IFW Ice Fishing Report For February 14

For Immediate Release                                                                     February 14, 2014

IFW Ice Fishing Report For February 14, 2014

Compiled By Mark Latti with IFW Fisheries Biologists

Region A – Sebago Lakes Region

It’s derby time in Region A, with the Sebago Lake Derby at the forefront. It’s been a wait and see approach with ice on the big bay in Sebago, but most of the lake has fairly good ice conditions. Of course, always check the ice before venturing out.

“The big bay is finally frozen, but the bad news is that the recent snow has kept it from getting thick enough. You go from six inches of ice to nearly nothing, so anglers need to be aware of that,” said IFW Fisheries Biologist Francis Brautigam.

“Most of the lake, including part of the big bay, has a band of ice that set up early and is providing some good areas to fish,” said Brautigam. “There is a perimeter of ice, and then not much in the middle.”

If you don’t feel like fishing Sebago, you may want to try the Ranges.

“That’s always a fun place to fish, as you can get brook trout, togue and rainbows. There’s also good bass and perch fishing, and access is good as well,” said Brautigam.

Thompson Lake has been fishing good for lake trout as well. Remember, there is a two trap limit on Thompson, so fishing pressure has been relatively light. Fish the deeper spots, from Megguier Island across, and the mouth of the Potash Cove area.

 

Region B – Central and Midcoast Area

Maranacook Lake has been producing for both lake trout and white perch.

“They are catching lake trout on Maranacook that get up to eight pounds,” said IFW Fisheries Biologist Jason Seiders. “The smallest we’ve seen is about 3.5 pounds.”

While the smelt fishing may have slowed a bit on Maranacook, a lot of people are keying in on white perch instead. Seiders said that anglers will have the best luck early, but they have been catching them throughout the day.

“Most people are setting traps, but those who are having better luck are jigging,” said Seiders.

Out on Messalonskee, anglers are catching splake. “There aren’t a lot of big ones, but people are catching lots of them.”

IFW fisheries biologist Wes Ashe recommends targeting cusk, as we are getting towards the cusk spawning season. There’s a short list of waters you will want to try in Region B for cusk, including Sand Pond in Litchfield, Flying Pond in Vienna and Echo in Fayette.

 

Region C -- Downeast

Downeast, the big news was the West Grand Lake opening on February 1.

“West Grand opened over a week ago, and there is some fantastic fishing there. There are lots of really nice, healthy salmon in the 18-20 inch range, togue mainly in the 18-22 inch range and some beautiful whitefish up to 18 inches,” said IFW Fisheries Biologist Greg Burr.

Anglers are catching togue throughout the lake, even close to shore. Burr noted that both the salmon and the togue are pushing smelt to the shore, giving anglers some great opportunities in shallow water.

Ice conditions are very good throughout the region with 18-20 inches of ice in most places on West Grand and 16-20 inches on other lakes. Travel is fine with about five inches to a foot of snow.

Anglers who enjoy derby atmospheres should check out the Maineiacs Derby which is February 15 and the other is Slim’s Derby which is a two day affair this weekend. Both are Hancock County wide. For more information on prizes and weigh station locations, please visit our web page at http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/derbies_tournaments/derbies.htm.

 

Region D – Rangeley Lakes

In Region D, Porter Lake and Clearwater Lake are the places to be for ice fishing.

“There were a lot of folks out everywhere, I talked to 50 people on Porter and 70 on Clearwater. The cold wasn’t stopping people from fishing,” said IFW Fisheries Biologist Bobby Van Riper.

On Porter Lake, anglers were catching mostly lake trout and togue, and on Clearwater, anglers had mostly brook trout. Van Riper said it also got busier as the day got longer.

“When I first got there, there were only two trucks there. By the time I left, there were trucks everywhere,” said Van Riper.

Further north, Van Riper said there has not been much activity on Sturtevant Pond, as it has been lightly used all winter. On Haley Pond, use has been light, but there are a lot of trout in that pond, and Van Riper expects to see use pick up as the temperature warms.

“Haley Pond will get better as it warms up. That’s a good place to go at the end of February into early March, even right after ice out,” said Van Riper.

Region E – Moosehead Region

Fishing has been good, not great, up in the Moosehead Lake region, according to IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey.

“The week after the Moosehead Derby, on angler caught a 15 pound togue out of Moosehead, and there has been a number of big trout caught in Mooshead that are four pounds,” said Obrey.

If you are looking for some faster action, Obrey suggests traveling to Chesuncook Lake.

“Chesuncook has been very good for catch rates, there are plenty of salmon there and not much fishing pressure,” said Obrey.

“You can cut a hole and the salmon start jumping out,” jested Obrey, “you just need to be sure you put your pack basket next to the hole so you don’t have to pick them up.”

IFW crews have been surveying anglers on Chesuncook and there are a lot of salmon caught in the 14-15 inch range, with a few in the 18-20 range. Obrey said where you fished was not vitally important, as anglers are catching salmon all over the lake.

“I talked to a group of four or five guys at noontime and they already had caught a dozen fish,” said Obrey, “Traveling is fine getting there, and the lake has good travel conditions too.”

Obrey says to head up the lake about a half a mile from the Forestry building to get away a bit and you should have plenty of luck.

Region F – Penobscot Region

Submitted by Nels Kramer, IFW Fisheries Biologist

It has been very quiet on the eastern part of the region, but we are finally getting some good reports from East Grand and Deering. In particular that togue fishing is picking up at Grand with a number of togue in the 5 to 10 pound category. Also, there are some handsome salmon being reported at Grand as well as numerous brook trout at both East Grand and Deering.

Anyone with children (or grandchildren!) will want to know that the Fin and Feather Club of Maine is having their Annual Family Fishing Day at Jerry Pond in Millinocket on this Saturday, the 15^th of February. If bad weather the event will be moved to Sunday, February 16^th.   Free hot dogs, hot chocolate and coffee. Traps and bait provided if necessary. While only kids under 16 can fish, adults can assist but the child has to land the fish. Jerry Pond is located off Massachusetts Avenue. All are welcome.

While in the course of our travels checking ice anglers this winter, most of those that we contact have a good understanding of the fishing regulations for the body of water that they’re fishing. However, we do encounter some anglers that NEVER look at the fishing law book BEFORE venturing out on the ice, and that could be too late! Please, if you don’t have a 2014 law book, stop by your local town office, regional fisheries office, department store or hardware store and get one to keep in your pack basket. Every time you plan to go fishing somewhere new, take the time to look in the book, and if questions arise, please call one of the numbers on page 2 for more information.

 

Region G – Aroostook Region

If you are looking to ice fish for brook trout, IFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost suggests Umcolcus Lake in T7R5, just north of Knowles Corner.

“It has been fast fishing for brook trout there in the 8-12 inch range,” says Frost, “The lake is right off Route 11 and it is an easy sled ride.”

Another popular spot in Region G opens Saturday the15th and that is Madawaska Lake.

“That pond has taken off, it is our second-most heavily fished water, and it opens February 15,” says Frost.

Frosts says the reason it is so popular is that it is very accessible and the fishing has been very good. The department has been stocking the pond with fish later in the fall, and the ice fishing has been very good.