Fishing Report May 27, 2025
May 27, 2025
Flounder, stripers, salmon, lake trout, and rainbow trout were the lead story this week. We are hearing from most anglers and shops that the bass fishing isn’t what most would expect in late May, due to cooler than normal weather. Salmon and trout fishing, on the other hand, have been on fire. Ocean temps are warming, pushing a good flounder bite, especially around Boston Harbor, and striped bass continue to work their way up the coast in numbers. This boost of warm weather should help a lot.
Maine:
Greg Cutting at Jordans Store in Sebago reported great fishing, with some very nice salmon being caught in Sebago lately. “The fishing has been great. One guy sent me a picture of an 8.06-pound salmon that he caught, and I’ve heard of some 6-pounders. All the salmon this year seem to be on the larger size and mostly full of smelt, which is a really good sign. A lot of people are trolling shiners now that the smelt are pretty much done. There are still a few people trolling hardware right up near the surface. DB Smelts with the silver/blue color have been working great over here. The red/grey Ghost is a go-to streamer fly over here. The Sebago Lake Trout Shootout is this coming weekend. I’m sure there will be some nice fish caught,” he said.
Greg Cutting at Jordans Store in Sebago says the fishing is still excellent on Sebago and jigging lake trout is more popular than ever. “I got out and did some fishing last week. We fished out off the Songo River along a drop off and were running hardware. We got some nice fish 2-3 colors down. Down off of Nassan’s Beach and south has been good as well. A copper/red Mooselook Jr. was hot for us. I’m not hearing much from other area waters, but that could be because the fishing is so good on Sebago. One customer has been doing well on the Queen Bee and Grey Ghost streamer fly. There are a bunch of people out jigging in 95-feet of water and catching a pile of lake trout,” he said.
Guide CJ Harmon of Burnt Meadow Guide Service in Brownfield is still on a hot Sebago Lake trout and salmon bite. “Most of my week was consumed by guiding turkey hunters but we did get back on the water for the last three days and the fishing is right where we left off. The salmon fishing on Sebago was still producing some big fish and decent number as well. Sinking fly line trolling smelts was the main producer but down riggers running between 10’–20’ feet down contributed fish to tally as well. The lake trout jig bite is still really good right now! The rainy and cold weather isn’t ideal to fish in but it’s helping to keep the water temps down and hopefully will prolong our spring season!”
New Hampshire:
Tim from Tim Moore Outdoors/Lake Winnipesaukee Fishing Guide Service on Lake Winnipesaukee reported another productive week, with a slight slowdown due to the weather. “Things felt a little slower last week due to the cool temps and rain, but I think it was mostly just fewer people fishing. We are still catching quite a few salmon in the upper water column. Most of the fish are around 18-feet down. Spoons and flies with a lot of white were really hot, but this week it was a mixed bag. Oranges and pinks did really well. The Governor Aiken Tommy Gun spoon was a highliner, as was the Winnipesaukee Smelt streamer fly. This warmer weather should warm the surface a bit, pushing the fish throughout the water column. I will be taking advantage of early and late day low light conditions, and any chop that the wind gives me, when the salmon push to the surface. Bass fishing has been super slow. We are catching more and better smallmouth while trolling than we are when we target them,” he said.
Alan Nute at Winnisquam Country Store in Tilton says that the fishing has been good and a mix of spoons and flies are catching fish trolling. “Overall, it’s just been steady picking. Three to four fish per morning seems to be the norm for most people. We were fishing down 17-20 feet. Green was a hot spoon for a while one day. Streamers have been good too. Pinks and red/white have been hot colors. If what worked yesterday slows down, keep changing colors until you find what works,” he said.
Dana Berry at Berry’s Bait in Alton Bay reported a busy weekend, especially with visiting anglers. “It was a busy weekend. Lots of worms are being sold to tourists. Some guys are trolling medium shiners and some are trolling flies. They’re all catching fish. Blood and Guts and red ghost flies are hot,” she said.
Jason Brewster at Brewster’s Bait and Tackle in Portsmouth is officially open for the season. “The skies finally parted (slightly) this weekend and summer started on the Piscataqua. Boats, kayaks, paddleboarders, and schools of baitfish in the river! Reports of giant seals and big schools in front of the navy yard and the mouth were followed by kids catching schoolies in the back channel, near Sanders fish market. Flounder is being caught in the usual hot spots as well. It has begun.”
Massachusetts:
Pete Santini at Fishing Finatics in Everett says that the fishing around Boston Harbor is hot right now. “We got plenty of bass around. They’ve been getting some nice slot fish all in through the harbor from Deer Island up to the Charles River. Mackerel are getting hard to catch and there are a few pogies around, but the fish are whacking the rubber shads. The Al Gags in white and the Shaddy Daddy have been really good. The kayakers are doing very well around the Amelia Earhart dam trolling red and orange Santini Tubes with sea worms. Flounder limits are being caught regularly out near Peddocks Island, Lynn Harbor, and in front of Deer Island. They’re catching a few tautog around too. They’re catching some nice rainbow trout in Jamaica, Horn, Walden, and White’s Pond,” he said.
Liz at Surfland Bait and Tackle reported a lot of stripers around, and some really big ones up river in Lawrence. “Low tide down the river and the incoming tide out front are still the typical hot times. The storm mixed things up and created a lot of seaweed in the water, so that put a bit of a damper on things. High tide on Joppa with tube and worm has been really popular too. They’ve caught a few 30-inch fish off the front beach lately. We need some good weather,” she said.