This used to be my favorite website. Things really Died down. What happened?

[Adironzach]

Great post ryan! I have no doubt in my mind that my spud has saved my life on multiple occasions due to late reason rapidly deteriorating ice conditions, or spring holes on lakes that soften the ice that we passed over safely on the way out, and turn them into 1 punch death traps. I'll never leave my house without my spud or my ice picks for my neck. If we are on safety for the moment, an overlooked thing can be a dry set of clothes in your car. If you do happen to get wet and are able to get out of the water, those clothes will be cold, wet, and continuously trying to put you into hypothermia. A dry set of clothes in the car can be critical in preventing you or someone else from slipping into hypothermia, even after theyre removed from the lake.

[Atta Boy!]

I can’t even. In the end plain and simple it is common sense. I truly think you are lecturing the wrong crowd. I think on this site we all get it.

[xklipze]

Nostalgia....   

Too bad this site never adapted.

Facebook ice fishing groups are massive

My childhood is being wiped away 😪

[xklipze]

I don't see why spot is so important here. having a great spot will not make you a better fisherman. I come here to learn and teach tips that will in turn make you a better fisherman. everyone thinks it's the spot but it's really not.

We should just tell everyone lake winnipesaukee and leave it at that.
It's such an incredibly difficult lake to fish.
I've gone weeks without catching anything there.

[THE JIGGER]

This old dude's never been on face book.. and never will be.

X2

[Muggsy]

X3

[Doitnow]

X4

[BASSQUATCH]

Might as well chime in 🤣 . I'd say it's been at least 10 years or more since this site was a great place to meet people and fish together while sharing our days with everyone.  Too bad , met some great guys here. Fished with one today, lavaman (Kevin).

[hardwater diehard]

The past and present ice conditions make chit chatting chatter about our sport almost non existent on this site ...which is sad  but be thankful it is not FB where every third post is about foam tiles , led lighting and what cordless drill to buy ...and the jack bag answers/replies that follow ...at least here folks tend to get the right answers or links in a civil forum.  FB can be a good resource for information but you have to sift through it like panning for gold.

[THE JIGGER]

Might as well chime in 🤣 . I'd say it's been at least 10 years or more since this site was a great place to meet people and fish together while sharing our days with everyone.  Too bad , met some great guys here. Fished with one today, lavaman (Kevin).

Keith
Kevin isn't a great guy.
 He is a super guy. Always helpful to this old dude and funny to fish with without his knowing it. 
He spreads his traps out so far apart you can't see all five at the same time. Forget it if we were in Vt with 15 traps. Thank god you could drive your vehicles on the ice. I swear he sets GPS coordinates to locate his traps.

[Rangerboats391]

x5

[BASSQUATCH]

Keith
Kevin isn't a great guy.
 He is a super guy. Always helpful to this old dude and funny to fish with without his knowing it. 
He spreads his traps out so far apart you can't see all five at the same time. Forget it if we were in Vt with 15 traps. Thank god you could drive your vehicles on the ice. I swear he sets GPS coordinates to locate his traps.

Yes you are right. Super guy for sure. Funny you said that about spread out traps lol.  One I needed my monocular to see 🤣.

[ronbgood55]

I agree with all you guys....No Ice ....No Shanty...Put it togeather......NO ICE SHANTY....By Guys....I"m going  Salt Water fishing

[THE JIGGER]

I agree with all you guys....No Ice ....No Shanty...Put it togeather......NO ICE SHANTY....By Guys....I"m going  Salt Water fishing
[/quote

Eastmans out of Seabrook Nh is just shutting down for the next 4 weeks this weekend for winter maintainance of the boat. All winter they slammed the pollock to 30 lbs and reds with some haddock mixed in. One trip they got over 1500lbs

[rmoody79]

The pollock fishing from the NEC up through Jeffreys is absurd, big fish 10-20lbs, makes me want to break in my new 300s now

[Papa Sly]

Not to mention that to get a trip for 8 hours out of CT., RI., or Mass. its $140 to $180. We bought a 10 pack in N.H. for 10, 10 hour trips for $450...$45 per trip. Even their regular price is only $82 and last year we came hone with 22 pounds of haddock, pollock, red fish, and cusk, all great eating fish.

[THE JIGGER]

Not to mention that to get a trip for 8 hours out of CT., RI., or Mass. its $140 to $180. We bought a 10 pack in N.H. for 10, 10 hour trips for $450...$45 per trip. Even their regular price is only $82 and last year we came hone with 22 pounds of haddock, pollock, red fish, and cusk, all great eating fish.

Walsh's American Classic Charters out of Lynn Ma.goes out all winter on weekends for $100 a trip I believe its a 10 or 12 hr trip. They have also been slamming them.

[BogMan]

Wish the family was a fan of pollack as they have been filling boat loads of tubs with fish. Cod and Haddock. Remember a trip 15+ years ago with Yankee on their Marathon. First stop we had a boat load. Had to stop and go somewhere else for a break. 80# of mostly cod and a few haddock.

