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
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.
September 9, 2004
Fish Finder – 9/9/2004
Frank Dwyer
September 9, 2004
Marblehead: Fishing is showing signs of picking up as fish are becoming more active along the North Shore. Anglers fishing off Castle Rock have had good luck over the last week with both bait and lures, even with the less than perfect surf conditions. Surfcasters fishing off Devereux Beach have done well with chunk herring and large plugs. (Danny Plugs, Needle Fish) Boat anglers fishing with live eels have reported good action with striped bass around Brown’s and Gerry Islands.
Salem: Fishermen have done well off Winter Island using chunk baits in the surf near the lighthouse. Schoolies and keeper size bass have been in the mix over the last week, with the best action at night. Boat anglers have done well trolling tube n’ worm rigs around The Gooseberries. Action at the Salem Willow Pier is increasing as well.
Beverly: The Danvers River has been heating up and anglers casting cut bait from the base of the Salem/Beverly Bridge have done well at night with keeper bass being landed. There have also been surface feeds reported in the river over the last week. Boat anglers working the shoreline near Endicott College and the Landmark school have done well using both live and dead herring. Flounder have been caught near Tuck’s Point.
Cape Ann: Anglers fishing Singing Beach at night have reported an increase in striper activity over the last week. Anglers using live eels as well as cut bait and sea worms have done well with several keepers being landed. The herring in Manchester Harbor have thinned out a bit, but fish are still around for the taking. Fly anglers using large profile bait fish imitation on sinking lines have also reported better fishing activity this week. Fishing around Gloucester and Rockport has been somewhat consistent in the low-light hours, however most fish taken have been sub-legal. Bluefish are still around, but not quite as thick in weeks past. The Peanut Bunker have yet to show in any numbers, but once this happens, fishing should improve quickly. Fishing in the Essex River has been slow, but some stripers have been located by persistent anglers. Those in search of tuna have had limited success, with most fish being landed while trolling. Party boats have continued to please their patrons with good trips for cod and haddock.
Ipswich: Anglers fishing in the Ipswich and Castle Neck rivers have reported an up-tick in activity, with bluefish and stripers actively feeding on top several times this past week. Fish have been most interested in top water plugs, like the Rapala Skitter Pop or the Creek Chub Striper Strike. Shore anglers working both Crane and Steep Hill beach have also reported catch-able numbers of bass, with both spin and fly anglers tallying fish.
Newbury: Plum Island Sound has been slower than most spots this week however some big bass have been landed at night. Angler’s trolling broken-back swimming lures and tube ‘n worm rigs have done well. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge beaches have been yielding fish, but most anglers are awaiting the typical fall feeding frenzies. The Emerson Rocks area seems to be the most productive stretch of beach.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Fishing has certainly improved over the last week around the Port. Boat fishermen have done well anchored up near the Route 1 Bridge with cut bait, clam strips and sea worms. Joppa Flats has been home to consistent numbers of small school sized striped bass most of the week. There is an abundance of bait in the river with juvenile herring, sand eels and minnows all in the mix. Flies fished deep on the edge of the channel, as well as on outgoing drifts starting near the AYC, have led to consistent hook-ups. Anglers wading on Joppa Flats at low tide have also reported increased activity. Fishermen working the Woodbridge Island area at night have reported larger fish caught on eels and cut bait. Plum Island Point continues to draw anglers and while the action is picking up, most of the fish caught have been small. The beaches on Plum Island have also seen an increase in activity with blues and bass being landed on both lures and bait. Just outside the mouth, bluefish continue to be landed, mostly by anglers trolling the vicinity, with the occasional blue being picked up on bait. Those in search of tuna have reported sporadic sightings and landings, but not much consistent action has been reported. Cod and haddock catches remain plentiful for those fishing from the party boats.
Salisbury: Boat anglers continue to find bluefish just outside the mouth of the Merrimack and along Salisbury Beach. Reports also had stripers corralling bait along the north jetty this week, with the fish actively taking flies and sluggo type offerings. Shore fishermen had consistent fishing for schoolies along the river at the State Reservation, with sea worms and clams landing the most fish.
Seacoast, NH: The Seacoast seems to be lagging behind other areas as the fishing seems a bit slow. Reports from Hampton have a few fish coming from the river, as well as the marsh, but overall the fish have been slow to take most offerings. Further north, around Portsmouth anglers have had to work hard for just a few fish. Bluefish have been active just offshore, with most getting them on the troll. Further offshore, tuna action remains spotty, with scattered activity and landings reported.
September 9, 2004
Marblehead: Fishing is showing signs of picking up as fish are becoming more active along the North Shore. Anglers fishing off Castle Rock have had good luck over the last week with both bait and lures, even with the less than perfect surf conditions. Surfcasters fishing off Devereux Beach have done well with chunk herring and large plugs. (Danny Plugs, Needle Fish) Boat anglers fishing with live eels have reported good action with striped bass around Brown’s and Gerry Islands.
Salem: Fishermen have done well off Winter Island using chunk baits in the surf near the lighthouse. Schoolies and keeper size bass have been in the mix over the last week, with the best action at night. Boat anglers have done well trolling tube n’ worm rigs around The Gooseberries. Action at the Salem Willow Pier is increasing as well.
