Invited Popeye and my friend Harry to fish Squam Saturday. Everything was all set, but late Friday Popeye had to cancell.

Soooooooo, as Forry had a tough day on Squam the week before, I sent him an E mail and invited him to fish Squam on my boat. I didn't hear from him so I went to bed at 8:00 and figured it would be just me and Harry.

Wrong,,, at 11:30 PM (that's allmost midnight) the phone rings:

"Hello, this is Fory, I'd love to fish with you on Squam"

I said fine, meet me at my dock and gave him directions. I then said "OK, I'm going back to bed, see ya at 5:30"

Then Forry says, "Duh, I didn't wake you up did I ????

I replied, "No, I allways stay up to midnight when I plan to get up at 3:00 AM to go fishin"

So all you guys (and gals) I've been paid back for all the people I woke up in the middle of the night, by accident of course. I never slept another wink after that phone call, strange how sometimes after a late night phone call you can't get back sleep, oh well.. Got out of bed at 3:15 and drove up to the Lake.

Harry and Fory were on time and allready aquainted well when I arrived at 5:33 AM.

Saturday: 6 lines, lines out at 6:30, before we got them all the out, "Fish on", the nicest Rainbow ever for me out of Squam. I could see Forry and Harry were anticipated a good day fishin. Wrong again, no bites for another hour, then we got another nice Bow, followed by the usual 6 or 8 shorts. Then Harry's turn, he thought he had his big one that he's been looking for all year and our first keeper Salmon of the day, wrong again, a 3.5 (maybe 4) pound Smallie on lead core.

Made a move, same thing more shorts, then tried little Squam. Now it's Forry's turn at a big one, lost at the boat, in the prop wash, got off, never saw it, but it was a heavy fish, fly intact ????? We did catch several more Rainbows, all 14", be good for Ice fishin I guess.

Called it a day about 3:30/4:00.

Great day on the water, absolutely beautifull day, right down the the Monarch Butterflies landing on our riggers and rods all day.

Oh the details:
Most all fish caught on fly's @ 5 to 7 colors lead core, Pumpkin Head (caught the two biggest bows) and Cool Water flys were the two best fly's. Riggers at 36' caught a few, no particular spoons. Acton was slow but fairly steady for Squam.

Forry was a good fishin partner, a ball buster at times, so we had allot of fun and will do it again before the seasons over. He even left a pair of sun glasses me, nice guy. They left and I stayed at the Camp to fsih Sunday.

Sunday: 2 lines, SKUNK, not a bite, others I spoke with same story or got a few shorts.

Tried a few new things, my own version of a flasher/slasher, learned a few other things that should work well when the fish are biting.

Running out of time for the 7 pounder, havin my doubts now, but after today I have a good plan for the remainder of the season.

John S.

I allmost forgot, the rumor from Popeye about another monster being caught at Squam, wrong, Popeye was only relating what he had heard, not his fault.

As customary Popeye, myself and a few other guys try to talk by cell phone when fishing different Lakes. Well I called Popeye Saturday from the boat and when I got his voice mail I promptly said "Hey Popeye, you blew it Pal, Forry just caught the 7 pounder that would have been yours, give me a call"

Well he never called back so that I could tell him I was only yanking his chain, instead he puts the rumor out on the message board, it was all my fault.

End of another fun weekend fishin,

John S.

hey john, I want to thank you for a good day saturday I had fun,meeting you and your friend Harry. If I had feelings though you might have hurt them (saying I look old HAH)Not!!! But seriously I am glad to know where my shade are I thought I lost them. I promise next time I will read my e-mail a little earlier. I look forward to the next time. maybe we can take my boat if you want. let me know. Oh incedently the way you have you riggers set up you really would appreciate the reohmer releases, no bendind on your boat, mine yes, but they still work the balls.

