First time for Onota Pike

[teamtip-up]

Although my son didn't get a big 20lber, our vacation adventure to find ice was a great time.  We stopped at lake rohunta on the way from the south shore and set traps for a few hours.  Rohunta produced a few bass and pickerel on the tip ups ( nothing of size) and some perch and sunfish on the jig rod. 

Upon our 430 pm arrival in Pittsfield, we scouted access spots on Cheshire, pontussuc, and onota.   Based on ice surface and an " I wanna fish here excitement" , my son decided Onota was the place we would try.  We checked in to our hotel for a good sleep. 

We were first to the pond and evidently got set up in a good spot based on what we were told by the fishermen joining us in the area.     The fishing was slow through the day but we did see one pike caught early.   My boy finally caught one around 330 pm.   We had two more flags , one ran out some good line but dropped the shiner before we got to the trap.   We picked up at dark. 

After a good sleep, we were again first on the lake.   We headed back to the same area.   Not a flag to be had by anybody until one of our flags popped at 1pm.    Our second and last pike of the trip joined us.  An easy hook removal and the pike was well on his way to a spring of terrorizing panfish.    There were no more flags for us.    We had to pick up at 3 to make sure safe energy was left for the 3 hr ride home.   Our annual feb vacation week ice adventure was over.    The best parts of the trip were the hundreds of laughs and the really good guys we met on the ice.   All the folks we met were nothing but gracious and helpful to my boy.    That Lake is a treasure    We will be at onota lake next feb vacation.

The ice , though still having a good underlayer of dark, is going quickly.    Drain holes are opening all over due to the extreme melting.  The holes started as pin holes on Wednesday morning and grew to baseball size by mid afternoon.  The ice thins out in a bowl around the drains with the thinnest black nearest the drain.  I didn't feel good about fishing another day because We don't go ice fishing if we have to give the ice that much attention.   Off and on at the pavilion access was still fine

[They Eat Ducks !!!]

Good report, thanks for the ice conditions, You fished with my buddy Mr. Ron, he is quite a character.

[pmaloney86]

Sounds like a fun trip.  Any size to any of the pike?

[SkunkLuvver]

Nice report. Glad a good vaca was had!

[teamtip-up]

Sounds like a fun trip.  Any size to any of the pike?

No size to speak of.   Biggest one was the early one Saturday.   It looked to be a little under 10 lbs

[KillerFish]

No size to speak of.   Biggest one was the early one Saturday.   It looked to be a little under 10 lbs

Lol - that is a big one!!!! Great job !!

heading to Pittsfield area tomorrow for last time myself. Hope to get on Onota - I'll figure something out lol

But again, great report and congratulations on a fun trip!

[RickWakeman]

Good report. Glad you had a good time. Onota is local to me and I have yet to land a fish on hard or soft water.

[bojango]

Sounds like a fun trip. I was out there Wednesday as well

[Rangerboats391]

icing 2 pike isn't bad at all, people go weeks without one, good job

[BFFlynn51]

icing 2 pike isn't bad at all, people go weeks without one, good job

Some people go entire ice seasons not finding one 

[teamtip-up]

Good report, thanks for the ice conditions, You fished with my buddy Mr. Ron, he is quite a character.

Ron was one of the guys we met that made our trip better.    He is a good ice fisherman because he is all about being out there to relax.   I don't think much on the ice could bother him.   

We need to figure out how to catch bait on the way out west.   We can catch all we want here in the east if we have ice.   Without ice, we are at the mercy of our local shop - they haven't had the size we are looking for .   

 

[RickWakeman]

We need to figure out how to catch bait on the way out west.   We can catch all we want here in the east if we have ice.   Without ice, we are at the mercy of our local shop - they haven't had the size we are looking for .   

Have any tips on how you catch bait in the winter? I have a trap and live pretty close to a pond. I just don't know what to do.

[teamtip-up]

We have always just jigged with a small tungsten or Hali jig tipped with anything.  Since the eastern mass ice season is the new cape ice season, I am going to come up with a reliable place to catch big shiners without ice or store them up in the fall.   I really don't want to tank them unless I have to.   

[They Eat Ducks !!!]

I have good luck 1/3 of a sabiki rig (2) hooks with a Hali jig on the bottom. I have had the best luck w/firetiger.I bait them with spikes or pizza dough and chum w/ bread.  shallow seems to work best, no deeper than 5 '.

[hardwater2417]

glad you and your son enjoyed and the 1st day Jim gave you a golden shiner to use the next day
glad I meet up with you and your son

[teamtip-up]

glad you and your son enjoyed and the 1st day Jim gave you a golden shiner to use the next day
glad I meet up with you and your son

We got the pike on day two with that monster pond shiner Jim gave to my boy!!!   If anybody runs into Jim, tell him we said thanks!!