Beverly: The Danvers River has been heating up and anglers casting cut bait from the base of the Salem/Beverly Bridge have done well at night with keeper bass being landed. There have also been surface feeds reported in the river over the last week. Boat anglers working the shoreline near Endicott College and the Landmark school have done well using both live and dead herring. Flounder have been caught near Tuck’s Point.
Cape Ann: Anglers fishing Singing Beach at night have reported an increase in striper activity over the last week. Anglers using live eels as well as cut bait and sea worms have done well with several keepers being landed. The herring in Manchester Harbor have thinned out a bit, but fish are still around for the taking. Fly anglers using large profile bait fish imitation on sinking lines have also reported better fishing activity this week. Fishing around Gloucester and Rockport has been somewhat consistent in the low-light hours, however most fish taken have been sub-legal. Bluefish are still around, but not quite as thick in weeks past. The Peanut Bunker have yet to show in any numbers, but once this happens, fishing should improve quickly. Fishing in the Essex River has been slow, but some stripers have been located by persistent anglers. Those in search of tuna have had limited success, with most fish being landed while trolling. Party boats have continued to please their patrons with good trips for cod and haddock.
Ipswich: Anglers fishing in the Ipswich and Castle Neck rivers have reported an up-tick in activity, with bluefish and stripers actively feeding on top several times this past week. Fish have been most interested in top water plugs, like the Rapala Skitter Pop or the Creek Chub Striper Strike. Shore anglers working both Crane and Steep Hill beach have also reported catch-able numbers of bass, with both spin and fly anglers tallying fish.
Newbury: Plum Island Sound has been slower than most spots this week however some big bass have been landed at night. Angler’s trolling broken-back swimming lures and tube ‘n worm rigs have done well. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge beaches have been yielding fish, but most anglers are awaiting the typical fall feeding frenzies. The Emerson Rocks area seems to be the most productive stretch of beach.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Fishing has certainly improved over the last week around the Port. Boat fishermen have done well anchored up near the Route 1 Bridge with cut bait, clam strips and sea worms. Joppa Flats has been home to consistent numbers of small school sized striped bass most of the week. There is an abundance of bait in the river with juvenile herring, sand eels and minnows all in the mix. Flies fished deep on the edge of the channel, as well as on outgoing drifts starting near the AYC, have led to consistent hook-ups. Anglers wading on Joppa Flats at low tide have also reported increased activity. Fishermen working the Woodbridge Island area at night have reported larger fish caught on eels and cut bait. Plum Island Point continues to draw anglers and while the action is picking up, most of the fish caught have been small. The beaches on Plum Island have also seen an increase in activity with blues and bass being landed on both lures and bait. Just outside the mouth, bluefish continue to be landed, mostly by anglers trolling the vicinity, with the occasional blue being picked up on bait. Those in search of tuna have reported sporadic sightings and landings, but not much consistent action has been reported. Cod and haddock catches remain plentiful for those fishing from the party boats.
Salisbury: Boat anglers continue to find bluefish just outside the mouth of the Merrimack and along Salisbury Beach. Reports also had stripers corralling bait along the north jetty this week, with the fish actively taking flies and sluggo type offerings. Shore fishermen had consistent fishing for schoolies along the river at the State Reservation, with sea worms and clams landing the most fish.
Seacoast, NH: The Seacoast seems to be lagging behind other areas as the fishing seems a bit slow. Reports from Hampton have a few fish coming from the river, as well as the marsh, but overall the fish have been slow to take most offerings. Further north, around Portsmouth anglers have had to work hard for just a few fish. Bluefish have been active just offshore, with most getting them on the troll. Further offshore, tuna action remains spotty, with scattered activity and landings reported.
September 2, 2004
Fish Finder – 9/2/2004
Frank Dwyer
September 2, 2004
Marblehead: It seems the summer doldrums have continued a bit longer than we’d all like as the fishing continues to be somewhat slow. Bait has been thin in the waters around Marblehead, and anglers are working hard to find fish. Shore bound anglers have found fish off Devereux Beach as well as off the Neck, with bait anglers scoring more consistently.
Salem: Early morning and night continues to be the time to fish if you’re searching for bigger fish. While the last week of weather has been quite nice, fishing during the day has been a bit slow, with the exception being bluefish that have still been cooperating in the Harbor and around the Islands. Anglers fishing off the Salem Willows Pier have reported a few keeper bass with the Danvers River also producing fish. Anglers dunking worms continue to land flounder.
Beverly: Striped Bass have been landed off West Beach and the Islands just off shore. Anglers trolling tube and worm setups as well as those using live eels have done well. Fishing off Tuck Point has also yielded bass and bluefish, while anglers looking for flounder have continued to be land these fish along the Beverly shoreline.
Cape Ann: There are plenty of herring in and around Manchester Harbor, and angler’s live-lining or chunking herring have done well. Fishing off Singing Beach continues to be a bit slow for surfcasters, but fish have been landed on both bait and large plugs. Boat anglers trolling tube and worms off Singing Beach have also scored both bass and bluefish. Further north, anglers fishing the rocks off Gloucester, Magnolia and Rockport report slower activity for striped bass with many working quite hard for a handful of fish. The Annisquam and Essex River are full of bait (sand eels mostly) however the fishing has been quite spotty. Offshore, party boats continue to land good numbers of ground fish and anglers in search of tuna have reported many sightings, but fewer landings.
