Frank G. Dwyer
July 30, 2006
As the July 4th Holiday Weekend arrives, unsettled weather has been no deterrent for anglers this week as striped bass and bluefish continue to be landed up and down the North Shore.
Flounder and fluke are being landed in more numbers and anglers fishing off shore have found a good mix of cod, haddock, wolf fish and cod. School bluefin tuna have been off Provincetown, so they will be in our waters soon.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Fishing around Castle Rock and the Lighthouse has been good for both bait and fly fishermen. Anglers reported mostly sub-legal striped bass activity, but consistent action. Cut bait has been working well for bait anglers with sinking lines and bait fish imitation flies being the order of the day for fly anglers. Devereaux Beach has been providing good action for surfcasters for both blues and stripers.
Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing in Salem Harbor have found consistent school bass action as fish in the 22”-26” have been taking most offerings. Bluefish have been patrolling just outside the harbor and as a result, mackerel have not been as evident.
Beverly: (3 hooks) West Beach has produced good numbers of bass this past week, with a few bluefish venturing close to shore. Ober Park and Kernwood Bridge have been hotspots for bait anglers at night as keeper size bass have been in the mix.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Drifting sea worms on a fish-finder rig from Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea has produced keeper size bass this week, especially at night. Fishing around Magnolia and Gloucester has been consistent as bass have been close to shore. Larger fish have started to be landed in more numbers, but school bass are still the norm. Bluefish have been in numbers off Halibut Point and larger bass have been dredged up from the deeper water off the point. Small bass continue to be taken in the Essex River with a few blues in the mix. Fishing off Tillies and Stellwagen has been offering a good mix of ground fish.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Fishing around Ipswich has been somewhat spotty, but bluefish and stripers are available to persistent anglers. Bluefish and striped bass have been taken at the mouth of the Ipswich River, while Crane, Steep Hill and Pavilion Beaches have been inconsistent.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Fishing in the Parker River has been good, as both bluefish and bass have been chasing bait upriver. Plum Island Sound has also been home to decent numbers of striped bass and bluefish.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing around Newburyport has been good, as fish have been landed from the 95 Bridge to the mouth of the Merrimack. Over the last week, I’ve had mornings with many fish landed, and others with hardly a nibble. The inconsistency could be related to the still murky water or unsettled weather, however persistence has continued to pay off, especially early in the morning or after dark. Joppa Flats has fished well for fly and spin anglers as larger flies on sinking lines have been working, especially when stripped erratically. Top water plugs have also been enticing bass on the Flats, but again, the fish have been picky. As we lead up to July 4th, Plum Island Point has been crowded with anglers, mostly fishing with bait, so you’ll need patience at this popular spot. The ocean front has also been delivering fish for anglers, with metal and swimming lures working on spin rods and clams and worms working well for the sand-spike crew.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Boat anglers have found pods of bass just off the North Jetty and along Salisbury beach. While most fish have been in the 22-26” range, keepers are in the mix and bluefish have arrived to keep anglers on their toes. Expect elbow to elbow conditions from the State Reservation this weekend.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Seabrook, Rye and Hampton have all seen their share of good fishing over the last week. A few surface feeds off Rye at sunset last week had bass and blues in the mix. Boat anglers have had mixed results in the Piscataqua River over the past week, however some keeper sized bass have been landed. Fly anglers do best with large flies presented on a fast sinking line. Spin fishermen have done well with sluggos, broken-back swimming lures and poppers. Bluefish and Bass have been trapping bait offshore at the Isle of Shoals.
Tip of the Week:
Saltwater fly fishing has gained in popularity over the last several years as anglers have found the same excitement experienced on a trout stream can be multiplied when fishing for larger quarry in the salt. One of the best tips I’ve received as it relates to fly fishing in saltwater is to vary the strip/retrieve until you find a rhythm that produces strikes consistently. One day it may be a steady retrieve, while the next it may be two quick strips, followed by a 3-count, followed by two quick strips, and so on. Don’t get stuck in a rut, vary your retrieve and land more fish.
June 22, 2006
Post Solstice Fishing Action Heats Up
Frank G. Dwyer
June 23, 2006
Warm weather and excellent numbers of baitfish in our local waters have combined to provide anglers with steady action throughout the North Shore.
Larger striped bass have been chasing mackerel and pogies both close to shore and in deeper waters, while cod, haddock, pollock and flounder have all been landed in increasing numbers.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Good numbers of bass and blues off Marblehead as anglers have found bass just outside the harbor as well as along the Neck. Bait fishermen have been thinning out the schoolies using live-lined or large chunks of mackerel and pogies.
Salem: (3 hooks) Salem Willows Pier and Winter Island have all been attracting anglers and for good reason, the fish are biting! Bluefish and Flounder have been congregating just outside the Harbor. Offshore, anglers have found good numbers of haddock, cod and pollock on Jefferies and Stellwagen.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing from the area around the Beverly/Salem Bridge have found good numbers of bass, especially at night, with some bigger fish in the mix. Anglers fishing from West Beach and around the islands have also had consistent bass action.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea anglers have found good numbers from shore and boat as both bluefish and striper landings have been on the increase. Shore fishermen have had good luck catching bass chasing small pogies up against the rocks along Magnolia. In Gloucester, the Annisquam has been producing good numbers of striped bass, with larger fish being caught at night. Tube-n-Worm rigs and large plugs have been the ticket. Fishing around Stage Fort Park has also been good for shore anglers using both bait and lures. Striped Bass have also been cooperating with fishermen around Rocky Neck/Eastern Point as bluefish and bass have been taking bait as well as plugs and metals. Larger Bass continue to coral bait of Halibut point in the thirty to one hundred foot level. The Essex River continues to produce good numbers of bass but most are in the 22-26” range.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Bluefish and striped bass have been landed at the mouth of the Ipswich River this week as sand eels have become quite thick. Small flies and plastics have been enticing bass, some over the 28” limit to strike. Most of the local beaches have also been fishing quite nicely, including Crane and Steep Hill. Beware; the greenheads will be here soon!
Newbury: (3 hooks) Small bluefish have arrived on the scene in both Plum Island Sound and the Parker River. Surfcasters fishing with worms, clams and cut mackerel have done well from the beach at Parking Lot 1 of the Parker River National Wildlife Reserve.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Good fishing around Newburyport and Plum Island as sand eels and mackerel have lured fish closer to shore. Fishing from the Ellis Bridge to Woodbridge Island has produced fairly consistent school sized bass as both fly and spin anglers have done well. Sand eels have become more plentiful in the river, so small eel imitations have been working well. Plum Island Point and the Ocean Front have also been fishing well with bait anglers landing more keeper size bass on worms, clams and cut mackerel. Small bluefish have been caught from the Merrimack River entrance to Sandy Point. The ocean front has also yielded larger bass to bait anglers, especially at night. Kay Moulton’s photo board at Surfland Bait and Tackle has plenty of nice fish displayed, but smaller bass are still the norm. Party boats have been offering their patrons good fishing for haddock, cod and pollock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Early morning or later in the evening are the only real options for anglers fishing from Salisbury Beach as bathers have taken over. That’s OK though, as most of the action from the beach is in the lowlight hours for both bait and artificial anglers. The State Reservation continues to attract throngs of anglers who are having success fishing in the Merrimack, mostly on bait.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Fishing off Seabrook and Hampton has been good as mackerel have invaded the Seacoast. Larger fish are in the mix, but schoolies are still the dominant catch. Fishing off Rye and Portsmouth has also improved and bluefish to 5 pounds are now in the mix.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Seeing a top water blitz of feeding fish and diving birds will set any anglers heart pumping, but many boat fishermen approach these blitzes in a “run and gun” manner, often putting the fish down and ruining the action for not only themselves, but the other anglers in the area. Try to remain calm and approach the blitz at a slow speed. Stop your engine on the outside of the blitz, taking care not to “run over” the fish and cast into the boiling water. You’ll increase your catch ratios and prevent angry glares from your fellow anglers.
