Rock Bass ??

webmaster · 06-16-2013, 03:38 PM

It's entertaining to read through the debates from 10 years ago (on our old forum system) when some were insisting that there were no Rock Bass here. "Swenson" explains why they could not possibly thrive in the lake:

http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/ar...mes;read=58742

PENIVISA · 06-16-2013, 09:16 PM

Have been fishing lake winni my whole life and this year was the first time I caught one, then 6 more. Hope this doesn't destroy fishing for bigger game fish in the future......

FLAG! · 03-28-2014, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webmaster

It's entertaining to read through the debates from 10 years ago (on our old forum system) when some were insisting that there were no Rock Bass here. "Swenson" explains why they could not possibly thrive in the lake:

http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/ar...mes;read=58742

Did any of those guys asserting there are no rock bass in winni ever man up and admit their error? It was very funny reading that back and forth.

Pineedles · 08-12-2014, 07:51 PM

There's more rock bass here in Center Harbor than ever before. at least 2 dozen under our dock. TOPWATER, I pulled at least 8 out. You know where I live, get the rest.

topwater · 08-13-2014, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

There's more rock bass here in Center Harbor than ever before. at least 2 dozen under our dock. TOPWATER, I pulled at least 8 out. You know where I live, get the rest.

If I do, you will never see those little suckers again...They will be floating loon food.

It's funny you mentioned that, I was speaking to Fish&Game about this on Sunday. I mentioned how Rock Bass are taking over Winnie and do they plan on trying to stop this. Their response was (there is nothing we CAN do ). The Person I spoke with is a very reliable guy and he felt that the rock bass will not have any effect on Winnie. I disagree, but what do I know ?

PastorT · 08-22-2014, 08:12 AM

I've posted before, but I think the best thing to do whenever you catch a rock bass is, don;t throw it back... Keep a bucket and use them for gardens etc... They spawn like crazy, I never throw them back.

kawishiwi · 07-05-2015, 11:09 PM

My first season with my new boat has been spent fishing east of long island and i have found numerous 7 to 9 inch rock bass on virtually every shallow smallmouth friendly boulder group. They hit anything. Oddly enough weve been catching bass too with the larger being largemouth. Last Friday evening we had a spot with numerous rock bass, a pickerel, a few smallies 12-15 inch, a couple of largies that spit the hook with one being at least 3+ lbs. (Easily big enough to feed on 8" rockies). As we are just learning weve been fishing shallow and not deep yet.

Rob M · 10-16-2015, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawishiwi

My first season with my new boat has been spent fishing east of long island and i have found numerous 7 to 9 inch rock bass on virtually every shallow smallmouth friendly boulder group. They hit anything. Oddly enough weve been catching bass too with the larger being largemouth. Last Friday evening we had a spot with numerous rock bass, a pickerel, a few smallies 12-15 inch, a couple of largies that spit the hook with one being at least 3+ lbs. (Easily big enough to feed on 8" rockies). As we are just learning weve been fishing shallow and not deep yet.

I fish all over New England, but mostly the lakes region, and have never had a Largemouth or Smallmouth cough up a rock bass. I have had them cough up every other type of fish, mice, chipmunks, snakes, turtles, but never a rock bass.

tis · 11-29-2015, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob M

I fish all over New England, but mostly the lakes region, and have never had a Largemouth or Smallmouth cough up a rock bass. I have had them cough up every other type of fish, mice, chipmunks, snakes, turtles, but never a rock bass.

That is very interesting. How do you think they get the mice etc? I never would have thought----

Top-Water · 11-29-2015, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tis

That is very interesting. How do you think they get the mice etc? I never would have thought----

Mice can swim, and if they make the mistake of going into the water and there is a good sized large mouth bass around, it's dinner time. I have personally seen them eat "Baby Ducklings" as well.

Not as popular as a fishing lure up north, but very popular down south.

Bass in Winnipesaukkee tend to go after beer cans, to get the crayfish that live inside them.

On a more serious note, I remember when I was a kid on Lake Winnisquam in the late 60's or early 70's there was a similar problem with white perch taking over the lake after the state tried to clean up the lake with chemicals to help control pollution before Laconia upgraded it's sewage treatment facilities. From what I understand it killed off the micro organisms that the bait fish survived on, then in turn killing off the the larger game fish due to no food supply. It was not uncommon back then to see thousands upon thousand of white perch feeding in schools on the surface.

At first glance you might think why didn't the game fish eat the white perch. They do but only when they're young. After they reach a certain size only very large fish can take them down and digest them leading to an over population of mature breeding fish that can out {compete} the slower reproducing species.

