Fishing Forecast for 2006

Spring on the seacoast means more than the disappearance of snow and ice, it means the stormy winter seas of the Atlantic begin to subside. Along with the calming seas and warming temperatures, migrating songbirds begin appearing in New Hampshire treetops, and saltwater anglers begin their annual migration back to the beaches, jetties, and boat launches of New Hampshire's seacoast. Although flocks of people head to New Hampshire's seacoast to enjoy the hot sands and refreshingly brisk waters, the real secret isn't mingling among the masses of beach-goers, but breaking away from the crowds and discovering what the others seem to miss year after year....the fishing!

The first opportunity for saltwater fishing for most New Hampshire anglers arrives in early April and means heading down to Hampton or Rye Harbor as the sun is rising and boarding a boat from New Hampshire's charter fleet. I can remember my childhood days when I would insist we arrive two hours before the boat was departing so I could get the much sought-after corner fishing spot on the boat's stern. Even though the next line is only two feet away, that was the magic spot; everyone knew that. There are many experienced captains ready to take you out to sea in search of tasty Atlantic cod or haddock, and if you're really lucky you may bring aboard one of the few Atlantic wolffish caught each day. The catches have been great the last few seasons, and it's common to see a fisherman making his way back to his car dragging an overstuffed cooler, or the boat's crew still feverishly filleting fish half an hour after the boat has docked.

For charter/party boat listings, visit:

• www.maineharbors.com
• www.portsmouthnh.com

For those that want to guide their own adventure, late April and May are great opportunities to pick up winter flounder. However, catching these fish takes special techniques. They'll only take select baits like clam worms or blood worms, and their small, round mouths are perfect for slurping them up like spaghetti. You can find winter flounder near the mouths of estuaries and harbors, and if you don't have a boat try fishing the jetty at Great Island Common in New Castle or at Hampton State Park in Hampton. For tackle, you'll need relatively light line to feel the soft bite, a flounder spreader rig (generally with two hooks), and a small one to two ounce weight. I will admit that catching winter flounder may take a little more effort, but once you taste a prepared fillet it all seems worth it.

As we enter May and June and the balmy summer months near, fishing in New Hampshire only gets better. First, the large schools of Atlantic mackerel begin appearing. Even though they are hidden under the cover of the dark, blue-green waters, their location is revealed by large flocks of diving terns and gulls that follow the schools hoping to scoop up an easy meal. Whether fishing from a boat or from one of the numerous rocky outcroppings along Route 1 in Rye, North Hampton, and Hampton, there is one simple strategy for locating Atlantic mackerel: "Follow the Birds." A silver diamond-jig by itself or tied to the end of a sabiki rig has been my lure of choice, and on most occasions has been very successful. The jig is cast towards the school and jigged every few seconds as you retrieve it. The same strategy works for catching harbor pollock as well, but because they seem to be less aggressive, a small piece of cut bait usually helps to persuade them.

While most anglers will agree that any fish is better than no fish, most will also agree that a giant fish is best! Atlantic mackerel and harbor pollock may not be the tastiest dinner fare for us fishermen, but for striped bass, they're a feast. After loading up the live-well along the coast, head back up the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth and try live-lining mackerel or pollock near the "ice breaker" off Four-Tree Island, across from the naval shipyard. Drifting an ebbing tide along the edge of the mooring field has produced many nice fish, and while not all are keepers, they all bring a story to tell your envious friends. During the summer months striped bass fishing with live bait is also very productive around the bridges along the Piscataqua River in New Castle, Portsmouth, Newington, and Dover. My biggest striper was landed after an exhausting fight with the fish and raging current while live-lining pollock in Little Bay over some small ledges where depth changed quickly from fifteen to thirty feet.

There is another side to striped bass fishing that has become increasingly popular with New Hampshire anglers -- instead of muscling in that one huge fish with heavy tackle, enjoy the finesse of catching large numbers of "schoolies" with ultra-light tackle or fly rods. Some popular fly-fishing spots include wading out on points in the back-channel area of New Castle and Portsmouth, or trimming up the motor and nudging your boat up the shallow sandy rivers in Hampton Harbor (Browns River, Blackwater River, Hampton River). One of my favorite trips each year is taking a few friends out at night in the Newington section of the Piscataqua River to fish around the expanse of floodlights and warm effluent water near the energy terminals. It may not be as serene as hiking down a mountain stream, but there's something to be said for being anchored in water that is literally boiling with the excitement of these juvenile stripers. At times it seems like any lure is devoured as soon as it hits the water's surface, but at other times the fish seem to be a little more wary. Try tossing a four to five inch "rattle-trap" or "shad-rap" style lure that swims about six feet below the surface, to imitate the Atlantic silversides and Atlantic menhaden that have whetted the schoolies' appetite. There were nights last year when we landed nearly 100 fish in the 10-12 inch range in less than 3 hours. These fish were probably from the very strong 2003 year class; this year, those fish should be nearing 14 -18 inches in length.

In July and August, the bluefish begin arriving from the warmer southern waters. Like wolves stalking a flock of sheep, these voracious predators have followed the shimmering schools of baitfish up the coast to the Gulf of Maine. The long trip has come at an expense; these fish are hungry from swimming long distances in cold water and need to refuel before continuing north to Maine. The bait of choice for bluefish is live Atlantic mackerel, but luckily they are not picky eaters and will generally take whole or cut herring, pollock, or mackerel. As with striped bass, follow the frenzy of sea birds to locate a feeding group of bluefish. Fish can usually be found near the Isles of Shoals, directly off the beaches of Rye, NH. Once you find the fish, try to get your bait as close to the action as possible; but hang on, because these fish hit hard and come armed with a series of formidable teeth, making a steel leader a must. Many anglers will use balloons as floats and drift their bait about eight to ten feet below the surface. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you miss the initial strike, wait a few more seconds. These fish feed by force and will make an initial strike to sever the bait in half and then return to pick up the pieces.

As summer on the New Hampshire seacoast draws to a close, the bait becomes scattered, and the striped bass and bluefish reverse directions. As the fish begin the long trip back to warmer southern waters, the jetties become less crowded, the lines at the boat launches are shorter, and the stories begin of the fish that were caught and of those that got away. When September comes this year, you don't want to find yourself without a fish tale from the New Hampshire seacoast... this summer, trade in your beach blanket for a fishing rod!

 
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