Fished the outgoing tide in the mouth of the Merrimack River on Monday from 4:00 - 9:00PM.....Low tide was around 8:30PM. Caught about 20-25 stripers between 5-7lbs (three of us) using clams on the bottom. Saw others catching same size fish using whole mackeral and chunks. Did not get any keepers.....BUT Dad and Uncle Al had a great time (and so did I)!!!

Got most of the fish right off the south jetty just as you come up onto the bar as you reach the ocean. Action died as soon as low tide approached......two hours before low was the best.

I heard you need to use eels after dark to get the keepers....I'll try it.

Jim

Congrats Jim... It's always a good day when everyone on the boat gets in on the action...

Couple recommendations - use circle hooks on all chunked bait, especially with sweet clam bellies, to reduce the chance of gut hooking a bass...

Eels at night are great - if you are drifting out of the mouth or trolling along in that deep water just outside, use 1/2 - 3/4 ounce rubber core sinkers a few feet up the leader from the eels. This will help you get down deeper in that current where the big fish reside. Start with the 1/2 ounce and then move up if neeeded. You want to get down near the bottom with out snagging (which can be tough when that current is really cranking)....

John R (07-25-2001 09:45):
Couple recommendations - use circle hooks on all chunked bait, especially with sweet clam bellies, to reduce the chance of gut hooking a bass...

I have NEVER had one swallow the hook....I use a 7/0 snelled bait hook I got from Walmart! I set the hook as soon as I feel the 'tap' - always get 'em in the jaw. I have circle hooks, but have never tried them.

John R (07-25-2001 09:45):Eels at night are great - if you are drifting out of the mouth or trolling along in that deep water just outside, use 1/2 - 3/4 ounce rubber core sinkers a few feet up the leader from the eels. This will help you get down deeper in that current where the big fish reside. Start with the 1/2 ounce and then move up if neeeded. You want to get down near the bottom with out snagging (which can be tough when that current is really cranking)....

WOW! 1/2 - 3/4 ounce? I use an EIGHT (8) oz weight on my fish finder rig while drifting in the mouth, and sometimes I loose contact with the bottom. Move down to 4 or 6 during the slack tides. Am I doing something wrong?

Jim

Jim, you're in a boat, right? If you're drifting with the current, you won't need much additional weight to get near the bottom. If you're fishing from shore, you'll fish either weightless or with the same 1/2 to 3/4 ounce rubber core sinkers.

If you're anchoring in a boat (not recommended as it's dangerous at the mouth of the Merrimack), eels get a little more tough. Too much weight and they'll ball up on you on the bottom, too much current and they'll stay right on top - use the weights to get them down some...

BTW - for all of you that have fished the mouth of the Merrimack in a boat - it can be REAL nasty there, especially during a dropping tide and a hard wind out of the east... That mouth made the top 10 Nasty Inlets in Boating Magazine a couple years ago. Treat it with respect...

Yes, I have an 18' aluminum fishing boat. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try using less weight next time and let you know how we do.

Your also right on about safety in the mouth of the Merrimack. Treat her with GREAT respect.


Jim

I diddo the circle hooks. Don't leave home without them! I would say 99% of the fish I catch are hooked in the corner of the mouth.

Speaking of the Merrimack. Did you guys hear about the record shad run they had there this year.

http://www.telegram.com/sports/mich.html

Also, perhaps the only thing I respect more than the Merrimack is the people who actually keep their boats on it.

A while back I bought a boat that was stored at Boat Works Marina. I kept it there for a couple of weeks while it swelled (wood hull). One day while checking on it, I almost lost my dog to the current! Thank god the folks at the neighboring slip caught her.