North shore fishing (River Mouth at Ma)

[chingweiliao]

Hi Striper fisherman and fisherwoman:

I fished at river mouth of MA and caugt more than 20 stripers last Tuesday but this Monday I can only catch 2 at the same stage of tide, same bait and same location. I am interest at why! Can anybody shed light on this regard, thanks

Ching-Wei Liao

[Scotch Bonnet]

Hey CWL, maybe different wind blew bait to a different area.

[chingweiliao]

Thank you Scotch for your interestring thought!

I knew wind will vary the ocean current but did not understand how it vary the movement of the bait. (I think you refer to those baits that striper are after.) Actually on both fishing day (last Tuesday and this Monday), I fished while the wind has died down quite a bit (less than 5 mph).

The remaining differences between this two days are

1. the lighting (Last Tuesday I fished at dusk and caught a 30" striper and many schooee but this monday I start fish at 9:30 PM in the evening and I caught a lot of crab at beginning )
2. the temperature (The temperature of Monday night (50 F) is a liitle bit cooler than the dusk temperature of last Tuesday(65 F)
3.Feeding activity are were hot and steady between 5-8 PM on Last Tuesday but were hot only at a half hour window this Monday (In the remaining of time, I caught a lot of crabs )

Regards,

Ching-Wei Liao

[JohnR]

CWL - welcome to S-B

There are so many factors that influence good or bad conditions at a spot that one good thing to do is to stack the deck as much in your favor as you can. Even with everything perfect, the fish can be down a couple miles at the next inlet, that's why they call it "fishing" & not "catching"

They may also have been keyed in on a different bait. I've seen them ignore live herring in favor of silversides, not often but it happens...

Try to bring some variety in baits & lures to your spot and also try to find other spots and not get tunnel vision for just one locale...

Good luck...

[chingweiliao]

Hi John R:

Thank you for your explaination about the feeding behavior of the ocean fish! Especially, the thought of "fishing but not catching" is quite impressive. I wish I can vision that in ten years.

Let me know, if you were me this Monday night! And under following fishing conditions what would you do before call it a
day and go home quick

1. On the Jetty near the river mouth around 10 PM
2. At the last two to three hour of out going tide, current and tide are strong near the jetty.
3. No much action (hit within a half hour window and quiet down to nothing) on clam in the water except crabs' bite
4. You have white buck-tail jig with 5 " grub , 1.5 ounce surface plug, 4'' swimmer (rubber fish with white belley with back back), dead mack, clam and blood worm

What kind of baits or lures will you try before you call it a day and persuade yourself that fish is not around the Jetty (usually this is the best spot in the river mouth). Would you try river bank, ocean front or others before you conclude that fish is off-shore and call it a day quick!

Actually, on the other side(ocean side --I usually fish the river side on out going tide) of the Jetty, I saw plenty of break wave (out going tide), but after fishing there for half an hour I gave up also--So fish is not around the break waves either. I did ask myself where are the fish that day !


Regards,

Ching-Wei Liao

[JohnR]

Assuming you're talking the Merrimack, I dunno. The jetties on both sides are a biatch to get out to the end on and can certainly be tough to fish on, even with Korkers (steel studded soles for your boots).

If it's another spot that's a little easier to fish, I would only be there with plugs/plastic/or eels. The jigs, worms, and bait certainly do well but I just don't fish with the dead bait at all anymore and rarely Jig once bigger fish come in (although that is an excellent method for big & small - just not enough time to do everything)

Fishing primarily with live eels, if I'm not getting anything but fish are there, I'll switch to wood plugs & teasers or move to another nearby spot.

A half hour fishing one spot when conditions are decent does not determine a nights fishing, at worst it tells you to hit another spot. Also depends on what kind of mobility you have. If you're a long walk from you truck or car, you may want to experiment with different plugs or lures and/or move to another close by spot.

Just so you know, I'm not an expert at coaxing the fish to my line under a variety of conditions. Not enough time & experience under my belt to proclaim myself as one. I consider myself average to competent in my abilities but that's as far as I'll go

[chingweiliao]

Hi Jone:

I appreciate your experienced suggestations. I did fish at the jetty of Merrimeck mouth and indeed it is realy tough to get on.

By the way, where is the other easy spot you refer to-- I am 42 and I have minor knee problem as well.

By the way, you mentioned wood plug, I am wonder what color and how to present it . Under what condirion do you use it. Is it right you use it only there is surface feeding activities.

Regards,

Ching-Wei Liao

[JohnR]

CWL - I don't fish that are often anymore and when I did in the early 90s, it was usually at the Merrimack. As far as other spots, there are tons of inlets littering the coast of the North Shore that you can access & find less people fishing. Also, the bigger the river doesn't necessarily mean better. Look at a lot of the smaller rivers & salt ponds emptying into the bay...

Another thing to consider is a club like the Plum Islan Surfcasters: http://plumisland.surfcaster.com/index.html

[chingweiliao]

Dear John:

Thank you for your information and I will search other spots if same condition happend to me again tonight!


There is a tiny river named parker river ??? at a east portion of P.I . Have you tried there before! what stage of tide you like in the tiny river like parker!


Around May 24, 2002 Kay reported that all the big stripers are caught at the beach side, I am wonder why. They should chase their bait, herring in the river or salt mash instead!


Regards,

Ching-Wei Liao