Whats the deal with the ocean?

[HarryG]

This is my first post on the forum. I was reffered here by Nate and Eric, who I have been fishing with over the past couple of week ends. Nate and I graduated high school together in Mass and both attended UNH and have been in the area ever since. Anyways I was just wondering how everyone else has been doing. Has anyone else noticed how slow it has been the past two weeks. I am use to the doldrum that is this time of year but jeesh. :evil:
All I had this week end was one very healthy very legal fish break off while messing around on a cliff more suitable for diving than fishing. After many hours and many different spots, I finally got skunked after a long string of somewhat successful outings. How about the rest of you?

[lowwall]

You are in good company, all the boards are complaining about the lack of an inshore fishery these days. Usually takes till OCT before the consensus is reached on a Good\Bad year. My prediction is Bad for inshore. Good for offshore.

I have seen the inshore fishing decline since the big comeback in the 90's. I blame it on ocean temperatures. Look at a temperature map and notice the cold water along the shoreline. Lots of warm water and bait off shore, fish don't come inshore because they don't have to. The fish are safely hanging in the EEZ getting fat and happy. Some low life angler’s head out there to target "Blues" and catch all sorts of Bass.

The Schoolie tuna phenomenon is all about the warm water and loads of bait. The Bass are out there to.

There are still fish around; Fish I have caught have been skinny. I have only been skunked once this year but it has been tough going. I have not been able to fish much due to work but I suspect if I could I would be putting up Skunks on a regular basis. Would prefer the skunk to work any day!

Keep at it while there are still fish to be caught, Mycobacteriosis outbreaks spreading north , Over fishing Of Pogies, Ells and the Herring Stock crash. I am ready for the bad old days of the 80’s to return. Hopefully the fish can bounce back next time.

[HarryG]

I dunno how I feel about this season so far. They say the herring run is the best every three years and last year was the year right before the rain. However I fished the local rivers everydayand talked to fish and game almost everytime they emptied the ladders. They were pulling 2,000-3,000 fish out about every 3 days. It was insane for over 2 months. My first three fish this year were 33', 36', 30' all on wooden swimmers (talk about a blast). I have seen more pogies this year than when I used to fish the canal with my father in the early 90's. Some of my buddies are bait goons and have been pulling baby cod out of the Piscat on a regular basis so it doesn't seem like the water is too warm. I think I need to do some more low tide outings or just get a boat. I have noticed that I can catch some schoolies during the day but if I return to some of my same spots at night the schoolies disappear and in come the big boys.

[lowwall]

[quote="pulling baby cod out of the Piscat on a regular basis so it doesn't seem like the water is too warm. [/quote]

I think the water is to cold inside so the fish are staying offshore. I have seen more poggies than since the 90's but they have not had fish on them!
I Remeber when you could walk across them in Boston Haba

Weird

[Solid]

I think Mike may be on to something...

[HarryG]

I totally agree with the both of you guys. Eric you and I were saying this week end that it was weird to see no fish under tho poggies, I believe. It is similar to when the blue backs appeared this year it was a good solid month before any real serious striper action took place. A few people had said the caught one here and there but it was a month before anyone including myself was cathing multiple fish a day. But when they showed up it was insane. All really good sized fished. I think my smallest was 24". Everyone else around was doing really well.

[b_rathen]

Hmmm, interesting discussion. I was actually thinking how good the fishing has been this year. Funny to read that y'all are finding otherwise. I've been going pretty much exclusively at the crack of dawn, so that might be part of the reason. and up to recently had been having a great year. Finding the fish fat, and fierce. No sign of the skin disease that was prevalent last summer. Seeming like a nice healthy crop of fish.

Had noticed the past few days, though, that there was a steep decline in activity. Was just checking the forum to see if others had found the same, and now I see this thread ... making me worried that we're in the doldrums of summer! Be about the right time, I guess.

I did see a guy pull a nice 30+ inch striper out at New Castle Commons last evening. He was chucking bait, but still, nice fish.

