While the wait is on for larger linesiders, swarms of schoolies are making for an impressive warm-up! Groundfishing remains an attractive alternative with hot haddock fishing as well as an uptick in flounder catches.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Chad from Dover Marine said that while the herring runs are getting “cold”, the fishing there is getting hotter! It might be a simple case of less supply equals more demand as shrinking forage base lead to less fussy bass, especially among the tributaries of Great Bay. Varied classes of schoolies through keeper-sized bass are swarming most every harbor and bay making striped bass fishing something special right now. A nod should go out to the Saco River herring run where plentiful reports are coming in of fish up to 28”.
Should you be able to hit the pause button on striped bass, haddock fishing is great among Jeffrey’s Ledge more noted spots such as The Cove and The Fingers.
Freshwater bass fishing remains an attractive alternative with largemouth in Bellamy Reservoir, Pawtuckaway Lake and Willand Pond blasting topwater lures such as Whopper Ploppers.
From Captain Jon Tregea of Sea Run Charters came word that the fish have been super picky as they slurped spawning worms from the surface water of mudflats throughout the Piscatagua. Downsizing your leader to as light as you dear and working small redish Slug-Gos very slowly on the surface will catch those persnickety fish. The other option that has worked for me during those circumstances is “shocking their senses” with a Block Island Green or similarly gaudy popper worked aggressively. It may seem counterintuitive to adopt such a technique but it has been the silver bullet for me during those worm “hatches”. Captain Jon has been having his best luck around the Navy Yard while twitching Albie Snax on the surface.
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for New Hampshire
Southern Maine Fishng Report
Brandy from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard said that while the beach water is still chilly, adjacent rivers such as the Ogunquit and Kennebunk are holding some of the bigger bass in the area with reports of stripers up to 40”! One young lady who is new to the sport took the right tip from the shop and caught a 26” striper on at the mouth of Wells Harbor on a sandworm. For numbers, the rivers such as the Mousam and Saco, are still where it’s at. Small herring, sand eels and silversides are attracting most of the action making Shaky Shads and small Savage Sand Eels effective offerings.
Some flounder have been caught at the mouths of rivers but the big news is a 42” “flounder” caught close in by Boone Island. The big halibut continues a trend in recent years of an uptick in catches of these giant flatfish.
According to Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters fishing remains fantastic. Fish are still flooding the rivers and they are seeing fish now off area beaches and rocky shorelines. They are still experiencing good surface activity as well. Spooks, flies, and soft plastics are the key. They are not seeing mackerel in the mix, gut there is plenty of alewives, sea herring and sand eels. Striper size is nothing to brag about yet but the hope is that the New Moon will coax them in!
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Maine!
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
River herring runs in Great Bay and the Saco River which are losing volume remain a best bet for a better-than-average striped bass. The other option is rivers which border beaches such as the Oguinquit, Mousam and Kennebunk. It’s shaping up to be a fine flounder season with bays and the mouths of rivers fishing especially well. And for those with a big enough boat, the haddock fishing remains hot!