May 22, 2008

Memorial Day Weekend Should Provide Anglers with Excellent Opportunities

Frank G. Dwyer
The weather has been somewhat cooperative and has improved fishing conditions over the last week in our region.

Memorial Day should bring good action for both inshore and offshore anglers as bait becomes more plentiful attracting the fish we like to catch.

Marblehead: (2 hooks) Wind mid-week made casting fairly tough for both spin and fly anglers. Schoolies have been taken from both Devereaux Beach and the shoreline around the Neck. Bucktail Jigs and Plastics rigged on lead have worked better than top water baits. Sinking lines work best for fly fishermen.

Salem: (2 hooks) Pogies have been around Salem Harbor which means the big bass can’t be far behind. Fish have also been taken from the waters around the power plant as well as at both Winter Island and Salem Willows. Reports also have decent action for Winter Flounder and Fluke.

Beverly: (2 hooks) The Danvers River has been fishing well for anglers, especially in the early morning. Larger bass have been reported this week with fish landed on small flies fished deep on sinking lines as well as sluggos twitched slowly across the bottom. West Beach has seen schoolies over the last week as well.

Cape Ann: (2 hooks) As is the norm for this time of year, the Annisquam River is fishing well, with anglers finding bass chasing herring, especially upriver. Mackerel and Pogies are also active around Cape Ann from Magnolia to Rockport and the striped bass are chasing them with larger fish in the mix every day. Some surface feeds have been reported with excellent top water action for bass to 37 inches.

Ipswich: (2 hooks) Bass have been active in Ipswich Bay as well as the mouth of the Ipswich River. Surface feeds have been noted at the mouth as well as off Cranes Beach, with small Kastmasters and Hopkins working well for surfcasters.

Newbury: (1 hook) Fishing around Sandy Point and in the Parker River has been heating up over the past week with school bass chasing bait and hitting small flies stripped quickly on sinking line as well as on soft plastic baits.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Anglers have found fresh stripers from Deer Island to the mouth of the Merrimack. A few keepers have been reported in the mix with the schoolies. Anglers fishing with soft plastics and buck tail jigs have done well on Joppa Flats as well as off the oceanfront. Bait fishermen report clams and sea worms to be working well of the beach as well as in the river. Shad fishing remains decent at Rocks Village and some bigger bass have been chasing herring around the Lawrence Dam. Offshore party boats report a good cod bite with many market-sized fish and some fish in the 20’s. Some Haddock have been in the mix as well.

Salisbury: (1 hook) School bass have been taken from both the ocean beaches and banks of the Merrimack River in Salisbury, however the action has been spotty. Anglers willing to walk will find decent fishing off Rings Island.

Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) The Blackwater River and Taylor River have been full of Herring and with that striped bass. While the action has been somewhat sporadic, anglers have been having luck with medium to large soft plastics. Hampton Harbor should be heating up in the coming days.

Tip of the Week:

Teasers: Seasoned anglers know that more is better and that adding a teaser to your line doubles the chance of landing a fish and also gives you the opportunity for the heralded “double”. Uses an Andrus Teaser or a fly like a Lefty’s Deceiver and either a dropper loop or UniKnot to a barrel swivel. The teaser should be tied at least 4 feet in front of the plug.

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