Today's report comes from Robert Eckert, biological aide for Fish and Game's seacoast office, who says that groundfishing is great right now and the striper fishing has already begun!

FISH STOCKING STILL GOING STRONG: For a list of sites stocked last week, visit: http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/fish_stock_current.htm.

FREE FISHING DAY this Saturday, June 6. Tell your friends!

Purchase your fishing license online at http://www.FishNH.com, or from any Fish and Game license agent. Don't forget -- kids under 16 fish free in N.H.!

Fish New Hampshire and relax... We have what you're looking for.

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GROUNDFISHING BONANZA

By Robert Eckert, Biological Aide, Region 3/Durham

With spring fishing season well underway here on New Hampshire's coast, many offshore anglers are filling their coolers with haddock and Atlantic cod. The daily fishing trips for groundfish on one of New Hampshire's many charter/head boats started off great a few weeks ago, and have not slowed down. During our head boat monitoring trips for the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS), we have observed daily haddock catches of 10 or more fish per person and some anglers returning with 30!

Currently, trips out to Jeffreys Ledge have produced some giant codfish. Closer to shore, some of these lunker cod are gathering on muddy bottoms near shore (less than 10 miles, as opposed to 30!) -- like the "Mud Hole," which is due south of the Isles of Shoals. The result: Groundfish anglers over Memorial Day weekend returning with Atlantic cod up to 40 pounds. To target these giant cod, seasoned anglers prefer drifting and jigging a standard jig with a soft plastic teaser above. Lately I've seen blue and purple working very well.

For targeting haddock, a two-hook bottom rig with a piece of clam, not too big, will work the best -- but make sure to use enough weight to stay on the bottom, so no lighter than 16 ounces. Current limits for Atlantic cod are ten fish per person with a minimum length of 24". For haddock, there is no bag limit, but a minimum size of 19" is required.

For those anglers looking to save money and not venture 10 - 30 miles out into the open ocean, there is good news: striped bass fishing has begun! Although the season is starting off slow, it will heat up soon -- we've had near-record numbers of river herring being recorded at some Fish and Game-operated fish ladders. We have spoken with anglers that have seen the alewives jumping and the "schoolie" striped bass in frenzy below the dams in Newmarket and at Henry Law Park in Dover. The optimal time for fishing these areas is at the peak of high tide, when the herring are really stacking up. The best method for landing the "schoolies" and giant "cow" stripers is to use live bait. Most anglers are using small spoons, sabiki rigs or "flutter hooks" for catching alewives. If the herring are not biting, try throwing out top-water poppers or chunk bait to catch a hard-fighting "line-sider." Anglers are limited to two striped bass per day, with a minimum length of 28", but only one

of the two fish can be greater than 40".

The NH Fish and Game Department's Marine Fisheries Division is always looking for volunteers to participate in our Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey. Participants are provided with logbooks to fill out information about each striper fishing trip they take and record length measurements of all the striped bass they catch. Information collected from the survey is used in the annual coast-wide stock assessment for striped bass that is used for management. In addition, each participant's name is entered into a year-end raffle for a framed limited edition striped bass print donated to the Department by Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire. If you would like to participate, please contact Kevin Sullivan at (603) 868-1095 or Kevin.sullivan@wildlife.nh.gov.

In today's report, tips and hotspots in southeast NH from fisheries biologist Ben Nugent.

This week's stocking report has been delayed -- please check the Fish and Game website on Friday for an update. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Word today from Mike Racine that the Powwow River cartop access site in Kingston has re-opened.

SUNAPEE ACCESS HEARING: A public hearing on a wetland permit application for Fish and Game's proposed Wild Goose boat access facility on Lake Sunapee in Newbury will be held Weds., May 13, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the David W. Sherburne Gymnasium at 561 Route 11 in Sunapee. The hearing is before the N.H. Department of Environmental Services Wetlands Bureau and will address potential wetlands impact of the project on bank and lakebed. See http://www.fishnh.com/Newsroom/News_2009/News_2009_Q2/Sunapee_Hearing_050709.html

Purchase your fishing license online at http://www.FishNH.com, or from any Fish and Game license agent. Don't forget -- kids under 16 fish free in N.H.!

All NH fishing page: http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/fishing.htm.

If you know someone who might like to sign up for the Fishing Report, send them to http://www.fishnh.com/Inside_FandG/join_mail_list.htm.

Fish New Hampshire and relax... We have what you're looking for.

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COLDWATER, WARMWATER - SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE THIS MONTH IN SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE

By Benjamin Nugent, fisheries biologist

New Hampshire's designated trout ponds have been open for two weeks now. These ponds have already received a lot of fishing pressure, but don't be discouraged! Not only do these ponds typically receive multiple stocking events during the year, but surveys indicate that some ponds have a large quantity of trout swimming around from previous years.

