Bass Boats
 

Not trying to start a ***** storm but just have a question.
Seems like every 20 minutes on weekends a bass boat slides right up to our dock. They have every right and I don't object....the lake belongs to everyone.
But bass are spawning at this time of year and we usually see several nests being cleared and momma is swimming around to protect her nest.
They don't last even three days. We watch as they catch them....used to be some sizable fish out there but recently they only seem to be well under 2lbs.
How can they reproduce when they are caught before they can even lay their eggs?
Nothing against fishing but it seems like they could lay off a bit when they are spawning so they'll have fish for future years

Unfortunately with the popularity of Bass fishing, growing on the lake this was an inevitable problem. This like is not a hot bed of Bass breading and habitat. And thus over fishing is a reality on this lake.

Ultimately what will hopefully happen, is that the Bass fisherman will start to lose interest in Winnipesaukee, as the size and number of bass available to catch dwindles and then they can naturally build their numbers and sizes back up.

Over the years I have noted that bass fishing on the lake, changes and goes through popularity peaks and valleys.... Hopefully we are near peak, and we will head into a valley.....

With all that said there is a very serious problem I have noted on the lake in recent years, while I see many fisherman practicing catch and release, I am noticing the number of them doing it properly dwindling. Many more fish then ever before are being spotted belly up on the lake, in almost all cases I decided to look at (the ones that end up on my shoreline)... Hooks have been riped out cause internal damage, instead of removed properly with Pliers to limit the damage.

Yea guys, can you please like not enjoy the lake at all in the manner in which it’s suppose to be used. NIMBY

just as an fyi, momma lays the eggs and scoots. That’s dad protecting nest..

They are supposed to Catch and Release until June 15th

But I have seen them catch and release the care givers over and over and it’s pretty hard on them.

We always nick name every fish Nemo. They caught Nemo !!!

https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/seasons.html

The regs are here:

http://www.eregulations.com/wp-conte...1NHFW_VLR3.pdf

From May 15 to June 15 bass are catch and release only.

If you see otherwise, get a picture and dime them out!

Welcome back, one trick pony. Not all is NIMBY (like, 75% of your posts) and, in fact, this is just the opposite: it's "be responsible so you can have BETTER experiences in my back yard."

Sam's actually a RUMBY!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Some of the best small mouth fishing in New England is on this lake... pretty sure catch and release is working just fine for over decades.

Sunfish: Ever Watchful and "Listening" for Disturbances...
 

When the "catch" is being admired, Sunnies (or more recently, Rock Bass) race in for a snack. :(

You can think that, but I have the same observances as SAMIAM.... With over 30 years on this lake in the same spot I know what I used to see and what I see now...

An important note brought up in this thread is the presence of Rock bass which has continued to grow, over the last 10 years......

There is some good Small mouth fishing on the lake... Unfortunately the number of good bass fisherman with good practices is a different story. I watch the various techniques used to de-hook them all the time, with no more the 10 or 20 feet between my eye balls sitting on my dock, and the fisherman catching them. More and more I see less handling of fish and removing the hook properly, and more flicking of the line to get the fish off, which tends to cause damage.

I am all for the rights of fisherman, or anyone that wants to enjoy this lake and what it has to offer.... but those people need to learn how to properly do so an a manor which protects the enviornment.... And that art is getting lost.

Cowabunga!
 

A well-timed cannonball off the dock prior to the fishermen approaching will usually spook the local fish. Fishermen move along; Nemo remains safe.

Just remember that bass are not native to lake winnipesaukee they were introduced many years ago. Now some may take this the wrong way but personally if they were not native to the lake they don’t belong.

Of course some may disagree but far as I’m concerned they are an invasive species. Yes I am a fisherman.

I am not a fisherman, but I think it's really cool and a great use of the lake. Stepping back from the species issue--do you agree that fish are generally smaller and do you think there's something we should do to reverse the trend?

