jaystraw

Got back brought back to reality yesterday fishing with wagn in Bow. He did great, catching 3 nice sized larry's and some pickeral. I managed to catch a couple crappie, a couple pickeral, and one tiny bass. Nothing of any size, but we had fun anyway. No pattern to the fish except in deeper water. The larrys were all caught on senkos just as it stopped raining yesterday. After that, the bite dried up for the most part.

Honestly, up here, I cannot usually mistake the two species. That's why I was/am so insistant it was not a largemouth. It was in the water with a bunch of other fish so I went for the camera to show the contrast between the fish, and it came off. It clearly looked like a silver bass with darker spots on it's body...no line. I was alone, and I still said out loud "You're a spotted bass!" I doubt they could live up here, but it was a weird fish either way.

awesome! Congrats!

I tried to d/l this, but it's 31 seconds long. One second too long for VErizon to let me d/l it. DARN!

I wnet back yesterday and had a repeat performance. the moring bite was pretty slow, but things started heating up around 10. I kept catching multiple fish in the same area, with serveral fish following it back to the boat. The smallies must be gearing up for spawn because they were pretty agressively eating anything that looked like a silver shiner. The Shad Rap in silver and Smithwicks Rattling Rouge in silver RULED the day. I cannot even buy a bite on a seko right now , but I'm not complaining. I love crankbait fishing!

I guess it may have been a smaller largemouth without a real dark lateral line. It had a mouth that looked much more like a smallie though. I was catching both species that day in the same area.

yeah, I was SO stupid for going for the camera. I think the fish would have gotten off anyway, but I would have at least seen it a bit longer. Live and learn I guess. I'm going to have to agree with you guys because I've never even seen a spotted in person, but it was one WEIRD looking smallie! It was completely silver.

I wondered that, but all the other smallies I caught were very very dark...

I had a crazy fishing day today. The smallies were going nuts. It was awesome. One of the first fish I caught fought like a smallie, but it looked like a largemouth when I got it near the boat. As it got closer I noticed it had others with it..smallies, but it did not look like a smallie. This water was crystal clear, and this fish looked like either a spotted bass or an albino smallmouth. I know how that sounds, but it was not a largemouth because there was no decernible lateral line. At first I thought it must be a white perch or something(even though I've never seen one in this pond), but it was absolutely a white or silver smallie or a really pale green spotted bass. I live in NH and have never seen nor caught a spotted here. I did not think they could even live up here. This lake had ice on it on Tuesday! Of course, I reached for the camera before I got it in the boat and I lost her. If someone can help me out I'd appreciate it!

So, I went fishing at my local smallmouth honey hole which still had ice on it on Tuesday. Well, the smallies were ready for me! I caught 18 fish in under 4 hours. All the fish were smallies between 2-3 pounds, and one Larry that looked 3+pounds. I only caught one pickeral, so it was a good day. All the fish were caught around rocks in shallow water, but adjacent to much deper water. Most were caught on a silver F-9 Rapala, one fish was caught on a Shad Rap and one fish was caught on a new bait for me. It was a Berkley Minnow on a small jig head. The smallie that hit it absolutely nailed this bait. I never got another hit on it though. Finally I had to leave because I lost my F-9 due to poor knot tying and had to make sure I hit the bait shop for another for tomorrow!! Here is a link to all the fish I caught. I did not take pictures of about 3 fish, but I had to document this crazy day! http://picasaweb.google.com/jaystraw/Fishing42508

my grandmother lives in Easton. Sounds like I need to take a trip down! I saw what looked like tons of beds in the sand at a small lake in NH the other day, but they had no fish on them. Maybe left over from last year?

AJ..Do you think it was makes looking for spawning spots/nesting females? It seems so early still...I cannot imagine the water temp was even 50 degrees. Not arguing, just suprised. My friend saw the same behavior yesterday afternoon in a small channel just off of Massesecum Lake by a bridge. It was cool, but really frustrating!! Trout fishing this afternoon!

Thanks! I forgot to mention I saw a ton of big bass just cruising around in a really shallow area of the pond. They were not interested in anything of mine, but there were a lot of them. I've never seen so many bass at one time. If I had a net, I would have had a good day. ;D

Finally caught my first fish of the year! A nice 2.5-3 pound LM on a t-rigged senko. Prettty shallow water near a big rock in the early morning. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'm pretty much new here and I'm sure there are folks that know more than I do, but I think that smallmouth generally spawn in deeper and clearer water than Larry', and also start at a lower temp. I think somewhere in the 50's for spawn in 3 to 15 feet of water.

senkos 4 inch green pumpkin chartruse rocket shad heddon torpedo or black jitterbug I'm giving my new husky jerk in perch a shot tomorrow and I hope to add it to the list.

hey everyone. I've been hitting the river myself, but no luck. The high water level has made it tough at my favorite spots, and hard to get to some of the other favorites. I think I'm going to try a little trout and bass fishing tomorrow early morning and see how it goes. editred to add that it went very slowly! LOL! I did have a nice bite, which I lost. I guess its just a matter of time.

Yep, it's open water. I only bank fished for about an hour at lunchtime, and did not have any bites. But, it was fun to be out there. I really need to catch a fish though!!

I'm going to hit the Contoocook and maybe the Wilton Reservior if it is ice free this afternoon. Wish me luck! I'll let you know how I did.

Did you guys get a chance to go and have any luck? I'm thinking of heading up to Bellows Falls and trying for some Walleye just below the dam. I hear there is a good amount of shore fishing from there. If anyone has gone before, please let me know how it was. If it gets a little warmer today I'm going to hit the Contookook again and see how it goes.

I went and bank-fished for about an hour on Tuesday at the Contocook River in Henniker. Not really any bites, but it sure felt good to be out there again! I've been seeing water slowly open up over here in Hillsboro on my little pond. If these temps get as warm as they say, it should have a lot of open water really soon.

if this post is true, you're a pretty disgusting human being. if not, you're pretty funny.

WOW!!!!

Clarks Fishing Guide. Don't leave home without it.

I agree with every word. Gotta love NH...if there were only a few warmer months to enjoy it!