Deep Freeze Gives Ice Fishermen Rare Chance to Target Saltwater Species
Over the past two weeks, the Northeast experienced its first deep freeze of the winter. Blizzard conditions had some boats in Chesapeake Bay frozen at the dock, while further north in New England, anglers cheered for sub-freezing temperatures to remove us from a state of fishing limbo. In places like western Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and Upstate New York, skim ice turned into safe ice, and anglers rallied at the prospect of ice fishing for trout, panfish, pike, and bass. However, Captain Cam Faria of Cambo Charters in Massachusetts can’t keep his mind off striped bass. He decided that, should the stars align, he was going to attempt ice fishing for stripers.
Catching striped bass through the ice is nothing new, although in recent years, conditions have tended to be too mild to lock up the brackish backwaters in which our seven-striped friends winter over. With his local honey hole now safe to fish, Faria said he approached the outing like any other ice fishing trip—equipped with tip-ups and crappie jigs.
Despite this opportunity being increasingly rare, next week’s frigid forecast may cause more river systems and estuaries in the Northeast to ice over. We’re looking at lows in the teens and even single digits in the striper’s northern winter range.
Extreme caution—even more so than ice fishing on freshwater ponds—should be taken if you are to attempt ice fishing for stripers. Review these 10 ice fishing safety tips before you go, and remember to pack necessary safety gear like cleated footwear, ice picks, and inflatable PFDs to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Above all else, use the buddy system; ask a friend to join you, it shouldn’t take much convincing.
Also, be sure check your state’s striped bass fishing regulations before you go.
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Source: https://onthewater.com/deep-freeze-gives-ice-fishermen-rare-chance-to-target-saltwater-species
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