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Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

Title:Fishing-V2: All About Angling
Notice:Time to go fishin'! dayegins
Moderator:WAHOO::LEVESQUE
Created:Fri Jul 19 1991
Last Modified:Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:548
Total number of notes:9621

332.0. "Radical Winnie Derby Rules change for 94" by AIMHI::LONGLAND () Thu Dec 09 1993 10:31

    
    Anyone know why they changed the rules this year on the Winnie Ice
    Fishing Derby?  Top tier prizes now on tagged rainbows - not lake
    trout.  Persistent attempted fraud, or just giving Tommy Togue a
    break?
    
    					Steve
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332.1probably wider impact than just lakersDTRACY::LAVASHSame as it ever was...Thu Dec 09 1993 14:5513
>    Anyone know why they changed the rules this year on the Winnie Ice
>    Fishing Derby?  Top tier prizes now on tagged rainbows - not lake
>    trout.  Persistent attempted fraud, or just giving Tommy Togue a
>    break?
 
    By going to Rainbows, you'll have more people fishing salmon eggs on
    the bottom in the shallows, probably cut down on the Lake Trout, Salmon
    and Brown Trout taken through the ice...

    That's my cut at it anyway.  Also moves me from Newfound Lake onto
    one of the stocked lakes.  Might as well have a shot at the $$$...

George  
332.2What's going on???MSBCS::MERCIERWed Jan 12 1994 14:5212
    Has anyone been fishing the Winnipesaukee area(sqaum, winnisquam,
    ossipee)? If so, do you have any trip reports you could share. Not
    asking for exact locations. Just a general "How's the fishing?".
    How thick is the ice? Are people driving out there yet? Anybody heading
    up for the Derby?
    
    Heading up to Moosehead Lake next weekend to make sure all the gears
    working right. Buddies caught three togue, three salmon and three cusks
    last weekend while fishing for brookies in the shallows....
    
    Hopefully, they left a few ;^)
    Bob M�
332.3long lake sinclair me.GIAMEM::DUGGANTue Jan 18 1994 12:1410
    can't answer for moosehead but was fishing long lake in sinclair me
    over the weekend.action was real slow,spent 9 hrs on the ice sat.
    and only had about six or seven flags(mostly wind flags)got 2 14"
    salmon.temp. -15 f 15-20 mph wind about 16" ice lots of pressure
    ridges.went out sunday -25 f 20-25 mph wind 7 hrs on ice 6 flags
    2 14" salmon 1 16" brookie.so friggin cold fish couldn't even flip
    froze solid in 1 min.why do i always pick the warmest weekend of the
    year to go up there.gotta love it
    chris
    
332.4Brrrrrrr!!!!MSBCS::MERCIERTue Jan 18 1994 12:2513
    .3
    
    Wow!!! You were actually fishing in that stuff. My cousin who was a
    bush plane pilot at Moosehead has his own weather station. He recorded
    win chill at -72 below. up there. 
    
    Two years ago we were up there and it was -40 below. My eyelashes froze
    together and I had to run into the cabin with my one eye open and
    defrost. Were heading up this weekend and the long range forecast is 
    calling for rising temps. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
    
    Keep Warm
    Bob M�
332.5Who's Going� � �MSBCS::MERCIERTue Feb 01 1994 09:3016
    Is anybody heading up for the big Derby this weekend??? With the
    elimination of Lakers I'm going to be all screwed up. I can't say as
    I have ever seen a Rainbow Trout pulled through the ice when I was up
    there. However, I have seen some monsters on the board. If anyone has
    any suggestions I'll be happy to listen ;^). It seems every time I
    hit an area that looks good for Rainbows we get slammed by the salmon.
    
    As far as ice conditions go.... I called the salmon hotline. The latest
    update was on Jan 21. It appears that the ice is in terrible
    condition!! They were reporting only 4 to 10 inches of ice on Alton
    Bay. Three feet on snow and a foot of ice. Wonderful!!!!!!!
    
