Kepping busy during times of Cabin Fever

Admittedly, a post about keeping busy over the winter should probably be written in early winter. However Jack Frost has no plans to leave anytime soon. There’s 10 inches of ice where I live. I’m sure western MA and the northern New England states have well over a foot. It’s not going to melt anytime soon folks. So even though this post is a little late for the season, it could also be considered a getting ready for the coming season post for those that haven’t gotten ready yet.

Of course ice fishing is an option for many people. I absolutely love ice fishing. I haven’t been able to go the last two weeks because my auger blades dulled to the point of not working at all. To make matters worse, I could not replace or sharpen the blades because they were sold out. I sucked it up and spent a hundred dollars on a Strike Master Lazer auger that should come in today’s mail. I am extremely excited to be able to ice fish again. Words can’t describe my excitement.  I understand that not everyone shares my passion for ice fishing. Some just can’t handle the cold weather and develop a severe case of cabin fever. So what to do?

Go to an outdoors show

 Most of the shows are over for the year. However the RISAA Saltwater Show is at the end of March. If you are a saltwater fisherman, this is the best show of the year. There are excellent seminars done by true experts. There are lure makers and rod manufacturers. There are many sellers of all sorts of gear. It really is a great show.

Make your own gear

This month The Fisherman Magazine has an article about building your own plug bag for surf fishing. These bags will last forever. It is an awesome feeling to carry around a bag you built yourself. It takes a couple hours to build one. It is definitely a project. Making a bag, although time consuming, is fairly easy. I have made three of them. I have a big heavy surf bag. A smaller bag for the bay with primarily smaller baits that is much lighter than my surf bag. I also made one for walking around ponds freshwater fishing. I only have two compartments in this bag. One for a box of hardbaits. The other compartment is for terminal tackle. Most of the extra space is for bags of soft plastics like grubs, lizards and plastic worms. You can customize it to fit your needs

Another worthy project is to build your own plugs. I do not have the power tools to shape wood so I have to buy preshaped lure bodies. However I have to put the wire through and attach split rings and hooks to them. I paint them myself. There is a lot of satisfaction in catching a fish on something you have made yourself.

Along the same lines I make my own bucktail jigs and deceivers. I use the deceivers primarily as a teaser in front of a heavier lure. My son uses them on his fly rod. Another worthy winter hobby is to tie flies. Although the only flies I tie are deceivers many trout guys tie their own flies, it is a fun hobby that any serious trout fisherman should consider.

Bucktails are easier to make than they are to find at the store for a reasonable price. Hood sizes to use depending on current and depth are from 3/8 up to an once and a half. All is needed are jigheads, red thread and a bucktail.

I also make my own baiting needles for putting corn on a hair rig. Baiting needles are pretty cheap to buy, but if you don’t need to buy anything else from an online carp store the shipping will kill you. I make a bunch at a time and pass them out when I meet new carp fishermen.

Carp fishermen usually use painted sinkers because the sinker is so close to the hook. It is much cheaper to paint unpainted sinkers yourself than to buy them prepainted. You have to heat up the sinker and put into powder paint. This takes a couple tries but is a lot easier than I thought it would be before I started painting them.

Lastly when it comes to making my own gear, I spend a lot of time making my own leaders. I make leaders for carp fishing (a hair rig with a knotless knot). I make fluorocarbon leaders for trout fishing. I make a six foot leader for using a casting bubble and a fly. I make another about two feet long for using Powerbait.

I also make leaders for stripers. I do not use fluorocarbon, but rather 30 or forty pound mono. I make some leaders for eel fishing. I make some up with a teaser and a snap for a lure. I also make some up with a albie deceiver at the end in case albies come to town.

I buy wooden eggs at craft stores and put long screw eyes in them to use as a very good casting float in shallow surf and rocky conditions. Attached to the back end is a 3 foot piece of mono and a snap so I can change lures quickly.

