New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Fishing Report – May 12, 2016

Report Provided By Ron Powers

Not only have stripers swarmed into New Hampshire, but if you focus your efforts on herring runs, your first fish may even be a keeper! Haddock are hitting well off Old Scantum and Tantas. For those who’d prefer fresh water, salmon are cooperating in 20 feet of water in Winnipesauke and togue are mugging spoons in Sebago as deep as 50 feet.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

According to Jason from Suds ‘N Soda, “They’re here!” And thanks to the alewife runs, where many are fishing, not all fish are micros, with a number of keeper-sized stripers figuring in the mix on the Exeter and Lamprey Rivers. Since a New Hampshire license permits you to live-line river herring where you find them, that is your best bet! Undoubtedly there are fish cruising the Piscataqua River too, but few boats are out scouting around yet. The same cannot be said for kayak anglers, however. as fishermen are catching keeper-size striped bass in Hampton Harbor. The flounder fishing is in fine form in Hampton and Rye Harbors and the catching is good even from the shore. For a trip to the deep, steam out to Old Scantum, where Joe McKenzie has been having his way with haddock and cusk; all the while he has been catching and releasing a lot of cod!

While awaiting their “cousins,” the white perch run in the Squamscott and Exeter Rivers remains hot according to Chad from Dover Marine. But now there’s news that their bigger kin have arrived as some stripers have been caught in the Piscataqua River. Try a sunny, outgoing tide at Little Harbor for early season success. Chad’s also hearing of a nice haddock haul from The Curl and other areas “on top” of Jeffreys Ledge. News is that anglers are limiting out in a single drift!

While “normal” people considered the incessant rain of last week a real pain, for Winnipesauke salmon fishermen, it was a gift! Al from AJs in Meredith said that the fish had been right up on top with a trolled smelt the best bait. Now that May is finally behaving like it, look for landlocked salmon to drop down to as deep as 20 feet. Smelt are now a tough find and you may have to snoop around to locate them but they are money when it comes to salmon. A solid option is a smelt streamer. The north side of Winnipesauke is fishing best with Meredith getting a special nod.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Scotty from Dag’s had been slamming salmon from Richardson Lake which is in the Rangeley Lake Region. He’s been trolling sewn-on-smelt on top for fish which were averaging 20”! Thompson Lake is where you want to go if you’re interested in that 6- or even 7-pound landlocked of a lifetime. Scotty suggests Lake Auburn if you’d prefer numbers of fish. Above all, you can’t beat what they’re feeding on – rainbow smelt – but call ahead to Dag’s, those smelt are getting tough to find! Stocking trucks have finished their river rounds and a fresh batch of rainbows, browns and brookies are swimming in designated water bodies. Word has it that the mild winter resulted in greater growth rates for the stocked trout so you may find better fish than usual.

I expect to soon have solid striper intel from Brandy of Webhannet as they are expected to show up any day now. Shad in the Saco has been solid for about a week according to Curtis from Saco Bay. Darts, in the ¼ ounce bracket, are doing the most damage just below the dam. Tantas has been terrific for haddock as well as cusk. Sweetwater is proving to be just that at Sebago where togue are on a tear from 20’ to 50’ down with DB Smelt and Mooselook Wobblers doing the trick. For a chance at a salmon or smallie, Curtis suggests Little Ossipee.

New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Fishing Forecast

Target the herring runs with a live herring on the line at the Exeter or Lamprey River and your first striped bass of the season may well be a keeper! Partly due to the increased bag limits on haddock – 17”, 15 fish limit – there is increased interest, which is a good thing since the catching is good on The Curl. While hardly a swarm, the first reports of schoolies have just come in from the Piscataqua River. Regardless, it is still spring and for traditionalists that means landlocked salmon. Get your salmon fix with by trolling smelt or a streamer in the top 20’ at Lake Winnipesauke or Thompson Lake. But if you’d prefer biffing it out with a heavyweight, try tackling a togue with a trolling spoon at Sebago.

Report Provided By L.L. Bean’s Matt Bickford

Saltwater

With warmer weather finally upon us it’s has begun to feel like spring fishing is here. Stripers have arrived in southern Maine, pushing into estuaries and rivers in search of plentiful food. York and Cumberland County have enough schoolies around to make it worth the effort to get out on the water. A variety of small to medium sized baitfish patterns, small stick baits and even poppers will work for these oftentimes plentiful small stripers.

The Kennebec river drainage has had alewifes present for about two weeks now and we are days away from having stripers in the mid-coast chasing this massive return of bait. Remember the Kennebec river drainage has special regulations for targeting striped bass, these rules can be accessed on the Maine department of Marine resources website. Some of my favorite fishing in the spring is chasing surface feeding fish below rips and along current seems in the big river. Excellent choices for flies include Dave Skoks Mushmouth, Large deceivers, and Large Hollow tied bucktails often as long as 10 inches. For the spin fisherman a few of my favorite offerings are Pencil Poppers, Tactical Anglers Bomb Popper, Tsunami Swim Shad (4 and 6 inch) and Hogy Double Wides.

Freshwater

Mid May is prime time for many different types of freshwater fishing in southern, midcoast and central Maine. We currently are experiencing low water for this time of year creating a lot of fishing opportunities on larger rivers that are often high or off color this time of year. Substantial early mayfly hatches like Blue Winged Olives and Hendricksons should provide fly angler excellent afternoon fishing in the coming week. With spinner falls in the evening shortly to come.

The Maine Department of inland fisheries and Wildlife does an excellent job of stocking many rivers, streams, ponds and lakes for the angler targeting trout. An up to date list can be found on the department’s website.