Sports | Fishing » Take me Fishing, New Hampshire

Source: http://www.doksinet New Hampshire Fish and Game Department WHY FISH NH? Take Me Fishing! Just step outside to find scenic fishing here in wild New Hampshire – we’ve got great fishing around every corner: ™ u 12,000 miles of river and streams. Seacoast u 975 lakes and ponds. u Fishing for bass, trout, salmon, pike, walleye, pickerel, perch and more u Record big fish – and some wily wild fish too! u Scenic vistas and wildlife abound. u Nearly a million trout stocked each year – just for you! Learn more about coastal fishing in New Hampshire at RICHARD GUNION / DREAMSTIME.COM SCULPIES / DREAMSTIME.COM fishnh.com/marine Shoreline Fishing Guide New Hampshire Fish and Game Connecting you to life outdoors™ NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT 11 Hazen Drive l Concord, NH 03301 l (603) 271-2501 Your purchase of fishing tackle and motorboat fuels, along with license sales, helps fund sport fish restoration and management in New Hampshire

fishnh.com/marine Source: http://www.doksinet Salty and Sweet! 9 4 16 Want to experience sport fishing at its finest? Fish coastal New Hampshire, where the cold blue Atlantic Ocean meets the rocky shoreline, and the “big ones” are just waiting for a bite. All persons age 16 and older recreationaly fishing in coastal and estuarine waters of the state must purchase a N.H Saltwater Recreational Fishing License. MADBURY 155A 152 Hampton/Seabrook l Rye/New Castle l Piscataqua River l Great Bay Estuary and Tributaries Ri 4 ve r 1 GREENLAND NEWFIELDS 95 STRATHAM EXETER RYE NORTH HAMPTON 1A 111 HAMPTON FALLS SOUTH HAMPTON 1B PORTSMOUTH 33 87 108 95 16 GREAT NEWINGTON BAY NEWMARKET 101 l 4 DURHAM108 Look inside for some coastal N.H places to try shoreline fishing, plus tips for success. MAINE 155 125 Piscataqua Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have become one of the greatest success stories for marine fisheries management in recent years,

and they are by far the most sought after saltwater fish in New Hampshire coastal waters. But stripers aren’t the only game in town – cast a line and see if you can bring home a bluefish, flounder or mackerel. DOVER 9 HAMPTON ATLANTIC OCEAN 107 SEABROOK 286 Use Circle Hooks To conserve fisheries, many sport anglers now release the fish they catch. Using circle hooks instead of standard J-hooks can significantly reduce mortality. Experienced striped bass anglers find that baited circle hooks, because the point is turned inward, almost always hook fish in the lip or jaw. Points on J-hooks, in contrast, are more exposed and can lodge in the gills, throat or stomach – internal organs where injuries can be fatal. Because of its design, you don’t need to “set” a circle hook as you would a J-hook; simply let the fish “take” the bait and then start reeling to get a hook-up. Many longtime anglers believe they actually catch more fish with circle hooks than J-hooks, once

they’ve learned to use them properly. circle hook standard “J” hook For tide charts and catch restrictions, check the N.H Saltwater Fishing Digest at fishnhcom/marine Source: http://www.doksinet Fish of the Atlantic Ocean Bluefish Baits to Use Striped Bass Use this handy guide to choose the best baits and to see what kind of fish you’ve caught. Fish Identification Chart Natural Baits (herring, Atlantic mackerel, shrimp) Clams Atlantic Cod Cutbait Atlantic Mackerel Clamworms Live fish Pollock Artificial Baits Haddock (eels, Atlantic mackerel, pollock, Atlantic menhaden) Poppers Cusk Bucktail jigs Winter Flounder Swimbaits Diamond jigs Trolling tubes Match Your Bait to Your Catch Fish Illustrations by Victor Young / Courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game World Record Atlantic cod is 98 lbs. 12 oz, caught in NH! Striped bass feed nocturnally, so try fishing the beaches at night Source: http://www.doksinet Hampton/ Seabrook

NORTH HAMPTON Ro ad No. Hampton State Beach d 1A W o an 3 dl 101 North Beach 101E 1 1A HAMPTON FA L L S Great Boars Head 101 Hampton er v Hampton Beach State Park HAMPTON HARBOR Beckmans Point Knowles I. 1A SEABROOK rR NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO 286 When fishing from a jetty, avoid black rocks; they are covered in slippery algae iver ATLANTIC OCEAN 1 Commons I. e wat Black 3. North Hampton State Beach On Route 1A in North Hampton, this beach produces some of the largest striped bass caught from shore each year in New Hampshire. Fishing occurs almost exclusively in the evening and into early morning. With the use of a surfcaster, try casting a chunk of mackerel or herring just beyond the breaking surf with a fairly heavy sinker tied below the bait. Waves will pick the bait up with each swell, enticing the fish. Fishing action can be heavy when striped bass push schools of baitfish into the shallow surf for a feed. o Little Boars Head 27 Ri 2.

