August 16, 2002: Cool Ways to Beating Those Hot Summer Nights:
Night Bass Fishing and Poutin' Plus, a bonus report
By Mark Beauchesne
Let's Go Fishing Coordinator
You don't need to hear it from me that it's too
hot. Just ask the fish. Yes, the fish react to the heat wave like
we do. They're laying low, staying cool and doing their best to
survive.
For most of our favorite game fish, the dog days
of summer can become a nightmare. One of the best ways to beat the
heat is to go early. And I mean early. Be on the water before sunrise.
The surface temps cool over night slightly and the fish are more
active during this low light period.
A recent trip to Squam Lake proved this to be
true ... well, at least in our case. We started fishing rock piles
and ridges adjacent to deep water. Early top-water fishing for smallies
with 79 degree surface temps isn't all that appealing. But within
the first four casts fish were smashing our poppers. We managed
eight fish between the two of us before 9 a.m.
Once the sun was up the top-water bite was over
for the most part. I stuck it out for another two fish. My partner
switched over to a curl tail grub on a 1/4-ounce jig head. She was
swimming the jig back to the boat. Long casts to cover water were
the key to jig success.
We changed our fishing tactics by concentrating
on deeper water. We still fished the type of structure that gave
us top-water success. We just turned and made our presentation out
in deep water. Let the jig fall all the way to the bottom. Watch
your line closely for anything that looks fishy. Quite often, suspended
fish will take your jig on the fall. Swim the jig back to the boat
with a lift-and-fall retrieve.
By noon it'll be time for a swim. Take a break
and head back out around 7 p.m. Fish until dark or until the bats
drive you in.
When Sleep Fails ... Count Bass
Speaking of after dark, when the weather is this steamy you're not
sleeping anyways ... so go fishing. Fishing for largemouth bass
after dark is a blast. There aren't enough adjectives to describe
the intense feeling when you hook a bass in the dark. Could it be
that 5-pounder you've been waiting for? Or is it just a spunky 1-pounder?
For you first-time after-dark bass anglers I
strongly suggest the following:
1. Know the body of water you're fishing. Select a small pond.
2. Keep your gear to a minimum. Too many rods in a boat when it's
dark spells trouble.
3. Let someone know where you are and when you should be expected
home.
4. Go slow! Remember: Moose can swim. Safety first at all times.
5. Have extra flashlights in reach.
6. Keep your light use to a minimum. Light will attract bugs.
7. Have fun!
Hookin' Mr. Big
When I'm night-fishing, I don't get on the water until the sun has
set. For some reason unknown to me, the bass stop biting for about
an hour after the sun goes down. This is when you can find your
spot and your casting range while it's still light.
My lure of choice is a black 3/4-ounce broken
back jitterbug. A medium-heavy rod with at least 12-pound test line
will get the fish (or your lure) out of the weeds.
Cast to shore. If you hear a splash, that's a
good thing. A slow, steady retrieve is necessary to bring Mr. Big
to your offering. Bass can see better than we can after dark. But
they rely heavily on sound and vibration to find food.
When a bass crashes your lure, don't set the
hook until you feel weight on the line. Also, keep your retrieve
moving if the fish misses. It'll be back.
High Time for Poutin'
How about some good ol' horn poutin'? I'm willing to bet you haven't
been poutin' in years. Well now's the time. I can't think of a nicer
way to spend a steamy hot summer night. The gear is simple: a bunch
of crawlers, lantern, a forked stick, lawn chair and good company.
A medium-action rod with 8-pound test will work well.
I've taken a liking to using flounder hooks for
horn pout. They're long shank hooks with a small plastic bead that
acts as a float. This float just lifts your bait off the bottom
slightly. Attach a sinker 15 inches above your hook.
I like to feed the fish big food: two big crawlers
on the hook. Cast your line out and let your bait settle to the
bottom. Once the line goes slack, you're on the bottom. Set the
rod in the forked stick -- your trusty rod holder. I like to take
up the slack so the line is almost straight off the rod tip.
Hey Now! Pout On!
Have a seat and enjoy the cool night air. You'll know when a fish
is interested in your bait. Your line will either go slack or move
off to one side or the other. Gently pick up the rod, check if you
can feel the fish. Okay, set the hook. Use extra caution when handling
these fish. They have sharp spines on their pectoral and dorsal
fins.
