salisbury state park MA

krbernier74 · #1 05-14-2010, 08:35 AM

does anyone know if the docks are in yet? We were there last week to get our season boat launch pass and they were not in. Has anyone had any luck yet?

Roccus · #2 05-14-2010, 10:18 AM

I didnt notice if they were in or not, you can use the ramps at Cashman park, those docks have been in for a month....

Yes there are some fish, it's still early and most fish head stright to the Lawrence dam as soon as they enter the river... once more fish arrive, the fishing will become less hit and miss....fish lead heads or tins deep for best results...

krbernier74 · #3 05-14-2010, 12:29 PM

nice..we are most likely going tomorrow night from 7 pm on. I was planning on using sluggo's. i have only really fished live bait before so my expectations are not high. when you say lead heads do you mean like a shad shaped head with a fish like rubber? or will a sluggo do? any chance eels will produce on the flats? I'm basically gonna throw everything i have but any tips would be appreciated

Roccus · #4 05-14-2010, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krbernier74

nice..we are most likely going tomorrow night from 7 pm on. I was planning on using sluggo's. i have only really fished live bait before so my expectations are not high. when you say lead heads do you mean like a shad shaped head with a fish like rubber? or will a sluggo do? any chance eels will produce on the flats? I'm basically gonna throw everything i have but any tips would be appreciated

by lead heads, I'm talking bucktails, in the Upperman or smiling Bills style in the 7/8 to 1 1/2oz. range, tipped with pork rind or soft plastics ( like a 5" sluggo) ... it's very early for the flats, if you are going to fish at night, your best bet are worms or small peices of cut bait fished on the edges, not deep into the flats...... then be prepared to catch some white catfish as soon as it gets dark, until about half tide..( delisious by the way) ...it's still early here, pods of fish are moving through each day, you never know until you fish...

tight lines
Roc

bostonfisher · #5 05-14-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roccus

by lead heads, I'm talking bucktails, in the Upperman or smiling Bills style in the 7/8 to 1 1/2oz. range, tipped with pork rind or soft plastics ( like a 5" sluggo) ... it's very early for the flats, if you are going to fish at night, your best bet are worms or small peices of cut bait fished on the edges, not deep into the flats...... then be prepared to catch some white catfish as soon as it gets dark, until about half tide..( delisious by the way) ...it's still early here, pods of fish are moving through each day, you never know until you fish...

tight lines
Roc

Roc I never heard of a white catfish before. Are they freshwater fish that go into brackish water? I've caught ocean cats in florida before using small crabs but never seen a cat in the ocean before.

Roccus · #6 05-14-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostonfisher

Roc I never heard of a white catfish before. Are they freshwater fish that go into brackish water? I've caught ocean cats in florida before using small crabs but never seen a cat in the ocean before.

yup, fresh water fish, but capable of living in a wide variaty of salinities, this time of year, and during mid summer floods, the appear as far down as the joppa flats... best time to catch them is the last of the out going tide and at the turn of the incoming, up to about 2 hours in, some times as much as half tide, they move up and down the river with the tide....

krbernier74 · #7 05-14-2010, 01:40 PM

i have to fish at night on saturday unfortunately. as far as the river is concerned ive only fished the flats in june. i dont really know much about the river as i usually fish outside the river in deeper water. Should i try outside the mouth or is there any spots in the river i should try. dont worry im catch and release i wont be killing any fish!

krbernier74 · #8 05-14-2010, 01:45 PM

google is my friend....now where to fish

Roccus · #9 05-14-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krbernier74

i have to fish at night on saturday unfortunately. as far as the river is concerned ive only fished the flats in june. i dont really know much about the river as i usually fish outside the river in deeper water. Should i try outside the mouth or is there any spots in the river i should try. dont worry im catch and release i wont be killing any fish!

Most of what are there are short... now that the cat is out of the bag, I croaked them last night.... fish the edges of the channels.. watch for birds, if they are activly working, sluggos and spooks will take them..
'
as far as jigs go, it is a learned science, but a must for early sucess... toss the jig quartering the current, work back towards the boat by manipulating the rod tip between 9 and 11:00 posistion as you reel, fish slowly this time of year, the wateris still very cold .. the size jig will depend on the depth and strenght of the current... when fishing sandy bottom, allow the jig to hit the sand, causing puffs of sand to rise towads the surface, fish often take the jig on the drop..., around rocks and mussel beds, an ocasional hit on the bottomis a must to keep the jig in the strike zone...bring plenty as you will loose some...

Vthackle · #10 05-14-2010, 05:53 PM

Roc you been in the tea ,I have never heard you give up so much in one post ,We caught tub of cats put them in my brook, in a fish well left them for a week ,flushed all the muc out of them,what a good eating fish.I guess we are going to fish up river saturday into the night,see what we can do.good luck .just kidding on the post.VT

jasonsnova · #11 05-14-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostonfisher

Roc I never heard of a white catfish before. Are they freshwater fish that go into brackish water? I've caught ocean cats in florida before using small crabs but never seen a cat in the ocean before.

we quite often catch white cats in the merrimack as far down as the salisbury state boat ramp, just up river of the flats they are sometime all over....
cant wait i may try it out next weekend if not definately the next weekend... i'm still in quabbin mode now lol!

Roccus · #12 05-14-2010, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vthackle

Roc you been in the tea ,I have never heard you give up so much in one post ,We caught tub of cats put them in my brook, in a fish well left them for a week ,flushed all the muc out of them,what a good eating fish.I guess we are going to fish up river saturday into the night,see what we can do.good luck .just kidding on the post.VT

I guess that's what happens when you get striper hands....the energy goes into healing... not thinkin'