How is the bass fishing? Largemouth/Smallmouth?

greeleyhill · 05-23-2018, 08:40 PM

Wondering where the bass are this time of year? Are they tight up against shore or somewhere out in deeper water. Need some help knowing where they are and what to use to catch them...maybe it's too early in the season but I welcome any advice. Thanks in advance!

kawishiwi · 05-23-2018, 10:51 PM

Last 2 sundays found smallmouth deep into bays off the main lake on 4 to 5ft dirty sandy flats. Jerk baits were very good but water temps were mid 50s so give them time to bite. Got my biggest smallie in 4 yrs in 10ft on a lipless which was the only fish not caught on a jerk bait in < 5ft of water. Havent seen Largies but I dont really look for them. Remember its catch & release only now and no live bait thru June 15th.

PaugusBayFireFighter · 05-24-2018, 06:22 AM

Heading out for bass this morning. As of Monday they were still off shore, at least on the north side of Paugus. I would bet they have come closer to the shallows after the last couple of warm sunny days. They should be on beds and pretty aggressive any day now.

Hurry up AC...I'm going to take everything around CI this weekend!

AC2717 · 05-24-2018, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Heading out for bass this morning. As of Monday they were still off shore, at least on the north side of Paugus. I would bet they have come closer to the shallows after the last couple of warm sunny days. They should be on beds and pretty aggressive any day now.
Last May 30 on Paugus.
Hurry up AC...I'm going to take everything around CI this weekend!

The Blueberry gets in the water Saturday morning, and will be out early every weekend day from then on, No way this year!!!

already landed some 3lb larry's up in Moultonboro a few weekends back out with a friend, and had great fishing that whole weekend, too many smallies to count, in about 8-12 feet of water, inline spinners and jerk baits, followed up by tubes and weighted senko's

was that off of your place near the rock formation??

My buddy snagged a beast near the pickerel cove entrance last weekend, photos are on my phone, goofball never weighed it

greeleyhill · 05-24-2018, 07:57 PM

Thanks for the tips everyone. We don't usually get out this early in the year so the tips are really helpful. I wasn't aware of the rules this time of year but we always catch and release and we never use live bait so by chance, we are good there

We fished last weekend for about 4 hours in about 8 to 20 feet and only caught 2. Rocky bottom - both were taken on senkos. First fish of the year for us - we were thinking this is just the beginning, it's only going to get better from here!

AC2717 · 05-25-2018, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Heading out for bass this morning. As of Monday they were still off shore, at least on the north side of Paugus. I would bet they have come closer to the shallows after the last couple of warm sunny days. They should be on beds and pretty aggressive any day now.

Hurry up AC...I'm going to take everything around CI this weekend!

shoot me that photo, I wanted to send it to my cousin to get him to get moving up here faster with His Nitro

rsmlp · 06-16-2018, 06:28 AM

Catching quite a few large smallies right off our dock at South point these days using Yamamoto worms. Strictly catch and release of course. Also catching pretty large rockbass and that's it. Dispatch the rockbass but they are prolific sob's.

mhtranger · 06-16-2018, 02:11 PM

Fished today up in the Moultonborough area this morning. Some good smallies around and a crap ton of rock bass. Not a single large mouth bass to be had. We threw everything at them.

rsmlp · 06-17-2018, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhtranger

Fished today up in the Moultonborough area this morning. Some good smallies around and a crap ton of rock bass. Not a single large mouth bass to be had. We threw everything at them.

Really sad. I ONLY catch smallies and rockbass now. Used to catch largemouth, pickerel, whitefish, perch and even sunfish. Freakin rockbass have excoriated the lake!

tis · 06-17-2018, 06:46 AM

Between the rockbass and the geese, I think the lake has been taken over.

noreast · 06-17-2018, 01:43 PM

Sunapee was out of business for a while from those friggen rock bass.

rsmlp · 06-18-2018, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreast

Sunapee was out of business for a while from those friggen rock bass.

So has Sunapee been able to eradicate rockbass and if so, how?

noreast · 06-18-2018, 02:56 PM

I don't think there gone but I believe they had all you can catch (and kill) tournaments. The rock bass out competed and out ate the others babies, they seem to be doing it here as well.

MRD · 06-18-2018, 03:53 PM

I have noticed that I am catching bigger rock bass each year. Plenty of small ones but every so often a significantly bigger fish shows up. I am always happy to pull a big breeder out of the lake. I catch one small mouth for every two dozen rock bass. I probably caught between 200 and 300 in front of my house last year. They own the lake at this point. It doesn't seem to matter how many I pull out--there are always more to take their place.

mhtranger · 06-19-2018, 05:54 AM

The ones I catch are returned to the lake as a food source for the turtles or birds.

rsmlp · 06-19-2018, 06:37 AM

I have not yet noticed a drop off in smallies vs rockbass-at least at south point. That said, I use a big bait (Yamamoto worms) that only large rockbass will hit.

