anyone in Amherst on Baboosic Lake?

[twd000]

I moved to NH from AZ last year and looking for a bit of local knowledge for ice fishing in the area.  I have done a fair amount of shore-casting for perch and bluegills.  My boys (7 and 4) are interested in trying some ice fishing this year.  Can we just walk out off the town beach and do some commando fishing without an shanty?  What are the preferred baits this time of year?

[Coffin Dodger]

I moved to NH from AZ last year and looking for a bit of local knowledge for ice fishing in the area.  I have done a fair amount of shore-casting for perch and bluegills.  My boys (7 and 4) are interested in trying some ice fishing this year.  Can we just walk out off the town beach and do some commando fishing without an shanty?  What are the preferred baits this time of year?

Welcome to IS and hard water fishing.
Sorry I can't help you with that area.

First tip...drill holes before you cast...

Shiners purchased at a local bait shop are a good start for bait. There are many options.
You can absolutely go without a shanty!
For kids that age, pick your days. Wind won't be their friend if it's cold out.

[Martlet]

I moved to NH from AZ last year and looking for a bit of local knowledge for ice fishing in the area.  I have done a fair amount of shore-casting for perch and bluegills.  My boys (7 and 4) are interested in trying some ice fishing this year.  Can we just walk out off the town beach and do some commando fishing without an shanty?  What are the preferred baits this time of year?

I'll probably be popping out on Baboosic with my twin boys (about that age) soon.

[FSH4FN]

I moved to NH from AZ last year and looking for a bit of local knowledge for ice fishing in the area.  I have done a fair amount of shore-casting for perch and bluegills.  My boys (7 and 4) are interested in trying some ice fishing this year.  Can we just walk out off the town beach and do some commando fishing without an shanty?  What are the preferred baits this time of year?

On Baboosic? Yes, you can definitely fish it without a shanty. I would say most places in NH depending on the day could be fished without a shelter just dress warm. I would also say that shiners would be a good choice for that lake. It's not a very deep lake so just explore around and you'll likely find the fish. There is pickerel in there so be prepared for some line breaks unless you decide to use a wire leader. Not necessary obviously but could happen.

Best of luck!

[Digs]

Not familiar with that area but fish with my two boys a lot. Bring extra gloves and hats and lots of snacks. Traps with shiners or night crawlers will keep them busy and a few jig rods with anything shiny on it to hole hop and have fun..... will make for many fun days

[jibbs]

Sent a pm

[TheCrittaC]

Bring twice as much clothes as you think you'll need -- worst case, you'll just be carrying them around.
Most anything'll bite on a shiner. Try setting them close to the bottom in that lake, as it's a warmwater fishery that the state does not stock with trout. I've never fished it, but if I wanted flags with decent fish for the kids, I'd set traps just off bottom in 10-15 feet of water for bass.

[dennisg34]

I live on the Amherst side, launch from the private beach as I can being in the association. Shiners work great there. Typical bass/perch/pickeral

[Jiggedy_jig]

I live right near Naticook Lake in Merrimack. There's a few good spots to bring the kids around here. Naticook has public access and currently about 6 inches in the boat launch area. Cove to the right is a nice place to get bass. I haven't had any luck with Baboosic, but Horseshoe is another decent place.

I always bring lots of extra clothes for the kids and spare socks and things for myself with or without my portable. My son is 6 so he likes to toss a Frisby around in between checking tips.

Good luck, plan ahead and have fun regardless of catching anything. That's why it's called fishing 

[twd000]

thanks for the tips; going to get out there Saturday after this snow stops falling. 

What should I be looking for as far as an auger?  Do I want a gas-powered model, or can I get away with something that chucks into my Ridgid 18V Lithium Ion drill?

The short spinning rod is straightforward, but I'm having trouble picturing the "flag/trap" setup.  Is there a good visual tutorial I can see?  I see I can run 5 at a time, so do I pick 5 promising spots, then drill holes and set up the traps and monitor?

[TheCrittaC]

thanks for the tips; going to get out there Saturday after this snow stops falling. 

What should I be looking for as far as an auger?  Do I want a gas-powered model, or can I get away with something that chucks into my Ridgid 18V Lithium Ion drill?

Both systems have pros and cons. You've already got a drill, so you could just get one of the many systems that are out there that attaches to it, and an auger. Problems with that are you generally get fewer holes out of a battery than you do a tank of gas, and the added stress you put on your drill by cutting a hole much larger than it was designed to cut. The hole size is more limited as well, which means that it'll be harder to get a big fish on the ice. There's only one situation where you want a smaller hole, and it's not ice fishing.