June 23, 2006
Warm weather and excellent numbers of baitfish in our local waters have combined to provide anglers with steady action throughout the North Shore.
Larger striped bass have been chasing mackerel and pogies both close to shore and in deeper waters, while cod, haddock, pollock and flounder have all been landed in increasing numbers.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Good numbers of bass and blues off Marblehead as anglers have found bass just outside the harbor as well as along the Neck. Bait fishermen have been thinning out the schoolies using live-lined or large chunks of mackerel and pogies.
Salem: (3 hooks) Salem Willows Pier and Winter Island have all been attracting anglers and for good reason, the fish are biting! Bluefish and Flounder have been congregating just outside the Harbor. Offshore, anglers have found good numbers of haddock, cod and pollock on Jefferies and Stellwagen.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing from the area around the Beverly/Salem Bridge have found good numbers of bass, especially at night, with some bigger fish in the mix. Anglers fishing from West Beach and around the islands have also had consistent bass action.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea anglers have found good numbers from shore and boat as both bluefish and striper landings have been on the increase. Shore fishermen have had good luck catching bass chasing small pogies up against the rocks along Magnolia. In Gloucester, the Annisquam has been producing good numbers of striped bass, with larger fish being caught at night. Tube-n-Worm rigs and large plugs have been the ticket. Fishing around Stage Fort Park has also been good for shore anglers using both bait and lures. Striped Bass have also been cooperating with fishermen around Rocky Neck/Eastern Point as bluefish and bass have been taking bait as well as plugs and metals. Larger Bass continue to coral bait of Halibut point in the thirty to one hundred foot level. The Essex River continues to produce good numbers of bass but most are in the 22-26” range.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Bluefish and striped bass have been landed at the mouth of the Ipswich River this week as sand eels have become quite thick. Small flies and plastics have been enticing bass, some over the 28” limit to strike. Most of the local beaches have also been fishing quite nicely, including Crane and Steep Hill. Beware; the greenheads will be here soon!
Newbury: (3 hooks) Small bluefish have arrived on the scene in both Plum Island Sound and the Parker River. Surfcasters fishing with worms, clams and cut mackerel have done well from the beach at Parking Lot 1 of the Parker River National Wildlife Reserve.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Good fishing around Newburyport and Plum Island as sand eels and mackerel have lured fish closer to shore. Fishing from the Ellis Bridge to Woodbridge Island has produced fairly consistent school sized bass as both fly and spin anglers have done well. Sand eels have become more plentiful in the river, so small eel imitations have been working well. Plum Island Point and the Ocean Front have also been fishing well with bait anglers landing more keeper size bass on worms, clams and cut mackerel. Small bluefish have been caught from the Merrimack River entrance to Sandy Point. The ocean front has also yielded larger bass to bait anglers, especially at night. Kay Moulton’s photo board at Surfland Bait and Tackle has plenty of nice fish displayed, but smaller bass are still the norm. Party boats have been offering their patrons good fishing for haddock, cod and pollock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Early morning or later in the evening are the only real options for anglers fishing from Salisbury Beach as bathers have taken over. That’s OK though, as most of the action from the beach is in the lowlight hours for both bait and artificial anglers. The State Reservation continues to attract throngs of anglers who are having success fishing in the Merrimack, mostly on bait.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Fishing off Seabrook and Hampton has been good as mackerel have invaded the Seacoast. Larger fish are in the mix, but schoolies are still the dominant catch. Fishing off Rye and Portsmouth has also improved and bluefish to 5 pounds are now in the mix.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Seeing a top water blitz of feeding fish and diving birds will set any anglers heart pumping, but many boat fishermen approach these blitzes in a “run and gun” manner, often putting the fish down and ruining the action for not only themselves, but the other anglers in the area. Try to remain calm and approach the blitz at a slow speed. Stop your engine on the outside of the blitz, taking care not to “run over” the fish and cast into the boiling water. You’ll increase your catch ratios and prevent angry glares from your fellow anglers.
June 16, 2006
As summer approaches, fishing opportunities abound
Frank G. Dwyer
June 16, 2006
The warmer weather has helped keep fishing on the up-tick as baitfish have become thicker and larger striped bass have been taken by both shore and boat anglers.
The flounder bite has become more consistent, while offshore, cod and haddock fishing has been good on both Jeffries and Stellwagen.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Fishing from the Neck has been productive this past week as bass chased bait up against the rocks. Spin fishermen did well with small poppers and plastics and fly fishermen did well with small baitfish imitations. Devereux Beach provided steady action for anglers fishing lures and bait, however many of the fish are still sub-legal.
Salem: (3 hooks) The Salem Willows Pier has been a popular spot for anglers this week, as larger bass have been caught, especially at night. Fishing around Bakers Island has provided good action for anglers using cut bait or live-lining mackerel. Flounder fishing has improved just outside the harbor.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Fishing the Islands around Beverly and Manchester has been productive for boat anglers as keeper size bass have been taken by anglers offering cut bait in the rocks and trolling tube-n-worms and live-lining mackerel. Bait fishermen working from the Beverly Fishing Pier have also done well.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) The Manchester-by-the-Sea shoreline has been offering a steady pick of decent sized bass, with larger fish also in the mix. Flounder has been decent just outside the harbor. Further north, the beaches of Magnolia and Gloucester have been fishing well, especially for anglers utilizing the mackerel that have really become thick in the waters around the Cape. The Annisquam and Little Rivers have been providing good action for fly and spin fishermen with small deceivers and sliders working well on the fly and pencil poppers and small plugs for those using spinning gear. Boat anglers working from Eastern Point to Emerson Point have found good bass numbers, with larger fish hitting live-lined mackerel. Sand Eels and Silversides have been enticing bass in the Essex River as fly anglers do well with small minnow imitations.
Good action for cod and haddock off Tillies and Stellwagen, with some pollock and cusk in the mix.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Crane, Pavilion and Steep Hill beaches have all had good bass activity for surf casters. A few surface blitzes have been noted at the mouth of the Ipswich River as bass continue to take up residence in the local waters.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Plum Island Sound has been fishing well as has the Parker River, especially around Cape Merrill. Sluggos, top water plugs and pencil poppers have all been working quite well. The Parker River has been yielding larger bass, especially in upriver spots. Anglers have also found good bass fishing from Sandy Point on the southern end of Plum Island.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) I just got my skiff in the water this past week as my marina was one of those affected by the flooding of the Merrimack. I can tell you that the water in the river is still quite murky and has many large logs/poles still floating down river. Be careful!! That said, fishing the last few days has been spotty, but fish have been taken by bait fishermen as well as those anglers using flies and lures. The ocean front has had quite a bit of sea weed present, making fishing from the beach somewhat of a challenge. Party boats continue to catch good numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Boat fishermen have found mackerel at Breaking Rocks and have done well live-lining them in the Merrimack. Fishing off the State Reservations stretch along the Merrimack has been fishing well, especially for bait anglers using mackerel, clams and sea worms.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Seabrook, Rye and Hampton have all become lively with bass over the last week as more mackerel make their way north. Bass have been taken from Foss Beach and Jenness Beach as well off Hampton Beach. Further north, the Great Bay and Piscataqua have been heating up as more legal bass have been taken this week.
