Winni help

[steelebob]

Game plan in progress.

I'm thinking of smallmouth fishing Governors Island, Pegasus Bayareas, because of where I live (Belmont), I can get there in a half hour. I'd be fishing only early on weekdays (with boat traffic in mind).

I have a 94 16' nitro w/70 hp outboard, so I don't want to get caught out in a sudden blow-up. That is one reason I have been avoiding fishing Winni thus far.
Here's one problem off the top of my head, launch fees>> any alternatives to paying 300.00 for a years launch fee and are you restricted to there operating hours to launch your boat?


If you want to talk here is my phone # 603 267 2044.

[Reel Northern Bass]

First, the launch fees. Get there EARLY, before 6am, and there's no one there to collect money from you. I don't know if they get there that early during the week, I only get to fish Winni on the weekends, and there is someone there to collect money at/after 6am. Never before. If that's too early for you, unfortunately I don't know how else to get around paying that money.

Always check the wind direction in the weather forecast the night before you go, and let that dictate where you want to fish, or if you should fish at all. If the sustained wind speeds are greater than 10 mph, it's going to be a little choppy. Doubly so if the wind direction is blowing in line with the layout of the lake, or the area you're fishing. Example, if the wind is blowing across Winni from the northwest or southeast, that's blowing clear across the full length of the lake and makes for an ugly choppy day if the wind speeds are decently high. From personal experience, I wouldn't touch that place if it's blowing from either of those directions with gusts over 20 mph. That, plus boat traffic, makes for 3' chop EVERYWHERE, and that's not fun at all to fish in. Maybe if the fishing were better, but that lake isn't the same as it used to be for quality fish.

Paugus bay is smaller so, unless the wind is blowing in from the north or south, right in line with the lay of the bay, then it's not too bad fishing in there during the week. Boat traffic in there gets fairly ugly though, so there will always be chop. Same goes for around Governor's island, just a lot of traffic and the wind can push right along it, so it can get pretty choppy on a busy and breezy day.

Short answer: go early, check the wind forecast the night before and the morning of to make sure it's not blowing down the length of wherever you're fishing, and you'll be good.

[blkfalc4]

What ramps charge $300 a yr?

[Reel Northern Bass]

What ramps charge $300 a yr?

There's a $25 fee to launch out of Meredith Bay for non-residents, and that's the ramp I would use if I wanted to fish Paugus Bay a lot. Launch there 12 times and there's your $300 fee a year. That price is insane, which is why I always get up there, and I'm launched and fishing before 5:30am. I won't ever pay another dime to launch there again, it's friggen highway robbery.

[blkfalc4]

Christmas Island is the one I've used for Paugus in the past.
I mostly use Brown's though with Wolfboro a few times.

Boat traffic on Winni has gotten to almost outrageous at times, especially on weekends.

[steelebob]

Christmas Island is closed

[Shrimpbrain]

Long Island Launch. Just over the Bridge on left.

Shep Brown's Boat Basin also has a free launch on One side of their launch I believe.

Libby Museum Launch is Free. Goes out into Winter harbor I believe.

Back Bay in Wolfboro has a free Launch .

But As 603 said, if you want ANY of them FREE, just go early. Pretty easy to beat the system on this one !!

If I had to pay and was going to fish Paugus Bay personally I would pay Silver Sands in Gilford. Just go through Governor Island Bridge and take a left, Paugus Bay is right in front of you.

[steelebob]

Thanx, Shrimpbrain?? and 603.

[Phrog Phil]

Libby Is free into Winter Harbor

[Jim R]

Long island ramp good for non residents before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

[JAZZ]

just curious, is Lee's Mills still open ?

[yanknbass]

just curious, is Lee's Mills still open ?

yes

[Phrog Phil]

I thought Lees Mills was less open to the Public than it used to be?

[Reel Northern Bass]

I thought Lees Mills was less open to the Public than it used to be?

Not unless something changed last year that I haven't heard of. Should still be wide open with plenty of parking and the same ol' restrictions it has always had...which I don't think there are any?

[Phrog Phil]

Great,thanks Sean

[Jim R]

I thought Lees Mills was less open to the Public than it used to be?

You may be thinking about States Landing.

[NHRG]

You may be thinking about States Landing.

Launched out of States landing in Sept, are things different in Summer?