I would not be surprised if something similar is happening with the rock bass, where the predator / prey / food supply / breeding population/ habitat relationship has gotten out of balance or changed. I have been fishing this lake for a lot of years now and have seen a slow steady decline with regard to the number big warm water fish. Yes big fish can still be caught from time to time, it just seems like there is a lot less of them in recent years. I wonder if the chemicals the state is using to control invasive weeds these days is driving these fish to new areas of the lake to find food, hence the different reports of them showing up in the lake where they had never been seen before. Somehow Lake Winnisquam rebounded from all this and turned into a great place to fish.

Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass contrary to popular belief are not native to Lake Winnipesaukkee. They were introduced as well , but the rock bass seem to be truly undesirable.

tis · 11-29-2015, 05:48 PM

Thanks! I appreciate that. I can understand the ducklings and the snakes, which are in the lake though I don't like to think about it, and the turtles but the mice and the chipmunks really baffled me. I didn't know mice swam I guess. I am still amazed, I loved learning this little fact. Guess it doesn't take much huh?

PaugusBayFireFighter · 11-29-2015, 07:48 PM

Mice love to swim...

upthesaukee · 11-29-2015, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Mice love to swim...

What's that mouse doing in my bathtub??? Looks like the backstroke.

Back to the rock bass....

8gv · 11-29-2015, 11:54 PM

I had my son and his friend in a canoe with me when I noticed a little mouse swimming toward us. As he got close to the canoe it was obvious that he would have to travel some of the length of the canoe in order to continue on to shore.

I was looking down on the mouse wondering if he was going to choose the short or long way around when something big came into focus below him. Before I could utter "holy %%%%" the object below became apparent as a 5-6# largemouth bass and zoomed up to swallow the mouse.

It was like watching Wild Kingdom! Well, at least for me it was. For the mouse it was more like "Jonah and the Whale".

The boys saw just enough of it to go searching for mouse lures on our next tackle shopping mission.

tis · 11-30-2015, 08:56 AM

So very interesting. I thought I had seen all the animals swimming in the lake that there are to see (including moose) but don't ever remember seeing a mouse swim. Love reading this!! We have seen a loon get baby ducklings too.

Rob M · 01-18-2016, 03:59 PM

This summer I was fishing early in the am off Sandy Island and saw what I thought was a beaver swimming in the distance, as I got closer I found it was a squirrel swimming from Long Island out to one of the smaller islands. I watched to see if any large fish would interrupt its swim, but it made it safely to shore.

Pineedles · 06-17-2016, 01:29 PM

During my vacation I rid the lake of dozens of rock bass right off my dock. Some boat fisherman were catching and releasing them to which I told them, rock bass aren't catch and release like most other species prior to June 15th. Throw them on shore or put'em in a bucket to dispose of later. It may be futile but the fact that I only hooked on to 1 bass while fishing makes me believe that they are negatively impacting other species.

lakershaker · 06-20-2016, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

During my vacation I rid the lake of dozens of rock bass right off my dock. Some boat fisherman were catching and releasing them to which I told them, rock bass aren't catch and release like most other species prior to June 15th. Throw them on shore or put'em in a bucket to dispose of later. It may be futile but the fact that I only hooked on to 1 bass while fishing makes me believe that they are negatively impacting other species.

I agree. This is the first year I've really seen them out at Rattlesnake, and they seem to be displacing our old resident bass. My son is having a great time pulling them up though.

Resident 2B · 07-06-2015, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PastorT

I've posted before, but I think the best thing to do whenever you catch a rock bass is, don;t throw it back... Keep a bucket and use them for gardens etc... They spawn like crazy, I never throw them back.

Great advice! Thanks! I realize this is a late thanks.

R2B

Resident 2B · 07-06-2015, 01:55 AM

These fish will greatly harm the lake. Please do not throw the back in!

R2B

AC2717 · 07-06-2015, 08:45 AM

Must have caught about 15 maybe more in Paugus bay July 4th morning, had kids on the boat, was trying to eradicate them at the same time, it was a hard to do, some made it back to the lake

wynndog · 07-06-2015, 01:57 PM

Caught some at docks in alton bay last week
w d

noreast · 07-12-2015, 09:10 AM

caught about 12 last week in limited fishing mostly around rattlesnake. flag is right, sunapee was shut down for small mouth for a long time.

AC2717 · 07-13-2015, 08:10 AM

caught another dozen or so this weekend in Paugus again, getting sick of it

NH_boater · 07-13-2015, 12:47 PM

I fish Alton Bay regularly. The Gazebo used to be a great spot for smallest just 2 or 3 years ago, with an occasional 3 pounder. Now it is 100% rock bass, in my experience. The rock boulder shore on the West side headed out (just NW of gazebo) was another great area for smallest and is now 90% rockers.

