Frank G. Dwyer
July 28, 2006
With the Commercial Striped Bass season well underway, you’ll find extra company on the water with you as the pro’s look to fill their quota.
Bluefish continue to patrol the waters of the North Shore as some 15+lb blues have been landed this week. Striped Bass fishing during the day has been somewhat inconsistent with bait fishermen doing best, while the best bet for a hog is still at night.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Flounder have been abundant just outside the harbor as anglers have been taking their limit. Bluefish continue to take pleasure in wreaking havoc on your lures as some large blues are in the waters around the harbor as well as the Neck.
Salem: (3 hooks) Bluefish and bass have been taken from Winter Island this past week even as the summer doldrums seem to be settling in. Around Baker Island, larger bass have been taken at night as fish have been taking larger top water plugs as well as live-lined eels.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Bait anglers fishing from the State Fishing Pier in Beverly have found bluefish, bass and flounder all willing to take their bait. Sea worms baited on a fish-finder rig with a small float has worked best for flounder, while cut mackerel and clams have been catching blues and stripers.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Larger bass have been off Eastern Point and Halibut Point in deeper water, with smaller bass being the norm closer to shore. Much as with the rest of the region, night time is proving more successful for those looking for larger bass, with eels certainly the bait of choice. Bluefish continue to be cooperative with anglers from the beaches of Gloucester as well as just outside the breakwater. School bluefin tuna have not showed in numbers offshore just yet, but the fishery should improve over the next 10 days. Ground fishing has been somewhat consistent with market-size cod and haddock being taken by Party Boats.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Bluefish have taken up residence at the mouth of the Ipswich River as well as off Steep Hill beach and Crane beach. On Wednesday, boat anglers were treated to a top water blitz at the mouth with bluefish
crashing bait on the surface. Bass fishing at night from the Ipswich beaches has found larger bass taking eels and cut bait.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been taken in the mornings from the Parker River NWR as parking lots 1, 6 and 7 have been attracting anglers. Anglers trolling off Emerson Rocks to Sandy Point have found larger bluefish willing to take most offerings.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Finicky fish have been swirling on top of the Merrimack all week from the Gillis Bridge to Woodbridge Island, but have been hesitant to take most offerings. I did manage a few fish on a un-weighted sluggo drifted on the top, but other than that, bait has been the rule of the day and night. The ocean front has seen bluefish close to shore in the mornings and larger fish in deeper water falling for deep swimming lures. Plum Island Point has been producing keeper size bass, mostly on bait, but the larger fish have been hitting sporadically. Party boats continue to fight through dogfish to get their patrons some cod and haddock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been showing up just off Salisbury Beach in the morning this past week as both shore and boat anglers have landed fish in the 8-12 pound range. Fishing from the State Reservation continues to provide bait anglers with somewhat steady action for school sized bass with keepers being landed on occasion.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) There have been mackerel hanging around the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as out by the Isle of Shoals, and large bluefish and some bass have been feasting on them. Further south, Hampton and Seabrook continue to offer good bluefish opportunities during the day and good bass action on eels at night.
Tip of the Week:
Saltwater, as we all know, can corrode metals quite quickly. It’s important to take the extra 10 minutes after every saltwater fishing excursion to rinse off your reels, rods and lures with fresh water. In addition, reels should be checked for proper lubrication every 3rd trip or so, to ensure your gear will operate as intended and prevent you from costly replacements.
July 28, 2006
July 20, 2006
Heat Wave Sends Fish to Deeper Water
Frank G. Dwyer
July 20, 2006
Hot weather sent striped bass to cooler, deeper waters this week, while bluefish have become more active with some 10-15 pound fish in the mix.
Dogfish have also showed up in numbers and are hindering the fishing for cod, haddock and cusk. Tuna have been seen out by Stellwagen Bank, but have yet to show in big numbers.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Mackerel have become scarce around Marblehead, but anglers are still doing well for bass with cut bait, mostly at night. Bluefish have been quite active during the day. Flounder fishing is decent just outside the harbor.
Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing around Bakers Island have found decent amounts of bass. The fish have been taking eels at night as well as cut bait. Salem-Beverly Bridge has also been producing bass for anglers at night. There are plenty of bluefish for the taking around Salem.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Flounder fishermen are being annoyed by numbers of dogfish, so it’s tough going. Bluefish have been carousing all along the Beverly and are quite fun to catch on light action rods. Striped Bass fishing around the islands off West Beach has been sporadic, with more bass coming at night.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea anglers have found schoolie bass in the rocks along the shore and they are taking both small plugs and flies. Bluefish are quite available as anglers have been catching blues to 15 pounds around the cape. In Gloucester, bluefish have been quite active just at the entrance to the harbor and anglers trolling deep running swimming lures and tube-n-worm rigs have done quite well. Off Halibut Point, dogfish continue to annoy anglers using bait, but some bass are being taken, along with bluefish. Rockport Beaches have been producing bass for anglers, especially at night. The Essex River has slowed down considerably, with only sporadic catches being reported. Party boats have had decent fishing over the last week, but need to keep moving as dogfish are in our waters in numbers.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) There is no shortage of bluefish in Ipswich Bay as anglers are catching the fish on top water plugs as well as trolled swimming lures. Bluefish have also been landed from Pavilion and Steep Hill Beaches, while striped bass have headed for deeper waters.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Anglers itching for new sand to explore can now fish from Parking Lot’s 1, 6 and 7 at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Bluefish have been hitting close to shore in the morning as anglers have been having fun catching these fish from the Beach. The Parker River is still producing bass, but mostly at night.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing behind Carr Island and in Town Creek produced some nice sized bass on top water plugs and eels for this columnist a few nights this past week. In addition, anglers anchoring up and using bait by the Gillis Bridge have found decent sized bass at night. Joppa Flats has been somewhat sporadic as fish have been quite evident, but somewhat finicky. The best bet is eels at night on the flats. Bluefish have been taken from the shore of the front beach on Plum Island and some bass have been taken at night, mostly on clams and worms. Plum Island Point has also been providing decent action for bass and bluefish. Trolling from the south jetty to Emerson Rocks has found decent sized bluefish for boat fishermen. Party boats have been fighting through the dogfish, but are still finding some cod, haddock, cusk and wolf fish.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Fishing from the State Reservation banks of the Merrimack has offered a decent mix of bass and bluefish for surfcasters. Trolling from the North Jetty up to Hampton has seen decent action for bluefish in the 8-12 pound range.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Bluefish have made their way to the Granite State and are being caught by anglers from Seabrook to Portsmouth. Top water plugs, tubes and umbrella rigs are all taking the blues. Bass fishing has slowed a bit, but fishing the rocks around Hampton and Rye has produced bass for anglers, especially at night. There has been some bass activity in the lower Piscataqua and around the Navy Yard, but mostly sub-legal fish being landed. Larger bass and bluefish have been taken around the Isle of Shoals.
Tip of the Week:
When eel fishing, hook the eel directly through the lower jaw, then bring the hook up through the snout. In addition, eels can make quite a mess of your leader and line, so a little stretch goes a long way. Prior to hooking the eel, gently stretch the eel so that they are not in full wiggle mode when baiting your hook.
July 20, 2006
Hot weather sent striped bass to cooler, deeper waters this week, while bluefish have become more active with some 10-15 pound fish in the mix.
Dogfish have also showed up in numbers and are hindering the fishing for cod, haddock and cusk. Tuna have been seen out by Stellwagen Bank, but have yet to show in big numbers.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Mackerel have become scarce around Marblehead, but anglers are still doing well for bass with cut bait, mostly at night. Bluefish have been quite active during the day. Flounder fishing is decent just outside the harbor.
Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing around Bakers Island have found decent amounts of bass. The fish have been taking eels at night as well as cut bait. Salem-Beverly Bridge has also been producing bass for anglers at night. There are plenty of bluefish for the taking around Salem.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Flounder fishermen are being annoyed by numbers of dogfish, so it’s tough going. Bluefish have been carousing all along the Beverly and are quite fun to catch on light action rods. Striped Bass fishing around the islands off West Beach has been sporadic, with more bass coming at night.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea anglers have found schoolie bass in the rocks along the shore and they are taking both small plugs and flies. Bluefish are quite available as anglers have been catching blues to 15 pounds around the cape. In Gloucester, bluefish have been quite active just at the entrance to the harbor and anglers trolling deep running swimming lures and tube-n-worm rigs have done quite well. Off Halibut Point, dogfish continue to annoy anglers using bait, but some bass are being taken, along with bluefish. Rockport Beaches have been producing bass for anglers, especially at night. The Essex River has slowed down considerably, with only sporadic catches being reported. Party boats have had decent fishing over the last week, but need to keep moving as dogfish are in our waters in numbers.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) There is no shortage of bluefish in Ipswich Bay as anglers are catching the fish on top water plugs as well as trolled swimming lures. Bluefish have also been landed from Pavilion and Steep Hill Beaches, while striped bass have headed for deeper waters.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Anglers itching for new sand to explore can now fish from Parking Lot’s 1, 6 and 7 at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Bluefish have been hitting close to shore in the morning as anglers have been having fun catching these fish from the Beach. The Parker River is still producing bass, but mostly at night.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing behind Carr Island and in Town Creek produced some nice sized bass on top water plugs and eels for this columnist a few nights this past week. In addition, anglers anchoring up and using bait by the Gillis Bridge have found decent sized bass at night. Joppa Flats has been somewhat sporadic as fish have been quite evident, but somewhat finicky. The best bet is eels at night on the flats. Bluefish have been taken from the shore of the front beach on Plum Island and some bass have been taken at night, mostly on clams and worms. Plum Island Point has also been providing decent action for bass and bluefish. Trolling from the south jetty to Emerson Rocks has found decent sized bluefish for boat fishermen. Party boats have been fighting through the dogfish, but are still finding some cod, haddock, cusk and wolf fish.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Fishing from the State Reservation banks of the Merrimack has offered a decent mix of bass and bluefish for surfcasters. Trolling from the North Jetty up to Hampton has seen decent action for bluefish in the 8-12 pound range.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Bluefish have made their way to the Granite State and are being caught by anglers from Seabrook to Portsmouth. Top water plugs, tubes and umbrella rigs are all taking the blues. Bass fishing has slowed a bit, but fishing the rocks around Hampton and Rye has produced bass for anglers, especially at night. There has been some bass activity in the lower Piscataqua and around the Navy Yard, but mostly sub-legal fish being landed. Larger bass and bluefish have been taken around the Isle of Shoals.
Tip of the Week:
When eel fishing, hook the eel directly through the lower jaw, then bring the hook up through the snout. In addition, eels can make quite a mess of your leader and line, so a little stretch goes a long way. Prior to hooking the eel, gently stretch the eel so that they are not in full wiggle mode when baiting your hook.
July 14, 2006
Fish still cooperating for those in the know
Frank G. Dwyer
July 14, 2006
Unsettled weather combined with heat has made for tough going for anglers, but persistent fishermen are still putting fish in the boat.
Fishing at night is becoming the best option for large bass, while schoolie bass and plenty of bluefish are available for the daytime crowd.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) While it may not exactly be the summer doldrums, fish have become a bit picky in the waters around Marblehead. Anglers fishing the beaches at night have reported decent catches on both live bait (eels) and chunk bait. (mackerel) Soft plastics, popping plugs, or swimmers tossed along the rocky shore at night have also produced fish for persistent anglers. Fish are still being landed around the Harbor, Light House Point and Castle Rock, you just need more patience than earlier in the season.
