Annual Trip Ideas?

[Open-Handed Fish Slap]

Every year for the last 10 or so, my buddies and I have taken a nice long weekend in the winter to travel and more importantly fish.  Our obsession started on Arrowhead in Limerick, ME where we found the biggest bass anyone of us had ever seen.  A few years there, a few years on Bomoseen in VT, a couple on lake St. Catherine, and most recently the past few have been hunting pike on upper Champlain.  On Champlain we have been renting gutted campers transformed into shanty's right on the ice.  A "guide" checks in on all his rentals every couple hours to make sure things are going smoothly.  We are looking to once again explore new territory and would love a similar experience.  If anyone knows of a unique ice fishing getaway could you please let me know.  We are pretty much married to pursuing pike, having a derby coincide with the trip also adds a nice extra element.  I've read a lot of good stuff about the Belgrades region... Am I on the right track?  Thanks in advance.

[Frankr]

There are big pike in the Belgrade Lakes.

I would contact a regional biologist at IF&W, which has a web site. They may well be able to give good advice as to specific areas and tactics.

Downside - This is a reasonably populated area close to the interstate with the cities of Augusta and Waterville nearby. There will be a lot of other ice fishermen and snowmobilers.  It will not be a pristine wilderness type experience.

Frankr

[Open-Handed Fish Slap]

Thanks for the info.  I like the camaraderie of the ice fishing community so I don't mind others out there.  Experience wise, I just want a good fishery, and a good spot to nap for a few hours each night.  I'm actually really interested in bodies of water that have big tournaments, I enjoy the scene.  Those few years we spent on Bomoseen were always during the Great Benson derby which is a statewide derby with the checkpoint a quarter mile down the shoreline from our rental which made for a great time.

[thedirtydirtyfisherman]

Long Lake Derby would be the go to then,  thats the long lake way up, st agatha

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Huge tournament on Cranberry Lake every year. Large turnout, large pike if a tournament is something you are interested in

[jethro]

No input on the pike thing, but I assume you have experienced the scene at Meredith Bay in NH for the Rotary derby? It's fun to see.

[Open-Handed Fish Slap]

Thank you guys.  St. Agatha might be a little too much of a hike for a long weekend.  Cranberry Lake in NY?   I have not yet been to Meredith bay, how many tip-ups are allowed there and what type of species are people fishing for?  Any bob house rentals or anything like that in either of those areas?