Rock Bass ??

Jonas Pilot · 06-27-2011, 12:36 PM

Not sure how they ended up in Winni. I hope it was by accident. I can't see it helping any part of the fishery. I heard it drastically effected Lake Sunapee's bass fishing.

MikeF-NH · 06-27-2011, 12:44 PM

I have never caught a rock bass on Winni so my first thought was "he was catching smallmouth and doesn't know how to ID a rock bass" but since you later mentioned smallmouth I think you know your fish ID. Are you also sure it wasn't a white perch? If rock bass are indeed introduced to Winni, it could affect all game species in the lake. I'm hoping it's just a mis-ID.

Rattlesnake Gal · 06-27-2011, 04:02 PM

I'm afraid they've been in the lake for a while now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Gal

Grant took some underwater pictures of Rock Bass while diving at Lady of the Lake. In some old threads he keeps promising us a fish fry!

KWilliams · 06-28-2011, 06:51 AM

I can positively identify a Rock Bass. This is what prompted my concern for the fishery. We caught approximately 20 of them last week in the north end of the lake.

Jonas Pilot · 06-28-2011, 07:15 AM

I'm not looking for any of your "hot spots" but I'm curious where you found them. I have seen them caught them in Back Bay, Wolfeboro in the SW part of the lake. These were caught in shallow water on a crawler under a bobber. I knew about the "Lady of the Lake". I hope you don't mind sharing where and how you caught them and how big they were. Thanks.

KWilliams · 06-28-2011, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonas Pilot

I'm not looking for any of your "hot spots" but I'm curious where you found them. I have seen them caught them in Back Bay, Wolfeboro in the SW part of the lake. These were caught in shallow water on a crawler under a bobber. I knew about the "Lady of the Lake". I hope you don't mind sharing where and how you caught them and how big they were. Thanks.

heck, the whole lake is a hot spot. I've been bringing the family up from Pennsylvania for 20 straight years now. I'm strictly catch and release and WILL NOT fish bedding bass. The rock bass were caught on topwater baits in the Center Harbor area. Blackey Cove, 1/2 mile Isle, Black Cat, etc.

Grant · 06-28-2011, 09:59 AM

They've been in Winnipesaukee for a while now. The photo posted above by Rattlesnake Gal was taken by me on the wreck of Lady of the Lake in 2002. There remains a very large population of rock bass on that wreck (as well as some nice smallies co-existing). The wreck lies in 30 feet of water, and the deck is probably 20+ feet deep.

That being said, I can't remember seeing rock bass elsewhere in the lake -- at least not in a concentration like on the wreck of the Lady.

Jonas Pilot · 06-28-2011, 10:09 AM

What's the largest size you have seen or caught?

Nitronut · 07-01-2011, 07:43 PM

I've been catching them for the past 5 years at least, mostly in the same area around Lady of the Lake and in Smith's Cove. An occasional one down in Alton Bay. Mostly small, no bigger than a pound or so.
Love to see them gone.

Jonas Pilot · 07-01-2011, 08:01 PM

I don't think they're going any place. I wonder which species they will compete with the most.

FLAG! · 08-03-2011, 11:04 AM

I grew up fishing smallmouth on both Winni and Sunappe. Sunappe used to be a great smallie lake. In the 1990's the bass fishing there absolutely shut down. Rock bass took over big time. You could hardly get soft plastics to the bottom of the lake without getting picked up by rock bass. Most fisherment I saw catch them would use a pair of wire cutters and cut the spine and toss them back for the birds. Lake Sunapee now holds a season long Rock Bass tournament where total weight wins. People bring buckets of rock bass to the town docks for weigh-ins. I've heard the bass fishing is coming back, but I have no confirmation of that rumor.

I was on vacation at winni last week and snorkeling in front of my own cottage in south wolfeboro bay I spotted a small rockbass in about 5 feet of water. I've known they were in the north end of the lake, but I'm afraid they are really going to take hold in the next few years. I'm not sure what can erally be done to save the lake from them.

secondcurve · 08-03-2011, 08:22 PM

Maybe Winni should host a Rock Bass tournament like Sunapee?

Flippin NH · 08-14-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLAG!

I grew up fishing smallmouth on both Winni and Sunappe. Sunappe used to be a great smallie lake. In the 1990's the bass fishing there absolutely shut down. Rock bass took over big time. You could hardly get soft plastics to the bottom of the lake without getting picked up by rock bass. Most fisherment I saw catch them would use a pair of wire cutters and cut the spine and toss them back for the birds. Lake Sunapee now holds a season long Rock Bass tournament where total weight wins. People bring buckets of rock bass to the town docks for weigh-ins. I've heard the bass fishing is coming back, but I have no confirmation of that rumor.

