Once in a blue moon, an above-average herring run coincides with an early, strong arrival of large striped bass, and the resulting fishing is some of the best in recent memory. That pretty well sums up the state of the migration in Northern New England as the second full moon of May looms large over the weekend. To the south, bunker are filling in, igniting crazy blitzes in Long Island Sound. Striped bass of 40 inches or more are within range of anglers throughout most of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
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Maryland/Chesapeake Bay Striper Fishing Report
Big stripers are still hanging in the surf off Assateague Island in Maryland. They’re mixed in with bluefish and red drum, and will likely push north as waters continue to warm there.
New Jersey Striper Fishing Report
The spring run is losing steam in Cape May and the Delaware Bay as the large fish seem to be moving out. In some of the inlets and bays farther north, captains reported some more fish moving in, from slots and schoolies to larger fish.
In Northern New Jersey, a fresh wave of bass hit Raritan Bay, while big fish continue to hang off the ocean front where anglers are having success trolling with live eels.
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New York Striper Report
Western Long Island Sound continues to be a hotspot as big bunker schools hold large bass in the area. There’s good fishing throughout the North Shore, however, with anglers consistently finding bass between 35 and 42 inches. Those big fish in the western sound will be spreading east quickly.
The South Shore remains consistent in the surf, and as fish vacate the Raritan and move up from New Jersey, that fishing will only be improving.
On the Hudson River, fish still appear to be spawning far up the river, though many are already dropping down.
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Connecticut/Rhode Island Striper Report
Action continues to improve across Connecticut as bunker roll in with big bass in hot pursuit. According to reports, the rivers and reefs are full of bass.
Narragansett Bay continues to be very good as stripers continue to feed on the herring running toward the bay’s rivers. Action is good all the way up to Providence, but a fresh wave of big bass moved into the mouth of the bay and along some of Rhode Island’s beaches.
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Cape Cod/Massachusetts Striper Report
Small baitfish made for tricky fishing around Cape Cod, which, compared to much of New England, is having a slower spring. Fish are spreading along the back side beaches and along the south side, with squid pulling quality fish into the rips around Martha’s Vineyard.
Big herring runs have fueled some all-time fishing from Boston north. Big bass that showed up weeks ago have stayed put to feast on the abundant river herring.
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New Hampshire/Maine Striper Report
The same great fishing happening on the North Shore of Massachusetts is spilling over into New Hampshire and Maine, as big bass chase herring into the rivers. There’s some oceanside action, but for now the fish are concentrated in the warm, bait-filled rivers.
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