Anyone seeing any blues in the piscataqua? little or great bay?

Water temps in the river had been upper 50's for the most part, though I heard up in little bay the other day the water temp was 71!!

[OTTER]

I don't know much about striper fishing. But except for my lucky big fish last monday, this year has been way off for me compared with the last couple of years. I don't know why. We did have the big flooding rains in the beginning. We have had a lot of west wind pushing the warmed surface waters out to sea, and it has been a pretty cool and rainy summer so far. Is any of this a possible cause of our inshore frustrations?

[HarryG]

Fish have definately been healthy and pudgy when caught. I had a blue fish puke up what looked like a sardine/smelt hybrid maybe a baby blue back (I didn't get a good look before a gull came and gobbled it up). And that was Friday night out of the river. I heard from another guy that stopped by where I was that the bluefish had been fierce in the river. I only saw one.

[NH28]

For what it is worth my inshore striper season has been very strong.

All the fish seem bigger this year and the cooler water seems to have them more energized.

For what is worth most of my fish have come from "new" places this year in the same inshore area.

Last year's spots seem to be less producitve.

Maybe the storms and tides have changed things around but I am finding new spots and better fish every time I head out.

Kent in Bedford

[lowwall]

I have been reading about big catches as by catch from the tuna guys offsure. Fish measured in ft and lbs. Caught while jiging in deep water in the EEZ.

Escerpt from a recent NWC report, probably off of Glouster

"We did manage to hook a tuna while jigging from the bottom to top with a butterfly jig. Right after that did catch 6 really nice bass to 12 to 30+ pounds with the same jig. Stopped jigging for them because I didn't want to target them since we were in the EEZ, but they sure were fun to catch. "

These reports were around allot last year as well.

The schoolies can be found easily inshore no doubt, but I am looking for keepers on the fly. Been tough, never caught so many 27" fish in my life,
But I have not been fishing the way I normally would either.

The plus side is i should have allot of time in September!

[Solid]

We have been fishing new spots as well, but have been unable to find the fish. I understand nobody wants to give away there super sweet secret spots, but can you give us some more details on what you were fishing so we can see if there is a pattern???? We have been fishing off Rt.1a (NH) ocean side, Hampton harbor, Newcastle and Pierce Island, day and late late at night, all tides. We can't get any consistent action. Spots that typically hold schoolie size fish year round in numbers are producing nothing! Please help us out.

[b_rathen]

I've had the luxury of fishing by boat, mostly, so I'll admit that has helped a lot. Mainly because the action has not be consistent, rather moving, for the most part, and being able to follow the fish is key.

Had best results on a clouser, 1/2 & 1/2, ollive, over white. A friend and I were fishing one morning a couple weeks ago, he landed a 36" and I got a 33, and 27" fish, all on basically the same pattern. I think we were both using a sinking line (350 grain) that day as well, though, as I recall, the takes were not that deep.

Also had some decent fish on a larger deceiver, imitating a pollock or medium size bait fish. again olive over white. Joe Calcaveccia ties a heck of a nice fly in this style. Great action, and stands up to abuse.

Back channel has been very productive in the mornings, and there are areas you can access from shore there, which should give you a shot at some fish.

I have found an area that has a large structure which breaks up the current, where water can flow to both sides of the structure (say a rock formation 20 feet off shore) where current is moving across, this seems to be good. I suspect off Ordionne, along the rocky shore line would be great. Last year found fish holding and cruising in the rocks a lot.

Hope that helps. And, sorry to say, there hasn't really been a "secret spot" for me, as others have commented, the fish seem to be in new locations, and I haven't found a rhythm to where and when they'll be at the spots I found them at the day before.

