Fishing Report August 31, 2026
Consistent was the most common word used when hearing striper reports. Not a ton of anglers killing it, but the reports are of consistent fishing and quality over quantity. Salmon lakes, like Sebago and Winnipesaukee, are producing their best catches of the year. With reports of huge schools of baitfish on Sebago, anglers are also reporting better numbers and fatter fish. Cod season runs the months of September and October this year and bycatch reports from haddock anglers were promising.
Maine:
Greg Cutting at Jordan’s Store in Sebago reported excellent fishing on Sebago last week. “I got to get out and fish a bit. It was slow; we only got 15 salmon one morning,” he said jokingly. “Seriously though, the fishing has been excellent. That copper/orange Mooselook is still fire. There are pin smelt everywhere. 45 feet down on downriggers and 5-7 colors of lead core has been good. We have caught fish on top while letting lines out too, though. Out over the deep water is where I am hearing most guys are doing best. There is a ton of bait up on top of the Shoals in the30 feet of water range. The salmon I have seen are 17–21 inches long and chunky,” he told us.
Garon at Saco Bay Tackle in Saco reported a little bit slower striper fishing. “It’s slowed down a little, but guys are still catching them. Biddeford Pool has been the hot spot. As usual, white paddle tails during the day and eel imitations at night have been great,” he said.
Tim Tower of the Bunny Clark Deep Sea Fishing in Ogunquit posted the following report from a recent trip on his website: “The fishing was really excellent, the catching was excellent and landings were very good to excellent. We did have more dogfish than normal. But when we started to get more dogs, the bite was off and it was time to move anyway. There were just about no dogfish during the last half of the day. We only saw a couple of blue sharks and only in the early part of the morning. Most legal fish landed were pollock, by far. We really couldn't get away from them. Legal landings also included four cusk, forty-one haddock to 4.75 pounds, three redfish, a cunner and thirty or so mackerel. Released fish included thirty-eight small cod, three cod over 6 pounds, four sub-legal haddock, fifteen sub-legal pollock, fifty-nine dogfish and two blue sharks with jewelry. We drift fished the whole day. Jigs and cod flies caught the most fish.”
“Liam Jenks (MA) and Ryan Schwartz (FL) were both high hook today. If everyone had the frequency of catch that those two did, we would have had too many fish or we would have been back at the dock by noon. For them, it was a fish a drop/cast all day long. It was actually pretty fun to watch. Liam's two biggest fish included a 10.5-pound pollock and an 11-pound pollock. I weighed a 9-pound pollock for Ryan.”
“Nick Longo (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 17-pound barndoor skate. He caught a lot of fish, but this was, by far, his biggest fish. He and Jeff Corey (MA) were fishing side by side up in the bow pulpit. They both released a lot of legal pollock back to the ocean alive. Jeff's biggest fish was an 11.25-pound pollock. Mark Majewsky (MN) won the boat pool for the second largest fish with the second largest fish, a 13.5-pound pollock. There was a tie for the third largest fish at 12 pounds. There were two, both pollock. Mark caught one and Klajdi Isaku (Albania) caught the other.”
“Other Angler Highlights: Bob Kent (ME) caught a 10-pound pollock right off the bat this morning. Joe Jenks (MA) caught an 11.75-pound pollock. Dana Decormier (NH) boated a 10.5-pound pollock, his biggest fish. His son, Jack Decormier (NH) was high hook for the first two hours of the day. This gave him a huge jump on fish count with a lot of doubles. Bruce Fuller (ME) caught a 10-pound pollock.”
New Hampshire:
Tim from Tim Moore Outdoors/Lake Winnipesaukee Fishing Guide Service told us that the full moon last week threw things off a little, but the trolling bite is getting back on track. “It was a little off last week due to the full moon, which always happens, but not terrible. Things are definitely returning to normal. We are still catching fish at 25 and 35-feet down, mostly on streamers, but we did land a few fish on the AJ’s Custom Products special Blood and Guts BB Gun and the Timber Tackle Bloody Mess spoons. Most fish came on AJ’s Salty Special (single and tandem) and the Golden Demon single hook streamer. One day lead core fishes better and the next it is downriggers,” he said.
Ki at Dover Marine Covered Bridge Sports in Dover says that it seems like everyone who is fishing is catching fish right now. “It doesn’t seem to matter who I talk to; everyone seems to be catching fish. Saltwater and freshwater reports are good. There are still a lot of stripers being caught. They seem to be everywhere. Chunk mackerel and squid have been great bait. Nice haddock are being caught and there have been a lot of nice cod caught as bycatch, so the September and October cod season should be good. Freshwater bass fishing is awesome right now. The early morning topwater bite has been great. If you have a little bit of wind and chop on the water, fish louder baits. It is starting to change to fall patterns,” he told us.
Alan Nute at Winnisquam Country Store in Tilton told us that the fishing on Winnipesaukee was a bit slower last week due to the full moon, but he too says things are coming back around. “The full moon slowed things down, but they still bit. You just had to be there when they fed. The overcast skies and cooler temps this week should pick things up. Orange seems to be the common denominator. Anything with orange in it is doing well. We had one good day with the Salty Special single hook streamer. Blood and Guts and Golden Demon have been good streamers. I am still finding fish anywhere from down 35 to 55 feet down,” he said.
Massachusetts:
Martha at Surfland Bait and Tackle on Plum Island told us that the striper fishing is consistent everywhere around them except in the Merrimack River. “We are starting to see it pick up, but every day is different. It’s almost September, if you can believe it. I haven’t had a great Merrimack River report. Everything has been out on the ocean front, down to Sandy Point, down the Plum Island Sound. I have had reports of lots of schoolies down to Gloucester, but no bluefish. The night fishing at the refuge has been good. They’re not slaying them, but they’re picking away. One of my regular morning guys picked up 7 shad off the beach the other morning,” she said.
Pete Santini at Fishing Finatics in Everett furnished the following report: “Sporadic topwater bite on big bass busting pogies, mackerel, and baby herring from the airport to Revere Beach to Graves Light. Trolling with 9ers Rigs and Mystic Mojos has been very effective in the deeper water. Along the edges of the islands, Santini Tubes on lead core at high tide in shallow water are destroying bass. Look for codfish and cunner by B.Bouy on jigs, clams, and pelican rigs. There are a few big bonito off Scituate. We also saw a couple of big halibut on jigs out near Stellwagen. Tuna have been seen busting from Deer Island to past the B Bouy. All big fish, no little ones yet. Bass and perch fishing is great in local ponds on shiners,” he said.