Tip Of The Week:
Increase you chances at landing bluefish! As the summer approaches, bluefish will be infesting our waters and you’ll do well always using a wire leader or fluro-carbon leader so you don’t lose your favorite plugs. If your using larger plugs, the blues may not be able to get their razor sharp teeth to your line, but unlike stripers, feeding bluefish have little problem taking a plug with a wire or fluro leader.
June 16, 2006
The warmer weather has helped keep fishing on the up-tick as baitfish have become thicker and larger striped bass have been taken by both shore and boat anglers.
The flounder bite has become more consistent, while offshore, cod and haddock fishing has been good on both Jeffries and Stellwagen.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Fishing from the Neck has been productive this past week as bass chased bait up against the rocks. Spin fishermen did well with small poppers and plastics and fly fishermen did well with small baitfish imitations. Devereux Beach provided steady action for anglers fishing lures and bait, however many of the fish are still sub-legal.
Salem: (3 hooks) The Salem Willows Pier has been a popular spot for anglers this week, as larger bass have been caught, especially at night. Fishing around Bakers Island has provided good action for anglers using cut bait or live-lining mackerel. Flounder fishing has improved just outside the harbor.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Fishing the Islands around Beverly and Manchester has been productive for boat anglers as keeper size bass have been taken by anglers offering cut bait in the rocks and trolling tube-n-worms and live-lining mackerel. Bait fishermen working from the Beverly Fishing Pier have also done well.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) The Manchester-by-the-Sea shoreline has been offering a steady pick of decent sized bass, with larger fish also in the mix. Flounder has been decent just outside the harbor. Further north, the beaches of Magnolia and Gloucester have been fishing well, especially for anglers utilizing the mackerel that have really become thick in the waters around the Cape. The Annisquam and Little Rivers have been providing good action for fly and spin fishermen with small deceivers and sliders working well on the fly and pencil poppers and small plugs for those using spinning gear. Boat anglers working from Eastern Point to Emerson Point have found good bass numbers, with larger fish hitting live-lined mackerel. Sand Eels and Silversides have been enticing bass in the Essex River as fly anglers do well with small minnow imitations.
Good action for cod and haddock off Tillies and Stellwagen, with some pollock and cusk in the mix.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Crane, Pavilion and Steep Hill beaches have all had good bass activity for surf casters. A few surface blitzes have been noted at the mouth of the Ipswich River as bass continue to take up residence in the local waters.
Newbury: (3 hooks) Plum Island Sound has been fishing well as has the Parker River, especially around Cape Merrill. Sluggos, top water plugs and pencil poppers have all been working quite well. The Parker River has been yielding larger bass, especially in upriver spots. Anglers have also found good bass fishing from Sandy Point on the southern end of Plum Island.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) I just got my skiff in the water this past week as my marina was one of those affected by the flooding of the Merrimack. I can tell you that the water in the river is still quite murky and has many large logs/poles still floating down river. Be careful!! That said, fishing the last few days has been spotty, but fish have been taken by bait fishermen as well as those anglers using flies and lures. The ocean front has had quite a bit of sea weed present, making fishing from the beach somewhat of a challenge. Party boats continue to catch good numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Boat fishermen have found mackerel at Breaking Rocks and have done well live-lining them in the Merrimack. Fishing off the State Reservations stretch along the Merrimack has been fishing well, especially for bait anglers using mackerel, clams and sea worms.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Seabrook, Rye and Hampton have all become lively with bass over the last week as more mackerel make their way north. Bass have been taken from Foss Beach and Jenness Beach as well off Hampton Beach. Further north, the Great Bay and Piscataqua have been heating up as more legal bass have been taken this week.
Tip Of The Week:
Increase you chances at landing bluefish! As the summer approaches, bluefish will be infesting our waters and you’ll do well always using a wire leader or fluro-carbon leader so you don’t lose your favorite plugs. If your using larger plugs, the blues may not be able to get their razor sharp teeth to your line, but unlike stripers, feeding bluefish have little problem taking a plug with a wire or fluro leader.
June 7, 2006
Despite the Weather, Fishing Action Rolls On
Frank G. Dwyer
June 8, 2006
Larger schools of bass have been invading our waters as mackerel have started to show in more numbers and keeper sized bass are starting to be caught in more numbers.
Before the turn in the weather, flounder, cod, haddock and pollock fishing had been quite good, and should heat up again quickly once we are out of the slop.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Good fishing abounds for anglers in Marblehead. Fishing off the Neck, especially near Castle Rock, has started to heat up. Bait and Artificial fishermen have been scoring bass in large numbers from 14” to 32”. The waters around Marblehead Harbor have been decent for flounder.
Salem: (3 hooks) Salem Sound now has larger schools of bass chasing the freshly arriving mackerel. Cut bait has been working well from shore and boat as has larger profile flies on sinking lines. Winter Island has also been providing anglers with excellent fishing.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Fish have invaded the Beverly coast with excellent opportunities for bass available from West Beach to Mingo Beach. Striped Bass have been chasing mackerel closer to shore so anglers do well with baitfish pattern lures and flies as well as with cut bait.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) The fishing has been quite nice from Manchester to Essex as mackerel and sand eels entice bass closer to shore. Manchester and Gloucester Beaches have had an abundance of small bass available to fishermen, with more keepers starting to show in the mix. Larger plugs and swimming lures as well as metals and jigs have all been producing. The Annisquam and some of the smaller creeks around Gloucester and Essex have also been holding bass. Larger Schools of Bass have been in the waters off Halibut Point, mostly in 30 to 100 feet of water. Party Boats had been delivering good cod and haddock action to their clients just prior to the poor weather at the end of the week.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Anglers have found bass from the ocean front at Cranes Beach to the mouth of the Ipswich River. Most of the bass have been in the 12-26” range, but larger fish are in the mix. There has been an abundance of sand eels in the water so anglers do well with smaller profile baits like sluggos and sand eel imitations.
Newbury: (3 hooks) The southern end of Plum Island has had good numbers of fish from shore for anglers, as bass have been taking metal, jigs, plugs and cut bait. Plum Island Sound and the Parker River have also yielded bass to 32”.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Water quality continues to improve in the Merrimack River and there has been no shortage of anglers looking for stripers. The weather has not seemed to impact the fishing in the river as fishing from Deer Island to Joppa Flats has been excellent. Drifting on the outgoing tide on Joppa has produced excellent numbers of bass, with several keepers caught. Larger profile flies on sinking lines and sluggos twitched on top have been working best. Along the ocean front, fish have been in close to shore and anglers have been taking the fish on both bait and lures. Mackerel have been close to shore as well. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds as anglers have been doing well two hours before and after low tide. Cod, haddock and pollock fishing has been quite good for the Party Boats.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Fish have been close to shore and anglers have been taking advantage of that on Salisbury Beach. Fish have been caught in the wash by both fly and spin anglers. Fishermen fishing from the State Reservation are doing just as well as their counterparts across the river.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) New Hampshire anglers have seen a nice increase in striper activity over the last week. Seabrook and Hampton have seen fish just off the coast in the river systems. Farther north, the Great Bay area has seen an influx of striped bass with the best fishing in the Squamscott and Lamprey rivers. The biggest fish have been caught on either live or cut alewives. Mackerel have been inconsistent but flounder fishing is on the up-tick from Rye to Portsmouth.
