Outsmarting the bass boats

[SAMIAM]

Don't get me wrong....I love to fish. Wireline deep for lakers, salmon in the spring, brookies and love a nice mess of yellow perch in cornmeal. Hornpout too.
But for some reason, I've always had a case of the a$$ for bass boaters that come up on the tournaments from out of state and yank bass right off the spawning beds to get their "weight up" It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
Here's my story.....I have two big bass spawning next to my dock. Momma probably goes 4lbs and the dad is a little smaller. Every day, I throw them a few night crawlers or some raw chicken and it's fun to watch them go nuts over it. On weekends, as many as a dozen bass boats cruize the shore right in front of my place but they don't get my little pets........because I've trained them. I cut the hooks off a goldfish and a warbler and cast them right by the spawning bed. At first, they both hit them because that is their nature. Now, they ignore them, both surface lures or spinners. Now they act like dogs ....when they hear me walk out on the dock they start begging for a treat, but won't touch a lure. Ha Ha....sorry, boys.

[VtSteve]

I was taught on Winni since I was a little kid. You don't touch the spawning bass. Makes much more sense now as an adult.

We had our favorites by the dock as well.

I thought most "real" fisherman today were catch and release. Virtually all of our tournaments are.

[Resident 2B]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Don't get me wrong....I love to fish. Wireline deep for lakers, salmon in the spring, brookies and love a nice mess of yellow perch in cornmeal. Hornpout too.
But for some reason, I've always had a case of the a$$ for bass boaters that come up on the tournaments from out of state and yank bass right off the spawning beds to get their "weight up" It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
Here's my story.....I have two big bass spawning next to my dock. Momma probably goes 4lbs and the dad is a little smaller. Every day, I throw them a few night crawlers or some raw chicken and it's fun to watch them go nuts over it. On weekends, as many as a dozen bass boats cruize the shore right in front of my place but they don't get my little pets........because I've trained them. I cut the hooks off a goldfish and a warbler and cast them right by the spawning bed. At first, they both hit them because that is their nature. Now, they ignore them, both surface lures or spinners. Now they act like dogs ....when they hear me walk out on the dock they start begging for a treat, but won't touch a lure. Ha Ha....sorry, boys.

Great idea!!

Thanks!

R2B

[RailroadJoe]

What kind of idiot group has a fish derby when spawning is on. Get rid of the tournament people, or make it later.

[Skip]

I never realized how many Bass tournaments are held each year in the State until I came across THIS page at the New Hampshire Fish & Game website.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Having a bass tournament while they are nesting sounds crazy. Do they take pictures to prove they caught the fish?

June 15th is the end of catch and release. Do the bass know that they have to be done nesting by then?

Great job on training your friends Sam! Maybe you should change your name to Papa Bass.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Skip

I never realized how many Bass tournaments are held each year in the State until I came across THIS page at the New Hampshire Fish & Game website.

Great link Skip... something I want to point out... note how many of these tournaments are public though... only a handful of them... Most of them are small and priviate.....

[Lakepilot]

Every morning we have at least one fishing boat right off our dock. Around our dock we usually have at least 3 mother fish tending their spawning spots. We've always hoped they don't catch Mom. I'm not a fisherman, so I didn't realize that was considered an easy mark. I just figured that all fisherman did this. We shudder when they catch one.

[SAMIAM]

Fish that are spawning are protective of their nest and will pretty much strike at anything. It's really not very sporting to take them. Hard to believe there are any bass left in the lake after a tournament. They cruise every inch of the shoreline and get prizes for the most fish or most weight, not sure exactly.
Just clip the hooks off a couple of lures, one surface type and a spoon such as a daredevil or goldfish and cast them right through the spawning bed several times. At first they will strike the bait and spit it out, but after a few times they will ignore them and "momma" should be ok when the bass boats come around again.

[NBR]

I bass fish but I don't fish touraments nor do I purposely fish for bedding bass although I am sure I catch some on occassion. In NH the season rules have been the same for many years but are bass numbers diminishing? Not that I have noticed and contrary to trout and salmon Fish and Game don't raise
bass for release.

