Pictured above: On The Water reader Ryan Graves landed this big New Hampshire striper this week.
It’s a good thing stripers are schooling fish because if they depended on anglers for company, they’d be pretty lonesome. While few in New Hampshire are still taking up the cause, there’s good news in Maine for the never-say-die, bass are feeding and showing no signs of “running” any time soon!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Jason of Suds ‘N Soda said that slightly cooler temperatures have led to hotter fishing in Great Bay. There are not only bass present but anglers are reporting bite-offs – an obvious sign that bluefish are still present! If you’d like to target more than snappers and schoolies, Little Bay and Hampton Harbor are for you. Keepers are being caught on chunk by day and not surprisingly eels are responsible for bigger come dark. Squid can still be found among the usual nighttime/well-lit spots throughout the Piscataqua River watershed but the action is less predictable than a few weeks ago and more random. Bigger blues were recently making short work out of mackerel at Hampton Shoal Ledge. For a best groundfishing bet, the shop is steering patrons to Old Scantum where the pollock and cod are cooperating.
Chad from Dover Marine told me that the stripers are getting lonely, since hardly any of his customers are still fishing for them! Considering the volume of bass still in Maine, that is one squandered opportunity if there ever was one. Before you mothball that gear completely, take a cruise along scenic Route 1; chances are you won’t finish the ride, you’ll be interrupted by feeding fish!
The few who are still fishing are capitalizing on the improving freshwater bass fishing brought on by cooler nights. “Sallys and Larrys” have become active and drop-shotting as well as Carolina rigging are prime ways to catch now. Check out Bellamy, Willand, Pawtuckaway and Baxter, stick to the shallows even during the middle of the day.
The tale is far different when it comes to tuna, however; in fact Chad and friends tallied an 82-inch bluefin on Wednesday! That makes 4 fish out of 5 outings for these guys. Chad claims there’s no secret, target marked fish with live whiting, sea herring or mackerel and just be patient.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
If there ever was a season with “legs” Kenny of Saco Bay is calling this one it! With water temps still in the mid-60s and no sustained chill predicted all those mid-20-inch to lower 30-inch stripers are most likely not going anywhere! Fish have moved back into the rivers as is usually the case this time of the year to feast on river herring fry. The beach brigade is loving it at night now mixing in equal parts merriment, a fire-pit (where allowed) and fishing. Chunks and clams after dark are the ticket to catching bass and they are not all schoolies.
With no bluefish to speak of, mackerel seem in no hurry and can be caught in Saco Bay easily provided you send out a nice chum slick.
Speaking of chum, Jeffrey’s and Platt’s have a real mixture of sharks and anglers chumming incessantly are drumming up porbeagles, threshers and makos! Groundfishing for cod and haddock has been great in 250-300 foot depths along Jeffrey’s Ledge.
Brandy from Webhannet said that fish there seem immune to the calendar and are showing no signs of moving although they are feeding more aggressively now. Pogies are still present and they represent your best chance at finding a big bass among the bait. Good reports are still coming in from the Piscataqua River, Wood Island, the Saco River, Kennebunkport, Wood Island and York Beach. The tube and worm has been a winner with one of the better reports coming from anglers using this technique in the Portsmouth area. Clams and chunk mackerel off York Beach have also been a highlight.
Maine, New Hampshire And Vermont Fishing Forecast
You may be all by your lonesome regarding human company, but the volumes of stripers in Little Bay and Hampton Harbor should make up for it. In Maine, stripers are returning to rivers such as the Saco, Mousam and Kennunbunk as juvenile river herring begin their maiden trek towards the sea. Bass from beaches such as Biddeford Pool and York are an attractive nighttime option and along with the bait, don’t forget a cooler with goodies, some camping essential and most importantly of all – good company!
How is the srtipper fishing at the mouth of the Ogunquit river?
Hi Neil, I went around mid-September, and mostly got small under sized fish. Saw a few bigger ones but could not get them to bite. Sand eel imatations work well.
Is the fishing still good now that it is early october?
Last weekend plenty of small stripers in back water and rivers. Hitting small poppers and swimmers
Just fished this evening. Oct. 7th caught a 28 34 36 42 and 20in on mackerel of of York beach