Tip of the Week:
Fly Fishing 101: Many saltwater anglers have been expanding their repertoire by adding a 9-weight fly rod to their arsenal. When fighting a striped bass or bluefish on a fly rod, it is imperative that you keep the line tight and do not provide any slack or the fish will spit the fly. Keep steady pressure on the fish and utilize the rod to tire the fish out.
June 8, 2006
Larger schools of bass have been invading our waters as mackerel have started to show in more numbers and keeper sized bass are starting to be caught in more numbers.
Before the turn in the weather, flounder, cod, haddock and pollock fishing had been quite good, and should heat up again quickly once we are out of the slop.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Good fishing abounds for anglers in Marblehead. Fishing off the Neck, especially near Castle Rock, has started to heat up. Bait and Artificial fishermen have been scoring bass in large numbers from 14” to 32”. The waters around Marblehead Harbor have been decent for flounder.
Salem: (3 hooks) Salem Sound now has larger schools of bass chasing the freshly arriving mackerel. Cut bait has been working well from shore and boat as has larger profile flies on sinking lines. Winter Island has also been providing anglers with excellent fishing.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Fish have invaded the Beverly coast with excellent opportunities for bass available from West Beach to Mingo Beach. Striped Bass have been chasing mackerel closer to shore so anglers do well with baitfish pattern lures and flies as well as with cut bait.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) The fishing has been quite nice from Manchester to Essex as mackerel and sand eels entice bass closer to shore. Manchester and Gloucester Beaches have had an abundance of small bass available to fishermen, with more keepers starting to show in the mix. Larger plugs and swimming lures as well as metals and jigs have all been producing. The Annisquam and some of the smaller creeks around Gloucester and Essex have also been holding bass. Larger Schools of Bass have been in the waters off Halibut Point, mostly in 30 to 100 feet of water. Party Boats had been delivering good cod and haddock action to their clients just prior to the poor weather at the end of the week.Ipswich: (3 hooks) Anglers have found bass from the ocean front at Cranes Beach to the mouth of the Ipswich River. Most of the bass have been in the 12-26” range, but larger fish are in the mix. There has been an abundance of sand eels in the water so anglers do well with smaller profile baits like sluggos and sand eel imitations.
Newbury: (3 hooks) The southern end of Plum Island has had good numbers of fish from shore for anglers, as bass have been taking metal, jigs, plugs and cut bait. Plum Island Sound and the Parker River have also yielded bass to 32”.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Water quality continues to improve in the Merrimack River and there has been no shortage of anglers looking for stripers. The weather has not seemed to impact the fishing in the river as fishing from Deer Island to Joppa Flats has been excellent. Drifting on the outgoing tide on Joppa has produced excellent numbers of bass, with several keepers caught. Larger profile flies on sinking lines and sluggos twitched on top have been working best. Along the ocean front, fish have been in close to shore and anglers have been taking the fish on both bait and lures. Mackerel have been close to shore as well. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds as anglers have been doing well two hours before and after low tide. Cod, haddock and pollock fishing has been quite good for the Party Boats.
Salisbury: (3 hooks) Fish have been close to shore and anglers have been taking advantage of that on Salisbury Beach. Fish have been caught in the wash by both fly and spin anglers. Fishermen fishing from the State Reservation are doing just as well as their counterparts across the river.
Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) New Hampshire anglers have seen a nice increase in striper activity over the last week. Seabrook and Hampton have seen fish just off the coast in the river systems. Farther north, the Great Bay area has seen an influx of striped bass with the best fishing in the Squamscott and Lamprey rivers. The biggest fish have been caught on either live or cut alewives. Mackerel have been inconsistent but flounder fishing is on the up-tick from Rye to Portsmouth.
Tip of the Week:
Fly Fishing 101: Many saltwater anglers have been expanding their repertoire by adding a 9-weight fly rod to their arsenal. When fighting a striped bass or bluefish on a fly rod, it is imperative that you keep the line tight and do not provide any slack or the fish will spit the fly. Keep steady pressure on the fish and utilize the rod to tire the fish out.
June 1, 2006
Good Options Abound for Anglers
Frank G. Dwyer
May 31, 2006
Pleasant weather combined with increasing numbers of bait arriving has perked up local anglers as fish have become more active and are being landed all over the North Shore.
While some areas are still heating up, flounder, bass, cod, pollock and haddock are just some of the species currently being targeted as more bait arrives daily.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Deveraux Beach has been giving up bass from 8 – 30” and larger fish are arriving every day. Spin and fly anglers have found hungry fish on the top and bottom, so get out there! Pogies have been around in the early morning hours and you know stripers are following them. Flounder fishing in and around the harbor is picking up.
Salem: (3 hooks) Bass fishing has been good around Winter Island and from Salem Willows. Anglers using cut bait as well as clams have done well. Flounder fishing has been improving and anglers have been getting their limit.
Beverly: (3 hooks) There have been decent numbers of Flounder off Beverly Cove this week, but the skates are also increasing in numbers. West Beach has been producing bass in the early morning hours as well as at dusk. Bait anglers continue to score at the Pier.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) White Beach and Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea continue to deliver bass to fishermen. Flounder have also been a steady pick just outside the harbor. Gloucester has really cranked up over the last week as bass have invaded the area and are being taken from Ten Pound Island to Halibut Point. Some Pogies have been reported early in the morning and as the numbers increase so will the size of the bass. The Essex River has also been heating up, especially in the early morning hours as fly and light-spin anglers have had fun with schoolies. Fishing offshore has been quite good off both Stellwagen and Jeffries.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Fishing from the Crane Beach area has been quite consistent as both spin and fly fishermen have been finding cooperative bass. Along Ipswich Neck, anglers have also found bass to 30 inches.
Newbury: (3 hooks) The National Wildlife Refuge beaches remain closed, except for Parking Lot 1, which has yielded good amounts of bass over the past week. Plum Island Sound and the Parker River have also been fishing well as anglers reported more numbers and bigger bass.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) The Merrimack is clearing up with the amount of debris in the river lessening each day and the water clarity improving as well. Bass have been taken from the Route 95 Bridge to the Gillis Bridge. Many anglers have had luck using Sluggo’s and other soft baits. Joppa Flats has shown signs of improvement as well as hungry fish have been taken from the city docks down to Woodbridge Island. The ocean front has had good bass activity from shore on both top water plugs and metal. Plum Island Point has been elbow to elbow with bait anglers scoring consistently and fly fishermen having success from the sand bar. Party Boats have had good success over the past week.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) As it is across the river, anglers have been flocking to the shores of the State Reservation and catching bass on worms, clams and mackerel. Bucktail Jigs have also been working in the river and from Salisbury Beach.
Seacoast, NH: (2 hooks) Striped bass fishing has picked up around Seabrook and Hampton, with school sized fish being taken regularly along the coast. Further north, more stripers are showing up in the Piscataqua River, with reports having the area near the Navy Yard producing quite well. Sporadic mackerel reports are also coming in from the Seacoast and more numbers should arrive daily. Some flounder have been caught, but many have been shorts.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Does color matter? The debate goes on, but I certainly believe that various colors and patterns work better in different conditions. Typically, I find that on overcast days or at night, darker colored lures and baits work best. On bright and sunny days, I find brighter colors and flash attracting more fish. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works for you when you’re fishing.
May 31, 2006
Pleasant weather combined with increasing numbers of bait arriving has perked up local anglers as fish have become more active and are being landed all over the North Shore.
