PERU – Finding safe ice through which to fish on New Year’s – the opening day of ice fishing on most Maine waters – will be a challenge after several weeks of unseasonably warm temperatures.

The good news is that state fisheries biologists expect the fishing to be exceptional due to fall stocking increases, and, an abundance of rain this spring and fall that limited angler participation.

But, as Maine moves into its typically coldest month, don’t expect the usual cold plunges for awhile, National Weather Service meteorologist Art Lester said Wednesday in Gray.

“For the next several days, we’re going to be sort of normal, but there’s no real Arctic blasts to take us down below normal,” he said.

Bruce Thibeault of Bass Bog Bait and Tackle off Route 108 in Peru, and Ellis Pond Variety owner Dennis Daniel in Roxbury, both said Wednesday afternoon that ice fishermen have been chomping at the bit to get out.

All they need is some good thick ice.

“Business has been a little slow, but they’re out fishing small ponds like Roxbury, Halfmoon in Mexico, and Little Bear in Turner,” Thibeault said.

People have told him they’re finding between 3 to 5 inches of ice.

“I don’t recommend anybody going out on the ice until we get a good week of nights in the teens. It’s got to be at least two to three weeks of good cold weather before I’ll go out. People have got to be very careful. It’s not that time of year to get wet,” he said.

Daniel said Roxbury Pond, also known as Ellis Pond, in Roxbury, usually ices up during the last week of November or first week of December. It is open to ice fishing whenever it ices over.

Three years ago, ice there ranged in thickness from 18 inches to 4 feet. But not this year, so far.

It froze over in mid-December, and, by Dec. 17, ice thicknesses of between 5 and 6 inches were measured all the way out to about 500 to 600 feet from shore, Daniel said.

Unfortunately, between then and Wednesday, springlike temperatures returned.

“I was getting ready to order bait, but then, the lake opened up,” Daniel said, frustrated.

However, like Thibeault, he’ll have bait available for opening day, thanks to suppliers, Corey Freeman in West Paris and Thibeault.

“I don’t know how much we’ll order, because the lakes are not safe. Our thought as to what a person might do, is, start where the water is low, and walk out 10 feet and drill a hole, then walk out 10 feet and drill another hole. That’s how we found out that it was 5 inches to 6 inches thick 10 days ago,” Daniel said.

Despite ice woes, anglers have been calling to reserve bait for opening day.

“They’re anxious. If we hadn’t have had that warm up, there’d be ice shacks out there right now,” Daniel said.

Thibeault said he’s taken orders – for 1,000 shiners total, so far, for Saturday – from anglers to seven bait dealers in Franklin and Oxford counties, to whom he sells his stock wholesale.

“On opening day in a normal year, I’ll have around 140 to 150 customers. Last year, there wasn’t much ice, but I had 147 people buying bait. I was really surprised,” Thibeault said.

On a normal weekend when the season is underway, he’ll have 65 to 70 customers a day.

“A lot of guys like to get their bait the day before they are to leave at 4 o’clock the next morning to go to Flagstaff Lake, or such,” he said.

But Maine’s larger lakes are still ice free.

Currently, Thibeault said, anglers have been fishing Little Bear, because it has pike, and, more importantly, the Turner pond is very shallow.

“It makes them feel more secure if they’re on thin ice,” he said, laughing.

Once good, thick ice does form, Thibeault said one of the best places to fish is Worthley Pond in Peru. Although it opens to ice fishing on Jan. 1, ice was just starting to grow in its west end on Wednesday, opposite Honey Run Campground.

Thibeault said Worthley has been producing brown trout ranging from 8 to 12 pounds and rainbow trout in the 5- to 6-pound range. When the ice is ready, the first three weeks is the best time to fish it, he added.

At least one Worthley Pond Opening Day regular won’t be there.

Peru Road Commissioner David Gammon, who has ice fished for 35 years, said Wednesday, that, due to the lack of ice, he’s going rabbit hunting if he doesn’t have to sand and plow roads.

“A guy’s better off right now to go to Shop ‘n Save to get a fish rather than try ice fishing,” Gammon said.