North shore ice fishing get together
 

OK.. we'll post our ice fishing rambelings here, so as not to hijack anymore of Ross's fall report thread...
I guess the topic is fitting with snow in todays forecast...

Sounds Good......

Gonna pick up a minnow trap this week and see if I can catch some bait for the upcoming season myself. A lot of ponds near my house should have some shiners in them...at 6-7$ a dozen for shiners it might be worthwhile to catch up a few.

Keven .. alot of those small beaver ponds in Boxford and George town hold a good population of shiners..

I set up a large ( 50 gallon) rubbermaid tub in my shop with a quality filter and LOTS of air... feed them tetra min fish food every other day.. it's amazing how fast they realize that when the over head light in their area goes on.. it's time to eat. .. this tends to make them more hardy and have brighter coloring... I change 1/3 of the water weekly and remove any croakers daily... I've even have kept smelt taken during the fall for several months with this set up.... I do most of my trapping before the shell ice forms and have enough bait on hand to last all winter by Thanksgiving... last year i released about 200 shiners back to their native ponds... no worse for the wear, except for maybe being a little lighter in color..

Good to know....I've got a 20 gallon fish tank to use to keep them alive for now (Thank You Mr. Hunters). thinking I should be able to keep about 10 dozen alive in this, which should hopefully be plenty for me for the season.

what I think I'll do also is take the yak to parts of the pond that aren't accxessible by shore and put the trap out there.....should keep the undesirables outta there.

I am in Joe , what pond you looking at ? :jump1:

VB

I'm down as long as it's not on 1/14 (FoABBIT).

My buddy Bill and I would like to attend if dates work out.

I havent picked a pond yet.. I once we see how this ice season shapes up and i've got a few prospecting trip under my belt.. we all can settle on one that's realativly convient.. for everyone..

this thread has me missing my boat less with each post..

as I've sais before i fish just about evey weekend once safe ice is in...ice fishing is fr more social for me than Striper fishing... on the ice.. company is always welcome.. and i cook a mean Breakfast on the ice...The gent in the last picture told me he doenst fish withme for my charming personality( read sarcasim) he only comes for breakfast!

Funny, I've been told the same thing......Breakfast on the ice is a blast.....A place like Baldpate might be good?

My only issue with baldpate is the parking.. it is horrible.... pentucket pond is good.. there are some real nice fish there.. the alwives provide a good forage base, I've caught some very large baas pickerel and a fair amount of trout throughthe ice there..

I've also done( and do ) very well at Round pond in Haverhill.. it's easy to get to has unlimited parking and easy access and you never know what you might catch.... I've caught everything from 8lb bass to a 12 lb broodstock salmon through the ice there... ... these are the extremes but the water is such that you can fish for warm or cold water species..

and on some days.. breakfast is the high light!

Pentucket in Georgetown is where we hold our PISC Ice fishing Derby....some nice bass in that pond and some big pickerel. If American Legion park is plowed there is plenty of parking.

Rock Pond is another good pond with parking at the Boat ramp and the possibilty of overflow at the restaurant as long as it isn't to many

Baldpate you can access through Camp Denison or from the road near the boat ramp on the west side.

Parking is always the problem.....Chebacco in Hamilton has plenty of parking...that could be an option.

Good point about the parking...it always seams to be a pain......I have fished Chebbaco a bunch with pretty good success (although being new to the sport, I have no idea what GOOD SUCCESS is!!).

mmmmmmm breakfast on the ice.... I'm in!

I'm in. Will bring dogs, rolls, relish, mustard, and cocoa(including a bag o' tiny marshmallows). :bl:

Maybe this needs its own forum...........?

We tried that before and it never happened

OK, watch...my turn. Kevin, you up to moderating it? Sounds like there's enough interest here. Might create more traffic during the off season. I have never gone before so I am useless as far as contributing info. But it would be beneficial if those who would use it, could figure a way to help keep the lights on.... JohnR, any downside for you to add an Ice Fishing Forum?

Ice fishing forum=Good idea imo

I'm fine with it......

I never knew there were so many Icefisherman on this site....I know there are a few others as well, Roy L, for one, I know Fisherman Tim does a fair amount as well.. I know Night shift has gotten into it in the last 5 years or so as well...

hehehe

We are actually hoping to have an Ice Fishing Presentation at the January PISC meeting.....to get members fired up for our Feb tourney. Trying to touch base w/ a guy who guides up on Winnepesauke to come down and present

If you can't get him kevin.. I'd be happy to put something together for you...

That would be awesome Joe...I will keep in touch on this :kewl:

sure thing.. I'm doing a striper fishing seminar latter in November for West marine in Woburn.. so if I do one for PISC it wont be the first of the season.. and I should have the fumbeling and bumbeling worked out...

I'm in and would be happy to help out in whatever way I can. I've got 8 or 10 extra traps and and probably enough knowledge to get the beginners pointed in the right direction.