It could be a case of Groundhog Day meets groundfishing as the weeks go by with a common theme – the haddock bite remains hot! What is fluid is the ongoing northward migration of striped bass that keeps getting better.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
While haddock and their groundifsh kin are a specialty of Captain Bob Weathersby of Seacoast NH Sportfishing, the fish-brain addiction knows no boundaries and he’s been noticing bird and bass activity throughout the Piscatgua River watershed. A common size is just under to just over slot size. Tote along both small and large offerings as different schools will feed on different size bait and they can get particular. As for groundfishing, it remains terrific on Jeffrey’s Ledge with the catch is including 4-6 pound plus haddock as well as cusk and redfish on clams. Some are speculating that a dearth of sea herring has led to a lackluster jig bite.
Regarding redfish, some are enormous. At least that’s what Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters is experiencing. Hs trips to the “The Prong” have been time well spent with haddock aplenty and 19/20” Acadian redfish! Clams and mackerel chunks/strips are working well. I’ve also heard of a more southerly bite of haddock, west of Stellwagen but the haddock are smaller. Andy keeps his ride tucked away in Great Bay Marina where he’s seeing striped bass feeds. If he had to circle one spot as the best he’d single out the mouth of the Piscataqua River. I’ve also been hearing of fish off Salisbury wiling to take worms and clams.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Right on time as May waxes is news from Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters that the fishing in the Casco Bay Area is heating up. He and buds have been having luck in marshes, estuaries and flats while fly fishing with “tutti fruiti” size 2 Clousers. Fish are also hitting soft plastics and topwater as well. The rivers seem to be loaded with herring and alewives and the fish are pushing the forage onto the flats. It’s expected that next week’s warmup will lead to a surge of much more fish! From keeping a keen eye on these things through the years I can predict with reasonable certainty that stripers are swarming the Saco and Webhannet Rivers with the size running from schoolies through slot-plus fish. Rivers such as the Saco, which hold herring and shad, should be targeted with bigger offerings while the tube-and-worm has historically been effective in the Webhannet. Anglers should be catching well off the Wells Harbor Jetty and mackerel should not be far out. Groundfishing for primarily haddock remains good with some fish as close as Tantas although Jeffrey’s and Platt’s are more consistent.
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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
A sweet quandary is bedeviling anglers as striper numbers pile up, yet the offshore groundfishing remains great! Jeffrey’s Ledge and Platt’s are consistent haddock and redfish producers and with few dogfish in attendance bait is working well. Best bets for a bigger bass are where there are herring runs such as at the Lamprey River, the Oyster River and the Saco River. Of course being in a transitional period, locations, numbers and the size of striped bass is only going to improve!