Belgrade Lakes

[BigG3206]

Anyone been out on any of the three?  Just curious how much ice you have in that area.  Thanks!

[9huskies]

I haven't been on any of them but I drove by last Sunday. There were a few groups of snowmobiler crossing Long Pond.

[Jim_C.]

I was out on Maranacook Lk in Readfield on 2/9. That's not far from the Belgrades. There was 12" of ice (8" black plus 4" white) over 30 feet of water. 

[CW2]

North side of great pond had 6-8 inches a few weeks ago, but it was before the deep freeze and the mess we had this week so it could be anything by now.

[Wago14]

North side of great pond had 6-8 inches a few weeks ago, but it was before the deep freeze and the mess we had this week so it could be anything by now.

By deep freeze you must mean the 2 days of winter we had before it went back to these ridiculously warm temps?

It is crazy to think of how things have changed over the years and a cold snap amongst unseasonably warm weather has turned into todays deep freeze.

Hopefully the rest of the winter isnt a wash.

[gamefisher]

By deep freeze you must mean the 2 days of winter we had before it went back to these ridiculously warm temps?

It is crazy to think of how things have changed over the years and a cold snap amongst unseasonably warm weather has turned into todays deep freeze.

Hopefully the rest of the winter isnt a wash.

I am blown away by how little people think they know about ice making bud, I have been following your posts  and you get it.😎  just got off one of the Belgrades, 8-10" off white crap ice, 20 acres of open  water covered by crust, barely a soul out,  ice out coming damn early .  We have made all the ice we are going to make with the suns Ray's getting longer and longer

[nbourque]

I am blown away by how little people think they know about ice making bud, I have been following your posts  and you get it.😎  just got off one of the Belgrades, 8-10" off white crap ice, 20 acres of open  water covered by crust, barely a soul out,  ice out coming damn early .  We have made all the ice we are going to make with the suns Ray's getting longer and longer

Ya it’s pretty pathetic. The next ten days look well above freezing. I found 11” where I was today. Easy walking.

[bee]

I was on Messo Friday and about 16 inches. Today on Cobbosee about the same. First time Ice fishing the Dead sea. I won,t be on it again soon.

[nbourque]

I was on Messo Friday and about 16 inches. Today on Cobbosee about the same. First time Ice fishing the Dead sea. I won,t be on it again soon.

Dead sea is right Wayne. Last time I fished it was 2015.

[Foul Hooker]

I am heading to Long Pond to fish the Hardwater Hitmen Pike Derby.  We have an air bnb about 300yards north of the inlet where great and long pond meet (days store).  We were hoping to not drive anywhere and wondering if anyone has any ice report for long.  It looks like it will get cold again next week.  Today is like spring and has me worried.  Thanks

[Steve H.]

I am heading to Long Pond to fish the Hardwater Hitmen Pike Derby.  We have an air bnb about 300yards north of the inlet where great and long pond meet (days store).  We were hoping to not drive anywhere and wondering if anyone has any ice report for long.  It looks like it will get cold again next week.  Today is like spring and has me worried.  Thanks

Drove by it on Saturday afternoon coming back from Eustis.  There was a LOT of open water at the inlet.  Ice looked really gray and didn't see anyone fishing.  Definitely no shacks or machines that I could see, at least from the road. 

[EmeraldShiner]

I fished Long Pond just before the 48 hour severe cold snap.  I walked on from Castle Island boat launch to fish the south basin.  I can tell you at that time there was no more than 4"-5" of solid black ice followed by 4"-5" of junk ice, followed by 3"-4" of slush.  I stayed relatively close to shore fishing alone as I didn't trust the ice farther out over deeper water.  I completely agree with Gamefisher and Nbourque, the cold snap had little to no effect in making thicker solid black ice as the junk ice and slush insulated the lower solid ice from further freezing.  This latest warm up (56 degrees yesterday) is causing more deterioration of ice and the solid black ice will start to honeycomb from the bottom up. We have mid March conditions in mid February.  In 45 years of ice fishing I have never seen such a small amount of ice in Central Maine.  At this point I personally wouldn't even consider
taking a wheeler or snowmachine out over deeper water in the middle of Central Maine's larger lakes.

[gamefisher]

I fished Long Pond just before the 48 hour severe cold snap.  I walked on from Castle Island boat launch to fish the south basin.  I can tell you at that time there was no more than 4"-5" of solid black ice followed by 4"-5" of junk ice, followed by 3"-4" of slush.  I stayed relatively close to shore fishing alone as I didn't trust the ice farther out over deeper water.  I completely agree with Gamefisher and Nbourque, the cold snap had little to no effect in making thicker solid black ice as the junk ice and slush insulated the lower solid ice from further freezing.  This latest warm up (56 degrees yesterday) is causing more deterioration of ice and the solid black ice will start to honeycomb from the bottom up. We have mid March conditions in mid February.  In 45 years of ice fishing I have never seen such a small amount of ice in Central Maine.  At this point I personally wouldn't even consider
taking a wheeler or snowmachine out over deeper water in the middle of Central Maine's larger lakes.

Extra scary part is we are going to start melting from the underside of the ice as well. 

[nbourque]

I was out on a kennebec county pond yesterday fishing for browns. The shoreline I got on was starting to go. Ice was around a foot but I could literally dig the top layer down with my boot 2-3” no prob. I would not be taking a machine out anywhere right now but that’s just me.

[Brian VT]

Big pike.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/02/27/outdoors/emerich-pike-ice-fishing-joam40zk0w/

[nbourque]

Big pike.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/02/27/outdoors/emerich-pike-ice-fishing-joam40zk0w/

Big fish. You don’t see too many pike around here over 22 lbs.

[Steve H.]

Didn't see whether or not he released it.  Don't really care either way but would be curious to know.  Personally, I would have tried to get it back down the hole after some pics, but I know that's controversial.

[413iceman]

Mount it!

[woodchip]

There are a few lakes I know of that when the ice gets covered early with dense snow the water turns to low Oxygen early on no sunlight for plants and not many inlets puts the fish into a Hibernation state ,

[nbourque]

Didn't see whether or not he released it.  Don't really care either way but would be curious to know.  Personally, I would have tried to get it back down the hole after some pics, but I know that's controversial.

Same here. All my big pike go back down the hole.

[woodchip]

Have a picture and some dimentions and have someone carve it, Ive done 100s of duplications for people  ,some have them Painted youll never know the differents from a mount.

[nbourque]

Have a picture and some dimentions and have someone carve it, Ive done 100s of duplications for people  ,some have them Painted youll never know the differents from a mount.

Replicas are the way to go nowadays

[woodchip]

thats where i got my name

[9huskies]

Didn't see whether or not he released it.  Don't really care either way but would be curious to know.  Personally, I would have tried to get it back down the hole after some pics, but I know that's controversial.

It says it's going to a taxidermist.

[Steve H.]

It says it's going to a taxidermist.

Nice!  I'm sure it will be an amazing mount.  Good for him.

[Steve H.]

For what it's worth, the story made the Boston Globe this morning.  Spot burnin' the Belgrades!

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/27/metro/maine-man-reels-massive-world-class-259-pound-northern-pike-his-first-time-ice-fishing/

[Fish Wayniac]

That is a fish of a life time . Wow!