Frank Dwyer
May 27, 2005
Many of my friends who like to golf as much as I like to fish have been complaining—as most of us are—about the lousy weather we have been experiencing. It appears the forecast should be improving for the Holiday weekend so we can all get out an pursue our interests, be it chasing a little white ball around a large grassy area, or looking for fish around the North Shore.
The weather has created very light pressure in most North Shore spots, and while the going has been tough, some decent fish have been landed. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Fishing around Marblehead Neck and Castle Rock has not been for the faint of heart. If you can find a lee in the wind, then you may just find willing bass. Flounder reports have been sparse due to the weather, but if things calm down for the weekend, flounder should remain in and around Marblehead.
Salem: (3 hooks) Winter Island continues to produce bass for those willing to brave the weather. Anglers with light spinning gear and jigs or rubber shads have done well casting into the wind. Anglers fishing with bait from the Salem Willows Pier had been landing bigger bass before the weather turned, and fishing should be good once things calm down.
Beverly: (3 hooks) The Kernwood Bridge area has been producing hungry striped bass for anglers casting from shore. With the wind this past week, fly anglers have had a tough go of it, while those casting small swimming lures, jigs and sluggo type lures have done better. Fishing off West Beach has slowed with the inclement weather, but as with most spots, it should heat up again quickly.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Flounder fishing had been quite good around the entrance to Manchester Harbor and around House Island prior to this week’s weather. Bass activity off the beaches in Manchester has slowed, however a few reports of landings have been heard. In Gloucester, the Little River has been yielding more bass as has the Annisquam. Fishing from the beaches in Gloucester has been difficult, while Cod and Haddock fishing has slowed due to the weather. The buoy at Stellwagen Bank was reporting 9-15 foot waves on Thursday. School bass have been reported to be cooperative off both Long Beach and Pebble Beach in Rockport. Those fishing the Essex River by boat have reported schoolies taking refuge upriver from the weather, allowing for some decent catches this week. There are some mackerel and herring around, but not in large numbers yet.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Fishing in the Ipswich River and at the mouth has produced schoolies over the last week. Fishing off Cranes Beach has improved, with a few decent surface feeds reported during the week. Pavilion and Steep Hill have also been yielding school bass willing to bend your rod.
Newbury: (2 hooks) I drove by the Newbury Boat ramp off 1A earlier this week and wish I had a rod in the car. A good sized pod of bass was working an undetermined school of bait with birds overhead, well within casting distance from shore. Fishing in Plum Island Sound had been improving however reports have been scarce this week due to the weather.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) I finally got the boat in the water last Friday and had decent fishing all weekend long. Even in the wind and rain on Sunday, we found willing fish on an incoming drift not far from the Captain’s Lady. In two hours time we boated over 30 fish, most under the magic 28 inch mark. The nice thing was that there were only 2-3 boats working the same pods of fish, which is one of the positives you can take from the lousy weather. In addition, working upriver of the Route 1 Bridge, around Eagle and Carr Islands has also yielded fish over the last week. Joppa Flats has also increased it fish output for both boat and wade fishermen. The ocean beaches on Plum Island have been quite rough, with only sparse activity reported. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds 2 hours before low tide, right through the first part of the incoming tide. George at Captain’s Fishing Parties on Plum Island reported that he’s been baby sitting the boats for the past week, but up until the weather change, the action had been quite good.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Fishing the Salisbury side of the river by boat, around the Toothpick and the State Boat Ramp, has been productive for the past week. Shore anglers do well from the shores of the State Reservation using bucktail jigs, sluggos and sea worms.
Seacoast, NH: (2 hooks) The Rivers around Seabrook, Hampton and Rye have seen alewives become active, which usually means bigger fish will follow. The Piscataqua River and the Great Bay Estuary have also become more active as stripers have been caught by both lure and bait anglers. Before the weather change, reports had decent Cod and Haddock action off the Seacoast.
May 27, 2005
May 20, 2005
Now we’re talking!
Frank Dwyer
May 20, 2005
Things are certainly heating up in our waters as the local rivers and shorelines are becoming more and more active with returning striped bass. I fished several north shore areas this past week with much success in search of feisty schoolie bass. Herring and Mackerel are beginning to show up as well, making things even more exciting.
In addition, I was lucky enough to fish on Wednesday morning in Boston Harbor and had two hours of fun chasing birds and fish around the Harbor. We caught many fish, even a few just above the magic 28” mark. We would have stayed longer but the LNG Propane Tanker was heading into the harbor and the Police chased us to clear the way for the tanker. It’s one of the few times I’ve ever left boiling fish, but it was certainly not my choice.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Those fishing along the rocks of Marblehead Neck have has success with striped bass willing to take most offerings. Light spinning gear with rubber shad (sluggo) imitations rigged on lead heads have been yielding fish on most every cast. While bigger stripers are in the mix, most are sub-legal. Flounder fishing in and around Marblehead remains strong.
Salem: (3 hooks) Fishing around Salem has improved quite a bit over the last week. Anglers using both artificial lures and bait have been catching good numbers of striped bass. Winter Island and Salem Willows have been active with fishermen all week. Those using bait have done well with large sea worms and fresh cut mackerel.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing the outgoing tide at White’s Fuel Bridge in Danversport have done well targeting stripers with both spin and fly gear. Fly fishermen have done well with sliders, clousers and most other offerings. A few good bass surface feeds have been reported at West Beach, while anglers targeting Flounder have done well too.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Surfcasting has gotten better over the last week for those casting from the beaches in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Reports had decent bass activity off Singing and White beach as well as around the Harbor. I caught a small schoolie in the Little River last Friday. I was coming home from an appointment, so if you saw a guy in dress pants and dress shoes casting a line, that would have been me. The Annisquam has also been heating up over the last few days with good activity for bass in the 14”-26” range. Rockport has also had its fair share of schoolie action with fish reported around Halibut Point. The Essex River has also been heating up with many reporting good action for hungry bass on both fly and spin gear.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Shore fishermen fishing Cranes Beach as well as Steep Hill Beach have reported steadier schoolie action this week, although the action is somewhat sporadic. Fly fishermen near the mouth of the Ipswich have reported decent activity with sliders and ray’s flies on sinking lines. Pavilion Beach should be heating up soon.
Newbury: (2 hooks) Bass catches continue to increase in the Parker River as both shore and boat fishermen have had success locating newly arrived striped bass. While most fish are quite small, they are hungry and put up a good fight on light spinning gear of fly rods. Fishing off Sandy Point has improved this week, with reports of feeding fish patrolling the shoreline.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (2 hooks) Fishing conditions off Plum Island Point as well as the beaches of Plum Island have improved over the past week. Surfcasters working the beach from Atty. May’s to the North Jetty have had decent action with feeding bass. Buck tail jigs, metal spoons and rubber shad imitations have been working for the spinning gear crowd, while sinking lines with deceivers, clousers or sand eel imitations work well for fly fishermen. Joppa Flats and the area around Woodbridge Island have also begun to show signs of life. Cod and Haddock catches continue to improve with many fish over 20 pounds being caught.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Anglers fishing the Merrimack from the State Reservation in Salisbury have been pleased to find cooperative striped bass cruising in and out of the river. Bait has been working, but anglers casting jigs and assorted other lures have had just as much, if not more luck than their bait using compatriots. Salisbury Beach has also yielded bass to those looking for a less crowded experience.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) Seabrook, Hampton and Rye have begun to show signs of life with reports of bass being caught off the beaches as well as in the harbors and rivers. As with most locales, most fish are small so using light gear and smaller lures will work best. Further north, the Piscataqua and Great Bay have begun to yield fresh fish, but the action is somewhat spotty. Anglers report good Cod and Haddock action off the New Hampshire seacoast.
May 20, 2005
Things are certainly heating up in our waters as the local rivers and shorelines are becoming more and more active with returning striped bass. I fished several north shore areas this past week with much success in search of feisty schoolie bass. Herring and Mackerel are beginning to show up as well, making things even more exciting.
In addition, I was lucky enough to fish on Wednesday morning in Boston Harbor and had two hours of fun chasing birds and fish around the Harbor. We caught many fish, even a few just above the magic 28” mark. We would have stayed longer but the LNG Propane Tanker was heading into the harbor and the Police chased us to clear the way for the tanker. It’s one of the few times I’ve ever left boiling fish, but it was certainly not my choice.
Marblehead: (3 hooks) Those fishing along the rocks of Marblehead Neck have has success with striped bass willing to take most offerings. Light spinning gear with rubber shad (sluggo) imitations rigged on lead heads have been yielding fish on most every cast. While bigger stripers are in the mix, most are sub-legal. Flounder fishing in and around Marblehead remains strong.
Salem: (3 hooks) Fishing around Salem has improved quite a bit over the last week. Anglers using both artificial lures and bait have been catching good numbers of striped bass. Winter Island and Salem Willows have been active with fishermen all week. Those using bait have done well with large sea worms and fresh cut mackerel.
