IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community

Maine => Ice Fishing Maine => Topic started by: rollout1213 on Dec 19, 2012, 01:27 PM

Title: Chain of ponds
Post by: rollout1213 on Dec 19, 2012, 01:27 PM
Hey guys. I'm new to the site, and I was wondering if anyone here fished Chain of Ponds off Rt. 27? The place sounds really promising for a camping/ ice fishing trip I wanted to take in January, but I was hoping to get some input before I dragged a few buddies on a trip tat would take a few hours to get to. Any advice would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: TommyT on Dec 19, 2012, 02:01 PM
Bring your windbreakah.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: da man cave shack on Dec 19, 2012, 02:03 PM
Welcome to the shanty and the addiction it is.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: buddah on Dec 19, 2012, 02:04 PM
Bring your windbreakah.

X2..........lot's of small salmon and brookies to keep you busy though.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: Fish Wayniac on Dec 19, 2012, 08:17 PM
I hear its got big brookies but that was from a fly guy, dont know about the hardwater.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: rollout1213 on Dec 19, 2012, 08:19 PM
Is the fishing pretty fast? I had heard that it could get very windy (I found long north to south lakes really get whipped up). trout and salmon sound great, any advice on where to target. Also does anyone have luck with togue?
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: rude the dude on Dec 20, 2012, 04:37 AM
X2..........lot's of small salmon and brookies to keep you busy though.
small is a understatement @)
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: Sawyerjosh on Dec 20, 2012, 06:17 AM
Fly fishing in the spring, tons of brookies- decent sized.  A really big salmon is 8 inches long!  Ice fishing in the winter- I've only done it a couple times, windy was an understatement- we caught some yellow perch, couple brookies and couple short salmon.  It was slow fishing for us, but it was a few years ago and with the wind we were'nt exactly trying very hard
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: smeltslayer on Dec 20, 2012, 06:22 AM
Its frozen. Fresh 24" of snow on it and the place always has wardens at it. Tons of small fish but plenty of action. Fished it a lot when I was younger but don't waste my time with the place now except for the smelt run in the spring. Good luck with the camping thing make sure you bring your rifle as the coyotes are bad up that way.  @) @)
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: rollout1213 on Dec 20, 2012, 06:41 PM
Great advice guys. Small salmon can be fun if there are enough of them and it sounds like the Brookies might be be worth the trouble. Are the coyotes very big problem? We are usually careful, and food is always hung up a tree some distance from our camp. Also has anyone tried this place for cusk?
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: smeltslayer on Dec 20, 2012, 06:49 PM
Cusk are hit or miss. Conditions up there at night will be brutal. But have fun.  @) @)
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: rollout1213 on Dec 22, 2012, 01:03 PM
I am anticipating cold conditions, a lot of layers and a bit of scotch should help with that. I found some info that indicated that the Brookies are stocked, is that the case for the salmon too or are they native? Also where on the chain have you guys had success
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: Derik on Dec 22, 2012, 01:10 PM
Haven't been up that way since I was about 12, but I remember ice fishing and it was pretty steady a few fish every hour.  I do remember we used to fish anywhere we could park beside the road and hop down the bank.  But I'd take a look at a depth map and aerials and look for a likely location that may have some overhang or changes in depth.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: Kennebec on Dec 23, 2012, 07:43 AM
I fish it every year because of the proximity and I can count on enough ice there every year, as others have said the salmon are racers, short and skinny.  It is not fast action there and you need to know which of the ponds in the chain to fish.  Spend some time there, get to know the different parts of the ponds.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: rollout1213 on Dec 23, 2012, 05:56 PM
Are some of the ponds more productive than others at certain times of year? I was thinking of spending most of the time on Natanis but if you guys have other ideas I would like to here them. Also are there other places in that area or farther south that you guys would recommend. I was hoping to target cold water species but I know most of the rangeley lakes have no icefishing.
Title: Re: Chain of ponds
Post by: Kennebec on Jan 06, 2013, 05:22 PM
Fished the Chain today, 16" of ice!  the tally was one fat brookie, (5) small salmon and 11 yellow perch.  All my bait was gone so I headed back home to have the trout for dinner.