Move Over Deer Cam, here's Africam!!!

While the deer cam concept was fun, we are now on to bigger and better things. Africam
provides some of the most compelling video on the web in my opinion.

The site is brought to us by africam.com and is providing live video of Nkorho Pan, which is a natural water hole in the prestigious Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, in South Africa. Nkorho pan is named after Nkorho bush Lodge which gets it name from the Shangaan derivative for the call of the yellow-billed hornbill, a common and unusual looking bird from this part of Africa. I've seen hyena's, elephants, lions, gazelle and numerous other creatures. A small warning, you are likely to see the "wonders of nature" on this cam, including lower parts of the food chain becoming just that, food.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Deer Cam!!

This is an interesting concept. Drop 200 pounds of corn a week, set up a camera and lights, and see what come's around. I've seen a few doe's hanging around and a racoon so far. The Cam is located in Central, New Jersey.
The Deer Cam is brought to you by Real Deal Hunting Chat

Fall Feed is On!

Frank Dwyer
9/14/2006

The weather feels like autumn, and the fishing is starting to fit the season. Striped Bass and Bluefish continue to feed aggressively in North Shore waters, as the offshore fishery has also been heating up.

Bluefin tuna, cod, haddock and pollock are all in play as the fishing season gets ready for the final death rattle.

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Fishing from the Neck continues to be hot as striped bass and bluefish have been taking most offerings. Anglers fishing the rocks at night have found keeper-size bass willing to take live eels and large plugs.

Salem: (4 hooks) Salem Harbor and the area around the Misery Islands have been producing good numbers of bass and bluefish. Trolling tube-n-worms as well as using large plugs tossed into the rocks has been very productive. As usual, larger bass are being taken at night.

Beverly: (4 hooks) The fishing has been terrific around Beverly Harbor as well off West Beach. Striped Bass and bluefish continue their aggressive feeding habits in preparation of the Fall migration. Metal lures, sluggos and popping plugs have all been quite productive.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) The Manchester and Magnolia coastline has been fishing quite well over the last several days as anglers have found large bass along the rocky coast. Fishing around Wingaersheek Beach and Good Harbor in Gloucester has also been good with large bluefish and stripers in the mix. Large bluefish have also been taken from the breakwater to off Halibut Point. The school bluefin tuna bite has been somewhat in consistent but most offshore types agree that the southwest corner of Stellwagen Bank has been the best waters to target. Party boats have done quite well for cod and haddock this past week.

Ipswich: (4 hooks) The area around Pavilion Beach has been loaded with bluefish and bass as anglers have found these fish to take most offerings. The fish have been keying in on small peanut bunker and sand eels, so lures and flies that resemble those baits are working best.

Newbury: (4 hooks) The Parker River NWR continues to provide excellent opportunities for anglers as fish have been taken from most Parking Lots, as well as from Sandy Point. Plum Island Sound has also seen good action for
bass and blues.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) There are plenty of striped bass in the Newburyport area as smaller bass have been feeding on top during the daylight hours and larger bass coming at night, especially for anglers using eels on Joppa Flats. The ocean front has seen several days of bluefish and stripers available to surfcasters working the beach, while anglers in boats have found larger bass at the mouth of the Merrimack on the outgoing tide. Party boats have found ground fish in closer to shore over the last week.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Bass and bluefish have been close to shore and anglers have landed fish from both Salisbury Beach and the shores of the State Reservation. These fish are actively feeding and while bait can still work, plugs and lures have been quite productive all week.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) Bluefish are still thick from Hampton to Portsmouth and striped bass have been feeding heavily in preparation for their migration south. Many bluefish have been in both Great and Little Bay, and are taking most top-water and metal offerings. Several bass surface feeds have been happening off the Rye and Portsmouth coast, with good action in the Piscataqua as well.

TIP OF THE WEEK:

Fishing surface lures like Danny Plugs, Needlefish, Atom Poppers and the like is more of an art-form than most anglers realize. You need to make these lures “dance” across the surface with erratic movements like the injured baitfish they are intended to mimic. Work on your retrieve method to land more fish.

As September begins, fishing continues to please anglers on the North Shore of Massachusetts

Frank G. Dwyer
September 7, 2006

While Tropical Storms made the last week difficult for offshore anglers, things have calmed down and the fall migration is imminent.