I still get out horn poutin' at least once in
the summer. Most of New Hampshire's lakes and ponds have good populations
of horned pout. They're also known as brown bullheads. But don't
call them that to local anglers. They'll look at you like you've
got three heads.
To find out if your favorite pond has horn pout,
check the Freshwater Fishing Guide available in PDF format at this
web site.
Great fishing!!!
Mark
But wait, there's more... Bonus Report
Seacoast Scene
The coast is still full of action this summer. Doug Grout, Fish
and Game's marine fisheries biologist reports that there are still
strong catches of stripers, haddock and cod.
"Stripers are still being caught in good
numbers, though not as strong as they were in June," he says.
Angler surveys bear this out.
Mackerel and cod catches are starting to wind
down a bit, Grout says, and while mackerel bait has disappeared,
there's still pollack.
Shore anglers can try some of the state park
jetties at the mouths of Hampton and Rye harbors, along with the
Portsmouth/New Castle bridge. Another good bet is the Scammel Bridge
on Route 4.
One tool in monitoring seacoast fisheries is
Fish and Game's annual survey of recreational anglers, now running
some 20-plus years. Fish and Game surveys 2,000 to 2,500 anglers
every year to see what they're catching and where. Another 7,000
to 8,000 folks (some anglers, some not) are surveyed to get an estimate
of overall fishing effort.
This kind of information is a big help in understanding
the impact on the resource, according to Grout. We know, for instance,
that 100,000 to 150,000 people are fishing New Hampshire's saltwater,
about half of whom are resident anglers.
Meanwhile, marine fisheries folks are also busy
checking the estuaries for juvenile production, finding some interesting
stuff. Check this out: Recent seine surveys reveal that "this
has been a banner year for flounder production," Grout says.
In normal years, a good seine catch yields 40 to 60 young flounder.
This year has seen seines with over 100 juvenile flounder ... one
with more than 400! In a couple of years, the flounder fishing ought
to be impressive!
Meanwhile, Back in Bass Country
Despite the nasty heat wave, bass fishing has been surprisingly
productive, according to tournament anglers. Keith Snyder of Litchfield
(of Irwin Marine fame) has been pulling up some good-sized bass
at recent tournaments in Winnisquam, Winnipesaukee, Massabesic lakes
and the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers. That includes some smallies
in the 2.5 to 4-pound range.
Last weekend at Winnisquam, Snyder placed 6th
with eight fish (large and smallies) weighing more than 20 pounds
total (an average of 4.4 pounds for largemouths!).
"Those are some good-looking fish,"
Snyder says. "They looked wicked healthy."
Snyder likes using his own rig that involves a 4-inch paddletail
worm. Another favorite is a 5-inch Sinko, a plastic jerk bait.
Five Hours, 22 Bass
Rob Frye of the New Hampshire Bass Federation has been having a
great summer, catching some very decent fish despite the heat.
On Wednesday, Frye was on the water from 3 to
8 p.m., catching 22 bass. Four of those bass were over 5 pounds!
"Technique is key," Frye says. "When
it's this hot, you've got to fish in the slop - the weeds and lily
pads." Frye likes using a Mepps Timberdoodle, which comes with
a Mr. Twister. Don't be shy. Drag it right over the lily pads.
Echoing Beauchesne's advice above, Frye says,
"Night-fishing is the way to go. Use Jitterbugs or buzzbaits.
And be sure to cast near the docks."
Excellent Conditions
John Cowan (Northeast Bass Association of N.H.) and company did
pretty darned good last Sunday at a tournament on Winnisquam. All
top 10 winners had big weights despite the heat and heavy boat traffic.
The winning team had 23 pounds in eight fish.
"Overall, the fishery is in excellent condition,"
Cowan says. Today's pulls of 25- to 26-pounds in eight bass is a
vast improvement from that of a few years ago, he says. "We
are really starting to see some larger fish. Conditions are excellent."
Next week's fishing report: If you want
to understand where the fish are hanging out during the dog days
of summer, you might want to get in the water yourself, suggests
Gabe Gries.
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.
Click here to learn more.