Salem: (3 hooks) It seems things have slowed down around Salem for bass fishermen, with the stripers becoming harder to find. Anglers getting out before dawn or after dark have had better luck. There were however reports of good fishing in close to the rocks off Baker’s Island earlier in the week. Cut bait has been working best. The Danvers River has been slow. Flounder have been available, but you’ll need to fight through numbers of dogfish to get them.
Beverly: (3 hooks) There have been some reports of bass surface feeds off the Beverly coast this past week, but mostly small fish reported. Shore fishermen have reported slower activity off West Beach and the action seems to have slowed in the harbor as well. Some bluefish activity has at least allowed anglers to feel the bend of the rod.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea and Magnolia has seen the fishing action slow over the last week, but the fishing off Gloucester and Rockport has been good. There have been reports of mackerel showing up in the waters again, which is good since the bass should be in pursuit. Schools of small pollack have also been in close to shore. The Annisquam River and the Essex River, and surrounding waters have been slower this week. Dogfish continue to annoy anglers looking for cod and haddock, but party boats are still returning with good catches.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Reports from Crane Beach and Steep Hill Beach have had a few surface feeds over the last week with the bass chasing sand eels in close to shore. Fly anglers tossing small epoxy sand eel imitations and Ray’s fly have done well, as have spin fishermen using popping plugs. Some bluefish have been around the mouth of the Ipswich River.
Newbury: (3 hooks) If you can stand the Greenheads, then Plum Island Sound is a good option as a good mix of blues and stripers have been landed over the past week. Anglers fishing from Sandy Point have found good surface action early in the morning.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing remains steady around the Merrimack River estuary. Upriver, anglers have been scoring big bass on the higher tides off Carr and Eagle Islands. Deer Island has been a popular place for shore bound anglers in search of bass. Joppa Flats has been OK over the last week, with bait anglers seeming to out fish all others. Boats anchoring off the Toothpick and Badger Rocks have also done well drifting sea worms and cut bait just off the bottom. Anglers have also reported landing small fluke over the past week. The ocean front has also been home to several good fish, caught on both bait and lures, with a few bluefish in the mix. The party boats are still bringing in good numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) The Salisbury beach front has been slow during the day for the most part, but anglers fishing the early morning hours and after dark have been tallying some decent sized bass. Buck tail jigs, live eels and cut bait have all been working well along with sand eel imitations for fly fishermen. Fishing the Merrimack River from the State Reservation has been fairly consistent, however smaller bass have been the rule. Also, some sporadic bluefish activity reported.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Seabrook and Hampton have had good fishing over the last week, with some big fish falling for both live and cut bait. The marsh and river in Hampton have both produced keeper sized bass recently. Boat anglers have had good luck close into the rocks along the shore, or at the mouth of the rivers. Further north, fishing around Portsmouth and Dover Point has been somewhat steady. There are some big bass and blues out at the Isle of Shoals.
Tip of the Week:
Sea worms are often baited using a typical fish-finder rig or perhaps just a barrel swivel and an egg sinker. While this works nicely, there are other ways to rig a worm. Much like bobber fishing in a freshwater pond, set a worm on a 3-4 foot leader, and then utilize a cork float to allow the worm to float on or just under the surface. This technique tends to work best at night.
July 14, 2006
Unsettled weather combined with heat has made for tough going for anglers, but persistent fishermen are still putting fish in the boat.
Fishing at night is becoming the best option for large bass, while schoolie bass and plenty of bluefish are available for the daytime crowd.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) While it may not exactly be the summer doldrums, fish have become a bit picky in the waters around Marblehead. Anglers fishing the beaches at night have reported decent catches on both live bait (eels) and chunk bait. (mackerel) Soft plastics, popping plugs, or swimmers tossed along the rocky shore at night have also produced fish for persistent anglers. Fish are still being landed around the Harbor, Light House Point and Castle Rock, you just need more patience than earlier in the season.
