Most New Hampshire lakes will still be ice covered so, the best areas to seek are open water areas near bridges, public docks, inlets and outlets of streams and rivers going into or out of a lake. There are 14 lakes in the Granite State that our Fish and Game Department manages for landlocked salmon. These lakes include: Big Dan Hole Pond, First and Second Connecticut Lakes, Conway Lake, Lake Francis, Merrymeeting Lake, Newfound Lake, Ossipee Lake, Big and Little Squam Lakes, Sunapee Lake, Lake Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam Lake. Pleasant Lake, in New London, is also managed for landlocked salmon. However, it is classified as a "trout pond" , and the 2007 opening date for Pleasant Lake is April 28th. 

One of the favorite lakes for early salmon fishing from shore areas is Lake Winnipesaukee, in central New Hampshire.  This lake offers a wide range of early season fishing opportunities. During last year’s opening of salmon season on Lake Winnipesaukee, some really nice catches of salmon were made with fish ranging in the 18 to 21 inch length and weighing from 2.5 to 3.5 pounds, with a number of salmon taken in the four pound plus range. As New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s fisheries biologist, John Viar, stated, "Not everyone is successful during opening week, but this is a well managed fishery in Lake Winnipesaukee, and there are some exceptional size salmon in the lake." One example is an angler who landed a 31 inch long salmon, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, from the public docks in Meredith Bay on opening day of salmon season last year. 

Maine resident Paul Dest caught this impressive 5-pound landlocked
salmon off Rattlesnake Island on Lake Winnipesaukee using
a Meredith Special tandem streamer.

Alton Bay is another good choice for anglers, where the Merrymeeting River runs into the Bay. Here, anglers enjoy fishing off the bridge, on the bayside of it, and from docks on both sides of the bay. There may be some open-water areas in the bay that could accommodate small craft like canoes or kayaks here, but in time the entire bay will eventually be all open-water. One of my favorite areas on Lake Winnipesaukee, is at the mouth of the Smith River, in Wolfeboro, where it flows into Wolfeboro Bay. There are public docks here that give shore anglers a good advantage. The Back Bay area of the Smith River could be mostly ice-free and anglers often have luck fishing that side of the bridge. Limited open water may be found in the bay area, where the Smith River enters, offering a possibility of trolling with a small boat, canoe or kayak.

Salmon are an exciting fish to catch, and during these times when they are found closer to surface, they often make spectacular leaps when hooked. This in itself makes the fishing so worthwhile. Fishing from shore areas, a popular and successful bait are live smelts or minnows fished under a bobber. But, lures, such as the DB Smelt, Daredevil and other spoons, plugs and streamer flies, cast from shore, are also successful. It’s best to use colors that simulate baitfish for early season fishing. 

If enough open water exists for even limited trolling, that’s my favorite method. In such cases, I use my canoe. Trolling along the edges of ice-floes will often bring successful results. Salmon will cruise beneath these floes in search of schools of smelt. However, always be alert as to floe movement so that you don’t get suddenly cut off from the mainland and unable to get back to shore. I have seen anglers get stranded in this situation and had to be rescued.

Trolling streamer flies around the ice floes is my favorite way to troll for salmon. I use an 8½ foot fly rod and full sinking fly line with 15 to 20 feet of 6 pound test leader to which I attach a single hook or a mini-tandem streamer fly. The streamer should not exceed a total length of 2 ½ inch for best results. The longer and larger single or tandem streamers are best used later in the season. Troll slowly and give your fly an occasional jerk, as you go.

No, you absolutely don’t need to use fly-fishing gear to troll streamer flies. You can use conventional spinning or bait-casting gear. On the end of your main line, slip on a ½ ounce egg sinker. Next, tie on a #5 barrel swivel (preferably black in color). To the end of your barrel-swivel, tie on 15 to 20 feet of 4 pound test Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon line and attach your streamer to the end of it. Don’t cast the rig out. Just drop your rig into the water then raise your rod overhead and drop it down again to get your line and fly out. This method does work well.

Remember that the salmon are seeking smelt for food. So, you’ll want to use streamer patterns that are designed to imitate baitfish and smelt. Consider using patterns such as: Gray Ghost, Supervisor, Red Ghost, Winnipesaukee Smelt, Joe’s Smelt, Colonel Bates (a yellow perch imitation), Ballou Special, Nine Three and the Magog Smelt. Of course, there are times when the salmon aren’t on the feed and action can get pretty slow or boring. These are times when you will want to consider using attractor patterns such as the Maynard’s Marvel, Golden Demon, Mickey Finn, Black Ghost or other such bright and attracting streamers meant to aggravate the salmon into striking.

Incidentally, when fishing Lake Winnipesaukee, you are allowed two salmon per angler, or two lake trout or one of each for a total of two fish per angler. Salmon must be a minimum length of 15 inches and lake trout 18 inches. The weather over this past week certainly has been wild. However, it has to get better and if you haven’t tried fishing for landlocked salmon, do consider giving it a try. Good luck and tight lines.

Bob Harris can be reached via e-mail at: outwriter2@aol.com