Page 27 - ODUMar-Apr2019

Ice-Out Landlocked Atlantic Salmon

By Tim Moore

Most salmon anglers come to Lake Winnipesaukee looking forward to two very distinct times of year for

salmon fishing, early spring and late summer. The salmon season runs from April 1st through September
30th each year, and if you ask most any salmon angler when the best months to catch salmon are, you’ll
undoubtedly be told April through mid-June, and mid-August through September. For most anglers, it’s
the ice-out period that drives them to the lake in search of Winnipesaukee chrome.

Although the salmon season opens on April first, ice-out isn’t typically declared on Lake Winnipesaukee
until around the third week of April. Anglers begin targeting salmon from bridges and docks until there
is enough open water for water craft, first kayaks and canoes, and then smaller boats, followed by

larger boats. Each day, as more water opens up, more boats take advantage. By May 1st, the lake is
taken over by anglers all vying for their chance at one of New Hampshire’s plump and healthy
landlocked Atlantic salmon.

Spring is many anglers’ favorite time of year because the salmon are running shallow, following smelt
runs and looking to fatten up on concentrations of food. The salmon are hungry, the bite is good, and
local bait shops are usually still carrying smelt, which is the preferred bait of most spring salmon anglers.

Slowly trolling a live or sewn-on smelt near the surface is a deadly tactic early in the morning. Salmon
find them almost irresistible. Some anglers prefer to troll streamer flies, and those in the know
catch as many or more fish with flies as those using live bait. Add a light wind that creates what