Fish Finder
Frank Dwyer
—
Welcome to the 2010 fishing season!
But before you start fishing, please be advised that you need to register to fish in saltwater this year. It's free, but the federal requirement is likely the first step toward a paid saltwater fishing license. You can register by calling 888-674-7411 or visiting countmyfish.noaa.gov. You will receive a National Saltwater Angler Registry card and number, and if asked you will need to show it to the environmental police or fishery managers.
The season is just getting underway north of Boston and based on early reports, fishing is improving every day.
Marblehead: (2 hooks) Rock-hoppers in Marblehead have found cooperative striped bass around Castle Rock on the Neck with small to mid-sized schoolies taking small flies, plastics on small lead heads and small swimming lures. Fly anglers have found quickly-stripped small flies to be working best. Reports have bait taking some keeper-sized bass off local beaches.
Salem: (2 hooks) Bait has been seen in and around the Harbor this week in Salem and fish have been taken by anglers willing to spend the time. Bass have been taken from shore off Winter Island as well as near Salem Willows, most of them small. The warm weather over the next few days should turn the fishing on.
Beverly: (2 hooks) There have been some early season surface feeds off West Beach, as well as in the Harbor, but the fish have been somewhat finicky. The areas around Kernwood Bridge as well as Ober Park have been providing anglers with decent action for small bass.
Cape Ann: (3 hooks) The local rivers have been producing bass for some time now. Your best bet is the Annisquam or Little river. Additionally, you'll find bass along the shore from Magnolia to Rockport, with small plastics, swimming lures and even metal picking up bass. Fly fishermen are also having good luck around the Cape. In Rockport, fish have been taken from Cape Hedge, Front and Pebble beaches. The Essex River has also been a good producer as bass continue to feed upon their arrival.
Ipswich: (2 hooks) Crane Beach and the Ipswich River are heating up, and there have been surface feeds as recently as Wednesday evening. The fish are feeding on micro bait and possibly juvenile herring, so keep with the small-profile lures and flies.
Newbury: (2 hooks) The Parker River has been holding good numbers of striped bass this past week, with small flies stripped fast and small plastics working well. Reports have fast moving pods of schoolies appearing sporadically in Plum Island Sound.
Newburyport/Plum Island: (3 hooks) The environs around Plum Island are absolutely heating up, with your best bet being the river near the mouth of the Merrimack or the ocean front. Fishermen need to put in time as the fish are somewhat finicky and moving quickly. Pods of fish have made appearances on both the front beach and the river over the last week, with stripers to 25 pounds being landed. These fish are hungry but a tad finicky. Soft plastics and sea worms have been producing best. Joppa Flats has been fishing well, with fly fishermen tallying the most bass. Upriver, the flats and area north of the Gillis Bridge have yielded some bass, but stick closer to the ocean for the upcoming week. The party boats are running and reporting decent cod action.
Salisbury: (2 hooks) Salisbury Beach is actually fishing well as is the area by the Toothpick and North Jetty. Enjoy the area off the State Reservation now as once Memorial Day arrives, the crowds will be here to stay. Sea worms, buck tail jigs and Sluggos have been most effective on both the river and oceanfront.
New Hampshire Seacoast: (1 hook) The Granite State is always a few weeks behind the Bay State, and this year is no different. While fish are around, most catches have been in the river systems around Hampton and Portsmouth, and typically well upriver. The ocean temps are still a bit chilly, but expect the ocean fishing to get better as we work towards Memorial Day.
Tip of the Week: Re-spool Strip that reel
If you are out fishing this new season with last year's line, do yourself a favor and re-spool those reels with fresh line. You'll thank me in the summer when you don't lose that 40-pounder due to frayed line.
Frank Dwyer is a freelance fishing and outdoor columnist. Contact him at dwyer.f@gmail.com or www.frankdwyeroutdoors.blogspot.com or on Facebook, search for Frank Dwyer Outdoors.
