Ha-ha, well Barry it wasn't the end of the world this weekend but perhaps it was the end of Squam as a result of a post by a fisherman with maybe an agenda, ha-ha.. touché. (that's French, ha-ha)

Barry, how many fish did we catch the day you fished with me ???? Squamed again, Ha-ha. When I get Squamed I let it be known, it's not a false representation of the lake, it happens often, to myself and many others.

Is catching a few dumb 2 yr olds with shiny treble hook spoons a "well kept secret", I don't think so. It's great action for Squam however, anything over 2 or 3 is, but you can go to Winni and catch 30 to 40 two year olds any day it's been posted here many times.

Is the possibilty of catching a nice Salmon now and then a well kept secret too, I don't think so, it's been documented too, they are in there, not in good numbers, but yes they are there.. They get that way because they are extremely well fed, very few Lakers to compete with and also very hard to catch because of the tremendous bait population. BTW, Lakers do not re-produce in Squam.

I have fished Squam for quite a few years years and yes it's no secret it has given up some nice fish over the years. But it has been struggling for the past few years, regardless what some may want you to believe..

OK here is the straight poop, I try to be honest and don't fib like most fisherman have been known to do. I don't guess on a fishes weight and length, I use a scale. I may not tell the whole story, as "loose lips can sink ships" sometimes, but anything I do say is straight, when I say I got Squamed, I did, when I say I caught a couple, it was only a couple. The word "multiple" is not in my dictionary when describing Squam, ha-ha.

OK, here is my evaluation of Squam, finally a few 2 yr olds are showing up, these are supposed to be the future of the lake. The fall netting is documented and also public record, it showed less than a handful of then 2 and 3 year old fish, when I say handful I mean like less than 5, the rest were the last of the 2007 stocking, about 150 fish, mostly 4 yr olds (now 5) Squam is a very small lake and biologist are very confident in their numbers and predictions.

So it appeared that Squam was on it's way to the 3rd straight failed year class in a row, 2008, 2009 and 2010 stockings. But as it happens the 2yr olds from last years stocking are now showing up, these were hoped to be the future of the lake, but because of someones thoughtless post, it may now be doomed.

Along with these 2yr olds being caught, one 4 year old, 4 pounds (a Squam runt for it's age) and a few other 5 yr olds have been caught. But so far no 5 yr old that I know of have broken any Squam records, or even come close. One 5 yr old last week on my boat, a "real" 5 lbs, 25", but a real racer, 1/2 a tail and huge hook wound, would have been a prize winner on Winni, ha-ha. We harvested it and gave it away to a needy family, to them it was a prize. I know pretty much what is going on Squam and those are all that I know of, if any others were caught, trust me it would have been posted somewhere here, with a few extra inches and pounds added for good messure.

So in a nut shell, yes a big one is possible (not likely) in Squam, like looking for a needle in a haystack. "MULTIPLE" (2 or 3) Salmon catches, perhaps so, for the first time in years, nice healthy 2 yr olds are in the lake and being caught and released, we hope..

Last weekend there were lots of new boats (as predicted (post Derby exodus from Winni) nobody had a clue were they were going or how to troll the small and very limited deep basins, many complaints of lines being cut off, happened to me too. 8 or 9 boats in the Deephaven/Church area is like 5000 boats trolling on a Sunday afternoon at Black Point on Winni in the fall. We also had to rescue one fisherman that tried to go around the back side of Church Island and hit a rock, ugh. no real damage, but we guided him out. The water is very high now, some markers are missing and many rocks are hidden. It's hazardous reputation is well deserved, trust me I lost a lower unit last fall and I've been on the lake over 20 years.. But it's OK if your careful and observe the marker buoys and keep a map handy.

So if your up to maybe a skunk, a few 2yr olds, maybe a big one ????? Welcome to Squam, everyone should try it at least once, by the way, parking lot is small and if you heard its a good Salmon lake, it's a GREAT Bass lake, get there very early if you want to find a parking spot.

