New Hampshire And Maine Fishing Report – August 17, 2017

For squid, 2017 could be considered a late bloomer. But for those who crave calamari or just simply enjoy using bait that is preferred by a fish sometimes known as “squid hounds”, their arrival could be filed under the better late than never category. Elsewhere, the haddock fishing remains hot off Maine and you may not have to haul all the way out to Jeffrey’s Ledge to find them!

New Hampshire Fishing Report

While stripers are schooling fish, this season year classes seem especially reluctant to mix with other sized-stripers, according to Chad from Dover Marine. If you’re good with what you’re catching than have at it, but don’t expect to be culling cows out of micros. To find better, Chad suggest you stick with pogies and skip out on the mackerel most are fishing with. I guess something can be said for the big bait, big fish mantra. Another trick which may put you on better bass is to anchor upstream of lumps, humps and clumps and chum those fish into your slick. Pogies are certainly fine for this but clams will make a killing also. There are pogies as far south as Seabrook and all the way towards the Maine border.

According to Zach from Suds ‘N Soda in Greenland, after months of gathering dust, squid jigs are practically jumping off the shelves. When asked if most are making meals out of the cephalopods, he said that instead they are using them for bait for bass. Virtually any lit pier, dock or bridge throughout the Piscataqua is a likely squid/striper spot. I would not discount Pepperell Cove in Kittery Maine either. The harbors of New Hampshire remain some of the better bass spots, especially when one of the ubiquitous mackerel are on the line. For a chance at a cow, go for a fresh pogy chunk!

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Randy from Saco Bay Tackle said that a brief bluefish appearance had most pining for more. But those fish have moved beyond the Saco area and are reported to be farther north by Freeport. Stripers are still plentiful with some of the better fish falling for mackerel chunks off Hills Beach. The after-dark brigade is keeping a tight lip as to where they fish but they are using eels and do admit to fishing undisclosed river mouths.

Brandy from Webhannet said that anglers are beginning to find keeper haddock in as close as 8 miles from the shoreline which is a lot more convenient than Jeffreys Ledge. They are being found over random humps anglers are looking at as soon as they clear Boone Island. They are also catching cusk in close. On Jeffrey’s an occasional halibut is hauled up and usually thanks to a fish strip such as that from mackerel or pollock. Pogies are plentiful inshore but not many are catching stripers with the schools. A better bet for action is clams or chunk mackerel off Parson’s, Moody, Ogunquit or Drakes beaches. For fresh mackerel, you should find plenty near Bibb Rock.

New Hampshire and Maine Fishing Forecast

Jig up some mackerel off Hampton Shoal Ledge and try live-lining them in Hampton Harbor or Wentworth Harbor for stripers. An option for potentially bigger bass is with pogy chunks and a good chum slick over irregular bottom in the Piscataqua River. Nighttime with a squid on the line off bridges and piers should be effective also. Farther north, fresh mackerel from the beaches of Maine have been a best for bass! While if a cooler of fresh haddock is more to your liking than begin your quest as close as Boone Island.