By Tim Moore:
Spring is finally here and that means it’s time to break out the kayaks and dust off the boat for some great spring opportunities. The first thing we will be targeting is northern pike on the Connecticut River. We have some great early season pike spots that produced a lot of fish last spring, many in the 30” range. These fish will be hanging out in setbacks and on flats. They will feed aggressively early and late in the day, and then sunning themselves in the shallows. With the lack of weeds, we will target any structure such as downed trees and rocks.
Shallow water spring fishing is the perfect time to throw soft plastics at northerns. My favorite is the Whisperer from Daddy Mac Lures rigged weedless on an offset hook. I caught a 43” pike on this last fall. I like to take a red permanent marker with me and hit the sides of the lure with it, or dip the tail in some lure dye. Spinnerbaits and bucktails like the Juice Mini Mag from Bigtooth Tackle in the Halo pattern are also killer lures. Almost any lure with red and white is going to catch pike. We will be on the water in the kayaks most days this month and the fishing should be fast and furious. We also hope to have our new 16’ Lund in the water sometime this month so we can begin taking anglers who can’t paddle kayaks out for their shot at some of these toothy beasts.
On the saltwater front, I hope to start guiding kayak fishing trips for winter flounder. These tasty fish are a lot of fun to fish for. They too will be in shallow water this month which is when kayak fishing shines. When the wind is calm, the water clears up and you can often sight fish for them. There isn’t much to it, simply drifting around in as little as 4’ of water while dragging a two-hook flounder rig tipped with sand worm or clam will do it. We fish with light gear and light weights. Suds N’ Soda Sports in Greenland, NH should start carrying sand worms this month. Once they do, you’ll know the flounder are biting. Anyone interested in booking a trip with us should call soon (603-842-3572) to get in on the better dates and some great fishing opportunities.
FORECAST BY: Tim Moore is a nationally recognized professional angler and owner of Tim Moore Outdoors LLC, offering NH kayak fishing charters and Lake Winnipesaukee ice fishing charters. He is a pro staff member for several local and national companies, and the producer of Tim Moore Outdoors TV. Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com for more information.