NH Trout Fishermans 2012 Open Water Pics/Reports

[KeepaCatcha]

Nice fish!! Sounds like another enjoyable day on the water!!!

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Outing #13

Date- Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Time On/Off- 6:15am-noon
Weather- Overcast/Drizzle
Air Temps- 40-45*
Water Temps- 52*-53*

Headed out this morning for a few hours in search of a Big Brown. Although it would drizzle on/off, It was nice to get a morning on the water without any wind. Started off in an area that has been productive for me in the past, trolled around along a deeper hole/drop-off a few times only marking a few scattered fish. I was trolling sewn bait on one line and a sutton spoon on the other any where from 2 to 4 colors down. After about a 1/2 hour I had my first fish on/landed 18" Brown, Another 1/2 hour went by with another Brown about 20" Both were on the sewn bait.

After trolling that area for a couple hours, I mad my way up and around the lake, stopping  and circling in the areas I would mark fish. Eventualy making my way around the entire lake. Was able to manage another two Brown trout 18-20" and a chunky small mouth a little over 3lbs. No Big Browns, but a decent day on the water. Thinking of giving the Browns a rest for a bit and switching back over to Rainbows and LL Salmon.  





Click on pic below to watch release video

[fishnmachine]

Sounds like a fine morning. Nice fish!

[wally13]

nice fish nice photo's good job

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Thanks Again Guys

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Outing #14

Date-Sunday, May 6, 2012
Time On/Off- 6:00a-1:00pm
Weather-Clear - Light Breeze (5-10mph)
Air Temps-50's
Water Temps-52*-53*

The lake I was fishing today is known to hold large Salmon, Rainbows and Small Mouth Bass... However it is also known to be a very slow fishery due to all the bait/forage available. It is a fairly large lake and tough to fish during windy conditions in my smaller boat. Today called for fair/good weather with a light breeze. I was hoping to get out further in the lake to a few areas I know to be productive, but again... are only accesible to me during good conditions.

I got up early and hit the road to be at the lake for first light around 5:20-5:30am, Made a stop at the bait shop for some smelt and launched for 5:45a and was fishing by 6:00a. Started trolling an area that can sometimes be productive early and late in the season. This area is fairly shallow 5-10ft along the shoreline, dropping off to 15-30ft not much farther out... This area will sometimes hold salmon/trout but, being a shallow drop off usually tends to hold alot of SM Bass. That would end up being my first fish of the day, a 2-1/2~3lb SM caught on a smelt 2 colors down over 30 f.o.w. My second fish was also a SM of simlar size also on a live smelt...

Where as the winds were slight I decided to explore the lake a bit more and venture out a little further onto the lake. If anything today I would learn alot more about the lakes contours and structures. While trolling.... I found and area not too far off shore that quickly dropped off to over 70f.ow I was marking a significant amount of fish down around 50-60feet? usually I would assume they were lake trout but this lake doesnt hold much of a population of them? I was marking so many fish that it was worth a shot to set up the down rigger and lower a line... I rigged up a orange/black dot top gun and lowered down to about 48ft over 70 f.o.w marking fish down around 50-55ft.... Within 2 minutes I had a Fish On!

This was exciting to me because I usually find that unless I am fishing for lake trout, I usually dont find that fish will hit off the bottom as they would when suspended under bait... I got the fish to the net and was suprised to see a salmon??? Really I thought? Being Early may with 52* water temps and I catch a salmon down near the bottom? Hmmmmm? I release that fish and rig up the line again and make another pass... Bang! The rod fires again and its another salmon that came from 50ft down over 62f.o.w? (Both fish were between 18-20" and very healthy/released)

After a several more passes without another taker, I moved out farther onto the lake to explore... Trolled shallow near islands/drop offs and then onto deeper water... About 3 hours go by and the only other fish at this point were a big yellow perch(15") and a decent small mouth near the islands/drops. I headed out towards deeper water and had a quick tap on the lead-core/smelt line... I brought the line in to find my bait stolen... I re-rig this line, this time with a larger shiner 4" (as the only smelt I had left were tiny).  

