Fishing Lake Winnipesaukee yesterday gave me the bug. I went to bed last night dreaming of a news species on the fly today – the white sucker (Catostomus commersonii). Instead of taking the canoe, I drove my old 91 Explorer to Back Bay and fished on foot. While we didn’t have much sun today, it was a balmy 60°.
The suckers are concentrated at the mouth of creeks and rivers this time of year in the icy cold waters of New England. It’s their pre-spawn routine. It’s the only season where you really have a shot at one on the fly rod. Suckers don’t really take flies but they do feed on aquatic insects like nymphs attached to rocks along bottom. You may remember my success pursuing the Sonora and desert suckers back in February, I was hoping for the same this morning.
There would be no such luck. I pursued the unique fish for at least a couple hours. I had them around and a few showed interest in my various flies. But I had no luck. I got to handle one though. I thought I had one but this one was snagged in the pectoral fin. Not a catch. The white sucker will not be added to the list today.
Though the sucker hunt was fun, the mornings highlight was spotting a couple chain pickerel poised for attack in the shallows. They sit perfectly still in the shallows appearing more like sticks. When a small fish comes near they pounce. They surge so quickly you hardly see it happen. You simply got tight on the fish.
The water is freezing right now so it wasn’t like they were everywhere. But I spotted three and landed two. Of course the two I caught were the small ones. I found one lunker I’d estimate to be 22” but on my cast to him a 14” beat him to my fly and then he got smart. The only photo I got was of this really tiny one.
I worked all afternoon preparing for my Seychelles trip. I’m ready now and will be flying out of Boston Friday night. I took the evening and paddled the canoe around Wolfeboro Bay casting and trolling for landlocked salmon. And once again, I was skunked. I did however get a strike. Perhaps a salmon but I’ll never know.
Still say you work in a nice office setting! Good luck & safe travels to you and everyone going to the Seychelles… really hoping your “good luck” Currier this time… Leave “monsoon/cyclone” Currier at home!
Thanks Lance. Wish you were going with us. Hopefully again soon!