Whenever we go out fishing with our friends, we often find people asking us, “Don’t you get bored waiting for a fish to bite?” Our answer is always the same, “No.” The thing is, it isn’t about catching fish. Of course, it’s nice when we do because it is exhilarating, but the reason fishing is so great despite what we catch is that it’s about spending quality time with our friends, and new friends we’ve met on the hard water.
Ice fishing in Vermont is one of the great winter pastimes. Several large lakes nearby offer plenty of room for your ice shanty and tip-ups with multiple access points to get on the ice. With the ice fishing season coming to an end, it’s time to look forward to fishing in the warmer months…
Have you ever wanted to go ice fishing but don’t know where to start? Or, you have no interest in ice fishing whatsoever, but love the idea of experiencing something entirely new and exciting outdoors, then let our friends Carrie & Kevin be your guide to successful ice fishing. We went ice fishing twice last week and caught 25 fish—perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, and a big brown trout.
Carrie and Kevin, do it all… They setup and prepare everything; all you have to do is show up, catch big fish and enjoy the incredible Vermont outdoors while eagles soar above waiting to steal an unattended fish laying on the ice! That’s something to see! What’s better than spending a picturesque day on the lake fishing for trophy fish or for dinner that evening back at Pond Mountain Inn. The best tasting fish we’ve ever had!
What if it’s too cold? No problem. They provide an insulated ice shanty equipped with a portable heater that keeps the interior nice and toasty. Hungry out on the ice? They’ve got that covered too… last week they prepared venison steaks and burgers, their homemade kielbasa and ham steak from one of the pigs they raised. And, there’s all kind and snacks and drinks too.
Carrie and Kevin supply all the gear for ice fishing. All you need is to be dressed for the weather—hats, gloves, thermal socks, under layers, winter boots, and sunglasses for the reflection off the ice and snow.
We purchased a Vermont fishing license for the entire year—you can get a one-day pass, but we had so much that we’re planning to be out on the ice for the rest of the season.
There’s more good news… Saturday, January 30, 2021 is Vermont’s next free ice fishing day; a day when anyone, resident or nonresident, may go fishing in Vermont without a fishing license.
Ice Fishing Day on Lake St. Catherine Cost: $100 / person.
Join us out on the ice for the best outdoor experience you’ll have this winter!
The cold isn’t keeping us indoors! We’re joining Lucus, our ice fishing angler friend in the photo, for a day on the ice . We’re also taking an Introduction to Ice Fishing Course Wednesday, February 12 on Lake Bomoseen. And, if that’s not enough, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department offers a free Ice Fishing Day Festival on Saturday, January 25 – a day when anyone, resident or nonresident, may go fishing in Vermont without a fishing license – we’re doing that too. You must join us – it’s going to be wild!
A cold but-not-too-cold twenty degree winter’s day on Little Lake, the sister lake of Lake Saint Catherine, is where we spent the morning skating. Brilliant blue skies and protected from the winds by neighboring mountains transformed the morning into a Currier and Ives moment. Ice fishermen and two distance groups of skaters discovered what we discovered on this magical day in Vermont — peace and tranquility in this surreal setting far, far away.
A quarter mile from shore we skated up to meet the two fishermen – a father teaching his boy to fish just as his father taught him years ago. “Back in 1947 my father caught a Northern Pike that measured forty inches”, the father said. He didn’t say much about his current take, but I’m guessing that it didn’t quite measure up to that day seventy years ago! Still though, a good story…
We met the other skaters – one with ski poles and two others with some kind of Norwegian skates that I’d never seen before; almost like speed skates with ski boots. We were the only ones with hockey skates and sticks chasing after missed passes that required retrieval a hundred yards down ice. I almost preferred to miss the pass – the morning was exhilarating and something I haven’t done in fifty years!
Every day is an adventure at Pond Mountain Inn here in Vermont – waking up planning to do one thing only to find yourself skating on a lake trying to recreate what once was….
Pond Mountain Inn 