By Tim Moore:
Ice is here and we are guiding clients on safe ice regularly! An early December cold snap has afforded northern anglers, and those willing to drive a ways, an early opportunity to get on the ice. Most of the higher elevation ponds in the White Mountain region formed 4” of good clear ice early in December. Anglers looking to cash in on great opportunities for trophy rainbow, brook, and brown trout are taking advantage of the early ice on some of New Hampshire’s trout ponds that do not have a closed season. A complete list can be found at www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/year_round_trout_ponds.htm. Crystal Lake in Eaton, Manning Lake in Gilmanton, and Wentworth Lake in Wolfeboro are all good places to look for some of the retired brood stock trout that are stocked in the fall for winter anglers.
Southern NH ponds that are frozen have not been safe to fish for very long so the reports are few and far between, but that should be changing daily throughout the month. We are still travelingnorth to places like Mirror Lake in Tuftonboro and many of the northern bays and coves of Lake Winnipesaukee in search of largemouth bass, perch, and crappie. If you can find them, there are some huge crappie and sunfish to be caught in Winnipesaukee. It is only a matter of time before good lake trout fishing areas are safe to fish on and then we will begin targeting them as well.
A word to the wise, early ice conditions are inconsistent at best. Practice good safety measures and never assume ice is safe under any circumstances. Bring your spud bar and check the ice thickness as you go. Never assume that the ice thickness is consistent because it rarely ever is. Be safe out there and if you’re looking for something to do in January be sure to check us out at the Rockingham Fishing and Hunting Expo in Salem, NH the weekend of January 11 & 12, 2014 and at the Grand Finale Horne Pond Derby in Limington, ME on January 25. http://www.icefishforkids.com/
Tim Moore, (603) 842-3572. Tim is owner of Tim Moore outdoors LLC, offering NH kayak and ice fishing charters, and turkey hunting. He is also a member of Clam, ice Team, Vexilar, Maki Plastic, Release Reels, and oozzie Jig Pro Staff. Visit www.timmooreoutdoors.com for more information.