Since I fish for so many species of fish, I make lures/ leaders of many different sizes. It keeps my busy doing this stuff. I will try to make ten bucktails in a sitting. Usually I’ll do this while watching sports on television. I’d be lying if I said I make leaders all winter. Usually I get so into it, I’m done making them before December 1.

ORGANIZE!

I know I’m obsessed with fishing so I over organize my gear many times throughout the winter. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve checked my surf bag just to see if there are pliers and Cocahoes in it. For normal people, this is the time of year to organize your boxes. Take an inventory and decide what gear you need to buy. Each type of fishing I do has specialized equipment. As I’ve said before, you wouldn’t try to catch stripers with a trout rod. So I go through everything and make sure I have clean organized equipment for the upcoming year. I make a list of what I need to buy. I do this not only for fishing gear but also camping supplies.

Change your line

Pretty simple, it is very important to change all your old mono at the beginning of the year. I do not enjoy this chore. I do all my reels in one sitting just to get it over with. I never want to miss a fish because it broke off from weak line.

Although the ice will be around for a while, it can’t last forever (I hope). This is the time of year when cabin fever reaches its peak. Making and organize gear is a great way to kill time when you can’t be outside. Even if you don’t enjoy doing these things, the time and attention to detail will help you catch fish or spend less time packing during the warmer weather. If you get a chance, go to the RISAA show!

White Mountain Superlatives

I have not seen everything there is to see in the mountains so this list certainly will change someday.  These are my favorite things to this point. I have hiked 30 of the forty eight 4000 footers. The two I am most looking forward to that I have not done are Carrigan and Adams. When I am with DJ we usually hike mountains. When I’m with Laurie we hike to a lot of waterfalls. When I am alone I hike to mountain lakes. Feel free to leave comments on your favorite things in New Hampshire

Favorite Campground- Russell Pond It has been quiet when I’ve been there. Showers, trout lake, paved road, boat ramp and beach.

Favorite Roadside Falls- Although not technically roadside Diana’s bath and Crystal Falls are both within ten minute walks from the car. Diana’s bath is very popular and is a series of pools and small falls. Crystal Cascade is in Pinkham Notch. It is on the trail many people use to hike Washington (Tuckerman Ravine).

  My favorite true roadside fall is Upper Falls of the Ammonoosuc on Base Rd. (the road to Cog Railroad)

Favorite Waterfall hikes- Waterville Cascades and Thoreau Falls- Waterville Cascades have a series of waterfalls each with a big beautiful pool at the bottom. Thoreau Falls has a beautiful view of Mt Bond. Also the hike to Thoreau Falls by the Ethan Pond trail is amazing.

Waterfalls I most want to see that I have never been to- Franconia Falls, 13 Falls, and Welton Falls

Favorite Roadside Pond- Profile Lake – Canon Cliffs looming above, a boat ramp and big trout

Runners up Upper Hall Pond, Kiah Pond and Russell Pond

Prettiest Roadside Lake- Profile Lake wins again, 2000 feet of cliffs do make a nice backdrop

Favorite back country lake- Black Mountain Pond

Runner up- Black Pond

Mountain ponds I most want to see- Flat Mountain Pond, Lonesome Lake

Easiest 4000 footer Mt Hale- we made it up and back in 2 hours 59 minutes- No view at all

Easy 4000 footers with great views- Mt Pierce, Mt Jackson, Mt Garfield (Garfield is ten miles round trip, but does not feel that long and except for the end it is relatively level for climbing a mountain

Fun hike on 4000 footer-Mt Jefferson-  Jefferson’s starts at 3200 feet so it’s the easiest Presidential by far. It’s also a cool hike. We hiked up the Caps Ridge, the caps are large rock formations that require climbing with both hands and feet. After we summited, we hiked down the Castleated Ridge, which had more rock formations. We cut back to the Caps Ridge Trail via the Link trail making for a really cool 6.2 miles. The Link was not in good condition when we hiked it.