Salem: (3 hooks) It seems things have slowed down around Salem for bass fishermen, with the stripers becoming harder to find. Anglers getting out before dawn or after dark have had better luck. There were however reports of good fishing in close to the rocks off Baker’s Island earlier in the week. Cut bait has been working best. The Danvers River has been slow. Flounder have been available, but you’ll need to fight through numbers of dogfish to get them.
Beverly: (3 hooks) There have been some reports of bass surface feeds off the Beverly coast this past week, but mostly small fish reported. Shore fishermen have reported slower activity off West Beach and the action seems to have slowed in the harbor as well. Some bluefish activity has at least allowed anglers to feel the bend of the rod.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea and Magnolia has seen the fishing action slow over the last week, but the fishing off Gloucester and Rockport has been good. There have been reports of mackerel showing up in the waters again, which is good since the bass should be in pursuit. Schools of small pollack have also been in close to shore. The Annisquam River and the Essex River, and surrounding waters have been slower this week. Dogfish continue to annoy anglers looking for cod and haddock, but party boats are still returning with good catches.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Reports from Crane Beach and Steep Hill Beach have had a few surface feeds over the last week with the bass chasing sand eels in close to shore. Fly anglers tossing small epoxy sand eel imitations and Ray’s fly have done well, as have spin fishermen using popping plugs. Some bluefish have been around the mouth of the Ipswich River.
Newbury: (3 hooks) If you can stand the Greenheads, then Plum Island Sound is a good option as a good mix of blues and stripers have been landed over the past week. Anglers fishing from Sandy Point have found good surface action early in the morning.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing remains steady around the Merrimack River estuary. Upriver, anglers have been scoring big bass on the higher tides off Carr and Eagle Islands. Deer Island has been a popular place for shore bound anglers in search of bass. Joppa Flats has been OK over the last week, with bait anglers seeming to out fish all others. Boats anchoring off the Toothpick and Badger Rocks have also done well drifting sea worms and cut bait just off the bottom. Anglers have also reported landing small fluke over the past week. The ocean front has also been home to several good fish, caught on both bait and lures, with a few bluefish in the mix. The party boats are still bringing in good numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) The Salisbury beach front has been slow during the day for the most part, but anglers fishing the early morning hours and after dark have been tallying some decent sized bass. Buck tail jigs, live eels and cut bait have all been working well along with sand eel imitations for fly fishermen. Fishing the Merrimack River from the State Reservation has been fairly consistent, however smaller bass have been the rule. Also, some sporadic bluefish activity reported.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Seabrook and Hampton have had good fishing over the last week, with some big fish falling for both live and cut bait. The marsh and river in Hampton have both produced keeper sized bass recently. Boat anglers have had good luck close into the rocks along the shore, or at the mouth of the rivers. Further north, fishing around Portsmouth and Dover Point has been somewhat steady. There are some big bass and blues out at the Isle of Shoals.
Tip of the Week:
Sea worms are often baited using a typical fish-finder rig or perhaps just a barrel swivel and an egg sinker. While this works nicely, there are other ways to rig a worm. Much like bobber fishing in a freshwater pond, set a worm on a 3-4 foot leader, and then utilize a cork float to allow the worm to float on or just under the surface. This technique tends to work best at night.
July 7, 2006
Dog Days of Summer not Barking Yet
Frank G. Dwyer
July 7, 2006
July 4th usually heralds in the “Dog Days” of summer, which is never a good thing for fishing, but the action in our waters continues to please anglers.
Larger Striped Bass have taken up residence in Massachusetts and New Hampshire waters, while bluefish are also being landed in more numbers. Of course, the bluefish have sent the mackerel to more northern waters, but overall the fishing remains strong.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been patrolling the coast off Marblehead and anglers are having a good time targeting the toothy critters, especially with light tackle. Stripers have been cooperating as well, with larger bass being taken off the Neck, especially at night on eels.
Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers drifting sea worms after dark at the Kernwood Bridge have been landing keeper size bass. Fishing off Winter Island has offered a mix of bluefish and striped bass for anglers utilizing both bait and lures. Sea worms, clams and cut bait as well as larger popping plugs are all leading to tight lines.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Early risers have found pogies in Beverly Harbor, and a live-lined pogie is one of the best ways to weed out the small fish and get yourself a striped bass over 30 pounds. Anglers trolling tube-n-worm set ups around Baker’s Island have done well with larger striped bass. Bluefish are also in numbers around Baker’s and off West Beach.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Flounder fishing remains strong off Marblehead as limits have been reached by anglers over the last week. Bluefish have been just off the Marblehead coast and striped bass have been hanging in the rocks, especially at night. While mackerel have thinned out around the Cape, anglers have found pogies in numbers just off Gloucester. Boat anglers have had success for keeper size bass in the 30-100 foot depths off Halibut Point with some bruiser blues to 12 pounds in the mix. Schoolies remain the rule in the Essex River as fly rodders have done well with fish to 26”. Offshore, school bluefin tuna have been starting to make the trek from Cape Cod Bay to our waters, so many anglers will soon be in search of the speedy tunas. Cod and Haddock fishing has been quite good around Stellwagen, Jeffreys and Tillies as the Party Boats continue to offer good fishing to their customers.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) While the mackerel have never really been thick in Ipswich Bay this year, pogies have been around early in the morning, bringing striped bass and bluefish with them. Bathers have taken over the beaches during the day, but anglers trekking out to Crane and Steep Hill Beach after dark are finding good bass fishing.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Boat anglers trolling off Emerson Rocks have found bluefish to 12 pounds and plenty of hungry school-sized bass. The Parker River continues to have good bass activity, with larger fish being taken at night. Plum Island Sound has had a decent mix of blues and bass for anglers.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing upriver from the Route 95 Bridge to the Gillis Bridge has been quite productive over the last week. Casting into the banks of Deer, Ram, Eagle and Carr Islands has led to good school bass action for both spin and fly fishermen and larger bass after dark. Drifting from the AYC moorings to Woodbridge Island offered non-stop action last week for mostly school-sized bass and the occasional rouge bluefish on the outgoing tide. The fishing pressure was intense from Plum Island Point over the Holiday weekend--but with good reason--many bass are being taken, including plenty of keeper sized bass being landed on clams, worms and cut bait. Anglers trolling from the mouth of the Merrimack to the MR buoy have found large bluefish willing to take most offerings. Party boats continue to get into good numbers of cod, haddock, cusk and wolf fish.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) The RV’s and campers are packed into the State Reservation in Salisbury and fishing the Merrimack from the shore there has been quite crowded. As it is across the river, fishing has been good, especially for bait anglers. Boat anglers drifting from the toothpick to Badger Rocks on the outgoing tide have found good numbers of bass.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Mackerel are still swimming off the seacoast and anglers are finding good numbers of bass in pursuit. Fishing from Odiorne State Park in Rye at night has been good for bait anglers. Further north, anglers drifting in the Piscataqua have found decent bass fishing from the Navy Yard to the mouth. Cod and Haddock fishing has been quite good just south of the Isle of Shoals as the ground fish activity continue to please fishermen.
Tip of the Week:
While the topic is certainly open for debate, I firmly believe striped bass have a keen sense of bait/lure presentation and will discriminate based on leaders, snap swivels and color. If you use a snap-swivel as a convenient method of changing up your lures, try tying the lure directly to the monofilament. I’m willing to bet that you will get more hits with the lure tied directly to the line or a heavy mono leader as opposed to utilizing the highly visible snap-swivel.
July 7, 2006
July 4th usually heralds in the “Dog Days” of summer, which is never a good thing for fishing, but the action in our waters continues to please anglers.
