Possible Group Road Trip?

[stripernut]

Not to take over a Nice Happy New Year thread I thought I would start a new thread and see what we can "put together" for a trip NOrth as a group!
I will start by throwing out the Date of Sunday, Feb. 4th, with the 11th as the "back up". Even if we have safe ice in the local area it would be fun to fish in a new area with a group. I would throw out there that I like fishing for species we don't get to fish for much in MA (through the ice), if we are headed North... Lakers, Walleye, just to name a few. But that is not written in stone for me.
So, let's start to hear some suggestions!

[lowaccord66]

Waiting for Bojangles to ask how many miles we'd be driving.   

[stripernut]

I was/am hoping we get a bunch of suggestions, then we let the conditions "narrow" down the list... I think we would be best off looking at smaller waters, as the big waters make it much more difficult to find safe ice... I know I want to get on Winnie this season and find some white perch, but I am not booking a room yet...

[Ruimachado]

I was/am hoping we get a bunch of suggestions, then we let the conditions "narrow" down the list... I think we would be best off looking at smaller waters, as the big waters make it much more difficult to find safe ice... I know I want to get on Winnie this season and find some white perch, but I am not booking a room yet...

Winnie white perch are a grind sometimes, but they are absolute monsters! Tons of options on Winnie too, lakers, perch, cusk even smelt, but that place is overrated IMO(I fish there a lot too and still ask myself why I drive 2h each way everytime I go) but when the bite is on its just a fun place.
I would be down for a trip like that, I'm a jigging only guy but I have no problem bringing my xd650 and camp out for the day/night

[Sam Gee]

Winni white perch are already on my bucket list, but upstate NY would be nice for some walleyes. I'm in.

[stripernut]

Like Winnie, Champlain is another "Big Water" that may not get safe this year... I think we should look for smaller bodies of water that are more likely to have safe ice...

[lowaccord66]

Like Winnie, Champlain is another "Big Water" that may not get safe this year... I think we should look for smaller bodies of water that are more likely to have safe ice...

Northern champ had driveable ice last year.  Alburg area.  Pike mania but its a long rip. 

[stripernut]

Northern champ had driveable ice last year.  Alburg area.  Pike mania but its a long rip.

Maybe, but I like the idea of Lakers and or Walleye even more... And they are still predicting many 40-degree days, but I have not checked very far North.

[lowaccord66]

Very doubtful laker water will lock this year.  At least my normal haunts.  I will be on moosehead end of Jan.

[stripernut]

I will be on moosehead end of Jan.

I have not fished up there in over 30 years... A very good time, sometime in early June I think, we rented a cabin on an island with a boat. Many salmon, most from the shore of the island, and a few Brookies. No Lakers thou.

Anyone fish New Found Lake in NH?

[stripernut]

Any anyone ever fished Great Sacandaga Lake in NY? Walleye, and Pike? Looks like it might freeze only 3 hours from Central MA... I am throwing spots out to see if we get any bites...

[Jschumacher]

I have not fished up there in over 30 years... A very good time, sometime in early June I think, we rented a cabin on an island with a boat. Many salmon, most from the shore of the island, and a few Brookies. No Lakers thou.

Anyone fish New Found Lake in NH?

They don't call it the New Found Circus for no reason. LOL.
Sacandaga has been on my radar the last couple years.

[pmaloney86]

They don't call it the New Found Circus for no reason. LOL.
Sacandaga has been on my radar the last couple years.

Got my first walter there a couple of years ago.  I've had decent success but it can be slow.  Huge body of water where a machine helps but can get to pike water fairly easily.  From western mass the drive is very reasonable but 3 hours from Worcester area sounds right.  Broke my sled there last year and fixing it isn't worth the expense.  Lots of machine activity all over the lake, especially around Wallys but good parking and easy access.

[ICEHOLE]

Happy new years guys. I'd love to get out and stretch my legs. Small water lakers, Nubi is a decent option but its hardly "north". Parking is tough tho. I know guys that do well on sacandaga but I havnt made a trip there. I'll keep an eye on this thread.

[lowaccord66]

Sacandaga is an interesting one.  Ive had luck there but also its a snow machine drag strip.  There are some good spots within a walk from access.  I stopped fishing it because of the circus like atmosphere but might be a good one for a group setting. 

[sploke]

I wouldn't mind tagging along with you guys if the schedule works out.  I don't get out often, and hardly know anyone in the area who also fishes hardwater.  But, my wife just got me an Eskimo pop-up for Christmas, so I'll take that as encouragement to make as much use of it as I can.