Beverly: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing the outgoing tide at White’s Fuel Bridge in Danversport have done well targeting stripers with both spin and fly gear. Fly fishermen have done well with sliders, clousers and most other offerings. A few good bass surface feeds have been reported at West Beach, while anglers targeting Flounder have done well too.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Surfcasting has gotten better over the last week for those casting from the beaches in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Reports had decent bass activity off Singing and White beach as well as around the Harbor. I caught a small schoolie in the Little River last Friday. I was coming home from an appointment, so if you saw a guy in dress pants and dress shoes casting a line, that would have been me. The Annisquam has also been heating up over the last few days with good activity for bass in the 14”-26” range. Rockport has also had its fair share of schoolie action with fish reported around Halibut Point. The Essex River has also been heating up with many reporting good action for hungry bass on both fly and spin gear.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Shore fishermen fishing Cranes Beach as well as Steep Hill Beach have reported steadier schoolie action this week, although the action is somewhat sporadic. Fly fishermen near the mouth of the Ipswich have reported decent activity with sliders and ray’s flies on sinking lines. Pavilion Beach should be heating up soon.
Newbury: (2 hooks) Bass catches continue to increase in the Parker River as both shore and boat fishermen have had success locating newly arrived striped bass. While most fish are quite small, they are hungry and put up a good fight on light spinning gear of fly rods. Fishing off Sandy Point has improved this week, with reports of feeding fish patrolling the shoreline.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (2 hooks) Fishing conditions off Plum Island Point as well as the beaches of Plum Island have improved over the past week. Surfcasters working the beach from Atty. May’s to the North Jetty have had decent action with feeding bass. Buck tail jigs, metal spoons and rubber shad imitations have been working for the spinning gear crowd, while sinking lines with deceivers, clousers or sand eel imitations work well for fly fishermen. Joppa Flats and the area around Woodbridge Island have also begun to show signs of life. Cod and Haddock catches continue to improve with many fish over 20 pounds being caught.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Anglers fishing the Merrimack from the State Reservation in Salisbury have been pleased to find cooperative striped bass cruising in and out of the river. Bait has been working, but anglers casting jigs and assorted other lures have had just as much, if not more luck than their bait using compatriots. Salisbury Beach has also yielded bass to those looking for a less crowded experience.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) Seabrook, Hampton and Rye have begun to show signs of life with reports of bass being caught off the beaches as well as in the harbors and rivers. As with most locales, most fish are small so using light gear and smaller lures will work best. Further north, the Piscataqua and Great Bay have begun to yield fresh fish, but the action is somewhat spotty. Anglers report good Cod and Haddock action off the New Hampshire seacoast.
May 13, 2005
Stripers beginning to show
Frank Dwyer
May 13, 2005
The last few days of warming weather should help those in search of newly arrived striped bass. The first reports of mackerel and herring being caught have been coming in and I would imagine the coming week will see an increase in activity in most of the waters off the North Shore.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Rumors of newly arrived striped bass bearing sea-lice being caught in the Marblehead area have been heard this week. Anglers have been working the areas around Castle Rock and Devereux Beach, as well as the harbor. Soft plastic shad imitations seem to be the bait of choice for spin anglers, with some using fresh cut bait. In addition, flounder catches continue to please anglers willing to work for their limit.
Salem: (2 hooks) Anglers heading offshore in search of cod and haddock have been rewarded with larger fish over the last week with more 20 pounders in the mix now. Fishermen working the areas around the Lead Mills and Winter Island should do well in the coming week as newly arrived stripers begin to feed.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Fishermen have been trying their luck from West Beach and the Beverly Fishing Pier, and although the reports are not stellar, some school-sized striped bass are being caught. In addition, anglers working around Baker’s and Misery Island have reported some activity.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Flounder fishing continues to be good along the Manchester shoreline. Anglers have been working Singing and White Beaches, with some success with hopes that the warming trend over the next few days will bring an influx of new bass. A few bass have been taken in the Little River in Gloucester and the Annisquam should be heating up as well. I saw birds preying on bait earlier this week at Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester and the stripers won’t be far behind. Fishermen in Rockport have been trying the waters around Halibut Point and Long Beach with limited success. Anglers fishing the Essex/Castle Neck system have reported an increase in striper activity, with more reports of sea lice-ridden (newly arrived) bass being taken.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) The water has warmed a bit over the last week and anglers working the Ipswich River as well as the area beaches have reported limited success, but at least fish are being taken. Anglers fishing the Neck have taken some fish from the Eagle Hill River. Crane and Pavilion beaches have been slower to heat up, but should soon.
Newbury: (1 hook) The Parker River water has risen above 50 degrees and more striped bass are showing up because of it. Plum Island Sound and the waters off Sandy Point are just scraping at 50 degrees, so the fishing should get better over the next week. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge beaches remain closed for the nesting piping plovers.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Shad action continues to be good at Rock’s Village, with a few striped bass in the mix now too. Anglers fishing off Deer Island, or poking around Eagle and Carr Islands by boat have found sporadic striper activity. Anglers trying their luck on Joppa Flats have not had as much success as those a little further up river. Some reports have had fish foraging along the ocean front on Plum Island, however the weed in the water has made fishing a challenge. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds of fishermen, but the fish have been slow to arrive. Cod and Haddock fishing have been quite good for the party boats and offshore fishermen.
Salisbury: (1 hook) Anglers have been crowding the Salisbury State Reservation to catch the last of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide in search of fresh fish. Fishermen do well utilizing soft plastic shad imitations as well as using seaworms on a fish finder rig. Fly fishermen will do best with a fast sinking line to ensure getting down to the fish in the fast moving current.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) Seabrook, Hampton and Rye have all been slow in showing signs of activity, but that is slowly changing. The Hampton River and surrounding marshes should begin to fill with newly arrived striped bass over the next week and reports have a few fish being plucked over the last week. Further north in the Portsmouth area, fish will lag a bit behind those in more southern waters.
May 13, 2005
The last few days of warming weather should help those in search of newly arrived striped bass. The first reports of mackerel and herring being caught have been coming in and I would imagine the coming week will see an increase in activity in most of the waters off the North Shore.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Rumors of newly arrived striped bass bearing sea-lice being caught in the Marblehead area have been heard this week. Anglers have been working the areas around Castle Rock and Devereux Beach, as well as the harbor. Soft plastic shad imitations seem to be the bait of choice for spin anglers, with some using fresh cut bait. In addition, flounder catches continue to please anglers willing to work for their limit.
Salem: (2 hooks) Anglers heading offshore in search of cod and haddock have been rewarded with larger fish over the last week with more 20 pounders in the mix now. Fishermen working the areas around the Lead Mills and Winter Island should do well in the coming week as newly arrived stripers begin to feed.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Fishermen have been trying their luck from West Beach and the Beverly Fishing Pier, and although the reports are not stellar, some school-sized striped bass are being caught. In addition, anglers working around Baker’s and Misery Island have reported some activity.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Flounder fishing continues to be good along the Manchester shoreline. Anglers have been working Singing and White Beaches, with some success with hopes that the warming trend over the next few days will bring an influx of new bass. A few bass have been taken in the Little River in Gloucester and the Annisquam should be heating up as well. I saw birds preying on bait earlier this week at Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester and the stripers won’t be far behind. Fishermen in Rockport have been trying the waters around Halibut Point and Long Beach with limited success. Anglers fishing the Essex/Castle Neck system have reported an increase in striper activity, with more reports of sea lice-ridden (newly arrived) bass being taken.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) The water has warmed a bit over the last week and anglers working the Ipswich River as well as the area beaches have reported limited success, but at least fish are being taken. Anglers fishing the Neck have taken some fish from the Eagle Hill River. Crane and Pavilion beaches have been slower to heat up, but should soon.
Newbury: (1 hook) The Parker River water has risen above 50 degrees and more striped bass are showing up because of it. Plum Island Sound and the waters off Sandy Point are just scraping at 50 degrees, so the fishing should get better over the next week. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge beaches remain closed for the nesting piping plovers.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Shad action continues to be good at Rock’s Village, with a few striped bass in the mix now too. Anglers fishing off Deer Island, or poking around Eagle and Carr Islands by boat have found sporadic striper activity. Anglers trying their luck on Joppa Flats have not had as much success as those a little further up river. Some reports have had fish foraging along the ocean front on Plum Island, however the weed in the water has made fishing a challenge. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds of fishermen, but the fish have been slow to arrive. Cod and Haddock fishing have been quite good for the party boats and offshore fishermen.
Salisbury: (1 hook) Anglers have been crowding the Salisbury State Reservation to catch the last of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide in search of fresh fish. Fishermen do well utilizing soft plastic shad imitations as well as using seaworms on a fish finder rig. Fly fishermen will do best with a fast sinking line to ensure getting down to the fish in the fast moving current.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) Seabrook, Hampton and Rye have all been slow in showing signs of activity, but that is slowly changing. The Hampton River and surrounding marshes should begin to fill with newly arrived striped bass over the next week and reports have a few fish being plucked over the last week. Further north in the Portsmouth area, fish will lag a bit behind those in more southern waters.
May 6, 2005
Still not a barn-burner
Frank Dwyer
May 6, 2005
Lot’s of fresh striped bass around the cape and south shore areas, but the north shore has been slower to heat up with water temperatures staying below 50 degrees in most of our area. Hopefully the warm up predicted for the weekend will entice the influx of striped bass we are all waiting for patiently.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Flounder fishermen continue to catch their limits off Marblehead, mostly using sea worms drifted or slowly retrieved. Skates are showing in more numbers so a float is advised. Fish were reported near the power plant over the last few days. Slow to raise water temperatures have slowed the arrival of our striped friends with only low ruminations that fish have slowly started to show up.
