Weekend Promises Good Weather and Better Fishing

BY Frank G. Dwyer
Publication Date: June 18, 2010
The Father’s Day weekend weather forecast looks great and should help provide for some great fishing. There’s no shortage of fish around the North Shore and anglers should find plenty of options.

The tuna bite is officially on off-shore while flounder, bluefish and bass are providing terrific inshore action for shore and boat fishermen alike.

Marblehead: (3 hooks) Devereux and Singing beach have been hit or miss for surfcasters this week but anglers fishing in and around the harbor have found surface feeding bass around Fort Sewall, Lady’s Cove and Chandler Hovey Park.

Salem: (4 hooks) There have been a multitude of surface feeding bass in Salem Harbor this week, and anglers lucky enough to catch one have found the fish quite cooperative. The bass are chasing herring and mackerel and top water plugs, metals and sluggos were all working and live mackerel helped anglers find the bigger fish. Some bluefish have been in the mix, but they have not overrun the area just yet.

Beverly: (4 hooks) Both Dane Street Beach and West Beach have seen surface feeding bass this week which are willing to take most offerings from anglers. Mackerel have been taken from the pier this week and we all know that’s good for striped bass fishing! Fishing around Lynch Park is also a good bet.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Mackerel are still available around the cape, mostly at first light. There are also lots of small herring in the water which has made bass fishing quite good over the last week. Surfcasters working the rocks around Magnolia have found bass taking most offerings including sluggos, deadly dicks and top water plugs. Boaters have found large bass by Dog Bar Breakwater, Halibut Point and off Lane’s Cove. Bluefish have also started to show in more numbers and bait anglers have been fending off more and more dogfish. Rockport beaches are fishing well with bait at night while the Essex River fishing has slowed a bit. Party boats have had good action for Cod, Haddock and Pollock while Tuna fishing on Stellwagen and Tillies is on the up-tick.

Ipswich: (4 hooks) Pavillion Beach has been fishing well for mid-sized bass with the occasional keeper thrown in. Sand eel patterns for fly fishermen are deadly right now and un-weighted sluggos are working well too. Crane and Steep Hill continue to fish well at dusk, overnight and at dawn.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Plum Island Sound has been hit or miss this week and a few bluefish have made their way into the sound. The Parker is still giving up schoolies, mostly in low light hours and Sandy Point has been good for bait fishermen.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) Joppa Flats remains very hot for large bass at night. Eels and tube and worm are working best for 25+ pound bass. Anglers drifting the outgoing tide from the Toothpick to the mouth of the river have found excellent bass action, especially with live mackerel. Shore anglers are getting in on the action as well on the outgoing tide near the sandbar at Plum Island Point. Beyond bait, metal lures like Hopkins and Kastmasters are also hammering the fish. Flounder fishing remains strong along the Plum Island Beachfront with shore anglers also limiting out! Party boats have been having great success with cod, haddock and Pollock. The tuna action is heating up on Stellwagen, especially around the NWC, while Tillies is also providing tuna action, mostly on the southern side.

Salisbury, MA: (3 hooks) Keeper bass have been taken off Salisbury beach this week on eels and black sluggos. Top water plugs are also attracting bass. A few stray bluefish are in the mix near the mouth of the river and flounder limits are still being caught just off the beach.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) The mackerel are thick from Seabrook to Kittery and bass are there for the taking. The best fishing has been around the Great Bay and throughout the Piscataqua river system. Anglers are using Sabiki rigs outside the mouth and then live lining mackerel for bass to 40 pounds. Eels have been working upriver and around the Bay at night. Ground fishing has also been good for the party fleet and anglers spending the gas money in search of Tuna have found them on Stellwagen and the footballs should be on Tantas Ledge any day.

TIP OF THE WEEK: No Bananas! The reasons are many, some more reasonable than others, but any angler worth his salt knows to NEVER bring bananas or anything remotely related to bananas on a boat when going fishing. (Related items could be Banana Boat sunscreen, Banana muffins, etc...) Bananas are considered bad luck for numerous reasons and you’ll save yourself a lot of grief by staying away when fishing on a boat.