Welcome Fish Lake Winni Angler's
Log On Today - Fish On Tomorrow! ™
(603) 731-1804 / (603) 344-8698
John,
I agree, this is almost the lowest I've seen Squam. Especially in mid September.
I complained to DES last year and they told me they were drawing it down for the lake side owner. I doubt that.
Ashsquam marina has been telling the people the lake is going down because they have to release water for the treatment plant downstream. I thought that the treatment plant was on the Pemi???
The low level in the river plugged up my motor last week.
Louis
I sent a letter to the Executive Director and our area Commisioner, it's a shame they manage it the way they do. I doubt the Director will get anywhere with the DES either.
Last week there was a wedding on Church Island and the bride was late, boat ran aground in the channel, the others (all dressed up of course) almost had to get off to push the boat, one of the tour boats, they will have to limit the number customers. On the way out no less, I hit a little on the way in myself the last time out. I thought I was OK where I was, wrong. My tranducer setting is off a bit I guess, have to re-set it this weekend.
Big John
The channel is very low, try to stay in the middle, keep the motor trimmed up, it's low but you should be able to get out. Coming back in you can see how low it is and where to go, going out when it's dark is a little more hairy.
Lots of huge rocks showing on the lake, except for the channel markers which are useless in the channel right now, if you stay on the right side of the markers on the main lake, you should be OK.
Tough lake to navigate in the dark if you've never been on it before, be carefull, bring a good floodlight to spot the markers.. Get there early, first light is most times the only bite.
Too bad I'm not going you could follow me. I had heard it might be windy so I planned to stay home, but sounds allot better for Friday now. If things change I'll let you know.
Big John
My boat is allmost beyond the channel marker in the channel and I'm sure will be after this weekend.
The lake level is about 2 or 3 inches above "winter level", down almost 2.5 to 3 feet from normal full lake level.
Seems they do what ever they want at the DES, their web site says they begin a slow draw down October 15th, but each year they start around August 15th and this year will be finished long before the end of September.
Is there any control over the DES, 1 year they left the Lake Trout eggs high and dry on Newfound Lake they drew it down so much and so early.
I have spoke with them for 2 or 3 years and got nowhere at all, a simple poilte "we know what the web site guidelines say but we do it differently"
If anyone has any connections, please pull a few strings and have the draw down halted until October 15th.
Big John
"almost high and dry"
Any control over des???????????
It's a government agencey, like the epa, dept of energy, dept of education. You can't control them...they control us!!!! Too big, too wastefull, too over reaching. The founders are rolling over in their graves.
When theres just one puddle left. Fish and game will be able to count all the fish.Or if it rains there may be two puddles.We need some rain.
I launched my Lund last Sunday evening. It was absolutely ridiculous and I almost pulled it right back on to the trailer as I'm already down one prop and skeg work this year. But, I had the channel to myself, stayed right in the middle, fully trimmed up, and was still very nervous about it. I will not launch there again this year, period! When I did take the boat out of the water, I had to have someone hold it out in the middle of the channel so I could get my trailer under it. If there is more than one boat in the channel, it will be a disaster. Whoever is managing the lake level appears to be lacking in the intelligence department. When they were giving out brains, he thought they said trains, and went for the caboose. I'm sure my frustration and this sentiment won't make anything better but just trying to have a sense of humor at this point, I'm sure he is a very nice person with a momma who loves him. BTW, I didn't see a single project in the works by any lake front property owners. The Pemi is nice and full today by the way. Good luck. My advice: go to Maine.
I'm heading up again this weekend, I may have to move my boat to a friends dock on the main lake.
I'd be nervous about loading and unloading even with the nice facility in the channel, I have to pull mine out at some point in Ostober, but I may have to leave it in all year, lol.
I've talked with allot of folks, everyone is frustrated and the guy in charge is an idiot, I talked to him many times in the past, he just don't care and thinks he's doing his job.
I sent a e mail to the Dircetor of Fish and Game yesterday, maybe others should, but I doubt they even talk to each other, let alone listen to each other.
Glenn Normandeau
director@wildlife.nh.gov
The Comissoner for the area name is Robert Rowan, Chairman of the Fish and Game Commissioners and also Sandwich resident, fishes Squam. All I have is a phone number, no e mail address, call and give him an ear full maybe he can help ????
Carroll County
Robert Rowan, Chairman
958 Mt. Israel Road
Center Sandwich, NH 03227
603-284-6807
They say it is for landowners to do beach Maintenance, I'd like to see what would happen if someone tried to dump a load of sand on their beach in these times, I'm sure it's illegal.
Bob Rowan just got back to me, he's well aware of the lake level and concerned as much as we are, he might ring it up at a Fish and Game comissioners meeting. Not much can be done for 2010.
Big John
D.E.S job is only to let water out of a lake. They don"t know how to put it back in.If we don"t get any snow this winter. We won"t have to worry about it the lake will be dry.
I just drove by the river between Little Squam and the dam. The river is almost dry. The river between the dam and Ashland is completely full and almost overfull. I used to see that river very low.
Riveredge marina may not be able to have boats go there???
Louis
I noticed that too, when do we normally see that portion, just before Ashland dry-dry-dry, stumps etc. I thought it was fall but I must be wrong.
Big John