Salem: (2 hooks) The Lead Mills will hopefully see fresh striped bass soon as should the typical early season spots like Winter Island and Kernwood Bridge. Flounder action continues to please fishermen around Salem Harbor. Cod and haddock action at the ledges continues to be decent for the offshore crowd.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Cold water dominates the Beverly coast line so anglers will do better prospecting in the Bass River or Danvers River, as opposed to the ocean front. Hopefully predicted warming trends are accurate and we will see a flurry of activity soon. Light spinning gear or fly rods will work best on these Spring arrivals.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Boat anglers targeting flounder along the Manchester-By-The-Sea coastline have done well this past week. Hopeful striper fishermen have been trying the ocean beaches with little success. Many anglers have tried the Little River in Gloucester over the past week, but the fish have been sparse. Hopefully both the Little and Annisquam will heat up in the coming days. Anglers prospecting in the Essex area have also experienced slow fishing with an occasional sluggish striper being taken. Hopefully the Essex River will come alive soon. Cod and Haddock fishing has been fairly consistent for anglers this past week.
Ipswich: (1 hook) Consistent with other areas, the cold water has led to the slow arrival of striped bass. The Castle Neck and Ipswich Rivers are excellent places to search for early season bass. In addition the bass should soon return to Pavilion, Steep Hill and Crane Beach.
Newbury: (1 hook) Some action reported with small school bass in the Parker River, but certainly a percentage of these fish are “holdovers”. Sluggos twitched slowly along the bottom or sparsely tied flies should do the trick.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Shad continue to be caught at Rock’s Village by both shore and boat anglers. Spinning gear with small shad darts work best for these acrobatic fish. Anglers fishing at Deer Island are landing more catfish than striped bass, but that will change soon. Kayak and wading fishermen have been trying their luck on Joppa Flats, but the action has been slow. Anglers fishing the ocean front with bucktail jigs and assorted other lures have reported little activity. Plum Island Point has had anglers targeting bass all week, but the fish have been less than cooperative. There have been some reports of schoolies near the Jetty. The party boats have done well with cod, haddock and an occasional wolffish.
Salisbury:(1 hook) Just like their brethren across the river, anglers fishing from the Salisbury State Reservation have had minor activity when it comes to newly arriving striped bass. The river has been running quite high and there is a large amount of debris floating down river. The ocean front remains quiet.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) No major activity to report in southern New Hampshire, however some stripers that wintered over have been plucked from the rivers. Cod and Haddock have been plentiful for those heading to the ledges, while some flounder have been had around Little Harbor in Portsmouth.
May 6, 2005
Lot’s of fresh striped bass around the cape and south shore areas, but the north shore has been slower to heat up with water temperatures staying below 50 degrees in most of our area. Hopefully the warm up predicted for the weekend will entice the influx of striped bass we are all waiting for patiently.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Flounder fishermen continue to catch their limits off Marblehead, mostly using sea worms drifted or slowly retrieved. Skates are showing in more numbers so a float is advised. Fish were reported near the power plant over the last few days. Slow to raise water temperatures have slowed the arrival of our striped friends with only low ruminations that fish have slowly started to show up.
Salem: (2 hooks) The Lead Mills will hopefully see fresh striped bass soon as should the typical early season spots like Winter Island and Kernwood Bridge. Flounder action continues to please fishermen around Salem Harbor. Cod and haddock action at the ledges continues to be decent for the offshore crowd.
Beverly: (2 hooks) Cold water dominates the Beverly coast line so anglers will do better prospecting in the Bass River or Danvers River, as opposed to the ocean front. Hopefully predicted warming trends are accurate and we will see a flurry of activity soon. Light spinning gear or fly rods will work best on these Spring arrivals.
Cape Ann: (2 hooks) Boat anglers targeting flounder along the Manchester-By-The-Sea coastline have done well this past week. Hopeful striper fishermen have been trying the ocean beaches with little success. Many anglers have tried the Little River in Gloucester over the past week, but the fish have been sparse. Hopefully both the Little and Annisquam will heat up in the coming days. Anglers prospecting in the Essex area have also experienced slow fishing with an occasional sluggish striper being taken. Hopefully the Essex River will come alive soon. Cod and Haddock fishing has been fairly consistent for anglers this past week.
Ipswich: (1 hook) Consistent with other areas, the cold water has led to the slow arrival of striped bass. The Castle Neck and Ipswich Rivers are excellent places to search for early season bass. In addition the bass should soon return to Pavilion, Steep Hill and Crane Beach.
Newbury: (1 hook) Some action reported with small school bass in the Parker River, but certainly a percentage of these fish are “holdovers”. Sluggos twitched slowly along the bottom or sparsely tied flies should do the trick.
Newburyport / Plum Island: (1 hook) Shad continue to be caught at Rock’s Village by both shore and boat anglers. Spinning gear with small shad darts work best for these acrobatic fish. Anglers fishing at Deer Island are landing more catfish than striped bass, but that will change soon. Kayak and wading fishermen have been trying their luck on Joppa Flats, but the action has been slow. Anglers fishing the ocean front with bucktail jigs and assorted other lures have reported little activity. Plum Island Point has had anglers targeting bass all week, but the fish have been less than cooperative. There have been some reports of schoolies near the Jetty. The party boats have done well with cod, haddock and an occasional wolffish.
Salisbury:(1 hook) Just like their brethren across the river, anglers fishing from the Salisbury State Reservation have had minor activity when it comes to newly arriving striped bass. The river has been running quite high and there is a large amount of debris floating down river. The ocean front remains quiet.
Seacoast, NH: (1 hook) No major activity to report in southern New Hampshire, however some stripers that wintered over have been plucked from the rivers. Cod and Haddock have been plentiful for those heading to the ledges, while some flounder have been had around Little Harbor in Portsmouth.
April 28, 2005
Early Season Spots Should be Heating Up on the North Shore Soon
Frank Dwyer
April 28, 2005
After a long winter, it’s time to get ready for another year of saltwater angling on the North Shore. If you’re like me, you’ve cleaned your gear, changed your line and refreshed your lures over the last month.
Fish are being caught in more numbers in Rhode Island and on Cape Cod and while it’s still a bit early in the season, holdover stripers have reportedly been dropping down some of the river systems while cod, haddock and flounder are being caught in more numbers off shore.
Marblehead: Flounder are being caught by anglers drifting in the harbor, with some doormats mixed in. Early season schoolie action should be available in the harbor across from the Lead Mills very soon. Try your luck with small bucktail jigs or small swimmers. Anglers working around Devereux Beach and Castle Rock should be seeing fresh fish soon. As a reminder, from March 1st through April 30th, flounder are limited to 3 fish per person per day. Beginning May 1st and continuing through February 8th, the limit increases to 8 fish per day per person.
Salem: The Lead Mills is typically an early producer for those in search of newly arrived striped bass and anglers do well with jigs, small swimmers and soft plastics. Fly fishermen attract bass with clousers, deceivers and virtually any other sparsely tied fly. Anglers also do well from Kernwood Bridge, Winter Island and the North River. Anglers fishing Salem Harbor have reported decent flounder action. Anglers heading further out have reported decent action for cod and haddock at the off shore ledges, while some of the inshore locations have been slower to heat up.
Beverly: Anglers prospecting for newly arrived bass do well around the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge as well as on the outgoing tide at White’s Fuel Bridge in Danversport. As with most other spots, small swimmers, bucktail jigs and soft plastics will all produce fish. Anglers should also try their luck at Tuck’s Point, the Essex Bridge and even West Beach.
Cape Ann: Singing Beach, Graves Beach and White Beach in Manchester typically welcome new bass arrivals and these hungry fish will take most offerings from fishermen, including small metal lures (Kastmaster) as well as swimmers and plastics. The harbor also has seen its share of migrating schoolies willing to take offerings from shore or boat. Moving north, Gloucester usually has an influx of new fish arriving in the Little River, Annisquam River and along the Longs Wharf area. Anglers also do well fishing the area around Wingaersheek Beach. Anglers also can try both Front Beach and Cape Hedge Beach in Rockport for early season striped bass action. In Essex, the Essex River will typically yield schoolies for shore or boat anglers. Fishing from a kayak in this area can yield excellent results allowing fishermen to cover an expansive area, including the Hog Island area. Cod and Haddock action has been good on Tillies, Jeffries and Stellwagen while inshore locations have been a bit slower.
Ipswich: Early season anglers exploring Crane and Steep Hill Beaches will soon find the newly arrived striped bass they are looking for. This is an excellent area for fly fishermen with fish typically coming close to shore. The Ipswich River system, including Fox Creek and Treadwell Island Creek will typically also produce for anglers using light tackle.
Newbury: The National Wildlife Refuge beaches are currently closed to protect nesting Piping Plovers. The Parker River typically holds holdover striped bass at this time of year. Try your luck behind Governor Dummer or by the Route 1A Bridge. Anglers exploring Plum Island Sound will typically see new arrivals within the next week with the areas around the Eagle Hill River and Rowley River typically producing schoolies.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Shad have been reported at Rock’s Village, however in my two trips, I’ve yet to see evidence of them, however shad darts tossed into the river will typically produce these good fighting fish. Early season striper spots, like Deer Island, the Plum Island River and Plum Island Point should all see new arrivals this week. Soft Plastics, small swimming lures and bucktail jigs with teasers will all do their part to attract hungry fish. Fly anglers will also do well utilizing a fast sinking line and sparsely tied flies. The ocean front typically is less crowded than the river and is often just as good in early season production. Cod and Haddock catches have been decent for the off shore crowd.
