That's right. Often fishing a jig, even a huge one with a Lobster trailer, is finesse fishing.

I think my idea of finesse fishing may stem from my fly fishing. I'm used to throwing size 20ish flies on 7x tippet (which is around 2-3lb test) so I guess I'm not as fearful of throwing light line as other guys. Strangely I've actually landed decent size (2lb) bass on that very light line. I always get strange responses when I mention fishing below 8lb test but as long as I'm confident and not losing fish I suppose there's no harm.

I hooked into a monster on nippo last summer, i got cocky and was talking crap to my buddy when I got it within 6 inches of my hand but karma bit me in the butt and the 6 lb test broke with my favorite rattle trap.


Never running less then 12 lb again

I think my idea of finesse fishing may stem from my fly fishing. I'm used to throwing size 20ish flies on 7x tippet (which is around 2-3lb test) so I guess I'm not as fearful of throwing light line as other guys. Strangely I've actually landed decent size (2lb) bass on that very light line. I always get strange responses when I mention fishing below 8lb test but as long as I'm confident and not losing fish I suppose there's no harm.

 

Confident and not losing fish is always a good place to be, keep doing what you're doing.

The Nashua river has some really really nice fish , They can be tough to find. The river actually gets some decent pressure but so many fish the same areas because they look so good from top view.   Gotta find the underwater hiding areas.  Lots of submerged logs and trees that you cannot see.   Many of them are not at the bank or shore, although several i have found are. I have fished very little area of the river because it is so big. but start from the broad st ramp go straight out and then go right.  lots of stuff between those islands and the shore.  I have not fished the Hollis area much as it takes me close to 1/2 hour to get there with my little jon boat or canoe and trolling motor.   Gotta find the underwater structure holding the fish. then you gotta find what they want to eat.   I use a lot of white stuff in the river. white seems to work well for me. I also use a lot of weightless rage tail craw and bounce them around.   Dont forget the Merrimack river too,  the bridge areas especially.  the merrimack river current runs hard though and is tough sometimes to fish.  also the rocky areas in the merrimack getting up towards merrimack/bedford.  those rocky areas are loaded with smallies. watch your motors on the rocks and use cheap anchors unless you feel like losing them or swimming underwater to get them. I think i have lost 5 anchors.   keep a look for some big enough rocks that you can tie to and use for anchors or rest your boat against.   i pretty much use 2 anchors front/rear in the Merrimack.   I cannot wait for the Rivers to open back up. and for some sun. 

 

If you read a lot of Shanes and Maines posts these guys know their stuff.   As do many of these other guys in these threads.   Check out the old   i think there are 3 old threads labeled similiar to this one but older years.   info galore.  lost of what i have learned comes from these guys or their info and that gets me looking into and reading / youtubing for more insight.

 

My rule # 1 comes from Shane. 

Structure , Oxygen , Bait Fish,   find all 3 and you can usually find something bigger eating the bait fish.  

Yeah, there ya go, buddy. Find those Wal Marts, find the best fish. Simple as that.

 

The Nashua river has some really really nice fish , They can be tough to find. The river actually gets some decent pressure but so many fish the same areas because they look so good from top view.   Gotta find the underwater hiding areas.  Lots of submerged logs and trees that you cannot see.   Many of them are not at the bank or shore, although several i have found are. I have fished very little area of the river from the broad st ramp go straight out and then go right.  lots of stuff between those islands and the shore.  I have not fished the Hollis area much as it takes me close to 1/2 hour to get there with my little jon boat or canoe and trolling motor.   Gotta find the underwater structure holding the fish. then you gotta find what they want to eat.   I use a lot of white stuff in the river. white seems to work well for me. I also use a lot of weightless rage tail craw and bounce them around.   Dont forget the Merrimack river too,  the bridge areas especially.  the merrimack river current runs hard though and is tough sometimes to fish.  also the rocky areas in the merrimack getting up towards merrimack/bedford.  those rocky areas are loaded with smallies. watch your motors on the rocks and use cheap anchors unless you feel like losing them or swimming underwater to get them. I think i have lost 5 anchors.   keep a look for some big enough rocks that you can tie to and use for anchors or rest your boat against.   i pretty much use 2 anchors front/rear in the Merrimack.   I cannot wait for the Rivers to open back up. and for some sun. 

 

If you read a lot of Shanes and Maines posts these guys know their stuff.   As do many of these other guys in these threads.   Check out the old   i think there are 3 old threads labeled similiar to this one but older years.   info galore.  lost of what i have learned comes from these guys or their info and that gets me looking into and reading / youtubing for more insight.

 

My rule # 1 comes from Shane. 