While some areas are still heating up, flounder, bass, cod, pollock and haddock are just some of the species currently being targeted as more bait arrives daily.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Deveraux Beach has been giving up bass from 8 – 30” and larger fish are arriving every day. Spin and fly anglers have found hungry fish on the top and bottom, so get out there! Pogies have been around in the early morning hours and you know stripers are following them. Flounder fishing in and around the harbor is picking up.
Salem: (3 hooks) Bass fishing has been good around Winter Island and from Salem Willows. Anglers using cut bait as well as clams have done well. Flounder fishing has been improving and anglers have been getting their limit.
Beverly: (3 hooks) There have been decent numbers of Flounder off Beverly Cove this week, but the skates are also increasing in numbers. West Beach has been producing bass in the early morning hours as well as at dusk. Bait anglers continue to score at the Pier.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) White Beach and Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea continue to deliver bass to fishermen. Flounder have also been a steady pick just outside the harbor. Gloucester has really cranked up over the last week as bass have invaded the area and are being taken from Ten Pound Island to Halibut Point. Some Pogies have been reported early in the morning and as the numbers increase so will the size of the bass. The Essex River has also been heating up, especially in the early morning hours as fly and light-spin anglers have had fun with schoolies. Fishing offshore has been quite good off both Stellwagen and Jeffries.
Ipswich: (3 hooks) Fishing from the Crane Beach area has been quite consistent as both spin and fly fishermen have been finding cooperative bass. Along Ipswich Neck, anglers have also found bass to 30 inches.
Newbury: (3 hooks) The National Wildlife Refuge beaches remain closed, except for Parking Lot 1, which has yielded good amounts of bass over the past week. Plum Island Sound and the Parker River have also been fishing well as anglers reported more numbers and bigger bass.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) The Merrimack is clearing up with the amount of debris in the river lessening each day and the water clarity improving as well. Bass have been taken from the Route 95 Bridge to the Gillis Bridge. Many anglers have had luck using Sluggo’s and other soft baits. Joppa Flats has shown signs of improvement as well as hungry fish have been taken from the city docks down to Woodbridge Island. The ocean front has had good bass activity from shore on both top water plugs and metal. Plum Island Point has been elbow to elbow with bait anglers scoring consistently and fly fishermen having success from the sand bar. Party Boats have had good success over the past week.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) As it is across the river, anglers have been flocking to the shores of the State Reservation and catching bass on worms, clams and mackerel. Bucktail Jigs have also been working in the river and from Salisbury Beach.
Seacoast, NH: (2 hooks) Striped bass fishing has picked up around Seabrook and Hampton, with school sized fish being taken regularly along the coast. Further north, more stripers are showing up in the Piscataqua River, with reports having the area near the Navy Yard producing quite well. Sporadic mackerel reports are also coming in from the Seacoast and more numbers should arrive daily. Some flounder have been caught, but many have been shorts.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Does color matter? The debate goes on, but I certainly believe that various colors and patterns work better in different conditions. Typically, I find that on overcast days or at night, darker colored lures and baits work best. On bright and sunny days, I find brighter colors and flash attracting more fish. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works for you when you’re fishing.
May 25, 2006
Conditions Slowly Improving
Frank G. Dwyer
May 25, 2006
The weather has been cooperative and has improved fishing conditions—and angler’s moods—all around our region.
Memorial Day should bring good action for both inshore and offshore anglers as fish get into their feeding patterns for the season.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Fishing the Neck by the lighthouse has been improving as anglers have been tussling with small stripers on both spinning gear with small metal lures and rubber/plastic baits as well as small profile flies. Flounder are becoming more available.
Salem: (2 hooks) The Danvers River has been producing excellent amounts of bass for local anglers. Pogies have also been reported in the area and this favorite striper treat is bound to increase the amount of larger fish in our waters. Fishing around Salem Harbor has also been good with bait and artificial fishermen scoring good amounts of bass.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Good fishing from West Beach, especially in the dawn hours, as stripers have been taking metal lures, popping plugs and small jigs. Anglers fishing around the islands have also found bass, with some keeper size fish now in the mix. The Beverly Fishing Pier has been yielding fish for bait fishermen.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Fishing around Manchester-by-the Sea and Magnolia has seen improvement over the last week. Surfcasters fishing from Singing Beach have seen more cooperative fish arriving everyday. Cut mackerel has been working well for the bait fishermen, while poppers, swimmers and jigs are working for spin casters. Fishing from Magnolia Rocks has been yielding decent amounts of small striped bass. Gloucester has also come alive with bass being taken along the usual spots like the State Pier, the Annisquam and many of the ocean beaches. In Rockport, fishing has certainly picked up for those fishing from Long Beach and Cape Hedge beach. The Essex River has been yielding good amounts of striped bass, especially for fly fishermen. Party boats are providing excellent ground-fishing for their patrons.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Fishing in the Ipswich River has provided good action for school-sized striped bass as hungry fish take most offerings. Pavilion Beach has also surrendered stripers to fishermen working both the incoming and outgoing tides.
Newbury: (2 hooks) The fine folks at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge did a great job of cleaning up the beach at Parking Lot 1 and anglers can now fish from the beach there. The remainder of the beach remains closed as three pairs of Piping Plovers have made their home on the beaches. Sandy Point has also been a good destination for anglers in search of spring stripers.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (2 hooks) Newburyport did a great job cleaning up the beaches and while the water is still somewhat murky, the fish are back and cooperating. Good sized stripers have been taken as far up river as the Lawrence Dam and fishing around the Chain Bridge and the nearby islands has been pleasing anglers. Small bass are falling for most offerings from Fly and Spin fishermen. Joppa Flats is improving every day as the currents and water quality improve. There is no shortage of bent rods along the ocean front and in the River at Plum Island Point. Some mackerel have been seen in the area, but they are not in thick yet. Cod, Haddock, Cusk and Pollock all being taken on the Party Boats.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Fishing from the Merrimack River at the State Reservation has certainly improved, but the current is still quite strong and debris is still somewhat prevalent. That said, anglers fishing with cut bait, sea worms and clams have all done well for striped bass. Salisbury Beach has also been providing a fairly steady pick of bass in the 14-22” range.
Seacoast, NH: (2 hooks) Striper fishing is finally starting to heat up in the Granite State as anglers have found fish from Seabrook to Portsmouth. Anglers fishing the river systems around Dover and Newmarket have found striped bass to be much more cooperative than weeks past. Some bass have also been taken in and around the Piscataqua and some sporadic mackerel activity has been noted. Off shore, Cod and Haddock fishing has also improved.
Tip of the Week:
When fishing strong currents, use the water flow to your advantage. Cast your offering upstream of the current and tend your line just enough to feel a strike, allowing your bait to run freely in the current. Often, just as your line is at the end of this “free float” you will get a hit.
May 25, 2006
The weather has been cooperative and has improved fishing conditions—and angler’s moods—all around our region.
Memorial Day should bring good action for both inshore and offshore anglers as fish get into their feeding patterns for the season.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Fishing the Neck by the lighthouse has been improving as anglers have been tussling with small stripers on both spinning gear with small metal lures and rubber/plastic baits as well as small profile flies. Flounder are becoming more available.