They have taken over areas of the SM fishery and are expanding rapidly. You know you have one (rock bass) when they nibble a bite (rather than a hit), and they have one small surge of a fight and then they give up, as opposed to smallest that fight all the way in. You can feel it instantly.

AC2717 · 07-14-2015, 10:17 AM

It is time to introduce:
a No Limit (size nor quantity) Rock Bass Tournament just like Sebago to eradicate them

At this point there would be no need for a prize because I am sure all us fisherman would love to help out, just drop your pile off and you get listed for your skills

bt99 · 07-15-2015, 07:31 PM

Seeing the same thing in the Harilla area. Just a few years ago, I could drift around in the kayak, pulling smallies all over the place.

This past weekend and for much of this year, couldn't find a small mouth bass anywhere. They weren't even in their normal bedding areas around my dock.

barefootbay · 07-16-2015, 05:22 PM

Are they a good eating fish ?

SIKSUKR · 07-17-2015, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barefootbay

Are they a good eating fish ?

Too good. They have been eating all the regular bass.

AC2717 · 07-20-2015, 09:41 AM

another 30 plus rock bass in Paugus Bay this sunday in less than three hours

06-16-2013, 09:16 PM	#2
PENIVISA Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 51 Thanks: 29 Thanked 13 Times in 11 Posts	rock bass Have been fishing lake winni my whole life and this year was the first time I caught one, then 6 more. Hope this doesn't destroy fishing for bigger game fish in the future...... Last edited by PENIVISA; 06-18-2013 at 09:42 PM.

08-22-2014, 08:12 AM	#6
PastorT Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 15 Thanks: 4 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Rock Bass I've posted before, but I think the best thing to do whenever you catch a rock bass is, don;t throw it back... Keep a bucket and use them for gardens etc... They spawn like crazy, I never throw them back.

07-05-2015, 11:09 PM	#7
kawishiwi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 519 Thanks: 227 Thanked 167 Times in 108 Posts	Rock bass all over east of Long Island bridge My first season with my new boat has been spent fishing east of long island and i have found numerous 7 to 9 inch rock bass on virtually every shallow smallmouth friendly boulder group. They hit anything. Oddly enough weve been catching bass too with the larger being largemouth. Last Friday evening we had a spot with numerous rock bass, a pickerel, a few smallies 12-15 inch, a couple of largies that spit the hook with one being at least 3+ lbs. (Easily big enough to feed on 8" rockies). As we are just learning weve been fishing shallow and not deep yet.

11-29-2015, 07:48 PM	#12
PaugusBayFireFighter Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 837 Thanks: 361 Thanked 674 Times in 264 Posts	Swimming mouse Mice love to swim... Attached Images

11-29-2015, 11:54 PM	#14
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,127 Thanks: 64 Thanked 753 Times in 487 Posts	I had my son and his friend in a canoe with me when I noticed a little mouse swimming toward us. As he got close to the canoe it was obvious that he would have to travel some of the length of the canoe in order to continue on to shore. I was looking down on the mouse wondering if he was going to choose the short or long way around when something big came into focus below him. Before I could utter "holy %%%%" the object below became apparent as a 5-6# largemouth bass and zoomed up to swallow the mouse. It was like watching Wild Kingdom! Well, at least for me it was. For the mouse it was more like "Jonah and the Whale". The boys saw just enough of it to go searching for mouse lures on our next tackle shopping mission. Last edited by 8gv; 06-22-2016 at 01:37 PM.

06-16-2013, 03:38 PM	#1
webmaster Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 2,476 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 463 Thanked 3,985 Times in 854 Posts	It's entertaining to read through the debates from 10 years ago (on our old forum system) when some were insisting that there were no Rock Bass here. "Swenson" explains why they could not possibly thrive in the lake: http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/ar...mes;read=58742

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to webmaster For This Useful Post:
FLAG! (03-28-2014), trfour (06-17-2013)

08-12-2014, 07:51 PM	#4
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,549 Thanks: 1,074 Thanked 672 Times in 369 Posts	There's more rock bass here in Center Harbor than ever before. at least 2 dozen under our dock. TOPWATER, I pulled at least 8 out. You know where I live, get the rest.

The Following User Says Thank You to Pineedles For This Useful Post:
topwater (08-13-2014)

The Following User Says Thank You to kawishiwi For This Useful Post:
Resident 2B (07-06-2015)

11-29-2015, 05:48 PM	#11
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,841 Thanks: 764 Thanked 1,474 Times in 1,029 Posts	Thanks! I appreciate that. I can understand the ducklings and the snakes, which are in the lake though I don't like to think about it, and the turtles but the mice and the chipmunks really baffled me. I didn't know mice swam I guess. I am still amazed, I loved learning this little fact. Guess it doesn't take much huh?

