With bluefish still a factor, trolling a big swimmer off Salisbury Beach or off Portsmouth is a best bet for bagging a big blue. Rivers offer more than a sanctuary from rough seas, they are often a nursery for river herring fry and other small forage making them perfect places to catch stripers when the seas are angry and beyond.
New Hampshire Fishing Report
Being the consummate ground fisher, I wasn’t prepared to see Captain Andy of Adventure and Catch Charters holding a striped bass but now and then he takes a reprieve. It’s easier to pull off however when you can simply toss out a partially filleted mackerel off your dock at Great Bay Marina and stand a reasonable chance of catching a slot striper! Andy’s trick, is to fillet one side of the mack, leaving the entrails exposed as well as the skin on one side. He said that the combo of scent and shimmer is lethal! Elsewhere, he’s hauling in big red hake from 300’ drop-offs on Jeffrey’s Ledge along with pollock and haddock. The haddock haul tends to wane when pollock appear since the bigger, more aggressive pollock tend to ride farther up in the water column and will intercept the bait before it touches bottom. Regarding mackerel the captain is finding enough for a day’s fishing by Boone Island. Blues have been a presence off the Merrimack River and out off Salisbury Beach.
Tim Moore of Tim Moore Outdoors said that pre-spawn stirrings are causing an uptick in the landlocked salmon bite on Lake Winnipesaukee. Those fussy fish of yesterday are feeding now with purpose and where you find smelt and white perch fry you’ll find the salmon, especially at the edge of drop-offs. Tim’s slaying the deepwater lakers – 100-115’ – with Daddy Mac Albie Jigs and Nervous Minnows.
Southern Maine Fishing Report
From Captain Lou of Diamond Pass Outfitters comes word of an outstanding pre-dawn bite! Blues have been on top and on the troll with bass in the rivers and out front. Saco Bay has seen a surge in small bait and when spike mackerel are deployed – watch out! Blues are starting to wane but can still be found with a little searching. The tube and worm is increasingly becoming part of Lou’s repertoire as he has found that it is among the more effective offerings in roiled, post-storm water. The belief is that once things settle down the fall run will be underway! With water temperatures in the Wells area still in the mid 60 degree range, it’s not surprising that there are still bluefish reports. Both blues and bass have been in abundance by Bibb Rock, Parson’s Beach, Moody Beach, Crescent Beach and Scarborough Marsh. When the seas are angry, simply seek sanctuary – and the fish! – in the rivers. With a boom in bait which consists of herring fry, silversides and sand eels there is more than comfortable conditions to keep them put. Once seas settle target rocky stretches off Cape Neddick and Sohier Park where stripers will be on the move.
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New Hampshire And Southern Maine Fishing Forecast
It’s been a boomtown for blues this year but it is September and there are no guarantees how long they will stick around! Snap on a Rapala CD 18 or X-Rap and have at it in 30-40’ of water and see if you can’t find a gator! Rivers such as the Piscatagua or Saco have herring fry and other small bait making them snack bars for various sizes of striped bass. Regardless of the prevalent bait an eel at night or mackerel by date are always effective. Groundfishing remains great just make sure you stick to deep water where there are less dogfish pests!