Salem: (2 hooks) The Danvers River has been producing excellent amounts of bass for local anglers. Pogies have also been reported in the area and this favorite striper treat is bound to increase the amount of larger fish in our waters. Fishing around Salem Harbor has also been good with bait and artificial fishermen scoring good amounts of bass.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Good fishing from West Beach, especially in the dawn hours, as stripers have been taking metal lures, popping plugs and small jigs. Anglers fishing around the islands have also found bass, with some keeper size fish now in the mix. The Beverly Fishing Pier has been yielding fish for bait fishermen.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Fishing around Manchester-by-the Sea and Magnolia has seen improvement over the last week. Surfcasters fishing from Singing Beach have seen more cooperative fish arriving everyday. Cut mackerel has been working well for the bait fishermen, while poppers, swimmers and jigs are working for spin casters. Fishing from Magnolia Rocks has been yielding decent amounts of small striped bass. Gloucester has also come alive with bass being taken along the usual spots like the State Pier, the Annisquam and many of the ocean beaches. In Rockport, fishing has certainly picked up for those fishing from Long Beach and Cape Hedge beach. The Essex River has been yielding good amounts of striped bass, especially for fly fishermen. Party boats are providing excellent ground-fishing for their patrons.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Fishing in the Ipswich River has provided good action for school-sized striped bass as hungry fish take most offerings. Pavilion Beach has also surrendered stripers to fishermen working both the incoming and outgoing tides.
Newbury: (2 hooks) The fine folks at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge did a great job of cleaning up the beach at Parking Lot 1 and anglers can now fish from the beach there. The remainder of the beach remains closed as three pairs of Piping Plovers have made their home on the beaches. Sandy Point has also been a good destination for anglers in search of spring stripers.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (2 hooks) Newburyport did a great job cleaning up the beaches and while the water is still somewhat murky, the fish are back and cooperating. Good sized stripers have been taken as far up river as the Lawrence Dam and fishing around the Chain Bridge and the nearby islands has been pleasing anglers. Small bass are falling for most offerings from Fly and Spin fishermen. Joppa Flats is improving every day as the currents and water quality improve. There is no shortage of bent rods along the ocean front and in the River at Plum Island Point. Some mackerel have been seen in the area, but they are not in thick yet. Cod, Haddock, Cusk and Pollock all being taken on the Party Boats.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Fishing from the Merrimack River at the State Reservation has certainly improved, but the current is still quite strong and debris is still somewhat prevalent. That said, anglers fishing with cut bait, sea worms and clams have all done well for striped bass. Salisbury Beach has also been providing a fairly steady pick of bass in the 14-22” range.
Seacoast, NH: (2 hooks) Striper fishing is finally starting to heat up in the Granite State as anglers have found fish from Seabrook to Portsmouth. Anglers fishing the river systems around Dover and Newmarket have found striped bass to be much more cooperative than weeks past. Some bass have also been taken in and around the Piscataqua and some sporadic mackerel activity has been noted. Off shore, Cod and Haddock fishing has also improved.
Tip of the Week:
When fishing strong currents, use the water flow to your advantage. Cast your offering upstream of the current and tend your line just enough to feel a strike, allowing your bait to run freely in the current. Often, just as your line is at the end of this “free float” you will get a hit.
May 19, 2006
Tough Start to the Season
Frank G. Dwyer
5/19/2006
Wind and rain pushed many fish out of reach of local anglers and kept party boats at bay most of the last week. As things calm down and local waters become more fish-friendly, we should have a more consistent bite.
Bluefish have started to appear in Cape Cod waters, so the toothy one’s should be in our environs soon.
Marblehead: (1 hook) Mother Nature can work wonders and hopefully one of those will be clearing out the debris and weed and bringing the fish closer to shore. Flounder should be available in numbers by this time of year, but again the weather has changed that schedule.
Salem: (1 hook) Patience is the word as we wait for our waters to become stable again. The Danvers and other rivers in the area are murky and debris-ridden. The Harbor in Salem has not yielded many fish over the last week.
Beverly: (1 hook) At the risk of sounding like a broken record, anglers fishing from West Beach and other locations in Beverly have found weed infested waters and little action.
Cape Ann: (1 hook) Striper fishermen are not the only one’s suffering with the weather as the cod and haddock bite has been hurt by the storms. While more unsettled weather is predicted for the weekend, it’s nowhere near the magnitude of our last week so hopefully things will quickly improve. As with the rest of the area, favorite river and ocean fishing spots like the Annisquam and Halibut Point have yielded very few fish. The Essex River should yield fish soon for anglers itching for a tight line.
Ipswich: (1 hook) Provided we can get a few days of somewhat decent weather, anglers prospecting around Crane Beach should find fish reappearing slowly. Pavilion beach and the back side of Ipswich Neck should also provide opportunities to anglers looking for fish.
Newbury: (1 hook) The southern end of Plum Island, aka Sandy Point, would typically be a great place to fish this weekend, but with our extraordinary weather over the last week, fish have been nowhere to be found. If you’re going to give it a go, the Parker River would probably be your best shot.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) The Merrimack has raw sewage and massive amounts of trash and other objects floating down river. The ocean front also was a mess of flotsam, trash and weed making fishing not only difficult but somewhat depressing. Anglers looking for fish would do well trying in the Plum Island River or upriver around Deer Island.
Salisbury: (1 hook) Much like the beaches on Plum Island, Salisbury Beach has lot’s of washed up trash and debris as well as a good amount of weed in the water. It will be a few days at least before it’s truly fishable. The Merrimack as previously mentioned is a mess.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) New Hampshire anglers are experiencing the same frustrations as those of us in the Commonwealth as the weather has wreaked havoc on most fishing locations. Hopefully next week the beaches from Seabrook to Rye will offer the Spring fishing that we all dream about during the winter.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
As things warm up, skates will start to show in more numbers. If you’d like to avoid this winged bottom dwellers when bait fishing for striped bass, flounder and many other fish, you’ll do well applying a small float to your line, six to eight inches above the hook. Your bait will now float just above the bottom, allowing you to catch more fish and weed out the skates.
5/19/2006
Wind and rain pushed many fish out of reach of local anglers and kept party boats at bay most of the last week. As things calm down and local waters become more fish-friendly, we should have a more consistent bite.
Bluefish have started to appear in Cape Cod waters, so the toothy one’s should be in our environs soon.
Marblehead: (1 hook) Mother Nature can work wonders and hopefully one of those will be clearing out the debris and weed and bringing the fish closer to shore. Flounder should be available in numbers by this time of year, but again the weather has changed that schedule.
Salem: (1 hook) Patience is the word as we wait for our waters to become stable again. The Danvers and other rivers in the area are murky and debris-ridden. The Harbor in Salem has not yielded many fish over the last week.
Beverly: (1 hook) At the risk of sounding like a broken record, anglers fishing from West Beach and other locations in Beverly have found weed infested waters and little action.
Cape Ann: (1 hook) Striper fishermen are not the only one’s suffering with the weather as the cod and haddock bite has been hurt by the storms. While more unsettled weather is predicted for the weekend, it’s nowhere near the magnitude of our last week so hopefully things will quickly improve. As with the rest of the area, favorite river and ocean fishing spots like the Annisquam and Halibut Point have yielded very few fish. The Essex River should yield fish soon for anglers itching for a tight line.
Ipswich: (1 hook) Provided we can get a few days of somewhat decent weather, anglers prospecting around Crane Beach should find fish reappearing slowly. Pavilion beach and the back side of Ipswich Neck should also provide opportunities to anglers looking for fish.
Newbury: (1 hook) The southern end of Plum Island, aka Sandy Point, would typically be a great place to fish this weekend, but with our extraordinary weather over the last week, fish have been nowhere to be found. If you’re going to give it a go, the Parker River would probably be your best shot.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) The Merrimack has raw sewage and massive amounts of trash and other objects floating down river. The ocean front also was a mess of flotsam, trash and weed making fishing not only difficult but somewhat depressing. Anglers looking for fish would do well trying in the Plum Island River or upriver around Deer Island.
