|
|
In Northern New Hampshire, the Department of Fish and Game report that the rain has helped cool things off a little, but the river water levels are still very low. They recommend fishing in the early morning or evening.
Some caddisflies and blue-winged olives are hatching on the Connecticut River. There are some caddis on the Swift Diamond River, too, and lots of little brookies jumping out of the water to get them.
Stocked ponds are still warm on the surface, so be careful to not play the fish too long. That stress can be magnified in warmer waters.
Continue reading New Hampshire Fishing Report: Warm Summer, Good Fishing
Dr. Julie Ball checked in and said that the decent weather continues to provide anglers with good opportunities. She said that the top species this week continues to be cobia, with the biggest fish of the season now hitting the docks.
Julie indicated that many fish are ranging between 60 and 80-pounds. Cobia continue to transition into their late summer trend of grouping into large schools and cruising on the surface near the mouth of the Bay and along the ocean front. Continue reading Cobia Continue To Rule Virginia Beach
Dr. Julie Ball dropped us a line and reported that the action is so good in the Virginia Beach area that you don’t know what to fish for. She said that it’s difficult to decide what to fish for now, since so many species are available.
Inshore, she said that it’s still worthwhile to fish for summer flounder, but finding keepers is more difficult. The best action is still coming from live bait offerings and jigs tipped with strips near the high rise section of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, and the usual places near the 3rd and 4th islands.
Continue reading Virginia Beach Fishing Report: Great Action All Around
South Carolina’s DNR recently weighed in with a regional fishing report. Here’s what they reported:
Lake Greenwood:
- Catfish: Good to very good. Drifting or double anchoring on main lake or secondary points, the best fishing is in 2 to 15 feet of water, with fish moving shallower at night. Shrimp and small pieces of herring or shad will both work, and stink bait is also catching fish for many people.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Fish are moving into a normal summer pattern, with some fish being caught early in the morning against block walls and rocks on topwater lures and floating worms. Later in the day the majority of fish can be found off points and around humps and ledges. Carolina rigging plastic worms is most effective. Occasional schooling activity is also being reported in the lower lake on cloudy days, with white perch, white bass and striped bass sometimes mixed in with largemouth.
Lake Wateree:
- Crappie: Fair. Lake Wateree crappie fishing is day to day, with fish cooperating some days and not others. Best fishing is coming over brush piles in 15-22 feet of water vertical jigging or tightlining. Minnows will work, and Fish Stalker jigs in Ugly Green or Pearl White and mini jigs in yellow/ white and dark green/ chartreuse will also catch fish.
- Catfish: Good. The upriver bite has been good lately, especially with good water flow. Anytime current is present in the river section, the chances of getting a good fish are good. Point fishing will also be good in the evenings and late at night when big blues come shallow to feed up. Some scarred up male fish are being caught which indicates the major part of the spawn is ending as these fish start to leave nests and get into post spawn patterns. Drift fishing will produce about 50 percent blues and 50 percent channels on the shallow flats. Large fish are taken on occasion in water less than 10 feet drifting cut bait near shore.
Lake Monticello:
- Catfish: Inconsistent. Water fluctuation has made for an unpredictable bite. On days when the water is moving, anchoring on main lakes humps with water flowing over them is a productive way to go after big blues, but on days without current a better big fish pattern is to fish in the coves around timber and over mussel beds. The free line drift bite continues to be strong for smaller fish.
Lake Murray:
- Striped Bass: Very good. Early in the morning fish are being caught shallow around shoal markers on topwater lures. Later in the day fish are being caught from Bomb Island down to the dam on down lined live herring fished along the river channel 40-60 feet deep.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Early in the morning there can be a pretty decent topwater bite, but the overall bite really slows down after 10 a.m. Fish are mainly in 10-12 feet of water right now, and they are feeding hard on crayfish. Try fishing shakey head worms and Carolina rigs off rocky points.
Santee Cooper System
- Catfish: Good. Daytime drift fishing has produced some nice blue cats in the early part of the day. Cut white perch has been the bait of choice, and most fish have been caught in less than 30 feet of water. A number of 6-10 pound channel cats are also showing up, especially in deeper water. Smaller channels are being caught on dip baits in shallow water. Drift fishing the Rediversion Canal out of Arrowhead Landing in the evening, and anchoring at night in the Diversion canal, is good and should only improve as summer progresses.
- Crappie: Very good. Catching some good stringers of crappie in the lower lake around brushpiles 15-30 feet deep. Both minnows and jigs are working.
The Wisconsin DNR reports that the warm, humid weather over the Fourth of July holiday weekend had large numbers of people out enjoying lakes and rivers, and kept most state campgrounds filled. Most of the state continued to receive some rainfall in the last week, ranging from less than half an inch in the southeast, to more than 2 inches in central part of the state.
