Tuesday's 60-something degree temperatures and the sudden disappearance of the weekend's snowfall served as a teaser for summer days in the lake for some. Only a little more than a week earlier, however, ice fishermen walked out onto a sturdy, frozen surface on Taunton Lake, drilled holes through the approximate ten-inch-thick surface, and tested their luck in the Newtown Fish & Game Club's Member/Guest Ice Fishing Tournament.newtownfishandgame.comThe Newtown Fish & Game Club holds four meetings, at Edmond Town Hall, each year, and new members are welcomed. Visit

This event is somewhat annual, going back about a decade, although it took place on February 10 for the first time in three years due to lack a lack of deep freeze the past two winters.

Kevin Caruso and Russ Jagoe tied for the largest bass caught, each with a four-pound catch.

John Sanzo and Jeff Pacello showed off a 19-inch large mouth bass and were among the anglers who could only come up with "patience" being the key to success out there.

"You can be a jerk on one end of the line and wait for a jerk on the other," Mr Sanzo said jokingly.

There were approximately 75 participants out on the lake with jigging rods in hand and tip-ups on holes surrounding their selected area on the lake. A jigging rod is used to catch and pull fish through a small hole. A tip-up works by a flag going up to notify a fishermen that something has taken the bait. The holes were made in a matter of just a few seconds by those with electric augers.

Mr Jagoe, along with James Post and Terry Toth, spent the morning on the lake. Mr Jagoe and Mr Toth have been ice fishing for a few decades; it was Mr Post's first try. They had a comfortable 40-something degree day for it.

An early-December cold snap set up a long season of ice fishing, Mr Jagoe noted.

"The ice was early, so with a cold December the ice set up and we'll have ice until probably March," Mr Jagoe anticipated. "The ice was very good this year."

The temperature rise may not even be enough to end the season if it gets cold again, the fishermen said.

Mr Post has been on the lake in a boat plenty of times and noted that "it's nice being about to walk around, not being confined to a boat."

"It's a lot of fun. I'll definitely come back," Mr Post said. "I can imagine being out here when it is 15 degrees, freezing your face off."

Newtown Fish & Game Club Membership Chairman Gary Sheehan said ice fishing is terrific when the weather is nice.

"When the wind blows across the lake and across the ice and there are no trees to protect you it's brutal," he added.

Fortunately for the tournament, the weather could not have been much more cooperative.

"Today's a beautiful day," said John Gromotskie, who noted that a key to ice fishing is wearing ice cleats for necessary traction.

Some of the fishermen had little or no success, and others were getting bites throughout the tournament.

"We probably had five flags today. It was constant action," Mr Jagoe said.

Some of the fishermen use electronic fish finders, which Jim Moraveck describes as "the greatest video game ever made."

Pat McGrath, a third generation club member, who said his grandfather Ed McGrath was one of the club's founders, participated along with guest Peter Napolitano. They said the best part of ice fishing is the camaraderie.

"If you want to do something fun you do something warmer," Mr Napolitano said light-heartedly.

Whether or not the season continues, this season has been a successful one for local ice fishing.

"It was a good winter for ice fishing, that's for sure," said Rich Caruso, father of Kevin Caruso, and vice president of the club.

When Mother Nature cooperates there are ice fishing opportunities around town.

Freddy Hubbard, 13, of Newtown, has been fishing since he has been able to hold a fishing rod in his hand, and had some success on local ponds this winter.

"The essentials to start out as a new ice fisherman, in my opinion, include: an ice fishing rod and reel combo, eight pounds of fluorocarbon line, a hand ice auger, an ice spoon or ladle, and a bucket to carry it all around," Freddy said.

"I have found this season has been a particularly good one because the ponds where I fish have iced over quickly causing clean, safe ice," he said. "One tip that I would give to a new ice fisherman is to find the deepest part of your lake or pond to fish," the young man added. "If you do not know, consider brush piles and rock piles. These are the places where fish are naturally drawn to.

"My last words of advice are to be patient because there will be bad days of fishing and good days of fishing. When you feel the weight of a fish on the end of your line you will forget that there could ever be bad days."

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