Salisbury: (1 hook) Much like the beaches on Plum Island, Salisbury Beach has lot’s of washed up trash and debris as well as a good amount of weed in the water. It will be a few days at least before it’s truly fishable. The Merrimack as previously mentioned is a mess.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) New Hampshire anglers are experiencing the same frustrations as those of us in the Commonwealth as the weather has wreaked havoc on most fishing locations. Hopefully next week the beaches from Seabrook to Rye will offer the Spring fishing that we all dream about during the winter.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
As things warm up, skates will start to show in more numbers. If you’d like to avoid this winged bottom dwellers when bait fishing for striped bass, flounder and many other fish, you’ll do well applying a small float to your line, six to eight inches above the hook. Your bait will now float just above the bottom, allowing you to catch more fish and weed out the skates.
May 10, 2006
Weather may be foul, but fish are here!
Frank G. Dwyer
5/10/2006
The nice weather we had last weekend enticed the striped bass to show up in more numbers. Anglers up and down the coast found hungry schoolie’s in river systems as well as along the ocean front.
While we seem to be in for some more unsettled weather in the coming days, fish are still out there for the hearty angler.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Anglers fishing the Neck have found newly arrived bass close to shore. While these fish average 14-18”’s, they are the scouts for a new season and bigger fish will not be far behind. Flounder fishing has been spotty.
Salem: (2 hooks) Fishing in the Danvers and North Rivers has been good with hungry stripers providing the action. Winter Island and Kernwood Bridge have also been good locations to try your luck. Some flounder have been taken in the harbor and when the weather allows, cod and haddock fishing has been decent.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Veterans Memorial Bridge and the White Fuel Bridge have been yielding striped bass for both spin and fly anglers. West Beach has also been providing action for school-sized bass. Small flies, plastic/rubber baits and small poppers have all been working.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) A few flounder to be found off the Manchester and Magnolia coast, but stripers have been more cooperative. Singing Beach and White Beach saw hungry bass in the wash this past weekend. The Annisquam has heated up over the last week despite the miserable weather. Many locations have been yielding decent numbers of striped bass in the 14-18” range on average. Small flies on sinking lines and sluggo’s or fin-s are working quite well. The Essex and Castle Neck have also seen an awakening over the past week as hungry schoolies have been taking most offerings. Cod and Haddock have been caught on the party boats, but weather has been hindering efforts.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Fish have arrived at Pavilion and Crane Beaches and they’re hungry! Olive/White and Chartreuse/White clouser and deceivers on a sinking line have been working quite well. Small popping plugs along with bucktail jigs have also been enticing the fish to hit.
Newbury: (2 hooks) Fishing in Plum Island Sound was decent last weekend with schoolies in many spots. The Parker River has also been presenting anglers with good fishing as hungry striped bass take most offerings.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (2 hooks) Fishing upriver has been spotty for Shad, but the fish are being taken from Rock’s Village to the Gillis Bridge. Small stripers have also been congregating upriver around Carr, Eagle and Deer Island, probably hiding from the weather like the rest of us. Joppa Flats was sparsely populated with anglers this past weekend, but small fish have been cooperating from the AYC to Woodbridge Island. The ocean front yielded small bass on almost every cast for over an hour last Saturday on the last of the incoming tide, while the same spot yielded only 3 fish the next day, after all, it’s still Spring!
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Fishing from the State Reservation across from Plum Island Point has yielded decent numbers of bass over the last week. Fish are still small, but they are there for the taking. While many anglers are using sea worms and clams, this early in the season you’ll do just as well with artificial baits.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) The Granite State appears to be lagging behind Massachusetts just a bit as things are slowly starting to get underway. Some small bass have been taken off Seabrook and Hampton, while some early arrivals have also been taken around Portsmouth.
Tip Of The Week:
Bucktail Jigs are an excellent choice from both shore and boat in targeting many species of fish in our waters. It’s important to maintain contact with the bottom during your jigging to ensure the bait is being presented to the fish feeding on the bottom and to create an easier target for the fish to strike.
5/10/2006
The nice weather we had last weekend enticed the striped bass to show up in more numbers. Anglers up and down the coast found hungry schoolie’s in river systems as well as along the ocean front.
While we seem to be in for some more unsettled weather in the coming days, fish are still out there for the hearty angler.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Anglers fishing the Neck have found newly arrived bass close to shore. While these fish average 14-18”’s, they are the scouts for a new season and bigger fish will not be far behind. Flounder fishing has been spotty.
Salem: (2 hooks) Fishing in the Danvers and North Rivers has been good with hungry stripers providing the action. Winter Island and Kernwood Bridge have also been good locations to try your luck. Some flounder have been taken in the harbor and when the weather allows, cod and haddock fishing has been decent.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Veterans Memorial Bridge and the White Fuel Bridge have been yielding striped bass for both spin and fly anglers. West Beach has also been providing action for school-sized bass. Small flies, plastic/rubber baits and small poppers have all been working.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) A few flounder to be found off the Manchester and Magnolia coast, but stripers have been more cooperative. Singing Beach and White Beach saw hungry bass in the wash this past weekend. The Annisquam has heated up over the last week despite the miserable weather. Many locations have been yielding decent numbers of striped bass in the 14-18” range on average. Small flies on sinking lines and sluggo’s or fin-s are working quite well. The Essex and Castle Neck have also seen an awakening over the past week as hungry schoolies have been taking most offerings. Cod and Haddock have been caught on the party boats, but weather has been hindering efforts.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Fish have arrived at Pavilion and Crane Beaches and they’re hungry! Olive/White and Chartreuse/White clouser and deceivers on a sinking line have been working quite well. Small popping plugs along with bucktail jigs have also been enticing the fish to hit.
Newbury: (2 hooks) Fishing in Plum Island Sound was decent last weekend with schoolies in many spots. The Parker River has also been presenting anglers with good fishing as hungry striped bass take most offerings.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (2 hooks) Fishing upriver has been spotty for Shad, but the fish are being taken from Rock’s Village to the Gillis Bridge. Small stripers have also been congregating upriver around Carr, Eagle and Deer Island, probably hiding from the weather like the rest of us. Joppa Flats was sparsely populated with anglers this past weekend, but small fish have been cooperating from the AYC to Woodbridge Island. The ocean front yielded small bass on almost every cast for over an hour last Saturday on the last of the incoming tide, while the same spot yielded only 3 fish the next day, after all, it’s still Spring!
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Fishing from the State Reservation across from Plum Island Point has yielded decent numbers of bass over the last week. Fish are still small, but they are there for the taking. While many anglers are using sea worms and clams, this early in the season you’ll do just as well with artificial baits.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) The Granite State appears to be lagging behind Massachusetts just a bit as things are slowly starting to get underway. Some small bass have been taken off Seabrook and Hampton, while some early arrivals have also been taken around Portsmouth.
Tip Of The Week:
Bucktail Jigs are an excellent choice from both shore and boat in targeting many species of fish in our waters. It’s important to maintain contact with the bottom during your jigging to ensure the bait is being presented to the fish feeding on the bottom and to create an easier target for the fish to strike.
May 3, 2006
Here We Go Again
5/3/2005
Frank G. Dwyer
Anglers to our south have been enjoying newly arrived striped bass for sometime now. The waters of the North Shore are slowly warming, but the chilly water combined with poor weather at the beginning of the week certainly has not helped fishing. We can expect an influx of stripers over the next few weeks. You’ll have to work a little harder, but you can find them now!