Ipswich: Most of the activity around Ipswich continues to be in the early morning or in the evening. Fly anglers fishing off Cranes Beach have reported a few evenings with stripers chasing sand eels right up on to the beach and taking flies in the wash. Boat fishermen have reported a few surface feeds at the mouth of the Ipswich River this past week, but the activity is far from predictable. Once the peanut bunker show up in numbers, the fishing should improve drastically.
Newbury: With the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge beaches now completely open, it seems more fish are being caught there. Emerson Rocks has been home to several surface feeds with a mix of blues and bass over the past week. Anglers working the night patrol off the beaches have also been scoring bass on both bait and large plugs. Plum Island Sound has been quiet over the past week with anglers having to work to find fish.
Newburyport / Plum Island: I fished upriver of the Route 1 Bridge on Wednesday evening and found cooperative schoolie bass around Carr and Ram Island and further upriver by Eagle and Deer Island. The fish were hitting sluggos rigged on a small lead head which I was twitching quite slowly along the bottom of the river. Earlier in the week, I found bass drifting the mooring area by the AYC as well as just off the channel by the Captain’s Fishing Party boats off Plum Island Point. There are plenty of sand eels and silversides in the river as evidenced by the many terns feeding on them. I also tried using sand eels for bait quite successfully both anchored and drifting. Further down river, anglers drifting through the river and out the mouth on the outgoing tide have done well drifting whole herring. Surfcasters continue to score bass in the river off the Point, with sea worms, clams and chunk bait all producing fish. The Plum Island beach front has also been home to some fish over the past week, and the crowds are quite smaller than those at the mouth of the river. Anglers fishing offshore have scored a few tuna, but all are hoping the activity picks up in the coming weeks. Party boats continue to please their patrons with good numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: Boats fishing off the Salisbury beachfront has found small pods of striped bass, especially up against the North Jetty. Surfcasters have faired well at night with bait, but lures and flies have not been attracting as many fish. Crowds continue to flock to the State Reservation to try their luck in the river and have had fairly consistent action on school sized bass. Bluefish have been scarce, but have made a few runs through the river over the last week.
Seacoast, NH: Fishing off Hampton Beach has been fair this past week with many small fish being landed and a few keepers in the mix. Fishing in the marsh area has also seen an increase in fish activity. Sea worms and chunk herring seem to be the preferred bait. In the Piscataqua, fish continue to be landed as anglers drift the river using flies on sinking lines as well as using sluggos and other plastics. The Isle of Shoals has had some larger stripers landed over the last week. Tuna activity remains light.
September 2, 2004
Marblehead: It seems the summer doldrums have continued a bit longer than we’d all like as the fishing continues to be somewhat slow. Bait has been thin in the waters around Marblehead, and anglers are working hard to find fish. Shore bound anglers have found fish off Devereux Beach as well as off the Neck, with bait anglers scoring more consistently.
Salem: Early morning and night continues to be the time to fish if you’re searching for bigger fish. While the last week of weather has been quite nice, fishing during the day has been a bit slow, with the exception being bluefish that have still been cooperating in the Harbor and around the Islands. Anglers fishing off the Salem Willows Pier have reported a few keeper bass with the Danvers River also producing fish. Anglers dunking worms continue to land flounder.
Beverly: Striped Bass have been landed off West Beach and the Islands just off shore. Anglers trolling tube and worm setups as well as those using live eels have done well. Fishing off Tuck Point has also yielded bass and bluefish, while anglers looking for flounder have continued to be land these fish along the Beverly shoreline.
Cape Ann: There are plenty of herring in and around Manchester Harbor, and angler’s live-lining or chunking herring have done well. Fishing off Singing Beach continues to be a bit slow for surfcasters, but fish have been landed on both bait and large plugs. Boat anglers trolling tube and worms off Singing Beach have also scored both bass and bluefish. Further north, anglers fishing the rocks off Gloucester, Magnolia and Rockport report slower activity for striped bass with many working quite hard for a handful of fish. The Annisquam and Essex River are full of bait (sand eels mostly) however the fishing has been quite spotty. Offshore, party boats continue to land good numbers of ground fish and anglers in search of tuna have reported many sightings, but fewer landings.
Ipswich: Most of the activity around Ipswich continues to be in the early morning or in the evening. Fly anglers fishing off Cranes Beach have reported a few evenings with stripers chasing sand eels right up on to the beach and taking flies in the wash. Boat fishermen have reported a few surface feeds at the mouth of the Ipswich River this past week, but the activity is far from predictable. Once the peanut bunker show up in numbers, the fishing should improve drastically.
Newbury: With the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge beaches now completely open, it seems more fish are being caught there. Emerson Rocks has been home to several surface feeds with a mix of blues and bass over the past week. Anglers working the night patrol off the beaches have also been scoring bass on both bait and large plugs. Plum Island Sound has been quiet over the past week with anglers having to work to find fish.
