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Few expected the ice to go as fast as it has, but all reports indicate that ice fishing season is quickly winding down, or over.

As usual, the reports slow to a crawl during the shoulder season between ice fishing and open water. If you’re in the right areas, there are fishing opportunities to be had, both ice fishing and open water.

It was opening day for a lot of fisheries at the time this info was gathered, and many were waiting to get reports from those who headed out. Most reports were of salmon and lake trout fishing on Winnipesaukee and Sebago, but we did hear of good trout fishing in southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Things are really kicking off now that winter seems to have finally left. Reports are that most waters cooled with the most recent snowstorm, slowing things down a bit, but multiple 60-degree days helped things considerably.

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Haddock and Acadian redfish are on fire right now, as is salmon and lake trout fishing. Smallmouth bass are beginning to bite better, but no reports of them moving shallow yet. There is a lot of trout stocking going on lately.

Well, that was fast. It seemed like winter never really arrived for many ice anglers in southern and central New England. Most shops have already begun switching over to open water fishing.

Winter returned with a vengeance and put the brakes on almost all fishing activity. With snow totals in the double-digit inches from central New England and points north, anyone who had their boat out for spring has a bone to pick with Punxsutawney Phil.