Blackwater River On Route 286 in Seabrook, this tidal river is a great place to land schoolies (young striped bass) and the occasional keeper. Be sure to check the tide; the river is only fishable at mid to high tide. There is easy access from the bridge; work your way out along the marsh for better fishing. Try fly fishing or using smaller lures. HAMPTON Road 1. Seabrook Beach/Hampton Beach State Park Along Route 1A on either side of the bridge between Hampton and Seabrook. Hampton Beach State Park provides ample parking (fee required) or park along Route 1A on the Seabrook side. Anglers target striped bass, bluefish and winter flounder in the inlet to Hampton Harbor from the beach or the jetty. 1 27 Mill Surf fishing is great along New Hampshire’s sandy beaches and rocky coastline. Try one of these popular spots along Route 1A, just north of the Mass. border 111 Seabrook Beach 2 MA Fishing from a rock jetty, like the one at Hampton Beach State Park, allows an angler to

extend his reach another several yards into the ocean. The N.H record striped bass is 51 inches and 60 lbs Source: http://www.doksinet Rye/New Castle Pest I. 2 Lady I. 1A The narrow winding roads from North Hampton to New Castle provide great scenery and ample surf-fishing access. The beaches on Route 1A north of Hampton can be difficult to fish when there are crowds of beachgoers, but try any of the rocky outcroppings between North Hampton State Beach and Wallis Sands (indicated in red). Time your trip with low tide so you can move further out onto the rocks. Be flexible; let diving birds and breaking schools of baitfish tell you where to stop and cast your line. 33 PORTSMOUTH 1 amo Roa LITTLE HARBOR re d Odiorne Point Road et t Brack 1A re Sagam o Road lis al on Concord Point d as hin gt Roa Brac ke tt RYE Wallis Sands R o ad B k ro o rys W Ber 2. Great Island Common From Route 1A in Rye, take Route 1B near Sagamore Creek toward New Castle.

The park entrance is just past the town library. There is ample parking. The best fishing is off the concrete jetty and rocks at the far end of the park. Right at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor, this is a great spot to catch a variety of fish, including Atlantic mackerel, striped bass and pollock. W Rye North Beach d RYE HARBOR STATE PARK Roa Locke Rd . Cen tra l 1A Rye Harbor Foss Beach Ragged Neck Point 1 B ailey d Lockes Neck Roa Jenness Beach ok Bro Eel Pond ra l Rye Beach Ce nt Bridge pilings provide great hiding places for predatory fish 1B Road Elw y n 1. Rye Harbor State Park In Rye, between Jenness State Beach and Wallis Sands Beach. Fishing from the jetties on either side gives you great access to winter flounder as well as schoolie stripers. Try fishing early morning incoming tides, when the currents bring bait into the harbor through the bottleneck created by the jetties. ATLANTIC OCEAN Fox Hill Point NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO The Goat

Island Bridge is the gateway from Portsmouth to New Castle and a popular spot for targeting striped bass from shore. Peak fishing from bridges is often during the nighttime hours; which side depends on the tide’s direction. Common NEW CASTLE Cre ek S ag Great Island Leachs I. HAMPTON 1A Little Boars Head North Hampton State Beach Winter flounder are close to shore in the spring and early summer Source: http://www.doksinet Piscataqua River 2. Bloody Point From Route 16 North, take Exit 4, making a left at the end of the exit. Just before rounding the corner to the left, turn onto Bloody Point Road, a small dead-end road on the right. There is a small parking area at the gate, and a short path will bring you to a rocky outcropping that allows access to the eddies created by this tidal rip area. Especially in the summer months, striped bass are lazy and will wait in the calm waters of the eddy for an unsuspecting baitfish to swim by. The Piscataqua River is one of the

fastest flowing navigable rivers in the world, and joins the Cocheco River, Salmon Falls River and Little Bay en route to the Atlantic Ocean. The river is a migratory highway for baitfish like river herring and shad. 16 DOVER 4 Do ve rP oin t 3 Rd . 3. Hilton Park at Dover Point The Hilton Park access site is on the Dover side of the General Sullivan Bridge along both sides of Route 16. This is where the Piscataqua River meets Great Bay, and often holds large concentrations of bait. Most fishing is done from the pier on the river side of the park, but it’s worth working your way along the rocks near the boat ramp and toward the bridge. Hilton Park Bloody Point General Sullivan Bridge 2 Pi Exit 4 sc M at aq ua A Sh IN at tu ck W Ri W 16 oo ve E r db ur y e. 4 Av NEWINGTON ay 95 GREAT BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Map Market lewo Street 1 od A ve PORTSMOUTH 1 Pierce I. 1. Goat Island Bridge On Route 1B heading from New Castle towards