Salisbury: As it is across the river, anglers fishing the Merrimack from the State Reservation will be targeting newly arrived bass in the coming days. Bait anglers have success with both seaworms and cut bait, however these spring bass seem to be more interested in artificial baits worked aggressively in the water. Lose the crowds and try your luck from Salisbury Beach.
Seacoast, NH: Anglers in southern New Hampshire will do well poking around the Hampton marshes and rivers, including Browns River, however the fish may arrive a bit later than those in more southern waters. Fishing the river systems in Rye and Portsmouth, including the Piscataqua and the Great Bay area should produce some holdover bass and hopefully soon fresh striped bass will arrive.
April 28, 2005
After a long winter, it’s time to get ready for another year of saltwater angling on the North Shore. If you’re like me, you’ve cleaned your gear, changed your line and refreshed your lures over the last month.
Fish are being caught in more numbers in Rhode Island and on Cape Cod and while it’s still a bit early in the season, holdover stripers have reportedly been dropping down some of the river systems while cod, haddock and flounder are being caught in more numbers off shore.
Marblehead: Flounder are being caught by anglers drifting in the harbor, with some doormats mixed in. Early season schoolie action should be available in the harbor across from the Lead Mills very soon. Try your luck with small bucktail jigs or small swimmers. Anglers working around Devereux Beach and Castle Rock should be seeing fresh fish soon. As a reminder, from March 1st through April 30th, flounder are limited to 3 fish per person per day. Beginning May 1st and continuing through February 8th, the limit increases to 8 fish per day per person.
Salem: The Lead Mills is typically an early producer for those in search of newly arrived striped bass and anglers do well with jigs, small swimmers and soft plastics. Fly fishermen attract bass with clousers, deceivers and virtually any other sparsely tied fly. Anglers also do well from Kernwood Bridge, Winter Island and the North River. Anglers fishing Salem Harbor have reported decent flounder action. Anglers heading further out have reported decent action for cod and haddock at the off shore ledges, while some of the inshore locations have been slower to heat up.
Beverly: Anglers prospecting for newly arrived bass do well around the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge as well as on the outgoing tide at White’s Fuel Bridge in Danversport. As with most other spots, small swimmers, bucktail jigs and soft plastics will all produce fish. Anglers should also try their luck at Tuck’s Point, the Essex Bridge and even West Beach.
Cape Ann: Singing Beach, Graves Beach and White Beach in Manchester typically welcome new bass arrivals and these hungry fish will take most offerings from fishermen, including small metal lures (Kastmaster) as well as swimmers and plastics. The harbor also has seen its share of migrating schoolies willing to take offerings from shore or boat. Moving north, Gloucester usually has an influx of new fish arriving in the Little River, Annisquam River and along the Longs Wharf area. Anglers also do well fishing the area around Wingaersheek Beach. Anglers also can try both Front Beach and Cape Hedge Beach in Rockport for early season striped bass action. In Essex, the Essex River will typically yield schoolies for shore or boat anglers. Fishing from a kayak in this area can yield excellent results allowing fishermen to cover an expansive area, including the Hog Island area. Cod and Haddock action has been good on Tillies, Jeffries and Stellwagen while inshore locations have been a bit slower.
Ipswich: Early season anglers exploring Crane and Steep Hill Beaches will soon find the newly arrived striped bass they are looking for. This is an excellent area for fly fishermen with fish typically coming close to shore. The Ipswich River system, including Fox Creek and Treadwell Island Creek will typically also produce for anglers using light tackle.
Newbury: The National Wildlife Refuge beaches are currently closed to protect nesting Piping Plovers. The Parker River typically holds holdover striped bass at this time of year. Try your luck behind Governor Dummer or by the Route 1A Bridge. Anglers exploring Plum Island Sound will typically see new arrivals within the next week with the areas around the Eagle Hill River and Rowley River typically producing schoolies.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Shad have been reported at Rock’s Village, however in my two trips, I’ve yet to see evidence of them, however shad darts tossed into the river will typically produce these good fighting fish. Early season striper spots, like Deer Island, the Plum Island River and Plum Island Point should all see new arrivals this week. Soft Plastics, small swimming lures and bucktail jigs with teasers will all do their part to attract hungry fish. Fly anglers will also do well utilizing a fast sinking line and sparsely tied flies. The ocean front typically is less crowded than the river and is often just as good in early season production. Cod and Haddock catches have been decent for the off shore crowd.
Salisbury: As it is across the river, anglers fishing the Merrimack from the State Reservation will be targeting newly arrived bass in the coming days. Bait anglers have success with both seaworms and cut bait, however these spring bass seem to be more interested in artificial baits worked aggressively in the water. Lose the crowds and try your luck from Salisbury Beach.
Seacoast, NH: Anglers in southern New Hampshire will do well poking around the Hampton marshes and rivers, including Browns River, however the fish may arrive a bit later than those in more southern waters. Fishing the river systems in Rye and Portsmouth, including the Piscataqua and the Great Bay area should produce some holdover bass and hopefully soon fresh striped bass will arrive.
November 18, 2004
Bassmaster to be?
November 18, 2004
Mark Fournier wants to be the best bass fisherman in the world, and he may just end up getting there. Mark, a native of Amesbury, was a three-sport standout at Amesbury High School, and has gone on to become a successful carpenter. I had the pleasure of fishing with Mark on Lake Attitash in Merrimack one recent afternoon, and learned that he is quickly rising in the ranks of New England freshwater bass fishermen.
Mark started fishing when he was a youngster with his Dad, and quickly became quite interested in the sport, spending much of his free time fishing local lakes and ponds. As Mark became more interested in the pursuit of bass, he joined the New Hampshire Bass Cullers, a local chapter of the national B.A.S.S organization, otherwise known as Bassmasters. Becoming a member of the local B.A.S.S. chapter has allowed Mark to fish in B.A.S.S. tournaments with his ultimate goal to get to, and win, the annual Bassmaster Classic, which crowns the world’s best bass fisherman each year.
As we eased off the boat ramp at Lake Attitash in Fournier’s 18 foot Stratos bass boat, it’s easy to see that Mark is at home on the water in search of Bass. While Mark spends most of his time fishing in New Hampshire, he still knows the local fresh water haunts well as evidenced by his ability to catch 4 quick bass to the author’s none. Since Bass like structure, Mark is quite accurate in his casting, placing his spinner bait directly under docks and other structures and setting the hook quickly as the bass take the bait.
Mark fished approximately 10 tournaments this year all leading up to the STQT, or State Team Qualifying Tourney, where the top 13 anglers move on to the Regionals, and then hopefully to the National Bassmaster Classic. Anglers win by having the heaviest weight of their combined catches. Just this year, Mark finished quite high in many tournaments, including:
- 3rd Place on July 3rd at a tournament on the Nashua River in New Hampshire
- 2nd Place on July 10th at an American Bass Anglers tournament on Lake Winnisquam in New Hampshire
- 4th Place (out of 60 boats) in the Karl Kaprelian Benefit Tournament at Lake Winnipesaukee with a total of 20.63 pounds.
- 1st Place on August 14 on Lake Winnipesaukee with the New Hampshire Bass Cullers.
- 8th Place (out of 45 boats) at the North East Bass Association Open on August 29th with a total combined weight of 18 pounds.
While Mark was hoping for a better finish in the STQT this year, he did not finish in the top 13 to move on to the Regionals, but I’m sure he will be there in the very near future.
Mark’s success has been validated over the past years as he has been able to garner the support of local sponsors, whose logos are emblazoned on Mark’s boat. Currently, Mark has five core sponsors, including Cammett Engineering of Amesbury, Sign-A-Rama of Salisbury, CPA Roger Cyr of Madison, NH, EMC Home Improvements of Amesbury, and Losi Construction of Amesbury.
In the end, Mark caught 5 large mouth bass to my zero during our outing, and despite my efforts, it was great to catch up with a fellow fisherman in his element. Mark’s passion for the sport combined with his skills, leads me to believe that one sleepy Sunday morning in the near future, I will turn on ESPN 2 to watch some of their fishing programs and will see Mark staring back at me.
November 18, 2004
Mark Fournier wants to be the best bass fisherman in the world, and he may just end up getting there. Mark, a native of Amesbury, was a three-sport standout at Amesbury High School, and has gone on to become a successful carpenter. I had the pleasure of fishing with Mark on Lake Attitash in Merrimack one recent afternoon, and learned that he is quickly rising in the ranks of New England freshwater bass fishermen.
Mark started fishing when he was a youngster with his Dad, and quickly became quite interested in the sport, spending much of his free time fishing local lakes and ponds. As Mark became more interested in the pursuit of bass, he joined the New Hampshire Bass Cullers, a local chapter of the national B.A.S.S organization, otherwise known as Bassmasters. Becoming a member of the local B.A.S.S. chapter has allowed Mark to fish in B.A.S.S. tournaments with his ultimate goal to get to, and win, the annual Bassmaster Classic, which crowns the world’s best bass fisherman each year.
As we eased off the boat ramp at Lake Attitash in Fournier’s 18 foot Stratos bass boat, it’s easy to see that Mark is at home on the water in search of Bass. While Mark spends most of his time fishing in New Hampshire, he still knows the local fresh water haunts well as evidenced by his ability to catch 4 quick bass to the author’s none. Since Bass like structure, Mark is quite accurate in his casting, placing his spinner bait directly under docks and other structures and setting the hook quickly as the bass take the bait.
