><> North Country

What have we learned from the 2010 fishing season? That would seem an
appropriate question to ask as I write the final fishing report -- and it is
a great question but inaccurately implies that opportunities to catch fish
have past. In reality, we are entering one of my favorite times of the year
to fish. Water temperatures are cooling and daylight is decreasing, but fish
are still behaving in a way that allows a skilled angler to have an awesome
time on New Hampshire's waterbodies.

I recently had an opportunity to survey smallmouth bass in Lake Umbagog by
means of electrofishing. ****out getting scientific, electrofishing is
exactly what it sounds like: using electricity to catch fish. It is a very
effective method of sampling and takes all of the guesswork out of fish
habitat preference. I found the bass to be a little deeper than I thought,
**** most of them coming from 8 to 12 feet of water. Most of the fish were
around manmade structures like docks. While there was a ton a baitfish in
aquatic vegetation, there were no bass there. I learned just as much about
where fish were spending their time as I did by not finding them in other
spots. For example, drop-offs, submerged rock piles and overhanging trees
had no fish. I was very surprised. I was able to raise a few bigger bass on
the windy sides of natural points.

If I were to fish the lake **** rod and reel, I would throw spinner baits in
choppy water of 10 foot depths. I would fish them slowly and change colors
frequently. As tempting as it may be to fish topwater, I would stick to
deeper diving baits like lipless crankbaits and suspended jerkbaits. Fish
are still feeding, obviously, and I would try dark colored jigs and tube
baits. I would enjoy the last few weeks in the boat, realizing the next time
I visit Umbagog for bass fishing opportunities, I may be standing on three
feet of ice. - Andy Schafermeyer, Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Lakes Region/White Mountains

What a great summer it has been! From heavy rains in March, to a seemingly
endless dry, hot summer, here we are at the autumnal equinox. I've just
spent a wonderful day **** friends fishing out of Ames Farm Inn on Lake
Winnipesaukee. The day was beautiful; we were entertained by salmon leaping
out of the water in spectacular jumps. The only problem...they were not
attached to our lines! We have witnessed this fall phenomenon for several
years now and we still don't quite understand it. Chalk it up to
hormones...it most likely is a pre-spawn activity...directly related to the
act of reproduction that will occur in the next two months. Nature is
grand... sometimes you just step back and take in the spectacle.

The lake trout are also staging for their pre-spawn maneuvers, but they
accomplish this in rather deep waters. Remember, lake trout prefer water
around 52 degrees, it's hard to find that near shore! The recent popularity
of "jigging" lakers at this time of year has grown considerably. One of the
more popular areas to try this technique is the "triangle" off the tip of
Black Point in Lake Winnipesaukee. This is a very productive area, as smelt
tend to congregate at this area, where Alton Bay meets the main part of the
lake. Use your electronics and drop a small tube-jig down, and watch as
lakers come up to engulf it! As always, remember you are dealing **** a
coldwater species, time is of the essence if you are going to release these
fish!

I hope you have some great memories of this season...I know I have. I can't
wait for the "hardwater"! - Don Miller, Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Monadnock/Upper Valley

As we head into fall, my thoughts turn to the Connecticut River and northern
pike, smallmouth bass and walleye. October is a great month to fish the
river for these species. As water temperatures drop, pike move back into the
setbacks and coves they frequented in the spring. Big Mepps spinners, perch
colored spinnerbaits, 5" soft swimbaits, and hard body jerkbaits are all
good choices. However, my favorite lure for pike is a black and blue 5/8 oz.
J-Mac Lures Musky Jig tipped **** a 5" curly tail plastic grub; simply cast
it out, reel in, and hold on.

Smallmouths will begin to school heavily in some of the deeper sections of
the river during October. Look for holes that are 20+ feet deep and use your
electronics to locate fish and drop-off areas. A drop-shot rig, tubes,
Carolina rigs, and jigs are all great baits for this type of fishing.
Finding the fish is usually half the battle, because once you locate them,
the fish usually come relatively easily and you can have some 20+ fish days.


For walleye, locate areas in the main river just on the downstream side of
setbacks and coves. Use your electronics to find the first area where the
water starts to deepen and where there is hopefully a current seam. Start
fishing at that first deeper area and slowly work your way downstream.
Throwing out a marker buoy is very helpful. I use jigs tipped **** live
shiners, a combination of a live shiner and 3" curly tail plastic grub, or a
Berkley Gulp Alive minnow. - Gabe Gries, Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Southeast NH/Merrimack Valley

We tagged the Atlantic salmon broodstock this week and plan to release them
very shortly. The current flow levels and decreasing water temperatures
should be conducive to targeting these fish. Around 800 salmon will be
stocked in the lower Pemigewasset River between the Franklin area and
Coolidge Woods Road in New Hampton. Although not as large as the fish we
normally stock in the spring season, these fish will be in characteristic
spawning colors. The fall season, which is catch and release only, still
requires one to have an Atlantic salmon broodstock permit - for details on
the permit and special season see
http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/atlantic_salmon.htm. It may be worthwhile to
combine salmon fishing in this area **** the upcoming pheasant season;
pheasants are routinely stocked along the property managed by the US Army
Corp of Engineers, which borders the lower Pemigewasset River. - Ben Nugent,
Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Seacoast Area

As the summer is coming to a close, the stripers are making their way out of
our estuaries and down the coast and the warm weather fishermen are closing
their tackle boxes for the season. There is still some action to be had by
those hardier folk. I met a few gentlemen down in Rye one morning this past
week standing in the rain, waist deep in surf --catching stripers!

While the rest of you clean off your gear, don't forget to get those ice
fishing rigs ready as well. Winter will be upon us before long, let's hope
for some early ice and a good smelt fishing season. I hope to see you on the
ice. - Becky Heuss, Marine Biologist

><> Federal Aid: A User-Pay, User-Benefit Program

Researching and managing fisheries and teaching people about aquatic
ecosystems are funded by your license dollars and by the Federal Aid in
Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program. Your purchases of fishing
equipment and motorboat fuels make a difference to New Hampshire's
fisheries. Visit http://www.wildnh.com/SFWR_program/sfwr_program.htm.