Coastal New Hampshire and Maine Fishing Report- July 25, 2024

The striped bass fishing from New Hampshire through Southern Maine has been so good that no-one would realistically want it to change. Fortunately it hasn’t! Groundfishing remains good and the chaos which follows hooking “Charlie” is still a thing.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

From Captain Bob Weathersby of Seacoast NH Sportfishing comes word that bass activity continues to be centered around the pogy schools along the NH coast and usually in 30-50′ water. Crowds are common on many days, but folks seem to be working together. Recreation and small commercial bluefin have been working the schools on some mornings, but with no consistency. Bob corroborated his colleague Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters tip that this inshore stretch is always worth checking out before searching for Charlie farther out. First light’s the only time to search for tuna as later crowds become a factor making targeting the pogy schools impractical. Offshore groundfishishing is offering up giant and numerous whiting on portions of Jeffreys. Elsewhere outer Scantum and Jeffreys are still producing haddock, pollock, and cusk, but dogfish are making that a grind. Mackerel are still pretty consistent at the Shoals. Some bluefin rec fish are coming from Southern Jeffreys and Pigeon Hill. Giants are scattered across Jeffreys and Old Scantum, particularly if whale feeds can be found.

In between putting charters on 550 pound tuna, Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters managed to eke out a report. He said that pogy schools are still numerous and generally stripers can be found around them. The Piscataqua River has been holding bait, bass and three whales, one of which just might be the media star which cannot be escaped. Mackerel are available with Murray’s Rock the captains choice at the moment along with York Ledge. The bubbler has also been real good for Andy. As for haddock, the captain feels that. Jefferys is a waste of fuel. All the headboats, including some of the smaller ones, are about 6 miles off the shoals. Looking for haddock on Scantum is a tough bet right now and Jeffrey’s is all “dogged out”. For a shot at a shark or tuna, Andy recommends The Curl where he recently put patrons onto a mako! When waters cool, pollock should become a factor.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Apparently, there is a bit of a spillover from all those big New Hampshire bass as evident by Captain Lou Tirado’s account. The Casco Bay kid – Diamond Pass Outfitters – said that the lions share of action is just past the border in Kittery. Farther north in the Casco Bay Area they are still getting consistent fishing, with the rivers fishing well at first light with some fish on top. The crux of the catching is taking place out front on beach fronts and around the islands. His take is that anglers have two options: the first is to motor slowly and scan the beaches looking for surface finning fish while keeping one eye on their electronics. A slowly trolled mackerel, pogy, or tube and worm has also proven to be an effective way to find a school along the beaches. If you are a more patient soul, anchoring up on structure and fishing the white water has been pretty productive as well. Docs and big hollow flies at low light, and live or cut bait when the sun comes up seems to be best. They are also seeing some good fishing in the skinny water, so if your boat is capable of getting up there, crab and shrimp flies have been best, as have weightless soft plastics. Wading these areas has also been producing, the water is warm so the need to get fully geared up is completely up to the angler. They are still waiting/hoping on bluefish. Pogy schools within a mile from shore are being battered by bluefin.

According to Brandy from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard, anglers have been landing slot-size stripers right from the footbridge of Ogunquit. Parson’s Beach and Kennebunk Beach have been good early on for chunk mackerel and sandworms. Continuing with the southern cow theme, patrons of the shop who are landing the largest linesiders in the area are deploying mackerel, eels, and when leaning towards artificial baits are catching 45”+ beasts on GT Eels. Not surprisingly the bite there has been best at night. Mackerel can be found by Bibb Rock with Tantas Ledge a close-in possibility for groundfish. Regarding groundfish, a shop patron recently wrenched up a monster cusk, all of 42” long with a girth of 30”! While I don’t have a handle on a weight, that is one rare, monster cusk.

Captain Paul Hood of Touch of Gray Fishing Charters has been steering clear of pressured Jeffrey’s Ledge yet still finding a mixed bag of groundfish within 7 miles of Biddeford Pool at “The Peaks”. He’s also been mixing it up with hake, haddock and pollock on Platt’s.

New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast

For big bass, look to the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Follow the pogy schools and you’ll find the epicenter. Mackerel are plentiful with Murray’s Rock and Boone Island holding enough to top off the livewell. You may consider putting those live macks to good use off Kittery or York Beach. Chunkers are doing well off Parson’s Beach and Kennebunk Beach. Offshore you may find a decent groundfish bite as close as The Peaks and Tantas Ledge. For a shot at a shark or Charlie consider the Curl. The fish however follow their own rules and expect tuna to continue to crash the pogy party within sight off the shoreline.