Mark fished approximately 10 tournaments this year all leading up to the STQT, or State Team Qualifying Tourney, where the top 13 anglers move on to the Regionals, and then hopefully to the National Bassmaster Classic. Anglers win by having the heaviest weight of their combined catches. Just this year, Mark finished quite high in many tournaments, including:
- 3rd Place on July 3rd at a tournament on the Nashua River in New Hampshire
- 2nd Place on July 10th at an American Bass Anglers tournament on Lake Winnisquam in New Hampshire
- 4th Place (out of 60 boats) in the Karl Kaprelian Benefit Tournament at Lake Winnipesaukee with a total of 20.63 pounds.
- 1st Place on August 14 on Lake Winnipesaukee with the New Hampshire Bass Cullers.
- 8th Place (out of 45 boats) at the North East Bass Association Open on August 29th with a total combined weight of 18 pounds.
While Mark was hoping for a better finish in the STQT this year, he did not finish in the top 13 to move on to the Regionals, but I’m sure he will be there in the very near future.
Mark’s success has been validated over the past years as he has been able to garner the support of local sponsors, whose logos are emblazoned on Mark’s boat. Currently, Mark has five core sponsors, including Cammett Engineering of Amesbury, Sign-A-Rama of Salisbury, CPA Roger Cyr of Madison, NH, EMC Home Improvements of Amesbury, and Losi Construction of Amesbury.
In the end, Mark caught 5 large mouth bass to my zero during our outing, and despite my efforts, it was great to catch up with a fellow fisherman in his element. Mark’s passion for the sport combined with his skills, leads me to believe that one sleepy Sunday morning in the near future, I will turn on ESPN 2 to watch some of their fishing programs and will see Mark staring back at me.
October 7, 2004
Fish Finder – 10/7/2004
Frank Dwyer
October 7, 2004
As we get deeper into Fall, fish are still being caught along our shores, but surely we are in the twilight of the saltwater season. Sure, there will be fish to be had on Cape Cod and in Rhode Island’s waters until late into the Fall, but the weekly reports here will stop until April or May of next year. By then, our cabin fever will have reached its annual apex and we will once again be ready to patrol the waters in search of fish.
It has been my pleasure to provide you with the fishing news this season and I truly appreciate your readership and emails. While the list would be too long to print here, I would like to thank everyone who has helped in providing reports during the season. Enjoy the Columbus Day weekend and get out there and fish!
Marblehead: Surface feeding bass have been reported at Devereux Beach as well as off Castle Rock. Some bluefish have been mixed in as well. Large popping plugs for spin fishermen and large bait fish imitations for fly anglers have worked well. Stripers have also been active around Browns and Ram Islands with chunk baits and eels working well.
Salem: Plenty of stripers around Salem Sound, off Winter Island and around the harbor. Mackerel have been reported in local waters, with blues and stripers in pursuit. The water temps are still hovering around 60 degrees, so hopefully the good fishing will continue for a few more weeks.
Beverly: West Beach was home to some fine fishing over the last week, with several mornings beginning with surface feeding bass and blues well within casting range. Fly anglers with large flies and spin anglers working large plugs have done well. Ober Park and Kernwood Bridge are also producing fish.
Cape Ann: Manchester Harbor had an influx of mackerel this past week and triggered good bluefish and striper activity for anglers lucky enough to be there. Singing Beach and White Beach have also proved productive for both bait and lure fishermen and flounder remain available just outside the harbor. Gloucester Harbor also had a hectic moment during the week as bluefish and stripers followed a large school of mackerel into the harbor for quite a feeding frenzy. The fish were taking all manner of lures thrown their way. Bluefish remained near the mouth of the Annisquam, as well as off Wingaersheek Beach. Front Beach and Cape Hedge Beach in Rockport have had a few surface feeds this week as well. The Essex River has also been fishing well this week, mostly for sub-legal bass, but they have been plentiful. Further offshore, some tuna still being reported being seen and caught for anglers in pursuit of these speedy fish. Cod and Haddock remain plentiful for party boat customers.
Ipswich: There has been good fishing from Crane and Steep Hill Beach this past week with stripers and blues within reach of anglers casting from shore. Large popping plugs as well as swimming lures have worked well for these aggressively feeding fish. Fly anglers have reported some decent catches close to shore, with sparsely tied clousers and deceivers working well.
Newbury: Several reports indicate the fishing on the National Wildlife Refuge beaches has been productive, but not completely consistent. A few sunrise surface feeds have been reported from Parking Lot 3 and Parking Lot 7, with popping plugs being pursued actively by striped bass. Anglers fishing at night have reported keeper size catches, mostly on chunk bait and sea worms. Action in Plum Island Sound has been good as well, with both blues and stripers being caught.
Newburyport / Plum Island: I fished from shore on Thursday and was pleased to find small bass close to shore off the front beach on Plum Island. More exciting was the cloud of birds, with feeding fish under them, just off the MR buoy. A quick switch from shore to boat, and I was in a large school of bluefish willing to take my Striper Swiper plug on every cast. The action was consistent for over an hour, as the blues churned up the water in a scene that finally resembled Fall fishing in New England. Joppa Flats has also been producing stripers on the outgoing tide, with the fish being landed on the small side. Bluefish have been available for shore anglers fishing off Plum Island Point as well as at the base of the south jetty. Striped Bass fishing in the river at Plum Island Point has also been decent, with most fishing being taken on sea worms. Anglers fishing offshore for Tuna have reported decent sightings and activity in Ipswich Bay, while Cod and Haddock fishing remained strong for the Party Boat fleet.
Salisbury: Fishing from Salisbury Beach has had its moments the past week with a few blitzes allowing shore fishermen to land fish from the beach. In addition, fishing from the State Reservation has yielded good numbers of bass, mostly on bait. In addition, bluefish have been caught from the toothpick to the end of the north jetty, with some anglers targeting bass losing their set up to the toothy creatures as they cruise by.
Seacoast, NH: Seabrook and Hampton have had their fair share of fish caught over the last week, but the action has not been as consistent as in other locations. Anglers fishing from North Hampton beaches have reported some surface feeding activity close to shore. In addition, locations around Rye, including Odiorne Point State Park and the Rye Harbor Jetty have been producing fish. Around Portsmouth, anglers fishing the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as around the Navy Yard have done well with stripers over 30 inches. Great Bay has also been heating up. Offshore, tuna have been reported around the Isle of Shoals, as well as some larger bluefish and striped bass.
October 7, 2004
As we get deeper into Fall, fish are still being caught along our shores, but surely we are in the twilight of the saltwater season. Sure, there will be fish to be had on Cape Cod and in Rhode Island’s waters until late into the Fall, but the weekly reports here will stop until April or May of next year. By then, our cabin fever will have reached its annual apex and we will once again be ready to patrol the waters in search of fish.
It has been my pleasure to provide you with the fishing news this season and I truly appreciate your readership and emails. While the list would be too long to print here, I would like to thank everyone who has helped in providing reports during the season. Enjoy the Columbus Day weekend and get out there and fish!
Marblehead: Surface feeding bass have been reported at Devereux Beach as well as off Castle Rock. Some bluefish have been mixed in as well. Large popping plugs for spin fishermen and large bait fish imitations for fly anglers have worked well. Stripers have also been active around Browns and Ram Islands with chunk baits and eels working well.
Salem: Plenty of stripers around Salem Sound, off Winter Island and around the harbor. Mackerel have been reported in local waters, with blues and stripers in pursuit. The water temps are still hovering around 60 degrees, so hopefully the good fishing will continue for a few more weeks.
Beverly: West Beach was home to some fine fishing over the last week, with several mornings beginning with surface feeding bass and blues well within casting range. Fly anglers with large flies and spin anglers working large plugs have done well. Ober Park and Kernwood Bridge are also producing fish.
Cape Ann: Manchester Harbor had an influx of mackerel this past week and triggered good bluefish and striper activity for anglers lucky enough to be there. Singing Beach and White Beach have also proved productive for both bait and lure fishermen and flounder remain available just outside the harbor. Gloucester Harbor also had a hectic moment during the week as bluefish and stripers followed a large school of mackerel into the harbor for quite a feeding frenzy. The fish were taking all manner of lures thrown their way. Bluefish remained near the mouth of the Annisquam, as well as off Wingaersheek Beach. Front Beach and Cape Hedge Beach in Rockport have had a few surface feeds this week as well. The Essex River has also been fishing well this week, mostly for sub-legal bass, but they have been plentiful. Further offshore, some tuna still being reported being seen and caught for anglers in pursuit of these speedy fish. Cod and Haddock remain plentiful for party boat customers.
Ipswich: There has been good fishing from Crane and Steep Hill Beach this past week with stripers and blues within reach of anglers casting from shore. Large popping plugs as well as swimming lures have worked well for these aggressively feeding fish. Fly anglers have reported some decent catches close to shore, with sparsely tied clousers and deceivers working well.
Newbury: Several reports indicate the fishing on the National Wildlife Refuge beaches has been productive, but not completely consistent. A few sunrise surface feeds have been reported from Parking Lot 3 and Parking Lot 7, with popping plugs being pursued actively by striped bass. Anglers fishing at night have reported keeper size catches, mostly on chunk bait and sea worms. Action in Plum Island Sound has been good as well, with both blues and stripers being caught.
