New Hampshire And Maine Fishing Report - April 26, 2018

Now that we dare attempt to bid winter (finally!) a fond farewell, it’s only fitting that we resurrect the fishing forecast because there are actually angling options out there! We are obviously still in April, which means cold-water species in both fresh and salt rule, but just over the horizon a certain seven-striped favorite has shown up in Massachusetts, meaning that Northern New England is next!

New Hampshire Fishing Report

If you’re like many and regard landlocked salmon as the most regal fish that swims, timing is good for making plans to fish Lake Winnipesaukee since the big lake is expected to be ice free by this weekend. Some have laid the groundwork for you despite having to dodge occasional ice chunks, and they’ve found hungry salmon looking for smelt in close. The Weirs Beach channel has been good and shore fishermen have been catching off marina docks and from bridges. Smelt are expected to “run” soon making it a safe bet that where anglers find bait balls they will find the salmon, rainbows and lake trout.

The other solid New Hampshire option is at designated trout water bodies, which are open to fishing beginning this Saturday. These places have special regulations and are managed for cold water species fishing. Two favorites from Chad of Dover Marine are Lucas Pond and Stonehouse Pond. For a complete list of these ponds click here: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/trout-designated.html

With the GOM haddock season in full swing now, reports from Jeffreys Ledge puts them at New Scantum and more specifically at The Curl. If you’re catching cod, which are prohibited to keep, try moving a little shallower. Some on Stellwagen are finding that just a 10-foot depth move makes a big difference whether the catch is cod or haddock. If I had to pick one color for haddock, it would be pink squids, teasers, and Gulp Swimming Mullets.

Black bass are feeling it finally, making them a perfect target for crankbaits according to the Suds ‘N Soda folks. Swains Lake and Pawtuckaway Lake are prime places to fish for largemouth. The shop’s owner, Jason, picked Otter Lake in Greenfield as a multi-species warm water gem, while the Winnicut River and Cocheco Rivers get the nod for trout. The shop will be carrying seaworms for those looking for flounder from Rye and Hampton Harbors as well as white perch from the Squamscott and Exeter Rivers. A word to the wise according to Jason, with the continued dismantling of dams, rivers which were not considered “tidal” in many cases are now. This means that a saltwater license is required to fish them! Check in with the shop for an insider’s perspective.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Scotty from Dag’s said that Sebago has been a solid bet for salmon with the Songo Locks/State Park launch area especially good. Smelt as well as pearl DB Smelt and Mooselook Wobblers are good offering options. While the spotlight on pike is red hot during the winter, interest wanes during open water which according to Scotty can be a mistake. Post-spawn pike often feed voraciously to restore calories consumed during the breeding cycle and rivers can be productive. Two to consider are the Androscoggin and even the Kennebec River where pike will shadow smelt schools.

Brandy of Webhannet Boatyard and Bait and Tackle had little news to pass along other than she has been seeing birds working the Saco River. They are probably interested in river herring migrating upstream to spawn. Soon anglers will be searching for winter flounder, some of which already have been spawning in Wells Harbor. It’s a simple case of finding post-spawn flounder which are feeding! Look for the feeding window to open demonstrably as water temperatures cross into the upper 40s. Haddock season in the GOM has been open for nearly two weeks now but there have been no reports of anyone giving Jeffreys Ledge a shot. With “seasonal” temperatures now our reality, expect those first groundfish reports to begin trickling in.

Maine And New Hampshire Fishing Forecast

The door of opportunity is slowly opening and without the risk of an Alberta Clipper tearing it off. Winnipesaukee should be ice free by the time you read this and with smelt expected to embark on their spawning run, both prey and predator should be accessible by kayak, small boat as well as piers and bridges. Shops are now carrying seaworms in anticipation of that first confirmed flounder catch from Rye Harbor and Wells Harbor. The other groundfishing green light goes to the haddock fishery on Jeffreys Ledge where the nod has to go to New Scantum.