Flyfisha · 06-19-2018, 06:35 PM

The rock bass have not gone anywhere in Sunapee. They have a fishing tournament annually sponsored by the recreation department.

See

https://www.facebook.com/events/1726722360939570/

For details.

05-23-2018, 08:40 PM	#1
greeleyhill Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 94 Thanks: 57 Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts	How is the bass fishing? Largemouth/Smallmouth? Wondering where the bass are this time of year? Are they tight up against shore or somewhere out in deeper water. Need some help knowing where they are and what to use to catch them...maybe it's too early in the season but I welcome any advice. Thanks in advance!

05-23-2018, 10:51 PM	#2
kawishiwi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 519 Thanks: 227 Thanked 167 Times in 108 Posts	They are preparing to make baby bass... Last 2 sundays found smallmouth deep into bays off the main lake on 4 to 5ft dirty sandy flats. Jerk baits were very good but water temps were mid 50s so give them time to bite. Got my biggest smallie in 4 yrs in 10ft on a lipless which was the only fish not caught on a jerk bait in < 5ft of water. Havent seen Largies but I dont really look for them. Remember its catch & release only now and no live bait thru June 15th. __________________ "I don't take responsibility at all."

05-24-2018, 06:22 AM	#3
PaugusBayFireFighter Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 837 Thanks: 361 Thanked 674 Times in 264 Posts	Heading out for bass this morning. As of Monday they were still off shore, at least on the north side of Paugus. I would bet they have come closer to the shallows after the last couple of warm sunny days. They should be on beds and pretty aggressive any day now. Hurry up AC...I'm going to take everything around CI this weekend! Last edited by PaugusBayFireFighter; 05-24-2018 at 06:34 PM.

05-24-2018, 07:57 PM	#5
greeleyhill Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 94 Thanks: 57 Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts	Thanks Everyone! Thanks for the tips everyone. We don't usually get out this early in the year so the tips are really helpful. I wasn't aware of the rules this time of year but we always catch and release and we never use live bait so by chance, we are good there We fished last weekend for about 4 hours in about 8 to 20 feet and only caught 2. Rocky bottom - both were taken on senkos. First fish of the year for us - we were thinking this is just the beginning, it's only going to get better from here!

06-16-2018, 06:28 AM	#7
rsmlp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 472 Thanks: 5 Thanked 164 Times in 84 Posts	Smallies Catching quite a few large smallies right off our dock at South point these days using Yamamoto worms. Strictly catch and release of course. Also catching pretty large rockbass and that's it. Dispatch the rockbass but they are prolific sob's.

The Following User Says Thank You to AC2717 For This Useful Post:
greeleyhill (05-24-2018)

06-16-2018, 02:11 PM	#8
mhtranger Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 129 Thanks: 317 Thanked 69 Times in 40 Posts	Fished today up in the Moultonborough area this morning. Some good smallies around and a crap ton of rock bass. Not a single large mouth bass to be had. We threw everything at them.

06-17-2018, 06:46 AM	#10
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,643 Thanks: 746 Thanked 1,439 Times in 1,000 Posts	Between the rockbass and the geese, I think the lake has been taken over.

The Following User Says Thank You to tis For This Useful Post:
mhtranger (06-17-2018)

06-17-2018, 01:43 PM	#11
noreast Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 648 Thanks: 316 Thanked 120 Times in 93 Posts	Sunapee was out of business for a while from those friggen rock bass.

06-18-2018, 02:56 PM	#13
noreast Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 648 Thanks: 316 Thanked 120 Times in 93 Posts	I don't think there gone but I believe they had all you can catch (and kill) tournaments. The rock bass out competed and out ate the others babies, they seem to be doing it here as well.

06-18-2018, 03:53 PM	#14
MRD Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 32 Thanks: 151 Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts	Bigger Rock bass I have noticed that I am catching bigger rock bass each year. Plenty of small ones but every so often a significantly bigger fish shows up. I am always happy to pull a big breeder out of the lake. I catch one small mouth for every two dozen rock bass. I probably caught between 200 and 300 in front of my house last year. They own the lake at this point. It doesn't seem to matter how many I pull out--there are always more to take their place.

06-19-2018, 05:54 AM	#15
mhtranger Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 129 Thanks: 317 Thanked 69 Times in 40 Posts	The ones I catch are returned to the lake as a food source for the turtles or birds.

The Following User Says Thank You to mhtranger For This Useful Post:
AC2717 (06-20-2018)

06-19-2018, 06:37 AM	#16
rsmlp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 472 Thanks: 5 Thanked 164 Times in 84 Posts	bass I have not yet noticed a drop off in smallies vs rockbass-at least at south point. That said, I use a big bait (Yamamoto worms) that only large rockbass will hit.

06-19-2018, 06:35 PM	#17
Flyfisha Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Rattlesnake Island Posts: 140 Thanks: 58 Thanked 46 Times in 24 Posts	Sunapee Rock bass The rock bass have not gone anywhere in Sunapee. They have a fishing tournament annually sponsored by the recreation department. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1726722360939570/ For details.