At this point I am trolling over 50-70 f.ow about 4 colors down with the lead/smelt and 20ft down with a TG on the rigger. All of a Sudden..... BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!! The lead core starts SCREAMING!!!!
I Grab the rod and feel a Heckuva fish (Keep in mind, I have caught several larger fish and this one felt BIG!!!) The fish pulls back for about 3-5 secs and then the line lets go?  At first I thought the fish simply spit the bait? But as I brought the line in, I found that the line had snapped at the swivel and the fish took off with the shiner/bait rig? (Note- I always check and change my leaders every trip! to try and prevent things like this)
Well... It was unfortunate to lose that fish, but exciting at the same time! I had to be heading home at this point, but it gives me plenty of hope for the future fishing there

A couple fish I did land... Salmon from 48ft down over 70f.o.w



Smallie from earlier that morning

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Outing #15

Date-Friday, May 11, 2012
Time On/Off- 4:30pm-8:30pm
Weather-Clear-WINDY! (15-20mph)
Air Temps-50's
Water Temps-55-56*

Lately my schedule has been busier that it has been for awhile... This afternoon was the only window/opportunity I would have until later in the following week to get out and fish. It was a long drive, but I decided to head back to a lake that I have been fishing more/more recently and have trying to learn more about/ figure out.

It was a very windy afternoon and I was skeptical if I would even be able to get out of the bay and fish any part of the main lake I was hoping to? I launched the boat for about 4:30p and stayed close to the shoreline. After a few minutes I land a couple small mouth bass on shiners/smelt 2-3 colors down over 30-35f.o.w. Next I venture out a little further on the lake, still staying close to the shorelines but not marking very many fish...I continued to do this for the next hour without much luck and still not marking any significant fish? The wind was supposed to die down later that afternoon around 6-7pm? so I stayed in the Bay as I didnt want to chance going too far out in the main lake in the rough conditions. I used this time to explore a few spots a bit more and learn about the contours/structures in those areas...

By about 6:45pm the wind did die down to about 8-10mph? and I decided to take a chance and head out onto the main lake, staying close to the northern shoreline as much out of the wind as possible. It was getting late and I wouldnt have much more time to fish, but I continue out further until I get to the spot I want to get to, which was about 3 miles from the launch area. The good thing was the wind was staying calm (around 5mph?) which made me a little more comfortable out there. I quickly rigged up a few lines- One with a shiner/lead-core, 4 colors down and the down-rigger with a top-gun down 25ft.

By now, the sun is going down behind the hills (approx 7:15p) but I am starting to mark fish! Again, I am suprised to see so many fish down deep? This time, fish 65-70ft down over 75-85 f.o.w? I quickly drop the ball on the rigger down to about 62ft and within 5 minutes it goes OFF! The fish comes quickly to the boat and then fights hard for the last 30 ft of line. It was a salmon! and it made several leaps before coming to the net. It was a healthy fish around 22-23" and approx 4lbs. I quickly release that one and rig the line again... I make another pass and Fish ON! This time a smaller 18-19" salmon coming on the Top Gun 65ft down over 80f.ow? Im very suprised to find the salmon so deep this time of year? By now it is getting dark and I have to turn on the boat lights... I trolled closer to shore as I headed back for a few minutes and landed a couple more SM Bass in some shallower water approx 20-30ft deep before I got back to the launch around 8:30pm.

Another Salmon caught deep 65ft down over about 80f.ow



Quick Release Clip. Click on pic Below to watch

[fishnmachine]

Nice. It's sometimes just that way. You find them, make a move, and the action gets good just in time to quit! 

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Outing #16

Date-Thursday, May 17, 2012
Time On/Off-5:30am-7am Location#1 9am to 1pm Location#2
Weather-Sunny/Windy (15-20mph)
Air Temps-50-60*
Water Temps-52* Lake#1 60-62* Lake #2

Had the opportunity to fish today, But the forecast called for steady wind all day. I took a chance and headed to one of NH's bigger lakes to see if I  could get a couple hours in before the winds picked up? Launched at Lake #1 for 5:30am and the water was already choppy. I wanted to fish the northern end (approx 2miles+ from the launch) but it was just too windy. I stayed close to the ramp and fished for about an hour and a half before it got pretty rough (steady 3ft rollers) Caught a decent small mouth on live bait and missed one other quick hit on a streamer.

It was still early and I wanted to get some fishing in so I headed to a smaller trout pond I havent fished in awhile where the winds wouldnt be an issue. Launched there for about 9am and had a couple small brook trout in the boat within the first 15 minutes. Trolled another hour or so without another hit. Eventually found an area where most of the fish were held up/suspended and worked that area pretty good for the rest of the morning. Landed several more trout, including a couple decent Browns 18-20" before leaving at 1pm. Most fish were caught on live bait 8-10ft down on the rigger over 20-30 f.o.w

A few pics from the day...