[stripernut]

Nubi is a decent option but its hardly "north".

I like Nubi and have yet to get skunked for Lakers... But ice can be tricky... Ice fishing I have not had a problem parking, forget it for open water.

Got my first walter there a couple of years ago.  I've had decent success but it can be slow.  Huge body of water where a machine helps but can get to pike water fairly easily.  From western mass the drive is very reasonable but 3 hours from Worcester area sounds right.  Broke my sled there last year and fixing it isn't worth the expense.  Lots of machine activity all over the lake, especially around Wallys but good parking and easy access.

I sent an email last night to a guide out there to see about "ride" options on the lake...

I wouldn't mind tagging along with you guys if the schedule works out.  I don't get out often, and hardly know anyone in the area who also fishes hardwater.  But, my wife just got me an Eskimo pop-up for Christmas, so I'll take that as encouragement to make as much use of it as I can.

The idea is to meet people you don't know!

Great Sacandaga Lake, does anyone have an idea of how it freezes?

Let's keep looking (more options), maybe further North to find safe ice... I think 4 hours would be my limit unless it looks really special...

[pmaloney86]

Great Sacandaga Lake, does anyone have an idea of how it freezes?

I keep an eye on the NY boards and have a few people that could PM for updates.  The northern part of the lake has a lot more current from what I understand but never fished up that way.  The lake levels do drop as the year progresses from what I understand but that's never really posed an issue for me.  With the amount of machine traffic I'd hope really sketchy areas are marked.

[Brendog9]

I have not fished up there in over 30 years... A very good time, sometime in early June I think, we rented a cabin on an island with a boat. Many salmon, most from the shore of the island, and a few Brookies. No Lakers thou.

Anyone fish New Found Lake in NH?

Newfound can be tough, especially with the two device limit. I fish there a lot every winter. But there are cusk in there so it's nice being able to get the cusk lines in and let them soak. Jigging for lakers can get hot at times and there are some nice yellow perch in there, can also run into some nice rainbows. The main sections of the lake didn't freeze last year, it's definitely a place where a machine can help getting around if it's safe.

[stripernut]

So far I have emailed several guides for Great Sacandaga Lake and it seems no one guides there... I will keep looking around and maybe we will end up with ice a little closer...

[stripernut]

So it is looking (for the moment ) like we will have safe ice locally, but I would still like to do a road trip. For me I like to hit spots for fish I can't get through the ice often in MA, so lake trout are at the top of the list with big White Perch and Walleye coming in a close second. Is anyone else interested? Maybe the 4th or 11th of Feb?

[Steve H.]

The Great Rotary Derby on Lake Winnipesaukee is Feb 10-11 this year, FYI, if you're considering coming to NH for lake trout and/or white perch.

[lavaman]

hey Alan you know i m always in lets try another pond in the same area we used to fish if you. maybe sebago or winnie if safe

[lavaman]

i tried sacadaga my uncle lives 10 miles from that lake it was slow both times i went. sounds good on paper but we struck out both times spoke to some locals who were catching mini walleyes but im wasnt impressed

[lavaman]

i fished lovell lake in Wakefield and caught a monster smallies. lots of access at the boat ramp and theres a good watering hole for after fishing right across the street at poor peoples pub. i believe they stock it with trout but i dont believe there are lakers in there

[lavaman]

im interested in ossipee lake but access mite be tough

[lavaman]

ok last post sorry i get excited this time a year. i know lake trout is a number 1 for you Alan and i feel the same. here is a list of the lake trout lakes other than winnie or newfound that are close to our usual area that i have been dying to try. we could also cross into Maine if you want more selections. we could also coincide it with the free fishing weekend in Maine which takes place on sat/sun every presidents day weekend 2/17 and 2/18

silver
dan hole
winnisquam
merrymeeting

[hardfloor]

My crew heads up to GSL every year and it produces most of the time. We start at Wally's and fish a couple deep holes in front. I've had a limit by 4pm of Walleye some years sometimes with the crazy water level it is slow. But like Jon said it's a crazy snowmobile race track, plus my honey hole is in their highway. They travel from bar to bar and get hammered so no tip up is safe.

[ICEHOLE]

I'd be in for the 11th.

[stripernut]

Well, it looks like we will be working something out! I know I will be staying away from Lake Winnipesaukee Feb 10-11, I don't like that kind of crowd...