Late September is often a case of less equaling more. Boats have been pulled, kids have gone back to school and summer vacations are over resulting in less angling competition. Cooler temps have also reduced the likelihood of buggy nights making for more time fishing and less time flailing. Best of all, many species are in full-blown feed mode especially striped bass!
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Rivers such as the Merrimack and Piscataqua are now worth another look as herring fry and other types of baitfish numbers are on the uptick and bass are sniffing all that bait out. Baitfish now is often referred to as “rainbait” as it is proportionally small, consisting of herring fry, silversides, peanut bunker and sand eels. Small soft plastics should result in more action than larger offerings but don’t totally ignore a bigger profile lure which may just cull out a cow from schoolies/slots. While always a high percentage bait, the tube-and-worm is especially effective now in both ocean fronts as well as rivers. With less blues present expect mackerel to reassemble as close as the 2KR Can and Hampton Shoals Ledge. A mackerel drifted under the General Sullivan Bridge or worked near Spruce Creek shouldn’t last long before being noticed by a striper.
Captain Bob Weathersby of Seacoast NH Sportfishing said that prior to the storm, Scantum was solid for tuna. Additionally offshore swells have dropped water temperatures making those deepwater ledges less appealing to sharks! While stripers remain abundant, so has the weed from Lee, but as tides wane and seas settle, water should clear up and the bite pick up.
Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair in Nashua said that angling effort has dropped off considerably. Those seizing the opportunity to fish without the crowds are still catching trout, which have survived from this spring’s stocking, something that is highly unusual! We can thank all the rainfall for that which has allowed trout to reach heretofore unavailable upstream sections/tributaries of the Nissitissit, Pemmigewassit and Souhegan Rivers. Anglers fishing Squam Lake should be leaning on perch patterns due to an incredibly high year class of yellow perch resulting in hordes of 3” fry that many species are feeding on.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Fresh from chasing false albacore in Buzzards Bay, Captain Lou Tirado of Diamond Pass Outfitters returned just in time to report that fishing in his area has “gone off”! There’s even been plenty of daytime feeding in the Saco Bay to Casco Bay area as bass focus on herring fry, silversides, peanut bunker and sand eels. Flats are on fire with flies, topwater plugs and soft plastics all working well. Not surprisingly night shift anglers are hanging larger linesiders with needlefish and eels all working well. The Kennebec River, Spurwink River, Scarborough Marsh and Biddeford Pool have all been fishing well. Blitzing has been the norm and the fish are far from fussy!
After a brief respite from the kicked up seas, Captain Paul Hood of Touch of Gray Fishing Charters is back in the game and has waypoints where there are corker cod. Offshore swells brought about by Lee have cooled inshore water temperatures making conditions less shark friendly which is good news for anglers concerned with bringing their catch in whole! As temperatures cool even further expect pollock to increasingly be part of the catch!
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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
Rivers in both fresh and salt varieties are among the better bets. High water among freshwater favorites such as the Nissitissit and Pemmigewassit Rivers has held over an unusually large amount of trout which have done some serious growing since the spring stocking. Salty rivers such as the Piscataqua, Spurwink and Kennebeck River are flush with bait and bass. Target flats in such areas with flies and topwaters – they are all working well. Offshore tuna are still on a tear in Scantum while northern Jeffrey’s ledge holds a smattering of groundfish including some impressive cod!