While only early August, already there are signs that striped bass are beginning to feed with more urgency. Some of that has to with cooler nights along with an earlier than usual appearance of peanut bunker. Of course, there is always the offshore option where haddock, tuna and even halibut are part of the equation.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Hopefully you were as wowed as I was by the massive halibut caught by Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters that we featured a few weeks ago. Just maybe more impressive is that he recently had on another one, boatside, at the surface before the crew failed to dispatch it. Suffice to say, this guy is dialed into what many consider the king of all groundfishes. Before he sails to Southern Jeffreys to put patrons into haddock, cusk, and other assorted groundfish, he loads up on mackerel. Those monster “flounder” are not bottom-grovelers but fish/squid eating predators. It wouldn’t hurt while you re out at Jeffreys, Tillies or even Stellwagen to drop a Sabiki rig down and see if whiting are home. A live herring, mackerel, or whiting is the perfect prey for one of these special fish. Not only is Captain Andy limiting out on haddock, but he’s getting it done often in water as shallow as 106 feet.
He noted that on the way of from port in the Piscataqua River, he’s been spotting surface feeds. With peanut bunker in residence it’s shaping up for a productive August-through-fall run. Headboats are reporting plenty of haddock with a smattering of cod among depth breaks on Jeffreys Ledge. Mackerel can be found at the mouth of Rye Harbor and the Piscataqua with beaches and ocean front areas off the river fishing best. Eels are money at night but if you’d rather catch your own bait then consider squid which are ubiquitous around lit piers and stripers love them. Of course, something can be said for keeping some calamari for yourself. All things equal, cooler water will hold better bass and you’ll find that after an east wind, a flooding tide or both. For locations stick to the ocean side of bays, harbors and rivers. If you’re looking for a unique and potentially fast-paced diversion from all things salty than consider the lakers of Winnipesaukee. Now is the time of the year when lakers are bunched up under smelt and are ripe to be vertically jigged. Just be prepared to yank them up from water as deep as 100 feet!
Southern Maine Fishing Report
Andrew from Saco Bay Tackle said that striper up to 50 inches have been caught under pogy schools from such areas as Biddeford Pool, Pine Point and Kennebunkport. Pogies are not as numerous as they were a few weeks ago, but they can still be found. Some however are not live-lining pogies but finding mackerel and having better luck with that bait. Warming water temperatures, however, have pushed mackerel offshore so expect to look at least 5 miles out. While anglers are losing lures to unseen toothy adversaries – bluefish? – there are few reports of anything actually caught! Tuna have been taken by Tantas but more often than not southern Jeffreys Ledge.
Brandy from Webhannet Bait and Tackle said that keeper stripers have been taken on clams and sandworms right from the Wells jetty. As typical of August, anglers having the most success for larger linesiders are fishing eels at night from the Saco River, Mousam River, Higgins Beach and Ogunquit Beach. Drakes Island and the Charter Cliff House has been hot and there continue to be a few flounder taken from the Ogunquit. Peanut bunker have arrived making shad baits a good choice. Scott Lee hit the groundfish grounds recently and had to plumb 300’ of water to find haddock but the mission was accomplished with pink and green cod flies working well.
Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Charters has taken notice of the peanut bunker and so have Casco Bay striped bass! Fish up to 28” have been especially active early in the morning in the rivers. The stripers aren’t especially fussy as soft plastics, flies and topwater plugs are all working. Lou has especially been lucky with EvoBass Lances and Albie Snax. The captain had an interesting take on the full moon period, opining that the fishing was best when there was cloud cover on those bright nights. That’s not to suggest that midday is bad, quite the contrary provided that you find a pogy school and live-line among the bait. While only early August, cooler nights are resulting in more activity laying the groundwork for better bass fishing from now through the fall run.
Fishing Forecast
Find the peanuts among the Piscataqua River and chances are you’ll find blitzing bass. Adult menhaden may not be as numerous as a month ago, but schools from Seabrook through Saco will hold the biggest bass. The other interesting option is deepwater groundfish among Southern Jeffreys Ledge where haddock are plentiful and there’s always the possibility of a halibut!