New Hampshire & Maine Fishing Report - July 9, 2015

Some found the striper fishing running counter to the tides. Namely, as the tides built, the fishing slacked off. However, the current combination of more squid and less water has brought bigger bass into the Piscataqua River environs. The tube-and-worm has been king for the kayaks among the mouths of Maine rivers, while those trolling mackerel have been getting them chomped in half outside of the Saco Bay islands.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

When asked if “they” are getting bigger, after replying in the affirmative, Chad from Dover Marine stated measurements I wasn’t prepared for: 90” and 97”! Of course, he was talking in terms of tuna. He and good buddy Jamie tugged in the tandem of tuna while staggering a spread of live mackerel under balloons. When asked where, Chad said to start looking about as soon as you clear the Isle of Shoals!

You’ll find plenty of mackerel around the Isle of Shoals, and if you’re not looking to steam out for tuna, target the bays and harbors of Seabrook, Hampton, Rye and Wentworth. The Piscataqua River is always a good place to poke around, especially when the tide is cooking. During slack tides, the fish are less concentrated and they wander. As water temperatures have warmed up and the herring runs have waned, little is going on in Great Bay.

Roland of Suds ‘N Soda said that squid are in! Look for most any lit pier, dock or bridge throughout the Piscataqua River watershed and chances are you’ll find them. Not surprisingly, a few black sea bass have been caught by anglers drifting and jigging over depressions, humps and at depth edges throughout the river. The beaches are fishing well at night, especially when chunking mackerel. Boaters are trolling live macks by the jetties at the mouth of the harbors as well as rocky outcroppings on beaches. Macks can be jigged up at Breaking Rocks as well as Hampton Shoal Ledge.

Tim Moore of Tim Moore Outdoors guide service is heralding the appearance of squid and bigger bass. After all, striped bass are not referred to as squid hounds for nothing! He has witnessed “flying squid” nearly clearing the water with big bass right after them. Tim’s tip is to use 6” paddle tail shad baits which give out a lot of vibration. The big tides temporarily cleaned out Little Bay of bass but they are making their way back as more moderate tides return. Early mornings remain a best bet and the lower Piscataqua around the Coast Guard Station and nearby rocks have been one of the spots.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Brandy from Webhannet said that the kayak crew has been doing really well trolling the tube-and-worm at the mouths of the Mousam, Webhannet, Kennebunk and Saco rivers. Red tubes have been the hottest. Boaters using leadcore line with 2 to 3 colors out working a little deeper at the previous mentioned spots as well as Moody Beach have been into keepers as well as teen-sized stripers. Mackerel remain plentiful and make for ideal bait from the beaches and jetties. The shop is selling a lot of eels to anglers who aren’t afraid of things which go “bump in the night”, mainly because they know it’s the stripers which usually do the bumping! Marshes and estuaries are ideal spots for eels now; while stripers are opportunists, as inshore water temperatures near 60 degrees they actively look for eels in shallow, marshy water which makes them the perfect nighttime bait right now. Brandy suggests clams for those who want to “spike-it” during the daytime.

Peter from Saco Bay told me of shad and herring still present in the Saco River, which is keeping mixed size stripers present well into the river. Sand eels are ubiquitous making imitators such as the Savage Sand Eel a good choice. A few spots to try on an outgoing tide are the Royal River, Scarborough Marsh and the Kennebec River, especially at nearby Pompham Beach. The latter spot has good access thanks to the namesake state park. Outgoing tides off jetties such as at Camp Ellis have been good with RM Smith Dannys and Stripermaniac Dannys. A top water alternative has been crème and white/red Lonely Angler Zipsters. Those live-lining mackerel out by the Saco Bay islands have been getting them sliced and diced: a sure indication of a “yellow-eyed” presence. Groundfish are hitting like gangbusters off Nubble Point and northern Jeffrey’s Ledge. Tuna are present south of Jeffreys with anglers catching on mackerel and whiting.

Fishing Forecast

A combination of smaller tides and the arrival of squid has drawn bigger bass into Little Bay. A large-profile paddletail swim bait should get their attention. If you have a kayak at the ready, target the mouths of the Mousam, Saco and Webhannet rivers with a red tube and worm. Chunk mackerel and clams are best bets for the beaches at daytime but you’ll fare better in the Royal River and Scarborough Marsh at night with a lively eel. Don’t discount groundfishing; while cod is a no-no, haddock and pollock off Nubble Point are a nice consolation prize.