Fishing for Bass and Bluefish slowed during last weeks stormy weather, however the action has begun to heat up again on the North Shore. Bluefin tuna fishing has been good from just off Cape Ann to Stellwagen Bank.

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Fishing from the Neck at Lighthouse Point has been quite productive for anglers using cut bait, eels and large plugs. Striped Bass to 35 inches have been taken this week. Devereux Beach continues to deliver both bass and bluefish action to surfcasters.

Salem: (4 hooks) Silversides have been in Salem Harbor and the surrounding river systems and that has kept fishermen happy. Bass and bluefish have both been feeding on the surface and anglers have done well with smaller flies and 4-6” sluggos. Larger bass have been taking live eels at night from Winter Island and around the Misery Islands.

Beverly: (4 hooks) The Beverly Fishing Pier and Danvers River have both been offering consistent fishing action for bass, with keepers coming in mostly at night on cut bait or eels. West Beach continues to see surface feeds earlier in the morning.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Bluefish and bass have been feeding on top just off Coolidge Point in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Further north, you will find Magnolia offering similar action for blues and bass as fly fishermen and spin anglers alike have been having good luck. Large bluefish have been thick throughout the waters of Gloucester as anglers trolling and plugging have landed fish over 10 pounds. Schoolie bass have been in close to shore feeding on baitfish off most beaches around Gloucester and have been taking plugs, plastics and metal offerings. Anglers in search of bluefin tuna have found some fish closer to the Cape than in weeks past, however much of the action remains around Stellwagen. Silversides have been all over the Essex River and with that, bass fishing has been good for school-sized bass and the occasional keeper in the mix.

Ipswich: (4 hooks) Silversides have been in large numbers in Ipswich waters enticing bass and allowing anglers some excellent fishing in and around Ipswich Bay. Fishing from Crane and Steep Hill beaches has also been good as fly fishermen using small silverside imitations have done quite well.

Newbury: (4 hooks) Sandy Point and Plum Island Sound have been home to numerous surface feeds this week as fish were feeding on small silversides. Some larger fish have been in the mix, especially around Sandy Point. The Parker River NWR continues to produce good numbers of bass, especially for bait fishermen.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks).Schoolie bass have been surface feeding from Deer Island to Joppa Flats on moving tides early in the morning. Small flies and un-weighted sluggos have worked well. Drifting the outgoing tide at the mouth has continued to produce keeper-sized bass for anglers drifting bait and large buck-tail jigs. Bluefish have been available from the South Jetty to Emerson Rocks for boat anglers, but lately have seemed to be just out of reach of surfcasters. Party boats have had good fishing despite the storms over the last week.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Fishing from both Salisbury Beach and the State Reservation have been providing steady action for smaller striped bass and some bluefish. Bluefish have been abundant to boat fishermen with fish being taken from the North Jetty to Hampton.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) Hampton Harbor has been fishing well for smaller bass as anglers fishing clams and cut bait have had success with fish to 25 inches. Bluefish have also been just outside Hampton Harbor all the up to Kittery Point. North Hampton Beaches as well as Odiorne Point in Rye have also produced good bass and bluefish action for the shore-bound angler. Bluefish have been thick in Little and Great Bay, as the fish have been chasing pogies. Striped bass have been cooperating with anglers off Pierce Island as well as at the mouth of the Piscataqua while flounder fishing seems to be on the up-tick off Kittery Point.

TIP OF THE WEEK:

When drift fishing in a rapid current—especially in a lighter boat—you can whisk past the action if you don’t take action. If you utilize a “drag bucket” by tying a 5-gallon bucket off a stern or bow cleat (depending on current and wind) and allowing it to fill, your drift will be slowed allowing you to enjoy more time over the bite. Experiment with a number of holes drilled in the bottom of the bucket to fine tune your drift.

Labor Day Weekend Should Prove to be a Good One for North Shore Anglers

Frank G. Dwyer
August 31, 2006

With the start of Labor Day and the looming Fall Migration not far behind it, anglers should be putting their time in on the water as fishing has been quite good this past week.

Striped Bass and bluefish continue to provide good action for in-shore anglers while bluefin tuna fishing is definitely on the up-tick for anglers heading offshore. Cod, haddock and pollock fishing has also been decent for anglers in search of table-fare.