With a dedicated auger (gas/propane/electric/hand-powered), you're buying a tool that is specifically designed to cut holes through the ice. You can probably find a used model for less money than a new one. The propane ones are generally heavier than the gas ones and use 1-pound propane cylinders, but an added benefit there is that you can cut holes inside a shack without all the exhaust. You also don't need to deal with mixing gas.
There's a lot more information on the augers board:
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?board=73.0

The short spinning rod is straightforward, but I'm having trouble picturing the "flag/trap" setup.  Is there a good visual tutorial I can see?  I see I can run 5 at a time, so do I pick 5 promising spots, then drill holes and set up the traps and monitor?

You pretty much cut as many holes as you want traps and cut them where you want them. You can use up to 6 lines total (so only 5 traps if you're jigging) on most bodies of water, but you should check to make sure any body of water you're fishing isn't designated as managed for lake trout and/or salmon, because then you only get two lines. If you want to fish close to bottom, a good thing is to use a depth sounder to mark how deep the water is, then attach something to your line like a steel rubber-core sinker or a button to mark how far you want to go down. If a trap isn't producing, try moving it or changing the depth on it.

[Jiggedy_jig]

I just got a setup to use my hand auger with my drill. 7-8 inches of ice and I got 2 holes from a 20v Dewalt battery. Gas is the way to go. I'm looking for used ones. A good day out I'll do 15+ holes depending on bites. Sounders are cheap so carry a few.

When I'm setting up my tips I put a button on the line before tying my leader on. Then I can slide the button up and down the line to mark where I want to set depth usually 12" to 18" above the bottom. There are many videos on YouTube to help visually.

[livefreeandfish]

As far as augers go, I loved my Strikemaster Lazer hand auger for the past 3 years, as long as the blades are sharp it cuts really nice.  It can get a bit tedious when the ice gets 15-20" or thicker, but for the price point it was a great starting auger for me.  I upgraded to an electric auger this year but still keep the hand auger with me every time.

Assuming you are in the Amherst/Merrimack area, Naticook Lake and Horseshoe Pond are both places with easy access and will provide flags for the kids pretty consistently.  I've had luck with bass/pickerel in both areas by setting traps with live shiners hooked just under the dorsal fin set 3-4 feet above the bottom.  I fish in that area quite often, so if you have any questions or need to borrow the hand auger just send me a PM and I'd be happy to help out.

[twd000]

Yes- Amherst, Merrimack, Nashua are all easily accessible for me.  Thanks for the tips

When you guys say "shiners"  - you're talking about live bait?  I've only used preserved shiners in the past for summer fishing. 

I did some searching and heard about the Nils Master 8" hand auger (looks to be $180 or so).  The idea of not maintaining a gas auger engine is appealing to me.

As far as the ice fishing season - how long does the ice typically last in a 10-20' lakes and ponds around here?  Are we talking about a 2-month season, or more?

[Jiggedy_jig]

Depending on the weather we should have good ice until the end of March. If you want low maintenance in an auger look at the propane ones. Used one last week. 5 guys all drilling holes with it and as long as you don't put it down wrong it starts super easy and was a breeze to use. Shiners or smelt are the best bait. Yes,use them live. Put the hook just below the dorsal fin and drop them in your hole.

[burgerunh]

If you are going to buy a hand auger, even a nils, I would recommend a 6 inch not an 8 inch.  Your back and shoulders will thank me at the end of the day. 

NH Fish and Game lets go fishing program puts on ice fishing clinics throughout the winter.  Its a great way to learn how to set up tip ups and try out ice fishing before you go out and spend your money buying expensive gear.  I believe there is one this coming weekend.

https://nhfishandgame.com/EventWeb/Event/AllEvents?EventTypeId=161

[dickbaker]

I just got a setup to use my hand auger with my drill. 7-8 inches of ice and I got 2 holes from a 20v Dewalt battery. Gas is the way to go. I'm looking for used ones. A good day out I'll do 15+ holes depending on bites. Sounders are cheap so carry a few.

When I'm setting up my tips I put a button on the line before tying my leader on. Then I can slide the button up and down the line to mark where I want to set depth usually 12" to 18" above the bottom. There are many videos on YouTube to help visually.

You have a weak battery.   Get a new 20 volt lithium battery.  My 18 volt Dewalt will do 20 holes with a 6" blade.
Dick