Favorite big hike- Bonds and Twins- The Bonds and South Twin are in the heart of the Pemi Wilderness. They are by far my favorite mountains. Mt Bond and Bondcliff are eight miles into the woods. From there summits, there is no sign of civilization Bondcliff is the best place in the mountains to get your picture taken. Standing at the top of the cliff, the cliff drops straight down below. In the background is the slide scarred West Bond

Mountains most looking forward to I have never done- Carrigan and Mt Adams

Best view- Summit of Mt Twin

Hardest Mountain- Mt Washington- but in fairness, DJ was six years old so we rested a lot. It’s still over eight miles round trip and 4100 feet of elevation gain. It took us twelve hours.

From the top of South Twin

Best mountain loop hike- Franconia Ridge, The loop of the Old Bridal Path, Greenleaf trail, the Franconia Ridge and Falling Waters Trail is a classic hike with a lot of time above the trees

Favorite flat trail- Ethan Pond Trail from Zealand to junction with Thoreau Falls trail- The trail goes through a huge valley. You have to hike around giant boulders that have fallen during slides. It’s just awesome.

Least favorite hike- Frankenstein Cliff- Although not terribly long it was extremely sandy. For every three steps up you slide back two. Not to mention it getting into low boots or sneakers. It sucks.

Most over rated thing in New Hampshire- North Conway- There is always traffic. The entire Kancamangus highway will have one car on a Wednesday, but as soon as you get near Conway and North Conway, its bumpers to bumper traffic.

Second Most over rated thing- AMC Hut system (90 dollars a night to sleep in bunkrooms with smelly exhausted snoring hikers, I’ll pass

Best pizza place- GH Pizza and Greek Restaurant Lincoln, NH right on Route 112 Kancamangus Highway

Best Road to see a moose- For me the place I have seen the most moose were on Route 3 between Franconia and Twin Mountain and Route 302 in the wet areas between Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods

Other roads I have seen moose

Route 49 in Waterville Valley, Kancamangus Highway, Jefferson Notch Road, Gale River Road,

Arethusa Falls- the tallest waterfall in NH

Best time to pick blueberries- Around the third week of August

These are my favorite things in New Hampshire.

A Cat through the Ice

Species #9  Brown Bullhead

   I didn’t get out of work until 4 pm Saturday. After a couple sandwiches I went fishing. I planned on fishing for an hour until dark. I set up three tip ups with shiners and used my jigging rods in the open holes. With the fifteen holes I drilled yesterday and the holes from the fishermen today, the pond looked like Swiss cheese. After fifteen minutes I found a hole that had fish under it. I caught sunfish and a couple perch until dark. Right around dark jigging slowed to a trickle. After dark, I caught two or three bluegills and a crappie.

 
I also had two flags go up both after dark. The first was a 10 inch largemouth. The other was empty after I set the hook. I was really enjoying myself and considered staying out a few hours, but I told DJ I’d be home around 5:30. It was 6:30 and I was already an hour late when I decided to leave.

   As I was winding up one of my flags, I had another flag, but my reel wasn’t spinning. I pulled up what felt like dead weight with an occasional tug. I was excited to see whiskers when I got the fish near the surface. I was even happier to see the size of it. It easily would have surpassed the two pounds required for a state pin. However, I let it swim away.

   The cooler temperatures this week should keep the ice from melting for at least the next the next ten days. Since I don’t get a day off from work until Friday, I might do some more night ice fishing. Truth is very few people do it. Night time icing is close to an untapped fishery. There are a couple sharpies on the ponds. You don’t hear much about it, but they are on the ponds almost every night. I see the same cars after dark at some of my  local ponds.That should tell ya something.

Ice Fishing the Better Part of the Last Two Days

I had the last two days off from work. The weather lined up perfectly for me to enjoy some ice fishing. From Monday night until Thursday morning we had bitterly cold weather. Tuesday and Wednesday and even Thursday morning had am lows under ten degrees. I couldn’t have smiled any more. I knew the weather was going to be in the high twenties and low thirties for my two days free of work.

