Pike caught on Winnisquam

[IcemanEsq]

AWESOME..... There breeding!!!!


Its "their" and not awesome at all, they will eat all the Salmon and other fish that are trying to have a sustainable population in that lake. They didnt occur there naturally, so they shouldnt be there at all.

That being said, I wouldnt mind catching one.....

If you're going to be the grammar police, maybe you should know what you're talking about.  It's (it is) "they're" as in "Awesome, they are breeding."  Now back to your regularly scheduled programming

[timberdoodle]

I say do away with the salmon program all together...especially the broodstock program. What a huge waste of money. Besides the fact its only geared to the LL bean head that wants to flyfish for them. No matter how you look at it we still can't take salmon through the ice but the charters and guides can hook and release 40 fish a day during the summer?? What a farse.

[CJiceaddict]

I say do away with the salmon program all together...especially the broodstock program. What a huge waste of money. Besides the fact its only geared to the LL bean head that wants to flyfish for them. No matter how you look at it we still can't take salmon through the ice but the charters and guides can hook and release 40 fish a day during the summer?? What a farse.

Well said!

[salmon stalker]

I am a huge salmon and trout fisherman and I agree they should stop the Atlantic salmon program. It takes a ton of funding from the budget and "In my opinion" the fishery does not support the cost like it should.

However the regular salmon stocking I think is crucial for the larger lakes and the fishery. NH would have no salmon in a couple years if they stopped that, and that brings in a ton of money for the state too. Same goes for trout stocking programs they have, too crucial for the state to be stopped.

[samson75]

I have to say I agree with most of what has been said. But I think were forgetting somethingBesides the fact its only geared to the LL bean head that wants to flyfish for them.. The great state you live was never a muskie,pike or walleye fishery. Or better yet a bass fishery. All the big lakes that we grew up to love at one time never had bass it. NH F&G has a report that gives a little history on how bass got in winn and even gives a est, timeline. At one time people come from all over the US to fish our lakes for the salmon and trout. Now we get people from Mass. Let me ask some of you this how many Maine and Vermont license plates do you see at any one fishing spot. Not many. If your state had a great fishery. Would you really leave it to go fish another state?  My point being is instead of trying to make a fishery something it is not. Lets fix the fishery we have. And a stocking program for pike isn't going to do it. I see that someone wrote that they would like to be able to catch all these fish with out traveling far. I say go the the supermarket all sorts of different fish there and its only about a 1 mile. I'm sorry if I offended any one. I just think F&G wastes enough money.  One last thing to comment on. "Besides the fact its only geared to the LL bean head that wants to flyfish for them." I agree flyfishing seems to be by the way. But gear toward alt. salmon. I don't think so. Maybe the rules are geared towards the Bass Pro shop billboard from standing at the waters edge trying to snag the salmon at the bottom of the pool with his 1/0 hook. I don't know food for thought.   
                  See ya out on the ice.

[DyingBreed]

Atlantic salmon stocking was a joke here on the conn. river. We got some good fish ladders installed for them and the eels and shad love um! Then they did a great justice to the system....from no limit on pike right to 1 pike 28in. min. Some monster pike here boys! Oh yea, and still no salmon 20 yrs. later. Pike + shad + small eels = HUGE! Stop this atlantic salmon crap. GIVE US BETTER ACCESS AREAS TO THE WATERS WE PAY TO FISH THANK YOU. Just ones oppinion. 

[Bean town Boy]

Original northern lake species are smallies and pickerel perch and a few others I cant remember smallies decrease with the introduction of large mouth and pickerel are considered by most to be junk because they tear up lures and line so with out some stocking we have less to fish for but they could let us pull some salmon through the ice its the best time to target them mass does  besides they can regulate the size and limit like everything else and some fisheries you cant access because no one plows out the landings which should be a state thing.

