BY TIM MOORE:
The ice fishing has been off the hook! We haven’t had ice this good in years and it seems like the fish are as happy about it as the ice anglers are. Several of the bays of Lake Winnipesaukee have over a foot of good clear ice. The lack of snow cover has allowed for better ice formation. The lake trout and white perch bite has been ranging from good to out-of-this-world. One of our recent outings resulted in more than two dozen white perch over two pounds.
Greenwood Pond in Kingston, N.H. is one of our go-to spots for guests who want to chase flags. The morning crappie bite can be insane and the mid-day pickerel and perch bite are always a good time. If trout is more up your alley then Pleasant Lake in Deer Field is a good southern New Hampshire bet. The state’s Fish and Game stocks rainbow, brook, and brown trout in late fall for winter anglers. Pleasant Lake is a trout pond with no closed season making it very popular so get there early and don’t park on the road or you WILL get ticketed or even towed.
Look for panfish to be suspended early and late in the day. Our favorite panfish jig right now is the Epoxy Drop from Clam Pro Tackle. These jigs have been consistently putting everything from crappie and perch to largemouth bass to rainbow and brown trout on the ice. Downsize your jigs. Warm water species are more sluggish in winter and will chase smaller easier meals. Choose bright colors on bright days, dark colors on dark days, and neutral colors in stained water. Fish shallow (1’ – 2’) for trout. Get your holes drilled early and tread lightly so as not to spook wary fish.