So far, this May not only feels like April, it is fishing like it with Winnipesaukee salmon anglers finding fish still on top! However, there is one major exception to the April hangover and that is – that the stripers are back!
New Hampshire
John Tregea from Sea Run Charters said that schoolies are starting to show in marshes and estuaries near the mouth of rivers and harbors. Spruce Creek, Chauncey Creek as well as Hampton and Rye Harbors all have fresh fish! Those recent arrivals aren’t fussy but with water temperatures still below their comfort zones stick to below surface offerings especially pearl paddletails!
While John didn’t have any flounder catching news to pass on, he did have some encouraging sightings of flounder! Buddies of his who paddle-board rivers of the Great Bay such as the Oyster River have been seeing a lot of breeder flounder upstream! That’s certainly good news! Salmon and rainbow trout are cooperating by Suissevale on Lake Winnipesaukee as well as Wolfboro and The Broads. Trolling is the preferred method within the top 12 feet of the surface with a Guide Special spoon as well as a DB Smelt and Luhr Jensen Krocodile. Trout is the top attraction in the Isinglass, Cocheco, Swift and Saco Rivers. Folks who fish for haddock are having no problem limiting out in 160’ of water on top of Jeffrey’s Ledge.
Southern Maine
“We have fish!”, said Brandy from Webhannet when we spoke on Thursday! In spite of snow falling recently and few anglers fishing the salt, the first fresh striped bass of the year have been caught! Obviously they are schoolies but they have big appetites and can most often be found following alewives upstream! They’ve been caught in the Saco and Mousam Rivers as well as Scarborough Marsh! One hint where the herring (and possibly stripers) are most thick is where cormorants are diving! Haddock limits on Jeffrey’s Ledge are not a problem but while most fish on top, Brandy suggests you target drop-offs where you’ll catch bigger! A few shad have made their way into the Saco River.
Fishing Forecast
With the arrival of stripers as far up as Maine, it’s time to clear your schedule and target marshes and estuaries throughout New Hampshire and Maine, especially those which sport river herring runs. The haddock bite on Jeffrey’s Ledge is hard to beat but you’ll fare best with numbers of fish on top but bigger fish if you bring clams and drop down as deep as 300 feet! Unseasonably cool water temperatures are just the ticket for on-top salmon action from the Suissevale section of Lake Winnipesaukee.
Vermont Fishing Report by Vermont Fish and Wildlife
Lake Champlain
With the lake recently reaching a flood stage of 101’, the shallow waters of southern Lake Champlain (below the Champlain bridge) have been generally muddy from spring run off, but the lake has started to drop and conditions are improving rapidly. Water temps have reached the high 50s along mainlake shorelines, and low 60’s in back bays. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are starting to move, and can be caught by targeting areas of clearer water in the backs of cattail marshes, around buckbrush, and along rocky shorelines leading into spawning bays. White chatterbaits and spinnerbaits, and squarebill rattling cranks have been working well. Crappie have started moving towards spawning grounds, and can be found around the mouths of most setbacks and culverts. Carp do well in low-visibility waters and are targeted with worms — though some folks swear by corn kernels! Drum are getting ready to spawn. Look, listen, and jig for them as they congregate on deep rock ledges. The main lake is now in the high 40s and anglers are reporting good catches of landlocked Atlantic salmon and brown trout by flatlining stickbaits and small spoons. With pike spawning wrapped up several weeks ago, these fish are starting to strap on the feedbags and reports of pike activity are starting to come in. Slow, wide-wobbling spoons and suspending jerkbaits worked in 8’–10’ feet of water along drop-offs at the mouths of cattail bays have been taking good pike on north and south Champlain.
Winooski River Tributaries
Tributaries to the Winooski River are seeing medium to high flows with water temps hovering around 40. Trout are still hanging near their winter holes and with the colder water, slow presentations along the bottom should produce the best results. As water temps hit mid-40s in the next few weeks, trout will become more aggressive and willing to move further for flies and lures. Chris Powers, one of the department’s fisheries biologist, had a nice 12-inch brown swipe at a streamer in the slow inside bend of a deeper run, but it didn’t connect.
Northern Vermont
The Clyde River is currently running high but clear, with water temps in the lower 40s. Anglers are catching salmon running the river using a variety of gear from wet flies and streamers, to spinners and plugs, to worms.
Steelheads are running the Willoughby River, which is moderately high but dropping, with water temps in the low to mid 40s. Foam bounced along the bottom on monofilament line with fly rods seems to be tactic of choice among the anglers fishing this river.
The Passumpsic River in St Johnsbury has received the first stocking of trophy trout, including 13-inch browns and 15-rainbows.
Central Vermont
Waters in Central Vermont are returning to normal spring levels with clear visibility and temps in the mid-40s. Stocking continues around the state so be sure to check out the stocking report to see what waters have received fish. When targeting recently stocked yearling and 2-year-old trout in lakes and ponds, try using spinners or a worm and bobber. You can sometimes find where recently stocked trout are schooling by looking for breaks on the surface of the water. Cast a worm in this area or troll back and forth with a spinner near the surface.
The Winooski River in Waterbury was stocked this past week with 14-inch browns and 15-inch rainbows, as part of the trophy trout stocking program.
Southern Vermont
Southern waters are at normal levels, murky but quickly clearing. Three anglers timed it just right on Lake Rescue, in Plymouth VT, getting into some recently stocked rainbow trout. Trolling with inline spinners all three limited out within three hours including several live releases. The Black River in Cavendish also received the first stocking 15” trophy rainbow trout. East Creek and Otter Creek in the Rutland district received their first stockings of 16-to-18-inches Trophy Trout on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, and additional stockings will occur the week of May 27. Stream flows are coming down and clearing up, and conditions look just right!
Plan your Vermont fishing adventure at vtfishandwildlife.com for stocking schedules, fishing opportunities, seasons, and regulations.