Merrymeeting

[Donger]

Any suggestions on Merrymeeting Lake? Every year a group of college friends get together in February for an ice fishing trip. Over the years we've been to Sebago, Moosehead, East Grand Lake, Embden Pond, Merrymeeting Lake, and Winnipesaukee. We've focused more on NH the last two years due to proximity, fishing results (skunked over 4 frigid days at Embden), and lodging (friend has a camp outside of Alton Bay). We've had success on Merrymeeting, catching salmon, cusk, and lakers off of Meaders Point and the eastern shoreline (salmon). Any updates on good fishing techniques on Merrymeeting and Alton Bay would be appreciated.

[COWYARD]

try waukewan if ice is good....fish off of railroad culvert and on far side by river mouth.....have never tried merrymeeting though.....keep me posted!

[Donger]

Heading out weekend of January 19 - 20 and will let you know. Need some cold weather to settle back in. Thank you.

[CobiaMoby]

Wentworth can be good too !!

[uptonfloyd]

You probably know this, but just in case...do not even take the salmon out of the hole for a picture if you hook up. You'll be surprised how stealth the NH Fish and Game can be up in that area. Often, they're checking you out with binoculars from a distance and even a written warning comes with a suspension of license. You supposed to cut the line once you know its a silverside.

I know this sounds picky, but I've had some buddies who are honest fishermen bagged and tagged by F&G up there and there's very little leniency even if what you've done is a mistake.

That said, sandbars for rainbows (salmon eggs are excellent bait, though I catch more jigging a woolly bugger), dropoffs just off the sand bars for lakers.

Good luck.

[Donger]

Thanks for the info and appreciate the suggestions. We know about the salmon rules in NH and stick to them. Going to work the sand next weekend and see what happens.

[Donger]

Ended up on Alton Bay Sunday, landed a 21" lake trout and a landlocked salmon (released immediately). There was between 9 and 11" of ice where we fished. Noticed the flex in the ice when trucks drove by which was a bit disturbing. All were checked by Fish and Game by mid morning. Will try jigging the woolly bugger this weekend.