Now is one of those rare times when both rivers and the ocean front are serving up striped bass. One key to where the odds improve for you is finding the bait and matching it. Depending on where you wet a line, that bait may consist of sand eels, herring, or mackerel.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Ki from Dover Marine said that rivers are still running hot, with the Oyster, Lamprey and Branch Rivers all standouts. We can thank river herring, which are still a factor, for the luck anglers are having in those rivers. A perfect scenario is to time a predawn incoming tide so that you’re casting swimmers or paddletails at the edge of ledge, riprap or dams just as there’s enough water for stripers to pin the herring up against the structure. Odione Point has been productive with bait best. Beaches, such as Wallis Sands and Rye, are going off as stripers key in on sand eels, making Slug-Go type lures most effective. By most standards, it’s shaping up to be a stellar season for squid! As to the “where”, they are almost too numerous to list, with the lit dockage of marinas a favorite. Pepperell Cove has been among the most productive.
Southern and Coastal Maine Fishing Report
Ben from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard said that stripers are beginning to take up residence now and predictable patterns are emerging. Sand eels off Drakes Island and Moody Beach are setting off surface feeds with those stripers falling for offerings which match the slim profile of forage. Buddy, who helps out in the shop, is catching them up by live-lining mackerel he’s hooking off beach jetties. A few picks to consider are Biddeford Pool, Gilberts Beach and Camp Ellis. Levi from Saco Bay Tackle told me that the mouth of the Saco has been fishing well, as has Pine Point. The tube-and-worm has been crushing it in the Scarborough Marsh area. If you’re looking to load up on mackerel striper snacks, check out the eddies near Richmond and Wood Islands.
If Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters’ sounder could talk, it would say “wow, there are a lot of sand eels here!” In 12 feet of water on Thursday, it displayed a solid 5’ block of sand eels off the bottom. Stripers have certainly taken notice, but with all that forage, they are fussy. The captain has cracked the code by deploying Albie Snax XLs or tossing their way something completely different, such as a big glide bait. River mouths and beach fronts from Old Orchard to Kennebunk have been standouts. Others trolling mackerel over marked schools of stripers in deeper water are doing well.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
While it’s never a bad time to try your luck for stripers, it seldom gets better than right now. Rivers are still running hot with Branch, Lamprey and Saco all solid choices. Beaches are booming with a bump in sand eel numbers making soft plastic stick baits deadly. Chunk bait or clams off area beaches is working well, as is live lining mackerel, which can be caught from jetties. Mackerel can also be found by Downeast islands, with trolling over marked deepwater stripers very effective.