Depends on the day, but big fish still available

Frank G. Dwyer
August 18, 2006

It may be getting steamy again, but the cool down last weekend certainly helped the fishing in the waters I was fishing in.

Anglers have found larger striped bass cooperating at night around most of the north shore while bluefish and flounder continue to be caught. School bluefin tuna reports are still sparse, but sightings have increased over the last few days.

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Peanut bunker have been enticing bass close to shore over this past week with many smaller bass being landed and some keepers. Small baitfish flies have been landing fish for fly anglers while popping plugs and swimming lures have been catching fish for spin anglers. Bluefish have also been quite active just outside the harbor.

Salem: (3 hooks) Bluefish to 8 pounds have been in and just outside of the harbor and anglers have been having fun with them on light spin tackle. Larger striped bass have been around Winter Island at night with bait anglers scoring on cut bait, worms and eels.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Early morning anglers have found bass surface feeding near West Beach as well as around the islands. While these fish have mostly been in the 20”-26”, they have been quite active in taking most offerings. The Beverly Fishing Pier continues to attract bait anglers at night with some keeper bass being taken.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Peanut bunker have showed up around the Cape and that has helped the in-shore fishing. Manchester-by-the-Sea and Magnolia has seen surface feed as stripers and blues chased the bunker close to shore and anglers are landing them on most offerings. Large bluefish have been active off Halibut point and anglers trolling large, deep swimming lures (Rapala Magnums) have done well in 80-100 feet of water. A few school bluefin tuna sightings and landing have been reported offshore, but there has been no consistency. Party boats have been able to put their patrons on good amounts of cod and haddock and evade the dogfish by moving frequently.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Small schoolies have been seen surface feeding off Crane Beach and fly anglers have been taking them on small clouser’s and deceiver’s and spin

casters taking them on small popping plugs and kastmasters.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Fishing from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has improved this week as anglers have had good luck for bass and blues. Bluefish have been chasing bait into the wash at Parking Lot 1, while bass have been keying in on clams and worms. The Parker River has provided decent action for bass at night while bass and blues have been somewhat spotty in Plum Island Sound.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) Bass and bluefish have been more active this week, with rumors of small bluefin tuna in the river echoing from local bait shops! Bass have been taking sluggos and flies from anglers drifting the outgoing tide from the AYC to Woodbridge Island. Larger bass are being taken by anglers drifting the mouth with ocean herring or mackerel. Bluefish have been taken just outside the mouth under clouds of birds as well as by anglers trolling deep swimming lures and umbrella rigs. Some flounder and fluke are also being taken just off the beach as well as in the river.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been taken early in the morning off the Salisbury beach as well as the Jetty off the State Reservation. Striped Bass have been more active for anglers fishing the Merrimack across from Plum Island Point, with fish taking both cut bait and clams.

Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Rye and North Hampton Beaches have had an increase in striper action over the last week as anglers fishing from shore and boat reported good action for keeper sized bass. Bluefish have thickened up
around Portsmouth with choppers taking most offerings at the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as into Little and Great Bays. Flounder fishing has also improved for anglers in New Hampshire as ground fishing has been steady for cod and haddock even with dogfish hounding the party boats.

Tip of the Week:

Poor knots are likely one of the top three reasons for losing a fight with a fish. If you’re not up on the best connections for different methods of fishing and lures, do yourself a favor and go to any bookstore or marine store and pick up a book on fishing knots. There are many resources available on the internet as well including:

Knots

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