Coastal New Hampshire and Maine Fishing Report- October 6, 2022

While the striper slam dunk of a few weeks ago is over, reports of 40” bass on the run are proof that quality fishing is still at hand. However, if October for you is time to reacquaint yourself with freshwater, Winnipesaukee warm water species are stirring.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

Ordinarily Tim Moore of Tim Moore Outdoors is locked in to landlocked salmon fishing but now he’s switched over to crappie and smallies and finding them to be more than wiling at Lake Winnipesaukee. Crappie are stacked in 30’ of water and feeding voraciously. Small jigs tipped with plastics and medium lipless crankbaits are working for smallies as well.

According to Captain Bob of Seacoast NH Sportfishing, the succession of storms has stymied efforts for striped bass but “pops” in the middle of peanut bunker schools are proof that bass are still present. Tuna fishing remains strong, aided by less sharks due to dropping water temperatures which has slipped into the 50s in some spots. Baby bonito and mackerel are readily available near the Isles of Shoals. The best bite is coming in 70-100’ of water with tuna running between 65-100+ inches!

Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters is all for a drop in water temperatures which hopefully will move some of the dogs off Jeffrey’s Ledge! Meanwhile the white hake fishing is fabulous with some real trophies coming on board as well as consistent cusk.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Brandy from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard told me of Apex Charters who reported large schools of 40”+ stripers on the move off of Moody Beach and Drakes Island! Similar reports have been coming from the Nubile Light area. Mackerel have been caught off of the Kennebunkport Jetty and live-lined for waiting stripers! The docks of the Saco River and Webhannet Rivers still have good topwater action for schoolies. Now is the time to start thinking of sea run brown trout in the Mousam, Ogunquit and York Rivers! Most who target them prefer flies in scud, shrimp and sand eel patterns.

According to Captain Lou Tirado of Diamond Pass Outfitters the recent groundswell stirred the surf/seas up a bit but some nice fish have still been caught off beaches and ledges. Rivers this time of the year are of the most consistent since water temperatures are favorable and there is always plentiful forage which the bass can count on. Eel skin plugs as well as the real deal are working at night. Flies 3-5”, unweighted soft plastics and slowly bounced jigs are working. In some ways the fall fishes like the spring!

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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast

By day, schoolies in rivers and estuaries are still there for the offing while at night bigger bass will move in and be ripe for the taking with eels, eel-skin plugs and soft plastic stick baits. Mackerel are common inshore and can be caught and successfully live-lined from jetties such as the Kennebunkport Jetty. If you’re out on a boat keep a livewell full of macks at the ready for the last of the big girls which are moving quickly southward. Warm water species in Lake Winnipesaukee are stirring with the backdrop of popping foliage putting the sweet back in sweetwater fishing!