Let Orion Outfitters guide you to your next ice fishing adventure! We specialize in family trips and focus on getting everyone in on the action! We'll teach you the basics, drill all the holes, and we'll outfit you with all of the equipment and gear. We provide the heated shack, guide, live bait, and even lunch!
Hot cocoa, a warm campfire, and snacks are provided! Dates fill up fast so call today!
Hot cocoa, a warm campfire, and snacks are provided! Dates fill up fast so call today!
Flag Up!!! These two words are usually followed by a quick dash to a tip-up or ice fishing trap with the hope of hooking and landing a fish. In Western Maine, “hard water” fishing heats up when the temperatures drop! Cold nights and short days make for some of the best ice fishing conditions in New England, and there are endless places to fish- right here!
At Orion Outfitters and Guide Service we offer some of the most memorable family adventures available during the winter months, and we specialize in getting folks and especially young people connected to this fun and healthy activity. We take care of all of the equipment, including bait, fishing gear, and a heated ice shack, and we’ll even provide lunch and snacks. The cocoa is always hot, and usually the fishing is too!
Whether it’s trout or bass you’re after, we can get you on the fish! We’ll begin by drilling holes through the ice with a power auger. Each person is allowed 5 traps each, and youth under 16 can fish without a license. This is a great way to introduce young folks to the sport. Adults of course need to purchase a fishing license.
Once the holes are drilled, a scoop is used to remove the slush and ice chips from the hole. Next, a sounder, or weight is attached to the hook and dropped to the bottom to determine the depth of the water. The line is marked, and usually set to place the bait about 18” off the bottom. (Some fish such as trout and salmon may be fished just below the ice.)
Most folks use smelts or shiners or other live baitfish, hooked slightly behind the dorsal fin, allowing the bait to swim naturally. In most cases, it is important to use lively active baitfish to attract larger predatory target fish. Once the bait is lowered to the desired depth, the tip-up or “trap” is set. The term trap can be misleading. An ice fishing trap is simply a fishing devise made of plastic or wood, and contains a spool of line and some sort of flag mechanism that usually pops up when a fish strikes the bait and takes out line.
Now comes the patience part…As you wait for a fish to take your bait, you need to keep busy. We most always have a campfire, (remember that a fire bowl or metal container must be used, as no fires can be directly on the ice.) When we’re not setting other traps or drilling holes, we socialize, make lunch, and even throw the Frizbee or football around. When fishing with kids it’s important to keep them active and busy. Even the family dog can get in on the action!
Every few minutes, we scan our spread, hopeful to see that little orange flag sticking up above the snow or ice, signaling that a fish has taken our bait. “Flag up!” Nothing gets your adrenaline going more than those two little words when you’ve been waiting patiently! After a mad dash to the lucky hole, the skill of fishing begins. Many folks simply pick up the trap, grab the line, and soon feel a fish tugging, and then….nothing. You’ll soon learn how to “read” the line and land a fish. Is the reel spinning fast, slow, or pausing? Which direction is the line going? Is there slack in the line?
From there a good hook set is important to hook the fish properly, and prevent the fish from swallowing the hook. Circle hooks are now more popular and are set by a slow steady retrieve. Then you’ll need to hand line the fish to the hole, and depending on the size of the fish, it may be a game of “give and take.” It’s important to take your time and prevent the fish from snapping the line, or letting the line slack up, which may cause the fish to “spit the hook.” Once the fish comes to the hole, you need to decide if you are keeping it if legal, or releasing it, especially when it’s very cold and windy. It’s important to release a fish quickly to prevent flash freezing and gill damage.
At Orion Outfitters, we provide a heated ice shack that fits up to 8 people, complete with seats and a wood stove. In cold weather, the shack is a nice retreat to return to after each fish is caught, and trap tended. A hot lunch is served, but seldom eaten hot, as with tradition, as soon as you fill your bowl-inevitably someone yells “FLAG UP!” and it’s off to the next fish!
At Orion Outfitters and Guide Service we offer some of the most memorable family adventures available during the winter months, and we specialize in getting folks and especially young people connected to this fun and healthy activity. We take care of all of the equipment, including bait, fishing gear, and a heated ice shack, and we’ll even provide lunch and snacks. The cocoa is always hot, and usually the fishing is too!
Whether it’s trout or bass you’re after, we can get you on the fish! We’ll begin by drilling holes through the ice with a power auger. Each person is allowed 5 traps each, and youth under 16 can fish without a license. This is a great way to introduce young folks to the sport. Adults of course need to purchase a fishing license.
Once the holes are drilled, a scoop is used to remove the slush and ice chips from the hole. Next, a sounder, or weight is attached to the hook and dropped to the bottom to determine the depth of the water. The line is marked, and usually set to place the bait about 18” off the bottom. (Some fish such as trout and salmon may be fished just below the ice.)
Most folks use smelts or shiners or other live baitfish, hooked slightly behind the dorsal fin, allowing the bait to swim naturally. In most cases, it is important to use lively active baitfish to attract larger predatory target fish. Once the bait is lowered to the desired depth, the tip-up or “trap” is set. The term trap can be misleading. An ice fishing trap is simply a fishing devise made of plastic or wood, and contains a spool of line and some sort of flag mechanism that usually pops up when a fish strikes the bait and takes out line.
Now comes the patience part…As you wait for a fish to take your bait, you need to keep busy. We most always have a campfire, (remember that a fire bowl or metal container must be used, as no fires can be directly on the ice.) When we’re not setting other traps or drilling holes, we socialize, make lunch, and even throw the Frizbee or football around. When fishing with kids it’s important to keep them active and busy. Even the family dog can get in on the action!
Every few minutes, we scan our spread, hopeful to see that little orange flag sticking up above the snow or ice, signaling that a fish has taken our bait. “Flag up!” Nothing gets your adrenaline going more than those two little words when you’ve been waiting patiently! After a mad dash to the lucky hole, the skill of fishing begins. Many folks simply pick up the trap, grab the line, and soon feel a fish tugging, and then….nothing. You’ll soon learn how to “read” the line and land a fish. Is the reel spinning fast, slow, or pausing? Which direction is the line going? Is there slack in the line?
From there a good hook set is important to hook the fish properly, and prevent the fish from swallowing the hook. Circle hooks are now more popular and are set by a slow steady retrieve. Then you’ll need to hand line the fish to the hole, and depending on the size of the fish, it may be a game of “give and take.” It’s important to take your time and prevent the fish from snapping the line, or letting the line slack up, which may cause the fish to “spit the hook.” Once the fish comes to the hole, you need to decide if you are keeping it if legal, or releasing it, especially when it’s very cold and windy. It’s important to release a fish quickly to prevent flash freezing and gill damage.
At Orion Outfitters, we provide a heated ice shack that fits up to 8 people, complete with seats and a wood stove. In cold weather, the shack is a nice retreat to return to after each fish is caught, and trap tended. A hot lunch is served, but seldom eaten hot, as with tradition, as soon as you fill your bowl-inevitably someone yells “FLAG UP!” and it’s off to the next fish!