The biggest news this week concerns one of New England’s smaller fish – the rainbow smelt. The camps of Southern Maine are reporting encouraging action! However, if smelt to you means bait then set some up over the now frozen Broads section of Lake Winnipesauke which has finally locked up.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
AJ from AJs in Meredith told me that the “Broads” have finally frozen over, which is big news for big water with big fish! AJ himself tested Paguas Bay and bested a 9-pound laker for his efforts. The depth was 44 feet, the modus operandi was jigging a bucktail jig tipped with a sucker strip. Some would say that a rainbow trout is a more regal fish, and you can find plenty of big bows up top and close to shore off Gilford Beach. AJ saw a beautiful 22” specimen recently that was taken on smelt. Smelt also led to the catch of a 25” bow, which was caught and released at Newfound Lake. The angler insists he is getting to know that rainbow and swears he has caught the “beat up” fish 5 times!
Tim from Tim Moore Outdoors has been out and about among 19 Mile Bay on Winnipesauke and has been finding willing lakers which are averaging about 22”. They can’t resist Tim’s own Whisper soft plastic slipped on a Gulp jighead. He’s been fishing for lakers among the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire where so far the action has been among the first lake in the chain. For trout he recommends Pleasant Lake in Deering.
Chad from Dover Marine said that Willand Pond remains a good choice for warm water species, especially crappie and yellow perch. Bow Lake has been slow, but there are some impressive smallmouth bass that lurk there, making the potential payoff worth it. Bellamy Reservoir remains a best bet for crappie. Attempts so far for smelt in Great Bay have been less than promising, which makes the promising start for the Maine smelt camps that much more appealing.
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair recommends Big Island Pond for crappie and rainbow trout. Other trout options are Canobie Lake and Cobbetts Pond. The coves of the Nashua River have locked up nicely, and when I asked Joe if any pike lurk there, he said “no but some of the pickerel are big enough to be a nice substitute.”
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Ken from Saco Bay told me of some impressive smelt catches being reported from the camps in the Merrymeeting Bay/Kennebec River which is awesome news to all those who suffered through the depressing trips of last year. Forty to sixty fish per angler on average are being reported from James Eddy, Riverbend and Leightons. For a full list of camps check out this link: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/recreational/smeltcamps/
Word is that Bob Houses are popping up in Jordan Bay on Sebago Lake. Brady from Dag’s in Auburn was talking in terms of togue when we talked. He’s recommending Thompson Lake as worth the effort. Brady totes his Marcum Showdown with him on his trips and marks fish between 30’ and 80’ and pounds them with a Swedish pimple with sucker strip. Let it settle on the bottom and you may catch a cusk. Sabattus has been slow but a better pike bet is the Belgrade Lakes. Great Pond and Long Pond have pike and you may find them less pressured than Sabattus or the Andro.
Fishing Forecast
With the Broads at Lake Winnipesauke locking up, many will be looking to explore this giant lake for the impressive salmonoids which swim there. Suspend smelt just under the ice and close to the shoreline of Gilford Beach for some of the beautiful bows which swim here. Try for lakers in the deeper depths of 19 Mile Bay and Paguas Bay. Bellamy Reservoir has been steady for bass, perch and crappie. The smelt camps are on their game among the estuaries of southern Maine. For togue check out Thompson Lake or Jordan Bay in Sebago.
Is Kennebec river the only place in Southern Maine where the smelt run??