While intending no disrespect to the current crop of graduates, the “class” of 2011 may matter the most to fishermen right now. Of course I’m referring to the striped bass young-of-the-year index from the Chesapeake Bay, because that year was the fourth-highest since managers have been keeping watch, and now the fruits of that spawn have arrived here to play. In the midst of all those 16-inch stripers are mid-20-inch fish, with the ratio seemingly about 10-1. Groundfishing for inshore flatties and deepwater cod and haddock has been surprisingly good. Oh, and by the way pogies are here!

Just this morning I hooked and landed what many feel is the most valuable fish in the sea – the beloved menhaden, AKA pogy. A May arrival of pogies is nothing new, but there seems to be more of them. Often, an early volley of a good-sized school is a harbinger of many more to come, so we just may be blessed in these parts with a higher volume of this most-prized forage fish than in previous years. Look in sheltered harbors and estuaries, and maybe you’ll be able to sink a hook into one as I did right from the shore. Don’t expect anything big enough to be able to eat those pogies until later on in the month, but when the bigger bass show up, you can bet that they will sniff out those pogies and that will be one of your best chances of catching that early-season cow!

Massachusetts South Shore Fishing Report

Most bass will not be seeking pogies but rather mackerel, and they have arrived on the South Shore according to Bob from Green Harbor Bait and Tackle in Marshfield. Look for macks outside of the Gurnet and Farnham Bell. There’s little word on stripers with the prey yet; a better bet may be to target schoolies in the South River and between the dyke of Green Harbor out through the jetties. Flounder are also being caught from the jetties, and some are even catching off docked boats in the harbor. Bob said that those who are catching cod and haddock are steaming north of Stellwagen and heading out more toward Tillies and Jeffreys. If you’re passionate about finding pogies, the Powder Point Bridge in Duxbury may be a good place to start.

Pete from Belsans Bait in Scituate said that there is no shortage of mackerel out by the “21” Can. Schoolies have invaded the North and South rivers, with the hot lure being ¾-ounce blue/chrome Kastmaters, especially those with the bucktail. Pinthis Wreck, just outside of the North River, has had plenty of short 16-inch cod; even though these are small fish, it’s always uplifting to hear of any inshore cod. Twelve-inch plus harbor pollock have invaded the Cohasset/Scituate area, making for some really good light-tackle fishing on all matter of lures and bait. The flounder faithful are finding their favorite fish in both the Cohasset and Scituate Harbors, but they aren’t particularly big with the minimum size of 12 inches about average. The shad run in the Indian Head River had a slow start but has picked up speed and is good now.

Boston Harbor Fishing Report

While the season is still in its infancy, initial results are indicating that the flounder fishing of this year is markedly better than last season. Timing for this couldn’t be better as this Saturday marks the Fifth Annual “Zobo” Flounder Tournament in the harbor. Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics is the founder of the derby, and each year a donation is given to a worthy charity. This year the benefactor will be the One Fund, which aids victims of last year’s Marathon bombing. In addition to that it’s a good old time and a reason to revel in a revived fishery. I’ll be participating again as part of Captain Jason Colby’s Team Little Sister. The team has won 3 out of 4 years, and Jason threw down the gauntlet last Saturday when he boated a 21 ½-inch “phonebook” flounder! Look for flatties by Deer Island Flats, The 4 Can, Sculpin Ledge, Hospital Shoals, Rainsford Island and Peddock Island. Now is also the time when tautog are randomly taken. Mid-May to early June is when they usually spawn. Look for them around rockpiles at the mouths of estuaries, where they will be traveling upstream over the next few weeks. While green crabs are king, tautog will usually not pass up a gob of seaworm.

Lisa from Fore River in Quincy told me of fantastic flounder fishing aboard Captain Lou Abate’s Good Time Charters. Hospital Shoals had been the hottest! There are no shortage of schoolies in the Weir, Weymouth Fore, Weymouth Back and Neponset rivers. Fore River stocks what has become one of my favorite early season offerings – the Queen Cochahoe Minnow – and it has been a striper killer. In addition to great action, this slim-profiled soft plastic is tough and you will catch more fish per lure than other soft plastics. Those looking for early season pogies should keep watch over the Town River in Quincy. While hardly horde status, some mackerel are being taken in the Graves Light area with a few striped bass with them.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Laura from Ippi’s in Lynn told me that anglers have to work for them, but they are finding fresh stripers off Red Rock and Preston Beach. Lynn Fish and Game stocked Sluice Pond in Lynn with some slammer trout recently. The 6-pound rainbow caught there certainly qualifies, but there are bigger still! With flounder cooperating in Boston Harbor, they should be ripe for the picking at the edge of the mudflats in Lynn Harbor. While you are out and about in Lynn Harbor, keep on the look-out for pogies—this place has been to known to harbor early visitors.

