The snag-a-pogy and then live-line it for a cow method has been supplanted by eels at night among many sharpies for big bass. Early morning surface feeds are a best bet for those looking to toss flies or other artificials. Then there is the groundfish gang who are excited about haddock and longing for prospects of cod in September!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Captain Andy from Adventure & Catch Charters and I talked up the good news from NOAA regarding the recreational ruling for cod beginning in September! In a nutshell in the GOM, private vessels will be able to keep one cod of at least 21” per person per vessel from September 15-30th! Regarding for-hire vessels, the same possession, length limit applies but their season will run from September 8th until October 7th! While I don’t have any word from New Hampshire authorities on state changes, hopefully, they will follow suit and adopt complimentary regulations such as their counterparts in Massachusetts! This dovetails nicely with the skipper finding a pile of big cod off Jeffrey’s Ledge including a 45-incher! The haddock continue to be special, especially near Platts Ledge where the average size has been around 24”! The cusk on the other hand are really huge with the average size between 26” and 28”! Best of all there has been no dogfish to report! Regarding stripers the skipper has been witnessing almost daily surface feeds in the Piscatagua River right under the Route 95 Bridge. Most of the fish are cookie cutter 25-27” fish and they are preying on small baitfish. The last sighting of pogies was by the 2MR Can but there were no reports of stripers feeding on them. Mackerel can be found by Hampton Shoal Ledge and Boone Island. Regarding Boone, bluefin tuna have sniffed out the mackerel there and have been observed breaching the surface.
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Southern Maine Fishng Report
Andy from Saco Bay Tackle Company said that eels have been the ticket to terrific striped bass fishing. There have been anywhere from 6-8 groups of anglers snapping up every serpent in stock and they have been catching impressive fish! Dusk to dawn has been the time with York Beach and York River fishing well as has Camp Ellis, Pine Point and Scarborough Marsh. Estuaries and rivers which had cooled down in the summer heat now deserve another look! Mackerel are the bait of choice and can be found in Saco Bay by the islands. For groundfish, anglers have been crushing them – especially the haddock – on the back edge and middle edge of Tantas. Bluefin tuna have been busting bait by Boone Island.
Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters said that the east winds brought in cooler water temperatures and hotter striped bass fishing. Some anglers are beginning to shift to serpents in rivers/estuaries which are full of bait: those who are doing this are coming up with some of the nicer stripers in the Casco Bay Area. Nights are best and this plan will work until well into October. Beaches at night are also producing some of the better bass, just be prepared to work for a few quality fish. Albie Snax continue to be among the best for surface feeds with 1/0 hollow flies a good choice for fly fishers. Most of the macks are spikes but plentiful and still deadly for bait.
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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
Shops such as Saco Bay Tackle Company are having a hard time keeping eels in stock which is telling as to what works best late in the season. York River, Pine Point, Scarborough Marsh are all fishing well, especially at night. You can still jig up mackerel by the 2MR Can or Hampton Shoal Ledge and trolling a live one among the rocky shorelines and other irregular structure is deadly for stripers any time of day. Haddock limits remain fairly easy on Jeffrey’s Ledge but for bigger haddock check out the middle and the edges of Platt’s. If you have the stomach and the gear for tuna, then keep watch of Boone Island where those pelagics have been on a mack attack.