New Hampshire & Maine Fishing Report - May 28, 2015

If ever there were a transitional period, this is it! Waves of stripers are livening up the coast from Seabrook to Scarborough. Those first few fish seem to be favoring the live bait alternative over artificials with mackerel prolific in New Hampshire and Maine anglers still having to settle for sandworms. Not all is lost in freshwater, however, as the smallie action in Lake Winnipesauke is as good as it gets and there’s even a unique Downeast trout fishery that exists in the shadows of tourism.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

If you haven’t been out along the New Hampshire coast, according to Roland of Suds ‘N Soda something more substantial than a schoolie may be your season ice-breaker. He knows of two 41” fish that were taken in Hampton Harbor on live mackerel. Live mackerel are there for the jigging off Hampton Shoals and to a lesser extent the 2KR Buoy. Roland and a crew hauled in 14 flounder from Hampton Harbor on Saturday. Anglers fishing with clams as bait and those spinning with sand eel-imitating soft plastics are experiencing burgeoning numbers of bass in the Piscataqua River. Stripers have sniffed out the herring runs of Great Bay but there have been no reports as of yet of tackle-testers. Roland expects that it could be a day or even a tide away for all that to change. Cod may be off the table, but many are finding the plentiful haddock and pollock incentive enough to set sail out to Jeffrey’s Ledge. The sweet spot has been just over 200’ of water. For haddock leave your bait right on the bottom. Some shake the rod back and forth as the bait lies on the bottom referring to it as the “haddock wiggle” and find it very effective. Pollock will be chasing baitfish throughout the water column so an active jigging style with something shiny works best for them.

According to AJ in Meredith, surging water temperatures are making for challenging salmon fishing. The few that are successful are trolling smelt-imitating streamers or spoons in 35’ of water at The Broads, by Bear Island and Governor’s Island. A better bet is the peak smallmouth bass bite which is taking place right now among the shallows. Look for boulders, ledge, and depth breaks or most any structure in close or among the islands and chances are you’ll find a hungry smallie. AJs favorite lure for this sort of fishing: a gold Bomber stick bait! Twitch this baby on the surface and hold on!

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Nick from Saco Bay Tackle Company said that there has been a striper transition from any old fish to specimens up to 33 inches. You’ll fare best soaking sandworms and casting sand eel imitators such as the Bill Hurley, Gag’s Whip-Its and Slug-Gos in the Saco River and Scarborough Marsh. The prevalent forage remains river herring and sand eels with the arrival of mackerel imminent and anxiously awaited. Shad are still a viable catch with some drag-peeling big females up close to the dam. Yellow/red and white/red ¼-ounce darts are the key to the shad. Is it possible to indulge in some special sweetwater fishing in an environment known for its salty attributes? I don’t often get pointers on places close to the coast from Dylan of Dag’s in Auburn but he made up for it on this one. He and his family took a vacation in Acadia National Park which is a must-see for many who travel Downeast. While the scenic views are stirring and lobster dinners scrumptious, what he finds most special is the untapped wild brook trout fishing in most every flowing body of water there! The fish are feisty, colorful and when in a riparian habitat which breaches the ocean often become sea-run and that’s when they get really special! While the others are souvenir shopping among the boutiques, poke around some of the brooks, streams and rivers there and you may come across your own little treasure trove of wild brook trout. For sea-runs or salters, Dylan suggests you search upstream for the first current cushioning structure you can find, it could even be rippled water indicating shallows and it is there you’ll often find salters. Standard trout fare will all work from worms to spinners to scud or shrimp patterns for fly casters.
Brandy from Webhannet said that things are starting to pick up for fish up to 28”. The best bass fishing seems to be upstream of the rivers such as the Saco, Webhannet and York. Typically of early season most of the bass have fell for sandworms. The afternoon, early evenings have fished best, possibly owing to warming water temperatures then. The most effective artificial at the moment are white Storm shads. Groundfishing has been good with a nice mixture of limits of haddock, pollock, cusk and redfish. The hottest offerings are pink and purple teasers! No signs of mackerel as of yet and the natives are becoming restless!

Fishing Forecast

If you have a boat at the ready than jig up some mackerel off Hampton Shoals and head to Hampton Harbor or the Piscataqua River where a striped welcoming committee should be. Shore folks should target the herring runs at the mouths of the Great Bay tributaries. A sweetwater alternative is the superb smallmouth bass action up close on Lake Winnipesauke. Stripers up to 33” have been taken in Southern Maine at the Saco, Webhannet and York Rivers. Sandworms are working best but by next week it is hoped that mackerel become the “normal” bait.