11-30-2015, 08:56 AM	#15
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,841 Thanks: 764 Thanked 1,474 Times in 1,029 Posts	So very interesting. I thought I had seen all the animals swimming in the lake that there are to see (including moose) but don't ever remember seeing a mouse swim. Love reading this!! We have seen a loon get baby ducklings too.

01-18-2016, 03:59 PM	#16
Rob M Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 21 Thanks: 10 Thanked 11 Times in 11 Posts	Odd paddlers This summer I was fishing early in the am off Sandy Island and saw what I thought was a beaver swimming in the distance, as I got closer I found it was a squirrel swimming from Long Island out to one of the smaller islands. I watched to see if any large fish would interrupt its swim, but it made it safely to shore.

06-17-2016, 01:29 PM	#17
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,549 Thanks: 1,074 Thanked 672 Times in 369 Posts	My contribution During my vacation I rid the lake of dozens of rock bass right off my dock. Some boat fisherman were catching and releasing them to which I told them, rock bass aren't catch and release like most other species prior to June 15th. Throw them on shore or put'em in a bucket to dispose of later. It may be futile but the fact that I only hooked on to 1 bass while fishing makes me believe that they are negatively impacting other species.

The Following User Says Thank You to Pineedles For This Useful Post:
AC2717 (06-17-2016)

07-06-2015, 01:55 AM	#20
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,358 Thanks: 996 Thanked 314 Times in 164 Posts	These fish will greatly harm the lake. Please do not throw the back in! R2B

07-06-2015, 08:45 AM	#21
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,587 Thanks: 756 Thanked 356 Times in 268 Posts	Must have caught about 15 maybe more in Paugus bay July 4th morning, had kids on the boat, was trying to eradicate them at the same time, it was a hard to do, some made it back to the lake __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

07-06-2015, 01:57 PM	#22
wynndog Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Alton Posts: 98 Thanks: 170 Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts	Rock bass Caught some at docks in alton bay last week w d

07-12-2015, 09:10 AM	#23
noreast Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 648 Thanks: 316 Thanked 120 Times in 93 Posts	caught about 12 last week in limited fishing mostly around rattlesnake. flag is right, sunapee was shut down for small mouth for a long time.

07-13-2015, 08:10 AM	#24
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,587 Thanks: 756 Thanked 356 Times in 268 Posts	caught another dozen or so this weekend in Paugus again, getting sick of it __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

07-13-2015, 12:47 PM	#25
NH_boater Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 298 Thanks: 14 Thanked 147 Times in 62 Posts	Alton Bay I fish Alton Bay regularly. The Gazebo used to be a great spot for smallest just 2 or 3 years ago, with an occasional 3 pounder. Now it is 100% rock bass, in my experience. The rock boulder shore on the West side headed out (just NW of gazebo) was another great area for smallest and is now 90% rockers. They have taken over areas of the SM fishery and are expanding rapidly. You know you have one (rock bass) when they nibble a bite (rather than a hit), and they have one small surge of a fight and then they give up, as opposed to smallest that fight all the way in. You can feel it instantly.

07-14-2015, 10:17 AM	#26
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,587 Thanks: 756 Thanked 356 Times in 268 Posts	It is time to introduce: a No Limit (size nor quantity) Rock Bass Tournament just like Sebago to eradicate them At this point there would be no need for a prize because I am sure all us fisherman would love to help out, just drop your pile off and you get listed for your skills __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to AC2717 For This Useful Post:
ApS (07-16-2015), KeepItSimple (07-14-2015), Resident 2B (07-15-2015), secondcurve (07-16-2015)

07-15-2015, 07:31 PM	#27
bt99 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Oileán Fada Posts: 25 Thanks: 2 Thanked 13 Times in 5 Posts	Seeing the same thing in the Harilla area. Just a few years ago, I could drift around in the kayak, pulling smallies all over the place. This past weekend and for much of this year, couldn't find a small mouth bass anywhere. They weren't even in their normal bedding areas around my dock.

07-16-2015, 05:22 PM	#28
barefootbay Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 396 Thanks: 78 Thanked 107 Times in 75 Posts	Are they a good eating fish ?

The Following User Says Thank You to SIKSUKR For This Useful Post:
noreast (07-17-2015)

07-20-2015, 09:41 AM	#30
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,587 Thanks: 756 Thanked 356 Times in 268 Posts	another 30 plus rock bass in Paugus Bay this sunday in less than three hours __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"