ICE FISHING REPORT NUMBER 5 2/17/2010
SAFETY REMINDER: DEP reminds winter anglers that SAFETY COMES FIRST! Be aware that ice thickness varies on all water bodies due to a number of environmental factors including in-lake water circulatory patterns, snow cover and the type and amounts of recent precipitation. Please check the ice carefully before venturing out and check repeatedly to make sure that ice thickness is sufficient. Always let someone know where you are going and when you’ll return.
ICE FISHING REPORT
TROUT - The big fish for the past week was a brown well over 20” in length that weighed in at more than 6 lbs. Locations to find trout include Candlewood Lake, East Twin Lake, Beach Pond, Squantz Pond, Crystal Lake (Ellington), Colebrook Reservoir, Coventry Lake, Highland Lake, Mohawk Pond, Mt. Tom Pond, Long Pond, Ball Pond, Gardner Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Black Pond, West Hill Pond, Bigelow Pond, Black Pond (Meriden) and Stillwater Pond.
ATLANTIC SALMON – Crystal Lake (Ellington) and Mashapaug Lake have produced few catches recently.
NORTHERN PIKE – Fishing for these monsters continues to be excellent, including a solid 36 inch pike. Best reports are from Quaddick Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Pachaug Pond, Bantam Lake and coves along the Connecticut River.
WALLEYE – Mashapaug Lake, Beach Pond, Coventry Lake and Gardner Lake all produced some walleye this past week.
YELLOW PERCH – Pre-spawned jumbos are being caught as the perch begin to get ready for the early spring spawn. This tasty fish is being caught at West Thompson Reservoir, Wethersfield Cove, Hayward Lake, Tyler Lake, Candlewood Lake, Coventry Lake, West Twin Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Beseck Lake, Gardner Lake, East Twin Lake, Silver Lake, Squantz Pond, Bantam Lake, Beach Pond, Stillwater Pond and Park Pond.
PANFISH - Early mornings are the best for these winter favorites, jig with grubs on your favorite lure and move from place to place. Good panfish locations include Rogers Lake, Beseck Lake, Bishops Pond, Horse Pond, Dog Pond, South Spectacle Lake, Hatch Pond, Candlewood Lake, Highland Lake, Pine Acres Lake, Anderson Pond, Squantz Pond, Winchester Lake, Red Cedar Lake, Hayward Lake, Jurovaty Pond, Mono Pond, Coventry Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Peck Pond and Stillwater Pond.
CHAIN PICKEREL – Excellent fishing for this traditional favorite fishing of ice fishermen is reported at Amos Lake, East Twin Lake, Silver Lake, Bantam Lake, Lake Waramaug, Gardner Lake, Rogers Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Black Pond (Woodstock), West Twin Lake, Tyler Lake, Beseck Lake, Wood Creek Pond and Halls Pond. Fish up to 22 inches are being caught.
LARGEMOUTH/SMALLMOUTH BASS - Bass are being found at Mashapaug Lake, Amos Lake, Bigelow Pond, Rogers Lake, Lake Waramaug, Candlewood Lake, Winchester Lake, Pickerel Lake,
2010 DEP Ice Fishing Report Number 5, 2/17/2010
Coventry Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Bashan Lake, Lake Wintergreen, Squantz Pond, Billings Lake, Mudge Pond, Mono Pond, Dog Pond, Ball Pond and Beach Pond.
NOTICES:
��
Anglers are reminded that Sunday, February 28th, is the last day of the fishing season at a number of lakes and ponds throughout the state. Please check the individual Lake & Pond listings in the CT Angler’s Guide for site-specific season information.
��
Anglers fishing MASHAPAUG LAKE are reminded that Ferry Tavern Road and the roads (including Howard Road) from Mashapaug Road in Union that lead to the lake are private ways with no public access. Avoid trespassing, please do not drive in, park on, or walk down these roads to access Mashapaug Lake. Legal access to the lake is only through Bigelow Hollow State Park and Nipmuck State Forest.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR WINTER WALLEYE�� Walleyes are light sensitive and tend to bite best around dawn and dusk. They also tend to bite the best at first ice.
�� Walleye are usually taken by jigging, although tip-ups are becoming more popular.
�� Typical tackle consists of:
��
slip bobber rig
��
6 to 8 lb line
��
split shot
��
hooked minnow
��
light to medium action rod
��
open faced spinning reel
��
Try different styles of jigging-start aggressive, then work your way down to subtle taps. Usually you will find something in-between works.
��
Two hours before sunset and all the way through sunrise, the fish are typically running shallower edges looking for a meal. Shallows consist of 5-20 feet of water. Keep in mind that they are looking to eat, so look for areas that hold bait or small game fish. Also important are places like weed lines, rocks, gravel, cribs, or a change in bottom (sand to muck for example).
��
During the day they move to deeper areas. Start at 24 feet and move out to the deeper water. Most of the time walleye can be found close to the bottom conserving energy while they look for a meal. When the fish is 3 feet up off the bottom, they're active and ready to feed.
��
Try a spoon tipped with a minnow. Swedish pimple style lures work well.