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Marblehead Neck has been fishing quite well this week with bass and blues pushing bait into the rocks. Large to medium wooden plugs as well as swimming lures have been producing for anglers. Anglers have also had good luck off Devereux Beach with fresh cut bait and clams.

Salem: (4 hooks) The waters around Salem have come alive with bass and bluefish feeding on the surface over the last few mornings in the harbor and just outside. Fishing off Winter Island has also proved productive for blues and bass.

Beverly: (4 hooks) Striped bass have been feeding on top off West Beach as well as around the islands. Larger pass have been taking whole or cut bait in the rocky outcroppings as well as picking up trolled tube-n-worm rigs.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Singing Beach and White Beach have been producing legal bass at night on eels, clams and other baits. There have been bass surface feeds just outside Magnolia harbor as well as around Kettle Island this past week. Surface feeds in the Annisquam this past week have kept anglers happy with mid-sized striped bass. Big bluefish continue to be just outside the breakwater as well as outside Lane’s Cove as well as off Halibut Point. Still no consistent reports of bluefin tuna close to the Cape, but anglers are still finding them in around the Southwest corner of Stellwagen Bank.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Large surface feeds have been happening all week as large bass key on bait with birds overhead near the Ipswich Yacht Club and also at the mouth of the Ipswich River. The Castleneck River has also been home to surface feeds with larger bass and blues in the mix.

Newbury: (4 hooks) Parking lots 1, 6 and 7 have been quite productive for bluefish and striped bass for both bait and artificial fishermen. Early morning has been best for fish in close to shore. Plum Island Sound has also been fishing quite nice with steady pick of blues and stripers.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) Fishing around Newburyport continues to please anglers as striped bass and bluefish have been abundant. Anglers drifting both the outgoing and incoming tides on Joppa Flats have found cooperative shoolie bass on most drifts. Bluefish continue to carouse just outside the mouth of the Merrimack and while drifting with bait on the outgoing tide has produced some large keeper bass. Party boats continue to find good action for cod, haddock and some pollock.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Angler’s fishing from Salisbury Beaches have found small stripers in close in the wash in the pre-dawn hours. These fish have been taking small flies from long-wanders and small popping plugs from spin casters. Bluefish have been trolled up off Salisbury Beach in the 40-60 foot range.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) The Seacoast is fishing nicely these days as peanut bunker have been in the waters and enticing bass close to shore. The fishing has been especially good around Portsmouth as bass and bluefish have been corralling the bunker at the mouth of the Piscataqua. New Castle and Portsmouth are also producing good numbers of flounder.


TIP OF THE WEEK:

Many bait anglers fish their mackerel, herring or pogies by “chunking” them. This is an effective way of fishing, but for even more bends in the rod, considering filleting those baits so that you can “thread” the filet onto the hook allowing a “tail” to wiggle in the current providing additional reasons for fish to hit.

Fishing Continue to Please North Shore Anglers

Frank G. Dwyer
August 25, 2006

Striped bass fishing has been quite productive throughout the north shore as bass above 20 pounds have been landed from Marblehead to Portsmouth this past week. Bluefish remain prevalent and bluefin tuna, some legal sized, have moved in off Stellwagen Bank, while cod and haddock fishing has been decent.

The annual Leo Almeida Memorial North Shore Striped Bass Tournament is slated for Labor Day weekend and will include shore, boat and junior categories. The tournament benefits North Shore food pantries. For information on joining the fun pick up an entry form at most North Shore Bait and Tackle shops or by visiting http://www.northshorestriper.com/ .

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Bluefish and striped bass have kept anglers busy from shore and boat around Marblehead. Fish are keying on eels at night from the Neck as well as 9” Sluggos. Bluefish have been hitting trolled umbrella rigs as well as deep swimming lures.

