KTP Fishing Report

June 2, 2025
Cool weather has put a damper on some fishing activity, but for the anglers willing to suffer through chilly temps and rain, there are fish to be caught. Stripers are still filtering up the coast and out of the rivers, haddock are moving closer to the mainland, saving time and fuel and allowing some slightly smaller boats access to them, stocked trout fishing remains steady, lake trout and salmon trolling is holding steady, flounder are biting well, and bass fishing is finally heating up. A few warmer days this week should heat things up and make fishing a bit more enjoyable.

Maine:
Greg Cutting at Jordans Store in Sebago reported excellent fishing on Sebago and some nice splake from Tricky Pond. “The fishing is good. The copper and orange Mooselook spoon has been great for salmon lately. The salmon fishing doesn’t appear to be as consistent as it was, but some guys are having some great days. The fish seem to be up on top, but over deep water. If you can stay with the schools of alewives, you can catch some fish. There are still quite a few people jigging lake trout. There are guys catching splake up to Tricky Pond, and I talked to a customer who caught a nice brown on Hancock trolling bait on downriggers,” he said.

Captain Tim Tower of the Bunny Clark Deep Sea Fishing in Ogunquit posted the following report from a recent deep sea trip: “The fishing was very good. It could have been excellent without the tide. The catching was good. Landings were fair. Most legal fish landed were haddock but the average size was small. Except for one bigger haddock, we may not have had but two fish that weighed four pounds. Legal landings included seventy haddock, twenty-three cusk, thirty-two mackerel and one redfish. Released fish included one 5-pound cod, eight small cod, four cusk, sixty-one sub-legal haddock, ten dogfish and a 7-pound wolffish. We anchored mostly. Although the drift was tenable, the catch rate was much higher on anchor. We tried drifting several times with the same result. Bait worked best.”

“John Lambert, Jr. (NY) was high hook with the most legal fish. He had fourteen keeper haddock, probably the most sub-legal haddock, the only redfish and a few cusk. His largest fish was a 6.5-pound cusk, the second largest fish of the trip. Dominic Caputo (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with a 7 pound wolffish. The third largest fish was a 6-pound cusk caught by Chris Tankred (OH). He also caught a 5.5-pound cusk before that.”

“Other Angler Highlights: Keith Koziarz (NY) caught the largest haddock of the trip at 5.5 pounds. Barry Ano (NY) caught a 5.5-pound cusk. Tim Hopsicker (NY) caught a cusk that weighed 5.75 pounds. Dave Saliba (MA) boated a 5.5-pound cusk.”

Guide CJ Harmon of Burnt Meadow Guide Service in Brownfield is still on a hot Sebago lake trout and salmon bite. “Last week’s fluctuating weather patterns made for some challenging fishing! We managed fish every day, but we worked hard for them! We are still trolling smelts and shiners behind a variety of Northeast troller gear. Dodgers and lake trolls seemed to help us get those tough bites! Wonderbread, white and red colors worked best for us. Water temps are holding stable, so the spring bite isn’t over yet!”

New Hampshire:
Tim from Tim Moore Outdoors/Lake Winnipesaukee Fishing Guide Service on Lake Winnipesaukee told us that the salmon fishing remains steady and productive and the smallmouth have finally begun bedding. “I was beginning to wonder if the smallmouth spawn was going to happen with any significance. There was so little spawning activity in late May, but the fish are on beds. Wacky rigged weightless rubber worms in bright colors on a calm morning are deadly. We’ve had some good topwater action too. The salmon fishing is holding steady. There are good numbers of salmon in the lake this year. Orange and yellow were hot colors last week. The fish are still holding around 15-20 feet down, despite the fact that they are normally much deeper right now. Surface water temps are still in the low 50s. Slowing down and fishing the upper 15-feet of the water column early in the morning has been key for us,” he said.

Alan Nute at Winnisquam Country Store in Tilton reported a hot week of trolling on Winnipesaukee for most anglers. “People are talking about a few more fish being caught. The top 20-feet is where most of the fish seem to be. I’m selling out on Blood and Guts flies. The Blood and Guts spoons are doing great too. Orange is always a good color on Winnipesaukee. Wonderbread has been a good spoon lately too. We can’t keep flies in stock right now, so there must be a bunch of other patterns doing well,” he said.

Dana Berry at Berry’s Bait in Alton Bay was busy when we spoke and says that the fishing has been great for some. “Darn the cold weather! It’s nice to finally see warmer days. The water is still colder than it normally is this time of year. It sounds like most salmon fishermen are fishing faster and deeper than they should be. It might be June, but we have May-like water temps. Fish like it’s still May, I guess? The Top Gun, DB Smelt, and Mooselook are all doing good. Oranges and Wonderbread are hot colors. The purple and Wonderbread New England smelt trolling flies are flying out the door. Hopefully this warmer water helps get more people out. The bass are on beds and the bass guys are doing well. Just remember that it is the catch and release artificial lure only period until June 15,” she said.

Jason Brewster at Brewster’s Bait and Tackle in Portsmouth furnished us with the following report: “Another spotty weather week left the Piscataqua hot and cold. Have been selling a lot of worms and top water rigs for the strippers. Heard about a lot of schoolies with the large boys still working up the coast. The hot weather this week is going to be key.”

Massachusetts:
Pete Santini at Fishing Finatics in Everett reported excellent flounder and striper fishing, with some dandy trout stocked recently. “There are a lot of mackerel out by Boston Light and Graves Light. A lot of slot-sized striped bass and fish up to 45-inches around the outer harbor islands. Santini Tubes around the shorelines at Long, Spectacle, and Thompson Islands and off Revere Beach. The fish are hitting a new locally made lure called the Mystic Mojo. They have been working very good trolled in deep water. Winthrop Harbor and Peddocks and Georges Island are doing really well for flounder. Haddock have moved in off of Stellwagen. Middle Bank off of Plymouth has some nice haddock. Whites Pond in Concord is giving up some nice brookie and rainbows. Guys got some good ones on PowerBait and shiners,” he said.

Pete Santini at Fishing Finatics in Everett reported excellent flounder and striper fishing, with some dandy trout stocked recently. “There are a lot of mackerel out by Boston Light and Graves Light. A lot of slot-sized striped bass and fish up to 45-inches around the outer harbor islands. Santini Tubes around the shorelines at Long, Spectacle, and Thompson Islands and off Revere Beach. The fish are hitting a new locally made lure called the Mystic Mojo. They have been working very good trolled in deep water. Winthrop Harbor and Peddocks and Georges Island are doing really well for flounder. Haddock have moved in off of Stellwagen. Middle Bank off of Plymouth has some nice haddock. Whites Pond in Concord is giving up some nice brookie and rainbows. Guys got some good ones on PowerBait and shiners,” he said.