For better or worse, there really is no pre-season regarding striped bass, as invariably the first fish anglers are catching is a real line-stretcher. The 2015 year class is very abundant, and those 37” fish are making their presence felt. Bass on beaches have been blitzing, and there is a lot of groundfish action offshore.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
While Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters may be a groundfish guru, he’s a fisher first and can’t help but pay rapt attention to what’s swimming by. Upon area beaches, in the Piscataqua River, and near his slip in Great Bay Marina, a steady parade of striped bass is making anglers smile! The size striper anglers are experiencing is mainly slot and up fish, with a few schoolies in the mix. There are also reports of bass belting blueback herring and alewives in the Great Bay herring runs, such as the Oyster and Lamprey Rivers. Those who are fishing the incoming tide at dark are doing especially well.
Groundfishing is great for cusk and redfish when fishing on top of Southern Jeffrey’s Ledge. Haddock are sporadic but when found, reported Captain Andy, can be limited out for fish between 17” and 24”. Pink teasers and clams are working well. Mackerel are huge and most common near offshore ledges. A look-see around Boone Island turned up nothing, but that’s bound to change for the better as water temperatures rise.
Southern and Coastal Maine Fishing Report
According to Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters, Southern Maine striper sleuths are seeing more stripers by the day! A good push of fish came in just before the two-day heat wave. Stripers are averaging anywhere from the mid-twenties up to some real tackle-testers in the forty-pound range. Folks are having the most luck in estuaries that dump out into rivers with the dropping tide working well for Lou. The captain’s hunch is that the warmer water mixing in is triggering the bite. Herring runs are holding fish and lots of fishermen. The skipper’s advice to avoid the log jam is to focus efforts just downstream of the runs, as there are plenty of bass to be had there.
They are also seeing some fish on the flats, which are rooting around for crabs and other invertebrates. The top tackle consists of white/yellow GT Paddletails, Strides glide baits, and other versions of that all-the-rage lure. As for fly fishers, large hollow flies have been the go-to around herring runs, and as to the flats, olive Clousers have been deadly. As for specific spots, Ferry Beach and the Clay Pitts in Scarborough have been among the most productive.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
For striped bass enthusiasts, it’s that most wonderful time of the year, when each tide is likely to bring with it more and larger fish! Herring runs will remain a bass best bet into June when mackerel and possibly pogies attract fish migrating, breeder-size bass. Flats are also not to be ignored as the shallow, dark composition warms up quickly, and combined with stirring crabs and worms, will hold fish. Groundfishing remains good with redfish and cusk most predictable, while, when found, haddock fishing can be hot.