Newburyport / Plum Island: I fished upriver of the Route 1 Bridge on Wednesday evening and found cooperative schoolie bass around Carr and Ram Island and further upriver by Eagle and Deer Island. The fish were hitting sluggos rigged on a small lead head which I was twitching quite slowly along the bottom of the river. Earlier in the week, I found bass drifting the mooring area by the AYC as well as just off the channel by the Captain’s Fishing Party boats off Plum Island Point. There are plenty of sand eels and silversides in the river as evidenced by the many terns feeding on them. I also tried using sand eels for bait quite successfully both anchored and drifting. Further down river, anglers drifting through the river and out the mouth on the outgoing tide have done well drifting whole herring. Surfcasters continue to score bass in the river off the Point, with sea worms, clams and chunk bait all producing fish. The Plum Island beach front has also been home to some fish over the past week, and the crowds are quite smaller than those at the mouth of the river. Anglers fishing offshore have scored a few tuna, but all are hoping the activity picks up in the coming weeks. Party boats continue to please their patrons with good numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: Boats fishing off the Salisbury beachfront has found small pods of striped bass, especially up against the North Jetty. Surfcasters have faired well at night with bait, but lures and flies have not been attracting as many fish. Crowds continue to flock to the State Reservation to try their luck in the river and have had fairly consistent action on school sized bass. Bluefish have been scarce, but have made a few runs through the river over the last week.
Seacoast, NH: Fishing off Hampton Beach has been fair this past week with many small fish being landed and a few keepers in the mix. Fishing in the marsh area has also seen an increase in fish activity. Sea worms and chunk herring seem to be the preferred bait. In the Piscataqua, fish continue to be landed as anglers drift the river using flies on sinking lines as well as using sluggos and other plastics. The Isle of Shoals has had some larger stripers landed over the last week. Tuna activity remains light.
August 26, 2004
Fish Finder – 8/26/2004
Frank Dwyer
August 26, 2004
Marblehead: Striped bass and bluefish continue to be landed around Marblehead, however you’ll still need to work to find them. Fishing around Castle Rock and Chandler Hovey Park has yielded striped bass over 30 inches this past week, mostly at night. Anglers using chunk bait as well as large Danny Plugs have done well. Devereux Beach is also a good bet at night. Boat anglers have found large bluefish in deeper water. Flounder have been caught just outside the harbor.
Salem: Traditionally, mid to late August is known as the “Dog Days” to local anglers, and while the fish have been harder to locate, persistence does pay off. Anglers fishing the Salem Willow Pier at night have landed striped bass, some well over 30 inches. Bluefish have moved to deeper water, making them somewhat scarce to shore bound anglers. Reports have stripers also being caught in the North River.
Beverly: Boat fishermen have found bass off the Beverly coast in the vicinity of Endicott College and the Landmark School, as well as around Great Misery Island. Anglers trolling tube and worm set ups, as well as using live bait have done well. Those in search of flounder are still finding these fish just off the coast. The trick is to keep moving or drift to cover enough ground to locate the fish.
Cape Ann: Surfcasters fishing Singing Beach at night have done well with striped bass on both lures and bait. Popping plugs and needlefish have produced good action in the surf, and bait anglers using eels, sea worms and cut bait have also landed fish. Fishing around Gloucester, Magnolia and Rockport has been quite good over the last week. Anglers fishing near Halibut Point as well as Thachers Island have found keeper sized bass in deeper water. Tube and worms trolled deep, as well as live bait have produced the most fish. Fly anglers report good takes on large flies (six inches and over) offered in deep water. Some bluefish have been in the mix as well. The Essex River continues to offer decent striped bass fishing with reports having good action in the early morning and late evening hours. Tuna fishing remained somewhat slow offshore, however the steadier weather we had this week should improve conditions. Party boats continue to land good numbers of Cod and Haddock.
Ipswich: The mouth of the Ipswich River has been a good spot to be as boat anglers reported good action for bluefish and striped bass. The fish have been interested in Sluggos and Storm Wild Eye lures as well as popping plugs and broken back swimming lures. Fishing off Crane Beach and Steep Hill Beach has been slower, as fish seem to be just out of reach form shore.
Newbury: Fishermen trolling tube and worms and swimming plugs have found keeper sized bass in Plum Island Sound. Bluefish have thinned out in the Sound, but it seems some bigger stripers have taken up residency. Reports from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge have anglers taking good numbers of bass along the entire stretch of beach. The top of the incoming tide and the beginning of the outgoing seem to be the preferred tides.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Fishing near the old boat ramp at Cashman Park can yield striped bass, as evidenced by the two healthy school sized stripers I saw fall for a top water plug on Wednesday evening. Bait anglers were also scoring bass. Joppa Flats has been a tough go in the daylight hours, but some anglers getting out after dark have found bass around Woodbridge Island as well as around the AYC mornings. Dark flies on sinking lines have worked well for fly anglers, while spin fishermen have done well on large black plugs and live eels. Further down river at Plum Island Point, anglers fishing the last of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide have had consistent schoolie action. Fishing along the Plum Island beachfront has been sporadic, with bait anglers doing better than most others. Offshore, anglers in search of bluefin tuna have not had much luck, but conditions should improve with the current weather pattern. Cod and Haddock catches continue to please party boat patrons.
Salisbury: As in weeks past, most of the fishing around Salisbury is taking place off the State Reservation, at the mouth of the Merrimack River. Much like across the river, anglers fishing the last part of the falling tide and beginning of the rise have done best. Sea worms and chunk bait are the main offerings. Anglers working the Salisbury beachfront have reported decent surfcasting action in the pre-dawn hours.
Seacoast, NH: Activity along the Seabrook, Rye and Hampton coast seems to be picking up slightly. Anglers fishing the state beach in North Hampton have had good luck with school sized striped bass. Further north, the Piscataqua has also had some decent fishing over the past week, including decent fish activity around the Navy Yard. The Isle of Shoals and surrounding waters have held good numbers of striped bass, with some bluefish still in the mix. Tuna have been tough to locate.
