Fisheries biologist Andy Schafermeyer reports that stream fishing is still awesome in the Great North Woods, and warns anglers to get serious about precautions that can help stop the spread of nuisance plants threatening New Hampshire's waterbodies.
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Keep Your Cool - Get in Some North Country Fishing By Andrew Schafermeyer, Fisheries Biologist, Region 1/Lancaster
The Barker kids enjoy sunset on the water, rods in hand and ready for the last big bite of the day. Photo courtesy of Andrew Schafermeyer.
Above-average rainfall in the past 2 months has kept New Hampshire's streams flowing. Our small brooks can begin to disappear in typical August months. This season, however is providing some extended fishing opportunities in such brooks. Nash Stream and all of its cool, productive tributaries are flowing at spring levels and recent electro-fishing sampling has shown that there are many fish spread out over a lot of water. The remoteness of this watershed is one of its greatest benefits. If one were to grab a six-foot ultra-light rod and follow a tributary from pool to pool, the opportunity for beautiful brook trout would be abundant.
Unwelcome visitors
Certain images may come to mind when considering New Hampshire's waterbodies -- "postcard" shots of glistening trout ponds and clear, swift streams. In reality, the warming waters of July and August sometimes bring unwelcome visitors to these otherwise pristine settings. Though some aquatic plants are a very natural and needed piece of an ecosystem, other nonnative or invasive "nuisance" plants can create unsightly and controversial conditions on all types of waterbodies.
The natural propagation of aquatic plants can be a double-edged sword for New Hampshire's anglers. They can provide much-needed cover for fish, helping them avoid predators and direct sunlight. Plant life also provides a healthy environment for the insects, baitfish, reptiles and amphibians that make up much of a fish's diet. On the opposite end, these same plants can choke a shoreline and make fishing and boating difficult. An additional consideration is that as aquatic plants die, they remove oxygen from water, putting a strain on fish during some phases of their lifecycle.
To effectively manage our waters for all users, it becomes very important to understand the role of aquatic plants. If everyone follows a few simple guidelines, we can make every adventure in the water a good one. First, always inspect your boats and trailers as you exit a waterbody. Aquatic "hitchhikers" are quite hearty and can be spread easily from one place to the next. In addition to watercraft, it is important to check rubber boots and waders for anything that doesn't belong there. It's a good idea to soak felt-soled boots for at least 30 minutes in hot water with a generous squirt of dish detergent to neutralize potential stowaways, especially with the recent arrival of "rock snot" (see alert below) in the Upper Connecticut. Finally, please keep a close watch on water that you frequently visit. Monitor changes and report anything that doesn't appear to be normal.
One fish that seems to thrive among aquatic plants is the Northern pike. On July 9, David Morse of Berlin caught a 21-pound monster out of Martin Meadow Pond in Lancaster. He was throwing a spinner-bait and catching some nice bass when the pike hit. At 41 inches long, it provided some excitement that David will remember forever. There are many lakes that offer this type of exciting bass/pike fishing in the North Country. Partridge Lake in Littleton and Jericho Pond in Berlin have been reported to be fishing well this summer.
If I could offer some closing comments, I'd like to stress how wonderful it is to take a child fishing. An outdoor experience may begin with a pail of worms at a shoreline and end with skipping rocks or watching an osprey dive. It seems to be a memory that is at risk of disappearing from the lives of today's youth. Busy lives and the computer age may be keeping young people from learning about the world that is right outside their door.
Intermediate Fly-Fishing Workshop for Women
Spread the word -- Fish and Game is offering women a chance to build their fly-fishing skills while enjoying a beautiful New Hampshire weekend getaway. This intermediate fly-fishing workshop for women will be September 28 - 30 at Purity Spring Resort in Madison, N.H. Some fly-fishing experience is required. Click here for information and a print-and-mail application, or call (603) 271-3212.
The Dirt on "Rock Snot"
As you have been reading in this report, a aquatic nuisance algae known commonly as "didymo" or "rock snot" has recently invaded the northern reaches of the Connecticut River, marking the first official report of Didymosphenia geminata in the northeastern U.S.
Anglers and boaters need to be extra-aware that didymo is on the move and easily spread by even just one cell of the alga breaking off and drifting downstream in infested reaches. It is very easily spread by waders, fishing gear and other gear that touches the bottoms of streams in infested areas, so it is critical to check and clean your fishing gear to prevent the spread of didymo and protect New Hampshire's waters.
If you see didymo in New Hampshire, contact Amy Smagula at the N.H. Department of Environmental Services: 603-271-2248 or asmagula@des.state.nh.us.
REMINDER FOR LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE BASS ANGLERS:
N.H. Fish and Game continues to count on help from anglers for a study of the movement of largemouth and smallmouth bass after bass tournament release. Bass are being tagged upon release from tournament weigh-ins at Ames Farm Inn on Lake Winnipesaukee, identified with a numbered yellow tag at the base of the fish's dorsal fin.
Angler captures of tagged bass are the major source of information for this study, so tell your bass-fishing friends to look for tagged bass when they fish Lake Winnipesaukee. Download and print a reporting form here (PDF).
CONTACT: Gabe Gries, Fish and Game Warmwater Project Leader: Region 4, 15 Ash Brook Court, Keene, NH 03431; phone 603-352-9669; fax 603-352-8798; email ggries@nhfgd.org.
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