The bass season allows 2 fish per day early but for most of the month of June it is catch and immediate release. Bass are tougher than the salmonoids and more likely to recover from C&R. Think about the impact of bass fishing on F & G? If they were concerned about a reduction in population would they risk the loss of license fee by allowing the quality of the fishery to fall. Not likely!

Winni has immense areas of spawing habitat that should provide thousands of fry with an adequate recruitment to assure great bass fishing for the foreseeable future.

[topwater]

Some things on here just get old quick! Time to move on.

[SAMIAM]

Oop's.....looks like we ruffled Topwater's feathers.he is an avid bassboater but I'm sure he is a good sportsman and would NEVER take bass of a spawning bed.

[topwater]

Hey Sammi, TRY reading last years post on this. LOOK to see what YOUR RESPONSE was to my answer. Go serve the DEAD HORSE in a resturant or something. DO the caps make you understand better? LMAO !!
Memory is a terrible thing to waste. Try fish oil, I hear that works.

[topwater]

05-20-2009, 07:32 PM #1
SAMIAM
Senior Member


Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Moultonborough
Posts: 1,212
Thanks: 2
Thanked 123 Times in 37 Posts Spawning Bass

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know, I know.....here I go again. I whine about this every spring. We have a big bass spawning right next to our dock. She will not last 3 days. The steady parade of bass boats will see to that. It is like catching fish in a barrel. A spawning bass will strike at anything that invades her space and I'm wondering why a true sportsman would want to keep her from laying her eggs.
Any bass boaters out there....can you explain/



21-2009, 12:11 PM #4
topwater
Senior Member


Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 113
Thanks: 9
Thanked 22 Times in 10 Posts

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I do fish Bass tournaments, and I do not fish for bedding bass. I have found that the majority of fishermen and women who do fish beds are not true Bass Fishermen/women. I also would like you to look at the bow numbers to see where they are from. Winnie is know all over New England for its smallmouth bass fishery. What I see alot out there is people who don't really know how to fish well, and do not have the nack of catching fish any other way. I have seen boats all the way from Pennsylvania up here fishing beds. It sounds so cool to say "Wow I caught 75 fish today ". When you say it to someone who doesn't know any better, you sound like a friggin Curt Cowdy or something. When you say it to a serious bassfishermen/woman all they think is "what a clown, my 9 year old grand daughter could do that this time of year". It is what it is, they have been doing that for years, and just like anything, it has hurt fishing some, but after all is said and done, Winnie is still a great smallmouth fishery. Also look at all the Bass Guides, they're making a TON OF MONEY, taking clients out and smacking the hell out of bedding bass. So Samiam thats my take on it, I think its pretty close, this should not be set on Bass Tournament fishermen and woman, I believe its the recreational fishermen/woman that just has a bass boat. If you ever care to try your hand at Bass Fishing, I would be more then happy to take you out someday during the week lol, even I don't go out on Winnie during the week-ends unless I have a tournament.




05-21-2009, 08:57 PM #5
SAMIAM
Senior Member


Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Moultonborough
Posts: 1,212
Thanks: 2
Thanked 123 Times in 37 Posts

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


05-21-2009, 08:57 PM #5
SAMIAM
Senior Member


Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Moultonborough
Posts: 1,212
Thanks: 2
Thanked 123 Times in 37 Posts

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Topwater, it's clear that you are a true sportsman......wish everyone was like you. Thanks for the offer to wet a line, but I've actually fished most of my life. Mostly trolling for bass along the shore and for lakers and salmon in deep water.....love to get into a mess of yellow perch too. But I catch them to eat...not to show off or win a trophy. Next time you grab a salmon, clean it and leave the head on..sprinkle with fresh rosemary, dill, sea salt and 1/2 pint of heavy cream and bake covered for 30 minutes or so.......delish!!

[SAMIAM]

You're right Topswater.....I did forget. You explained it very well in that post and I just got off on my annual rant without thinking back.I should probably eat more fish....that might improve my memory......Sorry

[Dick]

First, the VAST majority of bass tournaments held on Winnipesaukee (and other water bodies as well) are small bass fishing clubs with typically 6 boats or less. These are more social/fun events than anything . . . maybe everyone throws $5 in the pot for the biggest bass.

