The uncharacteristic recent cold snap not only put a chill in the air but put most striped bass angling on ice. The upside is that there are reports of much bigger bass taking up residence. For a freshwater alternative, reconsider Lake Winnipesauke where the emergence of a thermocline should lead to better landlocked salmon fishing.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
AJ from AJs said that the slow late-spring salmon fishing may be over soon now that the thermocline is setting up in Winnipesauke. Reports are that this oxygenated stretch is hovering around 25’ down and the fish are being taken on the usual baits, such as frozen smelt, spoons and streamers. Experiment on how far back in the wash to set your lines, some are swearing by 10’, while others are claiming 100’ is the sweet zone. They’re currently catching by Governor’s Island, The Broads, Meredith Bay and Weirs Beach. You’ll find little else in the shallows besides smallies thanks to the “Bronze Watch”: being ever-protective of their beds, bronzebacks don’t tolerate other species nearby.
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair had a striper tale to tell when we spoke. His crew took a trip to Joppa Flats in Newburyport recently and despite the raw conditions managed to catch them from schoolies on up to keeper-sized, on weighted Slug-Gos. Closer to home, largemouth bass are aggressively hitting Senkos and tube baits in the Nashua River, Beaver Pond, Robertson Pond and Canobie Lake. For both brown and rainbow trout, revisit the rivers such as Skowhegan and Nissitissit. With the spotlight on saltwater fishing, many ignore trout water this time of the year when the less pressured fishing can be quite productive.
Jason of Suds ‘N Soda said that possibly due to the deluge the coast is fishing better than the swollen tributaries of Great Bay. Hampton, Rye and Newcastle have all been good for chunk bait with most fish consisting of schoolie-sized but a few keepers also. The expectation is that once the roiled water dissipates bigger bass will sniff out the blueback herring at the Squamscott, Oyster, Lamprey and Salmon Falls Rivers. Flounder fishing has been good with some of the catch coming in water so clear and shallow anglers are spotting the flounder before catching them! Winter flounder can be found at Wentworth Harbor, Hampton, Seabrook and Rye.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
The Nor’easter which fell for what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights put a major hurt on fishing reports in the Webhannet River according to Brandy of Webhannet B&T. However, the good news is that the fish probably haven’t fed all that much with the muddy conditions and plummeting water temperatures so they should begin to binge. A neat tip from Brandy is to fish with brightly colored artificials when you can get out there. Her personal favorite is the yellow/black back SP Minnow which is a gaudy killer when the waters are roiled. Mackerel hunters are very concerned since they still can’t find any of those green bullets. I don’t mean to be an alarmist, but we’re not finding as much mackerel in Massachusetts as we usually do either so there could be an issue with the stock.
Front and center in the unusual catch category is the sea-run browns that are being caught in the Saco River according to Kenny from Saco Bay Tackle. No-one in the shop can recall such a fish in the Saco but it sure is exciting news. Catches are taking place while anglers have been targeting shad with darts at the dam! Bigger bass have moved into the rivers with 30” and even 40” specimens falling for RonZs and other artificials which mimic sand eels. Good reports have been coming in from the Saco River, Scarborough Marsh and the Spurwink River. Kenny suspects that they are in the Mousam too but there is no definitive word on that yet. The beaches are quiet at the moment and there is no word on mackerel.
Fishing Forecast
What better way to dry off than to go fishing! Bass on the beds of Lake Winnipesauke as well as Robertson Pond make for fast paced catch and release catching with both species falling for tube baits. Find the thermocline and you’ll find the salmon in this giant lake. In New Hampshire the scuttlebutt is that the striper bite is best off the beaches, yet in the southern sector of Maine try the Saco River where you may catch a striper, shad or even a “salter” brown trout!
Did Maine adopt the federal 1 striper at 28″ per day or are they still running the “slot limit” 22″-26″ and over 40″?
28 and over
Great report guys! Keep us all posted and up to date here in southern maine! I have had much luck with flash foil eels, RonZ’s (silver or pearl), and bone colored SP Minnows are catching me schoolie sized bass at the mouth of the Saco in Camp Ellis. Catching more in river but a few on ocean side of the breakwater as well. Earlier today, like way earlier in the wee hours 1-2am, I witnessed hundreds of bass in schools under the lights at the Camp Ellis docks! Even a harbor seal chasing them around and causing a stir!! Fish didn’t seem to mind as I hooked up with 8 in an hour or so. Biggest 27 inches, almost made it. However; I know that the big fish are starting to come in as I saw them with my own eyes. I was using a 6 inch blue flash fool split-tale just under the surface and it was a blast! Good luck to everyone and thanks for the reports!!!
Oh yeah, and as always with the early season rubber baits, fish them slow. RonZ works best for me with a slow retrieval just off the bottom..try not to get it snagged though!