Smallie Fishing on Winnie

Jeff Furber · 08-22-2005, 11:22 AM

I am coming to NH to fish this coming weekend, does anyone have any smallmouth reports.

I know they will be deep, unless you fish early, which we intend to. Just thought I would check in with the fisherman as to what was happening on the lake. Thanks Jeff

Mink Islander · 08-22-2005, 03:56 PM

Have caught several, including a 3 pounder on Sunday while trolling in the AM for salmon/trout. Usually at about 30-35 FT when I'm near the edge of some drops -- just where you'd expect them to be. I've seen a number of bass boats over in the shallows between Timber and Mark Islands every weekend. Must be some action there.

Eric Austin · 08-24-2005, 08:24 PM

I caught this fish right of the dock at Piping Rock Resort in Wolfeboro during the week of August 10, 2005. I used a Yum rubber crawfish rigged on one of those weedless hooks with the spring metal guard. I had the lure rigged "Carolina style" (I think...) with a bullet weight free to move up and down the line in between the lure and my swivel on the end of the line. I also put three small red beads inbetween the lure and the weight. It seemed to work pretty good for me...

This was about 10:00 in the evening. I was working the lure on the bottom in about 13 feet of water. That's why I had the weedless hook. The hook was an Eagle Claw 1/0 or 2/0 size. I forget exactly which size, but if you have some of those Yum crawfish, the hook matches the size of the lure perfectly. Piping Rock is in the same cove as The Libby Museum in Wolfeboro (I believe, or perhaps Moultonboro as it's near the town line).

I have one of those Humminbird Smart Cast remote fish finders, and there didn't seem to be too much structure, in terms of drop-offs or large rocks, in the immediate area where I caught the fish. Perhaps I just got lucky...

I think as the season progresses and as the water gets a little colder, the fish might start getting a little more aggressive.

I put the fish on the stringer to keep him in the water until the moment the camera was ready, just to get the picture. I let him go immediately after, unscathed. I think that I may have made him late for a dinner date, or something, however...

Anyway, good luck!!!
-Eric

rickstr66 · 08-25-2005, 10:55 AM

Jeff my club had a tournament out of Ames farm last weekend. Fishing was tough. The water is warmer than usual and the fish are deeper and scattered. No one I talked to caught more then 1-2 in any one location. Winner had 11 lbs and 3rd was only 8+.

Jeff Furber · 08-27-2005, 04:54 PM

Thanks to all who passed on their advice and reports, nice picture of that smallie from Wolfeboro. Glad you let it go.

Went to Winnie, yesterday, (Friday) we decided to put in at Lee's Mill's fish some of the coves for largies. I was surprised to see a lot of almost dead weeds, very brown and dingy looking.
Put in at 7:30(long haul from Mass.) threw Senko's, both regular and whacky, buzzbaits spinnerbaits and top water. Not a fish in 2 hours, deep or shallow, under docks nothing. Finally caught a large calico on a rattletrap. We abandoned Lee's Mills for the rock piles on the way to melvin village. Same deal, no follows, no missed strikes. Changed colors, lures, fished the cabbaged. Not a thing.
Went to 20, 19 mile bay, Chase and Farm.....Water was warm 76deg surface.
Bottom bounced for 2 hours when we spotted a group of fish.
Same report as everyone else fishing, out of 3 boats we talked to, there was one small fish caught.

Of course it could have been worse, I could have been at work. Our next scheduled trip will be when the water drops down into the 60's. Thanks again to all for the info. Jeff

jkjoshuatree · 08-28-2005, 07:50 PM

The water is so warm this summer that they'll tend to stay a lot deeper than normal.

Jeff Furber · 08-30-2005, 10:36 AM

I had expected the warm, surface temps. I had really expected to find more fish on the bottom relating to drop offs and rock ledges. I was very surprised when we saw very few fish on the depth finder and we looked and cruised around every deep shoal we could find.
We used Bizers latest map and really worked hard at finding good places for fish to hide.
Sure wish I had a hellgramite or two to drop over the side while on some of the 20-35ft drops. At least we could have varified something was down there.
Better fishing days are coming.

