Conference wahoo::fishing

    The whole river is good fishing, I have fished from the head waters
    in Franklin N.H. to Plumb island and i have always cought smallmout.
    The water in the area where you are talking about is nasty.
    Don't eat the fish below Manchester!!!!!!!!!!!
    Raw sewage is dumped below there, and at nashua there is a creasoat
    spill guard that is not doing the job. All of the fish i have cought
    below there have wormes and they smell like s**t.
    Thats about it.
    				danny day
    

    I LIVE IN N. CHELMSFORD AND HAVE FISHED THE RIVER QUITE OFTEN. THE
    AREA YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT IS FAIR. A TOURNEY WE RAN THERE LAST MONTH
    ONLY PRODUCED 40 FISH WIEGHED,OUT OF 65 ENTRIES. THE MOST PRODUCTIVE
    AREAS ARE BY THE STONE RETAINER WALLS UP AT THE TYNGSBORO BRIDGE
    AND BY VESPAR COUNTRY CLUB. ANY DOWN RIVER SIDE OF INCOMING WATER
    ALSO WILL PRODUCE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS GIVE A YELL.
                                           JACK "BASS" BRICKLEY

    ED. Jack is right about freshlets to the river. They are the place
    were the bait fish will congregate. There is a good boat ramp just
    east of the bath house on the lowell boulavard, real nice this time
    of year with all the fool water skiers gone.
    Looking upstream the main chanal follows the south side of the river
    with depths running to 30 ft in spots the rorke bridge pillers are
    productive as well as the stony brook mouth in no.chelms.
    
    there are mostly smallmouths but carp and shad add to the sport;
    if you like varity. 
    
    If you would like company give me a call. on the notes file. We
    can kill a few minnows.
    
                                             Walt.Gibson
    

                 Need Info On Merrimack In Concord Help!!!!!!!!!!
    
     My son is coming home for a training course for three weeks
    from Minnesota. He said he would like to do some river fishing
    in his free time. I haven't fished in five years since he moved
    away. We used to fish down in Massachusetts before I transfered
    up north but never in a river. He seems like he now prefers to
    fish in the rivers and asked me to see what I could find close
    by. It appears that the Merrimack in Concord is my best bet.
    My problem is that I don't know where to even to start fishing
    on this river. I have gotten direction to a boat launch ( what 
    a difference five years make in registering a boat $$$$, I still
    have my Mass. bow numbers to scrape off). Could anyone recommend
    places on this river to fish and what artificial bait to use( My
    son has gotten religion around using artificial bait) I don't have
    a depth finder on my boat so landmarks on the river may be useful.
    The launch I will be using is by some technical school and a 
    cornfield. What is the best direction to head upstream or down stream,
    are there any dangerous areas to avoid. I have a 14ft aluminum boat
    with a 9hp engine and a small trolling motor a friend is letting
    me borrow.
    
    thanks in advance
    
    Larry

    Larry, that section of the river (as well as the rest of the river)
    is great for smallmouth.  From the cornfield launch, you can go
    upstream or downstream and find fish.  If you go upstream it get's
    shallow and sandy in a mile or so, but by following the deeper bank 
    you can find deep enough water to navigate.  In a few miles you'll
    reach an island beyond which are class I-II rapids that I suggest 
    you avoid 8^).  
    
    If you go downstream it's clean sailing for quite aways, just use lots
    of caution for quite aways around the bridges (and ex-bridges).
    
    As for a good (and fun) bait to fish, I enjoy using small Rapalas
    when fun fishing on the river, you'll catch lots of small bass - 
    and maybe a couple nice ones. 
    
    have fun, donmac

    Hi all,
    
    I'm looking for directions to the public boat ramp in the Chelmsford
    area.  We're having a club tourney on the Lowell/Tyngsboro stretch
    of the river and are looking for a more central location than the
    the Lowell ramp east of the boathouse to launch from.
    
    Anyone out there know the directions ??  I'm familiar with the area
    and assume it's not too far from N. Chelmsford center.  Also, are
    there any fees or other info about the ramp that we should know about??
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    Gus