By Mike Roche

Last week, this writer finally got to do some ice fishing. Granted, it was an hour or two at a time, but it was quite enjoyable.

After visiting Crack of Dawn Bait for some lively shiners, meal worms and spikes (AKA maggots) local ice was found to be about four inches of hard, clear ice. It was smooth and therefore very slippery. Thank God for grippers! Back in the day, few used them and they are only needed when glare ice exists, but a fall on the ice can be dangerous, especially for us ‘senior citizens!’ My ice fishing basket has two pairs, one pair of Kahtoolas that were purchased years ago at Trail Head on a whim and a second pair of Frabill ice creepers that were picked up in the ‘marked down’ bin last year, well after the ice fishing season. They are both great, but the Frabills are XL and that makes them easier to get on my boots. They are cheap insurance against a broken hip!

Three days in a row of short trips resulted in some great moments. The first trip was a “checking out” excursion with tip-ups set at varying depths. The shallow end produced the first tip-up and the fish “spooled” me (took all the line off the spool) before I noticed the flag, and it and the shiner were gone by the time my fleet muck boots with grippers got there. After a lull, new holes were drilled with the ION electric auger (they are great and you rarely see gas augers now; quiet, dependable and no fumes) and the flags started flying with bass gobbling up the shiners. Nothing real, big but fun while also jigging up a few perch.

The next day was a ‘return to scene of the crime’ and it was fast action at mid-day. The first fish was a big one and a rookie mistake of not giving line on the first run resulted in the line breaking. That mistake was not repeated on the next fish, and it startled me as the tell-tale stripe of a big bass was visible as it swam past the hole. Giving line this time, my hand over hand caution finally got her big head (large bass are almost always females) up into the hole and she was lipped and on the ice. This fish was easily the biggest bass ever through the ice and with no scale we will never know the weight, but it was over an inch longer than the 18-inch scale on the tip-up.

Being alone, a quick picture was taken, and she went back to hopefully do her thing next spring at spawning time. Flags flew regularly and another nice bass of about three pounds was landed along with a few smaller ones before the shiners, left over from the previous day, were gone. A few perch and sunfish were jigged up, but that method was slow. On Monday, a late afternoon return was ‘spur of the moment,’ and the dogs joined me for the first time on the ice. It was jigging only and only one sunfish was caught, but French Brittanys Laney and Tessie had a ball. Now, after the nor’easter of 2024, we will see what the weekend will bring!

The Petersham Gun Club has trap shooting and sporting clays and this mild winter leaves us without an excuse. Friday night trap shooting under the lights is great practice and on Sunday mornings, one of the best sporting clays courses in New England is open for anyone interested in busting some clay targets on stations designed to emulate upland and waterfowl hunting. Check out the details on the PGC web page. This writer is looking to get out soon!

Bluebirds seem to be a topic of local interest as the birds are back from near extinction locally and visiting feeders. My knowledge of the beautiful little recent visitors—who recently appeared at my feeders for the first time—is they do not migrate and have special needs to accommodate their shy tendencies around other birds. They are also common around my White Pond property and that led me to invest in special bluebird feeders and their favored food, meal worms. So far, no overwhelming success, but we will keep at it!

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Bluebirds were among the birds impacted by DDT (remember Rachel Carson and “Silent Spring” in the 1960s?) and were slow to recover. My first contact was last year sitting in an elevated deer stand watching a flock of bluebirds flit about a recently cut wood lot. If my efforts to attract them to my yard are successful, and we also have visits from orioles my spring will be a success!

My spring success usually includes turkey hunting (AKA visiting my sister in Kansas) but this year declining turkey numbers in Oz resulted in non-residents being required to enter a lottery in the Sunflower State to compete for a limited number of non-resident turkey tags. The deadline was Friday— got my fingers crossed!

On a concerning note: The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the nation’s largest trade association for the recreational sportfishing industry, recently distributed comments by their vice president of government affairs on fishing. He stated that nearly half of Australia’s fishable waters are now off limits and some European countries ban catch and release, claiming it hurts the fish. His point was do not think that it can’t happen here. His advice was to get active and monitor actions in your state and across the nation. Leonard’s remarks highlighted three key themes:

Do not take fishing for granted.

Do not sit on the sidelines.

Stop with the infighting.

Attacks on hunting, fishing and gun rights are widespread, and as we well know, ongoing in Massachusetts. Take Mike Leonard’s advice!

Don’t forget the Springfield Sportsman’s Show, Feb. 23-25 at the Big E!

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the MaharFish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.