Portsmouth, you will cross two bridges, the first of which connects the Great Island (New Castle) to Goat Island. Just before the bridge is a dirt parking area maintained by Fish and Game. The bridge is best fished during night tides, but taking the time to walk the shoreline on both sides at dawn or dusk while using lures or flies can also be very rewarding. 1B 1 Is lin gt on Str ee t Shapleigh I. Goat I. t hS Sout t Leachs I. 1A 33 Cree k S aga m o Great Island Pest I. Lady I. re e 95 1B re 1 When the moon is full or new, a “Spring Tide” occurs, which is extremely high and extremely low NEW CASTLE LITTLE HARBOR RYE 1A Source: http://www.doksinet Hen ry L Co Ave . h c aw e r Mid dle Do oi rP ive B el l a my R 155 nt Road 16 a m y Ri ve r Road Oy s ter River Du rha m DURHAM Long rsh ma Po int R 4 Scam m Bridgeell Goat Island oad d Roa t a q u a R i ve r B e ll aq ua UNH Campus 155A PK Pi s c at Pisca T ING LD AU SP

4 155A ive r Road MADBURY co R Fox Point LITTLE BAY 1 Fox P 16 oint Roa C ro ad Ro m Da Cr d 4 NEWINGTON et ers Fall 108 eek cIn d Adams Point M a s Ro e ck mm Pa N E 9 108 Oyster R i ve r 1. Scammell Bridge On Route 4 between Dover and Durham, the bridge spans the junction of the Bellamy River and Little Bay. Much like our New Hampshire beaches, fishing at this site occurs primarily at night. This is a great spot to try in the midsummer months when the fishing gets a little tougher. An added benefit is the occasional presence of bluefish among the large schools of striped bass, which will put up an amazing fight. Fishing is best toward the center of the bridge; which side of the bridge depends on whether the tide is ebbing or flooding, but the method is primarily chunk bait. Fish and Game maintains parking lots at both ends of the bridge. DOVER ve The tidal rivers of New Hampshire are where the salty seawater meets the warmer fresh water. These

rivers are also the final destination of large migratory runs of river herring before they spawn and return to sea. 2 16 9 M A I Great Bay Estuary and Tributaries tyre R oa GREAT BAY 2. Henry Law Park Downtown NATIONAL d a o Dover. Traveling north on Route 108/ WILDLIFE y a B REFUGE 152 Central Avenue, make a right turn onto GREAT Washington Street, then turn immediLa BAY ately onto Henry Law Avenue. The park 3 y R. GREAT BAY DISCOVERY CENTER provides access to the Cocheco River, www.greatbayorg where large runs of river herring end their N E W M A R KN E T spawning runs in May and June. A good GREENL AND rule of thumb is, where there are herring, stripers are not far behind. Chunk bait, swim baits or live herring are the best During the spring months, take a short walk to the Central Avenue Bridge at Cocheco Falls; here, at Fish and Game’s fish ladder, biologists sample migrating river herring, sea lamprey and the occasional Atlantic salmon. R d m Road Road ington ew

New pre 3. Newmarket Town Landing Traveling south on Route 108 into Newmarket, turn left onto Bay Road, then right into Lamprey River Trailer Park. There will be a sign for Heron Point Sanctuary Park in the dirt parking area and walk down to the head-of-tide portion of the Lamprey River. Parking is limited Large “cow” stripers gorge themselves on migrating river herring that pile up below the dam when tidal levels make it hard for them to access the fish ladders. Any bait that resembles a silver river herring swimming erratically or popping the surface should entice some action. The first striped bass caught each year in N.H are at the base of dams, where river herring congregate Source: http://www.doksinet Chunk bait bottom rig setup Need-to-know knots Dropper Loop Knot - used to attach a second hook Circle Hook 3-way Swivel Main Line 1 1 4 2 Use a match stick or similar object to assist with wrapping the loop. Monofilament Leader 1 to 3 feet Chunk Bait

Monofilament Sinker Line Make 5 to 8 twists in the wrapping. 2 Pyramid Sinker (2-3 oz.) 3 3 To create a setup that will allow you to present cut bait (herring, Atlantic mackerel, or clams) to predatory fish patrolling the surf: 1. Attach a 3-way swivel to the main line using a clinch knot 2. To the bottom-facing swivel ring, tie a stretch of monofilament (1 to 3 feet) 3. To the end of this line, tie a pyramid sinker 4. Tie your leader line and hook to the remaining swivel ring This configuration will allow the bait to remain near the bottom where the pyramid sinker is resting, but the swells and current will pull the chunk bait a few feet up in the water column. By keeping the bait above the bottom, its movement imitates a swimming prey fish and helps to keep it out of reach of bottom-dwelling crabs and lobsters. Hint: When fishing around rocky shorelines, use a lower lb. test monofilament than the main line and leader, so that in the event of a snag in a rock crevice, only the

weight is lost and will need to be retied. Alternative floating setup: Helps keep crabs at bay. Tie a circle hook on your line, using a clinch knot. Attach a bobber about 3 feet above it. Clamp a small weight on the line in between, about a foot above the hook. Bait the hook with a live fish hooked through the lip or the back just below dorsal fin. 4 5 Clinch Knot 1 2 3 4 For more saltwater fishing tips and information, log onto fishnh.com/marine A fish reeled up from 100+ feet will have an expanded air bladder. To increase survival, lightly squeeze the belly before releasing