Any tips on salmon for this old buck?

swnoel · 08-22-2018, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teddyballgame

I came across this article a while back and found it interesting. Over the last several years I have noticed a slow down in fishing success with the Salmon. It may be just my fishing skills but have noticed an increase in the predatory Rock Bass/Redeye and can't help but think that they are having an impact on the baitfish thus impacting our game fish. There are also many other impacts to our game fish such as the 2 Winniderby's, the Loons and the Lake trout. Are our salmon and rainbows at risk? Thoughts?

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/e...lapse-animals/

Salmon and rainbow trout are not at risk... salmon virtually no longer spawn in the lake and along with rainbows are stocked. As the link suggests, as predatory birds expand and build through numbers resident birds will become their prey.

Hillcountry · 08-22-2018, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swnoel

Salmon and rainbow trout are not at risk... salmon virtually no longer spawn in the lake and along with rainbows are stocked. As the link suggests, as predatory birds expand and build through numbers resident birds will become their prey.

Salmon are stocked as fingerlings 5-6” in length. Not sure about rainbows stocking size but I think they are larger than this when stocked. Loons and cormorants can devour a lot of fish in this size category. Waterfowl like these can swallow pretty big fish, whole.
That link would not work for me so I didn’t read it...

swnoel · 08-22-2018, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Salmon are stocked as fingerlings 5-6” in length. Not sure about rainbows stocking size but I think they are larger than this when stocked. Loons and cormorants can devour a lot of fish in this size category. Waterfowl like these can swallow pretty big fish, whole.
That link would not work for me so I didn’t read it...

That's why I hate seeing both... hopefully more eagles will move north and take care of this.

Hillcountry · 08-22-2018, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swnoel

That's why I hate seeing both... hopefully more eagles will move north and take care of this.

Go Eagles! Wait...go Pats! Ummm...never mind...

noreast · 08-22-2018, 04:59 PM

Eagles are about an 80% fish eater. the state is waiting to long to kill these rock bass, they are going to devastate the native population. Funny to read those old threads where some were saying absolutely no rock bass in Winni.

DEJ · 08-22-2018, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreast

the state is waiting to long to kill these rock bass, they are going to devastate the native population.

I agree the rock bass are a big problem. I am curious what you expect the State to do as far as killing them off goes?

noreast · 08-23-2018, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEJ

I agree the rock bass are a big problem. I am curious what you expect the State to do as far as killing them off goes?

I would start with what they've all ready done on Sunapee. Why do we have a fish and game department if we have a major invasion happening right before our eye's with Zero being done. I'm a big supporter of them, and over all I think they do a great job, but the longer we wait the harder it'll be.

dt5150 · 08-24-2018, 08:19 AM

i've caught more rock bass this year than ever before. used to be, we'd get maybe one every week or two. last weekend, i think we caught 6 on one trip. all were served up on the bald eagle buffet.

salmon wise, been catching mostly 3 yr old fish this year. not many 2 year olds or newly stocked fish. only a couple stockers this year, which is very low. i suspect many of the stocked salmon are so small that they're becoming prey soon after their release.

now rainbows.. we've been catching a ton of them lately. last week we landed at least 10 of them, all around 12-14 inches. they must have put a ton of those in the lake this year.. been catching mostly rainbows in that size for the last month or so.

DEJ · 08-24-2018, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreast

I would start with what they've all ready done on Sunapee. Why do we have a fish and game department if we have a major invasion happening right before our eye's with Zero being done. I'm a big supporter of them, and over all I think they do a great job, but the longer we wait the harder it'll be.

Have you contacted NHF&G to see what if any plans might be in the works for Lake Winnipesaukee? Every time I have contacted them they have been very helpful. Let us know what they tell you.

kawishiwi · 08-24-2018, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreast

I would start with what they've all ready done on Sunapee. Why do we have a fish and game department if we have a major invasion happening right before our eye's with Zero being done. I'm a big supporter of them, and over all I think they do a great job, but the longer we wait the harder it'll be.

I dont believe the state has done anything to remove rockies in sunapee. There is a rock bass catch & keep tourney that is not state run. Generally once a species is in and established there is nothing to do to eradicate them short of poisoning everything. There is some hope that the rockies will eventually crash down to a level the bass can recover at.
I think the smallmouth can weather the storm in alternate areas. I recently found a giant school of juvenile smallies, 6" to 10" suspended at 25ft in 35ft of water. They are still out there. Maybe the smallies have been driven out to the salmon areas and are competing with them now?

Hillcountry · 08-24-2018, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawishiwi

I dont believe the state has done anything to remove rockies in sunapee. There is a rock bass catch & keep tourney that is not state run. Generally once a species is in and established there is nothing to do to eradicate them short of poisoning everything. There is some hope that the rockies will eventually crash down to a level the bass can recover at.
I think the smallmouth can weather the storm in alternate areas. I recently found a giant school of juvenile smallies, 6" to 10" suspended at 25ft in 35ft of water. They are still out there. Maybe the smallies have been driven out to the salmon areas and are competing with them now?

