Open water...

[bassboat1]

Took a short ride to see how ice-out is coming along. Gould/Emerald in Hillsboro has 10' of open water on the ramp (lol) side only. Loon is about 20% open (in the middle, so it'll happen fast). Franklin Pierce is about 50%, all the way up lake.. IDK if the ramp will be usable until they fill it??. Island pond in Stoddard looked walkable, although the channel/inlet to the left looked open. I didn't check Highland, but it's the same water - so the ramp may very well be free of ice now. Powdermill pond was completely open - only a little ice hanging o in some corners, I'd expect the river to be open all the way and I'd bet a sandwich that the ramp is clear. Gregg in Antrim has a wide swath of open water along the roadside, but the main lake is sheeted - no real sign of it breaking up soon. The inlet has a big open area - did see some active bait in the shallows.

[Reel Northern Bass]

Sounds about right. I live in Milford but do the majority of my fishing out in that area (well, very close to it). Melendy and Potanipo in Brookline just opened up a week ago, and historically, Greenfield area opens up about 2 weeks after those ponds do if the weather stays consistent. Sounds like it's right on schedule. Powdermill had a lot of open water on it even late into the winter, that river moves quite a bit faster than I thought because it just didn't let huge stretches freeze over. My buddy drove by last weekend and it was half open, so what was left went out fast. Pretty much everything south and east of Manchester is open at this point, with the majority of anything in that area having iced out last weekend or earlier. Pretty crazy how early the open water season is, I fished a spot just over the border in Mass today and the water was 45-46 degrees. Found a spot in Nashua yesterday that was the same. Doesn't take long for these places to warm up, and the fish are already biting really well too! Caught a 5-07 and 4-09 yesterday in NH.

[TMG]

Thanks for the report.
What's wrong with the ramp at Franklin pierce ?
They just fixed it up a few years ago ?

[bassboat1]

Nice to get a 5#er under your belt this early

Franklin ramp was fine last year, but the lake level appears to be down 6' or so (drive-by estimation) - not sure it it's usable under these conditions. I imagine that they'll shut the dam gates soon after the ice disappears.

[TMG]

Ok thanks.

[A Wood]

Ya it will be a bit before the ones in stoddard open up. If we get some rain at the end of the week that should add some current into island which will help it open up.

[bassboat1]

Took a closer look at the Massasecum ramp yesterday - that and the beach are still solid. FP: definitely not using the ramp for a while either:
pence.png

Anyone know if Horseshoe in Merrimack is clear?

[TMG]

Took a closer look at the Massasecum ramp yesterday - that and the beach are still solid. FP: definitely not using the ramp for a while either:
pence.png

Anyone know if Horseshoe in Merrimack is clear?

It's been clear for almost 2 weeks now.

[bassboat1]

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