Blues and Bass Between Rain Drops

BY Frank Dwyer
Publication Date: July 3, 2009

Let’s face it, June really stunk it up this year, and although the fishing has been good, the weather has made for conditions that are less than enjoyable.

Hopefully the fish are just as sick of the rain as all of us and this weekends dryer forecasts will provide anglers with more fishing opportunities north of Boston.

Marblehead: (3 hooks) Cut bait floated in the rocks off the Neck has been a productive method of catching keeper-sized bass this week. Fish have been busting just outside the harbor as mackerel are still in the area. Bluefish continue on their quest to bite everything offered.

Salem: (3 hooks) Bass action in the Danvers River has been good, but the larger bass have been absent. Bluefish and bass have been feeding at the entrance to the harbor with live-lined mackerel still your best bet for big fish.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing the West Beach area at night have found surface feeding bass as well as some bluefish in the mix. Flounder fishing continues to be good, in between the rotten weather. Anglers fishing from the State Pier report a decent mix of bass and blues, mostly on bait.
Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Surf caster hopping rocks around Magnolia have found good numbers of bass as the wind has been blowing bait into the rocks. Small broken backs, needle fish and medium sized top water plugs have all been producing. The Annisquam is still yielding bass, especially in some of the deeper holes up river. Larger bass continue to take eels and tube and worm rigs around Halibut Point and Thachers, while off shore fishing has been very much contingent on the weather over the last week. Some party boats have found good numbers of Cod during breaks in the weather. Fishing in the Essex River for bass takes more work, but the bass are still there.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Blues and stripers have been taking offerings from shore-bound fishermen off Crane Beach. Anglers have found black pencil poppers, dark soft plastic baits and wood plugs working well. Larger bass have been on the surface at the mouth of the Ipswich a few times this week at false dawn, and taking most top water and metal offerings.

Newbury: (3 hooks) The east wind has been pushing bait towards the beach and with that the NWR lots 1 and 7 have been providing good action with bass sometimes right in the wash. Sluggos and metal have worked best over the last week with bait (clams and worms) coming in a close second.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fog has plagued the Port over the last several days making fishing a bit interesting for both shore and boat anglers. Upriver, anglers are still finding bass taking live eels and top water plugs at night. The waters around Deer, Carr and Eagle Island have all been producing decent action for bass. The flats have been hit and miss, as fish will be on top one day and gone the next. Sluggos and top water plugs on the outgoing tide have worked well. Flounder fishing off Plum Island remains decent when the weather cooperates and Plum Island Point continues to attract anglers (and bass) on either end of low tide.

Salisbury, MA: (3 hooks) Mackerel have become harder to find near Breaking Rock, mostly because bluefish numbers have increased. Fishing from the State Reservation has been good for bait fishermen with worms and clams, while surf caster report sporadic action off Salisbury Beach.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) Mackerel have still been around Hampton and Portsmouth and anglers using cut, fillet strips or whole mackerel have been finding good numbers of fish to 30-pounds. Bluefish have been thick at times at the mouth of the Piscataqua all the way out to the Isle of Shoals.

TIP OF THE WEEK: Rinse your gear in fresh water after every outing, no matter how tired you are. Wear and tear is only heightened when salt and other environmental matter is allowed to build up on your tackle.