As a reminder, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has put a three-year moratorium on the harvest, possession, and sale of river herring. Possessing herring in Massachusetts is prohibited through 2008. This is a response to recent studies showing steep declines in river spawning runs.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) A few flounder have been taken around the harbor and reports have a few schoolie bass being taken near the Power Plant. With the improving weather, fishing around the Neck should be good in the coming days.
Salem: (2 hooks) Haddock fishing has been decent off the old Dumping Grounds, while a few stripers have been landed near the Lead Mills. Other early season spots to check are Winter Island and Kernwood Bridge.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Some flounder have been caught just off the Beverly coast, mostly on seaworms. Spring spots for striped bass include the Bass River and the Danvers River as well as around Danversport.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea has had some flounder action at the mouth, but again, the weather earlier this week has not been helpful. There have been reports of a few bass being taken around Gloucester, but the weather has been making things difficult around the Cape. Alternatively, anglers heading to Stellwagen have had good luck with Cod and Haddock. Remember as of May 1, cod fish must be 24 inches to keep. Silversides and Alewives have been spotted in the Essex River, stripers can’t be far behind.
Ipswich: (1 hook) The Ipswich River system is a good place to prospect for early season bass. In the next week or so, fish should be cooperating off Crane, Steephill and Pavilion beaches.
Newbury: (1 hook) Cold water reigns in Plum Island Sound, but a few nice days should entice the fish to return. Surfcasters working the southern end of Plum Island will have a steady pick of fish soon.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Shad and more recently small striped bass are being taken at the Rock’s Village bridge in West Newbury. Deer Island and the other up-river islands are always good early-season spots. Some small fish also reportedly have been taken near the South Jetty on the Plum Island oceanfront and many anglers have begun working the river at Plum Island point. Bucktail Jigs are a favorite early season striper bait. Joppa Flats should start heating up in the coming weeks. Party boats are reporting decent cod and haddock activity.
Salisbury: (1 hook) If history is bound to repeat itself, small stripers should be frolicking in the Salisbury Beach surf in the coming week. Additionally, anglers have already been having limited success from the State Reservation side of the Merrimack River.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) If your looking for that first bass in the granite state, you’d do well to stay in some of the river and estuary systems. In and around the Hampton Marsh should yield small stripers as well as further north in the Lamprey River, as well as in Newcastle and around Great Bay. Alewives have been seen in local runs.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Most anglers are familiar with fishing rubber/plastic baits like Fin-S and Slug-Go’s, but most fish these baits as jigs rigged to lead-heads. Try rigging a 4-5” bait on an un-weighted hook and twitch it across the surface or in a swift current and watch the bass go crazy!
Frank G. Dwyer
Anglers to our south have been enjoying newly arrived striped bass for sometime now. The waters of the North Shore are slowly warming, but the chilly water combined with poor weather at the beginning of the week certainly has not helped fishing. We can expect an influx of stripers over the next few weeks. You’ll have to work a little harder, but you can find them now!
As a reminder, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has put a three-year moratorium on the harvest, possession, and sale of river herring. Possessing herring in Massachusetts is prohibited through 2008. This is a response to recent studies showing steep declines in river spawning runs.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) A few flounder have been taken around the harbor and reports have a few schoolie bass being taken near the Power Plant. With the improving weather, fishing around the Neck should be good in the coming days.
Salem: (2 hooks) Haddock fishing has been decent off the old Dumping Grounds, while a few stripers have been landed near the Lead Mills. Other early season spots to check are Winter Island and Kernwood Bridge.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Some flounder have been caught just off the Beverly coast, mostly on seaworms. Spring spots for striped bass include the Bass River and the Danvers River as well as around Danversport.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea has had some flounder action at the mouth, but again, the weather earlier this week has not been helpful. There have been reports of a few bass being taken around Gloucester, but the weather has been making things difficult around the Cape. Alternatively, anglers heading to Stellwagen have had good luck with Cod and Haddock. Remember as of May 1, cod fish must be 24 inches to keep. Silversides and Alewives have been spotted in the Essex River, stripers can’t be far behind.
Ipswich: (1 hook) The Ipswich River system is a good place to prospect for early season bass. In the next week or so, fish should be cooperating off Crane, Steephill and Pavilion beaches.
Newbury: (1 hook) Cold water reigns in Plum Island Sound, but a few nice days should entice the fish to return. Surfcasters working the southern end of Plum Island will have a steady pick of fish soon.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Shad and more recently small striped bass are being taken at the Rock’s Village bridge in West Newbury. Deer Island and the other up-river islands are always good early-season spots. Some small fish also reportedly have been taken near the South Jetty on the Plum Island oceanfront and many anglers have begun working the river at Plum Island point. Bucktail Jigs are a favorite early season striper bait. Joppa Flats should start heating up in the coming weeks. Party boats are reporting decent cod and haddock activity.
Salisbury: (1 hook) If history is bound to repeat itself, small stripers should be frolicking in the Salisbury Beach surf in the coming week. Additionally, anglers have already been having limited success from the State Reservation side of the Merrimack River.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) If your looking for that first bass in the granite state, you’d do well to stay in some of the river and estuary systems. In and around the Hampton Marsh should yield small stripers as well as further north in the Lamprey River, as well as in Newcastle and around Great Bay. Alewives have been seen in local runs.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Most anglers are familiar with fishing rubber/plastic baits like Fin-S and Slug-Go’s, but most fish these baits as jigs rigged to lead-heads. Try rigging a 4-5” bait on an un-weighted hook and twitch it across the surface or in a swift current and watch the bass go crazy!
March 20, 2006
Trout Anyone?
Frank Dwyer
March 20, 2006
As we enter spring, trout stocking is underway as 636,000 brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout will be stocked in Massachusetts streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. Stocking began in late February and will be complete by Memorial Day.
According to figures from MassWildlife, the numbers breakdown as follows:
-287,000 rainbow trout over 12 inches
-88,000 rainbow trout from 9-11 inches
-51,500 brown trout up to 12 inches
-119,000 brown trout from 6-11 inches
The general rule of thumb is that the larger bodies of waters will receive the larger fish while the brooks and streams will be stocked with the smaller fish. Stocking is subject to ice out and road (dirt) conditions as the trout-stocking trucks are quite large.
Being a North Shore guy, I can tell you that the following bodies of waters have been stocked recently in the area:
March 20, 2006
As we enter spring, trout stocking is underway as 636,000 brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout will be stocked in Massachusetts streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. Stocking began in late February and will be complete by Memorial Day.
According to figures from MassWildlife, the numbers breakdown as follows:
-287,000 rainbow trout over 12 inches
-88,000 rainbow trout from 9-11 inches
-51,500 brown trout up to 12 inches
-119,000 brown trout from 6-11 inches
The general rule of thumb is that the larger bodies of waters will receive the larger fish while the brooks and streams will be stocked with the smaller fish. Stocking is subject to ice out and road (dirt) conditions as the trout-stocking trucks are quite large.
Being a North Shore guy, I can tell you that the following bodies of waters have been stocked recently in the area:
- Berry Pond, North Andover
- Rock Pond, Georgetown
- Strangman Pond, Gloucester
- Forest Lake, Methuen
- Lake Pentucket, Haverhill
- Western 413-447-9789
- Valley 413-323-7632
- Central 508-835-3607
- Northeast 978-263-4347
- Southeast 508-759-3406
Don't forget to get your 2006 fishing license!!
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