Smallmouth Bass fishing is the pinacle of bass fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee. Pound for pound, they fight harder than any warm water fish found in our lakes, and are true acrobats. Whether you are fishing them in 2 ft or 30ft of water, a smallmouth's initial instict is to come up to the surface and jump! Then, pull you right back down to the bottom. This makes them quite the spectacle, both visually and physically. What also makes them great is for a majority of the time, you can find them in small groups, or wolf packs as I call them. No matter the time of year, the fishing is usually quite good. In the spring, they transition up into shallow water to prepare for their spawn where they can commonly be found around ledges relating to rocky flats in 8-12ft of water. The fishing seems to peak in the summer months where smallmouth group up in 20-30ft of water on humps, points, flats, and ledges relating to said structure with weeds. You also can never go wrong poking around in the rocks for these guys, as they're usually on the prowl hunting down crayfish. Come the fall time, the fish push back up shallow where they are heavily feeding, preparing for winter. Smallmouth bass fishing provides fun for both experienced anglers and novices alike! They are the captains fish of choice in the summer!

Who doesn't like catching a largemouth? Explosive eats, big thumps, anticipation... Largemouth are the most popular and sought out game fish in North America. That makes them popular no matter where you go. On Lake Winni, we support a healthy largemouth fishery of fish ranging between 2-8lbs. They can be visually fun to fish for, as you are usually casting to the bank, trying to place your lure in the perfect place to provoke a bite. In the early spring, we target the pre-spawn and spawn of largemouth bass. They can be found up shallow where they are feeding up and getting ready for their spawn. Getting out and targeting bass this time of year can be very productive with the greatest opportunity to catch a big one. After the spawn, bass can still be found in shallow water but disperse immensely during this time. As they settle into their summer haunts, bass are primarily found in coves and marinas, but also found in deeper water on weedy sand flats. Wherever they are, they are seeking cover, and preying on anything that fits in their mouth. Mornings seem to provide the best bite, but they can be caught throughout the day and during the evening as well. As fall sets in, much like the smallmouth, they push up shallow feeding up for the winter. Largemouth provide a great fight and create a burning passion for all who fish for them. Largemouth have always been my favorite to fish for during the springtime!

If you love jigging for lakers through the ice, you'll love this warmer open water option! Lake trout, usually considered dwellers of the deep, are miscontrued in this manner. As a matter of fact, most the time they are found in waters anywhere from 30-80ft of water, and sometimes even shallower! While the water is still cold in the spring, lake trout can be found up shallow, but a majority of the fish are found around 30-60 ft at this time. When the water warms and the thermocline forms, most lake trout reside beneath this imaginary line, and have a "ceiling" as to how far they will rise because of this. Throughout summer, this is when you will find a majority of lake trout between 60-80+ ft. No matter the time of year, they are most commonly found around humps, drop offs, points, and flats adjacent to these structures. In Lake Winnipesaukee, they are primarily chasing smelt, which is quite abundant in the lake. The most effective method fishing for lake trout is to vertically fish them up, using lures such as spoons, lipless crankbaits, swimbaits, tubes, and other jigs. Having the proper electronics is essential, and will help you identify and understand how these fish are reacting to your baits, and what mood the fish are in. Electronics to this point, add a fun dynamic to this type of fishing, as watching how these fish react and anticipating strikes adds to the rush! It can also feel like you are playing a video game. Lake trout are ferocious, fight hard, and take you on drag screaming runs. Early and late season are prime times to target these freshwater cheetahs.

Lake Winni white perch are truly something to behold. These fish reach ginormous sizes relative to their kind, and throw down for a great fight that compete with bass. These fish are able to reach their massive sizes because of the abundance of rainbow smelt in our lakes, that are feasted on by most other species, including trout, smallmouth, yellow perch, and more. Targeted on light tackle, these fish can be fun when you get into a school of them. White perch, actually distant cousins of the striped bass, travel in large groups, and are always on the move. This can make them hard to pin down, but once you find the group, the bite is quite good. White perch generally are suspended in the water column, and you can find them in 20-30ft of water, suspending usually only 10-15ft down. White perch are easier to find in the later parts of July and throughout August, where they are usually mixed in with the smallmouth bass and other predators. So, this trip can perfectly be combined when fishing for smallmouth during the month of August!

I am more than happy to provide you with a customized experience on your fishing trip. If there is a specific way you’d like to catch a certain species, using a specific method, I will try to make that happen considering the circumstances. When booking a trip and looking to do something customized, leave a note in the comments section about what you’re looking to accomplish! Or, feel free to reach out and contact me with an inquiry!