From ice out until May 14, there is a limit of just 2 bass that can be held in a livewell or taken home for dinner. From May 15 until June 15, Fish & Game regulations permit fishing for bass, but all must be immediately released. then from June 16 to June 30, the limit is just 2 bass. From July 1 on to ice-in the daily limit of bass is 5 fish.

A big female bass can lay as many as 10,000 eggs in 1, 2, or 3 nest sites that males have prepared. Now, there is no way in the world that the lake can support that many new fry so Mother Nature must have had something else in mind by providing this super abundance of eggs. Mother Nature intended that many of these eggs would provide protein for the panfish (that will spawn after the bass and often use the old abondoned bass nest sites).

Adverse weather conditions during the spring spawning period can also have a negative impact so Mother Nature arranges that some bass spawn early, most spawn during the May 15 to June 15 period, and some spawn late.

There is such a super abundance of bass depositing millions of eggs in Winnipesaukee that from a biological and scientific standpoint it does not make any overall difference to the bass population if some of them are temporarily removed from the nesting site area. Remember, during the prime spawning period (May 15 - June 15) all bass must be immediately released. As a result most of these bass quickly find their way back to the nest they were guarding.

There are only a very few bass clubs that have "paper" tournaments from May 15 to June 15. In these events, bass may be caught, quickly measured, and then immediately released back into the water.

In all of our Southern states there is no closed season on bass and they are fished and temporarily held in a livewell until weigh-in time or harvested during the spawning period. There has been no adverse impact on the overall bass population over all these years. Bass are tough, resourceful, and prolific.

It sounds like some folks who own lakeshore property and a dock that is out in the public water can see bass beds and have almost emotionally adopted these bass as pets. I understand how they might feel. Many bass anglers also feel that it is unethical to catch bass during the spawn even though they might known that there is no overall harm done to the bass population in general. If a bass is caught and harvested during the May 15 to June 15 spawning period, that angler is in violation of F&G regulations.

Hope this helps . . .

[SAMIAM]

You explained that very well Dick......never having been in a club, I was not familiar with the rules. There's always a few that give a bad impression but it sounds like most are responsible.

[KWilliams]

My wife and I have been visiting the lake for the past 20 years staying in Center Harbor. I have a deep V Lund with a PA license # on the bow. (perhaps the one mentioned earlier in the thread wiched prompted me to post). We always attempt to cooincide our visit with the post spawn when the male bass are still relating to the spawning flats but not guarding the nest from egg predators. We always fish barbless topwater baits and every fish caught over the past two decades were immediately released. I can't promise that I have never caught a bass on top that was guarding HIS nest but I assure you, I make every attempt not to bother bedding bass during their reproduction ritual. I love this precious resource as much as any lakefront property owner and simply come up to enjoy all the lake has to offer. I understand the general concern of lakeside residents and share it. It is my belief that all anglers should respect the spawning right of the bass and not rip them from their beds and bounce them across the lake to weigh in. Just my $.02. Good day, all.

[MikeF-NH]

hi everyone just a quick $.02 from me (some is fact, some opinion):
-pursuit of bass on public NH waters 24/7/365 = legal
-interfering with the above pursuit in anyway = illegal
-plucking bass from beds = legal
-not returning them right away during June = illegal
-male bass guard the beds (not the "mommies"). Females dig the nest, drop the eggs and leave the area.
-it's not possible or legal to own a bass so any reference to my or our bass = reference to illegal activity
-targeting beds is not unsportsman like or immoral as long as its legal. If it adversely affected the population, it would be illegal. Winni has no problem with it's bass population.
-shoreline property owners own to the waterline and the portion of their docks above water but do not own any water or anything in it and thus have no say in how that resource is utilized.
-everyone that fishes catches bedded fish whether they intend to or not.
-if we need to show concern for a species of fish in the Lake, let it be the salmon...a species that is certainly having a rough go of it.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

