Tourney Tips?

[NEBasser101]

I have a tournament on lake winnipesaukee this upcoming sunday. Has anybody fished it lately? Do you have any tips?

[jr231]

I think you'd get more responses if you posted this in "tournament talk" or in the northeast region. 

A search of Winnipesaukee turned this up and many more 

 

[NEBasser101]

thankyou

1 hour ago, Yeajray231 said:

I think you'd get more responses if you posted this in "tournament talk" or in the northeast region. 

A search of Winnipesaukee turned this up and many more 

 

 

["hamma"]

what "kind" of tourney? one big fish? five fish limit? what kind of boat are you fishing from? where is it out of (launching area)? how many hours long is it? Is this a team, or draw tourney? will you have "control" of the boat at all? are you a boater, or non- boater?

 All of these are pertinent questions as winni is no small feat by any means. Usually, most anglers will go for the smallies first then after a kicker largemouth. But then yet some will chase the more fickle buckets right away.  Picking which to do all depends on your answers to my questions.

[nhbassin]

Right now I would start at Paugus bay first thing for largemouth around docks and marinas then move to the 8-14 foot range for smallies back on the main lake once the sun is up, with jerkbaits and spinnerbaits. Be careful, because if the wind picks up it can get rough real quick, especially if you have to cross the broads to get back for weigh-in. Good luck 

[NEBasser101]

3 hours ago, "hamma" said:

what "kind" of tourney? one big fish? five fish limit? what kind of boat are you fishing from? where is it out of (launching area)? how many hours long is it? Is this a team, or draw tourney? will you have "control" of the boat at all? are you a boater, or non- boater?

 All of these are pertinent questions as winni is no small feat by any means. Usually, most anglers will go for the smallies first then after a kicker largemouth. But then yet some will chase the more fickle buckets right away.  Picking which to do all depends on your answers to my questions.

These are the tourney details: is a five fish limit, I am fishing out of a bass boat, we are launching out of Moultonborough's Center Harbor, it is an 8 hour touney, it is a singles tournament, and I have full control of my boat.

["hamma"]

There's good fishing for both smallies and buckets close to that ramp. Salmon meadow cove can hold a darn good kicker fish and the readily available islands nearby can harbor some nice keeper smallies. Some that come to mind are: beaver and big beaver, three mile and hawks nest, as well as the south side of bear. Now all of this "can" pan out as long as the weather has co-operated prior to tourney day. I havent fished the big girl since august so I'm not "on fish" up there. But she is such a fickle lady that she will give up what she wants when she wants, So you will have to keep a diligent eye on the winds direction and air/water temps. The wind being a major key, right now its blowing west which is good for smallies near black cat , three mile, and hull area, if the wind changes to easterly when the warmer temps come this weekend, you may have to hide from the wave action behind any of said islands.

 The boat you have play's a major role up there. If you have "typical" new england tourney rig (18 ft with a 115) stay close to the launch area as I have suggested above. If you have a 21 ft rig with a 250 or even 300? and the broads arent a hinderence to you, under windy conditions,.. Id fish the compression area between cow island and tuftonboro's shore, or over by rattlesnake island for smallies and the basin inside winter harbor for a kicker, or wolfboro bay for the kicker depending on how quick you limit out on smallies. 

  Should you choose buckets solely as your gameplan, keep in mind they can, and do often, shutdown in a moments notice up there. Salmon meadow will hold some, but to think its going to yield a full on "limit" is a tough call. Neighboring ash cove might hold a fish as well as behind hermit island in braun's bay,..even behind wallace island.

 If anyone your fishing against mentions there fishing lee's mills, they are after a limit of largemouth, and if the buckets are biting your up against a tough tourney if your fishing off the typical NE tourney rig. Dilligence to aquire a good smallie limit and a big bucket kicker will be needed to place. I've found that the closer to the broads you get the better smallies you will find,..but thats only if the good lord has smiled upon you with prevailing easterly winds previous to tourney day. if he hasnt? stick close to the launch area.

 At the very least, these are a good amount of the criteria, I would adhere to up there, not previously being "on fish" ,...and launching from that ramp.

  NHbassin has a good gameplan if you feel you have enough of a bass boat to do so, like the larger 21 ft rig. Paugus bay, can and has kicked some butt in fall t's up there, and if you do go to Paugus?,... dont negate pickeral cove for a kicker if the weeds are still green in there,... and,.. as your heading towards the pickeral cove bridge,.. about thirty to fifty yards off shore start watching your lcr for fish marking, it very well may be a school of large largemouth that can kick butt in any t.

  As for now? seeing that I havent been there in a while? this is what id consider to fish. And the conditions during take off would determine which way I'd go. That lake can offer up a winning bag just about anywhere in the fall. If you have prefished, and have a better plan, do it.

 good luck, hope this helps you some