Welcome Fish Lake Winni Angler's
Log On Today - Fish On Tomorrow! ™
(603) 731-1804 / (603) 344-8698
So what’s a fishing guide do on his day off? Goes fishing of course. Travis and I were talking last Friday afternoon about fishing that night on my boat as he did not have any charters, but it came up windy and we decided against it. So while running an errand in Meredith about 5:00, my cell rings and it’s Travis, “the wind laid down, want to go out” So we plan to meet at my dock and give it a shot.
After about an hour we get a bite on the rigger, first bite on a rigger so far this season, Travis took his time and enjoyed every second of this battle, to himself I hear him say “man, I love fishin”. An easy fat 4 pound Bow, 19 inches, 22 feet down on a rigger, SSS Orange and Gold Tiger stripe BB Gun (home made).
About a ½ hour later we get a bite on the lead core, high 5 maybe 6 pound Salmon, I did not measure it as the fly fell out when we netted it, so we wanted to get it back in the lake ASAP. It was a perfect fish, not a mark on it, caught on a Cee Dee Needle Smelt tandem streamer of Paul Dubriske, 4 colors of lead off one of Jim’s rod pumpers. What a fish, best thing is we didn’t think many 3 year olds were left in the lake, I hope there are many more and maybe some 2’s as well ??? That was it, 2 hours, 2 bites, 2 nice fish, both released.
Saturday Joe Soto (Salmon Stalker) and I fished from 6:00 to 12:30 in pouring rain and wind, a real nasty day, ugh. But Squam can really turn on with this type of day, the snottier the better. First fish as soon as we set up, 2lb 13oz, 18” Bow, tandem Red Gray Ghost from AJ’s, 3 colors. 4 hours later a pair of twin Bows 19”, 3 lbs 13 oz each (we thought they were 4's) one caught on a Cee Dee Streamer, new pattern for 2010, other on a SSS Orange and Gold Tiger stripe BB Gun, 22’ down on rigger, same spoon that caught Trav’s Bow above..
We had 4 other bites before 10:30, 1 small 13” Bow and 3 others we (I) did not land but they felt heavy ???
Water temp both trips about 53 to 55 degrees depending where yu were on the lake.
Before you hook up your boat and head for Squam, some more details, we have made 12 fishing trips so far this season, about 96 hours on the water total, 4 to 6 rods (mostly 4, a few times 2 rods) total of 15 fish in the boat, only 3 were Salmon (2 were way undersize) and 4 of the 12 days had no bites at all, “Skunked or Squamed”.
That is the difference between Squam and Winni, so if you want a shot at a decent fish, try Squam but be sure to have a good lake map with you, GPs, etc. water is below summer levels, many rocks showing and allot of marker buoys missing with no light buoys on yet.
In the spirit of reviving the message board, I’ll be giving detail Squam fishing reports again this year. I hope the “guides” and everyone else do likewise, let’s share details and be one happy family again.
My hope is the Fishlakewinni web site will provide/attract Winni fisherman and license revenue for F and G and that F and G will supply the fish.
“Adjust the fish to the pressure, not the pressure to the fish”. It can work if they continue to put in good quality Salmon and we are selective in what we keep and/or put back in.
Trav has a few photos, maybe he will put them up ?
Big John
Great post John!
I do love hearing about the biggunz' in Squam!
I do love hearing about the biggunz' in Squam![/quote]
Not many left I'm afraid due to the two missing year classes, but as you can see one decent 3 year old showed up, I hope there are more. Bow fishing has picked up some too so if the Salmon don't bite, the Bows should provide a little fun.
They do grow well in Squam, not many fish, plenty of food, not much pressure, but we do have a a high hook wound percentage, you figure it ????
We get many more boats than normal in the spring, but they soon stop coming, not enough action for most fisherman, Squam sort of handles it's own pressure that way. Plus the lake is lower than normal summer level this year, not sure why it's so low, lots of rocks showing makes folks nervous.
Big John
Nice post John. I've not been on Winni in weeks due to work and other issues. I plan to fish Winni Thursday thru Sunday while staying at Ames Farm with my dad and brothers. I will post my reports and videos if I have any luck. I too want to see the board come back to what all of us enjoyed in the past.
PS I stopped at AJ's Saturday to pick up my repaired downriggers and saw Travis. He showed me the pictures on his phone. That fish was perfect. I hope that Winni has a few of them around as well.
I do love hearing about the biggunz' in Squam![/quote]
Not many left I'm afraid due to the two missing year classes, but as you can see one decent 3 year old showed up, I hope there are more. Bow fishing has picked up some too so if the Salmon don't bite, the Bows should provide a little fun.
They do grow well in Squam, not many fish, plenty of food, not much pressure, but we do have a a high hook wound percentage, you figure it ????
We get many more boats than normal in the spring, but they soon stop coming, not enough action for most fisherman, Squam sort of handles it's own pressure that way. Plus the lake is lower than normal summer level this year, not sure why it's so low, lots of rocks showing makes folks nervous.
Big John[/quote]
John high hook injury because there are fewer of them and they get released frequently-that's why the get bigger.
