Conference wahoo::fishing

Q.    JACK "BASS" BRICKLEY AND KEVIN "BIG HAWG" POMEROY have a question
      to ask.  Where are the best places to launch boats on WINNI?


A.    TRY LAUNCHING FROM THE MOUTH OF THE MERRIMACK!


    
Q.    Also, where are the best spots for fishing for LAKE TROUT and
      SALMON.  If you have any suggestions, please let us know.
    

A.    LAKE TROUT??  I WOULD SUGGEST BY STARTING IN A LAKE.
      SALMON??  TRY THE FISH COUNTER AT YOUR LOCAL SUPERMARKET.


Q.    One more thing, does anyone know when the ice-out usually happens
      at WINNI?
    

A.    AROUND MID-JULY OF EVERY OTHER YEAR.


>>    To the legend, do not reply to this note, it is for intelligent
>>    people only.


      THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO ENTER IT ???
    



	^ ^
	O O        HI GUYS!...
	 V
	\_/

    (mode = no flame/no moderator/just a comment) 
    Come on guys, lighten up on the Legend.  I don't think the poor
    guy has wriiten a note in here yet this year.  I've spoken to him
    and the reason he has gone r/o is because of comments like that.
    Sure, he was a bit on the offensive side some time ago, but he mellowed
    out - except for when he was antagonized, which wound up being all
    of the time.  Anyway, you probably should have addressed that statement
    to the likes of the author of .1 (I won't mention any names!)...
                                                
    There's lots of pay launches around the lake... parking is tough...
    There are a few free launches where parking is even tougher...
    Clark's fishing guide gives real detailed directions to all the
    launches... I'd guess that the launch Keith mentioned in his salmon
    tounry note would be a good one for you...
                                                            
    I haven't fished the big lake for trout or salmon, so I don't have
    any info there...
                                           
    

    I've always had great luck fishing salmon during the spring on winni.
    The last five years I been there for the derby. I'll throw out what
    I've learned (limited) inspite of the fact that I'll be there for
    our DEC salmon tournament in April. 
    
    First remember that I never won anything substantial during the
    derby (although I have had an entry each day each year), so you
    can take this advice for what it's worth.
    
                                             
    The part of the lake just to the north of rattlesnake island will
    almost always produce a fish or two. You can find schools of salmon
    in the area southwest of rattlesnake near the small island at the
    end of rattlesnake (Diamond Island ???). There are many other good
    spots, but I usually start here. I had my first tripple hook up
    in this area the year before last. We only got one in the boat,
    but it was a blast.
    
    I've had luck on many different lures. My favorite is a number 44
    copper and silver sutton spoon. It almost never fails. Other choices
    are a flourescent orange mooselock wobbler or in the fly department,
    a tandem red grey ghost with the red beeds on it. There are others,
    but I start with these. The fish will frequently be on or near the
    top during the spring. Don't think their not there just because
    you don't mark any (if you have a fish finder). they scatter away
    from the boat as it approaches and then come back into the tail
    water as it has lots of oxygen in it. I don't know this to be true
    for a fact, but the rod I troll directly over the stern seems to
    be the hot rod more often than not. 
    
    If you have two people in the boat, this lets you troll four rods
    legally. Put each at a different depth. Remember that salmon
    will never go down for a bait, but will come up a max of about
    5 ft to take one. This varies of course due to water clarity etc.,
    but is a good rule of thumb. I'll usually troll a streamer on the
    surface, something else at 5ft, 10ft and 15ft. I wish I could say
    that once you get one your problems are solved as you can set all
    your rods to that same depth, but it seems more random when their
    in the top 15ft or so of water. I might set 3 rods to that depth
    once I hook one, and play with the fourth. Don't make the mistake
    of trolling the surface all day just because your hooking there
    in the morning. I've caught many fish down in the 25 ft range during
    the day. These you can see on the fishfinder and tend to be more
    consistent in depth. If you mark fish at 25 ft consistently, try
    trolling at 22-23ft. I can't say enough about trolling speed either.
    Once you find the one that works remember it. If you don't have an
    indicator you can remember that certain sound your engine had when
    you got that hit. If you do have one, try 2.7mph to start off.
                                                    
    If none of the above work I save this method for last. It's never
    failed me. Troll sewed on smelt (minnows if smelt aren't available).
    It's a killer, but a pain in the neck to deal with.
                                          
    Last, remember that salmon are fairly line shy. I've fished many
    a day with people using the exact same technique, but they were
    using, say 8-10lb line and I had maybe 4 or 6 on. I killed them
    and they got skunked.
    
    Good luck and tight lines,
    
    Marty Wood

    	I've been up there the last couple of years and usually manage
    to get one or two in the boat. I usually try to make it up just
    after ice out to 2-3 weeks after.
    	I've fished both live bait and streamer flies. Either seems
    to work about as good depending on the day and what the fish feel
    like eating. When live bait fishing I use use about a number 4 hook
    and hook the smelt/shiner through the lips and drift. I may use
    a swivel and split shot depending on the amount of wind (i.e. for
    faster drifting speeds). I caught my first salmon drifting around
    the mouth of Alton Bay where it dumps into the main body of the
    lake.
    	I can't say that I'm a big fan of salmon fishing as neither
    the fight or the taste of the fish impressed me, but then I've only
    caught fish that were just barely keepers. They're probably more
    fun on a fly rod. At any rate, it's more fun than being a couch
    potato.
    
    		RAYJ
    

    I've been fishing Winni for about 6 years now.  We have a place
    on Moultonboro neck and my boat is docked there, so I don't know
    much about available ramps.
    
    Ice out is usually around the middle of April.  A few years ago
    it was iced out by April 1st, but that was extremely rare.  There
    was 19 inches of ice on the lake this past weekend, so I wouldn't
    look for an early ice out.
    
    I've had some good luck right after ice-out, but I've generally
    had better luck several weeks later.  The water hasn't "turned over"
    when the ice goes out, so the fish will be a varied depths (0 -
    25').  Once the turn over is complete, the depths you find fish
    will be more consistent.  If you have down-riggers, I've had
    some great fishing in June (and even late August).
    
    I usually fish between Bear Island and 5 mile Island or along the
    western shore of Long Island.  I've also heard good reports from
    Rattlesnake Island, but that's a little far in my boat.
    
    Definitely use light line.  I generally use 6 lb and sometimes 4.
    
    Good luck,
    Mark,
     

    I've trolled most of the lake for salmon, and always found the best
    fishing between rattlesnake and diamond islands.  However, the biggest
    salmon I've taken over the last four years, came out of Center Harbor.
    I took it on a davis rig with a nightcrawler off a 6ft leader from
    the rig.  And surprisingly, it was early May and I had about 5 colors
    of leadcore out ahead of the rig. (usually a warm weather approach
    when the fly rods become useless for trolling)  I prefer taking
    them on the fly rods; "pots and pans" davis rigs make everything
    caught simulate cod.
    I'll usually give whatever water I launch from there a 20mph scan
    before I decide where I'll fish.  I've found the use of the fish
    finder extremely helpful due to the large ranges of fish areas on
    the lake.  I used to use markers, but now I pretty much use memory
    aided by a vinyl topo chart.
    
    carlo