Small Mouth from location#1


Trout Tri-Fecta Rainbow, Brookie & Brown

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Outing #17

Date-Saturday, May 19, 2012
Time On/Off-5:30am-1:30pm
Weather-Sunny/Hot
Air Temps-60's early 80's by 8am
Water Temps-58*early 66* when leaving at 1:30pm

Unlike most of the past month- today was forecasted to be a warm and almost WINDLESS day! Planned to use the good weather (calm water) to my advantage and fish one of NH's Bigger lakes. I was on the water and fishing for 5:30am and had marked some fish shortly after... First fish to the boat was a little small mouth bass caught on live bait trolling a drop-off near deeper water. Second fish hit the bait hard and felt like a good one? Ended up being a Big Pickeral (24") which hit in the same area 4 colors down over 60 f.ow.  

After another another couple loops, I moved on to a second area where I had marked alot of fish down deep? Set up the down rigger and sent a line down a couple feet above where I was marking the fish. The rod fired moments later and the next fish to the boat was a NICE Salmon in the 4-1/2 to 5lb range! It hit a top-gun 50ft down on the rigger over 70 f.o.w. It came up fairly quicky but when it got within 20 ft of the boat began making several 2-3ft leaps! I lost him just behind the boat when he came un-buttoned after about the 4th leap I can promise you that fish was all of at least 4-1/2lbs, possibly 5! a solid/fat fish between 23-24".

I just purchased a second down-rigger as I have been catching alot of fish on this lake alot deeper than Id normally fish. Rigged up a second line at 55ft and made another loop through the same area, now with two presentations down where I was marking the fish. Picked up two more salmon 20' & 22-1/2", the bigger one going 4lbs. Released both after a quick pic and continued fishing... But by 8-8:30 am the sun was out and it was hot!
I actually took my shirt off for the rest of the morning and got my first sun burn of the season *Note to self...Remember that its time to put sunscreen in the tackle bag.   It was a Beautiful day to be on the water but when the water temps got warmer, the fishin got slower... I did pick up a few more small mouth bass before I left but the salmon were shut down for the day...

[AquaAssassin]

Nice job Keith, great posts!

[The Reel Deal]

Great reports, I was very much into all the stories! It's cool when unexpected things happen (60 foot down pickerel and salmon), its a great example of how we can learn something new every trip. Part of the reason why i'm so addicted to fishing. Congrats on all your luck, keep it up!

[NH Trout Fisherman]

Outing #18

Date-Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Time On/Off- 5:00am-11:00am
Weather-Foggy Start, Sunny/Hot, then Thundershowers
Air Temps-60's early 80's in the sun
Water Temps-65-68*


The forecast for today called for spot thunder-showers, but mimimal wind. I figured I'd try to get a couple/few hours on the water before the bad weather rolled in. I launched the boat for 5am and there was an odd overcast across the lake... Foggy, Dark, & Bright all at the same time. The water was calm though, so I started out with a couple of my favorite streamers just below the surface. The fishing started out slow only bringing 3 little small mouth bass to the boat in the first few hours of trolling.

By 8am the sun was poking through the clouds and when it did, It got warm Fast! Surface temps were between 65-68* Covered a good area pretty thoroughly and although I was marking fish... they werent biting. I could see some storm clouds slowly coming from the other end of the lake, it was dark over there and there a slight breeze starting to pick up... Im assuming the change in weather (possible pressure drop?) turned on the fish because from 10a to 10:30a the bite was ON! I landed 3 Nice fish in less than a 1/2 hour in the same general area I had been in most of the morning.

First fish hit a top gun on lead core and made several leaps approx 150ft behind the boat... No sooner did a rainbow come to the net, then the down-rigger fired and I had a decent salmon jumping behind the boat! Both fish were about 21-1/2" and 4lbs. I released that Salmon but Kept the rainbow as my Father has been hinting that his freezer is getting low on fish. I rigged both lines back up the same way and sent them both back out. Minutes later the down-rigger popped again and I had another fish on! I could tell it was a decent fish as it made several runs and dove deep a few times, pulling hard! We played tug of war for a couple minutes and as the fish got closer to the boat it shot out out of the water a good 2-3ft! Ended Up being another Nice Salmon about 23-1/2"! By now the bad weather was rolling in so I wrapped everything up and raced the rain back to the launch, just beating a down-pour. All in All Ended Up being a Great Morning On the Water  

Getting on the water at Sunrise.



Fat Rainbow





Releasing Salmon #1



Salmon #2





Racing the Rain back to the Launch

[surflizard]

Awesome report buddy, thanks for sharing them with us !

[waterwolf603]

wow keith those are some beauties you caught, that rainbow is a tank