Wow! Where did 2021 go? Seems like yesterday that I was writing about the year 2020 and here I am trying to recap 2021. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and let’s share highlights from 2021 and make a to-do list for 2022.
Ice conditions were very unpredictable in 2021. But when there was safe ice, Crystal Lake, Loon Lake and White Lake were the water bodies of choice. Fishing was slow for this angler. However, the overall season was productive for the hard-water angler.
I met a nice couple on Loon Lake who demonstrated their new battery-powered ice augur. They were practicing for a big derby the following weekend and had caught several pickerel. The ice fishing community is so friendly.
The lack of snow had us fishing streams and rivers early. It is not often that we can fish with a chance of success in March and April but 2021 was the exception. Soon after, we were fishing trout ponds. For the first time in years, the ice had gone out and Fish and Game had time to stock despite the continued issues with the pandemic.
As June unfolded, the lack of winter snow began to show on our rivers. Flows started to reach August levels and stream temperatures did as well. Trout were responding to hatches in the morning and the evening but were dormant during the day. Some very large brook trout were caught and released.
In July, anglers’ prayers were answered, and it began to rain. Streams rose to slightly above normal levels and fish freely moved up and down the streams. This led to a change in tactics for anglers and moving frequently was necessary to find fish.
The increased water was great for the wild brook trout fishing. For most of the summer, anglers reported great catches of wild brook trout in all the mountain streams now teeming with water.
Remote trout ponds were the same story. Good water conditions led to epic hatches, including the Hexagenia hatch. This angler was lucky to hit the hatch on Profile Lake, catching trout until well after 10 p.m.
As fall came, the fishing got a little tougher. Normal streams and ponds did not provide the expected results. September and October never had those cool evenings and water temperatures stayed higher than normal. It took trips into upper elevation remote ponds to catch the beautiful spawning colored brook trout.
The great thing about New Hampshire is that there are plenty of fish if you want to seek them out.
What should anglers be thinking about with 2022 now upon us? Here are a few of my resolutions for the coming year.
Ice fish Purity Lake. There are huge pickerel in Purity and there is no better challenge than big pickerel through the ice.
Snowshoe into some remote ponds in the White Mountain National Forest. It helps to scope these ponds out under the cover of winter.
Fill three fly boxes. One with dry flies. One with streamer flies. One with subsurface flies.
Hike into Mountain Lake for an evening of dry fly fishing. Ellis Hatch spent many nights on Mountain Lake. I’d like to share in his passion.
Spend an overnight at one of the remote tent sites on the shore of a pond in the White Mountain National Forest.
Share your resolutions with us on Facebook at North Country Angler Fly Shop.
On Jan. 4, Saco Valley Trout Unlimited will have N.H. Fish and Game Coldwater Fisheries Biologist Ben Nugent providing an update for the area coldwater fisheries. Bring your questions and your mask to the North Conway Rec Center at 6:30 p.m.
Steve Angers, a native to the Conway area, is the author of the book “Fly Fishing New Hampshire’s Secret Waters” and operates the North Country Angler.
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