ICE FISHING REPORT NUMBER 3
1/21/2010
DEP’S ANNUAL FAMILY ICE FISHING DERBY IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY, 30TH, 8 am to 11 am at the Lodge & Senior Center at Patriot’s Park on Coventry Lake (Lake Wangumbaug), Lake Street, Coventry. Spend a morning outdoors in the fresh air with family and friends, having fun and for those new to ice fishing, getting an introduction to the sport. There’s also still time to attend an ice fishing class prior to the derby, check the class schedules on our web site(www.ct.gov/dep/fishing).Call860-424-3474formoreinformation.
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
The weather this winter has generally been cooler than in the several previous years and a good layer of ice has formed on many of the state’s lakes and ponds and ice anglers have been taking advantage of the better ice. According to angler reports, the ice is holding up well on a number of lakes and ponds despite the recent warm weather and rain.
TROUT – Several nice trout were caught this last week including several 3 pound browns and a number of rainbows up to 16 inches. Good areas to try for trout include Crystal Lake (ellington), Highland Lake, East Twin Lake, Candlewood Lake, Mohawk Pond, Mt. Tom Pond, Beach Pond, Long Pond, Black Pond (Meriden) and Stillwater Pond.
ATLANTIC SALMON – some catches reported from Crystal Lake (Ellington), Mashapaug Lake and Beach Pond. A 23 inch broodstock salmon was caught by a young angler last week.
NORTHERN PIKE –Fishing for these monsters continues to be excellent when using large bait fish in shallow water. Best reports are coming from Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake, Quaddick Reservoir and Connecticut River coves. Catch and release trophy fish awards were given out recently for some big fish (36.5, 37, 39, 40 and 41 inch pike).
WALLEYE – This past week, catches through the ice included 5-lb and 10 -lb walleyes. Areas to try include Mashapaug Lake, Coventry Lake, Gardner Lake and Beach Pond.
YELLOW PERCH – This tasty fish is being caught at West Thompson Reservoir, Quaddick Reservoir, Wethersfield Cove, Hayward Lake, Tyler Lake, Candlewood Lake (jumbos), Coventry Lake, Bashan Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Gardner Lake, East Twin Lake, Silver Lake, Squantz Pond, Stillwater Pond, Park Pond, and Connecticut River Coves.
PANFISH - Panfish are being caught in good numbers. Early mornings are often the best (6 am to 9 am). Jigging with grubs on your favorite lure while moving from place to place is the way to go for these delicious fish. Locations to try include Candlewood Lake, Highland Lake, Pines Acres Lake, Winchester Lake, Red Cedar Lake, Hayward Lake, Gardner Lake, Coventry Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Peck Pond, Horse Pond, Dog Pond and Stillwater Pond.
2010 DEP Ice Fishing Report Number 3, 1/21/2010
CHAIN PICKEREL – Excellent fishing for this traditional favorite of ice anglers reported from Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, West Twin Lake, Tyler Lake, Beseck Lake, Wood Creek Pond and Halls Pond. Three fish over 20 inches were found by one lucky couple last week.
LARGEMOUTH/SMALLMOUTH BASS – Some of the big fish reported last week include fish over 5 pounds. Bass are being found at Wethersfield Cove, Bigelow Pond, Rogers Lake, Candlewood Lake, Moodus Reservoir, Pickerel Lake, Coventry Lake, Crystal Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Bashan Lake, Billings Lake, Mudge Pond, Mono Pond, Halls Pond, Bishop Pond, Anderson Pond, Aspinook Pond, Dog Pond, Ball Pond and Beach Pond.
NOTICES:
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 YELLOW PERCH
Fish just off the bottom of the lake. Yellow perch are known to eat worms and grubs that live on the bottom of lakes and ponds. They won’t stray too far from the bottom in most cases, since that is where the warmest water is in the winter months. Set your tip-ups to be 1 foot to 6 inches off the bottom, and if you are jigging for perch with an ice rod, keep the bait just off the bottom.
Find the middle of the lake and fish for perch there. The midsections of most lakes and ponds are what are known as the basin area, meaning there is very little vegetation there. As the muddy bottom is home to many of the creatures that perch prefer to eat, they will be cruising these areas in search of food. Yellow perch can be found in shallower water as well, but those tend to be smaller than the ones taken from the middle of lakes.
Be ready to be taken to school. Once you catch one yellow perch, chances are excellent that it is just the beginning of the action. Perch travel in schools, meaning that you will more than likely have lots of willing takers once you hook into one. Yellow perch will take shiners and really go for small jigs, tiny lures designed for panfish. Put a piece of a dead shiner on one and see how the perch respond.
Move around on the lake. If you are not catching fish in one spot, drill holes in some others and move your tip-ups and jigging action to those. Do not stay in an unproductive fishing spot for more than 15 minutes. Watch the action around you. If ice fishermen in another spot are catching perch, consider moving your operation in their direction without crowding them. Keep drilling holes every 10 or 15 yards until you find the perch.
Bounce it off the bottom. Perch will take jigging lures presented in this way as they are accustomed to feeding right off of the bottom. Let your jig lie on the bottom for as long as half a minute and then start to bounce it up and down. Keep your jig moving for a while and then let it go back down to rest on the bottom for a few more seconds before repeating the jigging action.