The continued rain has kept many river systems running high, though rivers in the north are again approaching seasonal norms. Some major flowages in the north have returned to near normal water levels. The Turtle-Flambeau Flowage has come up about 2 feet since its low about a month ago, and is now just about 1 foot below full pool. The natural seepage lakes came up some, but many are still very low from the effects of the six-plus years of drought. Major river systems in central and southern Wisconsin, including the Black, Baraboo, Chippewa, Kickapoo and lower Wisconsin were all still running very high this week. The Mississippi also continued to run very high, with a lot of floating debris, except for Pool 6, which is currently undergoing a drawdown intended to improve river habitat.
Panfish and musky have been providing the most action on northern waters. Musky activity has continued to improve with the warming water, with good numbers of 32- to 40-inch fish reported. Bucktails and top-water baits have been the most productive lures. Anglers have been reporting decent catches of crappie, bluegill and rock bass. Walleye action continued to be slow. The increased water levels and dark-stained stained water has really thrown bass fishing off, with typical early summer patterns not producing many fish.
On Green Bay, walleye fishing was good in the southern part of bay and northward near Fish Creek. Perch fishing was spotty, with the best reports out of Sturgeon and Little Sturgeon bays. High winds and high waters made fishing on Lake Michigan difficult at times this week. Large capping rollers at 3-5 feet scattered success of boaters fishing a derby out of Manitowoc last weekend.
This wind did help drop the surface water temperatures from a warm 62 degrees down to 51 degrees. Fishing off piers was starting to pick up with both chinook and coho salmon being caught. When trollers were able to get out, they generally reported action had slowed some from previous weeks but many were still successful, with chinook being the majority the catch, but also coho as well as rainbow and lake trout. Fishing off southeastern Wisconsin piers and harbors was picking up, with rainbow trout and, chinook, and coho salmon being caught on alewives.
In Northern New Hampshire, the Division of Fish & Game said that it can be difficult to predict what effect the warm weather will have on gamefish in northern New Hampshire. The current heat wave has been hanging around long enough that there are clear impacts on the water bodies.
Common sense would tell you that coldwater fish like trout and salmon seek refuge from warm water by swimming deeper or near springs and tributaries. They will also respond to the insects that begin hatching in really warm weather, like grasshoppers and other terrestrials. Warmwater fish like bass and pike recognize that our growing season is relatively short and will feed heavily. Baitfish are also reaching a size that makes them worthwhile prey for lunker fish. This is also an excellent opportunity to fish late into the evening. Nothing feels better than fishing a surface lure on calm water as the sun sets.
In the Lakes Region/White Mountains, the Division recommends that you head north or go deep are the watchwords for anglers after the July 4th weekend! A record-setting heat wave has enveloped New Hampshire, and the lack of substantial rains has seen water temps soaring into the mid 70s. Lake trollers will still find good action 20-30 feet down, as the thermocline is actively “setting up.”
A few words about the thermocline. In the state’s large, deep lakes, as summer progresses, warmer surface waters increase in depth, and blanket the colder, more dense waters below. Where the two “zones” mix, the water temperature drastically falls, and the water in the deep, cold basins “bottoms out” around 46-48 degrees. The zone where the greatest temperature flux occurs is also the area of high plankton (phytoplankton and zooplankton) activity.
At night, rainbow smelt rise up in the water column, and feed in this rich zone all night, until the morning sun drives the smelt back down, well below the thermocline. Early morning anglers will often see the remnants of schools of smelt before they begin their downward movement. Experienced lake trollers know all about the thermocline, and with modern temperature probes, are able to accurately fish this zone consistently. Remember: as waters warm, these fish brought up from the depths need to be treated gently, and quickly released if not harvested.
Mountain streams are still providing excellent fishing, but we need some significant showers to help maintain receding water levels.
In the upper valley, the state said that if the hot, sticky weather has got you down and you want to keep cool and yet still feel like you’re fishing, try snorkeling in your favorite lake or stream. An inexpensive pair of goggles or a mask and snorkel will enhance your perspective of fish and maybe even improve your fishing success.
Most of what you hear about fishing on television shows, fishing magazines, or from your fellow anglers is slanted towards a very humanistic perspective. By entering the fish’s environment, snorkeling lets you not only see the location fish are holding in, but also gives you an idea of their behavior and feeding patterns.
When snorkeling in streams, move slowly in an upstream direction. Try to minimize any sudden movements and use the stream bottom to pull yourself along. Pools are a great place to watch trout and minnows feed and interact. In lakes and ponds, snorkel along the shore where the water starts to deepen (watch out for jet-skis and motorboats). Keep your eyes open and when you see fish, approach them slowly or observe them from a distance. Docks are also a great place to locate fish.
The Merrimack River is often overlooked this time of year as a fishing destination. As anglers drive north on I-93 in pursuit of quality fishing destinations, they are potentially passing up some trophy-sized large and smallmouth bass, black crappie, and walleye. That’s right…walleye.
