Ice Fishing On Long Pond

On a recent Sunday morning the sky was clear and the air was warm. The ice over Long Pond was topped with a thick layer of sneaker-soaking slush. For the ice fishermen wearing tall rubber boots, the temperate weather made for a pleasant time on the lake. 

Since, 6:30 that morning John Siegel and Bill Costello had been at their places on camp chairs on the south end near Long Pond Road.

“We fish the whole thing,” Siegel said of the pond. That day, the mush, which got even deeper towards the center of the pond, kept them to the south end where they wouldn’t have to walk as far from their access point near a relative’s house.

In the past they had been up near the boat launch on the North Stonington side, which Siegal believes has the best fishing. His quarry include bass and pickerel, which he had hooked earlier in the day, as well as trout.

 “It’s a hard pond to fish but it has good fish,” Siegel said. He was referring to the pond’s unusually deep bottom, which made the fish less likely to swim to the surface.

Challenges aside, he enjoys the time he spends waiting on the frozen water. The outpost he has made for himself near the shore includes a hand made sledge built on skis, which he uses to bring out supplies. For breakfast, he had cooked up some pirogues on the grill he had taken out with him, and for lunch, strips of venison he had hunted.

Since the ice, he has been out on the lake every weekend. He has been fishing the this pond since 1982. “Ask my wife, she can’t get me off the lake,” said Siegel.

His wife, Pat, was out there with him and had a camera ready to record the next big catch.

In order to put fish on the line, Siegel and Costello had bored a network of holes, which they had rigged with 12 ‘tip-ups,’ cross-shaped frames from which they dangle live, wriggling bait-fish on hooks. Should a larger fish bite down on the hook, a flag would pop up, alerting them.

One advantage that ice fishing has over using a reel is that fishermen are able to place multiple lures in the water in different places, increasing the odds of a catch.

Got one!

Soon enough, someone gave a shout and pointed towards one of the distant tip-ups where a flag had sprung. The group strode across the slush to watch as Siegel began tugging at the line, drawing the fish from the frigid water below and into the sunlight.

Soon enough he grabbed hold of a thrashing pickerel, almost two feet long, which he held up proudly before the camera.

The fish did not seem particularly happy about the topside reception, but at least it was not ending up on anyone’s plate. Siegel is primarily interested in trophies, and though this catch was large, it is not a new record for him. His prize catches so far include a 28-inch pickerel and a 17-inch perch, which decorate his wall at home.

Using large tweezers, Siegel pried the hook free and held the fish up for photos. Afterwards, he dropped it back through the hole, and it dived away, down into the depths of the pond.