The big news continues to be the volume of pogies from Portsmouth through Portland and beyond. The caveat is that a found school of bait doesn’t guarantee a striped bass bite. But sticking with the prey sooner or later pays dividends when the bass decide to feed.
New Hampshire
Chad from Dover Marine said that the rivers are “schoolie zones” while the larger fish are shadowing pogy schools off beaches and the mouths of harbors. It’s a case of what your preference is: numbers of fish or size? Chad did say that some of those fish caught on the pogies are 30-pounders! Poke around for schools that have obvious striper marks on your electronics and stick with those baitfish. In some cases, mid-morning may actually be better than first light. Big bass have the advantage over pogies at dark since their senses are more highly tuned to nocturnal movements. By morning after a night of feasting, the bass are often full and inactive. It seems counterintuitive, but later in the day may be better. Above all be patient, sometimes you have to just wait out those bass until they decide to feed and when it happens you’ll be glad you stuck around! For schoolies/keepers throughout the Piscataqua River mackerel are a better choice than pogies and can be found outside of the river. On a recent tuna trip, Chad and his buddies cruised out to New Scantum where Charlie was lacking but they did find a ton of haddock, with many between 18”-22”! The sweet zone was 220’ of water and they found no dog fish!
Zach from Suds ‘N Soda underscored the need to search among pogy “pods” to find just the right one. A regular at the shop recently worked his way through 6 schools before he finally found one with striped bass! Little Bay lit up recently with schoolies which were aggressive and hitting nearly everything.
Southern Maine
Josh Thelin of All Points Fly Shop and Outfitters said that quality stripers are less likely to be found in rivers as opposed to open water where pogy schools are no problem. Rivers from York through Portland have a more steady bite but less big bass. For the best of both worlds, Josh steers customers to rocky shorelines such as what you’ll find at Biddeford Pool and Southern Portland. While the shop caters to fly guys, Josh did say he’s hearing a lot about chunk mackerel or pogies making a killing off the rocks!
Randy from Saco Bay Tackle said that with water temperatures up bass are not exactly feeding 24-7. It’s best to shadow pogy schools and keep changing that bait until you find actively feeding striped bass. Some are trolling pogies around Wood Island and catching well.
Scott from Webhannet Bait and Tackle said that his area has been buzzing about 30”-40” stripers but few schoolies! The floating theory is that all the pogies are attracting the big bass and they have pushed out the smaller stripers. Scott echoed what everyone else is saying, namely keep on the move until you find aggressive bass. Offshore on Jeffreys Ledge, haddock are hitting well and their continues to be an occasional halibut taken aboard. Most consistent in 160-220 feet of water are 10 pound plus cod! Many are no longer griping that they can’t keep cod and are instead enjoying catching and releasing these fish which seem to be enjoying a slight comeback!
Fishing Forecast
For a schoolie-fest spend some time in Little Bay or other river areas. For larger linesiders you can’t beat shadowing the schools of pogies from York through Portland. Above all be patient, sooner or later marked fish under pogies will feed and if you’re in the game when the feed is on, you’ll catch.
Fished Casco Bay 1 hour befor high tide, used my old red-head jig w soft 7 inch plastic eel, 1st cast was attached by 27 inch schoolie as jig hit water, gotta be ready, next 2 hrs….nothing! Martin in Freeport