Stripers up to 40” are a possibility now all the way into Casco Bay! While hardly a mob, mackerel can be found off some of the jetties and are the ticket for a nice striper!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Ki from Dover Marine told me that stripers and surface feeds are pretty easy to find in Great Bay and Little Bay. For larger bass target the herring runs in the tributaries of Great Bay such as the Oyster River and Lamprey River. While waning a few white perch can still be found in the Exeter/Squamscott Rivers. Macks are tough go with Hampton Shoal Ledge giving up a few. Depending on how “dark” the water is largemouth bass are either still on their beds or just off of them. Shallow, darker-bottom ponds are warmer and the bass are now post-spawn. North of Center Harbor in Winnipesaukee smallmouth bass are on beds as well while trout and salmon now are deeper requiring lead core to catch.
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair in Nashua sampled some awesome striper fishing the other day between Cashman’s Park and Deer Island. There were mixed sizes of fish up to 38” willing to hit spooks and Savage Sand Eels. Largemouth bass are still on beds in the Nashua River, Green Pond, Potanipo and Mill Pond. Anything “rubber” dragged near the beds is working!
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Ryan from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard told me that mackerel have moved in somewhat with anglers catching and live-lining them off the Wells Harbor jetty for stripers up to slot-size. Surface feeds are common with rivers such as the Saco, Mousam, York and Royal accounting for a lot of the action. Anglers are searching for sea run brown trout in the Ogunquit and Mousam Rivers with no word on success just yet but if this season is anywhere like last year than it should be something. The shad run in the Saco River remains strong.
According to Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters, May is turning out to be one of the best in memory! The Casco Bay Area is experiencing good numbers of fish and a nice size range. Fish from 10-40” are all in the offing! If you’re fishing rivers which hold river herring than upsize your offering while downsize your presentation if you’re fishing in bays/marshes. Stick to single hooks or barbless trebles and go easy on those schoolies with Albie Snax, Hogy’s and Evo Bass lures all working. If you’d like to try your luck on fly fishing for stripers than Diamond Pass Charters are the outfit for you with Captain Tirado well-versed in all facets of fly fishing!
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Maine!
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
Find the herring runs in Great Bay and odds bump up dramatically that you’ll find bass which are now pushing 40”! Farther up the coast, Casco Bay herring runs are holding significant stripers as well while most any marsh or bay features surface feeds especially for those who are out there at first light!
maine, n.h. and wheres vt. out to farm???