Fish cashing in on last weeks of summer

Fish cashing in on last weeks of summer

Plenty of options for Anglers - Even in this Heat

BY Frank G. Dwyer
Publication Date: August 6, 2010

I’m still jittery and having dreams about that big tuna that got away on Stellwagen a few weeks back and hoping to get another shot soon. You should try to get out as well, since fishing has been quite good as August goes.

Some big stripers are still being taken at night from Marblehead to Portsmouth by patient anglers, with plenty of other fish out there to target as well.

Marblehead: (3 hooks) It may sound like Zeppelin’s The Song Remains the Same, but if you want to catch striped bass, you need to get out at niht. Eels, cut bait and plugs are all taking fish from the beaches in Marblehead as well as around the Neck. Bluefish activity has been good during the day if your enjoy rumbling with the toothy ones as I do.

Salem: (3 hooks) Give the North and Bass Rivers a shot at night as both spin and fly anglers report an uptick in schoolie activity at dawn and after dark. The Danvers River has done well for anglers using sluggos and other soft plastics. Salem Harbor has seen a bit of a decrease in mackerel and Pogie numbers, but bass fishing is still OK in the area if you keep at it.

Beverly: (3 hooks) The Beverly Fishing Pier has been giving up bass at dusk on sea worms and clams. Anglers have also found some bluefish off the West Beach and Islands area, while anglers have reported a pickup in activity in the Kernwood and Ober Park areas.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Bluefish remain somewhat abundant around the Cape as mackerel are still quite thick. Good Harbor beach has seen several big surface feeds this week with a mix of bass and blues in the mix. In the outer harbor and just outside the breakwater, bluefish have been busting and taking most offerings. Poppers and metal lures have been taking fish on every cast when you get on them. Further north, Rockport beaches are also producing bass, mostly at night on cut bait or eels. Some anglers have had success with large wooden poppers reeled at irregular and slow speeds. Anglers heading out to Thachers and beyond have reported many tuna sightings with fewer hook ups, but just seeing them makes you crazy to get out there again. Party boats have been into a good mix of cod, haddock and pollock.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Pavilion and Crane Beach continue to be your best bet for both bass and some bluefish. Anglers have had good luck on metals like Kastmaster’s as well as smaller popping plugs with a buck tail teaser. Even bait dunkers have been getting decent hits from the beach this week.

Newbury: (3 hooks) I hate to sound like a broken record, but getting out on the beaches of the Parker River NWR before dusk is your best bet for a bass around Newbury. Clams, eels and worms have all been taking fish. The activity in and around the Parker seems to have slowed considerably.

Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) Joppa Flats has had skittish fish wary of most offerings on the morning tides this week, but eels and tube-n-worm set ups have been working well at night. Bluefish are somewhat closer to shore with beach catches on the rise. Flounder and Fluke are still around, but numbers seem to be dwindling a bit. Bluefish are still quite prevalent and mackerel are still around our area. Tuna fishing on Tillies and Stellwagen is still hopping, with plenty of hook up’s but not all fish getting on the boat. David Moulton (yes, Kay from Surfland’s son) landed a 52 pound bass from a boat last week in the river! Matthew O’Leary of Newburyport hooked and landed two 16 pound bluefish just outside the mouth of the Merrimack River (at the same time!) during boat camp on the Erica Lee. Not too shabby for an 11 year-old! (Photo)

Salisbury, MA: (3 hooks) Keep trying that fairly under-fished Salisbury Beach front for blues during the day on Ballistic Missiles or Rangers and bass by night on eels, clams and cut bait. If you want to cross up your lines, get into arguments and raise your blood pressure, feel free to head over to the river front off the State Reservation.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) There is a lot of small bait fish in the water around Portsmouth and Rye, making hooking up with fish on artificial’s a bit more challenging, but not impossible. Bass are chasing herring, mackerel and silversides so your offering should resemble one of these bass treats. Small metal lures and sluggos have been working best around the mouth of the Piscataqua and all around Rye, including off the harbor jetties. North Hampton beaches have also been fishing well at night. Bigger stripers are taking live-lined macks out by the Isle of Shoals while Tuna fishing in the Gulf of Maine remains strong.