So there it is, welcome to Golden Pond, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Many people come and fish Squam, few return and it's no secret, Squam has managed it's own pressure for years, in it's own way and I suspect it will continue.

If you need any advice on Squam, contact me, I have no real secrets contrary to what some may think or say.. I've helped many folks on Squam and have shown many, many web site folks the lake around the lake, aboard my boat, most I didn't even know previously..

There are no Squam secrets, just hard work and allot of luck..

Big John

I tend to agree with Big john.
I've fished Squam for over 50 years, and it has been good and bad.
Several years ago there was a major kill in the fall. Several 100 Salmon on the beach. I don't think it was ever determained what happened.
It was very very slow for several years, and a few years ago it did get better, but then 2 years in a row that we can not find the stocked fish. Luckily, the 2010 are there now, but if every person take a 15-16 inch salmon home. (it is legal),there won't be many left. (I certainly don't object to people keeping their Salmon.)

I have gone out several days this year, and did catch two one day, and one another, and they were all 2 y.o.
9back in in good condition).
This may be better than I have done in the past. (May be due to the new fishfinder?????)


Louis

I really believe "line hour reduction" is still a must for a quality salmon fishing in the future.

John, I'm interested in the Lake Trout situation in Squam. Last August I took a nice 4.5 lb laker in Little Squam, and a healthy 15 in. one the same day. If they do not spawn, where would a fish like this come from?

Lake Trout do not re-produce in Squam, not enough deep basins F and G tell me.. F and G stocked it with Lakers in the early 90's, now and then someone gets one in the teens and high teens, I assume these are still from that stocking. The biggest I ever caught was 9 pounds about 8 years ago, normaly I get one laker a year 5 to 7 pounds, last year none at all and we put about 24 to 30 hours a week on the lake.. I don't know anyone that targets them specificaly, be interesting if someone experienced in targetting them were to give it a try ??????

We have caught a few that were small, like 18 to 22 inches, maybe a few have spawned and survived ??????????? But I know (heard of) of one bucket biologist that takes a few from Winni and throws them in Squam on a regular basis, so maybe they are from his stockings ????????????

I had a friend that caught one just the other day, about 22", so to say they are not in there I guess is not an accurate statement. There are a few but I dont think they are having any effect on the lake good, bad or otherwise ?

F and G can give you a better explanation why they do no reproduce in that lake, been explained to me a few times, but it dont register tha well, ha-ha. Something about not the right type of deep basins, or not enough. Squam is a shallow lake, maybe 80% less than 30 feet. Little Squam on the otherhand is maybe 80% 50 to 70 feet deep, and allot colder than Big Squam.

Big John

From the sounds of it, it sounds like you know who the bucket biologist is? If you do and you haven't reported him, you should, It's people like that, that ruin all kinds of different fisheries. That's what happened over on Sebago were some Meathead put Northern Pike in the lake. Going to be interesting in the next 4-5 years to see how much of an impact it has on the salmon fishery. All bucket biologist should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and never be allowed to own a N.H. Fishing or hunting license again. Just my .02 Take Care God Bless LOL Dave

Dave, It's only been rumored, I realy don't know it for a fact.

I knew of a guy that trapped bait in Barville Brook (main Squam stream) I thought it was smelt and mentioned it to F and G, found out later he was trapping shiners. So I'd rather stay out of this kind of "Ggood Neighbor Sam" policeing, very hard to prove unless you catch someone in the act, almost impossible.

But I do agree 100% this is a serious offense, what about the guy that put Pike in Winnisquam, another idiot.

Come to thionk of it, you guys caught a nice Laker in Squam too a few years ago, so they are in there, very few but for the most part very big.

Big John

If someone is dropping lakers in Squam, it would be pretty hard to prove. Personally, I wouldn't be too upset about it since they have been part of the fishery for many years. On Tues. evening I caught a nice 17" laker in Little Squam. Nicely shaped, healthy looking fish. With the food supply Squam has, this is not a holdover from the nineties. Regardless of what F & G says, I think there is at least a small amount of natural reproduction going on.

I would be upset and report him to F&G !