Thursday I fished three different ponds with very mixed results. The first lake I fished was Turnpike Lake off of Route 1 in Plainville, MA. This lake is full of pickerel and some bass. I bought some shiners and expected a lot of action. Wrong! I fished with four tip ups for two hours and never got a hit.

Tom's first fish on his own ice fishing equipment

I went home for lunch then I tried a small pond in South Attleboro named Lake Como. This place really weeds up in spring. I’ve always thought it might hold fish since its basically unfishable from early May on. Unfortunately I didn’t find any fish here either. I was also surprised at how shallow the water was. I couldn’t find any water over 3 feet. The only saving grace was that I sat in my car most of the time since the parking is adjacent to the lake.

After my two strike outs, I met my friend Tom for some fishing in Lincoln. Tom had only ice fished once or twice a decade ago. He had never caught a fish on his own gear. I really hoped he would catch something, so I could write about it. The pond we fished is loaded with sunfish and some big bass. We opened up some holes and started jigging. Tom got a sunfish and I took a picture. I finally ended up with some fish myself. My total was a bass of about 11 inches and about twenty sunfish. I fished until almost dark which was about thirty minutes longer than Tom. Finally my gloves got too wet and cold and catching fish was no longer fun so I left. Sadly, I did not convert Tom into becoming an ice fishing enthusiast. None the less, I’m sure we will carp fish together come spring.

Friday-

By Friday I was done trying new spots. I had tentative plans to ice fish on Falls Pond with my friend Dave. I went down to the pond about 9:30 and started drilling holes with my very dull hand auger. Dave called me shortly after that he was on his way. For the first few hours (yes hours) fishing was very slow. Between us we ended up with two crappie, one perch, and a handful of sunfish. We had about fifteen holes drilled for jigging. Dave had to leave sometime around 1:30. For the next hour after Dave left I caught couple more sunfish. In all this time I had four tip ups baited with small shiners. In four hours, I never got a hit on the tilt while Dave was there.

Sometime around three, I got a flag, my first of the day. It ended up being a bass of about 11-12 inches. Three minutes later another went off. It turned out to be a medium size yellow perch that fully engulfed the shiner. I thought, man there really hitting now. Then the tip ups went silent again for the next two hours. Luckily, fish started hitting my waxworm tipped spoon. I started jigging up fish more consistently. I caught bluegills every few minutes with a perch or two mixed in.

I also jigged up a beautiful rainbow trout. It was a real decent size one. I didn’t measure it but it was about 15-16 inches and two pounds. I apologize; the pictures do not do it justice. Its colors were absolutely gorgeous.

A very fat egg filled yellow perch

Close to dark and almost time to leave a flag went up. I ran over to it and set the hook. I could feel that whatever was at the end of my line had a little bit of weight to it. When I finally got it out of the water, it turned out to be a 16 inch largemouth bass.  After some pictures I let her go. I got a few more sunfish before I left.  All told I fished seven and a half hours Friday and six hours Thursday.

Here are some tips that I hope you find useful.

 If you use tip ups in Massachusetts, why not set out four and jig with another rod instead of putting out the legal limit of five. Time goes by much faster between bites if you’re jigging. I firmly believe that jigging out fishes tilts by a wide margin anyway. You really improve your odds trading a tilt for a jigging rod.

More importantly, make sure your auger blades are razor sharp. I can’t tell you how sore my shoulders are from pushing dull blades into the ice.

 Although I think gold is the best color spoon, I caught all my fish this weekend on silver.

Toe warmers and hand warmers are well worth the money. I used toe warmers on Friday. My feet were on the ice for over seven hours and they never got cold.

Make sure you bring pliers for unhooking fish

16-17 inch largemouth

-Good fishing,

Nick