I have caught half a dozen nice smallies while trolling for salmon @ 30’ plus this summer.
Some rock bass too and I keep forgetting to kill the little bastards. Hmmm... bear baiting season is around the corner...

noreast · 08-25-2018, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawishiwi

I dont believe the state has done anything to remove rockies in sunapee. There is a rock bass catch & keep tourney that is not state run. Generally once a species is in and established there is nothing to do to eradicate them short of poisoning everything. There is some hope that the rockies will eventually crash down to a level the bass can recover at.
I think the smallmouth can weather the storm in alternate areas. I recently found a giant school of juvenile smallies, 6" to 10" suspended at 25ft in 35ft of water. They are still out there. Maybe the smallies have been driven out to the salmon areas and are competing with them now?

It may not have been the state, I meant what happened in Sunapee, Could have been a local group, I didn't make that clear the way I said it. But that doesn't mean that F&G shouldn't or can't get involved. The had tournaments to catch and kill as many as possible. DEJ, Why should I call F&G for a problem they certainly know exists. I know it's a problem, you know it's a problem, Why so sensitive? Add something If you're going to type.

DEJ · 08-25-2018, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreast

DEJ, Why should I call F&G for a problem they certainly know exists. I know it's a problem, you know it's a problem, Why so sensitive? Add something If you're going to type.

Well excuse me for making a suggestion, geez some folks are touchy. Perhaps NHF&G has a plan, if no one contacts them we will never know. Be part of the solution and contribute to a solution noreast, not expect others to do it for you.

noreast · 08-25-2018, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEJ

Well excuse me for making a suggestion, geez some folks are touchy. Perhaps NHF&G has a plan, if no one contacts them we will never know. Be part of the solution and contribute to a solution noreast, not expect others to do it for you.

I apologize for being so rude, I have talked to them 2 years ago when I felt it was getting out of control. Like I said earlier, I'm a big fan of F&G I actually by there products and magazines, I think they do a great job but no one is taking this seriously enough in my opinion. I don't believe I've ever even read an article about them in Winni. Of course I may have missed one along the way but I try to read everything they put out.

tis · 08-26-2018, 05:59 AM

Somebody doesn't deal with the amount of geese that keep multiplying in the lake either.

Barney Bear · 08-26-2018, 06:40 AM

A report came on WMUR while I was reading this thread. It indicated that there is a lack of F&G personnel available to properly cover all areas.

Hillcountry · 08-26-2018, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barney Bear

A report came on WMUR while I was reading this thread. It indicated that there is a lack of F&G personnel available to properly cover all areas.

This has been the case for many years. I used to see the list of wardens in the little fish and game laws booklet and wondered how the few people on the list could possibly, manage to cover the state...Never mind the lakes.

swnoel · 08-26-2018, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreast

Eagles are about an 80% fish eater.

What's the other 20% ... loons! I hope so!

08-26-2018, 06:40 AM	#16
Barney Bear Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 961 Thanks: 488 Thanked 274 Times in 175 Posts	News Report re F&G A report came on WMUR while I was reading this thread. It indicated that there is a lack of F&G personnel available to properly cover all areas.

08-22-2018, 04:59 PM	#5
noreast Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 648 Thanks: 316 Thanked 120 Times in 93 Posts	Eagles are about an 80% fish eater. the state is waiting to long to kill these rock bass, they are going to devastate the native population. Funny to read those old threads where some were saying absolutely no rock bass in Winni.

The Following User Says Thank You to DEJ For This Useful Post:
Hillcountry (08-22-2018)

08-24-2018, 08:19 AM	#8
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 403 Thanks: 4 Thanked 111 Times in 75 Posts	i've caught more rock bass this year than ever before. used to be, we'd get maybe one every week or two. last weekend, i think we caught 6 on one trip. all were served up on the bald eagle buffet. salmon wise, been catching mostly 3 yr old fish this year. not many 2 year olds or newly stocked fish. only a couple stockers this year, which is very low. i suspect many of the stocked salmon are so small that they're becoming prey soon after their release. now rainbows.. we've been catching a ton of them lately. last week we landed at least 10 of them, all around 12-14 inches. they must have put a ton of those in the lake this year.. been catching mostly rainbows in that size for the last month or so.

The Following User Says Thank You to noreast For This Useful Post:
DEJ (08-25-2018)

08-26-2018, 05:59 AM	#15
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 7,041 Thanks: 803 Thanked 1,525 Times in 1,056 Posts	Somebody doesn't deal with the amount of geese that keep multiplying in the lake either.

The Following User Says Thank You to Barney Bear For This Useful Post:
noreast (08-26-2018)

The Following User Says Thank You to swnoel For This Useful Post:
MBNeckguy (08-26-2018)