Newburyport / Plum Island: I fished from shore on Thursday and was pleased to find small bass close to shore off the front beach on Plum Island. More exciting was the cloud of birds, with feeding fish under them, just off the MR buoy. A quick switch from shore to boat, and I was in a large school of bluefish willing to take my Striper Swiper plug on every cast. The action was consistent for over an hour, as the blues churned up the water in a scene that finally resembled Fall fishing in New England. Joppa Flats has also been producing stripers on the outgoing tide, with the fish being landed on the small side. Bluefish have been available for shore anglers fishing off Plum Island Point as well as at the base of the south jetty. Striped Bass fishing in the river at Plum Island Point has also been decent, with most fishing being taken on sea worms. Anglers fishing offshore for Tuna have reported decent sightings and activity in Ipswich Bay, while Cod and Haddock fishing remained strong for the Party Boat fleet.
Salisbury: Fishing from Salisbury Beach has had its moments the past week with a few blitzes allowing shore fishermen to land fish from the beach. In addition, fishing from the State Reservation has yielded good numbers of bass, mostly on bait. In addition, bluefish have been caught from the toothpick to the end of the north jetty, with some anglers targeting bass losing their set up to the toothy creatures as they cruise by.
Seacoast, NH: Seabrook and Hampton have had their fair share of fish caught over the last week, but the action has not been as consistent as in other locations. Anglers fishing from North Hampton beaches have reported some surface feeding activity close to shore. In addition, locations around Rye, including Odiorne Point State Park and the Rye Harbor Jetty have been producing fish. Around Portsmouth, anglers fishing the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as around the Navy Yard have done well with stripers over 30 inches. Great Bay has also been heating up. Offshore, tuna have been reported around the Isle of Shoals, as well as some larger bluefish and striped bass.
September 30, 2004
Fish Finder – 9/30/2004
Frank Dwyer
September 30, 2004
Marblehead: Things are looking up, at least compared to last week. The recent hurricane remnants were not that helpful mid-week, but this coming weekend should provide good fishing. Surfcasters fishing near the lighthouse on Neck have done well with stripers in the last week. I saw a few keepers taken there with my own eyes this week. Most anglers are using bait but some fish are falling for plugs and large rubber shads. Devereux Beach has also yielded stripers this week, again mostly for the bait crew. Bluefish remain available, but in deeper water and mostly on the troll.
Salem: Striper fishing has been steady around Salem this week, with some fish close to trophy size being landed. Anglers working the waters around Winter Island have reported good striper activity. Spin fishermen have done well with large popping plugs and needlefish while fly anglers have been landing fish consistently on large baitfish flies presented on a sinking line. The Salem Willows Pier has also been home to a few striper catches and bluefish remain available outside the harbor.
Beverly: Stripers have blitzed West Beach a few times this week, with excellent surface activity and willing striped bass. Flounder have also been plentiful around Beverly with the best action around West Beach and Mingo Beach. Anglers targeting flounder have had the best results using sea worms as bait.
Cape Ann: Good numbers of flounder have been reported just outside Manchester Harbor over the last week with many anglers catching their limit. In addition, surface feeding schoolies have been pleasing anglers in Manchester Harbor, mostly at dawn and dusk. In Gloucester, bluefish have been plentiful at the mouth of the Annisquam, with most of the fish being landed on deep trolled swimming lures. Bluefish activity was also strong around Gloucester and Magnolia Harbors while stripers, mostly on the small side, have become more plentiful over the last week around Cape Ann. Fishing has also picked up in the Essex River, as the fish have been actively feeding on sand eels on the surface and taking small popping plugs, sluggos and sparsely tied sand eel imitations. School bluefin tuna reports have been a bit more consistent, with most of the activity out in Ipswich Bay and on the troll. Party boats report decent numbers of cod, pollack and haddock, with some pesky dogfish getting in the way.
Ipswich: Crane, Pavilion and Steep Hill beach have all been yielding bass within casting range, as the fall run seems to finally be getting under way. Fish have been available along the beach, and at the mouth of the Ipswich and Essex rivers. Small popping plugs have been working well for spin fishermen, and sparsely tied flies like Ray’s Fly and the small epoxy sand eels. Bluefish remain in the mix.
Newbury: Anglers trolling 9’er rigs and tube n’ worm set ups have reported larger bass catches in Plum Island Sound. In addition, the Parker River has also heated up with several surface feeding pods of striped bass reported over the last week. The crew fishing the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge had high surf to deal with part of this week, but night-time catches continue to yield keeper sized bass. Clams, sea worms and cut bait have all been working well. If history is any measure, surface feeding bass should be crashing the beach over the next two weeks.
Newburyport / Plum Island: The last week has seen the activity around the port increase. I was out twice this past week and pleasantly surprised by the availability of both stripers and bluefish. Fishing upriver of the Route 1 Bridge has found actively feeding schoolies off Carr, Eagle and Deer Islands. Fish have been taking sluggos and Fin-S’s for spin fishermen and sand-eel imitations for fly anglers. Further towards the mouth, Joppa Flats has been heating up with willing fish feeding quite nicely, mostly on the outgoing tide. Fishing around the AYC moorings as well as along the dike and Woodbridge Island has been good for feeding bass. Surfcasters working the point have reported an up-tick in activity as striper catches have increased this past week. The last two hours of the outgoing tide seems to be the favorite of the locals. Bluefish have been caught from the Toothpick out to the MR buoy, with most of the fish being landed on deeply trolled swimmers. Tuna have been more evident over the last week with landings in the 30-50lb range reported. Most activity has been reported around Stellwagan Bank and Jeffries Ledge. Party Boats have had a good week, landing plenty of cod and haddock for their customers.
Salisbury: Bluefish remain off Salisbury Beach, and trolling swimming lures has landed plenty of these aggressive fish over the last week. A few fish have been landed off Salisbury Beach, mostly on bait, with anglers hoping the annual surface feeds will start soon. There have been plenty of bass being landed at the mouth of the Merrimack by anglers fishing from the State Reservation and off the North Jetty.
Seacoast, NH: Stripers have been cooperating this week for anglers fishing in the Seabrook and Hampton areas. The railroad bridge in Hampton has been heating up as anglers fishing with both bait and lures report good bass landings. In Rye Harbor, anglers fishing from the Jetty have reported decent activity for small stripers and some bluefish. Further to the north, anglers have done well with striped bass around the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as into Great Bay, with some bluefish still in the mix. Some larger bass are being landed around the Isle of Shoals, and some tuna have also been reported in the area.
September 30, 2004
Marblehead: Things are looking up, at least compared to last week. The recent hurricane remnants were not that helpful mid-week, but this coming weekend should provide good fishing. Surfcasters fishing near the lighthouse on Neck have done well with stripers in the last week. I saw a few keepers taken there with my own eyes this week. Most anglers are using bait but some fish are falling for plugs and large rubber shads. Devereux Beach has also yielded stripers this week, again mostly for the bait crew. Bluefish remain available, but in deeper water and mostly on the troll.
Salem: Striper fishing has been steady around Salem this week, with some fish close to trophy size being landed. Anglers working the waters around Winter Island have reported good striper activity. Spin fishermen have done well with large popping plugs and needlefish while fly anglers have been landing fish consistently on large baitfish flies presented on a sinking line. The Salem Willows Pier has also been home to a few striper catches and bluefish remain available outside the harbor.
Beverly: Stripers have blitzed West Beach a few times this week, with excellent surface activity and willing striped bass. Flounder have also been plentiful around Beverly with the best action around West Beach and Mingo Beach. Anglers targeting flounder have had the best results using sea worms as bait.
Cape Ann: Good numbers of flounder have been reported just outside Manchester Harbor over the last week with many anglers catching their limit. In addition, surface feeding schoolies have been pleasing anglers in Manchester Harbor, mostly at dawn and dusk. In Gloucester, bluefish have been plentiful at the mouth of the Annisquam, with most of the fish being landed on deep trolled swimming lures. Bluefish activity was also strong around Gloucester and Magnolia Harbors while stripers, mostly on the small side, have become more plentiful over the last week around Cape Ann. Fishing has also picked up in the Essex River, as the fish have been actively feeding on sand eels on the surface and taking small popping plugs, sluggos and sparsely tied sand eel imitations. School bluefin tuna reports have been a bit more consistent, with most of the activity out in Ipswich Bay and on the troll. Party boats report decent numbers of cod, pollack and haddock, with some pesky dogfish getting in the way.
Ipswich: Crane, Pavilion and Steep Hill beach have all been yielding bass within casting range, as the fall run seems to finally be getting under way. Fish have been available along the beach, and at the mouth of the Ipswich and Essex rivers. Small popping plugs have been working well for spin fishermen, and sparsely tied flies like Ray’s Fly and the small epoxy sand eels. Bluefish remain in the mix.
Newbury: Anglers trolling 9’er rigs and tube n’ worm set ups have reported larger bass catches in Plum Island Sound. In addition, the Parker River has also heated up with several surface feeding pods of striped bass reported over the last week. The crew fishing the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge had high surf to deal with part of this week, but night-time catches continue to yield keeper sized bass. Clams, sea worms and cut bait have all been working well. If history is any measure, surface feeding bass should be crashing the beach over the next two weeks.