I don’t disagree however the introduction of any non native species bass included is probably not best for the lakes ecosystem. While it may seem harmless there could be adverse effects although bass have been in the lake for so long now it probably doesn’t really matter much anymore. I’m not a bass fisherman so I can’t speak to thier size or population numbers but I typically have a bass or two make a nest around my dock every spring and this year was no different. Two made residence this year and both were pretty decent size. Far as the trout and salmon which is my preference it has been a tough year. As is well known the salmon numbers are down due to stocking problems years ago that are now effecting the fishing but these are all stockers and the fish and game is addressing this just that it will be a few years till they rebound in numbers. Rainbows and lakers remain plentiful and seem to be healthy. No doubt the fishing pressure on winni is high and with modern day electronics make it easier to mark fish but catching still remains a matter of luck. I don’t think there is much to worry about but I also am just a recreational fisherman, the hardcore guys may have a different take on things.

Overfishing Reduces Size...
 

Older fish are The Producers...

Catch and Release
 

Hopefully, this does not include rock bass, it should be catch and kill.

In that case these would be the fish in the lake...
Lake Winnipesaukee Native Fish Residents

American eel (catadromous: adults live in freshwater but return to the ocean to spawn; only female American eels enter freshwater to grow and mature for 4-10 years before heading back to the ocean to rejoin the males and spawn in the Sargasso Sea) – note: I placed this species under “resident” since the females are present in the lake for such a substantial amount of time
Bridled Shiner
Brook trout
Brown bullhead (horned pout)
Burbot (cusk)
Chain pickerel
Common shiner
Common white sucker
Fallfish
Golden shiner
Lake trout
Lake whitefish
Rainbow smelt
Round whitefish
Pumpkinseed
Redbreast sunfish
Slimy sculpin
Yellow perch

Fishing during bass spawn . . . the facts
 

It is common for the female bass to dump 10,000 eggs into 2 nests. It is true that it is the male bass that guards the eggs and protects the fry. This is happening all over the body of water resulting in multiple Millions of eggs. There is no way the lake can support all of this huge abundance (the panfish eat some of the eggs).

Many studies done over the years show that fishing has had little or no overall negative impact on the overall bass population.

Further, if the angler catches and then immediately releases, the bass will swim right back to the nest.

Hmm. It’s early and maybe my brain isn’t working yet but I’m missing the point here I think. You seem to want people to take and eat bass? Im not an expert on bass populations but having fished the lake for forty years I don’t think there are more than there were (excluding rock bass). The actual size of the fish has certainly changed. Back in the 70’s and 80’s catching 3lb or better small mouth was common. Not so anymore. The last comment about the bass swimming back to the nest that’s going to always happen as during the spawn they have to be released.

Maybe someone more involved in bass tournament fishing can toss in some comments here with good info on the health of the bass population.

I've noticed in other lakes a big drop in fish over the recent years and a large increase of loons... my guess is they're a greater threat to fish than fishermen .

Not so sure this is fact - there were 495 adult loons in the state as of summer of 2021 and the latest survey by LPC.

Pretty sure that's not causal to your 'big drop in fish' - if you have any data I'll all eyes to read.

My Take:

1. Rock Bass Rock bass eat all bass eggs they can find. And there is more
then 500 times more Rock bass then Largemouth or Smallmouth.

2. All the construction interrupting the shoreline. Fertilizing of new and existing lawns, etc effect the lake.

3. Over fishing of LM or Sm Bass It brings a few bucks into the state But??
Stop LM or SM bass fishing during the spawn.

4. Loss of Crawfish as food for LM or SM Bass


I believe these are a few reasons you catch fewer and SMALLER LG or SM bass.
Don't think anyone can control the Rock bass Population
Construction, Don't think you can control this. There are laws on the books, however IF they are going to do it. They will with no regard. Everyone knows someone like that
Over Fishing, everything runs in a cycle.
Crawfish, My Opinion is they are GONE. Yes, you might be able to find 1 or 2, but nothing like it was. That was a major food source.





I believe all of this adds to less and SMALLER FISH being caught.