Lakers

[FLAG!]

Can we poll the fishermen for preferred methods of ice fishing for Lakers?

What is more successful, Jigging or using tip ups?

If jigging, what is your most successful presentation?
Bucktails tipped with cut bait or live minnow?
Sweedish pimples?
Jigging rapalas?
Other.

If using Tip Ups, what is the preferred bait?
live Smelt
Live Sucker
dead smelt or sucker on laying on the bottom
other type of live bait
power bait
other

Depth for jigging or tip up?
less than 30'
30 to 40 feet
Greater than 60 feet
flat, hump, drop or basin?
other

thanks for the input.

Personally, jigging sweedish pimples (sometimes with a minnow head) has been the most successful techniqu by far. However last year was the first year that our tip ups significantly out produced jigging. We have a large group and we iced 12 lakers last year. All but one came on tip ups in 28 to 42 feet of water. Bait suspended 6 inches to 4 feet off the bottom.

[Grant]

I don't mean to dilute the content/direction of this thread, but I am very interested in fishing for soem Lakers and Salmon this spring.

Problem is, I have been bass fishing Winnipesaukee for all of my 43 years. Therefore, I don't really know what to do.

I understand that downriggers are very popular, but I don't want to incur the expense. How did people do it before downriggers? Also -- the fish should be shallower -- I'm talking about mid-May.

Any pointers?

Thanks!

[Mink Islander]

I made my foray into trout/salmon fishing last year. The cheap way in is a baitcasting rod/reel combo and lead core line with a 50-100 ft mono leader. Make sure your reel has enough capacity to hold plenty of leadcore (8 - 10 colors minimum).

Works particularly well early in the season when the water's colder and the fish are shallower. As you head into mid-summer, you've got to troll a lot of leadcore to get to the right depth. Talk to A.J. in Meredith. He can set you up completely and it's not a huge investment.

[Winnipesaukee Divers]

If you can't afford downriggers or other serious fishing gear... Then you got to get diving in some other parts of the lake. I've found so much of that fishing junk on the bottom I stopped bring it up since my fishing buddies won't take any more of it.

Last year I was diving off Black point with dive buddy Paul, we were looking for a reputed Indian stone statue. First, I found a cannon ball with a S/S line attached to it, I follow it over the rocks and along the bottom for about a hundred yards until I came to the rest of the gear. We decided this needed to rescued and spent the rest of the dive winding it up and getting it back on the dive boat. Once back on the dive boat we checked out treasures: we had a nearly new down rigger with all it components, three fishing poles, lots of fancy lures dangling form from our BCs, antique bottles in ever pocket and all sorts of other interesting trinkets.

On the way back to the Club we came to the realization that we had a lot of junk that neither of us would ever use or even wanted. So we made a quick detour over to the town docks and left it there. Later that day on our way to dinner we strolled over to see if it was still there. Nope, it was gone. I sure hope it made someone's day

A note to the fishermen: if you guys would put your name and number on your equipment, I would be able to get it back to you instead of just giving it away.

[Grant]

I love it. I've found a lot of lures, tons of monofilament and other fishing line (that stuff does get weird when submerged for and extended period, huh?), and odds and ends. But my first love is bottles.

And, yes, there's so much more of the Lake that I need to dive.

So much Lake, so little time!

This year, the plan is to start earlier and end later. Of course, that was the plan last year, and the year before, and the year before...

[Grant]

I made my foray into trout/salmon fishing last year. The cheap way in is a baitcasting rod/reel combo and lead core line with a 50-100 ft mono leader. Make sure your reel has enough capacity to hold plenty of leadcore (8 - 10 colors minimum).

Works particularly well early in the season when the water's colder and the fish are shallower. As you head into mid-summer, you've got to troll a lot of leadcore to get to the right depth. Talk to A.J. in Meredith. He can set you up completely and it's not a huge investment.

Thanks! I have a lot of equipment, so adding a little should do the trick.

[FLAG!]

I have a had a lot of success trolling streamers on a fly rod with sinking line or a sinking tip and a good length of mono or flourocarbon. Best patterns for me are maynard marvel, grey ghost, winnipesaukee smelt, supervisor, 9-3, and joe's smelt. Usually the worse weather the better. If you are targeting lakers, troll about a slowly as you can. There is so much more information and many anglers have varying theories. I purchased agreat book this year. It is called "Angling in the Smile of the Great Spirit" It's a terrific book and loaded with good information on lakers and salmon fishing from the old time greats. I highly recommend it.

[Grant]

Yep, I've had that book on my nightstand since summer, when my wife bought it for me. Excellent reading. Good tips from the "masters" on fishing for just about anything.