February 20, 2018 at 4:11 pm
By Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist Nick Kalejs
Thanks to a frigid start to the ice fishing season, many of Maine’s lakes have had the chance to accumulate a solid base of ice. While ice can never be considered completely safe without careful consideration, especially given changing ice conditions due to recent warm weather, many anglers have found that this season has provided plenty of opportunity to find thick ice and get in some quality fishing time. That includes MDIFW staff who also enjoy fishing on their days off!
[caption id="attachment_2722" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Photo by Anthony Martin[/caption]
Even the largest lake in southern Maine, Sebago Lake, has proven to be a hot spot for many local anglers. In more sheltered areas like Jordan Bay and the Lower Bay on Sebago, ice shacks dot the horizon, as if anglers decided to start a town solely on the principle of fish, and plenty of them. It’s no wonder, either, given reports of action on lake trout (referred to as togue in Maine) often running steadily through a whole day on the ice. Some parties of only three or four anglers have reported catching well above 50 togue in one day. As togue tend to stay in the deep waters of the lake, many successful anglers have found that jigging flashy spoons or lures just off the bottom has been an especially effective strategy, and has provided an exciting and long fight as fish are hauled all the way back to the surface.
[caption id="attachment_2721" align="alignright" width="226"]
Photo by Jim Pellerin[/caption]
Togue fishing on Sebago Lake has been so good recently that some MDIFW game wardens and fisheries biologists (myself included), have been getting in on the action on our days off. If I needed extra proof of the number of anglers that have been frequenting Sebago this winter, I didn’t have to look much further than the lost jig pole that I happened to snag when fishing in about 120 feet of water. As if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, after hand-lining in the abandoned rod, I found that a healthy and somewhat angry 26-inch togue was still attached to the other end. To top it off, a name inscribed on the jig pole provided enough information to see the safe return of the pole to its happy, and very surprised, owner. While my experience may not match a typical day on Sebago Lake, it goes to show that the togue are biting, and it pays to watch your rod tip carefully. You never know how or when the next fish might strike.
The weekend of February 24-25 could be an especially busy day on Sebago, due to the annual Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. Thanks to a cold start to the season, organizers are hopeful that the ice may be able to withstand the stretch of warm weather predicted for the week leading up to the derby. At the time of this writing, the derby is still set to proceed, though interested anglers are strongly encouraged to monitor ice conditions closely. Should the derby happen as planned, many local anglers will be itching to get out and catch the largest togue of the weekend. The derby, operated in consultation with MDIFW, also serves as an important fish management tool, with prizes offered for both the top three largest togue and northern pike, an aquatic invasive species in Maine. Additionally, anglers get a chance to win a prize(s) for each togue registered. This encourages the harvest of smaller togue, which can help promote growth of large togue in the lake, as well as healthy populations of landlocked salmon and baitfish. In short, whether the allure of derby prizes, population management, or just hot fishing bring anglers to Sebago Lake, odds are that they will have every opportunity for a good day on the ice.
Photo by Anthony Martin[/caption]
Even the largest lake in southern Maine, Sebago Lake, has proven to be a hot spot for many local anglers. In more sheltered areas like Jordan Bay and the Lower Bay on Sebago, ice shacks dot the horizon, as if anglers decided to start a town solely on the principle of fish, and plenty of them. It’s no wonder, either, given reports of action on lake trout (referred to as togue in Maine) often running steadily through a whole day on the ice. Some parties of only three or four anglers have reported catching well above 50 togue in one day. As togue tend to stay in the deep waters of the lake, many successful anglers have found that jigging flashy spoons or lures just off the bottom has been an especially effective strategy, and has provided an exciting and long fight as fish are hauled all the way back to the surface.
[caption id="attachment_2721" align="alignright" width="226"]Photo by Jim Pellerin[/caption]
Togue fishing on Sebago Lake has been so good recently that some MDIFW game wardens and fisheries biologists (myself included), have been getting in on the action on our days off. If I needed extra proof of the number of anglers that have been frequenting Sebago this winter, I didn’t have to look much further than the lost jig pole that I happened to snag when fishing in about 120 feet of water. As if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, after hand-lining in the abandoned rod, I found that a healthy and somewhat angry 26-inch togue was still attached to the other end. To top it off, a name inscribed on the jig pole provided enough information to see the safe return of the pole to its happy, and very surprised, owner. While my experience may not match a typical day on Sebago Lake, it goes to show that the togue are biting, and it pays to watch your rod tip carefully. You never know how or when the next fish might strike.
The weekend of February 24-25 could be an especially busy day on Sebago, due to the annual Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. Thanks to a cold start to the season, organizers are hopeful that the ice may be able to withstand the stretch of warm weather predicted for the week leading up to the derby. At the time of this writing, the derby is still set to proceed, though interested anglers are strongly encouraged to monitor ice conditions closely. Should the derby happen as planned, many local anglers will be itching to get out and catch the largest togue of the weekend. The derby, operated in consultation with MDIFW, also serves as an important fish management tool, with prizes offered for both the top three largest togue and northern pike, an aquatic invasive species in Maine. Additionally, anglers get a chance to win a prize(s) for each togue registered. This encourages the harvest of smaller togue, which can help promote growth of large togue in the lake, as well as healthy populations of landlocked salmon and baitfish. In short, whether the allure of derby prizes, population management, or just hot fishing bring anglers to Sebago Lake, odds are that they will have every opportunity for a good day on the ice.