a 37.5 inch, 21.35 lb. monster--exciting yet scary when you have to start wondering if the fish is going to fit through the hole! Since this catch, there was a report the same angling party landed another trophy in the 17 lb. range! I bet there are a few stocked rainbow trout swimming around that are breathing a lot easier now! Word has it that Jim, at Morse's Sports Shop in Hillsborough, nearly fainted when the 21 lb. specimen was lifted from the cooler at his shop!”
“Only three days prior (2/16/05), Bob Mosher of Northfield NH fought a long, tough battle with a 34.75 inch, 16.44 lb. beast finally exiting a hole in the Central Lakes Region; we were able to examine this particular fish and found extremely large vertebrae in the fish's massive stomach. Earlier this winter, David Heath of Warren NH iced a 36.75 inch, 14.98 lb. togue in the North Country, on 4-lb. test! Another North Country laker in the 13 lb. range has also been reported. It is nothing for lakers of these sizes to eat fish half their own length!”
“Although the sentiment "big bait, big fish" is well-deserved, and can pay off, using cut sucker bait on bucktail or airplane jigs can still trigger big fish and give you a better shot at modest-sized fish, if a bit more action is your goal. Also, don't be afraid to fish higher in the water column with airplane jigs tipped with smelt--especially with the aid of a fish finder. Escaping the jig by reeling up when lakers approach can trigger fish which otherwise would not hit--appeal to their predatory instincts!”
“It is no secret that chumming (such as with pieces of shiner, smelt, sucker) is an effective way to call lake trout into your general area (this is legal in New Hampshire). But when lakers get picky during post-front/mid-winter conditions and won't touch bait which is weighted (like on a bucktail--too heavy and "blocky") near your chum pile, try floating down a very lightly weighted (BB shot or two, none if shallow enough) small strip of sucker on a plain hook--on a jig rod or tip up--the weightlessness and mixing/dropping with chum on the bottom can sometimes do the trick when nothing else will. Use of a fish finder and/or camera is invaluable--it has been said before, but I don't think I would head out without at least one of these tools. Look for lake trout appetites/attitudes to improve through March, as they chase pre-spawn smelt into near-shore flats at tributary inlets and other shoal areas. One last tip--although any day you can fish is a good day to fish, if possible time your trips with cloudy, pre-front conditions (especially moving in from the south), as this is when lake trout and many other species most actively feed.”
“Although big lakers can and have been taken in smaller water bodies (including some of the specimens mentioned above), some of New Hampshire's most consistent producers are Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam, Newfound, and First Connecticut lakes.”
“Don't forget about those ultralight jigging rods and tip-up sets. Despite the frigid temperatures under the ice, increasing day length and late ice conditions cause many warmwater species to stir--"spawn is not that far away, must start eating again"! The same black crappie and bluegill that stubbornly refused even the tiniest offerings in midwinter now slam into the most basic presentations, folding that noodle rod in half. Smallmouth and largemouth bass, along with those lurking torpedoes, chain pickerel, come dangerously close to spooling your tip-ups after smashing those large golden shiners dangled enticingly under tip-ups (grab a quick photo if conditions warrant and then please release large predatory pre-spawn fish!). Some good central New Hampshire water bodies to hit for late-ice mixed-bag warmwater species are Pemigewasset and Wickwas lakes in Meredith, shallower bays of Lake Winnipesaukee, Hawkins Pond in Center Harbor, Lees Mills Pond in Moultonborough, and Suncook lakes in Barnstead. Contact your regional fisheries biologist(s) for local recommendations, and introduce a youngster to ice fishing--there is no better time than March for comfort level and action!” (Thanks to New Hampshire Fish and Game for these fine reports. We edited them for brevity).
It seems like New Hampshire’s Fisheries Bio Don Miller likes to get out on the ice not just for work. Our call this morning from Shirley Remick at TR’s Bait in Pittsburg revealed that Don caught the largest fish of the weekend in the Connecticut Lakes Region, a 36 inch, 16.67 lb. laker from First Lake! Don was using a copper Swedish Pimple with cut sucker hook bait. Don’s work with the big lakes region is showing, with exceptional catches being noted the last few years.
Jim, at Martel’s Bait in Laconia, says that while “his lake” Winnisquam is producing some nice cusk to nine pounds (off Ahearn State Park beach), Winnipesaukee is producing some possible state records. One angler weighed a cusk at Martel’s caught on “Winni” that weighed 11.5 pounds! “They’re hitting wild and wicked”, laughed Jim.
George Taylor at Taylor’s Trading Post in Madbury says that the local ponds including Ayer’s, Bellamy Reservoir, Swains, Willand and Bow are producing great catches of bass, pickerel and panfish. At Willand, some rainbows are being caught but at Bow Lake, the trout have really slowed down.

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