hi everyone just a quick $.02 from me (some is fact, some opinion):
-pursuit of bass on public NH waters 24/7/365 = legal
-interfering with the above pursuit in anyway = illegal
-plucking bass from beds = legal
-not returning them right away during June = illegal
-male bass guard the beds (not the "mommies"). Females dig the nest, drop the eggs and leave the area.
-targeting beds is not unsportsman like or immoral as long as its legal. If it adversely affected the population, it would be illegal. Winni has no problem with it's bass population.
-it's not possible or legal to own a bass so any reference to my or our bass = reference to illegal activity
-everyone that fishes catches bedded fish whether they intend to or not.
-if we need to show concern for a species of fish in the Lake, let it be the salmon...a species that is certainly having a rough go of it.
-shoreline property owners own to the waterline and the portion of their docks above water but do not own any water or anything in it and thus have no say in how that resource is utilized.

1) As a shoreline property-owner, I at least, do "get a say" here.

2) It may not be "unsportsman-like" to drag Bass off their nests, but it is often overlooked that it's other than fishermen that "need" a supply of fish.

3) New Hampshire's Birdlife requires a large quantity of fish during a relatively short season.

4) It matters to residents' quality of life that Ospreys, Mergansers, Eagles, and Kingfishers can ever regain their former numbers.

5)The number of Loons—and even Cormorants—appear to be diminished this year.

6) Fishing the Bass from off their nests must be affecting the former large number of Bass, too.

There are a few small fish along the shoreline where I pull my boat out of the water nearly every day—but I don't recall seeing a single Bass fingerling this year.

[NBR]

Accordng to [B]DATA kept by Fish and Game bass catch rates vary slightly by year, over and below a .25 fish per hour rate from 1996 to 2005. The 10 year average has been .26 fish per hour. So the theory that bed fishing results in fewer fish is not substantiated by data.

I am a lot more concerned about it being legal to keep a 5 fish limit of bass in the fall when they are bunched up feeding to fatten up for winter. Fortunitly, a significant number of fishermen release most or all of their catch. Minnesota for exampl has adopted C&R only for fall fishing.

Bass are tough and survive C&R. Trout and salmon do not fair so well when released.

[MikeF-NH]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

1) As a shoreline property-owner, I at least, do "get a say" here.

2) It may not be "unsportsman-like" to drag Bass off their nests, but it is often overlooked that it's other than fishermen that "need" a supply of fish.

3) New Hampshire's Birdlife requires a large quantity of fish during a relatively short season.

4) It matters to residents' quality of life that Ospreys, Mergansers, Eagles, and Kingfishers can ever regain their former numbers.

5)The number of Loons—and even Cormorants—appear to be diminished this year.

6) Fishing the Bass from off their nests must be affecting the former large number of Bass, too.

There are a few small fish along the shoreline where I pull my boat out of the water nearly every day—but I don't recall seeing a single Bass fingerling this year.

HI APS,
First, I really envy you your ownership of lake front property on Winni. A dream I would love to some day enjoy myself but is beyond my means at present. I would like to respond to a few of your numbered points above:
1.) without wanting to parse words in the phrase "as a shorefront owner I do have a say". You certainly have a right to an opinion and to express that opinion even to the guy fishing in front of your property but if by "I do have a say" you mean that as a shorefront owner, you can control what happens in the water under/around/in front of your dock, that is 100% untrue. the lake and it's contents to the high water mark is owned by the State of NH and provided to the public for any legal use they/we feel the urge to engage in. Preventing legal activities by taking actions (like disturbing fish so they don't bite) is actually quite illegal.
2.) it seems you are suggesting that several bird species are starving to death due to over fishing....I would have to see something produced by a biologist that suggests that statement is anywhere near truth and nothing less than hyperbole. Yes loons are adversely affected by lead sinkers which is why they have been banned...if F&G did this to save the species don't you think they would limit fishing if the birds were starving?
...other points were addressed in the post above this one.

Thank you for keeping the discussion civil. I do respect property owners. If I see an owner on a dock while approaching it, I always ask if they mind me fishing their dock or raft. If they say yes, I move on with a polite smile and wave. On the other hand, tourney guys who are looking to cash a check and win sponsors and are doing this for a living may just ignore your complaints and pluck that big ol' bass off the bed....as is their "right". If you try to stop them, at that point you would be committing a crime and subject to heavy fine.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by NBR

According to [B]DATA kept by Fish and Game bass catch rates vary slightly by year, over and below a .25 fish per hour rate from 1996 to 2005. The 10 year average has been .26 fish per hour. So the theory that bed fishing results in fewer fish is not substantiated by data.