08-22-2005, 11:22 AM	#1
Jeff Furber Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Hopkinton, Mass Posts: 34 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Smallie Fishing on Winnie I am coming to NH to fish this coming weekend, does anyone have any smallmouth reports. I know they will be deep, unless you fish early, which we intend to. Just thought I would check in with the fisherman as to what was happening on the lake. Thanks Jeff

08-22-2005, 03:56 PM	#2
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	Smallie Report Have caught several, including a 3 pounder on Sunday while trolling in the AM for salmon/trout. Usually at about 30-35 FT when I'm near the edge of some drops -- just where you'd expect them to be. I've seen a number of bass boats over in the shallows between Timber and Mark Islands every weekend. Must be some action there.

08-24-2005, 08:24 PM	#3
Eric Austin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 146 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Smallmouth Bass I caught this fish right of the dock at Piping Rock Resort in Wolfeboro during the week of August 10, 2005. I used a Yum rubber crawfish rigged on one of those weedless hooks with the spring metal guard. I had the lure rigged "Carolina style" (I think...) with a bullet weight free to move up and down the line in between the lure and my swivel on the end of the line. I also put three small red beads inbetween the lure and the weight. It seemed to work pretty good for me... This was about 10:00 in the evening. I was working the lure on the bottom in about 13 feet of water. That's why I had the weedless hook. The hook was an Eagle Claw 1/0 or 2/0 size. I forget exactly which size, but if you have some of those Yum crawfish, the hook matches the size of the lure perfectly. Piping Rock is in the same cove as The Libby Museum in Wolfeboro (I believe, or perhaps Moultonboro as it's near the town line). I have one of those Humminbird Smart Cast remote fish finders, and there didn't seem to be too much structure, in terms of drop-offs or large rocks, in the immediate area where I caught the fish. Perhaps I just got lucky... I think as the season progresses and as the water gets a little colder, the fish might start getting a little more aggressive. I put the fish on the stringer to keep him in the water until the moment the camera was ready, just to get the picture. I let him go immediately after, unscathed. I think that I may have made him late for a dinner date, or something, however... Anyway, good luck!!! -Eric Attached Images Last edited by Eric Austin; 08-24-2005 at 08:35 PM.

08-27-2005, 04:54 PM	#5
Jeff Furber Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Hopkinton, Mass Posts: 34 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Smallie fishing on Winnie Thanks to all who passed on their advice and reports, nice picture of that smallie from Wolfeboro. Glad you let it go. Went to Winnie, yesterday, (Friday) we decided to put in at Lee's Mill's fish some of the coves for largies. I was surprised to see a lot of almost dead weeds, very brown and dingy looking. Put in at 7:30(long haul from Mass.) threw Senko's, both regular and whacky, buzzbaits spinnerbaits and top water. Not a fish in 2 hours, deep or shallow, under docks nothing. Finally caught a large calico on a rattletrap. We abandoned Lee's Mills for the rock piles on the way to melvin village. Same deal, no follows, no missed strikes. Changed colors, lures, fished the cabbaged. Not a thing. Went to 20, 19 mile bay, Chase and Farm.....Water was warm 76deg surface. Bottom bounced for 2 hours when we spotted a group of fish. Same report as everyone else fishing, out of 3 boats we talked to, there was one small fish caught. Of course it could have been worse, I could have been at work. Our next scheduled trip will be when the water drops down into the 60's. Thanks again to all for the info. Jeff

08-28-2005, 07:50 PM	#6
jkjoshuatree Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 642 Thanks: 349 Thanked 145 Times in 77 Posts	Small Mouth... The water is so warm this summer that they'll tend to stay a lot deeper than normal. __________________ Dream out loud.

08-25-2005, 10:55 AM	#4
rickstr66 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston, Ma Posts: 63 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Jeff my club had a tournament out of Ames farm last weekend. Fishing was tough. The water is warmer than usual and the fish are deeper and scattered. No one I talked to caught more then 1-2 in any one location. Winner had 11 lbs and 3rd was only 8+.

08-30-2005, 10:36 AM	#7
Jeff Furber Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Hopkinton, Mass Posts: 34 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Smallie fishing on Winnie I had expected the warm, surface temps. I had really expected to find more fish on the bottom relating to drop offs and rock ledges. I was very surprised when we saw very few fish on the depth finder and we looked and cruised around every deep shoal we could find. We used Bizers latest map and really worked hard at finding good places for fish to hide. Sure wish I had a hellgramite or two to drop over the side while on some of the 20-35ft drops. At least we could have varified something was down there. Better fishing days are coming.