Last Hurrah this Coming Weekend

[bogtrotter]

According to the weathermen, it's supposed to get cold (and snow) tonight into tomorrow, and then warm up again (into the 60's) on Friday.

I suspect there may be one last chance to go ice fishing in the higher elevations of MA this weekend.

I plan to try Berry Pond in the Pittsfield State Forest (supposedly the highest fishable pond in the State) myself, if anyone cares to join me.

I've only fished it once before, without success, a few years ago.  The only hassle is it's quite a hike from the parking lot to the Pond.

[stripernut]

Bogtrotter, how deep did you find it? The state lists it as stocked (in the spring, but not yet). When I lived in Pittsfield and looked at it, it never struck me as fishy. Like it was not deep enough to support many fish over the winter. Best of luck! If I get out it will be with the Fly rod...

[manitron]

Good question Alan. I believe the maximum depth is 10 feet and the average depth is 5 feet. Sustainability of any holdover trout is definitely suspect. Besides the stocked trout, there are bullhead,perch and pumpkinseeds.That said, good luck Jim if you decide to make the hike.

[Ryan51993]

I often fish a similar sized pond with the same maximum depth and it holds trout all year long every year, its actually one of the best trout ponds I know. You can tell the difference between the holdovers and fresh stocked fish and the ratio was about 50/50 for me this winter. The holdovers tend to turn darker in color over time. 10 feet deep can be plenty deep enough, depending on other factors too of course.

[bogtrotter]

Only one way to find out.  I'll let you know how I do.

[Dschofield91]

I’ve never fished it but have been curious of it. According to a app I use. People have posted photos of pickerel and Bass with multiple bass over 4lbs.

[bogtrotter]

Alas, it looks like I won't be giving Berry Pond a go this season.

My two oldest children (God bless them and keep them) went above and beyond the call of duty and took a scouting trip to the Pittsfield State Forest today and spoke to a couple hikers, who told them that, although there was ice on Berry Pond, there  was no way to reach it (i.e., the edges are totally shot).

Upon returning to northern Berkshire County, my two eldest took things a step further and also scouted Burnett's Pond in the Savoy State Forest, where they reported it was possible to get out on the Pond and that there was still 8 inches of soft ice.

So I am afraid my ice fishing options this weekend are down to Burnett's Pond or (possibly) Bog or North Ponds - - all of which are in the Savoy State Forest (and abouty 1,900 feet above sea level).

The only odd aspect of it all is that Berry Pond is at 2,200 feet - - which is even higher than Burnett's. 

I guess that goes to show elevation isn't everything.

[stripernut]

I think sunlight and wind can play a big part... Look at North-facing hillsides vs. South. There is a reason they only put most snow slopes facing North...

[bogtrotter]

Well, my season ended, not with a bang but a whimper.

My younger son and I tried North Pond in Savoy State Forest this morning.

We arrived around 10:20 AM.  It was sunny, blue skies, and about 37 degrees.

We had to wade out (fortunately, we brought a pair of hip boots, which we used in turn) to get out onto the ice, about 8" thick, and then set up toward the right rear of the Pond.

About 15 minutes later, we were joined by another fisherman (Paul L - - I worked with his wife many moons ago), who set up toward the center rear of the Pond.

My son and I didn't have any hits on either our tip ups (baited with pinhead shiners) or dead sticks (one baited with a pinhead and another baited with a night crawler segment), nor on my jig stick (baited with a butter worm).

However, we did have a good lunch - - lamb chops, kimchi, maa ki dal (a black bean curry), salad, a bottle of Guinness stout, an orange and Japanese peanuts, followed by a hot pot of coffee with cream and sugar.

Paul did a little better than we did - - He landed a 11" brown on a tip up baited with a red worm.

While I was eating lunch, my son walked toward shore and fell through a weak patch of ice up to his chest.  Fortunately, I was able to haul him out with a minimum of fuss, but he was all wet. 

So once I finished my lunch, we packed up our gear and headed back to our car.

Around the same time, Paul's buddy Keith showed up. so Paul was kind enough to help us haul our stuff back to shore, and then helped Keith get his gear out onto the ice.   Hopefully, they hammered the trout after we left.

We left the Pond around 1:30 PM, by which point it was about 40 degrees. 

After dropping my son off at home, I headed back (solo) to the Savoy State Forest, only this time to try my luck on Bog Pond.

I got there around 2:30 PM.  Once again, I had to wade out (this time for a longer stretch) to get onto the ice, which (once again) was about 8" thick.

The weather was about the same, albeit a little cooler (37 degrees) and a bit windier. 

No one else was on the Pond, although I did see two or three folks on shore.

I set up my gear, but once again I didn't have any hits, either on my tip ups, dead stick or jig.

I left around 5:30 PM (by which point it had worked its way up to 40 degrees again) and headed toward my final stop, Burnett's Pond, where I arrived around 6 PM, where it was 37 degrees and less windy.

I headed down to the Pond, waded out (although Burnett's was the easiest of the three on which to get out onto the ice) and set up my gear (after chopping about 6" or so of ice), and finally had some success.

Over the next two hours, I caught two pickerel (one about 12" on a dead stick and one about 16" on a tip up) and a bakers dozen of small (4" to 9", with most about 7" to 9") perch (four caught on my jig, and the other nine on dead sticks).

When I finally got off the Pond, and headed home (around 8 PM), it was pitch black, cooler (about 30 degrees) and lit only by the stars (but no moon).



 

[Dieseldog]

You get and A+ for effort. Glad you had pretty good luck at the last pond.
Meanwhile, I checked out a pond in central Mass for kayak fishing on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the Corps of Engineers have the gates closed so that I cannot get my kayak trailer to the launch. The gates were down all winter so no one coiuld get in to ice fish. Government serving the people.