Opening weekend reports varied greatly. Some anglers quickly filled their creels, while others had lower catch rates. The recent multiple search and rescue operations by Fish and Game Conservation Cfficers have delayed some stocking, but efforts are being made to get fish out as quickly as possible. The bright sun accompanied by record heat and the large insect hatches could explain why some trout were slower to the hook.

Popular trout ponds in southeastern New Hampshire include: Barbadoes Pond, Clough Pond, Exeter Reservoir, Hothole Pond, and Lucas Pond. These ponds have regulations that allow for any legal fishing method to be used. Worms, shiners, powerbait, and smaller inline spinners are popular. Archery Pond, Hoyt Pond and Stonehouse Pond are fly-fishing-only trout ponds.

Anglers should note that some fish have been issued a left ventral fin clip in some southeastern waterbodies. Brown trout stocked into Clough Pond, the Cocheco River, and Massabesic Lake will have the lower middle fin on the left side of the fish (looking down on the fish) removed. In future fish surveys, these fish will help provide us fisheries folks with data explaining the year class's growth rates and survival.

Mid-spring is an opportune time to catch a variety of warmwater species. Largemouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, black crappie, bluegill, and pumpkinseeds seek out warmer areas to forage and prepare for spawning. A change in water temperature by a degree or two can make all the difference in whether these species are present or not. Often, they can be found in less than a few feet of water. Presentations of swimbaits or small jigs with tubes held about a foot below the surface can be effective. A small bobber can help suspend your presentation and also provide a good visual indication of a strike. This visual cue is helpful, because these species can have a somewhat lethargic bite during this time of year. I once thought that bobbers were something to be used only by beginners, but lately I'm finding them to be very valuable.

Another effective method that worked well this past week was using a moderate sink-tip line and fly rod. Slowly retrieving streamers at slow but erratic retrieval speeds was proven to be successful. I stuck with brighter (orange, red, and/or white) and mid-sized streamer patterns and found frequent strikes.

The entire allotment of over 700 broodstock Atlantic salmon has been stocked into the Merrimack and Pemigewasset rivers. A permit to target these fish can be purchased at any New Hampshire Fish and Game license agent. Additional information about this program can be found at: http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/atlantic_salmon.htm. Several of these fish are in excess of fifteen pounds. They have been stocked at three primary locations: Sewalls Falls (Concord), below the Franklin Hydro Dam, and throughout the Bristol/Sanbornton area.

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May's Top Picks for Fishing in the MONADNOCK/UPPER VALLEY Region

By Gabe Gries, Fisheries Biologist, Region 4/Keene

Walleye are still biting well in the Connecticut River below the Bellows Falls and Vernon Dams. (Check out our weekly walleye creel survey updates at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/fisheries_management/walleye_survey.html.) As the water continues to warm, catches are quickly becoming a mixture of walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and an occasional brown trout. This is an exciting time for anglers to be on the river! Speaking of the river, black crappie should be headed near-shore for spawning any day now; target coves and set-backs off the main river. A bobber, small jig-head and tube, or just a small minnow on a hook will do the trick. Look for newly downed trees or other shoreline cover. The largemouth bass are also starting to hit pretty good at the Connecticut River setbacks in Hinsdale.

By the time you read this, trout fishing should be in full swing, with the opening of trout ponds on April 25 and continued stocking of streams as water levels decrease. I have already heard of some impressive catches of rainbow trout at Silver Lake (Harrisville) and Granite Lake (Stoddard). Anglers are catching these trout while trolling from boats using streamers and spoons. Shore anglers are also doing well with worms, small shiners, and power bait. Trout are still typically within the upper 15 feet of the water column during this time of the year, so you can still keep your trolling setups simple at this point.

Trout anglers have also been doing well at Otter Brook (Sullivan/Keene) for rainbows and brook trout. I spoke with the friend of an angler who reported he caught several rainbows and a 6-lb. lake trout at Nubanusit Lake (Hancock/Nelson) this week.

My top picks this week for trout fishing destinations include: Dublin Lake (Dublin), Sand Pond (Marlow), Swanzey Lake (Swanzey), Gustin Pond (Marlow), Contoocook River (Peterborough/Greenfield/Jaffrey), Mont Williams Pond (Weare), Nissitissit River (Brookline), French Pond (Henniker), S.B. Piscataquog River (New Boston), Laurel Lake (Fitzwilliam), and Willard Pond (Antrim).

We hope you enjoy fishing this year in the Monadnock/Upper Valley Region and don't forget to take a kid fishing anytime you can. We are always happy to talk to you about fish and fishing so please contact us at Region 4 (352-9669; reg4@nhfgd.org) if you have any questions. For a list of popular water bodies to fish for by species, please consult the Suggested Fishing Locations for the Monadnock Region/Southwest N.H, which can be found at http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/fishing_forecast/Locations_Southwest.htm.

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Copyright 2009 New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive,

Concord, NH 03301. Comments or questions concerning this list should

be directed to jane.m.vachon@wildlife.nh.gov.