[swains]

Regarding the coho program, I never fished it but have been told by those who did that it was immensely popular and successful. A year or so ago there was an article in the Hawkeye that was excellent regarding the Coho fishery we once had in NH. Unfortunately, I didn't save it. From what I understand it was stopped because the feds stepped in and said it was harming the atlantic salmon restoration project, which is the biggest joke in the history of fishing. Atlantic Salmon aren't ever coming back so let's just face the facts and stop wasting millions of dollars (state and national) in this futile effort. I could be misinformed about the coho program, so maybe somebody who actually experienced it could chime in. I'm just putting out there what I've heard from others. Think of the Merrimack River that runs through our state. What a waste! If ever a river cried out for pike and muskie to call home, the Merrimack is it. Think of the muskie fishery it could have. Has it ever been studied to see the feasability of it? I doubt it becuse they would gobble up all the salmon that don't even exist!!!!!! As for going to the supermarket to get different species, I don't eat fish; actually can't stand the taste. Those that do I envy you and wish I did as well. I fish because I love the thrill of it and being outdoors. Unfortunately, I find myself leaving NH far too often to fish for a good diversity of species that can reach trophy size. I don't think we should have to accept this just as "the way that it is." This post has brought out a lot of good/different opinions and none should be discounted. If people were willing to sign a petition that goes along with my previous post then maybe we could take action and present it to F&G. I'm real interested to see what you all think, whether you agree or disagree.

Thanks,
Chris

[Dull Hooks]

 As this thread starts heading way off topic , about someone catching a pike twice when they were never there to begin with is down right ignorant by the person(s) who put them there. And now it's gone back and forth about stopping the the atlantic salmon program and stocking other warm water species , to the elusive coho salmon program. 

 I grew up fishing the lakes region of NH , fished for anything that had fins. Budget problems has been a problem with NH as well as my state of NY for years now. If they don't have the money they can't do their job to it's max. That equals man power to do their job effectively. As well as money to raise fish in hatcheries which by the way requires people to do it. Raising fish is not cheap , let alone having the room to do so. If any of you have a problem with F+G then you need to goto pbulic meetings that they hold. Be there in person , and with friends , be involved . Spewing it on the net and having a twinkle in your eye about raising money and getting a group together to start something else rarely works. When you have 100 guys on here say " you bet I'll help and join " then guess what you might have 3 guys that might be serious and your plan goes by the wayside.

 The atlantic salmon program is federal money , so its not the state. We're trying to get more atlantic salmon here on the Salmon River , which is not named for all the coho and chinook salmon people come to fish for every fall, but atlantics. But because of the food base in Lake Ontario some of the fish become sterile and fish ID on the lake and the river is awful , charter capts. and bank anglers have no idea what they caught and kill it anyway.

 You should be thankful for all the native species you have swimming around your waters , lake trout , brookies , landlockes etc ... I love coming back and fishing for them , I don't have the chance to that often where I live. And I don't even hesitate to drive over 6 hrs to do it. Yes I am spoiled where I can catch salmon over 20 lbs , trout over 10 , but I still love coming back to catch the fish I grew up catching.

  Yes I'll be coming back for the Rotary Derby to catch some small fish. But I'm coming back with a smile on my face because I love being there where I started fishing.
 

[winnisquam guy]

I say do away with the salmon program all together...especially the broodstock program. What a huge waste of money. Besides the fact its only geared to the LL bean head that wants to flyfish for them. No matter how you look at it we still can't take salmon through the ice but the charters and guides can hook and release 40 fish a day during the summer?? What a farse.

they are killing the salmon fishery on the big lake. if you know about the salmon sunday egg program, they had difficulty due to the large # of hook damaged fish. maybe the biologists should focus on stocking for successful self repropduction instead of simple put and take fisheries

[winnisquam guy]

As this thread starts heading way off topic , about someone catching a pike twice when they were never there to begin with is down right ignorant by the person(s) who put them there. And now it's gone back and forth about stopping the the atlantic salmon program and stocking other warm water species , to the elusive coho salmon program. 

 I grew up fishing the lakes region of NH , fished for anything that had fins. Budget problems has been a problem with NH as well as my state of NY for years now. If they don't have the money they can't do their job to it's max. That equals man power to do their job effectively. As well as money to raise fish in hatcheries which by the way requires people to do it. Raising fish is not cheap , let alone having the room to do so. If any of you have a problem with F+G then you need to goto pbulic meetings that they hold. Be there in person , and with friends , be involved . Spewing it on the net and having a twinkle in your eye about raising money and getting a group together to start something else rarely works. When you have 100 guys on here say " you bet I'll help and join " then guess what you might have 3 guys that might be serious and your plan goes by the wayside.