    Be careful out there........
    Goodluck
    Bob M�
    
332.6I'm going!ESKIMO::RINELLATue Feb 01 1994 09:4912

    Bob,

         Theres a group of us going to the Derby. I agree it will be
    interesting trying to catch a rainbow, but I heard through the grape
    vine that they have been catching tagged fish out of Alton Bay already!
    
    Well regardless of whether or not we catch anything it's always a fun
    time;') Good luck..
    
    Gus
332.7A Good TimeMSBCS::MERCIERTue Feb 01 1994 10:2511
    Gus,
    
    Do you think that they'll enter those fish in the Derby??? A friend of
    mine said he heard on the radio yesterday that they are going to have
    extra biologist and equipment due to the cheating in past years!!!!!
    
    Alton Bay???? Too crowded for me!!! Were pulling off of Winni this year
    in search of these wiley Rainbows. Like you said. Whether you catch
    anything or not, it's still a good time......
    
    Bob M�
332.8Flag!ESKIMO::RINELLAWed Feb 02 1994 08:0512
    
    
    Bob,
    
        I think that they would get caught if they tried to enter those
    fish. I hope they threw them back! What will you be using for bait, if
    ya don't mind me asking. I guess will still stick to shinners and
    smelt and see what happens. I'll be bringing up my depth finder to see
    what depth the fish are at. Knowing my luck, I'll mark all sorts of fish 
    but would catch any;')
    
    Gus
332.9A SmorgishboardMSBCS::MERCIERWed Feb 02 1994 09:0926
    Well Gus, seeing as were the only two going that I can see. I don't
    mind sharing what are game plan is. Seeing as were going for boat this
    year were pulling off of Winni as I said earlier. We just discovered
    this year (took long enough) that other lakes let you use up to 6 tilts
    instead of the usual 2. I always assumed it was two everywhere!!!  This
    alone increases my own chances by 3 times.
    
    As far as bait goes.......One of the six will be a jigging pole with a
    swedish pimple or whatever tipped with bait. The other five are going
    to have a smorgish board. All the reports I have been getting are
    saying salmon eggs, smelts, power bait and worms...... So were just
    going to try them all at different depths and see what's a hittin'. We
    will adjust accordingly as the flags start poppin or not poppin. I
    enjoy using smaller smelts as you never know what's coming up through
    the hole. Anything from a white perch to a laker.... We probably take
    this derby a little too seriously but we have been in the money the
    last two years. The real key is to keep moving. It's a lot work but it
    keeps ya warm....
    
    Watch the ice this year....... It got insulated real early and didn't
    freeze as well as it should have.........
    
    Good Fishin'
    Bob M�
    
    
332.10What? More than two tilts?ESKIMO::RINELLAWed Feb 02 1994 09:558
    Well guess what Bob, I also was always under the impression that you
    where only allowed two tip ups. I just went through the fishing digest
    and saw the specific rules for the different lakes. Geeezzz and we have
    an ice house already positioned on Winni... Oh well live and learn.
    Thanks for the info Bob.... 

    Gus
332.11How'd everybody do???MSBCS::MERCIERMon Feb 07 1994 12:5528
    How did everybody do??? I had a heck of a cold so I really didn't get
    into it as much as I usually do. We tried some new places that just
    didn't pan out :^(
    
    We went to see the big board with all the fish on it Saturday evening.
    They had some really nice fish this year!!! It was funny. We were
    looking at the White Perch on the board and commenting about how
    "Huge" they were. I had only caught one in my life and it probably
    weighed 1/2 lb. Well Sunday we decided to go back to Winni as the other
    lakes were not producing. At least from what I saw. We were fishing a
    place that sometimes has some good Lakers around and put our two tip-
    ups each out around 6:45. Around 7:30 I get my first flag. The line
    wasn't moving so I waited about five minutes and still nothing. So I
    started to bring the line up without any resistance. I checked the bait
    and dropped it back down. As I'm talking to my buddy a feel a big tug
    before the bait hit bottom. I set the hook and felt little resistance.
    The fish was heading right at me. I pulled in all the line and looked
    down to see what was the biggest White Perch I had ever seen in my
    life. It looked like an albino smallmouth. No sooner did we both let
    out a big Wow!!!!! When the fish decides he wants to fight. Zipppppp!!!
    He made the fastest run I had ever seen. Snapppppp!!!! Also broke my
    8lb test Berkley Ice Fishing line that I was using for a leader.
    
