Coastal New Hampshire and Maine Coast Fishing Report – October 17, 2024

It looks as if our striped friends are outlasting the vast majority of anglers in northern New England! That’s hardly unusual as come mid-october most sportsmen swap out their St. Croix rods for their Remingtons. There is still fishy opportunities however with even some tuna talk.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

Captain Bob Weathersby of Seacoast NH Sportfishing gift-wrapped the end of another season with an impressive report regarding inshore tuna. In spite of gnarly conditions and plenty of slop he, along with friends Captain Jon Tragea and his partner Monica, put the boots to 77” of Boone Island bluefin last week! The conditions put his Minn Kota Spot-Lok trolling motor to the test but it held them totally in check without fanfare. With mackerel still ubiquitous and historically a hot bluefin bite in October there’s no need to call it quits if you want to still chase Charlie.

Joe from Granite State Rod and Reel Repair in Nashua told me that rivers right now in spite of the drought are still among the best bets in the region. Freshly stocked rainbows in such rivers as the Nissitissit make for fun for all. The Nashua River has been giving up some nice Sallys and Larrys with ned rigs and jerk baits working well. Another river worth taking a look at is the Merrimack where the smallie bite and pike bite are hot.

Coastal Maine Fishing Report

I expect an informative report from Dag’s Bait & Sportgoods in Auburn when I call them but not ordinarily one regarding saltwater! Dylan however had other things on his mind as he served up news that the few who are still at it are finding willing stripers off the Downeast coast! Those fish are coming one of two ways – ocean front during the day or estuaries at night! While unquestionably bass are on the move, they will stop over for an upstream snack at night yet be gone by daylight! Trolling a Rapala Magnum or X Rap out front of Higgins Beach, Pine Point, Old Orchard or York could put you into a ten month melee! Working a Slug-Go, Hogy or Bill Hurley stick bait under cover of darkness could also result in a striper or three In the Royal River, Scarborough Marsh, Webhannet River, Mousam River or York River. Some of those larger rivers are also giving up sea run brown and brook trout fisheries with the Kennebunk, Androscoggin, Mousam and Saco a few favorites. Flies or lures which mimic sand eels or shrimp/scuds are a good bet.

As for freshwater, chances are you’ll find your favorite pond/lake devoid of other anglers. A few options are Thompson Lake for jigging up lake trout and the Androscoggin River for smallmouth and pike.

New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast

If you can hit pause on your deer stand for a bit you’ll find striped bass still swimming off the New Hampshire/Maine coastline with live mackerel or a trolling plug a good way of intercepting them. Those same mackerel suspended from tuna grade gear could land you a giant bluefin as close as Boone Island or the Isles of Shoals. For consistency it’s time to switch gears to sweetwater. Fortunately rainbow trout in the Nissitissit as well as lake trout in Thompson Lake make the transition a lot more easy.