 The atlantic salmon program is federal money , so its not the state. We're trying to get more atlantic salmon here on the Salmon River , which is not named for all the coho and chinook salmon people come to fish for every fall, but atlantics. But because of the food base in Lake Ontario some of the fish become sterile and fish ID on the lake and the river is awful , charter capts. and bank anglers have no idea what they caught and kill it anyway.

 You should be thankful for all the native species you have swimming around your waters , lake trout , brookies , landlockes etc ... I love coming back and fishing for them , I don't have the chance to that often where I live. And I don't even hesitate to drive over 6 hrs to do it. Yes I am spoiled where I can catch salmon over 20 lbs , trout over 10 , but I still love coming back to catch the fish I grew up catching.

  Yes I'll be coming back for the Rotary Derby to catch some small fish. But I'm coming back with a smile on my face because I love being there where I started fishing.
 

the reason i wrote this post is to call attention to the selfless act of baitbucket biology. the states' waters can only support certain types of fish. due to the self funding model the Nh F&G has to deal with, their resources can only go so far

[coreyl302]

baitbucket biology is when a NH fisherman goes to anyother state any realizes what he or she is missing. In any way not smart but im thinking like a last resort ill do it myself type thing. I really doubt money is the biggest worry. Access to most water bodies is tough the state sold all the land out from under themselves.

[major ice hole]

All depends on what body of water you are taking about. Fish are stock in certain body of waters for a reason, introducing a fish like crappie into a trout pond is only hurting the growth of these fish. In Winni the way Crappie multiply they will over take the smelt.

In NH there are very few NATIVE fish to out state.

If the white perch haven't wiped out the smelt (winnie has had massive amounts of them for years)why would crappie be any worse?

[Thumber]

Smelt are perhaps the most important forage species for our coldwater sportfish. Lake trout and landlocked salmon are dependent upon healthy populations of these bait fish in order to attain good growth and body condition. Rainbow trout also prey upon smelt, although they thrive upon a great variety of other food items.
The addition of Crappies to Winni just puts more strain on the smelt, there's going come a day when the bait fish will run out.

[salmon stalker]

someone could form an association of ice anglers in the state so we could bring these concerns to fish and game

We already do and it's been all over this board too. New Hampshire Ice Anglers Assoc....when you signing up? 

[jgguppyboy2]

these posts are the prime example of why things are the way they are.  You cant please everyone.  and you will never get everyone to agree on the same side when it comes to what species to manage more and what to manage less.  (except maybe the Atlantic salmon program)   our trout except for some native brookies are all put and take.  That's just the way it is. And the bigger the lake and the more good forage base you have in that lake the better chance you have of catching a big trout.  If you put pike in say winnisquam you are basically waisting your money.  They would destroy the trout population in no time.  that population that we all pay for.  And there are way to many cold water fishers out there that would never give up trout fisheries for a pike.   You can not have everything in 1 state.  especially when everyone wants all these changes but complain when fish and game wants to up the lic. cost to help with that.  I will not argue the fact that there needs to be some changes but we need to remember that there are a lot of people with a lot of diff fishing preferences.  I am a big trout fisherman, but I also would like see more crappie in the state.  But that's just me and what I like to target. some people are all about bass.  some people are just salmon fishers.  theres just to many species out there to satisfy everyone.  Personally I don't want pike to fish for.  Its just not something that intrests me.  But that doesn't mean I don't think we shouldn't have any just because I don't want to fish for them.  But no matter what fish we want they all have to be managed to make sure they are healthy and in the right environment to be sustained.