Newburyport / Plum Island: The last week has seen the activity around the port increase. I was out twice this past week and pleasantly surprised by the availability of both stripers and bluefish. Fishing upriver of the Route 1 Bridge has found actively feeding schoolies off Carr, Eagle and Deer Islands. Fish have been taking sluggos and Fin-S’s for spin fishermen and sand-eel imitations for fly anglers. Further towards the mouth, Joppa Flats has been heating up with willing fish feeding quite nicely, mostly on the outgoing tide. Fishing around the AYC moorings as well as along the dike and Woodbridge Island has been good for feeding bass. Surfcasters working the point have reported an up-tick in activity as striper catches have increased this past week. The last two hours of the outgoing tide seems to be the favorite of the locals. Bluefish have been caught from the Toothpick out to the MR buoy, with most of the fish being landed on deeply trolled swimmers. Tuna have been more evident over the last week with landings in the 30-50lb range reported. Most activity has been reported around Stellwagan Bank and Jeffries Ledge. Party Boats have had a good week, landing plenty of cod and haddock for their customers.
Salisbury: Bluefish remain off Salisbury Beach, and trolling swimming lures has landed plenty of these aggressive fish over the last week. A few fish have been landed off Salisbury Beach, mostly on bait, with anglers hoping the annual surface feeds will start soon. There have been plenty of bass being landed at the mouth of the Merrimack by anglers fishing from the State Reservation and off the North Jetty.
Seacoast, NH: Stripers have been cooperating this week for anglers fishing in the Seabrook and Hampton areas. The railroad bridge in Hampton has been heating up as anglers fishing with both bait and lures report good bass landings. In Rye Harbor, anglers fishing from the Jetty have reported decent activity for small stripers and some bluefish. Further to the north, anglers have done well with striped bass around the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as into Great Bay, with some bluefish still in the mix. Some larger bass are being landed around the Isle of Shoals, and some tuna have also been reported in the area.
September 23, 2004
Fish Finder – 9/23/2004
Frank Dwyer
September 23, 2004
Marblehead: Strange days on the North Shore as anglers, terns and seagulls wonder when and if the typical fall surface feeds will happen. Fishing up around Castle Rock and the lighthouse has yielded a few fish, but nothing to write home about. Anglers have found both bass and blues in the deeper water around Gerry and Brown’s Island. There has been some activity for surfcasters off Devereux Beach, with mostly smaller stripers being reported.
Salem: Anglers fishing the Salem Willows Pier and also from Winter Island report decent action for striped bass, but it’s not red hot just yet. Bluefish have been reported just outside the harbor and anglers fishing near Coney Island with live and cut bait have reported some large striper catches.
Beverly: Fishermen have found fairly spotty action along the Beverly coast, with some fish being caught by anglers trolling tube n’ worm rigs just off shore. Trolling deep diving swimming plugs has proved productive for bluefish as well. Anglers targeting flounder have continued to do well.
Cape Ann: Manchester Harbor continued to be home to small schools of herring which anglers have been successfully using as bait in deeper water. Singing Beach offered only spotty action this week, with the fish showing inconsistently. One report did have schoolies in the wash at dusk with fly anglers picking them off with some frequency. In Gloucester, reports had small bass on the Ipswich Bay side of the Annisquam River over the last week, as well as off Wingersheek Beach. Fly and spin anglers fishing along Shore Road in Magnolia have reported sporadic striper activity, with a few bluefish in the mix. Anglers fishing in deeper waters off Halibut Point have landed some large bluefish trolling big lures on wire. The Essex River has yielded some fish, but again folks are scratching their heads wondering about the yet-to-start Fall run. Tuna activity has been slow as well offshore with some fish being seen surfacing, but not staying up for any length of time. Party boats continue to do well for ground fish.
Ipswich: I fished from Crane Beach last week and was frustrated by a pod of surface feeding bass just out of my casting range. I did manage several small bass, all taken on an olive and green clouser fly on a sinking line, but wished I could reach the frenzy out in front of me. Bluefish have been at the mouth of the Ipswich River this past week; however the striper fishing has been a bit slow.
Newbury: Anglers fishing the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has continued to attract walk on and drive on surfcasters in search of the big one. Anglers reported spotty action, but those fishing at night have managed some fish into the twenty-pound range. Fishing on the Parker River and Plum Island Sound has been slow.
Newburyport / Plum Island: A large, well defined cloud deck was hanging over the mouth of the Merrimack on Sunday as the 43 degree air lapped at my face. The sun did not warm me until mid-morning, but the fishing was decent along the AYC moorings and further out by Can # 11. In fact, one fish hit a slow drifted sluggo extremely hard, and then the line went limp. Upon inspection, the hook on the lead-head was bent, so there are some big one’s out there! Anglers continue to flock to Plum Island Point to fish, but the action is somewhat sporadic. Clams and sea worms drifted on the bottom seem to be the best bait. Outside the mouth, bluefish continue to be caught, mostly by those trolling large lures on wire. Some big fish have come from the 20-40 foot depths. Many anglers are still in search of Tuna and there were some sightings south of the Isle of Shoals, but most of the action seems to remain to our south in Cape Cod Bay. Party boats have reported good action for their patrons.
Salisbury: The Salisbury beach front remained quiet this week, with no traditional signs of any fall activity. Bluefish have been caught by boat anglers fishing off Salisbury beach, but surfcasters report little action. The State Reservation yielded some fish this week, mostly for those using bait, but the action has not been red hot by any measure.
Seacoast, NH: There has been a bit more activity around Seabrook, Rye and Hampton, mostly with small bass. I saw several fish landed at the Rye Harbor State Park on Wednesday, and reports also had fish off Foss Beach, just outside Hampton Harbor and along Hampton Beach. Further north, fish have been feeding at the mouth of the Piscataqua, although again, most of the fish have been schoolie sized. Bluefish have also been more active this week along the New Hampshire coast. The Isle of Shoals continues to draw anglers in search of blues, bass and the elusive bluefin tuna.
September 23, 2004
Marblehead: Strange days on the North Shore as anglers, terns and seagulls wonder when and if the typical fall surface feeds will happen. Fishing up around Castle Rock and the lighthouse has yielded a few fish, but nothing to write home about. Anglers have found both bass and blues in the deeper water around Gerry and Brown’s Island. There has been some activity for surfcasters off Devereux Beach, with mostly smaller stripers being reported.
Salem: Anglers fishing the Salem Willows Pier and also from Winter Island report decent action for striped bass, but it’s not red hot just yet. Bluefish have been reported just outside the harbor and anglers fishing near Coney Island with live and cut bait have reported some large striper catches.
Beverly: Fishermen have found fairly spotty action along the Beverly coast, with some fish being caught by anglers trolling tube n’ worm rigs just off shore. Trolling deep diving swimming plugs has proved productive for bluefish as well. Anglers targeting flounder have continued to do well.
Cape Ann: Manchester Harbor continued to be home to small schools of herring which anglers have been successfully using as bait in deeper water. Singing Beach offered only spotty action this week, with the fish showing inconsistently. One report did have schoolies in the wash at dusk with fly anglers picking them off with some frequency. In Gloucester, reports had small bass on the Ipswich Bay side of the Annisquam River over the last week, as well as off Wingersheek Beach. Fly and spin anglers fishing along Shore Road in Magnolia have reported sporadic striper activity, with a few bluefish in the mix. Anglers fishing in deeper waters off Halibut Point have landed some large bluefish trolling big lures on wire. The Essex River has yielded some fish, but again folks are scratching their heads wondering about the yet-to-start Fall run. Tuna activity has been slow as well offshore with some fish being seen surfacing, but not staying up for any length of time. Party boats continue to do well for ground fish.
Ipswich: I fished from Crane Beach last week and was frustrated by a pod of surface feeding bass just out of my casting range. I did manage several small bass, all taken on an olive and green clouser fly on a sinking line, but wished I could reach the frenzy out in front of me. Bluefish have been at the mouth of the Ipswich River this past week; however the striper fishing has been a bit slow.
Newbury: Anglers fishing the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has continued to attract walk on and drive on surfcasters in search of the big one. Anglers reported spotty action, but those fishing at night have managed some fish into the twenty-pound range. Fishing on the Parker River and Plum Island Sound has been slow.
Newburyport / Plum Island: A large, well defined cloud deck was hanging over the mouth of the Merrimack on Sunday as the 43 degree air lapped at my face. The sun did not warm me until mid-morning, but the fishing was decent along the AYC moorings and further out by Can # 11. In fact, one fish hit a slow drifted sluggo extremely hard, and then the line went limp. Upon inspection, the hook on the lead-head was bent, so there are some big one’s out there! Anglers continue to flock to Plum Island Point to fish, but the action is somewhat sporadic. Clams and sea worms drifted on the bottom seem to be the best bait. Outside the mouth, bluefish continue to be caught, mostly by those trolling large lures on wire. Some big fish have come from the 20-40 foot depths. Many anglers are still in search of Tuna and there were some sightings south of the Isle of Shoals, but most of the action seems to remain to our south in Cape Cod Bay. Party boats have reported good action for their patrons.
Salisbury: The Salisbury beach front remained quiet this week, with no traditional signs of any fall activity. Bluefish have been caught by boat anglers fishing off Salisbury beach, but surfcasters report little action. The State Reservation yielded some fish this week, mostly for those using bait, but the action has not been red hot by any measure.