I was on vacation at winni last week and snorkeling in front of my own cottage in south wolfeboro bay I spotted a small rockbass in about 5 feet of water. I've known they were in the north end of the lake, but I'm afraid they are really going to take hold in the next few years. I'm not sure what can erally be done to save the lake from them.

Sunapee 's Bass fishing for smallies and largmouth has been great the last 2 or 3 years. A Tourney this year had a winning 5 fish bag over 25 pounds.

Grant · 08-17-2011, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flippin NH

Sunapee 's Bass fishing for smallies and largmouth has been great the last 2 or 3 years. A Tourney this year had a winning 5 fish bag over 25 pounds.

That's a healthy bag! I've only caught two smallies in the five pound range in my many years on the Lake. But I've sure met a few more under the surface.

JRossetti · 08-24-2011, 03:14 PM

I rented a camp on Smith point road last week, the kids blasted through 3 packs of worms and caught close to 25 rock bass off the dock. The dock had a big rock breaker wall and the rock bass were loaded in there. Biggest was 9 inches. I told the boys that I would give them 25 cents per fish, all were removed and used in the garden

They were fishing in about 3-5 fow I was thinking there could be a real probblem soon with that many in such a tiny area.

AC2717 · 08-24-2011, 03:17 PM

I jumped off my boat on the mooring the other day, turned around with my goggles on and what did i see. I saw the red eyes, so I am almost 99% sure it was a rock bass, well over a foot long, just staring at me and would not move. This was in Paugus bay

are red eyes a give away?

also was in about 5 feet of water, sandy bottom

Pricestavern · 06-14-2013, 05:24 AM

Fishing off my dock with a small lure yesterday evening and caught two in a a matter of minutes when I casted over by my neighbor's breakwater. Boyh about 6". Caught in about 6' of water.

Warren T · 06-14-2013, 10:57 AM

Here I go, Rock Bass are a real problem. If there is any way to get the word out, people ought to be sure not to throw them back in when they catch them. I keep a 5 gallon bucket on my boat and don't throw them back. Those red eyed devils need to be eliminated. If you want to see most of the other "good fish" gone, let them live and see what happens. If there's not a concerted effort to fish them out, within a few more years you will catch 30 - 50 Rock Bass to one smallie or large mouth. My friend cooked some rock bass the other day, said they were good eating.

TOAD · 06-28-2011, 07:16 AM

AC2717 · 06-28-2011, 07:26 AM

I had a couple of dead ones float by me the other day near our cottage. I was wondering what they were, I do not wish death on fish, but these I would love to get rid of

GTO · 08-13-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOAD

a friend caught 2 in a row tonight in Ctr Harbor. Thought at first it was white perch but definately a rock bass

secondcurve · 08-14-2011, 06:20 PM

Hopefully, he kept them. I always do.

06-28-2011, 06:51 AM	#4
KWilliams Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 18 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	I assure you ... I can positively identify a Rock Bass. This is what prompted my concern for the fishery. We caught approximately 20 of them last week in the north end of the lake.

06-28-2011, 09:59 AM	#7
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,500 Thanks: 376 Thanked 230 Times in 124 Posts	They've been in Winnipesaukee for a while now. The photo posted above by Rattlesnake Gal was taken by me on the wreck of Lady of the Lake in 2002. There remains a very large population of rock bass on that wreck (as well as some nice smallies co-existing). The wreck lies in 30 feet of water, and the deck is probably 20+ feet deep. That being said, I can't remember seeing rock bass elsewhere in the lake -- at least not in a concentration like on the wreck of the Lady. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

07-01-2011, 07:43 PM	#9
Nitronut Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Barrington, NH Posts: 7 Thanks: 2 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Rock Bass I've been catching them for the past 5 years at least, mostly in the same area around Lady of the Lake and in Smith's Cove. An occasional one down in Alton Bay. Mostly small, no bigger than a pound or so. Love to see them gone.

08-03-2011, 11:04 AM	#11
FLAG! Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Upton, MA Posts: 112 Thanks: 44 Thanked 14 Times in 6 Posts	Rock Bass = No Good I grew up fishing smallmouth on both Winni and Sunappe. Sunappe used to be a great smallie lake. In the 1990's the bass fishing there absolutely shut down. Rock bass took over big time. You could hardly get soft plastics to the bottom of the lake without getting picked up by rock bass. Most fisherment I saw catch them would use a pair of wire cutters and cut the spine and toss them back for the birds. Lake Sunapee now holds a season long Rock Bass tournament where total weight wins. People bring buckets of rock bass to the town docks for weigh-ins. I've heard the bass fishing is coming back, but I have no confirmation of that rumor. I was on vacation at winni last week and snorkeling in front of my own cottage in south wolfeboro bay I spotted a small rockbass in about 5 feet of water. I've known they were in the north end of the lake, but I'm afraid they are really going to take hold in the next few years. I'm not sure what can erally be done to save the lake from them.