Salem: (3 hooks) Bluefish continue to feed just outside the harbor and anglers have been taking the choppers on both top-water plugs and by trolling lures and umbrella rigs. Larger bass have been taken at the Salem/Beverly Bridge at night this week.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Feeding bass have been on the surface just off West Beach and around the islands over the past week. Fly anglers using small poppers and sliders have had fun with schoolies, while larger bass have been taken at night on Eeels. Fishing from the State Fishing Pier continues to provide good bass action for bait anglers.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Bluefin tuna are active off Stellwagen and Tillies, but have been a bit slow closer to the Cape. Good bass and bluefish action along the Manchester, Gloucester and Rockport beaches and both bait and artificial fishermen have found bass close to shore. Bluefish continue to be landed just outside the breakwater in Gloucester and larger bass have been taken in deeper water off Halibut Point. The Essex River has been fishing well for smaller striped bass over the past week. Party boats have done well for Cod, Haddock and Pollock.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Surface feeding bass have been taking top-water plugs at the mouth of the Ipswich River over the past week. In addition, anglers fishing from shore at Steep Hill and Crane Beach have found good bass fishing, with fewer sunbathers and no greenheads!

Newbury: (4 hooks) Bluefish and striped bass have been fairly active in both the Parker River and Plum Island Sound. Anglers have been landing fish on larger sluggos rigged on lead heads and small top-water plugs. Larger bass have been taken early in the morning from the beaches of the Parker River NWR.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) Fishing around the Port continues to please anglers as bass and bluefish have been taken from the Route 95 Bridge to the ocean beaches. Small bluefish have been taking small top-water plugs around Deer Island down to the Gillis Bridge. Bass have been taking small baitfish imitations from fly fishermen and sluggos, top-water plugs and metal offerings from spin anglers. Some larger bass have been taken off the beaches by anglers fishing with fresh ocean hearing and clams. Offshore, anglers in search of bluefin tuna have been heading south to the waters off Cape Ann and out to Stellwagen in search of these so called “footballs”.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) There has been decent bass fishing from the shore of the State Reservation has been pleasing bait anglers as keeper size bass have been taken on the end of the outgoing tide. Occasional “bite offs” is proof positive that bluefish are also patrolling the river.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) Good fishing from the beaches of North Hampton and Rye as Striped Bass have been feeding close to shore. Bluefish have invaded both Great and Little Bay in the Portsmouth area and anglers are catching them on most offerings. Larger bluefish have been at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, with some larger stripers in the mix as well. Striped Bass and bluefish have also been taking trolled tube-n-worm rigs out around the Isle of Shoals.

Tip Of The Week:

Many anglers utilize chum to attract fish, but often anglers don’t utilize their chum slick for maximum success. Once you have a good chum slick set up and are ready to utilize live or cut bait, don’t use any weight or a leader. Tie your hook directly to your line and free spool the bait in your slick. Remember, no weight is needed as the chum slick is attracting the fish to compete for food on the top of the water.

Depends on the day, but big fish still available

Frank G. Dwyer
August 18, 2006

It may be getting steamy again, but the cool down last weekend certainly helped the fishing in the waters I was fishing in.

Anglers have found larger striped bass cooperating at night around most of the north shore while bluefish and flounder continue to be caught. School bluefin tuna reports are still sparse, but sightings have increased over the last few days.

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Peanut bunker have been enticing bass close to shore over this past week with many smaller bass being landed and some keepers. Small baitfish flies have been landing fish for fly anglers while popping plugs and swimming lures have been catching fish for spin anglers. Bluefish have also been quite active just outside the harbor.

Salem: (3 hooks) Bluefish to 8 pounds have been in and just outside of the harbor and anglers have been having fun with them on light spin tackle. Larger striped bass have been around Winter Island at night with bait anglers scoring on cut bait, worms and eels.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Early morning anglers have found bass surface feeding near West Beach as well as around the islands. While these fish have mostly been in the 20”-26”, they have been quite active in taking most offerings. The Beverly Fishing Pier continues to attract bait anglers at night with some keeper bass being taken.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Peanut bunker have showed up around the Cape and that has helped the in-shore fishing. Manchester-by-the-Sea and Magnolia has seen surface feed as stripers and blues chased the bunker close to shore and anglers are landing them on most offerings. Large bluefish have been active off Halibut point and anglers trolling large, deep swimming lures (Rapala Magnums) have done well in 80-100 feet of water. A few school bluefin tuna sightings and landing have been reported offshore, but there has been no consistency. Party boats have been able to put their patrons on good amounts of cod and haddock and evade the dogfish by moving frequently.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Small schoolies have been seen surface feeding off Crane Beach and fly anglers have been taking them on small clouser’s and deceiver’s and spin