[ronbgood55]

I surf fish out of R.I....I Cod are runing right now close to shore there are some  BIG fish on cut bait. If  you have not  fish the surf...i It can be very costly for equipmen. It c ost me $65 buck for my rod ONLY  a few ago . I was first mate on a charter on the Rufus for capt. Ray Snow from Westfield ....those were the days around Block Is. filling a 3' ft + 6"ft. box with codt..you can not do that now or filling my 12ft  Sears with winter flounder ,cod pollock out of Quincy Bay, That is when a flat cost $20 bucks

[rmoody79]

I hate to break it to you Ron but 65 bucks for a surf rod or any fishing rod these days is dirt cheap.  I consider my Terez 76xh spin rods cheap at 250ea.  Compare that to reel easy tridents and cms Chatham longs at1250ea and surf gear is a walk in the park. My favorite bottom fishing combos are Shimano trevala 66mh with Daiwa LD30 2 speeds, lot of fun and can get up from 200-250ft quick

[FreshwaterPhil]

Lack of ice in many spots surely the culprit this season. Most of the spots around here are open water, though I've been able to get out onto every spot I planned for the season except for 1.

That being said, the 2 spots I hit in February were both 5 to 7 inches, while most years, they would be 15 to 20 inches by now. Luckily, some of the spots further North are good 18-20 inches, so I should have safe ice to hit up until the end of the season on March 31st, if I choose to do so.

My condolences to all of you at the Southern edges of the ice belt, I can imagine the frustration. Hopefully weather will swing back around next winter and we'll find safe ice early on to make up for it.

[ronbgood55]

dear rmoody 79, thgis surf rod was built for me in 1960..possibly brefore you were bornMy surf fishing buddy Johnny K wanted for me to leave it to himif I died..Thnis rod would cost about $650  today to build if  I wanted it now. one the reels I use with it is French...Ru-Mer...its good today as it was 54 yrs. ago

[lowaccord66]

My condolences to all of you at the Southern edges of the ice belt, I can imagine the frustration. Hopefully weather will swing back around next winter and we'll find safe ice early on to make up for it.

Thanks, it is what it is.  I was just as happy in the boat Sunday.as I will be on the ice this weekend.

I almost came up to your neck of the woods, still on my list.  You have some nice pike rivers up there.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Thanks, it is what it is.  I was just as happy in the boat Sunday.as I will be on the ice this weekend.

I almost came up to your neck of the woods, still on my list.  You have some nice pike rivers up there.

Heading south myself, going to spend a week in Florida visiting my daughter and family. Hoping to get some decent fishing done, both freshwater and saltwater...

Trophy pike fishing here isn't the greatest in winter. Many of the good zones are closed to fishing in winter, some open ones have complete baitfish ban, others allow dead bait in winter. Live bait forbidden all through the province since a good 5+ years now. Rare to get pike over 10 lbs on ice here, the monsters in our country are mainly caught in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

We do have muskies open here in winter, but word is that they ministry is planning to change that next year, due to pressure from muskies Canada. It's exploded over last few seasons, and many people just aren't equipped to release them safely. People still catching 50 inch giants every season, but it takes a lot of time and crazy number of lines out to have any success.

[lowaccord66]

Musky in quebec is my next mission then.  In Maine they kill 50" musky.  Theres been some big ones killed this season.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Musky in quebec is my next mission then.  In Maine they kill 50" musky.  Theres been some big ones killed this season.

That's a shame, they are coveted trophy here. Many states kill off pike, musky and bass to protect stocked trout populations.

If you come up to Quebec for musky, season runs from mid June until end of March, unless they close them starting next winter. St Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers have the biggest ones by far.

First month in the season is usually most productive, I have a couple friends that guide for musky, can send you their info if need be.

[lowaccord66]

That's a shame, they are coveted trophy here. Many states kill off pike, musky and bass to protect stocked trout populations.

If you come up to Quebec for musky, season runs from mid June until end of March, unless they close them starting next winter. St Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers have the biggest ones by far.

First month in the season is usually most productive, I have a couple friends that guide for musky, can send you their info if need be.

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Thanks Phil, die hard do it myselfer but appreciate the offer. 

[FreshwaterPhil]

Thanks Phil, die hard do it myselfer but appreciate the offer.

My pleasure. It's definitely not a numbers fishery here, if you've never fished these waters, you want to give yourself a few solid days to give yourself a chance at landing one, as you're fishing big water. I get the thrill of diy, but hiring a guide for the first day just to show you around and give you some tips can be worthwhile, would really help target the hunt.

[lowaccord66]

Shoot me a pm.  Im a big water guy but also a few days are hard to come by.  Once I get that early season pattern from a guide I can use it forever.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Shoot me a pm.  Im a big water guy but also a few days are hard to come by.  Once I get that early season pattern from a guide I can use it forever.

message sent, good luck!