Lake Winnipesaukee © BGS
About the Lake:
In my opinion, there isn't a better smallmouth lake in the
Northeast (close running with L. Champlain) then Winnipesaukee. To
the American Indian, Winnipesaukee means "The smile of the great
spirit". Winnipesaukee (Winni for short) is the second-largest lake
in New England. It is approximately 45,000 acres of crystal clear water
with over 12,000 acres of bass fishing structure. The Lake was formed over
385 million years ago and was glacier cut. Smallmouths of 2-3 pounds are
the norm with occasional 4 and 5 pounders.
Where to stay:
There are two places that I'd recommend staying and a lot
of it depends on whether you bring the family and whether you have kids that
like to swim (like mine). If you do, I'd recommend the Misty Harbor Resort
in Gilford, NH. You can visit their website at www.mistyharbor.com
If you book at Misty Harbor, ask for a room in the building with the indoor pool
that has a garage below it. This is perfect for keeping your boat out of
the weather and for charging your batteries. All you have to do is plug
your extension cord in the outlet on the deck and throw it over the railing
below and your set. There is also a light in the garage (automatic) for
tinkering with rods/reels, etc. but I also brought an extension cord light which
worked perfectly. The other place I recommend is the Silver Sands Resort
which is across the street from Misty Harbor. This is where the majority
of fishermen stay. The rates are much cheaper than Misty Harbor and
include a free dock slip for your stay (while they last). By the way, if
you don't stay at the Silver Sands resort you'll have to pay $15 to launch your
boat. You can visit their website at www.silversands.com
Guide Service:
Although Bill's Guide Service does not provide Bass Fishing Guide Service on
Winni, they would like to suggest that you use the Lakes Region Bass Fishing
Guide Service. This is, as far as I know, the only full-time bass fishing
guide service on the lake. Steve Lucarelli or his son (Joe) will put you
on fish. They have a nice Trition TR-22 bass boat that comes in handy when
the wind and boat traffic kick up. You can contact them from their website
at: http://users.lr.net/~bassfish/
I've hired them before and had a great time! Give em a call and tell them
that Rob Muller from PA suggested their service.
Maps/Licenses:
There is only one map that you'll need and that is: Bizer
corporations Lake Winnipesaukee Map. This map is "mandatory" for
navigating the rocky shoals of Winni. You can visit their website at: www.bizer.com
You can purchase this map at the bookstore in downtown Meredith or the tackle
shop (AJ's bait and tackle) downtown. Both of these places are within
walking distance of the public launch. Licenses can be purchased at the bait and
tackle shop downtown or directly from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dept- see
licenses.
When to go:
For numbers, you can beat the spring period from May thru
mid-June. Some say that you'll catch bigger fish in the Fall (Terry Baksay),
but others say that you'll do just as well in the springtime. I've gone in
the end of May and you can catch pre-spawners, spawners and post spawners
depending on where you fish and the temps. I don't believe you can catch
the 50-100 fish stringers that were once boasted but you can definitely catch
20-30 keepers (per fisherman) in a day. And that will keep most fishermen
with a smile on their faces- it worked for me!
For now, a great home page of the
Lake
