It’s difficult to enjoy your boat during the winter when the waters you generally love to navigate are filled with giant expanses of ice. But if fishing is your game, don’t let that stop you from enjoying your second favorite pastime (after boating). You don’t have to give up fishing just because your boat is frozen in place. Ice fishing has been around as long as water has been freezing, stomachs have been grumbling, and humans have been making fishing hooks from shells.
The sport has undoubtedly come a long way since those early beginnings at least 11,000 years ago, but the goal is primarily the same. While not so necessary for survival anymore, it certainly provides a way to make the most of the cold weather while enjoying the outdoors, and maybe even coming home with some bragging rights.
It’s been said that a bad day fishing is still better than a good day in the office. With that in mind, Boatline is reviewing some of the top locations in the county to enjoy a little fishing, even if your fishing boat is in storage for the season. Of course, most of these locations are not constantly frozen over year-round, so you’ll need to check for the right conditions. And while we can’t personally guarantee you’ll catch anything at these spots, you’ll at least have a scenic view while you’re trying!
1. Moosehead Lake, Maine
Situated in the northwestern part of the state, Moosehead is the largest lake in Maine and second largest lake in New England. Moosehead attracts anglers looking for smallmouth bass, brook trout, cusk, landlocked salmon, and togue (lake trout).
2. Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire
Lake Winnipesaukee is known for rainbow trout, white perch, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, a variety of catfish, panfish, and togue. Located in the foothills of the White Mountains, the lake covers 69 square miles.
3. Lake Champlain, Vermont
Located in the northwestern corner of Vermont, but also bordering New York to the west and Canada to the north, Lake Champlain is the largest lake in New England and home to rock bass, smallmouth bass, lake trout, Atlantic salmon, Northern pike, blue gill, perch, and the occasional walleye.
4. Higgins Lake, Michigan
The tenth largest lake in Michigan with a shoreline of 21 miles, Higgins Lake offers excellent winter fishing for brook trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, brown trout, yellow perch, crappie, smallmouth bass, and rock bass.
5. Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin
Offering an area of 215 square miles, Lake Winnebago is relatively shallow for its size, but still full of excellent catches such as perch, sturgeon, walleye, freshwater drum, white bass, and northern pike.
6. Boom Lake, Wisconsin
A 365-acre lake in Oneida County that only goes down 30 feet at its deepest, Boom Lake is full of panfish, Northern pike, large and smallmouth bass, and walleye. But it’s on our list because of one other: the elusive muskellunge.
7. Lake of the Woods, Minnesota
The self-proclaimed Walleye Capital of the World, Lake of the Woods is basically where Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota meet, offering 300,000 acres of expanse in which to fish for walleye, Northern pike, sauger.
8. Devils Lake, North Dakota
The largest natural body of water in North Dakota, Devils Lake offers plenty of territory to search for perch, walleye, Northern pike, and tiger muskellunge.
9. Sheridan Lake, South Dakota
A 375-acrer reservoir located in the Black Hills National Forest, Sheridan Lake offers up Northern pike, largemouth bass, brown trout, and rainbow trout.
10. Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana
The fifth largest man-made lake in the U.S., Fort Peck offers 50 different kinds of fish including chinook salmon, lake trout, sauger, walleye, Northern pike, and smallmouth bass.
11. Henrys Lake, Idaho
Only eight square miles in area, Henrys Lake offers amazing opportunities for catching cutthroat trout and brook trout.
12. Lake of the Woods, Oregon
A 1,146-acre lake in Klamath County containing rainbow trout, crappie, yellow perch, black crappie, and largemouth bass.
13. Bonaparte Lake, Washington
The Oregon state record tiger trout was caught in Bonaparte Lake in 2015. While you might not hook into a state record, there are plenty of opportunities to bag brook trout, kokanee, lake trout, smallmouth bass, and rainbow trout, too.
14. Silver Lake, California
Yes, ice fishing in California! Silver Lake is approximately 20 miles south of South Lake Tahoe and offers a variety of trout including rainbow, brown, cutthroat, brook, and a species popular on the west coast called Mackinaw trout.
Whether you’re a serious ice fishing aficionado or just starting out, safety comes first. Always be aware of ice and weather conditions, especially as winter starts to lose its grip and the ice starts to thin. If you’re not sure, ask a seasoned pro about best tips and practices on any given lake. Chances are they won’t want to reveal their go-to hot spot, but they will steer you clear of danger.
If you’re ready to buy your next boat to take on your fishing trips, browse the nationwide inventory of new and used boats at Boaline.com.
By Barrett Baker
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