casters taking them on small popping plugs and kastmasters.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Fishing from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has improved this week as anglers have had good luck for bass and blues. Bluefish have been chasing bait into the wash at Parking Lot 1, while bass have been keying in on clams and worms. The Parker River has provided decent action for bass at night while bass and blues have been somewhat spotty in Plum Island Sound.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) Bass and bluefish have been more active this week, with rumors of small bluefin tuna in the river echoing from local bait shops! Bass have been taking sluggos and flies from anglers drifting the outgoing tide from the AYC to Woodbridge Island. Larger bass are being taken by anglers drifting the mouth with ocean herring or mackerel. Bluefish have been taken just outside the mouth under clouds of birds as well as by anglers trolling deep swimming lures and umbrella rigs. Some flounder and fluke are also being taken just off the beach as well as in the river.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been taken early in the morning off the Salisbury beach as well as the Jetty off the State Reservation. Striped Bass have been more active for anglers fishing the Merrimack across from Plum Island Point, with fish taking both cut bait and clams.

Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Rye and North Hampton Beaches have had an increase in striper action over the last week as anglers fishing from shore and boat reported good action for keeper sized bass. Bluefish have thickened up
around Portsmouth with choppers taking most offerings at the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as into Little and Great Bays. Flounder fishing has also improved for anglers in New Hampshire as ground fishing has been steady for cod and haddock even with dogfish hounding the party boats.

Tip of the Week:

Poor knots are likely one of the top three reasons for losing a fight with a fish. If you’re not up on the best connections for different methods of fishing and lures, do yourself a favor and go to any bookstore or marine store and pick up a book on fishing knots. There are many resources available on the internet as well including:

Knots

More Knots

Heat Continues its Grip on Region and Anglers

Frank G. Dwyer
August 4, 2006

As a New Englander, I don’t often complain about the heat, because once winter is here we will be wishing for the warm weather, but this heat is making us anglers work overtime.

Bluefish and flounder remain for the persistent day-time angler and bass have been much more cooperative after dark this past week. Tuna have yet to make a large showing in our area as Party Boats fight through the dogfish to get to the Cod and Haddock.

Marblehead: (3 hooks) Large bluefish continue to take most offerings from anglers from boat and shore along the Marblehead coast, while bass fishing from the Neck at night has found larger bass close to shore.

Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers continue to fish from Salem Willow Pier, but daytime pick ups are slow at best. Larger bass have been taken from Winter Island at night and bluefish continue to be available to anglers in and around Salem Sound.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Flounder are still being caught off the Beverly coast. Anglers do better drifting with sea worms as bait rather than anchored. Bass action is mostly at night, with larger bass being taken from the Beverly Fishing Pier and around the islands.

Cape Ann: (3 hooks) The water off Manchester-by-the-Sea and Magnolia has followed the pattern of most of our area with bluefish showing during the day and bass becoming more active at night. Some larger bass have been found in the deeper water columns off Halibut and Eastern Point while bluefish and dogfish have been wreaking havoc. Boat fishermen have been looking for school bluefin tuna from Thachers Island to Stellwagen, with little success. Cod and Haddock fishing remains somewhat steady even while fighting off the dogfish.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Small bluefish have been off the beach at Crane and Steep Hill beaches early in the morning the past week. Striped Bass fishing has slowed for daytime anglers, but on the positive side, greenheads have thinned out considerably.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish and bass have been taken in the early morning from the Parker River NWR as anglers
have been taking fish on top-water plugs, metal and bait. Fishing in the Parker River has slowed with only sporadic bass activity reported over the last week.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Pre-dawn hours have seen small bass rising on the top of the Merrimack River from Cashmans Park to Joppa Flats. As soon as the sun is up, the fish vanish. Fishing at night, just off the channel, from the AYC moorings to Woodbridge Island, bass have been taking live eels and sea worms as well as clams and cut mackerel. Drifting the mouth of the Merrimack on the outgoing tide with either whole or chunk mackerel has delivered some big fish to anglers willing to deal with the boat traffic and chop. Larger bluefish have been taking trolled umbrella rigs and deep swimming lures
from just outside the mouth and all along the beachfront. Party Boats continue to deliver Cod and Haddock by moving frequently to outsmart the dogfish.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been hanging around the North Jetty off Salisbury as they await easy meals at the mouth of the river. In addition, trolling from Salisbury to Seabrook has found decent sized blues taking trolled deep running lures.

Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Bluefish from Seabrook to Portsmouth has been the most reliable fishery over the past week for the Granite State. Anglers fishing in the Rye and Portsmouth areas have found bass cooperating at night, especially on eels. Larger bluefish have been taken at the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as around the Isle of Shoals.

Tip of the Week:

Trolling is a great way to target fish; however it can cause problems with line twist. To get the twist out of your line, while motoring slowly, drop rod tip and line into the water and put your reel on “free-spool”. Allow all the affected line out and troll with nothing attached to the end of the line. In a short time your line twist problems will be over.

Hot Weather Continues to Keep Fish in Deep Water

Frank G. Dwyer
July 28, 2006

With the Commercial Striped Bass season well underway, you’ll find extra company on the water with you as the pro’s look to fill their quota.

Bluefish continue to patrol the waters of the North Shore as some 15+lb blues have been landed this week. Striped Bass fishing during the day has been somewhat inconsistent with bait fishermen doing best, while the best bet for a hog is still at night.

Marblehead: (3 hooks) Flounder have been abundant just outside the harbor as anglers have been taking their limit. Bluefish continue to take pleasure in wreaking havoc on your lures as some large blues are in the waters around the harbor as well as the Neck.

Salem: (3 hooks) Bluefish and bass have been taken from Winter Island this past week even as the summer doldrums seem to be settling in. Around Baker Island, larger bass have been taken at night as fish have been taking larger top water plugs as well as live-lined eels.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Bait anglers fishing from the State Fishing Pier in Beverly have found bluefish, bass and flounder all willing to take their bait. Sea worms baited on a fish-finder rig with a small float has worked best for flounder, while cut mackerel and clams have been catching blues and stripers.

Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Larger bass have been off Eastern Point and Halibut Point in deeper water, with smaller bass being the norm closer to shore. Much as with the rest of the region, night time is proving more successful for those looking for larger bass, with eels certainly the bait of choice. Bluefish continue to be cooperative with anglers from the beaches of Gloucester as well as just outside the breakwater. School bluefin tuna have not showed in numbers offshore just yet, but the fishery should improve over the next 10 days. Ground fishing has been somewhat consistent with market-size cod and haddock being taken by Party Boats.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Bluefish have taken up residence at the mouth of the Ipswich River as well as off Steep Hill beach and Crane beach. On Wednesday, boat anglers were treated to a top water blitz at the mouth with bluefish
crashing bait on the surface. Bass fishing at night from the Ipswich beaches has found larger bass taking eels and cut bait.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been taken in the mornings from the Parker River NWR as parking lots 1, 6 and 7 have been attracting anglers. Anglers trolling off Emerson Rocks to Sandy Point have found larger bluefish willing to take most offerings.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Finicky fish have been swirling on top of the Merrimack all week from the Gillis Bridge to Woodbridge Island, but have been hesitant to take most offerings. I did manage a few fish on a un-weighted sluggo drifted on the top, but other than that, bait has been the rule of the day and night. The ocean front has seen bluefish close to shore in the mornings and larger fish in deeper water falling for deep swimming lures. Plum Island Point has been producing keeper size bass, mostly on bait, but the larger fish have been hitting sporadically. Party boats continue to fight through dogfish to get their patrons some cod and haddock.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Bluefish have been showing up just off Salisbury Beach in the morning this past week as both shore and boat anglers have landed fish in the 8-12 pound range. Fishing from the State Reservation continues to provide bait anglers with somewhat steady action for school sized bass with keepers being landed on occasion.

Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) There have been mackerel hanging around the mouth of the Piscataqua as well as out by the Isle of Shoals, and large bluefish and some bass have been feasting on them. Further south, Hampton and Seabrook continue to offer good bluefish opportunities during the day and good bass action on eels at night.

Tip of the Week:

Saltwater, as we all know, can corrode metals quite quickly. It’s important to take the extra 10 minutes after every saltwater fishing excursion to rinse off your reels, rods and lures with fresh water. In addition, reels should be checked for proper lubrication every 3rd trip or so, to ensure your gear will operate as intended and prevent you from costly replacements.

