Striped bass remain a playmate to the fortunate who frequent the Saco Bay area, with Webhanet somewhat a winner also. It’s not that New Hampshire is devoid of striped bass, it’s just that they appear to be all schoolies. Offshore might be a better option as the talk revolves around haddock up to 30 inches!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Tim from Suds N Soda said that anglers fishing Little Bay and other areas in the Piscataqua River watershed can almost catch a striper a cast but the fish are usually cookie-cutter schoolies. To cull out a bigger one keep an eye out for current eddies outside of bridges where larger, wiser linesiders may lie in wait for prey. Tim has been catching best with the Daddy Mac Whisperer and baby Viper since some of the prevalent forage is herring fry. Plan on hitting a bunch of different locations until you find the honey hole of the day. Safeguard squid access spots by keeping locations by “inking” squid in either the water or a bucket and not on public or private property. Some NO FISHING signs are starting to be posted where inconsiderate slobs are making a mess.
Jamie from Dover Marine heard that the anglers were jamming haddock up to 30” along with some market-sized cod from the Curl. Whiting up to 20” long are making this place a winner. Many are loading up on mackerel for bait in the way out by the Isle of Shoals and just east. Teasers that look like small northern halfbeaks are working well since little 4” cousins to the ballyhoo have been found in the bellies of pollock and cod.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Ken hates to gloat but the fishing remains fantastic in the Saco Bay area both inside the Saco and Mousam Rivers as well as by the beach fronts. Ken also recommended the pier of Old Orchard Beach as a best bet for those soaking sandworms. Particular mention should go to Goose Rocks as a great choice. For a gadoid grab bag try slopping structure on Jeffreys Ledge in at least 200’ of water. The chatter there is of cusk, cod, haddock, pollock as well as the errant and protected wolfish! For bigger game consider blue sharks and just maybe thresher sharks which can be called into a chum slick and fooled into taking a live or chunk mackerel or whiting.
Brandy of Webhannet Bait and Tackle told me that the tube-and-worm remains the winning combination from just outside the rivers such as the Webhanet, Mousam and the Ogunquit. Stick baits which imitate sand eels should do well by Ogunquit Beach as well as the river. In the fall sea run brown trout can often be seen finning in the current just below the bridge and occasionally rushing up an plucking a sand eel. Some surprisingly large stripers will cruise well upstream of the Ogunquit River. While anglers are pleased to be able to still Sabiki-up mackerel, some are miffed at the monstrous size of these fish – they are on average huge! The jury may be out whether a 17” mackerel is too large of a baitfish for stripers but there is no debate when it comes to hooking one with a lightweight freshwater rod – they are a blast!
Fishing Forecast
Schoolies are abundant in New Hampshire but for larger linesiders you need to pay attention to current breaks, eddies and drop-offs and thoroughly work this structure for a chance at a larger fish. An alternative might be chunking rocky locations off the beaches. The haddock and cod bite are making many feel that the haul out to The Curl is a journey well worth taking. The song remains the same regarding stripers – the Saco Bay remains the area best bet!
Dear Ron, really enjoy reading your fish reports. I know some fishermen like to keep their honey holes to themselves and some of the info is kind of generic, but when possible, can a GPS numbers be provided? I have looked on my maps for the “Curls” but haven’t a clue lol.
Hi Conrad, The Curl is a general area on the northwestern edge of Jeffreys Ledge, north of New Scantum and west of “The Ridge.” I recommend picking up Captain Segull chart #GMM17 for all of these named locations. Thanks!