Lake Winnipesaukee Ice Fishing on TV

 

            This has been a bitter sweet winter for me as an ice angler and professional fishing guide. The ice on Winnipesaukee became safe enough to guide clients on about three weeks later than normal, and became unsafe almost three weeks early, taking a huge financial toll on my business. However, the short ice fishing season wasn’t all bad for me. I met some great new clients and formed some exciting new relationships with local businesses. The most exciting part of winter for me this year was having two well-known fishing shows come to Lake Winnipesaukee to feature me and our white perch fishery.

             The first crew to visit was from Ice Team’s Across the Ice Belt. Host Jeff “Jiggy” Andersen and his brother Joe of RAWfish Media flew out from Minnesota to film episode seven of the second season, which will begin airing on Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Wisconsin in October. Each episode will be available on the Ice Team YouTube channel ten days after they air. The idea was to tell my story and feature the white perch fishery on Lake Winnipesaukee. We had 50 degrees and rain on day one, and cold temperatures with brutal 50 MPH winds on day two, making filming a challenge. Thanks to the cooperation of the fish, the help of the New Hampshire Lakes Region Tourism Association, and the generosity of Cottage Place on Squam Lake, the filming went great and everyone had a great time. The accommodations at Cottage Place on Squam Lake were amazing, and Sue (the owner) and Mary (the manager) were equally awesome. Tune in to the Across the Ice Belt web page (http://www.iceteam.com/pages/across-the-ice-belt-tv) to see it as soon as it is available online.

           The second incredible opportunity came when Field & Stream fishing Editor Joe Cermele arrived to feature the white perch fishery on Lake Winnipesaukee for his uber-popular web series Hook Shots. Joe was accompanied by On the Water Magazine assistant editor Jimmy Fee. What would a fishing show shoot be without challenges? We had rain, pouring rain, once again to begin. What do you think we had on day two? You guessed it, high winds and temps 25 degrees colder than on day one. Again, thanks to the help of the New Hampshire Lakes Region Tourism Association and the generosity of Sun Valley Cottages in Laconia, we filmed a great show. Joe and Jimmy were more than pleased with their accommodations, which makes my job as their guide that much easier. Look for the Hook Shots episode (www.FieldandStream.com/hook-shots) to air in early April.

            I could dwell on how short the ice fishing season was this year, all the ice time I missed, and the money I lost, but I prefer to reminisce about the memories created, relationships formed, and the opportunities I was so lucky to enjoy. I get so much from the Lakes Region of New Hampshire in the form of fond memories, friendships, and income. The least I can do is share the wealth when a TV crew or writer wishes to visit the area. So, even though this was the shortest ice fishing season I have ever experienced, it was one of the most memorable.