August 26, 2004
Marblehead: Striped bass and bluefish continue to be landed around Marblehead, however you’ll still need to work to find them. Fishing around Castle Rock and Chandler Hovey Park has yielded striped bass over 30 inches this past week, mostly at night. Anglers using chunk bait as well as large Danny Plugs have done well. Devereux Beach is also a good bet at night. Boat anglers have found large bluefish in deeper water. Flounder have been caught just outside the harbor.
Salem: Traditionally, mid to late August is known as the “Dog Days” to local anglers, and while the fish have been harder to locate, persistence does pay off. Anglers fishing the Salem Willow Pier at night have landed striped bass, some well over 30 inches. Bluefish have moved to deeper water, making them somewhat scarce to shore bound anglers. Reports have stripers also being caught in the North River.
Beverly: Boat fishermen have found bass off the Beverly coast in the vicinity of Endicott College and the Landmark School, as well as around Great Misery Island. Anglers trolling tube and worm set ups, as well as using live bait have done well. Those in search of flounder are still finding these fish just off the coast. The trick is to keep moving or drift to cover enough ground to locate the fish.
Cape Ann: Surfcasters fishing Singing Beach at night have done well with striped bass on both lures and bait. Popping plugs and needlefish have produced good action in the surf, and bait anglers using eels, sea worms and cut bait have also landed fish. Fishing around Gloucester, Magnolia and Rockport has been quite good over the last week. Anglers fishing near Halibut Point as well as Thachers Island have found keeper sized bass in deeper water. Tube and worms trolled deep, as well as live bait have produced the most fish. Fly anglers report good takes on large flies (six inches and over) offered in deep water. Some bluefish have been in the mix as well. The Essex River continues to offer decent striped bass fishing with reports having good action in the early morning and late evening hours. Tuna fishing remained somewhat slow offshore, however the steadier weather we had this week should improve conditions. Party boats continue to land good numbers of Cod and Haddock.
Ipswich: The mouth of the Ipswich River has been a good spot to be as boat anglers reported good action for bluefish and striped bass. The fish have been interested in Sluggos and Storm Wild Eye lures as well as popping plugs and broken back swimming lures. Fishing off Crane Beach and Steep Hill Beach has been slower, as fish seem to be just out of reach form shore.
Newbury: Fishermen trolling tube and worms and swimming plugs have found keeper sized bass in Plum Island Sound. Bluefish have thinned out in the Sound, but it seems some bigger stripers have taken up residency. Reports from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge have anglers taking good numbers of bass along the entire stretch of beach. The top of the incoming tide and the beginning of the outgoing seem to be the preferred tides.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Fishing near the old boat ramp at Cashman Park can yield striped bass, as evidenced by the two healthy school sized stripers I saw fall for a top water plug on Wednesday evening. Bait anglers were also scoring bass. Joppa Flats has been a tough go in the daylight hours, but some anglers getting out after dark have found bass around Woodbridge Island as well as around the AYC mornings. Dark flies on sinking lines have worked well for fly anglers, while spin fishermen have done well on large black plugs and live eels. Further down river at Plum Island Point, anglers fishing the last of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide have had consistent schoolie action. Fishing along the Plum Island beachfront has been sporadic, with bait anglers doing better than most others. Offshore, anglers in search of bluefin tuna have not had much luck, but conditions should improve with the current weather pattern. Cod and Haddock catches continue to please party boat patrons.
Salisbury: As in weeks past, most of the fishing around Salisbury is taking place off the State Reservation, at the mouth of the Merrimack River. Much like across the river, anglers fishing the last part of the falling tide and beginning of the rise have done best. Sea worms and chunk bait are the main offerings. Anglers working the Salisbury beachfront have reported decent surfcasting action in the pre-dawn hours.
Seacoast, NH: Activity along the Seabrook, Rye and Hampton coast seems to be picking up slightly. Anglers fishing the state beach in North Hampton have had good luck with school sized striped bass. Further north, the Piscataqua has also had some decent fishing over the past week, including decent fish activity around the Navy Yard. The Isle of Shoals and surrounding waters have held good numbers of striped bass, with some bluefish still in the mix. Tuna have been tough to locate.
August 19, 2004
Fish Finder – 8/19/2004
Frank Dwyer
August 19, 2004
Marblehead: Bluefish and striped bass continue to be landed from Devereux Beach, but the fishing has been somewhat sporadic. At night, dark plugs or swimming lures have been attracting fish. Marblehead Neck has been a bit slow over the last week. Anglers in boats have done well with live and chunk baits off Ram, Tinkers and Browns Islands. Flounder and Fluke catches have also been increasing.
Salem: Salem Sound has had an influx of mackerel and herring over the last week and anglers able to take advantage of these live baits have done very well with striped bass, some in the thirty-pound range. Fluke and flounder catches have increased over the last week as the bluefish have seemed to thin out a bit.
Beverly: Boat anglers have done well with striped bass just outside the harbor, as well as off West Beach and in the coves around the islands. The fish have been chasing herring and mackerel, and once they get a pod of bait cornered, watch out! Sometimes it’s a challenge to get these feeding fish to take your offering, however I find letting the lure or fly sink way below the action, and then slowly reeling or stripping back in works well. Anglers fishing the Fishing Pier at night have been landing keeper size bass on clams, worms and cut baits.