    This fish was bigger than anything I saw on the board. I had no idea
    that they even got that big. This fish was huge!!! Didn't do much
    besides that. Always got the Salmon Derby in May to look forward to.
    
    Bob M�
332.12Highland was a bustDTRACY::LAVASHSame as it ever was...Mon Feb 07 1994 13:246
    I hit Highland Lake for the Derby, didn't catch a thing in 2 days.
    Didn't see too much action around us either.  

    Saturday Highland was practically completely covered with tipups...

    George
332.18How we did at the derby.ESKIMO::RINELLATue Feb 08 1994 09:4615


Well we had a rough start saturday morning. Our ice house was in Alton bay and
we wanted to move it to a different spot. Chipping it out was a bear and the
snowmobile that we were using to move it wasn't cooperating. Then to top things
off one of the ski's on the bob house fell off. Other than that we had a 
good time;').

Saturday we had 4 flags and only one laker which was 19 inches. Sunday we had 
six flags but only one hook up which turned out to be a cusk. Oh well there 
is always next year!

Gus 

332.19Where did they catch 'emMSBCS::MERCIERTue Feb 08 1994 10:1320
    It sounds like everyone here did about the same. My only question is 
    where did they pull all those tagged trout from this year?? This is the
    first year where I actually saw tagged trout bumping other tagged
    trout off of the board!!! They must have double the stockings on those
    Rainbows for there to be so many of them. Last year I believe there 
    was only one tagged rainbow. It weighed .93 lbs and was winning the
    Derby until the last couple hours when someone brought in a tagged
    Laker 5.?? lbs.
    
    Oh well, had a great time with those White Perchasuarus's. I think I'll
    head for the same spot next year and have another go at 'em. It beat a 
    flagless day.
    
    Bob M�
    
    p.s. Someone in a previous note mentioned that they looked like a
    Striper when it was 8' down. The book which I looked up the White Perch
    in said they were the closest related freshwater fish to the Striper.
    That explains their strength and why he put one of his dorsal spines
    right into my finger. Ouch :^o
332.20Weather was nice anywaysDELNI::GAFFNEYGone fishin/racinTue Feb 08 1994 11:2013
    I fished for 6 hours on Saturday morning at Alton Bay.  It was real
    tough getting on, ended up driving on at Thompson Cove I believe.
    Since I had never fished that area I set up where I was able to.
    Very hard to drive on the ice this year.  Lots of deep crusty snow
    in most areas.  Fished from 3 to 25 feet, moved twice, no flags.
    My neighbors had two flags, no fish.  I heard the 1st tagged bow
    came from just a couple hundred feet of derby headquarters.
    I think next year I might try Lake Maasabesic near Manchester.
    The derby flyer said it's stocked with tagged rainbows.  Anyone
    ever ice fish it?  Hows the access?
    
    Gone fishin
    Gaff
332.21I think all the tagged fish came from Winni.ESKIMO::RINELLATue Feb 08 1994 11:249
    
    Bob, my friend called them yesterday and they told him the winning
    trout came from Winni, Alton Bay to be exact! He also said that alot of 
    rainbows came from Bow lake and the heaviest fish was a 9lb laker.
    
    I never tried fishing the spring time Derby at Winni, anyone know
    what thats like??
    
    Gus                
332.22Massebesic and Salmon DerbyMSBCS::MERCIERTue Feb 08 1994 12:0328
    .20 I have never fished Lake Massebessic (sp) but I was told as it was
    added this year to the tagged trout ponds. Making it a good place to
    fish as it had been freshly stocked in the fall with the tagged
    Rainbows. All the other lakes were alternated. In other words if Bow
    received Rainbows last year they may skip it this year...... At least
    that's what they told me.
    
