If schoolies aren’t good enough any longer, then “eel-up” and enlist in the nightshift at Little Bay, Little Harbor and most anywhere stripers swim along the New Hampshire coast. As we gear up for the eventual fall run, expect an exponential increase in striped bass numbers in tidal rivers, estuaries and marshes in Maine. If the haddock closure in the GOM looms like bad medicine to you, then plan on setting sail toward Jeffreys Ledge real soon because when August ends, so does the season.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire registered guide Tim Moore had been looking to short circuit the learning curve toward catching bigger stripers aboard his Old Town Predator Kayak. While schoolies by the bay-full are fun, he’s been scheming to take it to the next level. That could be construed as code for fishing eels after dark! Seldom do plans achieve their potential quite like his recent eel excursions. In rapid succession, Tim began slamming bigger bass including knocking off personal bests. Only days ago he upped the ante with a 46-inch, 33-pounder that fell for the biggest eel he had with him! If you’re tooling around Little Bay, Little Harbor, Hampton Harbor, Rye Harbor or most anyplace you wet a line, try switching things up and set your sights on “serpents’ after dark and see if you don’t find a whole different class of fish. All is not lost for the daytime gang, however, as schoolies are more than willing to put on a surface display and they aren’t too fussy!
Roland of Suds ‘N Soda seconded Tim Moore’s experience that the better bass fishing is taking place at night. His stomping grounds are the Hampton and Merrimack Rivers, and he suggests that those more inclined to fish days search for mackerel, which can be found randomly between Boars Head off Hampton Beach to as far out as Jeffreys Ledge. Should you load up on mackerel, try drifting along those rivers while either free-lining mackerel or suspending them under a balloon. Squid can still be found, especially among the New Castle stretch as well as Kittery. The quandary with squid is whether to eat them or use them as bait, since many feel that they are at least as effective as mackerel. The haddock season in the GOM closes as of August 31st so you may want to strike while you still can. Roland has been finding haddock, whiting, cusk and pollock between 180’ and 300’ of water with clams the best bait. Embellish the bait rigs with “flies” of blue/green for pollock while pink/purple are hotter for haddock. For haddock try resting the bait in the bottom while shaking the rod tip in what is often referred to as the haddock “wiggle”; the speedier, aggressive pollock are often suspended much higher in the water column.
Southern Maine
Nick from Saco Bay Tackle said that the beaches are fishing best at the moment. He suggests chunk mackerel for bigger fish and clams and sandworms for steadier action. The hottest beaches at this time are Old Orchard, Ocean Park and Camp Elllis. You can get your mackerel fix by Wood Island. There has been rumblings of bluefish “bite-offs” by Richmond Island. While Nick’s not hearing of much in the rivers such as the Saco, Spurwink and the marshes such as Scarborough, in Massachusetts similar estuarial environments are seeing life. While the much-hyped fall run doesn’t officially happen until sometime next month, those who have put decades into paying attention to this sort of thing see the first stirrings right about now. It might be time to revisit your favorite river/estuary/marsh now!
Brandy from Webhannet solved the puzzle about why the Saco River is still slow. This is one of the rivers which is heavily influenced by the recent rain storms which flush bait and stripers out. More “tidal” rivers such as the Webhannet, Wells and Ogunquit are less affected by rainfall and those indeed suddenly have more fish in them. The only catch is that the catching could be better as anglers see the fish but can’t tempt them to hit! Look for that to change as temperatures begin to slowly drop and the stripers get acclimated to their “new” environment. The angling may be frustrating but the fish, many of which are keepers between 28” and 35”, are well worth it. What does seem to be working is white bucktail/chartreuse curly tail grub combos and casters are reporting that they have to practically hit the stripers on the head to get their attention. There is a remedy if you’re looking for something less stealthy – bluefish! And they are brutes at up to 35” long and have been hooked off Drakes Beach as well as by the Little River. Mackerel are still around but their presence could be tenuous with old yellow-eyes in residence.
Fishing Forecast
Have a go at a haddock or three; with the GOM season ending August 31st now may be your last shot at groundfishing for the season. Keep on the prowl, they’ve been following the bait along with pollock and could be anywhere on Jeffreys Ledge. For a squid supper or as swell striper bait, jig some up at Newcastle and Kittery. If you’re serious about upping your personal best bass, sling eels during the graveyard shift among the bays and harbors throughout the Piscataqua River watershed. Beaches are best for bass in the Saco Bay area but the tidal rivers have just got a new slug of stripers, which probably aren’t going anywhere until those leaves are falling fast!