A signpost of things to come came courtesy of Brandy of Webhanet B&T who recounted a long-term customer who witnessed the largest school of stripers he ever saw and tighter than a bait ball. The caveat was that he didn’t get a sniff! While the bass decide when to fatten up, the lake trout in Winnipesauke are already there!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Tim from Suds ‘N Soda really lit them up to the tune of about a dozen nice-sized fish in one hour. And while the catching did take place in big water and with a saltwater designed lure – the Daddy Mac Albie Jig – the fish were not saltwater specimens! Rather Tim hauled his Old Town Predator Kayak out to 140’ of water on Lake Winnipesauke and jigged up a pile of pre-spawn lake trout! The fish are gathering about 90’ down and while you have to pick your spots in a big water body such as Winnipesauke the going can be great as the fish are stacked up right now. It’s been awhile since I thought of lakers and the pictures jump-started some yearnings as the fish were colorful and fat! Closer to the coast, it is a schoolie-fest at Little Bay as small striper are feeling the need to feed in preparation for their eventual haul southward. Beach casting can be an ordeal of long hours with not much to show for it but the odds are best for a cow while chunking near rockpiles off Hampton and Rye Beaches.
Jamie from Dover Marine was fresh from an offshore outing when we spoke and while the tuna proved tough a fat 52-inch halibut that a buddy caught was a nice consolation. The fish was estimated to be about 60 pounds and rose 60’ off the bottom to inhale a live mackerel at The Curl. While cod and haddock fishing is prohibited in the GOM, an option you may want to consider is pollock, which have been plentiful by Old Scantum. Of course you just know that as soon as you drop a line out there you are going to bail cod and haddock the likes of which you’ve never seen! The Piscatagua River is swarming with 4/5” river herring fry with occasional bass blitzing on them. Two lures to consider are the Daddy Mac Baby Viper and the Sebile Soft Magic Swimmer.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Brandy of Webhannet told me of the first indicator that change is in the air when an experienced striper chaser claimed he saw the largest school of bunched up off Kennebunkport. And they would not touch a thing he tossed their way. My experience is that when the stripers first pile-up they’re picky but it doesn’t take long after that for them to snap on the old feedbag, you just have to wait them out! Mackerel have been fairly easy to jig up and some have been catching fish of over 40” with live macks as well as chunks off Moody Beach, Wells Beach and York Beach. Some anglers have been recounting tail slapping bass pounding the mackerel by Bibb Rock. All around the lower stages of the tides appear to be the most productive. The mackerel are somehow hanging in there in spite of a spate of bluefish encounters making it essential to pack along some steel leaders just in case. One lucky angler recently jigged up 40 nice mackerel!
Kenny from Saco Bay said that they are definitely seeing the stirrings of change in the resident striper population. The fish are beginning to school so it really is hit or miss as the fish move around. The bite seems to be best there at the turn of the tide and through the ebb. Shore guys are catching from Old Orchard Beach as well as Camp Ellis and Pine Point with clams and chunk mackerel both making for effective bait. Another spot where the going has been good is Goose Rocks Beach. The rocky barrier just offshore has been hot for the mackerel by day and eels at nighttime. A few are being relieved of their mackerel and much more owing to a bluefish presence which while difficult to predict is still apparent.
Fishing Forecast
Finding the river herring fry in the Piscataqua River is the key to finding the striped bass. First light is important and look for them to stack up among eddies or other current breaks throughout the river and Little Bay. Chunkers casting off Goose Rocks Beach and Kennebunkport should stand a solid chance of catching stripers especially on an ebbing tide. There are still some mackerel just outside of the Webhanet River and you just might find a bluefish or two nearby. Should you get a few back to the boat in one piece, check out or chunk Bibb Rock, the mouth of The Mousam River or rockpiles off York Beach.