WHGuy413 2,690 #1 Posted December 31, 2022 Well deer season ends tomorrow and after archery season closed a month ago I kind of lost interest. But the one thing I didn’t lose interest in is ice fishing. Every weekend from here til March I will be somewhere in New England ice fishing. The boys enjoy it just as much as I do. I have already been twice in the last week. I have a place that freezes well before everywhere else. It already has 9inches of ice on it while most places are unsafe. We are headed back there tomorrow to see if the boys can have another good day. Funny story that actual is Wheel Horse related. My dad used to tow all his ice fishing gear out onto the ice with his 12 Automatic equipped with chains. I don’t ever remember him doing that but he did. He said it worked really good unless the snow was deep then he left it home. Some of the places he used to go was half mile or more from the parking area so the tractor beat walking he said. anyone else in western mass ice fish? 3 6 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,823 #2 Posted December 31, 2022 Many of us here like hard water Wh guy... @stevasaurus gotta like the smiles on those boys... 1 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,594 #3 Posted December 31, 2022 Yum! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,905 #4 Posted December 31, 2022 Nice perches! We still have open water ‘round here… 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,553 #5 Posted December 31, 2022 Looks like a GREAT catch day!! I tried ice fishing... Once... On a VERY cold day when the wind was also a HUGE factor. I was maybe 14, 15 years old. Tully Pond in Orange Mass. (not Tully Lake, yes there's 2) On this cove. 3 of us there so we set 15 tip ups. Cold as .... Well it was cold. 🥶 We had a wood fire going onshore in the bunkhouse. One of us would go out and run around like a mad man for 30 to 45 minutes until frozen well solid then switch out with the next guy. Pickerel !!! Just bunches of pickerel.... We'd set a tip up after releasing one and stand up to see 2 or 3 more flags up!! None of us had skates so we were run/slide/boot slipping and having a blast! I don't recall keeping any fish that day or catching anything else. Awesome memories of the day....... 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,905 #6 Posted December 31, 2022 43 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: We had a wood fire going onshore in the bunkhouse. Growing up, we usually had the fire on the ice. Heat rises you know…. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #7 Posted December 31, 2022 Nice smiles and excellent Pearch !! No safe ice here yet. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHGuy413 2,690 #8 Posted December 31, 2022 5 hours ago, Pullstart said: Growing up, we usually had the fire on the ice. Heat rises you know…. It’s amazing how many people that I know freak out when I light a fire on the ice. Never melted through yet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #9 Posted December 31, 2022 It's not about the fire on the ice and melting through...it is about the pollution when the ice melts. It may not be a big deal in the middle of nowhere, but around here (where it is hard to even find a place that will let you on their lake) believe me, the "Leave only footprints and Take only Pictures", makes a difference. It will not be long before it makes a difference where you fish also. We will cook on the ice, when we go out...nothing better then Deer Brots on the ice, but we take everything off the ice we bring on...except the drilled holes. I've seen where those leave their charcoal and junk on the ice (and we will clean up after those)...disgusting to treat a resource that way. Besides, it looks like hell going out there after somebody dirties it up like that. 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,233 #10 Posted December 31, 2022 Not sure if they still do it, but some town parked a clean junk car on an iced over lake every year and took “bets” on the time and day it would finally fall through when the ice melted. They had a chain attached so they could remove the car in the spring. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill D 1,922 #11 Posted December 31, 2022 11 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said: Yum! Nothing beats the taste of fresh lake fish. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHGuy413 2,690 #12 Posted January 1, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, stevasaurus said: It's not about the fire on the ice and melting through...it is about the pollution when the ice melts. It may not be a big deal in the middle of nowhere, but around here (where it is hard to even find a place that will let you on their lake) believe me, the "Leave only footprints and Take only Pictures", makes a difference. It will not be long before it makes a difference where you fish also. We will cook on the ice, when we go out...nothing better then Deer Brots on the ice, but we take everything off the ice we bring on...except the drilled holes. I've seen where those leave their charcoal and junk on the ice (and we will clean up after those)...disgusting to treat a resource that way. Besides, it looks like hell going out there after somebody dirties it up like that. We cook on the ice and take all our trash. Having a fire on the ice is a rare occasion and only reserved for 2 places that we fish. Even then it’s not likely to happen more than once a year. In a lake that’s 71 acres one small fire a year won’t hurt it. We only use small dead sticks we find in the woods. Never any trash or boards. Nothing stays on the ice except our foot prints. on a better note all 3 kids had a great morning fishing burning up a total of 48 shiners in 4 hours. Lots of flags and lots of fish. Edited January 1, 2023 by WHGuy413 2 3 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,823 #13 Posted January 1, 2023 Those perch & crappies are some daddies 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #14 Posted January 1, 2023 Looks like Chain Pickerel to me. We used to catch those in Maine when I was there in the Navy. 