In today's report, fisheries biologist John Viar and Don Miller check in from the Lakes Region, where early-season anglers are already out in force.

STOCKING TRUCKS ARE ROLLING! Nearly 90 sites stocked with fish last week. Visit: http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/fish_stock_current.htm

DISCOVER WILD NH DAY is this Saturday 4/18 in Concord! Bring the kids for a fun-filled day: http://www.wildnh.com/Newsroom/News_2009/News_2009_Q1/DWNH_Day_2009.html

POWWOW POND: Fish and Game's boat access facility at Powwow Pond in Kingston, N.H., is closed to trailered boat launching until further notice because of silt and debris issues at the site related to adjacent bridge construction. Cartop access is still available. We'll let you know when it re-opens.

Purchase your fishing license online at http://www.FishNH.com, or from any Fish and Game license agent. Don't forget -- kids under 16 fish free in N.H.!

All NH fishing page: http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/fishing.htm.

If you know someone who might like to sign up for the Fishing Report, send them to http://www.fishnh.com/Inside_FandG/join_mail_list.htm.

Fish New Hampshire and relax... We have what you're looking for.

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Ice Out - Lines In!

By John Viar and Don Miller, fisheries biologists, Region 2/New Hampton

After a second good ol' fashioned winter providing another tremendous ice fishing season, a somewhat early ice-out -- declared on Lake Winnipesaukee April 12 (with much open "fishable" water available even earlier) -- came as a welcome surprise to many. Nearly all other large lakes in the central Lakes Region are ice-free or nearly so at the time of this writing. Pelting rains and heavy northwest winds, always welcome weather events to those anxiously awaiting ice-out, helped the ice make a speedier than normal exit -- especially on Winnipesaukee, where nearly the entire Broads opened before many smaller bays.

Despite a slight reduction in salmon size at Winnipesaukee, some solid results have been reported to date, in terms of quantity -- along with some nice bonus rainbow trout. The "drop-down" fisheries such as Lochmere Dam/Silver Lake and Lakeport Dam/Opechee Lake have been outstanding. This gives shoreline/wading anglers a great shot at both landlocked salmon and rainbow trout, and even the rare lake trout that has wandered out of our large lakes through dams/spillways/water release events. Everything from live bait (worms, shiners, smelt), generic nymph/invertebrate patterns (e.g. wooly bugger), classic streamers (e.g. grey ghost), and egg patterns (particularly during the upcoming sucker runs) will take these fish. Although the weather pattern has been drier of late and is predicted to continue, a future slug of rain/wet weather will extend these fisheries further into the season... we all know the saying about New England weather... Get out there and enjoy these fish, quite

literally at your feet!

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Of special note, please use care when unhooking and releasing salmon (or other species). We've been finding evidence that hook wounds can decrease salmon growth and quality. 27% of Winnipesaukee salmon exhibited moderate to severe hook wounds -- this percentage has increased annually over the past four years. The negative effects of hook wounding have affected the overall quality of this popular fishery. To minimize hook wounding, consider the following:

1. Use extreme care when unhooking and releasing fish.

* Prepare and organize tools (pliers, hemostats) to minimize release time.

* NEVER shake a fish off the hook.

* NEVER unhook a fish suspended in the air.

* NEVER sharply pull hooks out while the fish is moving and twisting.

2. Use rubber or other "fish friendly" landing nets.

* Rubber nets minimize stress, decrease unhooking/exposure time, prevent loss of slime coat and scales, fin splitting, and other damage caused by traditional nets. Tackle is also much more easily removed, allowing quicker return to fishing!

* Tip: Turn the fish upside-down in the rubber net to help calm while unhooking.

3. All hook styles and sizes can cause damage.

* Fish size, hooking location, and angler experience in executing proper release techniques are critical variables - exercise caution to ensure future quality fisheries! Remember, it's YOUR resource!

4. If you're keeping fish, keep the wounded ones.

* Wounded fish taste great, and you'll be helping the fishery: Healthy, lightly hooked, and properly released salmon and trout, with no prior hooking injuries, have much greater growth potential and a realistic chance of becoming tomorrow's trophy!

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Two items of interest, which are often requested from the Region 2 Office:

1. A chart of netting results, showing the length, weight, and percent of hook wounds of fish in four salmon lakes - go to the online version of this report at http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/Fishing_Reports/Fishing_Reports_2009/fishing_report_041609.html

2. A handy chart and photo showing which fins were clipped on stocked salmon over the last several years. Check the chart and age your landlocked salmon catch! PDF download here: http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/Fishing_PDFs/fin_clip_chart.pdf

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions (email is best - reg2@wildlife.nh.gov). Get out there and enjoy the annual rite that is ICE OUT...it was a long winter, you deserve it!

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Copyright 2009 New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive,

Concord, NH 03301. Comments or questions concerning this list should

be directed to jane.m.vachon@wildlife.nh.gov.

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