Tomo from Tomos Tackle in Salem told me that schoolies averaging between 16” and 25” have been taken off Salem Willows Pier. There have also been flounder taken from there. The same can be said for the Beverly Pier. Frequent surface feeds have been the rule from the Danvers and North rivers. Some mackerel have been spotted just outside of Swampscott Harbor, and there has been early-season striper activity from Devereux Beach in Marblehead. The shop’s best bass catcher has been the Ocean Lures Surface Swimming Baitfish. For flounder, frequent the flats just outside of the Pines River. Small cod are caught outside of Gloucester Harbor, but for keepers you’ll have to run out toward the Jeffreys Ledge area. The mooring fields of Salem Harbor often have pogy potential.

The scuttlebutt around Surfland in Newburyport has been similar-sized stripers to what others are reporting. The Plum Island ocean front has been the better bet than the river side so far although that could change soon. The Parker River Wildlife Reservation Lot 1 area has been good for worm-soakers early in the morning. After a brief lull in shad activity in the Merrimack River, they are back from Rocks Village all the way up to the dam. Surfland may still have a few flutter spoons in stock, which have been the ticket to shad.

New Hampshire and Southern Maine Fishing Report

Jason of Suds ‘N Soda said that the first fresh striped bass have just arrived! Almost as significant is the hot lure that the patrons of the shop expect to catch those stripers with. The shop has an in-tank display of the Viper model, which you can see online; it is scary how lifelike this lure is and almost no-one who enters Suds can leave without one. The bass are busting bait at the mouth of the Lamprey River. White perch remain a winner throughout the Squamscott and Exeter rivers. And flounder can be found in Rye Harbor and even in Great Bay.

Richard Wolfe of Sea Wolfe Tackle in Londonderry, New Hampshire, along with a couple-dozen friends chartered one of the Eastman Fleet boats out of Seabrook and found the groundfishing to be great. Limits of cod and haddock were a cinch and the addition of big redfish just sweetened the outing. Shrimp on the Sea Wolfe haddock rigs was the ticket. Jamie from Dover Marine seconded that account especially on The Curl segment of Jeffreys Ledge. The Winnepesauke salmon action has been solid, providing that you troll with 2 to 3 colors of leadcore and employ red/white or pink/silver spoons. The fish are all fat 20” specimens. White perch are breeding now and are especially fond of a worm/float combination in the 19 Mile Bay area at dusk and dawn.

The salmon fishing in Maine is sizzling according to Dylan of Dag’s in Auburn. Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t register an 8-pounder! Smelt are like money if you can find them, even the frozen variety. Lake Auburn, Sebago and Thompson Lake are all worth a go. The theory is that there are simply fewer togue, which feed on the forage as well as the salmon. In the absence of that top predator, salmon thrive. Fewer togue often equates to bigger fish. One look no farther than Sebago Lake, where a 20-something togue took first prize during the ice fishing derby and there has already been a 22-pounder taken this year during open water.

Kenny from Saco Bay said the words that Southern Maine anglers want to hear: “They’re here!” Schoolies can now be found in the Saco River as well as Scarborough Marsh. For a fish that will outfight a schoolies, try for a shad, which can be found in the Saco River as well. The shop carries shad darts as well as “Woo Spoons,” which are a flutter spoon that many feel are much more effective. Mackerel are present off Kenebunkport, and its even money that they will soon be among the Saco Bay Islands. In spite of the solemn news about groundfish regulations, the reports coming from Tantas and Jeffreys are very encouraging.

Fishing Forecast

Shorelines on the South Shore of Massachusetts are swarming with schoolies from the strong year class of 2011. Larger fish should be on the way and when they arrive will find it hard to pass up live forage such as mackerel by The Gurnet and the 21 Can. Shad continue to thrill in the Indian Head River as well as more northern systems such as the Merrimack. The best bass at the moment are mid-20-inch fish and can be found among the Weymouth Fore, Weymouth Back, Charles and Mystic rivers. Keep an eye out for pogies because when the big bass arrive, they will not stray far from them. For deep-water thrills, check out the groundfishing among Tantas and Jeffreys—it’s getting rave reviews. If you’re still sweet on freshwater, then don’t quit on Wachusett where recently a 10-pound laker was caught as well as a score of slab crappie of over 2 pounds!