Inshore water temperatures throughout New England have dipped in recent days and when the quarry is a cold-blooded cow, the effects are not necessarily favorable. Still, pogy pods are hanging in there with a live pogy remaining the quickest route to a big bass.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
With water temps plummeting into the upper 50 degree territory, Captain Jon Tregea of Sea Run Charters is dusting off a method normally employed in late May to catch better, namely fishing in the afternoon. He’s finding that the uptick in late day temperatures are corresponding to an uptick in striped bass activity. Jon’s resultant “striper thumb” which he proudly flaunts is proof that he’s onto something good throughout the Piscatagua River. Fresh bait in the form of the ubiquitous squid and mackerel are the key. Once charters succumb to their own version of striper thumb, he’s switching over to ersatz prey such as da Squid made by F&L Fish Snax lures. The skipper rigs it on a weighted swim bait hook and it drives the linesiders loco when worked quickly. Jon’s gut tells him that the next week will be hot for larger bass as cows begin cruising beaches and rocky shorelines during the full moon/post full moon period.
Tristan from Suds ‘N Soda in Greenland said that anglers are still tallying 30 to 40 pound striped bass but pogies are getting scarce. Fortunately with less bait, odds of you finding a productive pod have increased. For finding those pogies, New Castle to Portsmouth are good places to start. Odiome Point is a potentially good spot for shore casting since pollock and occasionally mackerel are within casting distance and can be effective on site.
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Southern Maine Fishng Report
I’ve found that the better Charter captains/guides such as Captain Lou Tirado of Diamond Pass Charters never lose the spark which first hooked them on fishing as kids. Moreover I wasn’t surprised to learn how excited Lou was to put Oliver Whitehead onto his first striped bass – after three years of trying – on his birthday of all things.
Every bit as exciting is the news that peanut bunker have arrived which are often just the fuse needed to ignite surface/inshore blitzes. And best of all those surface feeds usually have legs and will last into the waning days of the fall run. A few bite-offs surely are the work of marauding bluefish but few if any have been landed. For where-to-go specifics the skipper suggests cruising flats with Portland Harbor getting a specific nod. As usual the eel at night bite has been good for the graveyard shift gang.
Tuna are on a tear and often in close among pogy schools but be forewarned that they are all giants.
Brandy from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard said that huge bunker schools are remaining in residence and with the forage are the bigger bass. Moody Beach was mentioned as a hot spot. Kayakers trolling a tube-and-worm inside the rivers such as Webhannet and Saco in the morning is effective while the bite moves more to the mouths of rivers later during the afternoon through evening. Some have been doing quite nicely by chunking mackerel right off the dock by the shop. Once again, the bluefish appear almost ghost-like, hitting and chopping with ferocity and then – they are gone. A few are still finding flounder in Perkins Cove and at the mouth of the Kennebunk River. Huge whiting have muscled in next to the haddock on Jeffrey’s Ledge between 180 and 200 feet of water.
Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont Fishing Forecast
Finding the pogy pods remain the short circuit to catching quality striped bass. An active approach – incessantly snagging and keeping with the bait ball – matters greatly. Some are finding that schoolie surface feeds have been better throughout the Piscatagua River and among the mouths of other rivers in the afternoon once water temperatures rise. If you’d like to give groundfishing a go, flounder can be found at Perkins Cove while whiting are willing on Jeffrey’s Ledge.
If you follow the advice here, PLEASE follow the law and put your pogy on a circle hook after snagging and before throwing back out as bait.