If natural stimuli isn’t enough to convince you that we are in the throes of summer than searching for a consistent striper bite should! True to form, now that it’s solidly July early and late are the only logical times to target striped bass. The early mantra has also been most productive for pelagics, some of which have been crushing bait as close as inshore islands.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Congrats to Captain Anthony of Adventure and Catch Charters who recently put 95” and 450 pounds of tuna in his boat! According to Anthony, Charlie is not concentrated but can be found in pockets in Scantum as well as Jeffrey’s. Your best chance for besting a bluefin is to be on site by daybreak with lines ready to go! A wildcard is Boone Island where tuna have been found as well. As to how to close the deal with Charlie, try one of the ubiquitous pogies or mackerel which have been but a short steam from shore. Should you run out of bait don’t fret there are plenty of whiting and sea herring near the bottom of both. Just be aware that the odds of encountering sharks – big and small – are very high! The haddock are running sparse but you can find them in deeper water between 210 and 240 feet.Pogies are now concentrated in the lower Piscataqua River, with bunches along the coast. Occasional blitzes and more regular striper marks show below the schools. Along the coast there is now a pretty consistent bite of slot and slot+ fish.
If possible avoid a SW or W wind as it chills the already unseasonably cold water shoreside.
From Captain Bob Weathersby of Seacoast NH Sportfishing came word that mackerel numbers are still strong at the Isles of Shoals inciting early morning mongo bass blitzes! His recommendation is to watch the birds and also watch out for other fisherman in the incessant fog. Unfortunately few of the boats fishing these days are equipped with radar. Bob and crew had an epic school tuna blitz right behind the Shoals lighthouse recently and it lasted several hours! Currently the rec fish have become more opportunistic as they chase mackerel around. Commercial grade fish are showing and, as Captain Andy alluded to, on Scantum and more recently on Jeffrey’s. During his last thrip there they found fish as did the sharks find their pogies, which they painstakingly transported live miles out there.
Whales are an ally when looking for tuna as they are there for similar forage – sea herring, mackerel and pogies!
Southern Maine Fishing Report
According to Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters summer conditions have definitely set up making early and late the only way to successfully target striped bass at least on artificials. Live bait, such as pogies and mackerel, will buy you a little more time however. When the bite is on, any artificial which imitates herring or mackerel will work. A few standouts for Lou and the crew are the Albie Snax XLs, Al Gag’s Whip it Fish and at night GT Eels as well as the real deal. As for the “where” the action has been good at the beaches south of Portland as well as the Royal River region where pogies have been present. A few chomp-offs may be a sign that blues are around but no landings as of yet.
Brandy from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard told me that the fishing in Maine is definitely stuck in the summer doldrums. Last light through First light are now the best times. Fish can be found during the daytime but they are significantly more fussy especially those which are feeding on small bait such as sand eels or silversides. One indication that smaller forage is what they are feeding on is to identify what birds are feeding on the bait, Terns are a sure indicator that the prey is puny while if gulls are in on the feed than the bait is bigger and easier to match. Mackerel can be found, especially near the islands, with early risers/chummers doing best. The Tube and worm has been effective in the Saco and Webhannet Rivers. Anglers soaking sandworms and clams off of York, Old Orchard and Ogunquit have been catching well.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
A clump of clams soaked off beaches such as Wallis Sands, Rye, York and Higgin’s should result in some seven-striped action especially at first or last night. The tube-and-worm should also pay off at the mouths of area rivers. Pogies in the Piscataqua are a big bass best bet as is the Isles of Shoals were both big bass and bluefin have been busting on bait. Offshore the haddock seem happy to oblige along drop-offs of Scantum and southern Jeffey’s Ledge just bring a lot of bait and patience as a plethora of shark species will test your resolve!
Might want to ease up on the exclamation marks.