It didn’t take long for the east wind to ring the dinner bell for striped bass! Mackerel, pushed in by the onshore wind, have been a godsend and are resulting in an uptick in action. Offshore continues to be worth the trip, but with dogfish and other sharks becoming a factor, anglers choosing bait should do so at their own risk.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
From Captain Bob Weathersby of Seacoast NH Sportfishing came word that the lower Piscataqua River, east of the Rte 1 bridge, is producing some nice stripers on the drift. The challenging mackerel situation was a big factor, but there is some evidence that the east wind is changing all that. In addition to live bait, the captain suspects that flutter spoons might be an effective substitute, but few, if any, are trying it.
As to where those mackerel recruits may come from, tuna and ground fishermen on Scantum and Jeffreys Ledges are finding them in abundance.
Captain Bob was astonished recently when he witnessed a huge school of stripers blitzing mackerel on Scantum Ledge – 13 miles offshore! Just maybe when Charlie comes calling in force, those bass will skedaddle inshore. A colleague of the skipper also witnessed a massive school swimming south in formation along the 30 fathom line just inside state waters. It’s truly a wacky early season on all things striper.
Offshore groundfish is still quite good. It seems the haddock size is returning to seasonal averages, but numbers are still strong. More pollock are in the mix, along with cusk. Dogfish numbers are increasing slowly. As for tuna, things are slow, which may explain why so much bait and bass are still offshore. Bait fishing on Jeffreys is nearly impossible due to the large numbers of porbeagle sharks. On a trip to Scantum recently, the skipper found that it was easy to jig mackerel, herring, and haddock off the bottom for hook bait, but what struck the captain was how icy cold those fish were. His gut tells him that the low-temperature subsurface water may be holding back the tuna action. If you give it a go, stick with squid bars.
Coastal Maine Fishing Report
Jack from Saco Bay Tackle Company said that anglers who are finding inshore mackerel near islands and ledges are trolling up solid bass off beaches such as Old Orchard, Ocean Park, Pine Point, and Biddeford Pool. Surf fishers at low light, soaking sandworms or working SP Minnows are doing well also.
Ben from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard told me that anglers casting/trolling eels at night off Moody Beach and Wells Beach are getting stripers. The tube-and-worm has been reliable at the mouth of the Saco River, Mousam River, and throughout the Webhannet River. Gravity Tackle eels have been hot also. Ben recommends Pepperell Cove in Kittery for those looking for pogies and York Beach for flounder.
Captain Lou Tirado of Diamond Pass Outfitters has seen an uptick in activity with the new moon and a shift in the wind. Mackerel have finally pushed in and have done so in significant numbers. It appears that their arrival has also brought some bass with them. Anglers fishing the Casco Bay Area are seeing good fishing in and around the islands, the river mouths, and ledge fronts. The bass are falling for live mackerel, soft plastics ranging from 4-7”, and jigs. Look and listen for the bird show, and you’ll most likely find the bass!
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
The winds of change are blowing, and they are bringing along better bass fishing. Mackerel have become more reliable, especially off the coast of Maine. Shoals of striped bass have arrived offshore, with some expecting a visit from tuna to push them and much of the bait in closer. Meanwhile, the tube-and-worm is doing the trick off Downeast beaches while mackerel are the key to catching in the Piscataqua River. Groundfishing remains good, but with no shortage of sharks, those fishing Jeffrey’s and Scantum anglers should use bait sparingly.