Angling anecdotes throughout New Hampshire and Maine are pretty much echoing what’s going on in the Bay State in that there are small groups of stripers in tight, pressured areas. In some cases, the forage is pogy schools that are holding out among harbor mooring fields where the netters can’t get them but bass and anglers can!
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Report
Ben from Webhannet Bait and Tackle/Boatyard said that things Downeast were “weird” in that anglers are reporting much in the way of dead water with pockets of good fishing.
Some theorize that offshore bunker schools, which have been under siege by tuna, have pushed in close, with striped bass following. Some of the better spots according to Ben have been Moody Beach, Ogunquit, Drakes Island, and just north in Biddeford. If only striped bass were as easy to catch as mackerel! Macks are most everywhere, in harbors, outside in bays – if you can name it, you’ll probably find mackerel there! Some are really looking forward to this Tuesday when keeping one cod per person per day of at least 23” is permissible. As to where you can find a brown bomber relatively close, check out Bibb Rock or perhaps Tantas Ledge. Should you be able to make the haul out to Jeffrey’s or Platts, you can expect a far more interesting and diverse cooler!
After months of burning the bass candle at both ends, Captain Lou Tirado of Diamond Pass Outfitters decided to take a sweetwater respite with the family, where they found willing largemouth bass. Regarding the salt, he said that the Casco Bay Area has condensed schools of stripers on balls of bait, all of which is often belied by the boat brigade. All is not lost for those looking for a break from the mob, as nights offer the biggest bass around with few, if any, anglers targeting them. The good news is that mackerel are available near islands, upwellings, and wherever structure breaks up the current and forms eddies. As for cod, the Cliff House is a close-in possibility.
New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
Mooring fields in bays and near marinas deserve a good long look as pogy schools and stripers are finding sanctuary from the pogy boats. This is not for lightweight gear; stout stuff is needed to yank a potentially big bass away from the tragedy of tangling with mooring ropes. The exception is roaming schools of stripers which are picking off sand eels and will fall for a properly presented Slug-Go type lure. Cod are now a consideration as the open season begins this Tuesday. Best bets for an inshore brown bomber are Whaleback Hump, Bibb Rock and Tantas Ledge. Jeffrey’s Ledge and Platt’s are the picks if you’d prefer variety, which might include haddock, pollock, cusk, redfish, hake, and lord knows what.