    The problem with getting off of Lake Winnipesaukee is that the Fish and
    Game has done such an excellent job restoring the smelt population that
    they outweigh all the other fish caught in smaller lakes with less
    baitfish!!!
    
    .21 I have fished the Salmon Derby the last two years. It's a good
    time!! It's also a crowded time. I had never seen so many boats as I
    did last year. Everything from Crawdads to Cigarette Boats!!! We fished
    off of Rattlesnake Island last year and you could have walked across
    the boats that were trolling the area. We landed a 3+ lb salmon and
    a 4+ lb laker, neither was big enough. The secret is fish hard on Friday
    morning in the popular spots. Then go look for some other spot with
    less pressure as all the fish are pretty well spooked by noon Friday.
    One good thing is if you get sick of trolling you can find an island
    and cast for Smallmouth. Last year during the derby we did this and had
    a blast. Nothing like a couple of big Smallmouths breaking the surface
    to wake you up....
    
    FWIW
    Bob M�
    
332.231 flag, 1 fish, not legalNEMAIL::PETERSENWed Feb 09 1994 09:418
    We had one flag and one fish --- a salmon.... a big one but it stayed
    in the water (of course :-)   this was off wolfeboro center.
    
    It was a beautiful day, no wind and fairly warm.
    
    We're going to try Wentworth next weekend for Perch etc.
    
    Erik
332.24# of tip-ups/lake tipBRAT::RUSSELLMon Feb 14 1994 14:0620
    The old "regs" & a good rule of thumb: if the body of water is a 
    salmon/lake trout lake then only 2 ice fishing devices are allowed, 
    any other body water you could use up 6 devices per person (bring the kids 
    = increased # of tip-ups).
    
    '94 regs also state that Conway Lake, Mascoma Lake & Ossipee Lake
    dropped the # of tip-ups from 6 down to 2.
    
    Good tip: Check the "regs" before venturing out onto an unfamiliar body of
    water. I also keep a copy of the "regs" in my tackle box for reference.
    
    Missed the derby this year - kids with the flu (1 with 103 temp) 3 days
    before the derby & wife was working. This was going to be "the boys day
    out" and a little father/son(s) bonding. Oh well! Next year.
    
    6 weeks 4 days = 1st day of salmon season (all species actually).
    Come on spring!
    
    ALan
    
332.25How much do the kids have to participate?HDECAD::WOODTue Feb 15 1994 11:069
    Will the warden really go for the extra tip ups because the kids
    are there??? It might go something like this. The warden sits on the
    shoreline with binoculars, watches dad drill 18 holes and then bait and
    set up the tip ups. Then he comes out and when you say "12 of them
    belong to the kids" he might say "right buddy!". Let's see, they
    probably try and fine you as each extra tip up being a violation. That
    equals 12 times the going rate...what would that be??? 50.00, 100.00
    a piece? Could be a pretty steep fine. Just food for thought. Does
    anyone have previous experience with this?
332.26Use judgement and interpret the law yourself...SUBPAC::CRONINTue Feb 15 1994 13:118
    	Previous experience says that the game warden will most likely be
    happy to see a guy getting kids involved in ice fishing.  If you're 
    bringing the kids around to drill, set up, and maintain the tip ups I
    can't believe that -any- game warden would give you a hard time. On the
    other hand, if you brought 4 kids along and they hit the ice with
    skates, sticks and pucks while you set up and tended 20 tip ups then
    you deserve to be fined.
    					B.C.
332.27spring derbyHDECAD::WOODTue Mar 22 1994 11:462
    Does anyone know the dates for the spring derby? Have the rules
    changed much such as they did with the winter derby?
332.28MAY 13-15 for the Winni Spring derbyVMSDEV::JMCLAUGHLINTue Mar 22 1994 12:278

	I know there where some changes but don't have them with me.

	I beleive the minium Salmon that could be entered was
	reduced (forget the size).

				Jim
332.2920 inches to register this year >>%%%"))>SALEM::JUNGhalf-day?>>>Wed Mar 23 1994 08:461