John use Rohemer release LMAO he make Craig take them off when we go on his boat LMAO Now that was funny LOL Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines LOL Dave From up North P.S. So how did ya like the Luxury Liner of Squam Forry????????

all you need is a heater and I could live on that baby. I just wish since your moving forward, the back could be accessible maybe I wouldn't have lost Popeyes 7 pounder in the prop wash LOL. But he really has it set up in a great way. Oh the only thing he needs on the luxury liner is a pretty waitress to serve the drinks while we are waiting for the fish to bite.

Pretty sure there is a heater on board... as far as the pretty girls, you'll have to follow "Roof Rafta" around for that. LOL

Johns boat is the best of both worlds isn't it??? Very comfy and surprisingly easy to fish from. (At first sight it seems it may be hard as everything is located different from most boats... but it really is a sweet setup.) We did land one nice salmon off the back of the boat a couple Sundays ago. It was hooked into a leadcore from the other side and we couldn't maneuver it up the side. Good thing the back curtain was up... and the net had a looong handle. So we can say the back isn't totally "unfishable". Right?

Out of curiousity was that before or after you lost the net?????????? LMAO Did you bang the big bruin yet??? Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines LOL Dave From up North

Thanks for the reminder... that was the next weekend, we used the "loaner net" from Matty. Nice, light net. I believe it was Johns son David that was reeling in the fish while I netted out the back. David also made a nice save off the back of the boat (of other sorts) that day. Don't ask... just know I wasn't involved this time...LOL

You all got to love having fun like that. i missed out...next time.

Popeye

That's what it's all about, good company and good fun.

John S.

Must be Trav's cheap camera, made the fish look bigger and you look older, LOL.

I thought the glasses were a gift, oh well. You have to come back on my boat to get em.

It was a fun day and great weather. Look like even winni has slowed a bit the past week, actually since Labor Day.

New Moon coming up, if we get a little s----y weather, with the new noon, should be great fishing he rest of the season.

John S.

Don't forget about the last full moon in august, the fish were practically jumping in the boat.
Moon plays a factor of good or bad some times of the year and not others.
New moon is good but catches for many have been low the last 2 weeks i don't think the moon is doing it for 2 weeks. Maybe for a few days after but not a whole half cycle we are already at 14% waning crescent should be well out of the doldrums by now and fishing for many remains tough.
Don't keep all your pigeions in 1 coop.

Well YO, I agree, in my few years watching I've noticed that not all new Moons turn the fish on, but why did the new moon in August turn them on like it did, what made the big difference ???? Maybe it wasn't the new moon at all but boy did they have the feed bag on ????? All I can say I'm **** happy I was on Winni for the last weekend in August and the first weekend in September. Looking at my calendar, I think it was about 2 weeks that they were "really turned on". However, not so on Squam the same time period, I fished both Lakes allot those two weeks, so maybe it was something else combined with the new moon, but then again Squam never has fast action...

Do you think it could have had something to do with the YOY Perch being at the right comfort zone (temp/depth, etc.) to make them go nuts, kinda like us if Lobster was on sale for 2.99 a pound, can't get enough. They were absolutlety loaded with YOY perch, I mean stuffed, thier stomachs were bulging..

Let's hope this new moon and maybe a bad weather front combined, it will be good for all. As the next new moon (October) I'll be racing my pigeons, to two coops and you'll be picking apples, etc.

John S.

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Replying to:

Don't forget about the last full moon in august, the fish were practically jumping in the boat.
Moon plays a factor of good or bad some times of the year and not others.
New moon is good but catches for many have been low the last 2 weeks i don't think the moon is doing it for 2 weeks. Maybe for a few days after but not a whole half cycle we are already at 14% waning crescent should be well out of the doldrums by now and fishing for many remains tough.
Don't keep all your pigeions in 1 coop.

Sure, work me all up......Maybe I'll take Friday off and do a little fishin' and show you what a 7#er looks like!!!!!......

Popeye

Please do, I can't get one. We had to bust em a little, I expected a call back and we would have came clean. Nothing like a little suspense now and then.

John S.