Cape Ann: Anglers fishing off White Beach in Manchester have reported surface feeding bass this past week. Fishing in Gloucester Harbor and from the State Fishing Pier has been good for the most part over the last week. Bluefish have been prevalent but some bigger striped bass have also been landed. Anglers fishing around Ten Pound Island as well as Straitsmouth have done well, mostly with school sized bass. Fishermen using chunk baits have landed larger fish. Those exploring the Essex River have reported steadier action for bluefish and stripers, mostly in the early morning or evening. Fluke and Flounder have also been cooperative for anglers targeting them. Off shore, anglers in search of tuna reported a slower week, due in part to the left over hurricane activity we’ve had.
Ipswich: Anglers fishing the Ipswich River for stripers and bluefish have done well with both fly and spin gear. The stripers seem quite interested in sluggo-type offerings and large profile baitfish flies. Surfcasters working the Pavilion, Steep Hill and Crane Beaches reported slower activity, but some fish are still being landed, mostly in the low-light hours.
Newbury: Plum Island Sound and the Parker River remain productive for bass and bluefish; however the bluefish activity has slowed a bit. Fishing along the beaches of the refuge has been slow, but anglers fishing with clams and sea worms have landed bass. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge fully opened its beaches last week and this means the entire stretch of beach is now open for fishing. In addition, drive-on fishing is also allowed now, however there are some new regulations, including a log book that must be signed each and every time you drive on the beach. You’ll also need to purchase a day or season pass, as well as have all the proper equipment needed for driving on the beach. (tow rope, shovel, board, etc…) Contact of visit the Refuge for further information.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Shore anglers fishing from the Deer Island/Chain Bridge area reported slow going over this past week. The same can be said for fishing off of Carr and Eagle Islands, upriver from the Route 1 Bridge. Joppa Flats has also been slow, and while fish have been evident on several outings, they have been quite finicky and unwilling to take most offerings. Anglers fishing the higher tides on the flats at night have reported some keeper size bass on black flies and plugs, as well as on live eels. Fishing the backside of Woodbridge Island has also yielded fish. Fishing the Plum Island Beach front from shore has also been slow, but some fish have been landed, mostly on bait. Anglers in boats have landed flounder and fluke on the sandy bottom, just off the beach. Plum Island Point continues to draw crowds of anglers, and fish continue to be caught in the swift moving river. Sea worms, clams and cut bait have all worked for anglers, allowing their bait to bounce along the bottom. Fly fishermen and anglers using lures have reported less activity. Anglers willing to brave the jetties have also been landing fish, mostly on bait.
Salisbury: Most of the fishing action in Salisbury remains at the State Reservation where fishermen continue to cast into the river in hopes of landing the big one. Most of the action reported has been with bass in the 22” to 26” range, but some keepers have been in the mix. Sea worms, clams and cut bait continue to out fish lures and flies. Anglers fishing from boats have reported bluefish activity off Salisbury Beach.
Seacoast, NH: Surfcasters have reported sporadic activity along the Rye, Seabrook and Hampton beaches. The marsh area and railroad bridge in Hampton continues to produce striped bass. Best time is at night, with the most productive bait appearing to be cut herring. In Portsmouth, fishing in the Piscataqua has been good, with anglers reporting decent action around both Badger and Pierce Island. Anglers fishing around New Castle have also found cooperative striped bass.
August 19, 2004
Marblehead: Bluefish and striped bass continue to be landed from Devereux Beach, but the fishing has been somewhat sporadic. At night, dark plugs or swimming lures have been attracting fish. Marblehead Neck has been a bit slow over the last week. Anglers in boats have done well with live and chunk baits off Ram, Tinkers and Browns Islands. Flounder and Fluke catches have also been increasing.
Salem: Salem Sound has had an influx of mackerel and herring over the last week and anglers able to take advantage of these live baits have done very well with striped bass, some in the thirty-pound range. Fluke and flounder catches have increased over the last week as the bluefish have seemed to thin out a bit.
Beverly: Boat anglers have done well with striped bass just outside the harbor, as well as off West Beach and in the coves around the islands. The fish have been chasing herring and mackerel, and once they get a pod of bait cornered, watch out! Sometimes it’s a challenge to get these feeding fish to take your offering, however I find letting the lure or fly sink way below the action, and then slowly reeling or stripping back in works well. Anglers fishing the Fishing Pier at night have been landing keeper size bass on clams, worms and cut baits.
Cape Ann: Anglers fishing off White Beach in Manchester have reported surface feeding bass this past week. Fishing in Gloucester Harbor and from the State Fishing Pier has been good for the most part over the last week. Bluefish have been prevalent but some bigger striped bass have also been landed. Anglers fishing around Ten Pound Island as well as Straitsmouth have done well, mostly with school sized bass. Fishermen using chunk baits have landed larger fish. Those exploring the Essex River have reported steadier action for bluefish and stripers, mostly in the early morning or evening. Fluke and Flounder have also been cooperative for anglers targeting them. Off shore, anglers in search of tuna reported a slower week, due in part to the left over hurricane activity we’ve had.
Ipswich: Anglers fishing the Ipswich River for stripers and bluefish have done well with both fly and spin gear. The stripers seem quite interested in sluggo-type offerings and large profile baitfish flies. Surfcasters working the Pavilion, Steep Hill and Crane Beaches reported slower activity, but some fish are still being landed, mostly in the low-light hours.