DEP ICE FISHING REPORT
CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106
www.ct.gov/dep
1/21/2010
DEP’S ANNUAL FAMILY ICE FISHING DERBY IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY, 30TH, 8 am to 11 am at the Lodge & Senior Center at Patriot’s Park on Coventry Lake (Lake Wangumbaug), Lake Street, Coventry. Spend a morning outdoors in the fresh air with family and friends, having fun and for those new to ice fishing, getting an introduction to the sport. There’s also still time to attend an ice fishing class prior to the derby, check the class schedules on our web site(www.ct.gov/dep/fishing).Call860-424-3474formoreinformation.
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
The weather this winter has generally been cooler than in the several previous years and a good layer of ice has formed on many of the state’s lakes and ponds and ice anglers have been taking advantage of the better ice. According to angler reports, the ice is holding up well on a number of lakes and ponds despite the recent warm weather and rain.
TROUT – Several nice trout were caught this last week including several 3 pound browns and a number of rainbows up to 16 inches. Good areas to try for trout include Crystal Lake (ellington), Highland Lake, East Twin Lake, Candlewood Lake, Mohawk Pond, Mt. Tom Pond, Beach Pond, Long Pond, Black Pond (Meriden) and Stillwater Pond.
ATLANTIC SALMON – some catches reported from Crystal Lake (Ellington), Mashapaug Lake and Beach Pond. A 23 inch broodstock salmon was caught by a young angler last week.
NORTHERN PIKE –Fishing for these monsters continues to be excellent when using large bait fish in shallow water. Best reports are coming from Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake, Quaddick Reservoir and Connecticut River coves. Catch and release trophy fish awards were given out recently for some big fish (36.5, 37, 39, 40 and 41 inch pike).
WALLEYE – This past week, catches through the ice included 5-lb and 10 -lb walleyes. Areas to try include Mashapaug Lake, Coventry Lake, Gardner Lake and Beach Pond.
YELLOW PERCH – This tasty fish is being caught at West Thompson Reservoir, Quaddick Reservoir, Wethersfield Cove, Hayward Lake, Tyler Lake, Candlewood Lake (jumbos), Coventry Lake, Bashan Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Gardner Lake, East Twin Lake, Silver Lake, Squantz Pond, Stillwater Pond, Park Pond, and Connecticut River Coves.
PANFISH - Panfish are being caught in good numbers. Early mornings are often the best (6 am to 9 am). Jigging with grubs on your favorite lure while moving from place to place is the way to go for these delicious fish. Locations to try include Candlewood Lake, Highland Lake, Pines Acres Lake, Winchester Lake, Red Cedar Lake, Hayward Lake, Gardner Lake, Coventry Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Peck Pond, Horse Pond, Dog Pond and Stillwater Pond.
2010 DEP Ice Fishing Report Number 3, 1/21/2010
CHAIN PICKEREL – Excellent fishing for this traditional favorite of ice anglers reported from Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, West Twin Lake, Tyler Lake, Beseck Lake, Wood Creek Pond and Halls Pond. Three fish over 20 inches were found by one lucky couple last week.
LARGEMOUTH/SMALLMOUTH BASS – Some of the big fish reported last week include fish over 5 pounds. Bass are being found at Wethersfield Cove, Bigelow Pond, Rogers Lake, Candlewood Lake, Moodus Reservoir, Pickerel Lake, Coventry Lake, Crystal Lake, Silver Lake (Kensington), Bashan Lake, Billings Lake, Mudge Pond, Mono Pond, Halls Pond, Bishop Pond, Anderson Pond, Aspinook Pond, Dog Pond, Ball Pond and Beach Pond.
NOTICES:
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 YELLOW PERCH
Fish just off the bottom of the lake. Yellow perch are known to eat worms and grubs that live on the bottom of lakes and ponds. They won’t stray too far from the bottom in most cases, since that is where the warmest water is in the winter months. Set your tip-ups to be 1 foot to 6 inches off the bottom, and if you are jigging for perch with an ice rod, keep the bait just off the bottom.
Find the middle of the lake and fish for perch there. The midsections of most lakes and ponds are what are known as the basin area, meaning there is very little vegetation there. As the muddy bottom is home to many of the creatures that perch prefer to eat, they will be cruising these areas in search of food. Yellow perch can be found in shallower water as well, but those tend to be smaller than the ones taken from the middle of lakes.
Be ready to be taken to school. Once you catch one yellow perch, chances are excellent that it is just the beginning of the action. Perch travel in schools, meaning that you will more than likely have lots of willing takers once you hook into one. Yellow perch will take shiners and really go for small jigs, tiny lures designed for panfish. Put a piece of a dead shiner on one and see how the perch respond.
Move around on the lake. If you are not catching fish in one spot, drill holes in some others and move your tip-ups and jigging action to those. Do not stay in an unproductive fishing spot for more than 15 minutes. Watch the action around you. If ice fishermen in another spot are catching perch, consider moving your operation in their direction without crowding them. Keep drilling holes every 10 or 15 yards until you find the perch.
Bounce it off the bottom. Perch will take jigging lures presented in this way as they are accustomed to feeding right off of the bottom. Let your jig lie on the bottom for as long as half a minute and then start to bounce it up and down. Keep your jig moving for a while and then let it go back down to rest on the bottom for a few more seconds before repeating the jigging action.
DEP ICE FISHING REPORT
CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106
www.ct.gov/dep