Author Topic: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season  (Read 3068 times)

Offline Pause Game

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Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« on: Mar 08, 2022, 11:34 AM »
Tagging along wife's business trip to Bedford NH.
I have all day thursday to fish, but cannot venture further than an hour so from bedford chose Massabesic Lake. I tried to get down to RI for the fishing convention...

Is Massabesic ice still safe, or should i be throwing flies in the merrimack?

 I will be on foot, any places/unique species I should be targeting?
Should i be running jigging rods or tip-ups?
Any regs i need to know, Ill be coming from NYS.

Online Steve H.

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #1 on: Mar 08, 2022, 12:07 PM »
You definitely won't be throwing flies on the Merrimack.

Here's one of the easiest ways to access Massabesic, assuming it's been plowed. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Front+Park/@43.0018301,-71.3879911,721m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e25a93d65a45fb:0x2aa1907c7a069370!8m2!3d43.003223!4d-71.3902395

No comments on ice thickness/quality, you're on your own for that.  Just be careful and check frequently.

Offline Roccus

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #2 on: Mar 08, 2022, 12:24 PM »
I have t been to massy. In a few weeks, southern ice is getting sketchy..judtvwatvh the shore line and drain holes..
"A mans got to know his limitations"

Offline Lv2hunt

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #3 on: Mar 08, 2022, 01:08 PM »
Drive by massy everyday live a mile from it have not been on it as of a couple weeks ago but edges are holding up well by the park there are a few coves along the manchster side that hold ice for a while. Stay away from boat launch on 121 side already a couple of rescues there and stay away from deer neck bridge always moving water and open. What are you targeting?
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day teach him how to fish and he will sit there and drink all day!!

Offline Pause Game

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #4 on: Mar 08, 2022, 06:51 PM »
Drive by massy everyday live a mile from it have not been on it as of a couple weeks ago but edges are holding up well by the park there are a few coves along the manchster side that hold ice for a while. Stay away from boat launch on 121 side already a couple of rescues there and stay away from deer neck bridge always moving water and open. What are you targeting?

Targeting anything I can keep wet.

Offline rmoody79

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #5 on: Mar 10, 2022, 08:58 PM »
Targeting anything I can keep wet.

Good creed to live by

Offline lowaccord66

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #6 on: Mar 14, 2022, 09:55 PM »
Good creed to live by

Unless it involves flour....you know why....

Offline FishingFredrik

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #7 on: Mar 15, 2022, 08:49 AM »
Thanks all for your helpful pointers and advice. Much appreciated. My virgin trip on Winni was nothing short of awesome. I was able to give 158 yellow perch a quick look through the hard water. No giants, but I kept six for the skillet that were decent size. I don't use a flasher, but the Navionics app proved super helpful in identifying target areas. Thanks again! I'll be back.











Luck is only a small part of it.

Offline bassin212

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #8 on: Mar 15, 2022, 10:32 AM »
Nice report! Looks like you did well, nice job figuring it out
Tight Lines!

Offline zwiggles

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #9 on: Mar 15, 2022, 05:25 PM »
Nice report!

I gotta say I am curious about your fishing set up? The “rod & reel” are either a bit smaller then I expected, or you have some giant perch  ;)

Offline IceDog88

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #10 on: Mar 15, 2022, 06:37 PM »
Nice to see that you found the school and fish fry to boot. Looking at your seat or combo storage box. How do you get that out onto the ice?

Offline 800stealth

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #11 on: Mar 18, 2022, 02:15 PM »
Sounds like a great time. I dig the old schooley rod, they still get it done.
"May your lines be tight and never be tangled" (old Frankish Proverb)  Guinea 2021

Offline FishingFredrik

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #12 on: Oct 29, 2022, 12:27 PM »
Nice report!

I gotta say I am curious about your fishing set up? The “rod & reel” are either a bit smaller then I expected, or you have some giant perch  ;)

Pardon the VERY tardy response. I literally just saw your reply just now.

My jigging set up that I used on this day was all home made, anno circa 1986 ;). I grew up in Sweden where I learned ice fishing for perch, as well as how to make jigging rods, jigs and the special jigging hooks. I had only very recently dug out the ice fishing gear from my teenage years (as I hadn't ice fished for decades), and found that my Swedish techniques worked great for the North American yellow perch, just as it did for its European cousins.

In order to optimize sensitivity, the "rod" is made of ultra light balsa wood and has a firm carbon fibre blank. I think the one in the photo is the very first one I made. On this day I used a home made, spoon-like jig (the type that the "Swedish Pimple" is named after, although the Swedish Pimple you can buy in North America is a rather poor substitute for the real type of jigs used in the Nordic countries. Also, it should be Pimpel, not Pimple, which has nothing to do with acne ;)). You can buy really nice, hand made jigs like the one I made online from Swedish retailers. None of the American retailers carry these because people fish differently here.

The European yellow perch grows quite a bit bigger than the North American (Perca Fluviatilis vs Perca Flavescens) but the ones in the photo were about 1 - 1.2 lb. Not the biggest I caught on Winni, but perfect for the skillet. A couple of days later, I caught 245 yellows, though none were bigger than the ones you see here. Since you're curious, I'm attaching a photo of the hooks I make and use. These colors work great in most waters where I fish. I make them using chenille yarn and pigment colored epoxy resin.

I can't wait for the lakes to freeze.





Luck is only a small part of it.

Offline FishingFredrik

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #13 on: Oct 29, 2022, 12:35 PM »
Nice to see that you found the school and fish fry to boot. Looking at your seat or combo storage box. How do you get that out onto the ice?

The seat/box has one compartment for fish and one for gear and food. This one is a fiberglass version, and I carry it on my auger over my shoulder (see pic). It's super light weight and all I need is in that box. Light and mobile is the name of the game. I don't use a flasher, and rarely sit in the same hole more than 5 mins if I don't get any hits. I tend to find the perch faster than they find me, so to speak.







Luck is only a small part of it.

Offline jigmaster5

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #14 on: Nov 21, 2022, 12:50 PM »
Very cool, unique gear there!  Thx for sharing!   ;D

Offline Nosaj

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #15 on: Nov 21, 2022, 02:33 PM »
The seat/box has one compartment for fish and one for gear and food. This one is a fiberglass version, and I carry it on my auger over my shoulder (see pic). It's super light weight and all I need is in that box. Light and mobile is the name of the game. I don't use a flasher, and rarely sit in the same hole more than 5 mins if I don't get any hits. I tend to find the perch faster than they find me, so to speak.








Nice job with the jigs.

I also like the last picture showing how you carry your gear.  The first thing I thought of when I saw the picture was Jack from the nightmare before Christmas goes ice fishing!  :)

 



Offline FishingFredrik

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #16 on: Nov 21, 2022, 09:09 PM »
Nice job with the jigs.

I also like the last picture showing how you carry your gear.  The first thing I thought of when I saw the picture was Jack from the nightmare before Christmas goes ice fishing!  :)

 



 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Luck is only a small part of it.

Offline JIGGIN-

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #17 on: Nov 22, 2022, 11:17 AM »
Unless it involves flour....you know why....

LOL!!! Makes sense.....and good point!

Offline lowaccord66

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Re: Massabesic Lake Out of State - Late Season
« Reply #18 on: Dec 07, 2022, 07:58 AM »
LOL!!! Makes sense.....and good point!

Words to live by.  Hope you have a great season Jiggin

 



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