Newbury: Plum Island Sound and the Parker River remain productive for bass and bluefish; however the bluefish activity has slowed a bit. Fishing along the beaches of the refuge has been slow, but anglers fishing with clams and sea worms have landed bass. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge fully opened its beaches last week and this means the entire stretch of beach is now open for fishing. In addition, drive-on fishing is also allowed now, however there are some new regulations, including a log book that must be signed each and every time you drive on the beach. You’ll also need to purchase a day or season pass, as well as have all the proper equipment needed for driving on the beach. (tow rope, shovel, board, etc…) Contact of visit the Refuge for further information.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Shore anglers fishing from the Deer Island/Chain Bridge area reported slow going over this past week. The same can be said for fishing off of Carr and Eagle Islands, upriver from the Route 1 Bridge. Joppa Flats has also been slow, and while fish have been evident on several outings, they have been quite finicky and unwilling to take most offerings. Anglers fishing the higher tides on the flats at night have reported some keeper size bass on black flies and plugs, as well as on live eels. Fishing the backside of Woodbridge Island has also yielded fish. Fishing the Plum Island Beach front from shore has also been slow, but some fish have been landed, mostly on bait. Anglers in boats have landed flounder and fluke on the sandy bottom, just off the beach. Plum Island Point continues to draw crowds of anglers, and fish continue to be caught in the swift moving river. Sea worms, clams and cut bait have all worked for anglers, allowing their bait to bounce along the bottom. Fly fishermen and anglers using lures have reported less activity. Anglers willing to brave the jetties have also been landing fish, mostly on bait.
Salisbury: Most of the fishing action in Salisbury remains at the State Reservation where fishermen continue to cast into the river in hopes of landing the big one. Most of the action reported has been with bass in the 22” to 26” range, but some keepers have been in the mix. Sea worms, clams and cut bait continue to out fish lures and flies. Anglers fishing from boats have reported bluefish activity off Salisbury Beach.
Seacoast, NH: Surfcasters have reported sporadic activity along the Rye, Seabrook and Hampton beaches. The marsh area and railroad bridge in Hampton continues to produce striped bass. Best time is at night, with the most productive bait appearing to be cut herring. In Portsmouth, fishing in the Piscataqua has been good, with anglers reporting decent action around both Badger and Pierce Island. Anglers fishing around New Castle have also found cooperative striped bass.
August 12, 2004
Fish Finder – 8/12/2004
Frank Dwyer
August 12, 2004
Marblehead: Anglers fishing sea clams, worms and cut bait have done well with bass off Devereux Beach, mostly in the evening. Bluefish have been plentiful again this week, with boat and shore anglers landing fish from 3 to 12 pounds. Fly and Spin fishermen have done well in pursuit of bass near the lighthouse on the neck.
Salem: Surface feeding bass with birds overhead were seen this past week in Salem Sound. The Kernwood Bridge and Route 1A/127 Bridge have presented shore fishermen with opportunities for striped bass catches. Clam strips and cut bait have been the most productive baits. Fishing around Winter Island has continued to produce striped bass for both fly and spin anglers.
Beverly: Beverly Harbor has been home to surface feeding bass over the last week and it’s great to have this type of action in August! Bluefish are still around, but those with boats have done better as the fish seemed to move into deeper water. Anglers patrolling the beaches at night are finding striped bass, mostly with cut bait and live eels. Flounder still around the shoreline for those who want them.
Cape Ann: Manchester anglers continue to report decent action for striped bass as well as bluefish. Bluefish have not been as prevalent over the last week, but sporadic pods are around. Anglers fishing around Thatchers Island have done well as well as near Halibut Point. School bluefin tuna are on many anglers minds as these fish have been seen from all throughout the area. While seeing and catching are certainly two different things, there have been quite a few of these fish landed. Anglers trolling Green Machines have done well while casting spin fishermen have been using Hydro poppers and jigs. Some savvy fishermen have even landed these speedy fish on large mackerel or herring imitation flies. Party boats continue to return with good catches of market sized cod and haddock.
Ipswich: Bluefish and striped bass activity has been good off Ipswich Neck. Some bigger blues—to 15 pounds—have been landed. The mouth of the Ipswich has had good action over the past week, with bluefish and stripers both in the mix. Shore anglers have had decent action from Pavilion Beach as well as the beaches around the Crane Mansion. Small popping plugs like Chub Creeks or Skitter Pops have attracted blues and stripers and fly anglers have also done well with floating lines and popping flies.
Newbury: The Parker River and Plum Island Sound remain home to many bluefish. Striped Bass activity seemed a bit better this week, with most of the action on schoolies, but some bigger fish have been in the mix. The reservation beaches continue to produce bass for anglers, mostly those using bait, although a few surface blitzes have been reported. Shore anglers fishing the Parker River near the Route 1A bridge have also reported decent striped bass activity.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Striped bass fishing has been fairly consistent around Joppa Flats. The outgoing tide over the last several days has produced good sized schoolies and several keeper sized bass. These fish have been taking sluggos rigged on lead heads, popping plugs and needlefish, as well as flies stripped fast on a sinking line. The beaches have also produced fish, but surfcasters have found the fish to be somewhat finicky over the last week. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds of anglers who have been landing good numbers of striped bass. Fly anglers fishing the sandbar off the Point have done well stripping clousers and deceivers on sinking lines in the fast moving current. Upriver, Deer Island remains popular with shore bound anglers in search of striped bass. Bait fishermen seem to be outscoring all others here. Fishermen in search of Tuna have found these fish all throughout Ipswich Bay out to the Isle of Shoals. Party Boats have continued to reward their patrons with cod numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: Salisbury Beach is really only an option early in the morning or in the evening as beachgoers have certainly taken over. That said, surfcasters working this stretch of beach have had luck with both bluefish and striped bass, with relatively little company from other anglers. Sea worms rigged on a fish finder rig work very well, as do swimming and popping plugs, and metal lures. Much like Plum Island Point, anglers fishing the river from the State Reservation have continued to land good numbers of striped bass.
