The much-hyped fall run is generally assigned to the months of September and October, but it looks as if you won’t have to wait! Bass have finally sniffed out the prodigious pogy schools and along with a little help from bluefish have strapped on the feeding bag – big time!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
According to Tim Moore of TimMooreOutdoors, the trick to catching better in the Piscataqua is to not get complacent. Culling may be effective for some species but not for striped bass. All things being equal the bigger bass eat first! Tim has learned that sticking with 26” fish only results in other 26” fish in the Piscataqua River. He’s found that his fortunes improve when trying to catch something which will pull drag when he searches for bigger fish. If you’re drifting mackerel through the General Sullivan Bridge and catching cookie-cutter mid-20” specimens as much as it pains you to leave fish, take your chances and seek better, the only thing you stand to lose is missed opportunity if you don’t. Apparently, the Lake Winnipesaukee laker bite is a couple of weeks behind. That’s bad news for those who fished a while ago and were disappointed but it’s good news for those fishing tomorrow! It you’re not feeling it with your technique, hire a guide such as Tim to short circuit the learning curve; you know what they say about those little things…! The fish seen to be getting bigger and in some cases “too big”: at least for one client who broke off a tank! Expect to vertically jig plenty of 3- to 5-pound fish!
Zach from Suds ‘N Soda in Greenland said that catching mackerel remains easy pickings among the usual close to shore current breaks, eddies and structure. Some of the more impressive catches are courtesy of the macks in tight to jetties and at the mouth of harbors on an outgoing tide! Eels will always be a best bet for the after-dark brigade and Zach suggests anglers target shadow lines near bridges overlooking the Piscataqua River as well as rocky formations and the edges of sandbars on beaches. Chunk mackerel has been hot off the beaches and for artificials, if you prefer soft plastics go with a Slug-Go and for plugs it’s hard to top a Daddy Mac Viper!
Southern Maine Fishing Report
I have a hunch that if Massachusetts anglers read the Webhannet Bait And Tackle Boatyard section of this report, they are going to be jealous! The reason is that most in the Bay State are ignoring pogies because they feel that there are few stripers with them. Well…the exact opposite has been happening for about three days in the Wells area, anglers snagging a pogy are invariably catching a 40” striper! It has suddenly become that good according to Brandy. Kennebunk charter boats are treating ecstatic patrons to lock and load fishing for beautiful bass so long as they stick near the pogy schools. Blues have even shown up which could just be the catalyst to the bass bedlam. Not surprisingly because of all that chopper activity, chunk pogies are often outfishing live ones! Get your 40” bass fix most anywhere you encounter pogies in the Wells and Piscataqua area. Some are giving a special shout out to Marginal Way. And for those interested more in numbers than size of striped bass, there are still plenty of mackerel around which are perfectly willing to strike a sabiki rig!
Saco Bay Tackle’s Randy recommends prowling the beaches at low light for a chance at a bluefish which have become less random. While this year has hardly been a slam dunk for toothies, those pogies which have been present for most of the summer finally lured in the blues. And where you find the combustible mix of blues and pogies, you usually find big stripers! While he’s not hearing much in the way of reports, the shop is moving a few squid jigs so there must be some loligos lurking by the piers/bridges of the Piscataqua River and just maybe Pepperell Cove in Kittery.
New Hampshire and Maine Fishing Forecast
The signals, such as cooler nights and shortening days, maybe subtle but they are having a huge effect on resident striped bass, especially the biggest of the bunch which are now in feeding mode. No longer should you discount a pogy school you spot at the mouth of the Piscataqua River or off York Beach, now you should expect the presence of prowling striped bass and most likely for the duration of the season! The other options are eels off the beaches or drifted throughout the rivers. And then there’s the mackerel factor, which will still account for the majority of striped bass being caught. But if you dream during the offseason of 40” plus, tackle-testing brutes than you have only one choice: find the pogies and have a real chance at those cows!
Well I’ll be dipped. I caught a squid. Huh. Only one, but I was thrilled. Oh… 50 macks too.