The most consistent catching is courtesy of squid which are found nightly among piers, docks and bridges from the Piscatagua River through the Webhanet River. If you prefer your quarry with fins, drift mackerel by day or eels at night among irregular bottom or coves throughout the Piscataqua for stripers. A couple of beach best bets are Higgins and Parsons.
New Hampshire
Chad from Dover Marine told me of the groundfishing success of shop-mate Jamie who whipped haddock up to 28” long on mackerel strips from 190’ of water on Jeffrey’s Ledge. To find the mackerel for bass, groundfishing or for the sheer non-stop action look about one mile east of the 2KR Can. The recent deluges have turned Great Bay into a muddy mess but the Piscataqua is infinitely cleaner and fishier especially on the incoming tide. Drifting/trolling mackerel at depth breaks as well as floating macks under a balloon or float among eddies in coves has been productive for stripers. Eels at dark from the General Sullivan Bridge continues to work as well. Squid-hysteria shows no signs of abating and the ink trails are one heck of a clue where the catching is best. After hour surf fishing has been good among the Granite State Beaches such as Wells and Seabrook. Chunk and the now-legendary SP Minnow are among what the sharpies are catching with.
Jason from Suds ‘N Soda said that he can barely keep orange and natural Sea Wolfe squid jigs in stock, the cephalopod catching has been that good! Look for bridges and piers at night by New Castle, Hampton, off Rte. 103 and Kittery. Boars Head Beach has been best for bass with clams tossed among rocky sections of the shoreline the best bet. The Daddy Mac Baby Viper has been one of the more reliable lures as angler catch 40” stripers just outside of the current throughout the Piscatagua River. Eels at night along the same stretches are doing the job for the graveyard shift.
Maine
The Webhanet River has been so productive that kids are handlining stripers right off the docks! Sandworms and clams have been equally effective. For those who prefer a rod and reel try casting Gag’s Grapper poppers off Parson’s Beach; other have mid-30” bass for their efforts! Mackerel can be found but there are no “gimmies” with those catching consistently chumming and keeping on the move. Unusual is the presence of squid in these parts! Also in the unusual category but hopefully promising was another halibut (this one sub-legal) taken by the same angler who hit the 57 a few weeks ago. It sure would be sweet to see a resurgence of these great flatfish.
Mitchell of Saco Bay estimated that there were three-times as much striper activity in the Saco area as last week! Beaches and marshes is where it’s at with Biddeford Pool, Higgins and Scarborough all getting the nod. The marshy section of Biddeford deserves special mention. They’re finding flounder close to the jetties at Camp Ellis! This has also been a steady striper spot for those casting Bill Hurley’s and swimming plugs. Mackerel are on the move near Monument Island and Wood Island. Some scary big bluefin have been taken by harpoon fisherman and anglers are beginning to find surface signs almost as soon as they leave port out to Jeffreys Ledge. Live mackerel remain a favored tuna-fooler.
Fishing Forecast
Take advantage of the superb squid fishing at night from bridges, piers and docks from New Castle through Wells. If you have bass on the brain jig up some mackerel past the 2KR Buoy and drift them among depth edges in the Piscatagua River. Parson’s Beach is a best bet for some topwater action for mid-30-inch stripers. Or chum up some mackerel outside of Wood Island and toss then among rockpiles off Higgins Beach or take them for a troll closer to Jeffreys Ledge where giants roam!
Where is wells beach in the granite state ? I thought she was in Maine
How deep do you put your bait in the Piscataqua? I always find myself getting caught on the bottom.