
Frigid temps paved the way for safe ice stretching from the north mountains all the way to the southern coast of New England and local anglers responded by diving headlong into an ice fishing bender! Many tackle shops reported selling out of shiners and other live baits and having to reorder several times throughout the week. Catches have been red hot, pickerel, largemouth bass and pike are leading the charge, with trout and panfish spicing the mix. A warmer weekend might spoil coastal ice fishing plans, but a dip back into the teens and twenties might firm things up by midweek. Be safe out there!