Seacoast, NH: There has been a bit more activity around Seabrook, Rye and Hampton, mostly with small bass. I saw several fish landed at the Rye Harbor State Park on Wednesday, and reports also had fish off Foss Beach, just outside Hampton Harbor and along Hampton Beach. Further north, fish have been feeding at the mouth of the Piscataqua, although again, most of the fish have been schoolie sized. Bluefish have also been more active this week along the New Hampshire coast. The Isle of Shoals continues to draw anglers in search of blues, bass and the elusive bluefin tuna.
September 16, 2004
Fish Finder – 9/16/2004
Frank Dwyer
September 16, 2004
Marblehead: The Fall run has not quite measured up to years past yet, but hopefully that will mean a later season for us all. Devereux Beach has offered decent fishing over the last week, with anglers doing well at night with bait and a few surface feeds at dawn also being reported. Just outside the harbor there have been reports of decent sized bluefish willing to take most offerings when you can find them.
Salem: Large bluefish have been tearing it outside the harbor and some in the 15 pound range have been landed. In addition, boat anglers trolling a tube n’ worm set up have done well with keeper sized bass. Striped Bass fishing off Winter Island continues to be fairly consistent, with nice sized fish being landed. Flounder have been moving as well, with local anglers finding them a bit easier than in weeks past.
Beverly: There have been a few surface feeds reported over the last week in the vicinity of West Beach and the Landmark School. The fish seemed to be chasing small pods of bunker; however the bait has been far from plentiful in the North Shore waters. Anglers fishing around the Salem/Beverly Bridge as well as from the Beverly Fishing Pier have done well with bait for striped bass. Pods of bluefish have also been patrolling the area.
Cape Ann: Surfcasters fishing off Singing Beach over the past week have found a mix of bluefish and striped bass activity. Herring have been in Manchester Harbor over the past week and anglers able to take these fish and live-line them have done well with some larger striped bass. In Gloucester, anglers have done well for bluefish off both Good Harbor and Wingarsheek Beaches, with the fish taking typical offerings like Ballistic Missiles, Rangers, and most any other top-water plug. Fishing off Halibut Point has yielded some larger striped bass, mostly on bait. Further north, the Essex River has been picking up in activity, but like most locations, it just does not feel like the Fall run is underway. Anglers in search of Tuna have found a few of these “footballs”, but most of the activity seems to be to our south in Cape Cod Bay. Cod and Haddock fishing have been strong for the party boats.
Ipswich: Action around Ipswich has been good, with fish cooperating with shore anglers fishing Pavilion, Crane and Steep Hill Beaches. A mix of blues and stripers were reported to be feeding furiously on the surface at the mouth of the Ipswich River earlier this week with the fish feeding on a mix of sand eels and silversides. Fly anglers reported better fishing from the beaches, with sinking lines and bait fish imitation flies working well.
Newbury: Surfcasters working the shore at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge have seen good numbers of striped bass over the past week, with the best action seeming to be from Emerson Rocks down to Sandy Point. I was fishing off the reservation from a boat last weekend and got into several pods of 8-12 pound bluefish. Plum Island Sound has picked up over the last week, and while the fishing is good, it’s not phenomenal just yet.
Newburyport / Plum Island: There are fish to be found around Newburyport, but like most spots, fishermen are waiting for the fall migration to really get underway. Stripers have been available to anglers fishing Joppa Flats from both shore and boat, with the outgoing tide being the most productive. While there have not been many surface feeds evident on Joppa over the last week, fish have been taking top-water plugs, as well as rubber and plastics rigged on lead heads. Fly anglers have also reported better fishing off Joppa. Fishermen fishing from Plum Island Point have also seen decent activity for stripers, but most fish have been sub-legal sized. Sea worms and clams have been working best for bait fishermen, with buck tail jigs and sluggo type offerings working well for spin fishermen. Fly anglers braving the sand bar have also reported decent outings for schoolies. Boat anglers fishing just outside the mouth, out to the MR buoy and along the Plum Island Beaches have found good sized bluefish, some upwards of 12 pounds. Party Boats continue to return with good numbers of Cod and Haddock, while those in search of tuna have reported spotty action.
Salisbury: Most anglers fishing in Salisbury have been fishing the Merrimack from the State Reservation. Results have been similar those across the river, with small striped bass taking clams, sea worms and lures. If history is any guide, surfcasters would do well to work the ocean beaches in Salisbury in search of stripers feeding close to shore as the fish start to feed aggressively for their migration south.
Seacoast, NH: Still fairly quiet along the Seacoast, but some fish are starting to show. Seabrook and Hampton anglers have had to work hard to find a few small schoolies, with not much bait evident. Bluefish activity seems to have remained to the south. Further north, anglers in Rye and Portsmouth have reported finicky fish with some activity on school sized bass. Anglers fishing in the Piscataqua River as well as around Pierce Island have also reported some activity with small stripers, but like most in our area, hoping the action busts wide open soon. Fishermen making the run to the Isle of Shoals have reported some larger bass with bluefish in the mix.
September 16, 2004
Marblehead: The Fall run has not quite measured up to years past yet, but hopefully that will mean a later season for us all. Devereux Beach has offered decent fishing over the last week, with anglers doing well at night with bait and a few surface feeds at dawn also being reported. Just outside the harbor there have been reports of decent sized bluefish willing to take most offerings when you can find them.
Salem: Large bluefish have been tearing it outside the harbor and some in the 15 pound range have been landed. In addition, boat anglers trolling a tube n’ worm set up have done well with keeper sized bass. Striped Bass fishing off Winter Island continues to be fairly consistent, with nice sized fish being landed. Flounder have been moving as well, with local anglers finding them a bit easier than in weeks past.
Beverly: There have been a few surface feeds reported over the last week in the vicinity of West Beach and the Landmark School. The fish seemed to be chasing small pods of bunker; however the bait has been far from plentiful in the North Shore waters. Anglers fishing around the Salem/Beverly Bridge as well as from the Beverly Fishing Pier have done well with bait for striped bass. Pods of bluefish have also been patrolling the area.
Cape Ann: Surfcasters fishing off Singing Beach over the past week have found a mix of bluefish and striped bass activity. Herring have been in Manchester Harbor over the past week and anglers able to take these fish and live-line them have done well with some larger striped bass. In Gloucester, anglers have done well for bluefish off both Good Harbor and Wingarsheek Beaches, with the fish taking typical offerings like Ballistic Missiles, Rangers, and most any other top-water plug. Fishing off Halibut Point has yielded some larger striped bass, mostly on bait. Further north, the Essex River has been picking up in activity, but like most locations, it just does not feel like the Fall run is underway. Anglers in search of Tuna have found a few of these “footballs”, but most of the activity seems to be to our south in Cape Cod Bay. Cod and Haddock fishing have been strong for the party boats.
Ipswich: Action around Ipswich has been good, with fish cooperating with shore anglers fishing Pavilion, Crane and Steep Hill Beaches. A mix of blues and stripers were reported to be feeding furiously on the surface at the mouth of the Ipswich River earlier this week with the fish feeding on a mix of sand eels and silversides. Fly anglers reported better fishing from the beaches, with sinking lines and bait fish imitation flies working well.
Newbury: Surfcasters working the shore at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge have seen good numbers of striped bass over the past week, with the best action seeming to be from Emerson Rocks down to Sandy Point. I was fishing off the reservation from a boat last weekend and got into several pods of 8-12 pound bluefish. Plum Island Sound has picked up over the last week, and while the fishing is good, it’s not phenomenal just yet.
Newburyport / Plum Island: There are fish to be found around Newburyport, but like most spots, fishermen are waiting for the fall migration to really get underway. Stripers have been available to anglers fishing Joppa Flats from both shore and boat, with the outgoing tide being the most productive. While there have not been many surface feeds evident on Joppa over the last week, fish have been taking top-water plugs, as well as rubber and plastics rigged on lead heads. Fly anglers have also reported better fishing off Joppa. Fishermen fishing from Plum Island Point have also seen decent activity for stripers, but most fish have been sub-legal sized. Sea worms and clams have been working best for bait fishermen, with buck tail jigs and sluggo type offerings working well for spin fishermen. Fly anglers braving the sand bar have also reported decent outings for schoolies. Boat anglers fishing just outside the mouth, out to the MR buoy and along the Plum Island Beaches have found good sized bluefish, some upwards of 12 pounds. Party Boats continue to return with good numbers of Cod and Haddock, while those in search of tuna have reported spotty action.
Salisbury: Most anglers fishing in Salisbury have been fishing the Merrimack from the State Reservation. Results have been similar those across the river, with small striped bass taking clams, sea worms and lures. If history is any guide, surfcasters would do well to work the ocean beaches in Salisbury in search of stripers feeding close to shore as the fish start to feed aggressively for their migration south.
Seacoast, NH: Still fairly quiet along the Seacoast, but some fish are starting to show. Seabrook and Hampton anglers have had to work hard to find a few small schoolies, with not much bait evident. Bluefish activity seems to have remained to the south. Further north, anglers in Rye and Portsmouth have reported finicky fish with some activity on school sized bass. Anglers fishing in the Piscataqua River as well as around Pierce Island have also reported some activity with small stripers, but like most in our area, hoping the action busts wide open soon. Fishermen making the run to the Isle of Shoals have reported some larger bass with bluefish in the mix.
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