A little Help please

[unclegary47]

Hello everyone. Will be staying with family in Concord N.H. first week in june and would very much appreciate any help anyone can offer about your beautiful lake. Looking for a boat livery (boat rentals) in that area for a couple of day trips. Know NOTHING about your lake and would appreciate any and all responses.
By the way I fish "ONLY" C&R so the only fish I take home are on film.
Looking specfically for bass (sm) but any action is ALWAYS GOOD!

Thanks in advance
UNC (N.J);)

[GWC...]

Know NOTHING about your lake and would appreciate any and all responses.
Looking specfically for bass (sm) but any action is ALWAYS GOOD!

Thanks in advance

Here's some smallie reading while you are waiting for June to arrive...

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/links/Boating/

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/links/Fishing/

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2022

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1978

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1955

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1888

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2056

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2231

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2349

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2230

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2235

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2127

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data//507/thumbs/1368jpg5.jpg

[Mink Islander]

Contact AJ's Bait and Tackle. Located in Meredith. Great source of information about the lake. His website: www.ajsbaitandtackle.com. Check out the link in the bottom left corner of his site to the Winnie Fishing message board. THE best source for anything you want regarding fishing Winnipesaukee.

[camp guy]

If, by your original post, you know NOTHING about our Lake, then I humbly suggest you first acquaint yourself with the Lake, maybe by taking a day cruise on the M/S Mt Washington, or something like that, to get the feel of the Lake. This is a big lake, and conditions can change drastically and rapidly from area to area, and it can be unforgiving. I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just making a cautious suggestion. There are many boat rental locations around the Lake. If you use the internet and Google you can find a bunch. If you want a two day rental you may have to also secure overnight docking (which isn't allowed at most Town docks). You are starting early, I'm sure you will find something.

[trfour]

Also, I would suggest loging on to the winnipesaukee.com Store and purchase a Bizer Lake chart to check out the lake ahead of time, and bring with you on the boat.

Good luck1

[Mee-n-Mac]

If you're going to be boating, even if only for a few days, I strongly suggest you get a chart of the lake to know where to go and where not to go. You can order one from here http://www.winnipesaukee.com/shop.html to study ahead of time or get one at a number of shops around the lake.

[jrc]

There's a bunch of boat rental places in the lake links on this website. Plus there are some guide services.

I'd recommend a guide with their own boat. The cost is about the same as a bare boat. Plus there's no issues of having your boating safety test. Winnipesaukee has a lot of fish but it's a big lake. I recently returned to fishing and I've been fishing for smallmouth bass on Winni for two seasons and it's still hard to consistently find the fish. If you get a guide you'll have a good time.

This idea won't work if your planning on other boating activities like waterskiing, tubing or just hanging around the sandbar with the kids. But if fishing is the main attraction, it's the only way to go.

[camp guy]

As usual, this Forum has produced good responses. In your planning you need to remember that Concord NH and Lake Winnipesaukee are a few miles apart, so logistics will be a factor. The suggestion to buy an on line chart through this Forum is EXCELLENT. Also, a guided fishing tour will probably be the best bet at finding fish-another good suggestion. I still stand by my suggestion to take an M/S Mount Washington cruise to get the big picture. If you pick a windy day, too windy for your fishing activity, you won't 'lose' that day. Good Luck.

[rickstr66]

Camp guy:

No need to hire a guide for the 1st week of June. This will be spawn time on Winni. The fish will be in all phases of the spawn, prespawn, spawning and postspawn.The lake spawns out in a counterclockwise pattern starting with Moultenborogh Bay and working counterclockwise around the lake. No need to target the spawners because there are 1000's or pre and post spawners to target. Finding them is so easy it's scary. Drive the boat to ANY island or shoreline that consists of fist size rocks (thats almost any island or shoreline) and start fishing in 3-10' of water. Some islands to try are Mark, Timber, Goveners and Welsh. Tubes, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and slug go type baits will score dozens of fish. Remember that when you fish during this period that the law is 100% catch and release. You can't even keep one for dinner if you wanted to till June 15th. The limit is 2 fish then till July 1st when it jumps up to a 5 fish limit.

Good luck and have fun

[b8tcaster]

If you do intend to hire a guide then I suggest http://www.nhsmallmouth.com/

Joe and Steve are two of the best on Winni or anywhere for that matter. The spawn will be in process so numbers shouldnt be a problem but the wind can be a big problem on this lake. That would be an advantage to a guided trip as they know where to go depending on the direction and severity of the wind. Its also a great way to perhaps learn some new techniques to take home with you. If you decide to go it alone and can say what area you intend to explore, I would be happy to help if I can as I spend way too much time bass fishing there...lol

[halclyon]

Good advice, so far, in that the bass will be on the spawning beds at that time, and easy to catch. I enjoy most paddling around shore in a canoe and fly casting to the beds using a hair bug or popper. You will see them, wearing polaroids, mostly as roundish light-colored cleared sandy areas, cleared by the male smallmouth bass, as a nest). The males will attack your fly (or almost anything which enters their space) with vengence! Great fun on a fly rod!

Unlike us, the males do most of the work in this reproductive process, selecting and cleaning the beds, until the female arrives for a few minutes, drops her eggs in the bed for him to fertilize with his milt, and that's it for her part. He will then faithfully guard the bed for several weeks until the fry hatch, and keep guarding them until he finally herds the cloud of fry into shore to fend for themselves in the cracks among the rocks. Occasionally, to protect them, he will inhale them into his mouth and spit them back out after danger is past. When I say he will attack, I mean it! I have waded out to a bed and had a 4-pounder slam into me with considerable force, trying to drive me off! How's that for courage!

The landlocked salmon fishery will also be prime at that time and if you want to go, I'd suggest one of two Master Angler guides, Jay Parent (www.nhguideservices.com) or Travis Williams (www.fishlakewinni.com) which is also a great site for the latest fishing conditions and news. Though it will soon be out of print, I immodestly recommend reading the definitive book on fishing in Lake Winni, Angling in the smile of the Great Spirit -- 6 Centuries of wisdom from the MasterAnglers of Lake Winnipesaukee.(www.deepwaterspress.com)

Tight lines!:liplick:

Hal