Tip of the Week: Keep it Clean: You need to fresh water rinse ALL your gear after each extended foray into the surf. Saltwater is extremely corrosive and it’s always a good idea to splash down your rods, reels, hooks and lures to ensure maximum catch numbers.

Blues, tuna and stripers all can be had in local waters

Blues, Tuna and Stripers can all be had in local waters.

BY Frank G. Dwyer

When the sun goes down, it's time to start fishing

When the sun goes down, it's time to start fishing

Midsummer heat sends fish into the deep

Midsummer heat sends fish into the deep

Blues on the move-scattering the bait

Bluefish are on the move, as are the bait fish.

Fishing in full throttle as blues move in

Eagle Tribune Column - June 25, 2010

Fishing in full throttle as blues move in

Weekend Promises Good Weather and Better Fishing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't let wet weather stop you from casting a line

Don't let wet weather stop you from casting a line

Bigger bass chasing newly arrived baitfish

BY Frank G. Dwyer
Publication Date: 5/28/2010

Fishing is really starting to pick up as bait is becoming more abundant in North Shore waters and attracting larger bass.

One word of caution: There have been two drownings in the Merrimack River in the last two weeks. Neither was fishing-related, but they are another reminder that the waters we fish can be quite dangerous. Know your surroundings and please be careful and use common sense out there.

Marblehead: Fishing the harbor this week on the outgoing tide has been consistent for bass over 25 inches. Closer to shore, the Neck has provided good action for bass for fly and spin anglers alike. Try poppers during the day, Sluggos at night.

Salem: The Salem Harbor entrance has seen several surface feeds of hungry bass. Poppers via spin or fly rods have been working best. Mackerel have been active around the islands so if you can get a few and live-line them, you will likely find yourself with a keeper-sized bass. Flounder catches are on the rise just outside the harbor.

Beverly: Striped bass are being taken in the environs around the Beverly-Salem Bridge, with small flies and Sluggos working best. The areas around West Beach and Endicott College have been fishing quite well, especially at sunrise. Mackerel were taken this week off the Beverly Fishing Pier.

Cape Ann: Fishing has been great from Magnolia to Essex as bass and bait become more abundant around the Cape. Just outside the breakwater to Thacher's, there have been good schools of mackerel to attract bass. Larger bass have been taken in deeper water off Halibut Point with both tube-n-worm set ups and bait working well. The Annisquam continues to provide good fishing action, especially around deeper holes. Rockport Beaches are fishing well and the Essex River also has been good for striper activity.

Ipswich: (3 hooks) Pavilion Beach and Crane Beach have both been fishing well, especially in the early morning or after sundown. Top-water activity persists at both beaches, with the mouth of the Ipswich also yielding its fair share of fish.

Newbury: The backside of Plum Island has been fishing well around high tide. Fishermen have found top-water plugs and lures as well as soft plastics working well. The Parker River continues to fish quite nicely from the 1A Bridge out to Plum Island Sound.

Newburyport/Plum Island: Fishing from Deer Island to the mouth of the Merrimack has been good this week, with more bait arriving and larger bass in pursuit. Anglers drifting worms, clams and chunks by Deer Island and the I-95 bridge have found keeper bass, especially at night. Joppa continues to please fly and spin fishermen as larger bass feed on the surface and take most offerings. The oceanfront has been producing but has been hit or miss, with the rising tide the best time to fish. Plum Island Point continues to yield keeper-sized bass, especially on the last two hours on either side of the low tide. Flounder catches are increasing along the Plum Island beachfront and party boats report a consistent pick of good-sized cod.

Salisbury: Boat fishermen bouncing worms have been limiting out on flounder just off Salisbury Beach. Bass fishing has been good from the banks of the State Reservation with worms, clams and chunks working best.

New Hampshire Seacoast: (2 hooks) Fishing is still a tad slow in the Granite State, but as bait continues to increase, I'd expect in the next week that from Seabrook to Portsmouth fishing will improve greatly. Bass have been taken off the beach in North Hampton as well as at Rye. Jigs, Sluggos and flies have all been working. The Great Bay area has provided bass opportunities for the patient angler, while striper activity in and around the Piscataqua has definitely improved. Cod catches have been good off the Isles of Shoals.

Tip of the Week: In case of emergency

Whether you are heading out to fish on a boat, jetty, sandbar or anywhere else, always let a few folks know where you are and your time-line for return in case of emergency.