Cal
Great report John.
I read that you started including some SSS hardware again.Sounds like it is working fine.
Richard
I read that you started including some SSS hardware again.Sounds like it is working fine.
Richard[/quote]
I have two SSS that I call my BFL (big fish lure) same style, different colors, one dark orange and gold back, the other pink with silver back, both with tiger stripes on the top, they are BB Gun blanks taped up..
Cal, In Squam the yearlings rarely get caught it seems, they hide well and live on bugs until the fall and then we see a few when they are on YOY Smelt ???? So when they get to be 2 and older if they get caught a few times they are not effected as much as when a baby gets caught multiple times, one time hooked is realy hard on the little guys. I don't know why the yearlings get caught so much in Winni, maybe because of the many thousands they put in.
The small Bows are hard to keep off your hook though, but they seem hardier and are much bigger when put in.
Big John
No, I went to Champlain you silly goose.
Nice report......Been like that since the early 80's, why would it change now??
Popeye
good job jon one of the best reports I have read on this site so far this season, squam seems to be fishing a lot like Ossipee is this year real slow start , I have not had the time to go as much as I usually do but it is slow, I will try this weekend and post my results next week maybe we are just in a natural cycle for the fish it seems that way
Great report John. I always like all the details. Also you make some good points . About the fishery. Looks like you have been giving the shoulder a rest. Only been on Winni once bummer.
hi john thanks for another great sqaum fishing day.
thanks joe s...
I just want o say thanks too, john for getting the board back to what matters, good friends, sharing and good fishing. thanks, lance
Thanks, but please I don't want or wont take any credit, I only "suggested it", it's up to everyone else, including guides, to participate like before. Link's post got me going.
Travis was ready to throw in the towel when we were fishing the other night, none of us want that, so lets make it what it used to be.
They don't have to give numbers if they don't want, "had a great day, etc." (had a bad day) biggest fish, whatever, but if they want to give numbers, so what, that's what made this message board, fishing reports and helping one another.
Share details, what colors, what depth, water temp, you all know the routine, help a new person the best you can, etc.
It's Travis's web site, it will be up to him to bounce those that don't respect it and follow a few simple guidelines.
Join the NHSA when it gets to that point and let them do the arguing and lobbying for you, while we make more friends. Some of the nicest people and friends I know, I met right here.
Wife won 4 tickets to the Red Sox tomorrow night, 220.00 each seats, in the Home Plate Pavilion, with free parking, etc. We will take my 95 year old mother in law (HUGE Sox fan) to the game, she's never been to a game before, she will be treated like a Queen in there, best seats, prime rib, whatever she wants, etc.
Guess I'll have to give up Wednesday fishing.
Big John
Travis was ready to throw in the towel when we were fishing the other night, none of us want that, so lets make it what it used to be.
John
The towel throwing was refered to as what giving up on the fishing you two were doing or dumping the site because of the bickering and stuff.
C.C. [On the side for now]
John
The towel throwing was refered to as what giving up on the fishing you two were doing or dumping the site because of the bickering and stuff.
C.C. [On the side for now][/quote]
Giving up the site (sorry I wasn't more clear) because of things you mentioned above. I sat on the side a few times for the same reasons, no need to do that, for whatever reason.
It's Trav's site, if people know that they could be canned (and it's happened before in a few instances) at any time, they might think twice about what they say here.
If anyone has a gripe with another individual, most people list an e mail (should be mandatory) address, take it private and duke it out. I've done it before and became good friends with the individuals. If it can't be hashed out (and that's happened with me too) so be it, at least the board didn't have to listen to all the bul---- of two people hanging their laundry out. It can get nasty.
Big John
John
The towel throwing was refered to as what giving up on the fishing you two were doing or dumping the site because of the bickering and stuff.
C.C. [On the side for now][/quote]
Giving up the site (sorry I wasn't more clear) because of things you mentioned above. I sat on the side a few times for the same reasons, no need to do that, for whatever reason.
It's Trav's site, if people know that they could be canned (and it's happened before in a few instances) at any time, they might think twice about what they say here.
If anyone has a gripe with another individual, most people list an e mail (should be mandatory) address, take it private and duke it out. I've done it before and became good friends with the individuals. If it can't be hashed out (and that's happened with me too) so be it, at least the board didn't have to listen to all the bul---- of two people hanging their laundry out. It can get nasty.
Big John[/quote]
Thanks John for clearing it up. Hopefully we can hook up this year on the ocean. I am not targeting salmon this year unless its champlain or ontario.
Thank You
C.C.
Any time Charlie, maybe when the Strippers (did I spell that right ? no matter, lol) are in.
Big John
Big John[/quote]
you got it!
J.D.-
I fish Ossipee and would like to talk w/ others about the lake. I read the message board often but I not many fish Ossipee. I've been fishing it for the last 10 yrs. I fish out of Deer Cove and will be out on the lake this weekend. Let me know how I can contact you.
good report john,travis got his new toy on fri. he call me on satday to tell me he was 6 for 6 on it. I was so happy for him. jim