DEP ICE FISHING REPORT
CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106
www.ct.gov/dep
SAFETY REMINDER: DEP reminds winter anglers that SAFETY COMES FIRST! Be aware that ice thickness varies on all water bodies due to a number of environmental factors including in-lake water circulatory patterns, snow cover and the type and amounts of recent precipitation. Please check the ice carefully before venturing out and check repeatedly to make sure that ice thickness is sufficient. Always let someone know where you are going and when you’ll return.
ICE FISHING REPORT
TROUT - The big fish for the past week was a brown well over 20” in length that weighed in at more than 6 lbs. Locations to find trout include Candlewood Lake, East Twin Lake, Beach Pond, Squantz Pond, Crystal Lake (Ellington), Colebrook Reservoir, Coventry Lake, Highland Lake, Mohawk Pond, Mt. Tom Pond, Long Pond, Ball Pond, Gardner Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Black Pond, West Hill Pond, Bigelow Pond, Black Pond (Meriden) and Stillwater Pond.
ATLANTIC SALMON – Crystal Lake (Ellington) and Mashapaug Lake have produced few catches recently.
NORTHERN PIKE – Fishing for these monsters continues to be excellent, including a solid 36 inch pike. Best reports are from Quaddick Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Pachaug Pond, Bantam Lake and coves along the Connecticut River.
WALLEYE – Mashapaug Lake, Beach Pond, Coventry Lake and Gardner Lake all produced some walleye this past week.
YELLOW PERCH – Pre-spawned jumbos are being caught as the perch begin to get ready for the early spring spawn. This tasty fish is being caught at West Thompson Reservoir, Wethersfield Cove, Hayward Lake, Tyler Lake, Candlewood Lake, Coventry Lake, West Twin Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Beseck Lake, Gardner Lake, East Twin Lake, Silver Lake, Squantz Pond, Bantam Lake, Beach Pond, Stillwater Pond and Park Pond.
PANFISH - Early mornings are the best for these winter favorites, jig with grubs on your favorite lure and move from place to place. Good panfish locations include Rogers Lake, Beseck Lake, Bishops Pond, Horse Pond, Dog Pond, South Spectacle Lake, Hatch Pond, Candlewood Lake, Highland Lake, Pine Acres Lake, Anderson Pond, Squantz Pond, Winchester Lake, Red Cedar Lake, Hayward Lake, Jurovaty Pond, Mono Pond, Coventry Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Peck Pond and Stillwater Pond.
CHAIN PICKEREL – Excellent fishing for this traditional favorite fishing of ice fishermen is reported at Amos Lake, East Twin Lake, Silver Lake, Bantam Lake, Lake Waramaug, Gardner Lake, Rogers Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Black Pond (Woodstock), West Twin Lake, Tyler Lake, Beseck Lake, Wood Creek Pond and Halls Pond. Fish up to 22 inches are being caught.
LARGEMOUTH/SMALLMOUTH BASS - Bass are being found at Mashapaug Lake, Amos Lake, Bigelow Pond, Rogers Lake, Lake Waramaug, Candlewood Lake, Winchester Lake, Pickerel Lake,
2010 DEP Ice Fishing Report Number 5, 2/17/2010
Coventry Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Bashan Lake, Lake Wintergreen, Squantz Pond, Billings Lake, Mudge Pond, Mono Pond, Dog Pond, Ball Pond and Beach Pond.
NOTICES:
��
Anglers are reminded that Sunday, February 28th, is the last day of the fishing season at a number of lakes and ponds throughout the state. Please check the individual Lake & Pond listings in the CT Angler’s Guide for site-specific season information.
��
Anglers fishing MASHAPAUG LAKE are reminded that Ferry Tavern Road and the roads (including Howard Road) from Mashapaug Road in Union that lead to the lake are private ways with no public access. Avoid trespassing, please do not drive in, park on, or walk down these roads to access Mashapaug Lake. Legal access to the lake is only through Bigelow Hollow State Park and Nipmuck State Forest.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR WINTER WALLEYE�� Walleyes are light sensitive and tend to bite best around dawn and dusk. They also tend to bite the best at first ice.
�� Walleye are usually taken by jigging, although tip-ups are becoming more popular.
�� Typical tackle consists of:
��
slip bobber rig
��
6 to 8 lb line
��
split shot
��
hooked minnow
��
light to medium action rod
��
open faced spinning reel
��
Try different styles of jigging-start aggressive, then work your way down to subtle taps. Usually you will find something in-between works.
��
Two hours before sunset and all the way through sunrise, the fish are typically running shallower edges looking for a meal. Shallows consist of 5-20 feet of water. Keep in mind that they are looking to eat, so look for areas that hold bait or small game fish. Also important are places like weed lines, rocks, gravel, cribs, or a change in bottom (sand to muck for example).
��
During the day they move to deeper areas. Start at 24 feet and move out to the deeper water. Most of the time walleye can be found close to the bottom conserving energy while they look for a meal. When the fish is 3 feet up off the bottom, they're active and ready to feed.
��
Try a spoon tipped with a minnow. Swedish pimple style lures work well.
DEP ICE FISHING REPORT
CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106
www.ct.gov/dep