Ice Reports with Some Fishing Thrown In

[bogtrotter]

Today, I checked the ice on three local ponds, and fished two of them.

The day was overcast and a bit windy, with temps in the low-to-mid 20's.

Shortly after picking up mhy shiners at B&R Bait (the successor to JCB Bait) in Cheshire around 10 AM, I checked the ice on the northern end of Cheshire (1st) Lake.

There was 6 to 7 inches of good black ice under a dusting of snow.

Then, after stopping at WalMart to pick up some nightcrawlers, I drove to Fish Pond (Windsor Lake) in North Adams, and fished from 10:30 AM to 2 PM.

There was 4 to 5 inches of good black ice under a dusting of snow - - although I kept a wide berth around a couple sketchy looking spots.

I hedged my bets by setting up my tip ups near the Camp Beach, while doing some jigging and setting up my dead stick closer to the Pavilion.

There was only one other fisherman on the scene while I was there - - a Boston transplant named Sergio who was jigging not far from the Paviion, and he did quite well, reeling in a mix of rainbows, bass, perch and crappie.

I didn't do as well as him, but had no complaints, landing a 13" rainbow on a tip up and a 12" one on my dead stick. 

Oddly,  I didn't have any action at all while jigging at Fish Pond, but made up for it at my next spot.

After picking up my gear, I drove to Burnett's Pond in Savoy, and did some jigging there from about 3 to 4:30 PM.

Here, the ice was generally 8 to 9 inches thick (albeit of lesser quality) under a dusting of snow - - although there was one large patch toward the middle where there was not just one but two layers of ice: ie., 2" of ice on top of  2" of water over another 5" of ice.

The jigging was pretty good - - I caught 15 perch, and some of them were pretty good sized (9" to 10") - - although I was a little disappointed that a big pickerel didn't slam my jig and give me a fight that would start my adrenalin pumping.

I'm hoping to head out again tomorrow to do some more scouting, with an eye toward deciding which local  spot might be the best to take a friend ice fishing (who hasn't done any in decades) on Monday.

[V Menzone]

Nice to see someone is getting out in mass. The site has been dead

[fisherman58]

bogtrotter 
how do you access burnett pond ?

[bogtrotter]

bogtrotter 
how do you access burnett pond ?

I'm coming from Adams, so I just drive up Upper East Hoosac Street (in Adams) until I come to New State Road and take the left til I get to a dirt parking lot about a half mile down the road on the left - - and then walk down a fairly steep hill about a 100 yards long to get to the pond.

Alternately, if you're driving NW on Route 116, take a right onto Center Road in Savoy and drive up it till you come to Adams Road, then take the left and drive till you come to New State Road and take that right.

[scooper47]

Do you have a phone number for B&R Bait?

[Nmcbean413]

Do you have a phone number for B&R Bait?

[fisherman58]

Do you have a phone number for B&R Bait?

thanks i  was right there last week i just thought there might be an easier  access poimt thats a tough drag up the hill for me

[scooper47]

Thank you.

[Sam Gee]

Sounds like you had great time. Thanks for the B&R info guys.

[Nmcbean413]

Sounds like you had great time. Thanks for the B&R info guys.

Anytime great dude and so far every bait I have gotten has been amazing

[bogtrotter]

thanks i  was right there last week i just thought there might be an easier  access poimt thats a tough drag up the hill for me

Yes, the hill to get up/down to Burnett's Pond is a pain, particulary the icy stretch just before it bottoms out.

But it adds to the feeling that you're in a "pocket universe" - - It's a small pond set in a depression that makes you feel like you're a million miles away fron anthying even though there's a main road just 100 yards away.