Pulling Bass off their nests was occurring decades before 1996: no ten-year average since can reflect accurately any damages done by Bass "fishermen" on bedding Bass.

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

First, I really envy you your ownership of lake front property on Winni. A dream I would love to some day enjoy myself but is beyond my means at present.

When Opportunity knocked to buy here during a recession, I took it. (And set a 15-year record in the least-paid for Lake Winnipesaukee frontage!)

If still working, I suggest partnering with someone—I did, but with Family.

Camp Wyanoke gave me a great appreciation for the spirituality that can be found at Lake Winnipesaukee: a great disservice is done to Humankind to convert any kid's summer camp into McMansions—IMHO.

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

I would like to respond to a few of your numbered points above:
1.) Preventing legal activities by taking actions (like disturbing fish so they don't bite) is actually quite illegal...If you try to stop them, at that point you would be committing a crime and subject to heavy fine.

We're training Bass to become productive fish—to go forth and multiply—since when is that illegal?

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

it seems you are suggesting that several bird species are starving to death...

Adult birds can fly away: it is the birds' offspring that are starving.

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

...due to over fishing...

It's not overfishing, but interfering with normal productivity that is troubling.

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

I would have to see something produced by a biologist that suggests that statement is anywhere near truth and nothing less than hyperbole.

By education, I am a biologist: pulling Bass off of productive beds (legally) falls under a legal/moral condition such as Adultery—which is legal!

Originally Posted by MikeF-NH

Yes loons are adversely affected by lead sinkers which is why they have been banned...if F&G did this to save the species don't you think they would limit fishing if the birds were starving?

Loons need fish that are about ¼-pound in weight. Limiting Bass numbers impacts a fish that is special to Loons—and to the Spirituality that is Lake Winnipesaukee!

BTW:

In my memory, you are the first person here who thinks there are too many Bass in the lake!

[NBR]

The life span of smallmouth bass is 6 to 14 years so 10 year data pretty much covers.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by NBR

Accordng to DATA kept by Fish and Game bass catch rates vary slightly by year, over and below a .25 fish per hour rate from 1996 to 2005. The 10 year average has been .26 fish per hour. So the theory that bed fishing results in fewer fish is not substantiated by data...Bass are tough and survive C&R.

1) Was that for Lake Winnipesaukee?

2) I'm seeing more Bass boats using "fish-finders" to anchor neon floats around "structure". Bass-fishing technology could account for the steady numbers.

3) The question of wildlife dependent on numbers wasn't addressed by your answer. How many C&R Bass weighed between 1-and 9-ounces?

Originally Posted by NBR

The life span of smallmouth bass is 6 to 14 years so 10 year data pretty much covers.

1) It would—but you have no baseline!

2) What was the baseline for the overall quantity of Bass in Lake Winnipesaukee at any time earlier?

(That formerly supported New Hampshire's non-game wildlife—as well as fishermen. Consider that before the disclosure of Mercury-sequestration in Bass populations, "C&R" was not a common practice.)

[Here Come Treble]

[QUOTE=Acres per Second;139719]1) As a shoreline property-owner, I at least, do "get a say" here.


3) New Hampshire's Birdlife requires a large quantity of fish during a relatively short season.

4) It matters to residents' quality of life that Ospreys, Mergansers, Eagles, and Kingfishers can ever regain their former numbers.

5)The number of Loons—and even Cormorants—appear to be diminished this year.

Given these statements about the deminished population of fish eating birds, I'm curious about what is going to happen after 15 tons of herbicide is applied to "kill" milfoil in Moultonborough this fall.

[NBR]

1. Data is for Winni.

2. Depth Finders( Fish Finders ) Have ben available and used by bass fishermen for something near 50 years - More logical reason for similar catch rates is a constant quanity.

3. All of the fish caught were between 1 and 9 ounces at one time in their lives.