From time to time the state receives reports of the species being caught, and we occasionally encounter them in their surveys along the mainstem of the river. The most recent reported catch occurred in mid-June and the fish was close to 10 pounds. The records of the first walleye introductions to the Merrimack River are unclear but more recent plantings have occurred in 1977 and 1992.
A survey in the 1960s by New Hampshire Fish and Game yielded a fair number of walleyes in the Hooksett/Manchester area. Anglers can take advantage of the low flow conditions of the Merrimack and do some exploring to find where the fish are holding. Access to the mainstem varies from town to town but anglers should be looking at changes or variability in habitat along the river (i.e., deeper channels, patches of aquatic vegetation, rocky structure, etc).
Along the coast, the state said that the worst of the heat wave is behind us but there are still plenty of warm days left and the best place to beat the heat is on the ocean! Not only was a boat the place to be for comfort this week but for fishing as well. The Hampton area was the big hitter again with reports of stripers landed in the mouth of the harbor.
Mackerel continue to be elusive but there have been few reports of them at the Shoals in great number. Striped bass are nocturnal feeders and the tides are once again aligned for some killer early morning and late evening fishing. Take a trip out to the Shoals for some mackerel. Anglers have been doing best with live bait this week, so take those macks and live line for stripers, you might try drifting at the mouth of Hampton Harbor. If a boat trip is not in your future, you can get close to the action from either shore or the bridge. Also, eels are a good alternative to live mackerel and you can find them at bait shops with no need to wet your feet!
In other news, it looks like New Hampshire’s headboat companies have started doing half-day flounder trips. Come on down to the coast and increase your odds of catching one by going with the professionals!
New Hampshire’s Department of Fish & Game recently reported good fishing all over the state, from the North through to the south and throughout the coast. Trout action remains consistent despite rising temperatures, and the bass and crappie action is picking up in some places. On the coast, the cod fishing action remains solid but it has moved a little further offshore.
The Department of Fish & Game reported that fishing in northern New Hampshire couldn’t get more exciting. Opportunity abounds as trout ponds are still cool and bass ponds are starting to warm up. Fish are still being stocked, insects are hatching and fish are feeding aggressively.
Rivers and streams in northern New Hampshire are still at very healthy levels. Nash Stream has been fishing very well and some great brook trout have been caught. Anglers trolling flies have been reporting success at Dummer Pond and Cedar Pond. Bass fishermen have also been reporting high catch rates at Umbagog Lake.
In the Lakes region of the state, the Department is reporting that a recent electroshocking survey on Lake Winnisquam turned up some impressive largemouth bass and black crappie. They say that if you concentrate on those waters south of Mosquito Bridge, you will be treated to a great warmwater fishery.
If you stop and think about habitat for these species, it all boils down to where the vegetation is found. Large nutrient-poor lakes depend on the many tributaries that flow into them to provide the life- and nutrient-giving opportunity.
More often than not, these brooks are turbid, because they carry silt loads from upstream areas. Flooded marshlands found along these brook courses are the nursery areas for yellow and white perch, largemouth bass, black crappie and chain pickerel, not to mention the three sunfish species found in our lakes (bluegill, pumpkinseed and redbreast sunfish). The division also discovered that the numerous docks nearly always held fish underneath, and don’t forget fishing the dive platforms.
Department Fisheries Biologist Don Miller once snorkeled near a large dive platform on Winnipesaukee that was surrounded by acres of sandy bottom. It was amazing to see the number of smallmouth bass that were holding in the shade and overhead cover provided by the platform. It was akin to a pecking order, largest bass near the top, with smaller fish in the lower depths. Try scouting for these areas on any of our large lakes, you will be amazed.
In the Upper Valley, the Department reported that summer has finally arrived, with warmer temperatures throughout the state. On Monday they were doing field work at Sand Pond in Marlow/Lempster and Newell Pond in Alstead where the water temps were still in the low 70s.
Trout fishermen should take advantage of these water temps before things really warm up and trout get deeper and harder to catch. Fishermen that they talked to at these locations reported catching decent numbers of good-size brook trout and browns. Other suggested trout waters to try include the Connecticut River, Contoocook River, French Pond, and Mt. William Pond.