[Marshindian]

Hampton River is relatively barren this year so far. Lack of bait-you don't see any shags on the powerlines where normally there'd be a hundred hanging out waiting to crap on passing boats. I'm holding out hope for a good alewife hatch in August or it's gonna be a bust in here this year. Fished three hours 6-9AM from trestle to Nudd's Canal and never had a good hit on clams or flies. Picked up a shad on the flyrod and tried fresh bloody fillets. SQUAT! Should have eaten my bait! :x

[HarryG]

I am going to head out early dawn and fish for a few hours tomorrow. I have pulled some all nighters but haven't spent any time while the sun was really comming up. Seems to be a common suggestion.

[BugChucka]

The fishing for me has been good, good enough that I haven't had the time to sit around and listen to those cyber expert fishermen on the other boards :twisted: :twisted: :wink:

Fish the rocks guys!

[lowwall]

I haven't had the time to sit around and listen to those cyber expert fishermen on the other boards

The Cyber Experts Are All That Keep Me Going These Day's! Lets see some reports guys with Pic's, Lots of Pics. Even the water would be fine. I won't be getting out on any regular basis for another month. Need something to get me through crunch time

[natefish]

Seems to me like people are doing well if on boats or further in shore where the water is also warmer. I have a feeling that warm water is key. Although I have had luck when it is cold and raining this year as well so go figure. I would really like to head out and fish the outgoing right now but I have a bunch of hw assignments building up that are telling me I should do otherwise, maybe I'll go tomorrow though.

[BugChucka]

Lowwall, I'll do my best to post a little more brotha, I'm just out of time to do it lately!!!

If you're a fly guy from shore the place to be is on the rocks and has been since June. The fish are there, and I've seen too many that have made my knees wobble, fish that double the one's listed below. Serious fish that a fly guy has no business tangling with. :shock: That's no BS either. This year the big bait is inshore, time to start throwing big sh&%$ if you aren't already.

I sure as heck am not saying I'm slaying cows, but for a fly guy stuck on shore, I really can't complain. A fish every couple of hours is fine with me, expecting anymore this time of the year is ridiculous. These are far from the cows we all dream about but enough to keep me at it almost every day of the week. I am a student of the sea and I learn more every time I fish, the key for me is to keep fishing. From the shore, and on the fly, I am a very thankful angler. This was one of the first fish I posted this year, taped at 27"

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/bugchucka/2007-06-04152.jpg

These are some I have landed since...

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/bugchucka/2007-07-02007.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/bugchucka/2007-06-22002.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/bugchucka/2007-06-24002.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/bugchucka/P10009601.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/bugchucka/2007-07-15003.jpg

[lowwall]

Thanks Bug, I needed that!
Now I can stare at the grey walls of the construction trailer I sit in all day!

[HarryG]

Wow nice fish chucka I'm suprised I haven't run into you at all. It looks like we fish some of the same territory. I think I we may have met last year around sept/oct. Anyways I just got back in from this mornings trip. Caught 4 fish and missed one. Nothing special just a couple mid 20" schoolies. I caught 4 within 3 hours and missed the 5th. I prob could have stayed out longer but I need to do some serious job hunting today. Sorry there are no pictures I don't take a camera for fear of bad mojo. I am planning on doing the same thing tomorrow morning if anyone else is unemployed or happens to have any sick days.

Hey Lowwall is there any room in that construction trailer for a Civil Technologist with a concentration in construction management. I got laid off only to be replaced by my boss's family friend.

[OTTER]

BugChucka, Enjoyed your photos and report.

And I enjoy seeing the photos and reading the stories from all the guys.

Thanks

[Solid]

I thought that was you that Sunday on that BIG rock on. I was just south of you on another rock, within site. I was debating whether or not to climb up there and talk, but didn't want to bother you. I usually do very very well in that area, and I guess things have not been that bad, just not the norm. I will keep at it, see you out there!

[HarryG]

Eric what you need to do is skip work tomorrow. And you better be down here this week end. I have been talking to myself more and more everytime I have been out. Not a good sign. Good thing the old man is a shrink.

Or maybe you should stay home, I seem to do better with out you and Nate.

:D

[Solid]

I should be down there at some point this weekend. Probably plan on Sat. night all day Sunday. PM me your cell number so I can call you.