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,553 #15 Posted January 1, 2023 50 minutes ago, stevasaurus said: Looks like Chain Pickerel to me. We used to catch those in Maine when I was there in the Navy. Yessir. Most folks ain't into eating em but a great fighting fish! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #16 Posted January 1, 2023 They make excellent fair pickled. No waste from the fork bones...lean white meat. Nice Crappies BTW. Those are great pictures of the kids on the ice. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #17 Posted January 1, 2023 (edited) @WHGuy413 I am not sorry about the rant...a lot of the lakes around here are private (you can not get on them except to ice fish)..no chance getting on them in the non-ice months unless you live in their town. Getting your kids ice fishing is priceless, I am glad that you clarified your care for the lakes. The people that live around these lakes here, have to look at the junk laying out there after the ice fishing people leave the ice. They want to keep all of us off their ice for that reason. I do not blame them. That is why Ray (my fishing partner) and I will pick stuff up. The places we can fish, legally, are getting smaller. Even, at the forest preserves, the slobs can ruin it for everybody else...including the fish. This is just something to think about, and my experience. Also, just thinking about yours's and everyone else's kids and keeping this planet safe for them to enjoy also. Let me share an experience I had in Maine on Big Tunk Lake. We went out ice fishing one day...ice was 3' thick...water was 200' deep and crystal clear. We had spoon drills from the Navy Special Services that were not going to dill 6", much less 3' of ice. A nice guy out there came and drilled some holes for us. I remember, you could put your face down by the hole, block the light and see all the way down. Boulders the size of Semi-trailers were visible through the hole. We could see some fish swimming down at that depth also...probably Lake Trout. My point...can you imagine the ashes from one or more guy's fires on the ice ruining that view?? We were about 1/4 mile north of where it says Big Tunk Lake. If I may...some Chain Pickerel and a couple of Smallie's. Smallie's are 12 - 14". From Flanders Pond. Edited January 1, 2023 by stevasaurus 1 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,553 #18 Posted January 1, 2023 33 minutes ago, stevasaurus said: Maine Pretty country up there Steve. Headed up towards @AHS and @Oldskool territory. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,644 #19 Posted January 4, 2023 Those are some great fishing pics. I'm quite jealous. It's been to warm here. Very little fishable ice. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,644 #20 Posted January 4, 2023 @stevasaurus the Tunk Lake you speak of is only a 10min drive from the house. I've fished that alot in years past. The water is still as clear as you said. Unfortunately it has been getting to the point that locally it has been nick named "Skunk" Tunk. The flags are few and faaaaar between. Although there are still some massive lake trout roaming the depths. Trolling for salmon during open water is still fairly productive. The Flanders Pond mentioned is about 25min from the house. Ever winter for the last 10 years in February there is a fishing derby held. All proceeds are donated to the local kids camp. Tight lines everyone...... 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,553 #21 Posted January 4, 2023 35 minutes ago, Oldskool said: Very little fishable ice Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued a warning reminder for Southern Maine. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #22 Posted January 4, 2023 We always did a lot of fishing on Little Tunk. We had quite a few Brooke Trout dinners from that one. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,644 #23 Posted January 4, 2023 3 hours ago, stevasaurus said: We always did a lot of fishing on Little Tunk. We had quite a few Brooke Trout dinners from that one. Still is good fishing. Shore access is getting tough Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,760 #24 Posted January 4, 2023 @Oldskool I see that growth in that area when I look at Google Maps. There was really nothing there in the 70's. You could get down to the Little Tunk to launch a small boat, but you had to drag it a small distance to put into Big Tunk. Eric, if you ever get the chance to meet Oldskool, have him take you for an exploration of these Ponds...including Jone's Pond. Tunk Lake is worth it in itself. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,553 #25 Posted January 4, 2023 46 minutes ago, stevasaurus said: @Oldskool I see that growth in that area when I look at Google Maps. There was really nothing there in the 70's. You could get down to the Little Tunk to launch a small boat, but you had to drag it a small distance to put into Big Tunk. Eric, if you ever get the chance to meet Oldskool, have him take you for an exploration of these Ponds...including Jone's Pond. Tunk Lake is worth it in itself. Oh we've met, much to his chagrin. Just not up around his home kickin' around area. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
