Merrimack River and Salisbury MA

Tarkka · #1 05-15-2015, 03:09 PM

I am headed out tomorrow night to Salisbury MA, the Merrimack River and Plum Island area. Not sure exactly where to fish until I get there but I've picked up a couple hints from these forums. I'm new to striper fishing and now that I have read 4 great books (2 by J Skinner, 2 by Z Hronim), I'm anxious to hit the suds!

I have a few lures, some bucktails and fish finders/hooks/sinkers for bait (fresh surf clams if I can find them). I have some slug-gos, too. I'm going to try a little of everything unless someone can give me a few thoughts about what might be best.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I wish you all tight lines this weekend!

Tarkka · #2 05-18-2015, 01:34 PM

Fished the river on the incoming tide with no luck. The jetty on the north side is closed for major repairs so I fished a few spots along the bank. After high tide, I tried the beach just north of the jetty. No hits there either.

Main offering was a bucktail, but tried some clams too and a pencil popper. Sure wish I had someone who could get me started with a few pointers. I have no idea if I was in the strike zone, but I'll keep trying. :-)

JakeF · #3 05-18-2015, 06:28 PM

Hi Tarkka,

Things should be heating up there shortly. Have you had a chance to read through the articles in "View From The Beach"?

Tarkka · #4 05-18-2015, 07:18 PM

Thanks Jake. I have only scratched the surface of the articles in View from the Beach. Great stuff!! I'm going to keep working that area to learn as much as I can. So much good information in these forums!

Roccus · #5 05-20-2015, 10:26 AM

Try the sand spit along the party bots on the south side of the river.. last hour of the outgoing...first hour of the incoming... have some Charlie grave tins available.. the fish are feeding on sand eels... also white 3/4 ounce buck tails with red pork rind are killer...

Tarkka · #6 05-20-2015, 02:14 PM

Thanks Roc, I will. Really appreciate the tip for a new guy! Got the bucktails and tins already, need the pork rind. Hard to find around Manchester for some reason. Is it too early for live eels? Hope to be down there this weekend. Will report back. Again, many thanks!!

Roccus · #7 05-21-2015, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarkka

Thanks Roc, I will. Really appreciate the tip for a new guy! Got the bucktails and tins already, need the pork rind. Hard to find around Manchester for some reason. Is it too early for live eels? Hope to be down there this weekend. Will report back. Again, many thanks!!

Never too early for eels... but I'd wait until the average size of the fish comes up a little...I usually start using them around the first week of June...

Tarkka · #8 05-22-2015, 08:58 AM

I'm going to head down there tomorrow night, hopefully hit Surfland first. I can't thank the veterans on this forum enough for all of the great information you've compiled over the years to help newcomers like me. Tight lines!

Roccus · #9 05-22-2015, 10:26 AM

Well good luck.... I uncovered my boat and painted the bottom last night... I'll fire up the engine and pop it in it's slip Saturday night..

bigger fish should start showing.... remember.. early fish head straight up river on the heels of the herring...that's why the last of the outgoing and start of that incoming is so critical...the majority those fish are pushing up river..

Tarkka · #10 05-26-2015, 12:03 PM

Hope the boat prep went well. We went Sunday night from 8:00 pm to midnight. Caught the end of the outgoing tide. Your advice got me my first striper ever!!

Got him on seaworms and lost one other one. He was small but a good clean catch and release. Tried bucktails and clams too, but no luck on those.

There wasn't much action from others. Saw one other landed near us, that's it. Going to try to hit this spot again over the next few weeks and maybe walk down to the ocean side, too.

Thanks again for the great advice, Roc. Helped a lot!!!