Seacoast, NH: Fishing the seacoast has been somewhat spotty, but anglers fishing the Rye coastline, off Route 1A, have found striped bass in lowlight conditions. Anglers working the Hampton marsh and bridges have also found fish, but have had to work a bit harder and longer to find them. The Piscataqua has been somewhat spotty, with schoolies being landed here and there, but the fish seem to be spread out. Anglers fishing further off shore and out to the Isle of Shoals have reported decent pods of bluefish and some school bluefin tuna activity as well.
August 12, 2004
Marblehead: Anglers fishing sea clams, worms and cut bait have done well with bass off Devereux Beach, mostly in the evening. Bluefish have been plentiful again this week, with boat and shore anglers landing fish from 3 to 12 pounds. Fly and Spin fishermen have done well in pursuit of bass near the lighthouse on the neck.
Salem: Surface feeding bass with birds overhead were seen this past week in Salem Sound. The Kernwood Bridge and Route 1A/127 Bridge have presented shore fishermen with opportunities for striped bass catches. Clam strips and cut bait have been the most productive baits. Fishing around Winter Island has continued to produce striped bass for both fly and spin anglers.
Beverly: Beverly Harbor has been home to surface feeding bass over the last week and it’s great to have this type of action in August! Bluefish are still around, but those with boats have done better as the fish seemed to move into deeper water. Anglers patrolling the beaches at night are finding striped bass, mostly with cut bait and live eels. Flounder still around the shoreline for those who want them.
Cape Ann: Manchester anglers continue to report decent action for striped bass as well as bluefish. Bluefish have not been as prevalent over the last week, but sporadic pods are around. Anglers fishing around Thatchers Island have done well as well as near Halibut Point. School bluefin tuna are on many anglers minds as these fish have been seen from all throughout the area. While seeing and catching are certainly two different things, there have been quite a few of these fish landed. Anglers trolling Green Machines have done well while casting spin fishermen have been using Hydro poppers and jigs. Some savvy fishermen have even landed these speedy fish on large mackerel or herring imitation flies. Party boats continue to return with good catches of market sized cod and haddock.
Ipswich: Bluefish and striped bass activity has been good off Ipswich Neck. Some bigger blues—to 15 pounds—have been landed. The mouth of the Ipswich has had good action over the past week, with bluefish and stripers both in the mix. Shore anglers have had decent action from Pavilion Beach as well as the beaches around the Crane Mansion. Small popping plugs like Chub Creeks or Skitter Pops have attracted blues and stripers and fly anglers have also done well with floating lines and popping flies.
Newbury: The Parker River and Plum Island Sound remain home to many bluefish. Striped Bass activity seemed a bit better this week, with most of the action on schoolies, but some bigger fish have been in the mix. The reservation beaches continue to produce bass for anglers, mostly those using bait, although a few surface blitzes have been reported. Shore anglers fishing the Parker River near the Route 1A bridge have also reported decent striped bass activity.
Newburyport / Plum Island: Striped bass fishing has been fairly consistent around Joppa Flats. The outgoing tide over the last several days has produced good sized schoolies and several keeper sized bass. These fish have been taking sluggos rigged on lead heads, popping plugs and needlefish, as well as flies stripped fast on a sinking line. The beaches have also produced fish, but surfcasters have found the fish to be somewhat finicky over the last week. Plum Island Point continues to attract crowds of anglers who have been landing good numbers of striped bass. Fly anglers fishing the sandbar off the Point have done well stripping clousers and deceivers on sinking lines in the fast moving current. Upriver, Deer Island remains popular with shore bound anglers in search of striped bass. Bait fishermen seem to be outscoring all others here. Fishermen in search of Tuna have found these fish all throughout Ipswich Bay out to the Isle of Shoals. Party Boats have continued to reward their patrons with cod numbers of cod and haddock.
Salisbury: Salisbury Beach is really only an option early in the morning or in the evening as beachgoers have certainly taken over. That said, surfcasters working this stretch of beach have had luck with both bluefish and striped bass, with relatively little company from other anglers. Sea worms rigged on a fish finder rig work very well, as do swimming and popping plugs, and metal lures. Much like Plum Island Point, anglers fishing the river from the State Reservation have continued to land good numbers of striped bass.
Seacoast, NH: Fishing the seacoast has been somewhat spotty, but anglers fishing the Rye coastline, off Route 1A, have found striped bass in lowlight conditions. Anglers working the Hampton marsh and bridges have also found fish, but have had to work a bit harder and longer to find them. The Piscataqua has been somewhat spotty, with schoolies being landed here and there, but the fish seem to be spread out. Anglers fishing further off shore and out to the Isle of Shoals have reported decent pods of bluefish and some school bluefin tuna activity as well.
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