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The sun had not yet risen, but a nearly full moon provided just enough light as Blaine Anderson and Andrew Nichols towed a sled full of gear across the ice in a cove along the Connecticut River in Wethersfield.
It was cold, it being predawn on a January day in Connecticut. A hawk flew over as they crunched their way over snow-covered ice 6 inches thick. A half-dozen ring-billed gulls circled, as if curious.
These were serious ice anglers. For Anderson, a fishing guide and manager of the Connecticut Outfitters tackle shop in Hartford, it was his 10th day in a row on the ice.
For a closeup look at the world of ice-fishing, Anderson is the guy.
In moments, a power auger was pulled from the sled, and he was cutting 8-inch-diameter holes in the ice. He and Nichols then placed tip-ups—simple devices with a tiny flag that is tripped when a fish takes the bait—in many of the holes. A few tip-ups were baited with big shiners—7-inchers—in hopes they would attract a northern pike, which run to more than 3 feet long in the Connecticut.
Wear good socks and boots, layers of warm clothing, a hat, good gloves, and you can be pretty comfortable on the ice, even on a windy, cold day. If the sun shines on a calm day of 30 degrees, it can be very comfortable. Anderson goes out either way.
"This is my time of year, when I get to fish for myself," Anderson said. "The worse the weather, the more I seem to like it. There are fewer people out. I love fishing in places like this where you don't get to see many people."
On the other hand, ice fishing can also be a very social activity, with groups of anglers gathered on the ice, eating and drinking, talking and fishing. Some popular spots are Bantam Lake in Litchfield and Morris, Crystal Lake in Ellington, and Mohawk Pond in Cornwall and Goshen.
For Anderson, the charm of the sport is partly the near-solitude and partly the chance to catch a lot of fish, sometimes some very big fish. Already this year he's landed a 39-inch pike that weighed about 14 pounds. He and Nichols caught two pike over 30 inches on this day.
"A lot of times you see more action on the ice than you would, say, being stuck on the bank in open water," he said. "During open water, you're only allowed two lines per person. Ice fishing you are allowed a total of six. So with you and two buddies out there, you have a potential with 18 lines in the water of quite a bit more action."
Business Is Good
Though the ice-fishing season is just coming into its prime, with good ice now in much or all of the state, anglers already are reporting some good catches. At Mount Tom Pond in Litchfield, an angler caught a 25-inch brown trout. At Mohawk Pond, an angler landed a 5½-pound brown trout.
As with so many adult pastimes, it is possible to spend a small fortune on ice-fishing gear. Anderson wears waterproof overalls that sell for more than $300. One of those power augers will cost $300 to more than $500.
But to get started, the cost can be minimal.
"It does not have to be a big investment," Anderson said. "You can easily, easily get started for well under $100. Just go out and have fun."
For someone just getting started, Anderson suggested the angler visit a local fishing tackle shop, explain where he or she plans to fish, and ask for suggestions on equipment.
A jigging rod might cost $20, a couple of tip-ups for $20 or less, a heavy metal bar to chop a hole in the ice, known as a spud bar, might cost $30 or $40. With that equipment and some bait, an angler can catch fish.
"We can put the gear together for them, within their budget, and send them off with some advice on how to use it," Anderson said.
The state Department of Environmental Protection is hosting an ice-fishing derby Jan. 31, with instruction for beginners, and also offers classes throughout the state.
Bill Gerrish, a senior fisheries biologist with the agency, said a rule of thumb is that ice 4 inches thick is generally safe for people to walk on. One piece of safety equipment no one should be without, he said, is a tethered pair of ice awls, which look something like a short jump rope with picks protruding from the rope handles. Fall through the ice, and the awls can be driven into the ice, allowing the person to pull himself or herself to safety.
On solid ice the other day, Anderson and Nichols were catching fish within an hour. First one yellow perch, then another and another and another.
"There are days when we lose count," Anderson said. He and Nichols, who release unharmed most of the fish they catch, have had days when they caught more than 100 fish. As for northern pike, a big day would be a half-dozen fish, but there are days when the fish don't cooperate.
"It can be great. And it can be dead slow," Anderson said. "That is fishin'."