Structure , Oxygen , Bait Fish,   find all 3 and you can usually find something bigger eating the bait fish.  

 

Where would I find the older posts? Or did you mean just older posts on this thread because I have read all the posts and I will say I have learned a lot. Especially this year now that I have the Rage Craw in my arsenal never got around to it. I plan on fishing it exclusively for a while to get the feel of it and make it a confidence bait.

Alright, guys, I'm outta here! You all hold down the 603, and hopefully by the time I get back, the weather has turned a heck of a lot warmer! Anybody needs to reach me, call Big O's #. He has a better plan than me!

I should be back sometime before April. Maybe.

enjoy ,  go get some big girls.  Then come back and find that NH 10-8 +,  you know where she is. 

Thanks, man! I think I will!

Alright, guys, I'm outta here! You all hold down the 603, and hopefully by the time I get back, the weather has turned a heck of a lot warmer! Anybody needs to reach me, call Big O's #. He has a better plan than me!

 

LUCKY

Had enuff of the winter! Used the rod and reel trade in and a 50$ gift card from work to BPS and got a new setup for fishing frogs! Should be in in 7 days!

Had enuff of the winter! Used the rod and reel trade in and a 50$ gift card from work to BPS and got a new setup for fishing frogs! Should be in in 7 days!

That's awesome, I did the exact same thing today, traded in an old rod and reel and got a sturdy combo for setting fat frog hooks. Can't wait to use it!

Season getting closer, boat and trailer registered next is Maine weed sticker.

My frogging setup is a Daiwa T3 Ballistic 7.1:1 with a 7ft MH fast St. Croix Mojo Bass rod. I think I'm going to get a St. Croix Rage rod either 7' 4" H Fast or a 7' 1" MH extra fast to pair with the T3 Ballistic later in the spring... And I have it spooled with 65# Power Pro, all the fish I caught on Okeechobee were with this reel and line...

I have a similar set up for froggin'. A 7.1:1 reel with heavy braid on a 7'3" MH fast action Veritas rod. I know some people use heavier rods, even 8 footers, I just can't justify using something like that. That seems like the kind of thing you might get if you can keep it in your boat all the time, but for fishing from shore or from other peoples boats or smaller boats it becomes more of a pain. I use a 7'3" MH fast Veritas for flipping/pitching too and haven't come across any situations yet where I felt like I would have benefited from having a heavier rod.

What are other peoples setups for heavy cover fishing?

Some of the small ponds are starting to thaw, can't be TOO long now!

Some of the small ponds are starting to thaw, can't be TOO long now!

I was out on the ice yesterday in Merrimack and there were 16 inches of solid black ice, and another 14 of white ice on top of that. Unless your hitting up the Merrimack River, I dont think anyone will be on the water this month.

The Merrimack river is wide open down here , up in Concord its still very hard.  Manchester is 1/2 and 1/2. Even the main part of the Nashua is frozen solid, However the lower part of the Nashua river is ready.  My canoe is going in it Sat and/or Sunday depending on the temps. / weather. From Behind the Nashua mall / Home depot (exit 6 ) all the way to where it connects to the Merrimack river will be completely open by then. It is mostly open now.  I just did not have the time to get there yesterday or Sat.  

Where it flows under Clocktower place the water is about 10 degrees warmer.  This will be my first stop.  It has been open all winter at this discharge however there is no way to get at it safely to fish it until you can get a boat to it.

I'm thinking we'll be able to get on the water withing the first week or two of April

Ive never fished the Merrimack or any river for LM or SM ( other than the mouth for Stripers ) Where are there launches in Manchester / Concord area? I would love to fish it but don't know where to go. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

Ive never fished the Merrimack or any river for LM or SM ( other than the mouth for Stripers ) Where are there launches in Manchester / Concord area? I would love to fish it but don't know where to go. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

• Boscawen at the hannah duston bridge
• Concord @ NHTI
• Concord @ Everett Arena
• Concord next to the Concord Monitor building
• Fishercat's Stadium in Manchester
• Bow (half mile south of the power plant) 
• Hooksett @ Merrimack Street, right next to the d**n and just upstream of the bridge on Main Street.

There are tons more, those are just the ones that I have fished alot. Its pretty hard to find the Merrimack in NH without a boat ramp real close by.

There are lots of smallies in the river, and some LM too.  There is a nice launch at the NHTI fields in Concord. , also a very muddy and shallow one at the everett arena (small boats)   , sewels bridge area in concord  , also near the ball park in manchester.  ,  exit 17 up past concord is nice also.

 

I too am looking for places to easily get my canoe or jonboat in the water in the manchester area.

There ya go   much faster typer than me.