08-24-2011, 03:17 PM	#16
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,577 Thanks: 755 Thanked 355 Times in 267 Posts	I jumped off my boat on the mooring the other day, turned around with my goggles on and what did i see. I saw the red eyes, so I am almost 99% sure it was a rock bass, well over a foot long, just staring at me and would not move. This was in Paugus bay are red eyes a give away? also was in about 5 feet of water, sandy bottom __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

06-27-2011, 12:36 PM	#1
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	Not sure how they ended up in Winni. I hope it was by accident. I can't see it helping any part of the fishery. I heard it drastically effected Lake Sunapee's bass fishing.

06-27-2011, 12:44 PM	#2
MikeF-NH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 318 Thanks: 2 Thanked 120 Times in 80 Posts	I have never caught a rock bass on Winni so my first thought was "he was catching smallmouth and doesn't know how to ID a rock bass" but since you later mentioned smallmouth I think you know your fish ID. Are you also sure it wasn't a white perch? If rock bass are indeed introduced to Winni, it could affect all game species in the lake. I'm hoping it's just a mis-ID.

06-28-2011, 07:15 AM	#5
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	I'm not looking for any of your "hot spots" but I'm curious where you found them. I have seen them caught them in Back Bay, Wolfeboro in the SW part of the lake. These were caught in shallow water on a crawler under a bobber. I knew about the "Lady of the Lake". I hope you don't mind sharing where and how you caught them and how big they were. Thanks.

The Following User Says Thank You to KWilliams For This Useful Post:
Jonas Pilot (06-28-2011)

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Jonas Pilot (06-28-2011)

06-28-2011, 10:09 AM	#8
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	What's the largest size you have seen or caught?

07-01-2011, 08:01 PM	#10
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	I don't think they're going any place. I wonder which species they will compete with the most.

08-03-2011, 08:22 PM	#12
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,118 Thanks: 1,329 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	Maybe Winni should host a Rock Bass tournament like Sunapee?

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FWF (06-23-2016)

08-24-2011, 03:14 PM	#15
JRossetti Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 3 Posts	I rented a camp on Smith point road last week, the kids blasted through 3 packs of worms and caught close to 25 rock bass off the dock. The dock had a big rock breaker wall and the rock bass were loaded in there. Biggest was 9 inches. I told the boys that I would give them 25 cents per fish, all were removed and used in the garden They were fishing in about 3-5 fow I was thinking there could be a real probblem soon with that many in such a tiny area.

The Following User Says Thank You to JRossetti For This Useful Post:
secondcurve (08-24-2011)

06-14-2013, 05:24 AM	#17
Pricestavern Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Valencia, Spain (formerly Rattlesnake Isle) Posts: 389 Thanks: 135 Thanked 142 Times in 82 Posts	Rockies at Rattlesnake Fishing off my dock with a small lure yesterday evening and caught two in a a matter of minutes when I casted over by my neighbor's breakwater. Boyh about 6". Caught in about 6' of water.

06-14-2013, 10:57 AM	#18
Warren T Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 12 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Rock Bass Here I go, Rock Bass are a real problem. If there is any way to get the word out, people ought to be sure not to throw them back in when they catch them. I keep a 5 gallon bucket on my boat and don't throw them back. Those red eyed devils need to be eliminated. If you want to see most of the other "good fish" gone, let them live and see what happens. If there's not a concerted effort to fish them out, within a few more years you will catch 30 - 50 Rock Bass to one smallie or large mouth. My friend cooked some rock bass the other day, said they were good eating.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Warren T For This Useful Post:
ApS (08-12-2014), Pineedles (06-14-2013)

06-28-2011, 07:16 AM	#19
TOAD Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Soon to be Moultonboro Posts: 258 Thanks: 1 Thanked 81 Times in 34 Posts	__________________ "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.....Unknown....but attributed to George Washington

06-28-2011, 07:26 AM	#20
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,577 Thanks: 755 Thanked 355 Times in 267 Posts	I had a couple of dead ones float by me the other day near our cottage. I was wondering what they were, I do not wish death on fish, but these I would love to get rid of __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

08-14-2011, 06:20 PM	#22
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,118 Thanks: 1,329 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	Hopefully, he kept them. I always do.