><> Southeast NH/Merrimack Valley
I had an excellent Father’s Day fishing trip on Pawtuckaway Lake this past weekend. My father, my four-year-old son and I launched a boat at the Fundy Cover ramp on the north end of the lake. We kept it simple, fishing with worms among the vegetation in the shallow coves. Yellow perch were biting each time we dropped our bait in the water. Biting fish are very helpful for holding the attention of a four-year-old in a canoe. There were many other people on the water, in everything from kayaks to bass boats. I overheard one person who said that he had already released more than 11 bass so far that morning. – Matt Carpenter, Regional Fisheries Biologist
><> Seacoast Area
Well, we all knew it was inevitable. After a long season and some huge cod, the mudhole has dried up for the summer. The good news is that there is some excellent groundfishing further out on Jeffrey’s Ledge, you won’t be catching those jaw-dropping lunkers but average-sized cod, haddock and pollock are out there in plenty. If your boat is not up for the trip, there are five skilled and knowledgeable headboat companies in our great state that are eager to take you right to the fish. We’ve still been seeing coolers filled with mackerel and the winter flounder fishing down in Hampton is picking up.
An idea for all of those anglers with small ones itching to do something fun this summer: Take a trip over to the Seacoast Science Center to check out their display tanks. Show the kids what fish they might be able to catch, then walk on down to the jetty at Odiorne Point or travel across the harbor to Fort Stark to try their hand at fishing. With forts, beaches and fishing there is lots to keep those short attention spans occupied, hopefully long enough for you to get in a good day of fishing!
In Lake Jocassee, the DNR is reporting as of June 21 that the largemouth bass action is good. Post-spawn fish are hanging around blowdowns, especially in the vicinity of spawning areas, before they move out to deep water. They recommend that you fish soft plastics slowly, and expect best results on overcast or rainy days.
The DNR is also indicating that the trout fishing is also good. Fish the intakes early in the morning and pulling spoons for the first few hours of daylight. As the sun rises moves out to the main lake and fish both spoons and live shiners. With the hot sun, Continue reading South Carolina Fishing Report: Good Bass Fishing
New Hampshire’s fishing is getting hot as water temperatures have cooled and settled into more springtime fishing. Anglers throughout the state are doing quite well with trout. Those fly fishermen are seeing great mayfly hatches. On the coast, the striper action has gotten good as linesiders follow the herring. Get fishing — now’s the time!
In New Hampshire’s North Country, NH’s Fish & Game is reporting that the temperatures have dropped and levels have risen to a much more typical spring appearance. Continue reading New Hamsphire Fishing Report: Hot Trout & Striper Action
 Dr. Julie Ball Holds a 74-pound cobia, a pending IGFA 20-pound record Virginia resident expert female angler Dr. Julie Ball has done it again as we just received report that she has set an IGFA 20-pound class Women’s Tackle Record for cobia with the 74 pounder that she landed today.
She said that the sight casters are catching some nice cobia in the lower Chesapeake Bay right now. A fishing buddy Rudy happens to be a good angler, but his forte is sight casting for cobia.
When Rudy called her at work and mentioned cobia fishing, she said, “I was there!” She joined Jason Legg and Captain Rudy Lavasseur at Bubba’s Marina in Virginia Beach, fishing out of Lynnhaven Inlet in Rudy’s 24-foot Triton.
After about 30-minutes, they found a fish for Julie to target — a big cobia. She said that she had her rod spooled with IGFA rated line and ready to go — Julie would know, she is a representative for the IGFA.
“Please eat, please eat,” she murmured as the group watched the cobia inspect her bait. As she raised her rod, she knew she was hooked up.
No Fish Fights Like a Cobia
I’ve only caught cobia that weigh in the 20-pound range, and the fish that I landed was one amazing fighting fish. The fish fights, and when tired, comes to the boat. However, when the fish is still green and sees the boat, it peels off a run like you can’t believe. Julie experienced this first-hand with light tackle today.
 Julie indicated that the fight began with one peeved cobia peeling line, heading for the bridge! Rudy quickly chased her down, and they turned the cobia around.
At first, the group thought Julie was going to be able to make quick work of the fish since it was staying on the surface. But she said that she became nervous as the cobia decided to thrash and jump. Being the expert angler that Julie is, she said that she was able to keep the fish from breaking off, even with 20-pound test line.
Julie said that she had the cobia close to the boat a few times, and Rudy and Jason were making plans to take a gaff shot at her very green cobia. But that all changed when the fish decided to head down and sound. Not good, the group began to play the waiting game.
During the relentless up and down tug-o-war, my crew’s discussion became heated as they estimated the weight of the cobia. At one point, they had estimated the weight at 90-pounds, and then sinking all the way down to 50-pounds. “Would you quit guessing? You’re gonna jinx me!” Julie said to the group. The group didn’t stop with their estimates, and they settled at around 75-pounds.
After an hour and forty minutes, Julie finally worked the record cobia back to the top, and could see it had tired. Julie said that Rudy smoothly gaffed the fish right alongside the boat, and held it as Jason helped him carefully lift it into the boat. The record cobia stayed calm while they took photos and packed it in the fish box.
At Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle, the fish hit 74-pounds, which is over 3.5-pounds bigger than the existing record. Dr. Julie Ball nails yet another IGFA record — congratulations to Julie as she continues to set the fishing world on fire.
|
|
