New Hampshire And Maine Fishing Report – July 27, 2017

Pictured above: Tim Moore of TimMooreOutdoors has been enjoying lock-and-load lake trout fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee!

Those who extol the “big bait, big fish” mantra are finding reality meeting expectations among pogy schools in the Piscataqua River and Wells Harbor. There is an attractive freshwater alternative however, as hungry Winnipesaukee lakers shallow shoals of smelt in 100-foot depths.

New Hampshire Fishing Report

Tim Moore of TimMooreOutdoors must keep a ready supply of energy drinks at the ready considering the amount and variety of fishing he’s doing. In one day, he chartered a crew to lock and load lake trout fishing in 100’ of water in Lake Winnipesaukee and for a bookend, bested bass up to 40” from the Piscataqua River. The trick for the trout was to tease them with the Tim Moore Signature Series Nervous Minnow, marketed by Daddy Mac lures, but for the stripers it was simple – feed them a mackerel. It’s nice to see more consistent better bass in the river.

Felix of Suds ‘N Soda in Greenland said that the shop is having a hard time keeping eels in stock. The reason is that they have been money at night off the New Hampshire beaches for bass up to 30 pounds. The Piscataqua is the place if you want plenty of pogies. A pogy on the line doesn’t guarantee a fish, but it’s fairly certain that if you catch, the fish will be substantial. Some are chunking pogies in Little Bay for fish in the 36” class and by the General Sullivan Bridge as well as Hampton and Rye Harbors.

Chad from Dover Marine told me that the volume of pogies seem to be increasing almost daily. Not surprisingly the catch rate of 15- to 20-pound bass has improved likewise. The action seems to be concentrated between the General Sullivan Bridge and the mouth of the river. Chad gave special mentions to the areas near the Coast Guard facilities. Mackerel are still easy to find and will result in better numbers of bass if somewhat smaller in size.

Southern Maine Fishing Report

Mitchell of Saco Bay Tackle said that while upstream portions of rivers have gone cold, the mouths offer the hottest striped bass fishing at the moment. An outgoing tide during low light conditions with an eel on the line or metal-lip plug is one of your best bets for a big bass. Mitchell has been frequenting marshes, estuaries and rivers under just such conditions and doing well. And then there’s the pogy alternative. Anglers up there are ogling schools that are 15 to 20 yards wide and stretch for up to 200 yards. You can bet that there will be some big bass following that forage. There have been pogy/bass explosions off Old Orchard Beach and into Cape Porpoise. Mackerel are numerous inshore and the groundfishing, especially for pollock up to 20 pounds, has been superb from 220-300 feet of water.

Dick from Webhannet told me he has been having a blast catching mixed sizes of stripers on flies in the Webhannet River. Sand Eel patterns over a white belly have been most effective. In fact, most any artificial with a lot of white in it is working well. Savage Sand Eels remain a favorite for spin fisherman. Patrons of the shop are reporting that there’s a load of pogies in Wells Harbor, the Webhannet River and the Mousam River and nearby are nice stripers. An occasional cut-off is reported, which would indicate there are a few bluefish prowling near the pogies but there’s nothing consistent yet.

New Hampshire and Maine Fishing Forecast

If you’re looking for a break from the brine, consider jigging lakers in Winnipesaukee. Just be prepared to drop your wares up to 100 feet down. Bigger schools of pogies have brought in bigger bass in the Piscataqua River, especially between the General Sullivan Bridge and the Coast Guard stations. Wells Harbor has pogies and big bass with them but for a more laid-back alternative consider fly casting sand eel patterns at the mouths of rivers, estuaries and marshes; in addition to schoolies you may find more than you bargained for.