Larger Striped Bass have taken up residence in Massachusetts and New Hampshire waters, while bluefish are also being landed in more numbers. Of course, the bluefish have sent the mackerel to more northern waters, but overall the fishing remains strong.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been patrolling the coast off Marblehead and anglers are having a good time targeting the toothy critters, especially with light tackle. Stripers have been cooperating as well, with larger bass being taken off the Neck, especially at night on eels.
Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers drifting sea worms after dark at the Kernwood Bridge have been landing keeper size bass. Fishing off Winter Island has offered a mix of bluefish and striped bass for anglers utilizing both bait and lures. Sea worms, clams and cut bait as well as larger popping plugs are all leading to tight lines.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Early risers have found pogies in Beverly Harbor, and a live-lined pogie is one of the best ways to weed out the small fish and get yourself a striped bass over 30 pounds. Anglers trolling tube-n-worm set ups around Baker’s Island have done well with larger striped bass. Bluefish are also in numbers around Baker’s and off West Beach.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Flounder fishing remains strong off Marblehead as limits have been reached by anglers over the last week. Bluefish have been just off the Marblehead coast and striped bass have been hanging in the rocks, especially at night. While mackerel have thinned out around the Cape, anglers have found pogies in numbers just off Gloucester. Boat anglers have had success for keeper size bass in the 30-100 foot depths off Halibut Point with some bruiser blues to 12 pounds in the mix. Schoolies remain the rule in the Essex River as fly rodders have done well with fish to 26”. Offshore, school bluefin tuna have been starting to make the trek from Cape Cod Bay to our waters, so many anglers will soon be in search of the speedy tunas. Cod and Haddock fishing has been quite good around Stellwagen, Jeffreys and Tillies as the Party Boats continue to offer good fishing to their customers.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) While the mackerel have never really been thick in Ipswich Bay this year, pogies have been around early in the morning, bringing striped bass and bluefish with them. Bathers have taken over the beaches during the day, but anglers trekking out to Crane and Steep Hill Beach after dark are finding good bass fishing.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Boat anglers trolling off Emerson Rocks have found bluefish to 12 pounds and plenty of hungry school-sized bass. The Parker River continues to have good bass activity, with larger fish being taken at night. Plum Island Sound has had a decent mix of blues and bass for anglers.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing upriver from the Route 95 Bridge to the Gillis Bridge has been quite productive over the last week. Casting into the banks of Deer, Ram, Eagle and Carr Islands has led to good school bass action for both spin and fly fishermen and larger bass after dark. Drifting from the AYC moorings to Woodbridge Island offered non-stop action last week for mostly school-sized bass and the occasional rouge bluefish on the outgoing tide. The fishing pressure was intense from Plum Island Point over the Holiday weekend--but with good reason--many bass are being taken, including plenty of keeper sized bass being landed on clams, worms and cut bait. Anglers trolling from the mouth of the Merrimack to the MR buoy have found large bluefish willing to take most offerings. Party boats continue to get into good numbers of cod, haddock, cusk and wolf fish.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) The RV’s and campers are packed into the State Reservation in Salisbury and fishing the Merrimack from the shore there has been quite crowded. As it is across the river, fishing has been good, especially for bait anglers. Boat anglers drifting from the toothpick to Badger Rocks on the outgoing tide have found good numbers of bass.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Mackerel are still swimming off the seacoast and anglers are finding good numbers of bass in pursuit. Fishing from Odiorne State Park in Rye at night has been good for bait anglers. Further north, anglers drifting in the Piscataqua have found decent bass fishing from the Navy Yard to the mouth. Cod and Haddock fishing has been quite good just south of the Isle of Shoals as the ground fish activity continue to please fishermen.
Tip of the Week:
While the topic is certainly open for debate, I firmly believe striped bass have a keen sense of bait/lure presentation and will discriminate based on leaders, snap swivels and color. If you use a snap-swivel as a convenient method of changing up your lures, try tying the lure directly to the monofilament. I’m willing to bet that you will get more hits with the lure tied directly to the line or a heavy mono leader as opposed to utilizing the highly visible snap-swivel.
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