Patience Needed as Dog Days are Upon Us

Frank G. Dwyer
Publication Date: July 11, 2008

Marblehead: (3 hooks) Anglers have done well off the Neck at night with large plugs, eels and cut bait as the heat that settled in made fishing for bass during daylight unproductive. Devereux Beach has been producing blues and bass.

Salem: (3 hooks) Boaters report good flounder fishing just outside the harbor, and bluefish continue to patrol the waters in search of plugs to ruin. Salem Willows and Winter Island have been somewhat slow, but anglers working the islands have found decent action for keeper bass.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Fishing near the Kernwood Bridge at night continues to produce good-sized bass for anglers utilizing weighted Sluggos and cut bait. The area around West Beach has been good for boat anglers in search of bluefish and bass, not so much for shore-bound anglers.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Boat fishermen have found flounder just off the shore in Manchester-by-the-Sea as well as decent sized bluefish. Bass fishing has been best off the rocks in Magnolia at night with eels. In Gloucester, fishing in the Annisquam has slowed, but bass are still holding in deeper pockets within the river. Bluefish have been plentiful just outside the breakwater, and farther off shore anglers report tuna sightings and catches from Thacher's to Stellwagen. Fishing from the beaches in Rockport has been good at night for anglers throwing large popping and swimming plugs. The cod and haddock fishing remain fairly good if you can avoid the dogfish.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been the most prevalent catch around the mouth of the Ipswich River. If you can fish the Crane Beach area at night you should be rewarded with decent bass action. Both spin and fly anglers report decent activity over the last week.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Greenheads are here and will greatly reduce your fishing enjoyment during the day off the Parker River refuge. If you can stand it, decent bluefish catches have been reported off the open beaches. Plum Island Sound has seen decent bluefish activity as well but slower bass activity.

Newburyport/Plum Island: (3 hooks) Large bass remain catchable from Joppa Flats at night. Anglers using eels and cut bait have done best. Fishing the front beach from Plum Island at night with cut bait or needlefish type lures has produced bass over the last week. Plum Island Point continues to produce bluefish and bass, with two hours on each side of low tide the best time to fish. Boat anglers drifting bait and eels at the mouth have found both bluefish and bass cooperating.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Anglers have reported limited success at night off Salisbury Beach, but if you are patient, you may be rewarded with a keeper bass. Best bet is cut bait, clams or sea worms. Fishing from the State Reservation is productive but crowded. Boat anglers fishing the Salisbury side of the river have found good bass action from the Toothpick to Badger Rocks.

New Hampshire seacoast: (4 hooks) Mackerel are still in the waters off Portsmouth so bass fishing has been pretty good. Sand eels have been thick off Hampton, and anglers fishing small plugs and sand eel imitation flies have been catching good-sized bass. Flounder fishing just outside Rye Harbor has been improving steadily for the last few weeks.

Tip of the Week:
Wire won't work. I've said it before and I'll say it again, striped bass have incredible senses so using a wire leader or snap swivel will decrease your catches over time. Instead, use a heavy mono leader or tie directly to your line.