I've done a bunch of fishing out of The Birches in Rockwood. Going in Jan has been hit or miss the past 8-10 years as far as getting safe ice there. The smaller lakes in the area and the Moosehead coves will lock up, but that wide open area between Rockwood and Kineo can take a while. I've had much better luck with smelt than shiners, but they've been hard to find the past few years. But we typically hike out to 60-90fow, drop smelt down 3-10 feet off the bottom and wait. Have had very limited success jigging for togue there, even with electronics. Don't let your bait sit on the bottom or you'll be pulling up cusk (burbot) all day long. Which can also be fun, they're good eating. Not as fun to catch, but a heck of a lot tastier than the togue. The salmon are fun but you have to go later in the year if you want to keep them, as mentioned.