Heat Wave Sends Fish to Deeper Water

Frank G. Dwyer
July 20, 2006


Hot weather sent striped bass to cooler, deeper waters this week, while bluefish have become more active with some 10-15 pound fish in the mix.

Dogfish have also showed up in numbers and are hindering the fishing for cod, haddock and cusk. Tuna have been seen out by Stellwagen Bank, but have yet to show in big numbers.

Marblehead: (3 hooks) Mackerel have become scarce around Marblehead, but anglers are still doing well for bass with cut bait, mostly at night. Bluefish have been quite active during the day. Flounder fishing is decent just outside the harbor.

Salem: (3 hooks) Anglers fishing around Bakers Island have found decent amounts of bass. The fish have been taking eels at night as well as cut bait. Salem-Beverly Bridge has also been producing bass for anglers at night. There are plenty of bluefish for the taking around Salem.

Beverly: (3 hooks) Flounder fishermen are being annoyed by numbers of dogfish, so it’s tough going. Bluefish have been carousing all along the Beverly and are quite fun to catch on light action rods. Striped Bass fishing around the islands off West Beach has been sporadic, with more bass coming at night.

Cape Ann: (3 hooks) Manchester-by-the-Sea anglers have found schoolie bass in the rocks along the shore and they are taking both small plugs and flies. Bluefish are quite available as anglers have been catching blues to 15 pounds around the cape. In Gloucester, bluefish have been quite active just at the entrance to the harbor and anglers trolling deep running swimming lures and tube-n-worm rigs have done quite well. Off Halibut Point, dogfish continue to annoy anglers using bait, but some bass are being taken, along with bluefish. Rockport Beaches have been producing bass for anglers, especially at night. The Essex River has slowed down considerably, with only sporadic catches being reported. Party boats have had decent fishing over the last week, but need to keep moving as dogfish are in our waters in numbers.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) There is no shortage of bluefish in Ipswich Bay as anglers are catching the fish on top water plugs as well as trolled swimming lures. Bluefish have also been landed from Pavilion and Steep Hill Beaches, while striped bass have headed for deeper waters.

Newbury: (3 hooks) Anglers itching for new sand to explore can now fish from Parking Lot’s 1, 6 and 7 at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Bluefish have been hitting close to shore in the morning as anglers have been having fun catching these fish from the Beach. The Parker River is still producing bass, but mostly at night.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (3 hooks) Fishing behind Carr Island and in Town Creek produced some nice sized bass on top water plugs and eels for this columnist a few nights this past week. In addition, anglers anchoring up and using bait by the Gillis Bridge have found decent sized bass at night. Joppa Flats has been somewhat sporadic as fish have been quite evident, but somewhat finicky. The best bet is eels at night on the flats. Bluefish have been taken from the shore of the front beach on Plum Island and some bass have been taken at night, mostly on clams and worms. Plum Island Point has also been providing decent action for bass and bluefish. Trolling from the south jetty to Emerson Rocks has found decent sized bluefish for boat fishermen. Party boats have been fighting through the dogfish, but are still finding some cod, haddock, cusk and wolf fish.

Salisbury: (3 hooks) Fishing from the State Reservation banks of the Merrimack has offered a decent mix of bass and bluefish for surfcasters. Trolling from the North Jetty up to Hampton has seen decent action for bluefish in the 8-12 pound range.

Seacoast, NH: (3 hooks) Bluefish have made their way to the Granite State and are being caught by anglers from Seabrook to Portsmouth. Top water plugs, tubes and umbrella rigs are all taking the blues. Bass fishing has slowed a bit, but fishing the rocks around Hampton and Rye has produced bass for anglers, especially at night. There has been some bass activity in the lower Piscataqua and around the Navy Yard, but mostly sub-legal fish being landed. Larger bass and bluefish have been taken around the Isle of Shoals.

Tip of the Week:

When eel fishing, hook the eel directly through the lower jaw, then bring the hook up through the snout. In addition, eels can make quite a mess of your leader and line, so a little stretch goes a long way. Prior to hooking the eel, gently stretch the eel so that they are not in full wiggle mode when baiting your hook.