Salmon

[fltsimguy]

Hi all,

Been a while since I've fished on the Lake and I've always wanted to catch a salmon. Any consistent spots around the Lake? What do you use to catch one?

Mike F

[MikeF-NH]

Hi Mike (liking your name),
This time of year you should find salmon down 25-35 ft (shallower at first light) in areas adjacent to the Broads. Most folks are targeting them at this time by trolling spoons and flys from 1.8-2.2 mph. To get your bait down, people are using downrigger or leadcore setups (5-6 colors).

This is very general information because salmon fishing info can (and is) written in volumes. I would strongly recommend stopping by AJs Bait and Tackle and talking to AJ about what they are catching them on (it's good form to spend some money there also when asking for info). AJ is on Main St in Merideth. Alternatively, you can search the message board archives at fishlakewinni.com for all the information you would ever want on bait, tackle, locations, methods etc.

Just to warn you, unlike fishing for sunfish where you can get into them for a $20 investment in a Zebco 202 and a can or worms, in general, you will have to drop some coin in fairly elaborate setups (and a boat) to have a reasonable chance at consistent results with salmon. You might get lucky off a dock at first light with a shiner and a bobber but if you are, I would buy a lottery ticket immediately. The wolfboro town docks right where the river is flowing in may produce also with that setup early in the day.

[Mink Islander]

I echo all of Mike F.'s recommendations. Definitely drop in to A.J.'s. He's got a great supply of topgun and DB Smelt lures which are very popular on the lake.

Other locations to consider would be: 1) directly out from Shep Brown's. There's a nice deep area between the marina and Bear Island. You'll often see boats trolling that area. I frequent the area between Timber Island, Governors Island, Meredith Neck and Bear Island. Again, there's a deep area that's among the deepest in the lake. I've had good luck this time of the year along the edges of that deeper area.

Good luck!

[fltsimguy]

Great stuff, thanks guys! So needless to say, the fish like deep water. Let you know how I make out!!

[FLAG!]

Glad you asked! I'm still excited about my luck last week. I used to fish for salmon a lot up there but over the last 15 years I've become more of a smallmouth fisherman. By chance I decided to try my hand at it last week. Monday morning We were on the water at 4:45 and first line went in at 5:00 am. At 5:15 we landed our first fish. A beauty that hit a db smelt in 40'. 20 mins later we boated a 1.5# Rainbow. We ketp those two fish and released another 3 small salmon and 3 small lake trout and a bass. I went out three more times that week, never fishing past 8:00. One day we had high pressure and wind and caught a nice white perch, some lakers and 2 very small salmon. Another day I fished by myself and caught two keeper salmon and some throwback lakers. My last day out I took my daughter and we stayed on the water till about 7:00 and had a nice laker to show for it. The cold water fishing is GREAT! See pictures attached. All of these fish came from 35 to 55 fee of water on DB smelt (available at AJ's).