  ~Stefan~

[timberdoodle]

The biggest gripe I have with NH is the fact that the states around us have MUCH better fishing. You will never see real trophy fish come out of NH waters. Its just not going to happen. Plus Conn's out of state license is almost the same cost as our resident license.. Now before you get started, I realize its based on the total number of licenses sold. So I realize why it is that way, but having said that I think NH could do a lot more for the fishery then they are. Thats one reason we started the NH Ice Anglers. As with any other association it is tough to get people to put their hard earned money into something, but to everyone that has been complaining...I don't recognize many of you from the members list.

[Bean town Boy]

Everyone wants a better fishery  everyone wants to catch more fish its a cycle something eats something and something else eats that prime example in summer use a shiner to catch a perch not to big say 4-6" hook that up and use it for bass 4-8lb will hit that seen it done on some NH show. at some time or another everything is bait and everything is hunting something else as for illeagle stocking its a crime your not suppose to transport live sportfish unless in a tournament or with a permit

[slip_knot]

Perhaps someone could form an association of ice anglers in the state so we could bring these concerns to fish and game as a collective voice as well as get answers so we may better understand how and why NHF&G manages our fisheries the way they do?

  
You know that I know that you know about this NHIAA.
Nice meeting ya at Rockingham Park last week, GRIZZY.

[huntr-]

This will strike some nerves.  Maybe we should let the pike thrive in winnisquam. That way the state won't have to manage it as much !! lmao !!!                                                           Hey grizz I got your pm and I have no problem with the picture thing, I JUST WANT ROYALTIE FEES PAID IN ADVANCE NEXT TIME !!!!!!!  lol

[lake snake]

The biggest gripe I have with NH is the fact that the states around us have MUCH better fishing. You will never see real trophy fish come out of NH waters. Its just not going to happen. Plus Conn's out of state license is almost the same cost as our resident license.. Now before you get started, I realize its based on the total number of licenses sold. So I realize why it is that way, but having said that I think NH could do a lot more for the fishery then they are. Thats one reason we started the NH Ice Anglers. As with any other association it is tough to get people to put their hard earned money into something, but to everyone that has been complaining...I don't recognize many of you from the members list.

  Non-resident Conn fishing license is 80.00  Hardly as much as our resident license. That might be true about Vermont, whose non-resident license is 41.00

[Zorros shack]

Your sure it is not a pickerel? Never heard of pike there but if so that's cool!

[lake snake]

Your sure it is not a pickerel? Never heard of pike there but if so that's cool!

 
 There is a pic of the fish on fishwinni.com

[winnisquam guy]

Smelt are perhaps the most important forage species for our coldwater sportfish. Lake trout and landlocked salmon are dependent upon healthy populations of these bait fish in order to attain good growth and body condition. Rainbow trout also prey upon smelt, although they thrive upon a great variety of other food items.
The addition of Crappies to Winni just puts more strain on the smelt, there's going come a day when the bait fish will run out.

if that doesn't happen , development will ruin the lake, have you seen weirs lately. lakes are classified by lumologists, biologists manage the water based on science, people who ruin bodies of water disrespect all of us who do the right thing and be good stewards of the sport we ove so much.

[winnisquam guy]

Perhaps someone could form an association of ice anglers in the state so we could bring these concerns to fish and game as a collective voice as well as get answers so we may better understand how and why NHF&G manages our fisheries the way they do?

  i second this motion, well put man

[kgupats]

I was fishing winnisquam on saturday and the guy behind my house caught one around 10 lbs and lost it in the whole I saw the fish it was a pike he lifted it out of the hole instead of gradding the fish he was to excited

[timberdoodle]

Yeah sorry about that...I meant to say VT. I think most people will agree that VT has a much better fishery then NH does. Even excluding Champlain. Thanks for the correction.

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

lol  It was good to meet you too.

LMAO I was going to say something too Craig, but you beat me to it LOL

[lake snake]

Yeah sorry about that...I meant to say VT. I think most people will agree that VT has a much better fishery then NH does. Even excluding Champlain. Thanks for the correction.

 
  No problem. I agree about  Vermont having the better fishing. NH wasted time and money on that stupid fish ladder on the Merrimack River. That money could of been better spent. Jmo

[Art 53]

I would love Pike in the valley. Put them in conway, Silver or Chorroua. and you watch bait shops showing up and wally world selling real ice gear!!!